Yahoo News Aston Villa bank huge windfall and are handed multi-million Champions League incentive
Aston Villa are set to enjoy the financial rewards of their efforts in securing Champions League football next season. Villa finished fourth in the Premier League, which concluded on Sunday, for the first time since 1996 - a season in which they also lifted the League Cup. Villa, in only their fourth season back in the Premier League, finished ahead of Manchester United for the first time in the Premier League era, and also in front of Chelsea, Tottenham and Newcastle.
With those efforts come plentiful remuneration. Villa will earn a substantial amount of money simply for competing in the Premier League in the first place, while they'll also benefit - along with the 19 other sides - from huge broadcasting deals with Sky Sports and TNT Sports, as well as from agreements with broadcasting companies who show the Premier League overseas.
While the numbers are yet to be confirmed, it's estimated that Villa will be in line to receive around £89m, a 20th of the overall pot which combines money from those respective UK and international broadcasting deals. On top of that guaranteed sum, Villa will also earn around £3m for every place they finish in the league table - Sheffield United, who finished rock bottom, receive that sum, which rises by the same figure per position.
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Villa, then, in fourth, will have earned around £53m according to the Athletic's calculations - that takes into account the merit payments from UK and internationally. By comparison, Manchester United in eighth will get around £40.5m. Interestingly, you then have the Champions League money, which Villa will benefit from for the very first time.
The gross revenue of UEFA's three competitions - the Champions League, the Europa League and the Conference League - was forecast to be in the region of €3.5bn. They work on their distribution plan based on this estimation. For 2023/24, the clubs who reached the group stage of the Champions League received €15.64m from UEFA before kicking a ball.
There are so many incentives once you're there, though. You then can earn €2.8m with each win and €930,000 for every draw in the newly formed league structure - Villa are going to play eight matches this coming season, four home and four away against sides via the seeding system.
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If they finish in the top eight, they'll qualify for the last 16. If they finish between ninth and 24th, they'll play a two-legged knock-out and the winners will make up the last 16. From there, it's as you were. Finish 25th or lower, and you'll be eliminated. The payments may differ for the upcoming season, with UEFA set to address it in due course.
As of last year, though, qualification to the last 16 earned a team €9.6m, for the quarter finals it was €10.6m, for the semi-finals it was €12.5m and for the final it was €15.5m. The winner of Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid at Wembley next month will bank an additional €4.5m. For Villa, the incentives to earn run right the way through the competition - the deeper they go, the bigger the sums.
