Next Year's English Premier League Champion Could Make $150 Million From TV Rights
The huge uptick begins with the English television rights. British media giant BT teamed with BSkyB to pay $4.5 billion over the next three years. International broadcasting rights will also see a major jump next year when NBC's three-year, $250 million contract kicks in. The EPL's previous contract with Fox was worth $80 million over three years.
In total the EPL expects to make $8.4 billion from broadcasters between 2013-2016.
The increase in revenue leads ESPN to project that next year's champion will earn around $150 million. The EPL's money-sharing agreement is highly egalitarian. The EPL pays 50 percent of UK broadcast revenue equally between the 20 clubs, 25 percent in Merit Payments (determined by standings), and the final 25 percent in Facility Fees each time a club's matches are on TV in Britain.
The Queens Park Rangers, this year's EPL cellar dwellers, earned $60 million. Not bad for a team with four wins in 38 matches.