Football loses money, footballers pretend not to see it. They don’t want to know. It’s not their thing. And through the mouth of the prosecutors they persist in perceiving, in expecting growth in a world-river of money that has however broken its banks. Which no longer exists in the same terms. While the sphere economically rolls down. The numbers say it. But for the players the existential claim is always the same. Ball, wallet more and more swollen, hand (falsely) on the heart. But the clubs in Europe, even the richest ones, are almost exhausted. They seek solutions. The fans understand. And certain whims, anachronistic and not just unromantic, begin to be badly tolerated. Asymmetries between those who get by and have to manage the new platform, and those who don’t want to give up an inch. The vase is not yet full. But not even empty. The danger of a bubble, of a financial and sentimental crash, however, is real. The risk, data in hand, is not that far off. The late payment of salaries is a bell.
The impact of Covid on the balloon industry
Deloitte’s annual study (“Football Money League 2021”) eloquently highlighted the devastating impact of Covid-19 on the football world. Revenue is in free fall. From the taps from which fountains of money flowed now drops are falling. Not from television rights, still “impacting”, but from merchandising, from stadium revenues. For the latter, for the current season, a loss of 80 million is expected for Juventus, 60 and 40 respectively for Inter and Milan, about 30 for Rome and Lazio and 17 for Napoli. An economic hole that is difficult to fill. With the average turnover of the top clubs in Europe amounting to 409 million euros: -55 million compared to 2018/19.
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Chills
According to the Deloitte report, the world‘s top 20 football clubs by revenue will lose over € 2 billion by the end of the 2020/21 season. Thrilling numbers. Yet nothing. The protagonists (the footballers) go on undeterred, as if nothing had happened. Even if the film has changed. With closed cinemas. And the comedy is becoming a (almost) drama, if not horror. The salaries of the players, already overpaid, always unconditionally to grow, are now a right acquired by the category. Also for elderly players, on the avenue of the sunset. Who on the pitch will never give more than they have already given. A duty, an obligation that the clubs must have had to abide by until yesterday. Until before the global crisis. In order not to lose the players, their capital. Sporty and economical. And not to leave the market.
The wind of football, however, is changing. The 60 million a year for a Ronaldo who does not affect are part of another era. Weather forecasts give a different financial sky. More clouds than blue skies. Will the clear sky return? Meanwhile, the companies, including the Italian ones, are throttled by costs that are not balanced by revenues. From Inter to Juve, passing through the Romans. All have the (declared) duty to reduce too high salaries. Which represent an excessive, unjustifiable share. Not to mention the contraction in sales.
Excessive requests from players
Last summer, only Chelsea and Manchester City spared no expense. For almost all the other big names in the continent, many equal exchanges, zero parameters, austerity. But the requests of the players, those already with top salaries, continue to be essential. From Covid. From the crisis. Even from the sporting merit. From the real impact of their performance. Which, on the other hand, are almost never growing. Or in any case proportionate to the required salary increases.