London: Premier League clubs receive so much money from television half of them could still turn a profit even if the stadia were empty, according to the BBC.
Using statistics compiled from the 2016/17 season, during which clubs benefited from a record 8.3billion pounds (Dh39 billion) global TV revenue, income from match days contributed less than a fifth of every one pound earned by 18 Premier League sides.
The number of clubs that would have recorded pre-tax profits even if match day income was taken away rose from two in 2015/16 to 10 in 2016/17.
Only Tottenham Hotspur of the so-called big six features among those clubs, with West Bromwich Albion topping the list.
Dr Rob Wilson, a sport finance specialist at Sheffield Hallam University, told the BBC the sea change in club finances came with the TV deal agreed in 2012 which brought in 3.018 billion pounds.
“That is when the focus really went toward generating TV money rather than match day ticket receipts,” he told the BBC.
“The revenue structures of those clubs are fairly well there to stay now.”
