Bradford City's Win Over Aston Villa In The League Cup Semifinal Could Be Worth $1.6M

League Two side Bradford City Joint Chair Mark Lawn said that the club's "historic trip to Wembley" could be worth £1M ($1.6M) to the club, according to the BBC. The Bantams "became the first fourth-tier side" in more than 50 years to reach the League Cup final after beating Aston Villa on aggregate on Tuesday night. Lawn said it was a "once in a lifetime opportunity" for potential sponsors, as well as for the club. Bradford City will take on either Chelsea or Swansea at Wembley Stadium on Feb. 24 (BBC, 1/23). The PA reported the Football League confirmed that "each finalist will receive 45% of the gate receipts from Wembley Stadium." Lawn said that the players will split around £250,000 ($396,000) of that in bonuses, but the rest of the money "will go toward helping the League Two club" in its efforts to regain its former heights. Lawn said, "The money means that if we don't get promotion this year then hopefully we can keep this side together." The income from the Cup run "will also allow Bradford to go on a winter training break to Tenerife," a welcome change from its usual training ground at Apperley Bridge, which is currently under two inches of snow (PA, 1/23).

AT A BARGAIN: In London, Paul Wilson wrote on the GUARDIAN's The Sport Blog "everyone knows all Yorkshire loves a bargain, and at the moment all of England loves a team put together for the princely sum" of £7,500 ($11,900) that "has removed no fewer than three Premier League opponents en route to the million pound Wembley jackpot of the Capital One Cup final." There "are other costs, obviously, such as wages, but Bradford appear to have learned the hard way how to live within their means." A £1M payday at Wembley "may have subtly altered those priorities" and "good luck to them." Never mind "the financial details and the promotion hunt for the moment." The team that "will be marching out at Wembley next month, to face" either the European champions or its semifinal conquerors, "is currently level on points with Fleetwood Town and Southend." It is "incredible what cups can still do" (GUARDIAN, 1/23).