Accounting firm KPMG Dir of Strategy in Spain Jorge Sainz said that professional football in Spain generated an economic impact of €7.6B in '13, .75% of the country's GDP, according to the EFE. Of the €7.6B, €3.6B came directly from professional football -- with more than 75% of that coming from money spent by fans, and 16% from clubs' revenue from advertising and marketing. Sainz: "Fans spent a total of €2.8B that year, of which €923M went to quinielas sports lotteries and online betting, nearly €600M on tickets, competitions and membership fees and up to €515M on subscriptions to pay-TV channels, among others." Fan spending on tickets and competitions reached €246M during the '12-13 season, while clubs' revenue from membership fees and season tickets was €348M. KPMG's "Socio-economic impact of professional football in Spain" study estimated that football helped create 140,000 full-time jobs. Indirectly, the sectors of cultural and sports activities, telecommunications, construction and real estate "benefited from the football industry." Spanish football's indirect contribution to Spain's GDP reached €3B. For the study, KPMG covered "three major areas: contribution to the national GDP, generation of full-time jobs and collection of taxes associated with the activity" (EFE, 5/14). The EFE reported in a separate piece Spanish Football League (LFP) President Javier Tebas said that the football industry "is an economic motor in this country." He said he believes that in six years, the football industry will represent 1% of Spain's GDP, with an "increase in revenue, with more presence in the markets." Tebas: "For this the first topic is the audiovisual rights and in six years they will reach close to €2B ($2.27B). I am convinced of what we can do, but pay-TV in Spain has to be increased. The football industry is the motor of growth but we will also be the motor of the converging offer, the broadband. The concept of pay-TV is going to change and in its growth the fight against piracy is very important" (EFE, 5/14).
