Man City was named last season's biggest Champions League earners on Tuesday, "with the semi-finalists raking in slightly more" than champion Real Madrid, a UEFA report said, according to Brian Homewood of REUTERS. Amid "increasing concern at the growing financial gap within European football, the report also illustrated the gulf" in payments received by the top clubs and the rest. UEFA said that a total of €1.35B ($1.49B) was shared between the 32 teams which qualified for the group stage last season plus the 10 eliminated in the final playoff round. This was an increase of €315M ($349M) on the previous season. Man City received a total of €83.85M ($92.96M), Real Madrid €80.07M ($88.8M) and Juventus €72.26M ($80.1M), even though the Serie A side was "beaten in the round of 16." The report explained that each club received a set payment of €12M ($13.3M) for taking part in the group stage, plus bonuses for each win and draw "and a further bonus every time they progressed through the knockout rounds." In addition, the clubs also received payments from the market pool, which UEFA said was divided "according to the proportional value of the national TV market allocated to each individual club, among other factors" (REUTERS, 11/2). In London, Pete South reported the reason for Man City's place at the top of the list "comes down to market share of TV money -- almost exactly half" of its overall earnings came from broadcast revenue. BT Sport's "huge deal" to broadcast the Champions League in the U.K., plus Man City's place as "the English side that went the furthest," ensured it was out in front. By comparison, Real Madrid won the competition and received around £13.5M ($16.6M) for doing so, plus £23.4M ($28.8M) in TV money, but Man City's £42M ($51.6M) from its market share of broadcast money meant it "leapfrogged Real Madrid." Of the 32 group teams, Maccabi Tel Aviv's total of around £15M ($18.4M) share was lowest.
Champions League Prize Money
Man City -- £76M
Real Madrid -- £73M
Juventus -- £69M
Paris St. Germain -- £64M
Atlético Madrid -- £63M
Chelsea -- £63M
AS Roma -- £62M
Bayern Munich -- £59M
Barcelona -- £51M
Arsenal -- £49M (DAILY MAIL, 11/2).
