EPL Runner-Up Liverpool Tops League With More Than $163M In TV Revenue During '13-14

Despite finishing second in the table, Liverpool received the highest total TV payment with £97.5M ($163.2M), the largest amount of central revenue that any club has received in an EPL season. This is because Liverpool had the highest number of matches picked for live broadcast in the U.K. (28). Newly crowned champion Man City received £96.6M ($162M) during '13-14. The ratio between the top and bottom earning club was 1.57:1. The league also set a record stadium occupancy of 95.9%. All clubs were able to compete in the transfer market, and there was significant investment in their Youth Development Academies as they implemented the second year of the Elite Player Performance Plan. The Premier League Founder Members’ Agreement sets out that 50% of U.K. broadcast revenue be split equally between the 20 clubs, 25% paid in Merit Payments (depending on where a club finishes in the final league table), and the final 25% paid in Facility Fees each time a club’s matches are broadcast in the U.K. (EPL). The BBC wrote bottom club Cardiff City earned more TV cash in the '13-14 season than ManU did from winning the league a year earlier. ManU earned £89.1M ($149.4M) in '13-14, but the £60.8M it picked up as champions 12 months prior was beaten by Cardiff, who received £62.1M ($104M) (BBC, 5/14).