FIFA "generates billions in revenue, driven by TV and sponsorship rights for hosting the World Cup, the most popular single sporting event in the world," according to Virginia Harrison of CNN. More than 3.2 billion people "watched the 2010 tournament in South Africa, and even more are thought to have turned in for Brazil 2014." Here's a "closer look at FIFA by the numbers:"
1. Huge revenues: FIFA made $5.7B in revenue in the four years "leading up to the 2014 World Cup."
2. World Cup: The '14 event "drew an impressive" $2.6B profit for FIFA.
3. Media rights: The sale of TV rights "generated a big chunk" -- $2.4B -- of the revenues produced by the Brazil World Cup.
4. Ticket sales: Ticketing rights to the most recent World Cup "added another" $527M. More than 11 million tickets were "requested, with just under a third of that amount allocated."
5. Sponsorship dollars: FIFA "counted six blue-chip companies as major sponsors in the four years" to '14: adidas, Coca-Cola, Hyundai, Emirates Airlines, Sony and Visa. FIFA collected $1.6B in sponsorship in the '11-14 period that "included the most recent World Cup."
6. Salary bill: FIFA "shelled out" around $88M in salaries last year, including nearly $40M to its top 13 execs.
7. Football investment: FIFA spent about $1B on "infrastructure, sporting facilities, equipment and education" between '11 and '14 (CNN, 5/27).
