The first year of the Premier League’s record £8.4B ($11.3B) TV deal, combined with financial regulations aimed at "preventing the bulk of the money being paid to players and agents," transformed England’s top 20 clubs "overwhelmingly into profit," according to David Conn of the London GUARDIAN. Analysis of the clubs’ most recently published accounts, for the '16-17 season and financial year, found that 17 clubs made a profit, on record revenues of more than £4.5B. The clubs’ "booming" financial health under the '16-19 broadcasting deal "puts into perspective" the current demands of the richest six clubs for a greater share of the int'l TV income, which is shared equally among all 20. That demand is being led by Liverpool and Man City and is said to be supported by ManU, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham. The accounts show that these top six clubs are "already on a different financial plane from all the others." Tottenham, the sixth-highest-earning club in '16-17, made £306M, £73M more than the next-highest, Leicester City, whose £233M revenues were "boosted" by £70M from its one-off participation in the Champions League after winning the EPL title in '15-16. ManU, despite not winning the Premier League title since Alex Ferguson retired in '13, has levels of sponsorship and earnings from the 76,000-capacity Old Trafford that made it "by far the highest-earning club," making £581M in '16-17. ManU's earnings were £108M more than those of the second-highest-earning club, Man City, whose £473M revenues were "boosted" by £218M in commercial income. The total earnings of £4.5B are 25% higher than the £3.6B the 20 clubs made in '15-16, the last year of the previous three-year TV deals (GUARDIAN, 6/6). You can find a club-by-club breakdown here.
