By Nick Harris

SJA Internet Sports Writer of the Year

24 May 2011

The massive financial rewards simply for being a member of the Premier League are highlighted again today with the release of official figures detailing PL earnings by club for the 2010-11 season. The lowest-earning team, Blackpool, picked up £39,080,036 from the League in TV cash and prize money while the best-paid team, Manchester United, earned £60,429,052. This is the first time the £60m barrier has been broken for the top-earning team.

Elsewhere today, a feature highlighting the flip side to this story: Mind the gap! Leaving the Premier League can seriously damage your wealth

What isn’t in doubt are the huge sums on offer for being part of the world’s most popular football league. Full list of payments in table below.

The figures for all clubs are carried in the table below. Every club got £13.82m as an equal share of domestic TV income, plus £17.93m as an equal share of foreign TV income.

Facility fees (£485,000 per live TV match in the UK plus bits and pieces for net, phone and delayed rights) varied depending how many times each club featured in live matches, between a minimum of 10 times and a maximum of 26. Each place in the table was worth £756,756 in prize money, with that amount going to the bottom club (West Ham) and 20 times that amount (£15,135,120) going to Manchester United.

From this season, the increased income streams from the improved 2010-13 overseas TV deals kick in. As we reported in March last year, the overseas rights alone will earn the League £1.437bn for 2010-13 inclusive.

The ratio in earnings from central funds between United at the top and Blackpool at the bottom is 1.55 to 1.

The Premier League’s chief executive, Richard Scudamore, says: ‘We believe that our income distribution mechanism, the most equitable of Europe’s major football leagues, rewards sporting success while also guaranteeing a significant amount of broadcast revenue to each club in order that they plan from one season to the next.

‘Many have commented on the competitive nature of this season’s Barclays Premier League. The clubs deserve huge credit for putting on a fantastic competition. We believe the way we distribute broadcast income plays a part in allowing each club to compete at the highest level.’

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Last year’s payments to the PL clubs

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DISTRIBUTION of Premier League central funds 2010-11 (All amounts £ sterling)

Place = finishing position in the table. Live = live games on Sky/ESPN combined.

BBC = games on Match of the Day. N.Live = games shown ‘near live’.

Note: Facility fees increase with more live TV games; merit payments grow in increments of £756,756 per place from 20th to 1st.

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