LaLiga records strong revenue and attendance growth

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Image Credit: Shutterstock - Christian Bertrand

La Liga has reported its highest revenue since the pandemic, pushing through the €5bn barrier ($8.76bn AUD).

Across the 2023/24 season, La Liga recorded a total standardized revenue of €5.049bn ($8.84bn AUD), a 3.2% increase upon the 2022/23 season. However, the 23/24 season is still shy of the pre-pandemic 2019/20 season record revenue of €5.065bn ($8.87bn AUD).

Of La Liga’s revenue streams, broadcast income was the most influential – totaling $2.64bn AUD. The second largest source of revenue was commercial income, surpassing the organisation’s goal of over one billion euros for the second year in a row – totaling $2.25bn AUD. La Liga contributed its strong commercial growth to flourishing new sponsorships and licensing agreements, as well as the continuing popularity of the league overseas.

However, La Liga has credited the post-pandemic high total revenue due to the increase in matchday income from record attendances.

Throughout the 2023/24 season, 16 million fans lined stadium seats across Spain, contributing to an average stadium occupancy rate of 75.4%. An increase upon the previous season’s 72.5% average occupancy rate.

Due to this, matchday revenue grew 5% year-on-year to $1.25bn AUD in the 2023/24 season, culminating in a 25% increase over the past five seasons.

La Liga signified the effect of affordable ticket prices, stadium expansions and projects which improved facilities and amenities as crucial in inspiring more fans to come to games.

Furthermore, the league predicts that the 2024/25 season will welcome even more spectators, projecting 78% average occupancy across stadiums and nearly 18 million in attendance.

Among the clubs, members reduced their losses by approximately $493m AUD in 2023/24 from 2022/23, recording aggregate losses of $388m in 2023/24 and $881m in the prior season.

La Liga also projected that aggregate losses would fall even further in 2024/25, to $303m.

Interestingly, senior corporate net debt rose in 2023/24 to $2.34bn however, net equity remained healthy at $3.9bn – highlighting the stability of the league’s long-economic model, which continues to abide by Financial Fair Play.

Due to its positive year, continuing upwards revenue trends across matchday and commercial sectors and the successes of the Boost LaLiga strategy , La Liga projects that the organisation is on its way to breaking even under its Financial Fair Play criteria later in the year.

The Spanish competition’s record revenue raising 2023/24 season echoes that of the Bundesliga, announced earlier in the year.

Like LaLiga, the Bundesliga achieved soaring ticket sales, accruing 20.74 million tickets across the top two divisions of German football in 2023/24 – an increase of almost one million tickets from the 2022/23 season. These impressive results contribute to the Bundesliga’s highest average number of tickets sold, averaging 33,885 tickets per game.

Additionally, both clubs’ largest source of revenue was through media rights and broadcasting.

Such results from two of the big five European leagues could signify that football across the continent is in a healthy place after the COVID-19 pandemic and beginning to thrive once more.

However, until the remaining three big five leagues (Serie A, Ligue 1, EPL) and the majority of the continent’s competitions reveal their revenue reports for the 2023/24 season it is too early to determine if the trends are the same across the whole of Europe.

 

 

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Central Coast Mariners Women secure future under Holman Barnes Group

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Image Credits: Central Coast Mariners

The future of the Central Coast Mariners Women has been secured after the Holman Barnes Group (HBG) reached an agreement to become the new operator of the club’s A-League Women program. The deal ends uncertainty surrounding the team’s participation in the 2026/27 season.

The agreement between HBG, the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) and Total Soccer Growth Holdings (TSG) ensures the Mariners will remain in the Ninja A-League Women competition. It also introduces a new operating model designed to provide long-term stability.

The uncertainty emerged following TSG’s acquisition of the Central Coast Mariners’ men’s side and academy in June. The women’s program was excluded from the original takeover. TSG already owns English football side Queens Park Rangers (QPR) and MLS club Los Angeles FC. The omission placed the future of the 2025 A-League Women champions in doubt. It also prompted the APL to seek a sustainable solution ahead of the new campaign.

A new operating model

Under the new arrangement, HBG will oversee all operational aspects of the women’s team. This includes the football program, staffing and day-to-day management. TSG will retain the club licence and continue overseeing the men’s program and academy. It will also support the women’s operation through its broader football network.

The agreement represents an innovative partnership between the three organisations. It has been designed to strengthen the long-term sustainability of professional women’s football on the Central Coast. HBG’s plans extend beyond the senior team. They include a strong focus on developing participation pathways and creating greater opportunities for female footballers throughout New South Wales.

Attention turns to the new season

The transition comes at a crucial time with preparations for the 2026/27 Ninja A-League Women season underway ahead of its October 16 start. The new operators are expected to begin managing the program immediately. This remains subject to the completion of the remaining regulatory processes. The team currently has no sponsors and games are expected to be moved away from Central Coast Stadium.

The A-League had previously set a July 31 deadline for new owners to be found to secure a place in the upcoming competition. With that now achieved, HBG will be on the clock to ensure the season begins without disruption and becomes a commercial success.

For the Central Coast Mariners Women, the agreement delivers certainty after a turbulent off-season. It also allows the club to shift its attention to the 2026/27 campaign and the team’s on-field performance.

South Melbourne’s Australia Cup triumph reignites promotion and relegation debate

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Image Credit: The Greek Herald

South Melbourne FC’s dramatic 2-1 victory over Adelaide United in the Hahn Australia Cup Round of 32 has reignited debate around promotion and relegation in Australian football, with Co-President Bill Papastergiadis stating the result is further proof that ambitious National Premier Leagues clubs deserve a pathway to the top tier.

The Victorian powerhouse produced one of the competition’s biggest upsets at Lakeside Stadium, overturning an early deficit to eliminate the Isuzu UTE A-League side and secure a place in the Round of 16.

While the result was celebrated as another example of the magic of the Australia Cup, Papastergiadis believes the victory carries a much broader message about the strength that exists outside Australia’s professional league.

Speaking following the win, Papastergiadis said South Melbourne’s performance demonstrated why the Australian football landscape should move towards a connected pyramid featuring promotion and relegation.

“The result was South Melbourne FC’s revenge 22 years in the making,” Papastergiadis said.

“It also demonstrates that clubs in the National Premier Leagues have the quality, professionalism and ambition to compete with A-League opposition when given the opportunity.”

For years, South Melbourne has been one of the strongest advocates for structural reform within Australian football, consistently calling for an open pyramid that rewards sporting merit rather than maintaining a closed league system.

Papastergiadis argued that Australia Cup fixtures continue to showcase the depth of talent throughout the domestic game, with NPL clubs regularly proving they can challenge and defeat professional opponents despite operating with significantly fewer resources.

He believes these performances should not simply be viewed as isolated “cupsets”, but as evidence that Australia’s football ecosystem is ready to embrace a promotion and relegation model that provides ambitious clubs with a genuine pathway to the top flight.

The result against Adelaide United adds another significant chapter to South Melbourne’s storied history. One of Australia’s most successful clubs, South Melbourne has long maintained aspirations of returning to the national stage, backed by a passionate supporter base, strong infrastructure and a proud footballing tradition.

For Papastergiadis, victories such as Thursday night’s reinforce the argument that clubs should earn opportunities through performances on the pitch.

“The Australia Cup continues to show what’s possible when clubs from different levels of the football pyramid compete against one another,” he said.

“Our football should be built on opportunity and merit. Clubs that perform consistently and invest in their communities should have the chance to progress to the highest level.”

South Melbourne will now turn its attention to the Round of 16, where it will look to continue its impressive cup run.

Beyond the result itself, however, the victory has once again fuelled discussion around the future of Australia’s football structure and whether the growing strength of clubs outside the A-League should accelerate the push towards a fully connected national competition.

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