News

Premier League clubs contribute £7.6bn to UK economy

Growth continues despite effects of pandemic.

By BHAFC • 19 January 2022

By James Boardman
EY’s assessment reveals that the Premier League’s total economic contribution remains equal to pre-pandemic levels and the amount generated in 2016/17.

A new study highlights how Premier League clubs including Albion have continued to generate widespread benefits for the economy, society and the entire football pyramid, despite the significant challenges presented by COVID-19.

The analysis by Ernst & Young LLP reveals that Premier League football contributed £7.6 billion to the UK economy during the 2019/20 season, which was suspended for more than three months due to the pandemic. Clubs’ economic activity has grown by 840 per cent since the 1998/99 season.

The League and its clubs generated a total tax contribution of £3.6 billion to the UK Exchequer in 2019/20, £1.4 billion of which was accounted for by Premier League players.

The League now support 94,000 jobs across the UK while the appeal of Premier League football in the UK and around the world is evident in a cumulative global audience of 3.2 billion in 2019/20. Prior to COVID-19 disruption, stadiums were a record 97.8 per cent full across the League.

There has been increased investment into communities nationally and locally, and football at all levels with a total of £455 million distributed to other leagues and community football in 2019/20, including solidarity payments to EFL and National League clubs.

Albion’s own study in 2019, which covered the 2017/18 campaign and was carried out by Marshall Regen and the University of Chichester, showed that the club’s economic contribution to the local economy at a staggering £212 million.

Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters said, “This new report shows how we and our clubs continue to contribute significantly to the UK economy and have delivered much-needed assistance to all levels of football and communities at a time when the pandemic brought unprecedented challenges and uncertainty for so many.  

“We are proud of the level of support we provide the football pyramid, as well as funding community organisations of clubs up and down the country. The importance of their work has been more evident than ever in recent times, providing help to people who needed it the most.”

Thanks to the geographical location of Premier League clubs, the benefits of the League’s significant contribution are spread throughout the country. All nine major regions in England were represented by at least one Premier League club in 2019/20 and 72 per cent of the League’s economic activity was generated outside of London.

The EY Economic and Social Impact Report of the Premier League can be downloaded HERE.