FCBARCELONA.CAT

28.01.2010 11:15

8 Million Euro Profit

www.fcbarcelona.cat

Barca recorded a second half net profit of eight million Euros in the last six months of 2009, with income increasing 19.7% over the same period in 2008 to 222,8 million Euros.

The Club Vice-President Joan Boix announced the figures this Thursday, revealing that the club had made an eight million Euros profit on increased income of 222.8 million Euros. Outgoings totalled 211 million before finance costs of 3.8 million were taken into account.

Income increase across the board

Income increased across all areas of the club’s business, with more money coming from UEFA and new deals with Catalan TV Station TV3 Etisalat and Turkish Airlines, which combined with income from the Tour of USA and the friendly game held in Kuwait to boost income by nearly a fifth.

Ticket sale income also increased, as did monies from the tours of the ground and other uses of the club’s facilities and Sr Boix explained: “all business areas have seen an increase, with only slight variations and that means the club is thriving on not just one single area”.

36 million more in income

The 222,8 million Euros of income compares with 186 million in the final six months of 2008 and Joan Oliver stressed the importance of the club’s sporting success to the improved figures: “we are in a context where the majority of companies in the world have seen their income stagnate or go down, where the majority of football clubs have also seen their income stagnate or go down. Meanwhile, we are presenting figures that show we have increased income by 20%. That increase would not have been possible without the great sporting success we enjoyed last season”.

Spending increases

Spending also increased from 166 to 211 million Euros- a 27.1% rise- primarily due to new signings, improved contracts and bonuses as a result of successes in the two Super Cups and the World Club Cup. Sr Boix explained: “the success on the field has a short term economic cost, but over the next few years we will see the advantages of the sporting achievements we enjoyed last season”.

Money on the players

The Vice President insisted: “general costs have dropped and it is the sporting costs that have increased, but we are clear that this is where we have to invest. The players have accepted five important variables – games played, classification for the Champions League and winning the League, Cup and Champions. That means of course that if we win everything then the bonuses the players get is important”.