Socio-economic impact study of the Pro League on the Belgian economy June 2019 Table of content Foreword 1 Executive Summary 2 Introduction 4 Scope 4 Methodology 5 The evolution of professional football in Belgium 10 Organization of the Pro League 12 Belgian football club revenues 14 Belgian football club costs 22 Transfers 26 Case studies 29 Economic impact of the Pro League 32 Social impact of the Pro League 38 Community & Social Responsibility 40 Fans 43 Youth 46 Appendix 54 Socio-economic impact study of the Pro League on the Belgian economy Foreword Even if we would prefer to remember the successes on the pitch, the 18/19 season will always be marked by the operation “Propere Handen”. Excessive spending of clubs in favor of agents, questions around the fiscal and social status, the difficulty our young players face to secure a spot in the first team, combined with other topics like the one regarding the security in our stadiums, have been considerable challenges for the professional football in Belgium. The reprehensible actions of some individuals should not dominate the image of the sector. It is wrong to assume that professional football in Belgium is less mature than in the surrounding competitions. It would also be wrong to believe that the 24 clubs of the Pro League are not contributing to the economic and social development of our country, as they continue to play a prominent role in the Pierre François European competitions. CEO Pro League This second edition of the report on the “socio-economic impact assessment of the Pro League on the Belgian economy” covers the numbers of 2018 and brings an objective and quantified approach of our activities. The reader will be able to compare the numbers with last year’s edition and will find answers to a number of pressing topics, extensively discussed in the media. Pierre François CEO Pro League With the third place of our national team on the World Cup, a current eight place on the UEFA club ranking and growing turnover for the Pro League clubs, Belgian football and the Pro League clubs continue the positive trend, despite a less successful European campaign in the 17/18 season. This second edition of the report highlights again the impact of the Pro League, both economically and socially. For the first time, the reader will be able to draw conclusions on the evolution of economic contributions by our Pro League clubs. While we recognize the important economic impact, this report has increased attention for the social impact of the clubs towards their youth players, fans and the broader community. Clubs play an important role in the local eco system, while at the same time they interact more closely with an increasingly international fan base. The clubs continued to invest in the youth academies, where the Sam Sluismans next generation of players is getting ready to help maintain the clubs their spot on the European level. Partner Deloitte Belgium Sam Sluismans Partner Deloitte Belgium 1 Socio-economic impact assessmentstudy of the ofPro the League Pro League on the on Belgian the Belgi economyan economy Executive Summary Season 17/18 Broadcasting increased to €321 million €09 million in total thanks to renewal of television contract prie money of 25% €312 million decrease of a third due to relatively oor key figures Euroean camaigns in 11 for the 7/18 €62 million season for sponsoring reenues € et transfer result €3 million 14 clubs gent fees ith a Belgian maority shareholder at 3006201 €3 million €214 million op agents for player salaries 35% = of total commission fees oreign inestment ross aerage yearly salary €541 million €211000 lu reenues 56% of clu reenues ecluding transfers are used to pay player salaries ey messages economic impact ey messages social impact ross output ross alue dd o creation et contriution generated ommunity Social esponsiility ans outh €943 €615 310 € €112 2933 436 43 million 2464 231 Volunteers egistered fan clubs Social media followers Number of minutes Number of youth million million obs million million layed contracts 2 Socio-economicSocio-economic impact impact assessment study of theof the Pro Pro League League on on the the Belgian Belgian economy economy Broadcasting increased to €321 million €09 million in total thanks to renewal of television contract prie money of 25% €312 million decrease of a third due to relatively oor key figures Euroean camaigns in 11 for the 7/18 €62 million season for sponsoring reenues € et transfer result €3 million 14 clubs gent fees ith a Belgian maority shareholder at 3006201 €3 million €214 million op agents for player salaries 35% = of total commission fees oreign inestment ross aerage yearly salary €541 million €211000 lu reenues 56% of clu reenues ecluding transfers are used to pay player salaries ey messages economic impact ey messages social impact ross output ross alue dd o creation et contriution generated ommunity Social esponsiility ans outh €943 €615 310 € €112 2933 436 43 million 2464 231 Volunteers egistered fan clubs Social media followers Number of minutes Number of youth million million obs million million layed contracts 3 Socio-economic impact study of the Pro League on the Belgian economy Introduction As many fans will confirm, football is more than a game. It is the most popular and most visible sport in Belgium, so the role of football extends beyond the playing field. A positive social and economic impact, sustainable development, and transparency are key values that the public expects to see. The Pro League and Belgian professional football clubs have worked hard to leverage their increasing popularity into a positive effect on the Belgian economy and society. Last year’s report discussed the socio-economic impact of professional football in Belgium in detail for the first time. A quantitative and qualitative analysis showed the extent of the Pro League’s and the Belgian football clubs’ influence. This year, a renewed analysis investigates the topic even deeper, and illustrates the evolution of key numbers and topics. Gross output, value added, job creation and taxes quantify the economic influence of football, both direct and via other industries and people. Several case studies illustrate the social impact through communities, fans and youth. Scope This report assesses the socio-economic impact of the following actors: 1. The Belgian football clubs in the First Division A (Jupiler Pro League) 2. The Belgian football clubs in the First Division B (Proximus League) 3. The Pro League as an organization. It does not intend to show any conclusions on the economic value generated by the KVBV/URBSFA. This report refers to the Belgian professional football clubs mentioned in (1) and (2) as the clubs, unless explicitly mentioned otherwise. Note that this report will also make a distinction in the Jupiler Pro League between the G5 and K11 clubs at some points. The G5 clubs are the five teams that have obtained the best sportive results over the last five seasons. The clubs in question are RSC Anderlecht, Club Brugge, KAA Gent, KRC Genk and Standard de Liège. The remaining eleven clubs in the First Division A make up the K11 (based on the 17/18 season). The following data sources helped building the report: • Financial data from the annual reports (balance sheets, income statements and cash flow statements) • Employment data from social balance sheets • Employment data from surveys sent out to the Belgian football clubs • Investment and community data from surveys sent out to the Belgian football clubs • Economic indicators set forth by the Belgian Federal Planning Bureau • In depth-interviews on club case studies The data used for the report includes the previous three seasons (15/16, 16/17, 17/18) as season 15/16 was the first season with 24 professional clubs in Belgium. 4 Socio-economic impact study of the Pro League on the Belgian economy Methodology This report consists of two large sections. The first section discusses the evolution of professional football in Belgium. A brief overview of the organization of the Pro League sets the scene. Afterwards, the revenues and costs of the Belgian football clubs provide key business insights. A deep dive on ticketing, broadcasting, sponsoring & advertisement and UEFA prize money provides insights into the breakdown and evolution of revenues. On the cost side, player salaries and safety are the main topics. Finally, case studies on transfers, team ownership, eSports, and RSCA’s cashless payment system illustrate key examples of how Belgian football is evolving. Revenues Costs Ticketing Player salaries Broadcasting Safety & security Sponsoring and advertisement UEFA prize money Case studies Transfers Proximus ePro League Cashless payment system Team ownership (RSCA) 5 Socio-economic impact study of the Pro League on the Belgian economy Gross output Economic impact Employment Tax contribution Gross Value Added 6 Socio-economic impact study of the Pro League on the Belgian economy The total value of Belgian professional football is more than the sum of its parts. The large participation of the Pro League and clubs in social initiatives creates an additional positive effect on the Belgian economy, but poses a challenge to quantify exactly. Stories of the community creation, fan clubs and youth working illustrate the additional value created by the industry. Community Fans Social impact Youth 7 Socio-economic impact study of the Pro League on the Belgian economy The second section of the report provides the quantitative and qualitative assessment of the socio-economic impact of the Pro League and the clubs on the Belgian economy. The economic ro eague impact assessment measures three different dimensions of and Football Clubs Direct economic influence: the direct, indirect and induced impact.