“Big” may be an understatement when describing the group of leagues known as the Big Five. Together, the top divisions of English, German, Spanish, Italian and French football dominate the game with vastly superior finances, players and facilities, constituting true giants of the sporting world. During the 2023/24 season, the
amounted to more than 20 billion euros, an increase of more than 80 percent in 10 years. A significant part of this sum was generated by game shows, with a
showing some Big Five leagues raking in several billion euros each year. Clearly, broadcasters are willing to pay a lot of money to satisfy high demand from around the world.
English Premier League: top of the table
Not all leagues are equal within the Big Five: there is a significant financial disparity between the English Premier League (EPL) and the others. In a Big Five income comparisonthe EPL achieved by far the highest revenue in 2023/24, amounting to over seven billion euros. While there are a handful of particularly dominant clubs, the Premier League nonetheless remains lucrative for all its participants: when we look at the breakdown of Premier League broadcast revenue in 2023/24, each club has received an allocation of at least £100 million, a sum higher than many big clubs in other leagues can expect.
What does the future of the Big Five look like?
In many ways, the future of the Big Five leagues looks rosy. THE Big Five market size expected to exceed €21 billion by 2025/26 – more than all other European football leagues combined. However, a number of issues remain that could cause headaches for leagues and governing bodies in the years to come. First, heavier workloads have come under scrutiny, with the number of games played by the best players sometimes exceeding 70 per season. More matches may generate more revenue, but tired legs and injured players make it an inferior product. This is an issue that has been addressed by players and fans alike. Indeed, fans often obstruct decisions motivated by financial reasons, with rising ticket prices and increased corporate investment sparking protests in recent seasons. Although the future holds many uncertainties, one thing is clear: Big Five clubs face the difficult task of continuing to grow their revenues without alienating the very people who have provided the foundations of their success.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no responsibility for the completeness or accuracy of the information provided. Due to different update cycles, statistics may show more up-to-date data than that referenced in the text.
