Win Or Lose Champions League, Arsenal Had A Great Financial Year - Aron Akerejola

Added: 2026-05-30

[00:00:05]Hey, we're kicking things off with sports. A bit of sports business here.

[00:00:08]Some valuations uh for Arsenal football club that's going to be facing Paris Sanjama in the Champions League final uh tomorrow. Promises to be a big man.

[00:00:18]Arsenal of course winning the uh Premier League title for the first time in 22 years. Um 4.9 billion billion euro valuation. That's about $5.7 billion, jumping uh by 23%. PSG, of course, um they also rising by about 20% to 4.5 uh billion euros. So, they're just about there. We spoke with Arise sports correspondents, Aaron Carroll, Ja, not only about the valuations of the club and some of the decisions that they made. We also looked at the profitability of the Premier League. And then we talked about the World Cup, Nigeria missing out on financial incentives like you know $9 million at the group stage, 11 million at the round of uh 32, 15 for the round of 16 and of course the winner gets 50 million. So uh we also throw in predictions uh who we think is going to win the Champions League tomorrow. Here's our conversation.

[00:01:10]very very massive and getting to the finals certainly would actually even increase their valuation because getting to the finals winning the finals of the UEFA Champions League it's between 85 and 95 million euros not pounds this time around. So you look at that and Arsenal have done well for themselves to get to the final.

[00:01:31]It's looking good for them financially and this is an opportunity for them to probably go into the financial I mean into the transfer market when it opens and spludge and try to balance the books and at the same time probably invest in the team.

[00:01:44]>> All right. So Arsenal is top of the league in uh England. PSG is top in uh in in uh in France. I think six point big difference between them and lawns.

[00:01:55]What do you make of PSG? I mean they're the reigning champions champion. What do you make of PSG's um I mean they had they had the likes of Messi, Neymar, you know, and Mbappe in the past. I mean they at 4.7 or so. Yours what's your take on the team? I guess PSG and there how valuable they are.

[00:02:10]>> Um PSG is what you get when you have a billionaire that is willing to splurge.

[00:02:19]Um the other day you're speaking about um leave golf and the fact that it was tanking >> because the Saudis looked at it and said this is not a financial money spinner.

[00:02:33]>> We're losing money and revenue TV revenues are not coming in which is usually the sustainer. And when you if you don't have TV revenue coming in then it will be difficult for you to be able to get sponsorship that will actually take the burden of the PIF. That did not happen. till they pull the plug. But that cannot be said about Paris and German who had decided that even though we're going to be backed by Qatar and the investment in Kata and the Pif in Qatar, >> we will try to diversify and that's what they did. While they were trying to bring in superstars into the team, they tried to diversify by expanding the stadium by probably doing collaborations with the likes of the Jordan brand that gave them more appeal to to younger markets and to wider reach of sport fans, not football fans. Because when you partner with Jordan, Jordan is the Jordan brand is synonymous with basketball. So when you partner that together, so that means you're having a crossover of football and basketball and they've done that pretty well and they've been able to take that investment and they've tried to expand it and it's and it's really doing well.

[00:03:39]So they they are where they are today not by luck, not by investment, simply by being shrewd business um business club and I must say kudos to them. Now, um I wanted to ask you about the top 10.

[00:03:55]Okay. No, before I get to the top 10, um I don't want I don't want to put you alone on the spot, so I'll join you. I think Arsenal is going to win the Champions League and defeat PSG. Who do you think is going to win?

[00:04:03]>> So, the book's favorite ah without a doubt. They go into that particular game as a superior team.

[00:04:10]Arsenal go into this particular game as the underdogs. But that's but the beauty about football is he cannot cut it until 90 minutes is done. and who's who knows maybe 120 minutes if it actually stretches to extra time. I think I am thinking um following partners because I'm one that likes to watch out for patterns.

[00:04:29]>> Um Europe has been dominated by England this year on Saturday that Christoal has just won the conference league um against Ra Valicano. The Europa League was won by Aston Villa and they will be hoping that they can do a hattick of European trophies by Arsenal winning this. So looking at what is happening, I think Arsenal narrowly maybe a one zero or a penalty shootout will decide this particular one.

[00:04:55]>> But for Arsenal, I think just getting to the finals of the UEFA Champions League.

[00:05:01]Of course, it's a massive boost in terms of morale, but when it comes to the financial books because people have spoken about the fact that Stan Kunking, even though he's killing it in the US in terms of um earnings and the fact that he owns I think he's the man that owns the most land globally.

[00:05:21]>> So, his his club sides, his sports franchises are doing very well. Arsenal were not up until this particular moment and I'm sure he'll be proud of himself and proud of his son that he's actually running Arsenal because they've been able to pull in revenues from left, right and center. Champions League is the biggest money spinner. Then the Premier League, then other ancillary benefits that they've actually enjoyed. So this has been a good year for Arsenal. Win or lose, Arsenal are having a good financial year.

[00:05:54]>> Fantastic. U okay top just your thoughts on the other top 10 I don't know u Madrid at the top or Barcelona at number two what do you make of the top 10 most valuable uh clubs in in >> I've always questioned this particular valuation because >> um Barcelona are not necessarily are not necessarily liquid >> Madrid might be liquid because of the way they run their club and the fact that for you to be a president you must be extremely liquid as a matter of fact it's been said that Florentino Perez is the most liquid man life, >> not in football. He's the most liquid man alive. So, it gives you it gives you a picture on how both teams actually run. One one is run by businessmen, the other is run by club, I mean by by fans of the club, and that's Barcelona. So, Barcelona are are bringing in revenue, but profits not so much. And they've got a mountain of debt that they have been or they have been trying to offset over the over the years. So they make money but that money I do not think it's actually reflective in this particular value. It's more about what the commercial name stands for as a against what they actually pulling in for Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea. Now note the reason why this particular list is dominated by English clubs is the fact that English clubs earn quite a lot. There are the TV deal is next to none3 billion.

[00:07:27]>> That's a lot.

[00:07:28]>> 3 billion pounds. That's the worth of the TV deal. And it's actually shared almost equally because when you look at um the disparity between first and second, we spoke about the fact that um it is um just about 7 7 million was the disparity between first and second. But when you look at others, it's probably maybe 1 million, 2 million. So English teams are actually benefiting heavily because the global appeal, the mass appeal and the fact that they've been able to permit the entire world. It's the most watched league. is the most followed league. It has the most fans when you put it cumulatively. Trust me, it is actually why they are dominating this particular league as against having outliers like Paris Serman, Bayern Munich in Germany or probably Barcelona and Real Madrid. All these all these clubs envy the Premier League because the Premier League have been able to cement themselves as a money spinner and that will happen for years to come because the English press has helped propagate the game understanding that they do not just sit down. They make it a soap opera. One thing is happening here [laughter] and another thing is happening. They're finding a way to probably bring down a player. They're trying a way to prop up another player.

[00:08:41]They're talking about their coach.

[00:08:43]Something is always happening. So the attention is there and >> you and I know this um um sponsors like to go where the attention is. Just imagine Rwanda it it was it was very controversial and it's been cut off but visit Rwanda or the sleeve of Arsenal.

[00:09:02]>> Yes. Because they knew that if you wanted to get publicity someone told me that >> at a certain time probably like five seven years ago I think it has wind now.

[00:09:12]5 seven years ago, I think the value that left Nigeria every week to the Premier League [clears throat] >> was probably 10 or 12 million.

[00:09:22]>> Wow. Wow. Wow.

[00:09:23]>> Every week.

[00:09:24]>> That's how much the likes of some big conglomerates and some blue chip companies here in Nigeria were pumping to get that visibility just to be able to probably be on the panel board or to probably um be slapped on the training shirt. So the Premier League have been able to position themselves like that.

[00:09:44]You cannot compete with them when it comes to eyeballs. Everyone runs away from the Premier League. And that is why people question the Nigerian Premier League because the Niger Premier League was ending on the day the Premier League was ending. The La Liga knew better >> ended the league on Saturday. The Bundesliga ended the league ended their league on Saturday. Yeah. Some decided to move it to Monday and because they know that the holy grail is the Premier League. But the Nigeria Premier Football League did not think it through and enored it. I'm talking about Nigerian papers for example. We're talking more about Arsenal than Rangers because they decided to go headtohead with the with the Premier League. You cannot do that in the world we live in today. Maybe in another 10 years things might win but for now >> when it comes to the Premier League, the Premier League is untouchable. The the the they add probably some I think they say probably is it two or 5% to the GDP of the UK. That's how massive the Premier League are.

[00:10:56]>> It's it's it's you have to study what they've done over the years to be a if you want to probably succeed. Maybe if the if Lego had actually probably started the Premier League or brought in people from the Premier League, maybe who knows, they would have still been up and running today.

[00:11:13]>> Gotcha. Now, let's go to the World Cup.

[00:11:15]Um Nigeria's unfortunately missed out.

[00:11:18]Uh I wanted to get your thoughts on some of the um financial incentives uh that I've seen from the um group stage 9 million roundoff 32 11 million up to the winner at 50 million. I mean how how much of a in fact there's even another set of incentives I think to give them preparation money lodging and all these other things even get no it's all it's all housed in this house in this so so so how much of a blow is it um for a team that misses out >> financial blow if you will that misses out on the on the world cup >> the truth is I think that's where the problem with Nigerian football is that this money counts for nothing.

[00:12:00]>> That's the problem with Nigerian football because people do know that with or without this money, >> the federal government will still pump money into football and the Nigerian football federation.

[00:12:13]>> Yeah.

[00:12:14]>> Even though they expecting 11 million because usually we get into the round of 32.

[00:12:19]>> Yeah.

[00:12:20]>> They will still collect money from the federal government to prosecute this world cup.

[00:12:24]>> Yeah.

[00:12:25]>> And pay for things that are already being paid for. So at the moment if we do not have the federal government pull their hands actively from financing football will not wake up to our responsibility because we've not gone to two walk ups. That's potential 20 million that has just been missed.

[00:12:47]>> But we are not feeling it because the federal government keep cutting the checks time and time again time and time again. And we have a and it's made the federation extremely lazy. The super egos are the biggest sports brand in Africa. Now I didn't say football brand >> sports brand in Africa. And yet the Nigerian football federation >> are not in the black when it comes to their financials. They have not been able to monetize it. They've not been able to market it. They've not been able to squeeze out the juice from it.

[00:13:24]the I always say that it's that bad that I can't remember when last is getting to close to a decade right now that the Nigerian football federation held a game for the fans have the super eagles come to Nigeria >> to play football to entertain the fans and pay another country to come and participate. We rather sit down and hope that other countries call us so that we can collect participatory fees and that's it. So it's unfortunate that that's where we find ourselves. So you look at this number and you think that someone will be kicking um the wall and saying that this is what we missed >> but they know that they this this was this is pocket change because this will go into individual pockets as against going into building football because the federal governments are the ones that fund football in Nigeria and they still do till tomorrow. So my final question, should it then be a private sector? When you think about, we've talked about the valuations of top the teams in Europe.

[00:14:25]Um we know about the gate fees. You talked you just talked about the Premier League, how it should be studied, the broadcasting fees. So to boost football here at home, does it have to be a private sector in incentive? What do you think? You know, just your final thoughts. What? I think I think it's I think it's the marriage of the um technocrats and the private sector >> because um we need private sector investment >> to be able to bankroll these things but at the same time we need people that know the game because when you look at when you look at sports in the US for example the US are the model of sports and how to run a sports empire.

[00:15:04]>> Yeah. It's because they know how to pull in the monies and they know how to put in square pegs in square holes. And when you can do that and you have that bankroll, I mean that financial pool to draw from, it's very very easy for you to be able to scale. It's very very easy for you to be able to expand. It's very very easy for you to be able to push out your visibility. But if you do not have people who trust because trust is the deficit that is actually missing from the side of because when you tell private sector to come and invest into football they'll tell you that >> they they don't trust the system. They don't trust the people there and that's where the big problem is. If you don't trust the system, how do you now how do you how do you want to how how then do you >> want to attract investment?

[00:15:55]>> No. How then do you feel comfortable >> putting your investment in? Okay. You mean from the side of the investor?

[00:16:00]>> I'm looking at side of the investor. So that's where the problem has always been that the investors are not comfortable because they just think that these people will probably lose this lo this fund and put it into personal pockets.

[00:16:12]And that has been a big big problem because the private sector are hungry because because you see how you see how they go about things trying to probably support like for example when the super falcons won going to the walk for the Super Falcons no going to the AFCON the 10th AFCON that they won which was unprecedented >> when they were going nobody cared about them nobody were willing to actually support them >> but as soon as they won >> big brands were queuing up >> queuing up to host them to actually incentivize them and also celebrate them and they did something that caught my attention. So they said so like MTN and some other brands gave the Super Falcons 150 million another gave 200 million and they said and they stated how it should be spent >> that 80% of this they said it to the to anyone that care to listen 80% of this are going to the players 20% might go to every other person maybe the backroom staff maybe the federation but 80% of this must go to the players for you to it's a little bit embarrassing hearing that hearing that's being ed out openly but it just shows that the trust deficit is is huge and >> they they are still a little bit iffy about can we because look at um I'll be going to a tomorrow for the road race and I'm saying that road races are garnering support meanwhile football that is a bigger brand that is a more followed sport >> starving >> it's because private Private and public have met together. Technocrats and the business would have met together and they are finding something that works and you can see them sponsoring road races. The Access Marathon is the biggest almost the biggest on THE CONTINENT AND THEY'VE BEEN DOING THAT for years.

[00:18:07]>> $50,000 prize. Yeah.

[00:18:09]>> So the question now is this. Why is it that the Nigerian Football Federation are not taking a queue from this? call.

[00:18:16]But the reason why they will not do that is cuz they know that they have somewhere that they can draw funds from the federal government. So if the federal government doesn't stop >> and these people sit up and begin to look for ways to tap into their brand equity and draw from that brand equity, I don't know things will not change.