THE HAVES AND THE HAVE NOTS: AN ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL STRATEGIES IN EUROPEAN SOCCER

Abstract

113 pagesIn the contemporary landscape of European soccer, clubs must grapple with competition not only on the field but also in business, vying for fans, players, and ultimately money. Because of disparities in revenues and spending ability between clubs, they must develop strategies to overcome their challenges. This thesis analyzes the ways that seven clubs try to do this: Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton and Hove Albion, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and RB Leipzig. Each offers a unique perspective on financial strategy in sport. Each club’s chapter consists of a historical analysis of the club, an understanding of its goals, and a look at how it has handled the financial side of the sport with an emphasis on transfer strategy. The research will conclude that the most important aspect of financial strategy in soccer is first and foremost to have a concise plan that is understood throughout the club, with an aligned understanding of the goals that it targets and the processes that will be used to implement it. Within this, there are a range of strategies that clubs can and have implemented successfully to advance their objectives in maximizing wins, profit, or both. These findings give an informative snapshot of the current climate of financial strategy in the sport, and an analysis of how it has changed and will continue to do so into the future