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Afternoon Edition

December 13, 2024

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Manchester City is having its worst year in a very long time. The Premier League juggernaut has one win in its last 10 matches, fans are protesting its ticket-price increases, and it’s facing serious penalties from the EPL over allegedly breached fair-play rules.

That hasn’t affected the club’s books, however, as it just set a new revenue record. We explore City’s outlier status and the extent of its financial might.

— Eric Fisher [[link removed]] and Colin Salao [[link removed]]

Manchester City Is a Mess. It’s Still Breaking Revenue Records [[link removed]]

The Columbus Dispatch

A lot is not going well for traditional Premier League power Manchester City, but the club’s finances are still in unprecedented territory.

The four-time defending Premier League champions reported Friday club-record annual revenue of $901.7 million for the fiscal year that ended June 30, up by 0.3% from the prior year. Net profits fell about 8% to $93 million but still extended what is now a decade of consistent annual profit with the exception of the 2019–2020 season impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The robust totals arrive despite a run of tougher news for the club, including just one win in the last 10 matches that has left the team in fourth place so far this season, growing fan unrest over ticket prices [[link removed]], and a still-active dispute with the Premier League over alleged breaches of financial fair play rules. The latest run of seven losses, two draws, and a single victory since late October is the worst stretch under manager Pep Guardiola since he started with Manchester City in 2016.

“Our constant ambition to target and achieve the unprecedented is a mark of the organization that we have become,” said club chair Khaldoon Al Mubarak. “On and off the field, our passion for the next challenge is underpinned by deliberate and detailed planning and a shared belief in the collaborative learning culture we have built. This organizational approach is now part of our DNA.”

Bigger Picture

These types of financial reports are a trailing indicator on a club’s health, but in the case of Manchester City, still show its relative strength across global soccer. The club reported increases in its match-day and commercial activities, and in particular, a record profit of $175.3 million on player sales in the transfer market, up 15% from the previous year. Broadcasting revenue fell 1.6% to $371.7 million, due primarily to the club bowing out in the quarterfinals of this year’s UEFA Champions League following a title in 2023.

Additionally, Manchester City says it had more than 10 billion video views across its various social media channels during the year, most in the Premier League.

The Premier League financial dispute, meanwhile, still presents potential future issues, and the club cited the case in the “Risks and Uncertainties” section of its annual report. A trial that began in September [[link removed]] with 115 charges of alleged breaches between 2009 and 2018 has now concluded [[link removed]], and a decision is expected in the spring, with appeals beyond that likely. Potential penalties range widely from fines and standings points deductions to relegation from the Premier League.

“[The club] welcomes the review of this matter by an independent commission to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence that exists in support of its decision,” the report read in part.

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NBA Cup Prize: Every Player Wants the Money, But One Would Get a 52% Raise [[link removed]]

Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Amid all the criticism of the Emirates NBA Cup, one thing seems certain: Players want to win the prize money.

LeBron James, who was the MVP of last year’s in-season tournament, admitted during group play that his team was gunning for the $500,000 prize [[link removed]] each player on the championship team received—even though he has the highest career earnings of any NBA player in history [[link removed]] at nearly $500 million.

NBA legend and four-time champion Horace Grant, who earned about $68 million throughout his 17-year career from 1987 to 2003, told Front Office Sports that even if the prize were significantly smaller, he would have gone all out for the money.

“If it was $25,000, we’re going for that. We’re going to try to take somebody’s head off,” Grant said [[link removed]].

This year’s prize money has slightly increased from the inaugural tournament.

2024 NBA Cup Prize Money

Champions: $514,970 per player (2023: $500,000)

Runners-up: $205,988 per player (2023: $200,000)

Losing semifinalists: $102,994 per player (2023: $100,000)

Losing quarterfinalists: $51,497 per player (2023: $50,000)

The increases are due to a stipulation written in the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement. The prize money increases in conjunction with a growth factor calculated based on the league’s basketball-related income. With the NBA’s new media-rights deal [[link removed]]—which pays the league nearly three times as much annually as its current deal—set to kick in next season, expect the prize money to shoot up in the coming years.

Biggest Beneficiaries

The top prize is a lot of money for anyone—even tournament-contending players making max money like Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is signed to a five-year, $228 million contract.

“The rich get richer,” Antetokounmpo joked after defeating the Magic to advance to the semifinals in Las Vegas.

Those who will benefit the most are minimum-salary players on standard contracts, and from the four teams left (Thunder, Rockets, Hawks, and Bucks), one player in particular stands to benefit the most.

Branden Carlson of the Thunder signed a standard, one-year deal with the Thunder in November. Because he signed in the middle of the season, he received a prorated rookie-scale minimum deal worth $990,895 [[link removed]]—less than the $1.16 million full-year minimum.

If the Thunder, the tournament favorites [[link removed]], go on to win the tournament, Carlson would see about a 52% increase in his yearly salary from the prize money.

Players signed to two-way contracts—deals that allow them to shuffle back and forth between the NBA and G League—can also win prize money, but the CBA did include a caveat for those players. Their prize would be a fraction of the original number and will also depend on the number of NBA Cup knockout-round games on the team’s active roster. A two-way player on the championship team who was on the team’s active roster for all games of the knockout rounds would receive half of the grand prize.

Loud and Clear Bye Bye Bye

Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

“He said he didn’t want to play today.”

—49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said about linebacker De’Vondre Campbell [[link removed]] following the team’s loss to the Rams, 12–6, on Thursday Night Football. Campbell, who signed with San Francisco on a one-year, $5 million contract [[link removed]] last offseason, left the game in the third quarter and did not return. The 2021 first-team All-Pro walked back to the locker room in the fourth quarter.

When asked whether the team would cut Campbell, Shanahan said he’s not yet sure, but that they would “figure out something.” 49ers tight end George Kittle was also asked about Campbell postgame and called the move “a selfish decision.” Kittle said, “I hope I’m never around anybody who does that again.”

FOS Explains 10 Things You Didn’t Know About the Army-Navy Game

FOS illustration

The Army-Navy football game isn’t just a legendary college rivalry— it’s a cornerstone of American sports history [[link removed]]. Saturday’s clash will be the 125th; the latest FOS Explains video takes you through the game’s humble beginnings in 1890 to how it shaped the sport of football, with innovations like the first helmet and instant replay. This iconic matchup even influenced World War II fundraising. Watch the full video on our YouTube channel here [[link removed]].

Service Academy Clash in High Demand

The Army-Navy game [[link removed]] holds a special place on the college football calendar. This year’s matchup may be the best we’ve seen in decades, with the 11–1 Black Knights flirting with an undefeated season and the 8–3 Midshipmen finishing third in the AAC.

According to TickPick [[link removed]], this is the most expensive Army-Navy game on record, with an average purchase price of $579—11% more expensive than last year’s matchup. That price is triple what it was in 2021.

TickPick notes the current get-in price is $218 for standing room only and $369 for a physical seat. The biggest purchase for the game was for six tickets in Section 142, Row 12 for $1,388 a ticket ($8,328 total).

Download the TickPick app [[link removed]] and get $15 off your first purchase of $99+ with code FOS15.

Status Report Three Up, One Push

Mark Woods / Imagn Images

Army-Navy game ⬆ Texas-based financial services company USAA, which caters to military and veteran families, has extended its presenting sponsorship of the annual Army-Navy college football game for five years, taking the deal through 2030. The renewal arrives a day before the 125th edition of the rivalry is scheduled to occur Saturday afternoon at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md. The game is taking on additional significance this year [[link removed]], in large part because of the highly successful seasons both Army and Navy are having on the field, despite seismic changes happening across the sport. Another key business deal for the Army-Navy game—CBS Sports’ exclusive live broadcast rights—was also extended this week, with that 10-year agreement running to 2038.

Rays ⬆⬇ The St. Petersburg (Fla.) City Council on Thursday appropriated $1.7 million for repairs to Tropicana Field’s roof destroyed by Hurricane Milton in October. The funds are just a small fraction of the estimated $55.7 million that will be needed [[link removed]] at minimum to rehabilitate the 34-year-old stadium, and they will cover preliminary steps such as preconstruction, design, and engineering services. The approval also keeps the council in legal compliance with its obligations for the publicly owned facility as it now pursues a more phased path for the repairs. The council considered the Tropicana Field issue a week after approving $287.5 million in bonds [[link removed]] for a planned Rays ballpark.

Bronny James ⬆ The son of LeBron James dropped 30 points on 13-of-23 shooting from the field in his fourth G League game with the South Bay Lakers. The team lost to the Valley Suns in Arizona, the first road game James played in the G League. James’s performance produced more than 16 million impressions and 14 million video views across G League social channels. He was the No. 55 pick in the 2024 draft and made history when he and his father became the first father-son duo to play an NBA game together [[link removed]]. The jerseys the two wore at the historic game sold for $102,000 at an auction [[link removed]] earlier this month.

Ryan Day ⬆ Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork said during an appearance on a Columbus radio show [[link removed]] that he is “absolutely” confident that the Buckeyes’ head football coach will return next season. Day has received widespread criticism, particularly after the loss to rival Michigan on Nov. 30, the school’s fourth straight loss to the Wolverines. Ohio State had won the previous eight matchups. His contract runs until 2028 and has a buyout worth more than $37 million, the 17th most expensive in the country [[link removed]], according to USA Today.

Conversation Starters FOS multimedia reporter Derryl Barnes tried Throne Sport Coffee, the brand Patrick Mahomes recently invested in, on the latest edition of Athlete Lab. Check it out [[link removed]]. Adidas signed Heisman Trophy finalist Travis Hunter [[link removed]] to an NIL (name, image, and likeness) deal. Miami quarterback Cam Ward is the other NCAA football player signed with Adidas. Zach Leonsis, a Monumental Sports & Entertainment executive, told FOS that the company wants to be a part of “D.C.’s next renaissance.” Watch it here [[link removed]]. Editors’ Picks How the CFP’s On-Campus Guinea Pigs Are Handling Historic December Home Games [[link removed]]by Alex Schiffer [[link removed]]The biggest games in school history will be when students are home for break. The Astros Cheating Scandal Still Looms Large Five Years Later [[link removed]]by Dennis Young [[link removed]]It may end up a major factor in the Cubs’ and Yankees’ offseasons. Why Bill Belichick’s Media Stint Could Help Him at UNC [[link removed]]by Michael McCarthy [[link removed]]Belichick became a media fixture during his year away from coaching. DISCLAIMER

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