Press review - June 2022

The total Enterprise Value of 32 football clubs grew again (by 10%), after last year’s historic decrease of 15%. 23 clubs have seen their Enterprise Value increase, contrary to last year, when all clubs’ valuations decreased because of the sanitary crisis. "That 10% annual aggregate growth almost equals the average growth rate of 11% from 2016 to 2020. Nevertheless, the current aggregate EV of these clubs (€37bn) remains short of the peak of €39.7bn registered in 2020, before the COVID disruption", the report indicates.

Analyzing clubs’ annual EV change, the best performers are AC Milan (+35%) thanks to their growing revenues and improved profitability, followed by Villarreal (+27%) and Atalanta (+25%). "While our valuations are based on published financial figures, they also incorporate latest trends and sentiments. Indeed, last year’s financial results still bear the negative impacts of COVID-19, while the past several months reflect solid signs of football returning to normal, most notably with crowds again in the stadia and with continued robust demand from sponsors and investors. Indeed, investors are looking forward, contemplating the future, rather than dwelling on the past. The positive attitude prevailed in the market is well illustrated by the recent transaction concerning Atalanta, and the ongoing potential sale of major clubs such as Chelsea or AC Milan, especially the rumored transaction prices reported", says Andrea Sartori, founder and CEO of Football Benchmark.

When it comes to the clubs’ Enterprise Value evolution over the last seven years, Paris Saint-Germain has registered the highest growth in percentage (+ 153%) as well as in absolute terms (€1,289m), reaching now €2,132 million as its record valuation. Over the same period, other clubs also managed to more than double their Enterprise Values, like Inter Milan (+150%), Lyon (+146%), Tottenham (+139%), Sevilla (+116%), Atlético Madrid (+109%), and Liverpool (+101%).

Apple and Major League Soccer (MLS) announced, on June the 14^th, that the Apple TV app will be the exclusive platform on which will be broadcasted every single live MLS match, for ten years, beginning in 2023. "This partnership is a historic first for a major professional sports league, and will allow fans around the world to watch all MLS, Leagues Cup, and select MLS NEXT Pro and MLS NEXT matches in one place — without any local broadcast blackouts or the need for a traditional pay TV bundle", Apple’s press release says.

Apple TV will provide, in addition to the live broadcast, a weekly highlights, analysis, and replays of all the games played. The press release indicates also that "a broad selection of MLS and Leagues Cup matches, including some of the biggest matchups, will also be available at no additional cost to Apple TV+ subscribers, with a limited number of matches available for free." It should also be noted that access to the new MLS streaming service will be included as part of MLS full-season ticket packages.

"For the first time in the history of sports, fans will be able to access everything from a major professional sports league in one place,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services. “It’s a dream come true for MLS fans, soccer fans, and anyone who loves sports. No fragmentation, no frustration — just the flexibility to sign up for one convenient service that gives you everything MLS, anywhere and anytime you want to watch. We can’t wait to make it easy for even more people to fall in love with MLS and root for their favorite club."

"Apple is the perfect partner to further accelerate the growth of MLS and deepen the connection between our clubs and their fans,” said Don Garber, MLS’s commissioner. “Given Apple’s ability to create a best-in-class user experience and to reach fans everywhere, it’ll be incredibly easy to enjoy MLS matches anywhere, whether you’re a super fan or casual viewer."

As a major partner of the FFF's men's and women's French teams since 2018, Orange supports amateur football, in particular through its commitment to the FFF's Educational Program by raising awareness among young licensees about digital technology, its practice and its dangers (cyber harassment...) via a specific educational module developed with the NGO Play International.

"We are delighted that Orange, a major French company recognized worldwide, is extending its partnership with the FFF at the highest level of French football. But I would also like to emphasize the fundamental actions that this partnership also allows us to undertake at the level of amateur football, its two million members and its 14,000 amateur clubs, throughout France, through, for example, a digital education program." Noel Le Graet, the FFF’s president, says.

On his part, Fabienne Dulac, CEO of Orange France, adds that "this partnership renewal reaffirms the close collaboration we have had with the world of football for over twenty years, and more specifically with the French Football Federation for the past four years. It illustrates our ambition to be a committed and responsible operator, by carrying out preventive actions on the use of digital technology among young people. Collectivity and solidarity, values dear to Orange, are honored by the success of the men's and women's national teams and make us particularly proud of this partnership."

The new logo features the official team name, CF Montreal, the fleur-de-lys, the shield, the predominance of blue, the year 1993 of the very first season of the club and the black and blue stripes that refer to the early years of the CFM, particularly when it won its first championship in 1994.

"Today we are turning another important page of our history," said CF Montréal Chairman of the Board of Directors, Joey Saputo. “A few months ago, we began to reflect on our identity, as well as our logo, and concluded that a realignment was necessary. The employees, fans, and partners we met clearly expressed their desire to reinstate certain elements that have marked the Club's history and are at the heart of our identity. We heard them loud and clear, and we are proposing a logo that meets those requests."

"I am pleased that the ‘Impact blue,’ as we have named it, will dominate our new emblem. […] Developing a new logo is a complex exercise. The process, which began before my arrival, also had its share of challenges in an ecosystem like MLS, both in the choice of shapes and colours", said CF Montréal President and CEO, Gabriel Gervais.