Manchester United stand to lose a hefty £85 million – primarily through sponsorship and TV money – if they failed to qualify for the Champions League next season. The club remain sixth in the table even after a brilliant 3-0 win over Leicester City during the weekend.
The result has certainly helped United take advantage of competitors like Arsenal and Liverpool dropping points. However, it seems that at least 6 teams will be involved in the fight for the top four places. There is a distinct possibility of United dropping out of the Champions League qualification for a second consecutive campaign.
If this situation occurs, the club could be facing a massive cut in the shirt sponsorship deal. The contract with Adidas run for 10 years and it is valued at £750 million, making it one of the biggest in the world. However, Adidas have inserted a clause in the contract stating that they have the rights to cut the fee by as much as 30% per year if United failed to qualify for the Champions League in two consecutive seasons.
Van Gaal was unable to get the club into the premier European competition this time around, and Jose Mourinho looks to be heading in the same route. As a result, income from the shirt sponsorship could be reduced by £ 22.5 million.
It means that tickets for their last few games of the season (available through this website) are even more sought after than ever, as the pressure cranks up a notch, and every game becomes a big match!
A bigger hole could be created by the absence of Champions League TV money. As one of the top clubs in European football, Man Utd on TV is a huge draw even in the European competitions. The TV money is expected to be worth around £ 60 million. Without such incomes, it remains to be seen if United could be able to complete deals for players like Antoine Griezmann and Victor Lindelof, who would cost upwards of £ 85 million.