Lower-than-expected growth in international TV rights and a 10% drop in shirt sales are two possible negative effects for PSG’s treasury if Leo Messi’s departure is consummated, according to sports marketing experts consulted by EFE.
However, these specialists also highlight positive aspects of his foreseeable divorce in June. In particular, the reduction of the wage bill and an improvement in the image of Paris Saint Germain (PSG), which was repeatedly accused of being too lenient for its stars.
Perhaps one of the first negative effects of a French league (Ligue 1) without Messi is the downward renegotiation of international rights, which would affect both PSG and the rest of the first-class clubs. The contract with the current broadcaster, the Qatari chain Bein Sports, expires in 2024.
The French championship currently earns 80 million euros per year from sales outside France, a ridiculous amount compared to the Spanish championship and especially the Premier League (around 2,000 million euros per season).
“There may be an impact when it comes to renegotiating international rights ending in 2024,” admits Virgile Caillet, one of France’s best-known sports marketing executives.
Vincent Chaudel, another expert on the subject, agrees that “it is not the same to negotiate abroad with markets such as Asia or Latin America” with Messi and Neymar in Ligue 1.
“Let’s say that in the next contract the international rights will increase because they are currently very low, but not that much, in case the two are not in France,” notes Chaudel, adding that if Messi goes to a competition going to compete with France, like the Spaniards, the final damage to Ligue 1 would be greater.
LESS PSG SHIRTS
Separated from the club for two weeks due to his promotion trip to Saudi Arabia, the Argentine star’s departure from Barcelona is taken for granted just two seasons after landing in Paris. And that the extension for another year, until June 2024, was about to take place.
If Messi eventually packs his bags, PSG could at least repay much of what the Argentina captain has paid (to whom he pays around €80 million per season, plus salary, social security payments and incentives), an investment that would have been In fact, it would have been profitable if the entity had reached at least the semi-finals of the Champions League (they fell in the last two editions in the round of 16).
In any case, Messi can claim the medals for attracting at least 8 new sponsorships and giving a huge boost to PSG shirt sales, which will exceed one million by 2022.
“Maybe there could be a drop in these sales, about 10%,” ventures Caillet. A figure that Chaudel also considers realistic. A possible drop in income that “will not shake anything” for the club’s finances, he added. Only 20% of the total price of the shirts falls on the club, as most of them go to the manufacturer and distributor.
La “Pulga” also contributed to the visibility on the PSG networks, reaching 150 million followers in January 2022, 50% more than in the previous year.
All this helped accelerate the club’s revenues which, without counting television rights and match tickets, broke a record 350 million a year.
However, both Caillet and Chaudel play down Messi’s eventual departure and even see positive aspects.
“PSG is often accused of being too soft on its stars. With Messi’s sanction, it sends a strong message,” said Caillet.
In addition – he continues – his possible departure will lower the salary bill and would help the Parisian club get closer to the parameters of UEFA’s financial fair play, and that would allow him to make transfers in the summer market.
Source: El heraldo
I’m George Gonzalez, a professional journalist and author at The Nation View. With more than 5 years of experience in the field, I specialize in covering sports news for various print media outlets. My passion for writing has enabled me to craft stories that capture the attention of readers all over the world.
