Finance guru: Man City have spotted ‘massive potential’ as new Indian deal struck
Man City will zero in on the Indian market due to its “massive potential” for commercial growth.
That is the view of finance expert Doctor Dan Plumley, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the Premier League’s latest broadcast deal.
As reported by Inside Sport last Sunday (13 March), the top-flight has sealed a new three-year TV deal for the whole of the Indian subcontinent.
It is understood that the new deal with Star India is worth 25 per cent less than the previous rights package for the territory.
City have connections to the Indian market through current Indian Super League champions Mumbai City, a subsidiary of City Football Group.
The Premier League champions have ramped up their commercial operation in recent years and earned £271m in sponsor income in 2020-21.
And Plumley forecasts that that figure could swell if City tap into the Indian market.
“India has massive potential in terms of growth,” the Sheffield Hallam University expert told Football Insider‘s Adam Williams.
“The Premier League is front and centre of this because it’s the league that everyone in the world looks to first.
“I haven’t seen any figures in terms of the value of the deal. But it is part of the Premier League’s overall overseas pot, which has grown.
“Okay, India has dropped off but the global figures are higher. This is where you come back to City.
“They will look to use Mumbai City to grow into the market and do it their own way in terms of branding and partnerships.
“They will take the money from the TV deal but they will have their own aspirations on an individual level too.“
City posted a £2.8million surplus in their 2020-21 accounts, with revenues totalling £569.8m.
They are the only Premier League team so far to have announced a profit.
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