Finance guru: Sunderland could demand ‘compensation’ as £80m-a-year deal under threat
Sunderland would be entitled to demand compensation if the League Cup is scrapped or effectively boycotted by top Premier League sides.
That is the view of finance expert Doctor Dan Plumley, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the knock-on effect of the expanded Champions League set to be introduced in 2024-25.
Europe’s premier club competition will swell from 32 to 36 teams, with each playing eight group stage matches rather than the current six.
Per the Daily Mail last Friday (13 May), the League Cup could be sacrificed to free up matchdays in a congested fixture calendar.
The EFL is understood to be mulling over various alternatives, such as allowing Champions League clubs to field development sides in the competition.
The League Cup contributes £80million-a-year to the EFL’s TV deal with Sky Sports, and it is claimed that clubs will lobby for reparations if the value of the rights is affected.
And Plumley claims that it would be justified if Sunderland join the calls for compensation.
“It’s really important,” the Sheffield Hallam University expert told Football Insider’s Adam Williams.
“If they are going to take it away from them, they are going to want compensation. That extra revenue is not a lot for Premier League clubs but it can be significant for EFL clubs.
“You get bigger chunks of the gate receipts than you would in a league fixture. It can be a real boost.
“Culturally, a lot of people want to protect the League Cup but a lot of Premier League clubs want to see the back of it.
“The League Cup is better for the collective of clubs rather than just a few select clubs.”
Sunderland turned over £11.7m in 2020-21.
That figure will skyrocket if they win promotion to the Championship in the play-off final against Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday (21 May).
In other news, ex-Sunderland manager Lee Johnson holds talks with Hibernian.