Dr Sara Ward: 'Leeds United's promotion will bring an immediate boost to tourism in the city'
Dr Sara Ward, a leading expert in sport governance and the director of executive education at Leeds Beckett University’s Carnegie School of Sport, explains how Leeds United’s return to the Premier League will provide a significant boost to the city. It comes just days after thousands celebrated the promotion in a city centre-wide parade.
Dr Ward’s analysis comes as the Yorkshire Evening Post today launches our new Promotion Effect series, a package of special reports dedicated to Leeds United's relationship with the city, supporters, residents and businesses as the club celebrates promotion back to the Premier League.
The wait is finally over and Leeds United FC, after two seasons of trying, are back where they belong in the Premier League.
It was a welcome relief for everyone after the heartache of the playoff final last May. Promotion to the richest league in the world brings so much to the club, the city and the local communities surrounding the stadium.
The first, and most obvious one, is the financial windfall the club benefits from, where promotion can bring in around £100m+ in the first season alone, even if the team is relegated immediately.
Increased broadcasting revenue, bigger brand exposure, which attracts more lucrative sponsorship deals, and an increase in matchday revenue. Other obvious benefits for the club will be the ability to enhance their player recruitment and retention strategy, with Leeds becoming more attractive to top players and managers, whilst retaining their key players who may have left to play for a Premier League club.
What is of most interest around their promotion to the EPL, this time round, is the fact Leeds are now owned by the San Francisco 49ers. Most newly promoted clubs to the EPL expect to increase their brand growth via their international profile and global broadcasting rights. With the club now owned by an American Sports Consortium, it will be of interest to see what their brand growth and international strategy will be. With clubs like Wrexham FC, seemingly striking this brand exposure well across the pond, this could be a real competitive advantage for the club.
Global fanbases mean more shirt sales and club merchandise revenue but also increased ticket sales from newly attracted fanbases. With the club’s executive team transitioning from the imminent departure of long standing CEO Angus Kinnear, time will tell if the board will take this chance to truly globalise the club using their American ownership as the platform to achieve this.
As we have seen for two consecutive season, the newly promoted three has all gone straight back down. The Board must maximise their commercial opportunities to increase playing budgets and remain financially competitive on and off the pitch to survive the ever increasing gap between playing in the Championship and the Premier League.
What we tend to not realise is the broader economic and community benefits that Leeds United’s promotion to the EPL has on the city of Leeds and their communities. For sure, there will be an immediate impact for the city’s tourism, hospitality and local business trade, which in today’s tough current economic environment, will come as a welcome relief.
Furthermore, Leeds United FC will need to evaluate their people plan for life in the EPL and will likely need to expand their staffing accordingly - security, hospitality, retail and media. The charitable arm of the club and the EPL, namely the Leeds United Foundation and the Premier League Charitable Fund, also benefit from increased funding coming from the club’s promotion.
Roughly, the foundation will receive an increase of £250k, with every penny of this spent on football/sport development, health and well-being, and community focused projects for local residents of the club. These projects benefit mental health, healthy living, reduction in gang crime (Premier League Kicks), through to social isolation and veteran projects.
Finally, the civic pride it provides the city gives local residents a lift in moral and provides the city with a reputational boost - especially a historically significant club like Leeds. Leeds becomes more visible on a global stage, which can helps attract investors, promote university partnerships, support real estate growth and could even help draw in corporate sponsorships or events.
So it was a good day for the fans, the club and the city as a whole. In the words of Dominic Matteo - ‘Pride. Heart. Belief - that’s what defines Leeds United.'