Bundesliga revival

[Projekt4]

Hi there,

some figures I compiled backing the impression given by European competitions that the Bundesliga recovery after the Kirch insolvency 2002 is well under way, but that there's a lot of catch up to do.

Bundesliga player assets
2003: 245m Euro
2004: 174m
2005: 160m
2006: 162m
2007: 203m (does not include record buys from last summer)

Bundesliga summer transfer spending:

2002: 153m (previous record figure)
2007: 204m (incl. one-off Bayern spree)

Avg. spending on player salaries per top league club, European leagues 2007:
England: 65m Euro
Spain: 42.55m
Italy: ~39m
Germany: 29.44m (will have increased disproportionately since then)
France: 27.73m

One more statistic I quickly did a while ago (source data: transfermarkt.de)

Balance between clubs in league (Gini coefficient: 0 = perfect equality of strength, 1 = maximum imbalance [one team has all players who are worth money]):

Argentina 0.1578
France 0.2889 (without Lyon 0.2364)
Germany 0.3649 (without Bayern 0.2916)
England 0.3718
Niederlande 0.403
Italy 0.4195
Spain 0.4446
Brazil 0.4544
Portugal 0.4707

[Borussia]

Avg. spending on player salaries per top league club, European leagues 2007:
England: 65m Euro
Spain: 42.55m
Italy: ~39m
Germany: 29.44m (will have increased disproportionately since then)
France: 27.73m


Can you explain that statement?

[squidward123]

money doesn't necessarily equal better quality

[Projekt4]

money doesn't necessarily equal better quality

No (fortunately not!), but it certainly is related. The quality did go down in comparison with other leagues after 2002 and is now coming back.

I should explain my point: I've been wondering what the chances are that the German league, after all in Europe's biggest economy where football is the no. 1 sport, will structurally compete with the top leagues again rather than battling it out with France, Romania etc. I come to the conclusion that the league will solidify its fourth position in terms of spending power and may well creep up towards Italy (especially) and Spain year by year, but that there's no chance for a big leap up the table before 2015.

Can you explain that statement?

The salaries were for the season 2006/2007. Probabilities are that (esp with the record transfer spending last summer) the gap towards France has already widened and the upwards gap narrowed.

[Schwalker]

Noticed this article.....

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/03/13/sports/EU-SPT-SOC-Bundesliga-Finances.php



A record financial year left the Bundesliga feeling optimistic about a future as one of Europe and the world's top soccer leagues.
Revenues in 2006-07 rose to €1.75 billion (US$2.65 billion), the Bundesliga's front office reported Thursday. Germany hosted the 2006 World Cup, but officials said overall strength was decisive in the record numbers.
"It was an exceptional year. As a market and as organization, we are in better shape than ever before," DFL business manager Christian Seifert said. "Our place among Europe's top leagues is secure for the midterm."
One problem faced by the league, according to the DFL, was a competitive disadvantage on the field. Many rival European clubs, awash in debt, spent far more of their budget on players

[Projekt4]

Noticed this article.....

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/03/13/sports/EU-SPT-SOC-Bundesliga-Finances.php

Yeah, the Bundesliga report 2008 came out yesterday (available in German and, I believe, English on the Bundesliga website), which is not unrelated to me starting this thread...

They put a lot of spin to things, though, everything is awesome, record-breaking, etc.

[Schwalker]

Yeah, the Bundesliga report 2008 came out yesterday (available in German and, I believe, English on the Bundesliga website), which is not unrelated to me starting this thread...

They put a lot of spin to things, though, everything is awesome, record-breaking, etc.


Yup, it´s easy to break records when we got lousy TV-deals, cheap tickets etc..

But the financial records look good, maybe just because German clubs are not allowed to spend money..:D

[Borussia]

But the financial records look good, maybe just because German clubs are not allowed to spend money..:D

I.e. Bayern & Schalke...:p

[Schwalker]

I.e. Bayern & Schalke...:p


Get lost..Wolfsburg have spent more money on new players than Schalke in the last five years :D

["Eisenfuß" Eilts]

money doesn't necessarily equal better quality

That´s true.

There are still a lot of clumsy players in the league,
but 4-5 years ago it was much worse.

[squidward123]

That´s true.

There are still a lot of clumsy players in the league,
but 4-5 years ago it was much worse.

That's true.

Anyway this slight increase in money is good, but we should really be looking at the quality. I mean a league like the EPL has so much money yet the players are mostly nowhere near as good as their salaries. (If you want clumsy, just watch most EPL games and you'll find about 16 players in each game like that).