In the PSR era of football finance, every Premier League club is looking at the ways they can maximise revenues to gain a competitive edge.
Arsenal are among those looking to make the most of their chances to boost their budget, which could help them create success on the pitch.
The Gunners have been boosted over the 2024/25 season with their deep run in the Champions League, along with their usual Premier League payouts.
There were other opportunities missed out by the side, however, as Stan Kroenke and the Arsenal owners face a paradoxical choice at the end of each season.
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Arsenal missed out on £10m by opting against post-season tour like rivals
One of the decisions that clubs have taken in recent seasons to raise revenues is a post-season tour across the world.
It was a controversial decision started by Tottenham in the Premier League, taking off to another country to play a friendly immediately after the season ended.
Manchester United have followed suit this summer with their tour in Asia, raising money through hosting friendlies and selling tickets.
It’s something Arsenal have decided against doing so far, which has resulted in missed revenue opportunities, balanced out by other factors.
Speaking to finance expert Adam Williams on the situation, he told Arsenal Insider: “Elite football clubs like Arsenal have now got a delicate balance to strike between congesting the match calendar and creating more revenue-generating opportunities, i.e., more matches.
“The post-season tour has had an uptick in recent seasons. Manchester United obviously have just had their disastrous trip to Asia. I think they will probably have made around £8-10 million from that event. That’s before costs, which will also have been significant.
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“So it’s a significant revenue stream, particularly if you’re a club like United who have finished many, many places below where they will have budgeted for in the Premier League table. Arsenal, on the other hand, I think will have recorded revenues that are at the upper limit of what they were forecasting at the beginning of the season, so there isn’t the necessity there. They also don’t have any PSR issues, so that’s not a factor.
“In recent years, the trend among club owners and high-ranking executives has been to simultaneously push for more matches but move away from less lucrative matches.
“So, the new Champions League format means more matches, yes, but those matches are more lucrative matches. Kroenke lobbied for that format behind the scenes.
“Meanwhile, and this is a view I am confident is shared at Arsenal, Chelsea, and Spurs, are saying the calendar is too crowded, but what they actually mean is it’s too crowded with the wrong sort of games.
“They want fewer matches in the League Cup and potentially to reduce the size of the Premier League in order to accommodate more high-earning matches, like those that come in a post-season tour. That way, you’re reducing or maintaining the total number of matches you play in a season and the associated injury risk that comes with that, but you’re increasing the revenue per match.
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“For Arsenal, I don’t think they would earn quite as much as United from a post-season tour in the same commercial market, but it would be in the same ballpark. You have to square that with player fatigue and morale. In their position, I don’t think it would be the right move, but that could easily change in the future.
“These tours are as much about building the brand and nurturing your existing global fanbase as much as they are about the flat fee you receive for taking part.
“Arsenal have trailed their peer group in commercial income in recent years, though they have begun to correct that. Again, I think that validates the decision they have made not to pursue this kind of opportunity, yet.”
It’s perhaps a missed opportunity for Arsenal to make some more money for the summer, but one that isn’t a necessity at the moment.
Arsenal will welcome a much-needed break over the post-season tour
While Arsenal could have gone on a post-season tour if they wished, the reality is that the players and manager will welcome the break.
It’s been a tough, gruelling season for the Gunners, who have put their bodies on the line in every match possible.
Adding even more fixtures to the mix may only cause more problems for the side, who need a clean slate heading into next season.
With Arsenal not taking part in the Club World Cup, there could be something of an advantage that a clear summer will give them in the coming Premier League title race.
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