Larne FC’s European Windfall

 Larne’s European run is over, the Inver Reds managed one win in their 6 league phase games in their first attempt at European football. With the Conference league offering more opportunities for teams from smaller nations to play European football, I am sure this will not be the last time a local side gets to ply their trade in Europe.

Every team that qualifies for the UEFA Conference League earns €3.17 million. A win in the group stage is worth €400K and a draw €133. Each team them receives a share of €18.65 million depending on where they finish in the league phase. Teams that finish in the top 8 get a further €400K while those in the top 16 get a further €200K.

Teams are also awarded money from the ‘Value Pillar’. The amount a team will earn is worked out based on their coefficient ranking and the pool nation’s broadcasting money. Larne competed for the first time and so have a low coefficient and teams from Northern Ireland receive the least of all the Home Nations in broadcasting money. Official figures are not yet available for the Value Pillar but estimates show Larne have earned around €430K from this revenue source.

Value pillar estimations can be found here:

Champions League

Europa League

Conference League

Larne managed to win one game and finished in 34th position in the table adding an additional €484K to their starting prize.

In total Larne has earned around €4.094 million (£3.4 million) in prize money from their run in the Europa Conference League. For comparison Welsh champions TNS have earned €4.94 million while Hearts earned €5.729 million. Chelsea are the only team left in from the home nations and they have currently earned €10.858 million. Chelsea were the top ranked team and so earned the most from the value pillar, they also won every game and finished top of the league maximising their returns.

Shamrock Rovers have qualified for the playoff stage and have currently earned €6.542 million.

The money pales in comparison to what clubs are earning in the bigger competitions. The lowest earners of the Home Nation sides in the Europa League so far are Rangers, currently sitting on €12.8 million (Manchester United - €12.89 million and Tottenham - £15.69 million). The 5 Champions League clubs have earned even more (Liverpool - €86.39 million, Man City - €68.36 million, Arsenal - €62.31 million, Aston Villa - €47.57 million and, Celtic - €38.41 million). All of these clubs are still in their competitions and all are likely to qualify for the next phase and so will earn even more money.



Using an estimate of £12 per ticket, and multiplying by attendance numbers, Larne may also have made an additional £150K in gate receipts.

 

Larne has also added 4 coefficient points this season. Linfield and Crusaders each added a point, meaning Northern Ireland added 1.5 points this season, unfortunately the league lost 2.375 points due to a good year falling off. Coefficient points are important for rankings before the competition, these rankings determine whether or not a team is seeded in qualifying stages but is also one of the factors in determining the money earned from the value pillar.


Irish League clubs will receive a solidarity payment due to Larne’s participation in the league phase this season. It is currently unknown how much that payment will be worth but it will will certainly not be a 6 figure sum. Can this season’s champions replicate Larne’s success and achieve league stage football? Current NI manager Michael O’Neill was the first manager to lead a League of Ireland side to the group stages of European football, the League of Ireland has improved in quality over the last decade due to increased funds and experience of European football. This season Shamrock Rovers finished 10th in the Conference League and have secured European football in the new year. We can hope that Larne has got the ball rolling on the Irish League’s involvement in European competition for the foreseeable future. 


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