Sports
LaLiga grows 20.6% and posts revenue of €4.479 billion


- With a solid, positive and growing set of results across the board, LaLiga has achieved the best figures in the competition’s history.
BY: Justice Godfry
According to the latest Financial Report of Spanish professional football, corresponding to the latest complete season (2017/18), LaLiga’s clubs posted revenue of €4.479 billion, representing growth of 20.6% over the previous season.
This is the largest positive annual change in recent years and particularly notable given that it occurred following several financial years in which it has been consistently posting double-digit growth rates and in which, furthermore, we are at the midway point of the three-year audiovisual cycle for the national market (and, by extension without coinciding with sudden increases in level or discontinuities).
LaLiga’s gross operating profit (EBITDA) was €945m (+20.7%), operating profit (EBIT) was €325m (+11.4%), and the net profit for the year was €189m (+6.7%). In short, LaLiga produced a solid, positive and growing set of results across the board, achieving the best figures in the competition’s history.
The 2017/18 season was surprising due to two new drivers of LaLiga’s growth breaking onto the scene: commercial revenue and revenue from transfers, which have seized the central role held by broadcasting revenues as drivers of annual growth.


In the case of commercial revenue (without including turnover from advertising), the annual increase was 34.1%, amounting to turnover of €838m, which is indicative of the fact that Spanish clubs are becoming an increasingly attractive medium for sponsors.
Meanwhile, in the case of revenue from player transfers (i.e. sale price), the annual increase of 104.3% permitted turnover from this item to double in a single year, with an exceptional entry of €1.018bn, which is symptomatic of the significant capacity for creating sporting value held by the Spanish clubs and SADs.
That said, the audiovisual turnover received by the clubs managed to surpass the €1.5bn mark for the first time and will recover its central role starting in the 2019/20 season as a result of the new audiovisual cycle negotiated for the national market and the international agreements which have been signed.
It is very important to underline that these results have been achieved at the same time as an increase in operating expenses (OPEX) and at a time of high investment intensity (CAPEX).
OPEX (€3.169bn) increased by 18.7% in 2017/18, propelled especially by increases in sports staff expenses, which represent an investment in talent and a potential source of income for LaLiga in the medium term, through both rotation – transfer – as such, as well as the increase in sporting potential and the general appeal of the competition.
Meanwhile, gross CAPEX on infrastructure and players (€1.341bn) followed the same trend with annual growth of 11.8%.
Without doubt, these are highly appreciable levels of expenses and investment, providing the best guarantee of maintaining the quality of LaLiga out on the field of play and its appeal in the medium to long term.
LaLiga achieved all of these figures while simultaneously maintaining a downward trend in the degree of leverage. The ratio of financial debt to EBITDA of the competition was 0.9x, the lowest level on record.
It is equally important to underscore that LaLiga 1|2|3 is contributing more and more not only to the revenue of LaLiga as a whole, but also to the earnings (all the indicators are in positive territory and show upward trends) and to creation of cash flow and value for the business.
Likewise, the two special groupings that we use for internal financial analysis in the Association, Netted LaLiga and Netted LaLiga Santander, which exclude the two largest clubs, are converging more and more rapidly towards LaLiga and LaLiga Santander as a whole respectively. In relative terms, some indexes or ratios are even better. This is indicative of a business that is increasingly more fairly distributed and more sustainable in the long term.
The above has led LaLiga to obtain an overall operating profitability index (ROIC) of 12.3% (15.1% adjusted) in the 2017/18 season, six decimal points higher than the previous season and, in any case, substantially better than those of other leading competitions.


Finally, LaLiga earmarks around 2.0% of its turnover for corporate social responsibility projects, an amount which is significantly greater than the majority of companies and industries of a similar nature. This allows for the development of the pioneering initiatives mentioned in the report which give us hope and stimulate us, and of which we feel proud.
Furthermore, LaLiga’s clubs create a professional football industry which produces an impact on national GDP equivalent to 1.37% and which directly or indirectly employs around 185,000 people (0.98% of average employed population in Spain over the past year). To this we must also add the over €4 billion which it contributes to the state coffers in the form of taxes.
Sports
Hope Uzodimma Backs Chiney Ogwumike’s Vision for Girl-Child Empowerment Through Sports
Report by ORJI ISRAEL


The Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, on Monday, warmly received Imo-born American basketball player and ESPN host, Chiney Ogwumike, who visited the State to launch her foundation dedicated to empowering the girl-child through sports.
On behalf of the Governor, the Deputy Governor, Her Excellency Lady Chinyere Ihuoma Ekomaru, PhD, warmly welcomed the American superstar to the State, describing her as a shining example of the excellence of Imo women in sports and other sectors.


She reiterated the State Government’s commitment to talent hunt and sports development, recalling how the Governor recently hosted the triumphant Super Falcons of Imo state extraction and rewarded them handsomely for their commendable roles in the successful outing of the Super Falcons at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
The Deputy Governor commended Ms. Ogwumike for her vision to inspire and support young girls in the state, pursuing their dreams through basketball and other sports. She noted that her remarkable gesture aligns with Governor Uzodimma’s broader vision of creating opportunities for youths across Imo State. She assured her of the government’s readiness to partner with well-meaning Imolites and Nigerians to bring positive development to the State.
Chiney Ogwumike is not only a celebrated WNBA athlete but also a global trailblazer whose achievements resonate deeply. In 2020, she became the first Black woman and the first WNBA player to host a national radio show for ESPN, and one of the youngest commentators ever named as an NBA analyst.
By 2016, she was elected vice-president of the WNBA Players Association, and in October 2023, she made history again as the youngest woman on the White House’s inaugural Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement in the United States. Recognized globally, she is a 2021 Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree and an Executive Producer of the ESPN Films documentary 144, which chronicled the 2020 WNBA season.
In her address, Ms. Ogwumike expressed her commitment to helping young girls in Imo pursue their career in sports, especially, basketball. She credited her Igbo heritage for instilling in her the resilience and drive that propelled her to global success, pledging to use her platform to inspire the next generation of talents.
Also speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Sports Development, Hon. Obinna Onyeocha and the Commissioner for Youths and Talent Hunt, Hon. Emeka Ukaegbu, praised Ms. Ogwumike for being a true ambassador of Imo State. They pledged that the Government would support her foundation in achieving its objectives.
Also present at the event were her father, Nze Peter Ogwumike, senior government officials, and stakeholders in sports and youth development.
Sports
MTN Nigeria Awards 150 million Naira to Super Falcons after Historic WAFCON 2024 Win
Reporter: Sandra Ani


MTN Nigeria has rewarded the Nigerian Super Falcons with 150 million naira following their remarkable victory at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
The announcement was made at a celebratory breakfast reception hosted by the technology company in Lagos, in the presence of Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) leadership and female executives across key sectors, alongside a host of MTN executives who came out to celebrate the champions and reaffirm the company’s commitment to football, inclusion and youth empowerment.
The Super Falcons’ win goes down as one of the most thrilling in tournament history. Facing Morocco on their home soil, Nigeria came back from 2-0 down to secure a dramatic 3-2 victory, clinching their 10th WAFCON title and reinforcing their status as Africa’s most decorated women’s team.
Delivering the opening remarks, MTN’s Chief Marketing Officer, Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, highlighted the Super Falcons’ win as an inspiration for Nigerian women. “The Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) is a championship that has been held 13 times and Nigeria has won 10 times. This is no small feat. It is a testament to how determined Nigerian women can be when they set out to achieve something. What you have achieved not only makes Nigeria proud, but it makes us, even we women, proud. Here at MTN, we believe, and one of our values is ‘Can Do’, can do with integrity. Your final match exemplifies that.”
As the official telecommunications partner of the NFF, MTN presented the 150 million naira reward to celebrate the team’s resilience and achievement. MTN director, Ifueko Okauru explained that 115 million naira would go to the players and 35 million to the technical team.
“At MTN we believe in the power of connection, not just through technology, but through our soul, through our spirits, what we share and what unifies us,” said Dr. Karl Toriola, CEO, MTN Nigeria.
Toriola described the company’s investment in the NFF as fruitful. “As proud sponsors of the Nigerian Football Federation, this long-term significantly financially-heavy investment in supporting the NFF has borne so many fruits. We followed you through every match, every challenge, every trial and some of them losses. We followed you and we continue to support you and today we are so proud to say our efforts have not been in vain. We followed you for the big things, we followed you for the smaller things.
He added, “To the Super Falcons, you are more than athletes, you are inspirations. You are an inspiration for everyone in Nigeria, every young lady to go out there and make a difference. You are role models, you are ambassadors, and you are proof that when Nigerian women rise, the world will take notice.”
Captain of the Super Falcons, Rashidat Ajibade, thanked MTN and its board members for their warm reception and support. “We appreciate you a lot. We feel valued, we feel honoured, we feel respected, and this only inspires us to do better, and keep inspiring the next generation.”
“This win is for all of us,” she said, dedicating the 10th title not just to the current Super Falcons squad but to all the players who came before. While grateful for the milestone, she made it clear they were not content. “We want to take this to the next level. We want to be global contenders. We don’t want to be just local champions. It’s time to take it to the next level. We understand the huge responsibility on us, and we hope that we can all work together, the Federation, the federal government, and also private bodies to keep investing and keep supporting the Super Falcons Council so we can all achieve this objective.”
The breakfast reception featured a classical string quartet, stirring soul-Afrobeats choir rendition that had the Falcons on their feet, dancing joyfully in celebration of their hard-won victory. Singer Praiz also delivered a performance that drew cheers from the audience and added to the festive energy in the room.
As the nation continues to celebrate their victory, this moment stands as both a reward and a reminder of what Nigerian women can achieve when backed by belief, investment and opportunity. The celebration was especially timely as it fell on Pan African Women’s Day, a fitting moment to honour the strength, resilience and achievements of Nigerian women on and off the pitch.


John C. Nwosu, governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has hailed the Super Falcons for lifting the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Women’s African Cup of Nations (WACON) held in Morocco for the 10th time, after a dramatic outing in Rabat, capital of the North African nation.
The Nigerian female team came from behind after a 2:0 lead they were handed down by the Atlas Lionesses at half time to turn the tide in a dramatic fashion, marked by energy, resilience, determination and skill, slotting in three goals in less than 30 minutes.
A totally enthralled Nwosu declared that feat clearly showed how with determination and focus, the most difficult tasks could be achieved and toughest challenges could be surmounted, adding that the feat embodied a lot of life’s lessons.
“What we saw today is the can-do spirit of that Nigerians are known for. It is a spirit that has broken many barriers and achieved great things. I particularly noticed the teamwork and synergy among the girls and their determination not to give up. It shows the reward of unity of purpose.
“As I watched our girls lift this beautiful trophy up, my spirit was also lifted. I am sure I am not alone. This spectacular achievement today shows how much we can achieve in Nigeria when we de-emphasise those things that divide the nation and emphasise the things that unite us.
“This is the focus of the ADC. We take it as a task to unite Nigeria by promoting unity, equity, justice and fair play in all facets of the society, knowing that together, working individually and collectively, we wake the sleeping giant.
“It is particularly so as we make deliberate moves to recreate a new Anambra where the government and the people will form an environment of common vision and move in the same direction, achieve a common goal. That vision has gained a strong fillip by this wonderful feat in Morocco.”
Well done girls. Once again, you have put smiles on millions of Nigerians, both home and abroad. May this joy continue to resonate everywhere in the life of our dear nation, now and in future.
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