How The Sky Blues Became Financial Ninjas…
Once upon a time, in the kingdom of football known as Manchester City, a dastardly villain named COVID wreaked havoc across the fields. Like a script from a suspense movie, five years have passed since the day this virus made stadiums as quiet as a library full of sleeping retirees.
Our heroes in blue, Cityzens FC, faced off against empty seats and plummeting revenue with bravado. While City booked a record-breaking COVID-season loss of £125 million (a bit like furiously burning pound notes), they’ve since sprinted back to form with renewed vigor. Their post-pandemic financial playbook could make even the shrewdest accountant grin: profits of £5 million, £42 million, and an eye-popping £80 million in the years that followed.
Sure, the loss of match-day income was like your mum confiscating your allowance for a year. But the Cityzens had a secret arsenal: Rockstar players and supreme talent in recycling wage funds, a la a frugal dad on Christmas shopping. With Earth-shattering transfers shelved, our aqua-and-white warriors retained a tight belt, investing wisely. Their return to football feasts and lucrative TV rights handshakes was swifter than a Pep Guardiola tactical shout! So while some clubs got stuck in the pandemic mud, City danced their way into financial paradise, taking the crown as the pandemic playbook’s undefeated champions. Bow down, COVID—you’ve been outplayed!
