Secret Tottenham recruit with £200m mission from Daniel Levy spotted for first time in London
There is a new development in a mystery that has persisted at Tottenham for almost a year centred around Daniel Levy’s quest to supercharge the...
There is a new development in a mystery that has persisted at Tottenham for almost a year centred around Daniel Levy’s quest to supercharge the club’s commercial income.
While it might sound somewhat dry to many supporters, commercial income is the backbone of Spurs‘ finances and therefore the money available to Johan Lange and Ange Postecoglou in the transfer market.
Tottenham’s owners, Levy and the wider ENIC group, are not predisposed to test the upper limits of Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) and instead choose a self-funding model.
Their relative lack of wealth – compared to other Premier League owners, at least – means that they need to generate cash profits most years or rely on credit facilities from financial institutions.
The move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2019 has been transformative in this regard, both in terms of matchday income and its magnetism to commercial partners.
Both revenue source have more or less tripled since the curtain was raised at N17, with the move into their new home now a case study in stadium design and how to manage the transition.
However, one major income stream has alluded them so far.
When Todd Kline was appointed Spurs’ chief commercial officer in March 2021, the American explicitly said – and it in fact remains in his LinkedIn bio – that sourcing a naming rights deal was his top priority.
Todd Kline’s replacement on first official manoeuvres?
Spurs have held out for £20m-a-year deal for their stadium naming rights which, over a minimum 10-year deal, would guarantee them £200m and assist hugely with future planning.
However, their ambitions in this department suffered a blow when it was announced, in a cursory statement that suggested relations were not exactly cordial, that Kline was leaving Spurs for Chelsea.
Kline has since been on gardening leave and has not formally begun his role at Chelsea, and Spurs have not yet announced his successor.
Speaking exclusively to TBR Football earlier this year, Liverpool University football finance lecturer and industry insider Kieran Maguire hinted that Spurs likely had someone in the role on an informal basis.
And while a name is yet to be announced, a new development this weeks illustrates that is the case.
Leaders Week, the biggest annual conference for sport business professionals, have listed ‘Chief Commercial Officer for Tottenham Hotspur’ as one of its attendees.
The conference took place over two days in London this week, meaning the swathes of football business executives who attended will be aware who Kline’s successor is, even if supporters are not yet.
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Wil Spurs ever get a naming rights deal?
There was speculation that because Spurs are now five years into their residency they would be unable to extract top dollar for their naming rights.
Daniel Levy has also suggested that Spurs are in no rush to find a naming rights partner as they enjoying the benefits of having their own brand associated with the NFL and acts like Beyonce.
However, Twickenham – where, incidentally, Tottenham’s new chief commercial officer attended Leaders Week – has recently secured a £100m naming rights deal despite it having gone unbranded for a century.
What’s more, Atletico Madrid have also secured what is believed to be a record-breaking deal with Riyadh Air despite their Metropolitano Stadium having previously gone by another name.
Analysis from industry experts Kroll appraised Spurs’ naming rights at around £15m per year earlier in 2024, but subsequent events mean that value has likely notched up somewhat.
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