Sunderland chief reveals extra financial boosts could be imminent after Premier League promotion
https://www.sunderlandecho.com/spor...sts-could-be-imminent-after-promotion-5183733
Sunderland’s Chief Business Officer David Bruce says the financial impact of promotion to the Premier League will go well beyond the surge in TV revenues.
The win against Sheffield United at Wembley has guaranteed the club around £200 million over the next three years, with parachute payments coming into play even in the worst-case scenario that the club suffer relegation in the upcoming Premier League campaign. Speaking at the Foundation of Light’s annual fixture breakfast, Bruce said he had been holding talks with a number of brands since the win about commercial partnerships that could land the club a significant revenue boost.
"We got promoted very late," Bruce said.
"Everyone wants to get promoted this way because you got those amazing memories and that brilliant day out at Wembley, but what it means is that the other promoted clubs have an extra three weeks as well as the experience of having being in the Premier League more recently. We literally won on the Saturday, Monday was a bank holiday and then I think on the Wednesday we had 20 Premier League staff in running a full induction.
"We're then dealing with inbound requests all the time because we're a hot property. We were before because I think our staff were doing a really good job in the context of where we were operating to be really attractive to a lot of different stakeholders, but you can't impact the global scale of the Premier League. There are more people watching this league than any other. So all of a sudden you get all these brands calling you saying, 'How do we become a part of Sunderland?' We've now got to assess what's right for Sunderland, what's right financially from a brand point of view. What's the number that we can get to that can then help Kristjaan (on the footballing side)? It's been completely non-stop and it will continue to be that way."
Bruce added that the club would be looking to use promotion as a springboard for developing new partnerships for a number of years, rather than just the first of what will hopefully be many campaigns back in the Premier League.
"The club has probably been too short-termist in the past, looking a year ahead of time,” Bruce said.
“We have to view the medium and long term as well in the decisions that we make now. We've got potential partners coming to us now wanting to sign up for a year, but we're saying 'No, we want to be partners for two or three years, so what does that look like?' Then you begin to sniff out who wants to be a part of the club for the right reasons.”
Promotion should also drive increased revenue from the club’s ‘multi-million pound’ investment in its hospitality spaces. Sunderland opened The Founders bar late last season, while the former Black Cats bar will reopen as 'The 76 yards' (a nod to the city’s shipbuilding heritage) next season. Michelin star chef and Sunderland fan Tommy Banks is behind the catering offer for the new bar, as well as a new ‘Banks on the Wear’ restaurant experience.
David Bruce answers fan questions about potential investment in club.
Bruce was also asked as part of a Q&A session about reports before the play-off final suggesting that promotion could lead to Kyril Louis-Dreyfus securing additional outside investment in the club.
The club’s Chief Business Officer said that he couldn’t comment, but that the club were more generally ‘always open’ to such conversations moving forward.
The fixture breakfast was held to promote the work of the Foundation of Light in the city, with CEO Lesley Spuhler saying that promotion back to the Premier League would bring significant new opportunities.
"This achievement is about so much more than football," Spuhler said.
"It’s about the resilience of a community, the loyalty of our supporters, and the belief that brighter days are always possible. At the Foundation of Light it’s also a powerful new platform, a chance to do more, reach further and to change lives on a bigger scale.
"The Premier League is a global stage, but its impact will be felt deeply in our local communities. This return brings with it new opportunities, greater visibility, increased investment, and a renewed platform to drive positive change across the North East.
"Promotion to the Premier League will inspire a new generation of Sunderland supporters, and we’ll be working hard to channel that energy into our programmes in schools and communities across the North East.
"We’ve always known how powerful the Sunderland badge can be when it comes to engaging young people, especially those who might not connect with teachers, youth workers, or authority figures. Now, with the spotlight on us like never before, we have an even greater opportunity to support, uplift, and empower those who need us most.
"To every supporter who stood by us through the tough times, this is for you, and because of you the Foundation of Light stands stronger than ever, ready to make the most of this incredible moment. We are Premier League once again. Let’s make sure that our impact off the pitch is just as powerful as our performance on it!"
Your next Sunderland read: Kristjaan
