‘Big’ may well be an understatement when it comes to describing the grouping of leagues known as the Big Five. Together, the top divisions of English, German, Spanish, Italian, and French soccer dominate the game with vastly superior finances, players, and facilities, being genuine giants in the world of sport. In the 2022/23 season, the
amounted to 19.6 billion euros – around double what it had been just 10 years earlier. A significant share of this sum is generated from televised games, with an
showing the Big Five to be far ahead of all others. Evidently, broadcasters are willing to pay big money to satisfy a high demand from all over the world.
England’s Premier League: top of the pile
Not all leagues are equal within the Big Five – there is a significant financial disparity between the English Premier League (EPL) and the others. In a
comparison of the Big Five's revenues, the EPL had by far the highest revenue in 2022/23, amounting to nearly seven billion euros. Meanwhile, the Big Five league with the second-highest revenue, Germany’s Bundesliga, generated just over 3.8 billion euros, with the remaining leagues even further behind. However, the Bundesliga does lead in one aspect - it is the
Big Five league with the highest average attendance, with a typical game drawing in crowds of nearly 40,000.
What does the future of the Big Five look like?
In many ways, the future of the Big Five leagues looks rosy. The
market size of the Big Five has been forecast to reach nearly 21 billion euros in the 2024/25 season – more than all other European soccer leagues combined. However, a number of issues remain that may cause headaches for leagues and clubs in the coming years. While the
European Super League is yet to become a reality, it has not gone away, along with its potential to disrupt existing competitions. As well as this,
FIFA has explored the possibility of allowing domestic league games to be played abroad, which, while lucrative, will likely prove controversial among local fans. While the future holds many uncertainties, one thing is clear - Big Five clubs face a difficult task of continuing to increase revenue while not alienating the very people that provided the foundations of their success – the fans.
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