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London, England – September 19: Tottenham Hotspur new signing Gareth Bale visits Tottenham … [+]
Last week Tottenham Hotspur confirmed one of the biggest transfers of the season. Gareth Bale, who left the club seven years ago to join Real Madrid for a record fee, was back.
The week before, the club announced another very impressive signing. Alex Morgan, the two-time Women’s World Cup winner, would join the Spurs women’s team.
Both deals make a lot of sense for the Spurs. And not just because they are bringing in proven winners with full trophy cabinets who, at their respective peaks, were considered among the best players in the world.
Off the field, Bale and Morgan are also true world stars.
ENFIELD, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 18: Alex Morgan poses for a portrait during his first day with the … [+]
Take his social media accounts, where Morgan has a combined Twitter and Instagram following of 13.1 million. The current star of the Spurs men’s team, Harry Kane, has $ 12.7 million. Bale has 61.6 million.
Of course, a strong social media presence doesn’t make a player a good signing. But it instantly gives the club access to a new audience potentially in the millions and the business opportunities that come with it.
Both signings, which are for the 2020/21 season only at this stage, also reflect the club’s rapid growth over the past five years. In March, before the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was known, Spurs announced its financial results for 2018/19. Revenues amounted to $ 534 million and profits rose to $ 200 million. It meant that the Spurs had increased their operating income by 380% in the last five years.
In that time, the club has opened a new stadium and training center, both considered among the best in the world. The team made an unlikely run towards the final of the Champions League, Europe’s richest club competition, in 2019, and last season they signed José Mourinho, one of the world’s most recognized coaches. An Amazon
In recent years, Spurs have overtaken arch rival Arsenal as the top-grossing team in London and are currently valued at $ 1.624 million. Adding more star names to your men’s and women’s setups seems like the next logical step.
Given the financial impact the ongoing pandemic has had on professional sports teams, any additional sources of income will also be welcome.
The Spurs took out a low-interest loan of £ 175 million ($ 223.8 million) from the Bank of England to help cover the costs of the pandemic, which include repayments due to issuers and a significant loss of revenue from tickets sale. The club made it clear that the money would not be spent on player transfers and both Bale and Morgan have come together on deals that make financial sense for the Spurs.
Real Madrid will reportedly continue to pay at least half of Bale’s estimated £ 600,000 ($ 777,000) weekly salary while on loan at Tottenham. There is also no transfer fee for Morgan, whose salary is paid by US Soccer.
While the Spurs undoubtedly hope both signings can increase the number of eyes on the club, the deals are not just about business appeal. Bale and Morgan, both 31, are expected to have a significant impact both on and off the field.
Despite all the talk about Bale’s fondness for golf and lost matches at Real Madrid, he won four Champions League titles there and scored more than 100 goals. He returns to the Spurs as a different player than the one he left, but perhaps feeling he has something to prove. If Bale shows something as his best, he can make a real difference on the court for the Spurs this season.
Morgan joins in having returned to play in August, following the birth of their daughter, Charlie, in May. She is one of the biggest names in soccer, with a dazzling resume that includes 107 goals for her country, an Olympic gold medal and two Women’s World Cup titles. While the Spurs are not expected to be title challengers after winning promotion to the Women’s Super League last season, Morgan’s presence will greatly strengthen the team.
If Bale and Morgan can shine on the field this season, their star power will only grow. And that can only be a good thing for Tottenham Hotspur.
