BERLIN: The financial power which is Germany’s Bundesliga has been underlined by the latest accounting report showing the 18 clubs claiming an eighth successive annual turnover record of €2.081bn for 2011-12.

That was up more than seven per cent from the previous season according to a report from the German football league, the DFL.

The top-division clubs posted a combined profit after tax of €55m and a total turnover of €2.081bn, up 7.2 percent from €1.941bn in 2010-11, with 14 of the 18 clubs being profitable.

Only seven had posted a profit in the 2009-10 season while 12 were profitable in 2010-11.

The Bundesliga has now doubled its turnover in 10 years from €1bn in 2001-02.

Second-division clubs also set a turnover record with €384.5m, up 7.4 percent from the previous season.

DFL chief executive Christian Seifert: “The Bundesliga is well equipped to deal with the challenges ahead. The foundations for this successful path are financial good sense as well as targeted investment in sporting efficiency and infrastructure.”

Financial records were not the only ones broken in the 2011-12 bumper season with the league remaining the most popular by average attendance in the world.

Highest average

With an average of 44,293 fans per game – more than 2,000 up on the previous season – the German league is the world leader with the English Premier League which registers some 10,000 spectators less per game. Spain’s league has an average attendance of 28,000.

The DFL said: “The Bundesliga remains, in terms of attendance, the world’s leader.”

The league’s biggest revenue streams remained balanced with advertising bringing in 26.6pc of revenues, sale of media rights contributing 26.2pc and ticket sales another 21.1pc.

Highlighting the league’s higher degree of financial independence, the DFL added: “Media partners contribute in Spain, England and Italy between 45-60 percent of the league’s turnover. In the Bundesliga the figure is stable at 26 percent despite the clubs receiving more and more money every year for the broadcasting of games.”

The Bundesliga’s positive financial and sporting image doubtless helped Bayern Munich sign up former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola for next season.

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