Galatasaray unhappy with new broadcasting revenues: Case to be taken to Arbitration Board

Galatasaray Sports Club is opposing the removal of the "championship share," which has been applied for many years in the distribution of Süper Lig broadcasting revenues. The club believes its rights are being usurped due to the new revenue system that the TFF Board of Directors will implement starting from the 2026-2027 season.

General Secretary Eray Yazgan stated in his remarks on the matter, "The TFF is an institution that comes to power through elections. There are voters there. They are trying to manage this business in their own way. There are efforts to provide advantages to Anatolian clubs." Yazgan noted that some clubs had been demanding this change for a long time, but despite the decision taken, they would still seek their rights. Yazgan said, "The TFF Board of Directors made the decision despite the objections of some clubs. We will take the matter to the Arbitration Board. There is a vested right here. We have rights due to the 25 championships we have achieved. We will apply to the arbitration board for the continuation of these revenues. I am sure Beşiktaş, Fenerbahçe, and Trabzonspor will also file applications."

Emphasizing that the club would suffer a significant loss of revenue with the removal of the Championship Share, Yazgan stated that if it had been implemented this season, they would have lost approximately 192 million liras. Stating that this loss could rise to 260-280 million liras with the estimated increase for the next season, Yazgan expressed that Beşiktaş, Fenerbahçe, Trabzonspor, and Başakşehir would be similarly affected.

Providing information about the ratio of the championship bonus in the revenue pie, Yazgan said, "The TFF distributes only 5.7 billion liras of the estimated 7.9 billion lira total broadcasting revenue to Süper Lig clubs. The remaining 28 percent stays with the federation. We see that in European practices, the federation does not take a share, and almost all of the revenue is transferred to the clubs." He also gave examples of revenue-sharing models from major European leagues and pointed out that the gap between them and the system in Turkey is widening every year.

Furthermore, the Galatasaray executive emphasized that only 61 percent of the 1.5 billion lira revenue provided by the league's title sponsor, Trendyol, is distributed to the clubs, while the remaining portion remains at the TFF's disposal. Yazgan stated, "The TFF does not only distribute revenue from live broadcasts. The Süper Lig's title sponsor, Trendyol, pays approximately 1.5 billion liras. It also receives sponsorship from Nesine. The name of the league is Trendyol Süper Lig. The channels used are the pitch-side boards of Süper Lig teams, press boards, and advertisements shot with our players. In total, only 61 percent of the 1.7 billion liras is distributed to Süper Lig teams. The remaining 39 percent stays with the TFF. We are sure this money is used for the development of Turkish football, but there is a mistake here."

Yazgan also stated that they hope Turkey will reach the revenues it deserves with the federation's new broadcasting tender. Explaining that competing fiercely with rivals in Europe is only possible by ensuring revenue justice, the General Secretary said, "This situation is both sad and at the same time an important opportunity. We have a new broadcasting tender ahead of us. I hope all clubs realize this and a picture emerges that will ensure Turkey reaches the broadcasting revenues it deserves."

Underlining that the revenues of clubs in Turkey remain far behind those of teams in Europe, Yazgan added, "Broadcasting revenues in Turkey are at the level of 150-155 million Euros. In Germany, this figure is 1.1 billion Euros, in Spain 1.2 billion Euros, and in France, it is around 580 million Euros... Last season, we generated a total revenue of over 350 million Euros. We became champions, won most of our matches, and won the Ziraat Turkish Cup. When you put all these together, the broadcasting revenue we obtained from Turkey is approximately 12 million Euros. If it weren't for the broadcasting revenue from Europe, the picture would be much more dramatic."

News Source: 12punto