Manchester United could suffer substantial financial losses if they are relegated from the Premier League, according to SportsIllustrated.
The club’s commercial income would be among the areas most affected. Payments from Adidas, currently worth about £90m a year, could be cut by half or disappear altogether.
Adidas would also have the right to end its agreement with Manchester United before its scheduled expiry in 2035, as previously reported.
Broadcasting revenue would fall sharply as well. Payments in the Championship could reach only £4m, compared with £96m in the Premier League.
Relegation could also affect income from match tickets, food and drink, club merchandise and VIP packages.
Although supporters would be expected to continue attending matches at Old Trafford, fixtures against Championship clubs could attract fewer neutral spectators and tourists. That could reduce the revenue generated around matchdays, in addition to the loss of broadcasting and commercial payments.
Manchester United were last relegated from England’s top division in the 1973-74 season. They returned to the elite level a year later and finished third in the 1975-76 season.
