In The Money: Tottenham to benefit from handy cash injection after FA announcement
Tottenham fans will hope to see their team advance far in the FA Cup this season and end a long-stretching trophy drought, while the financial benefits of a healthy cup run could also prove lucrative.
It has been 15 long years since Spurs last lifted a trophy and the club’s supporters will be desperate for a nice day out at Wembley this season and the chance to see their team pick up some long-awaited silverware.
Ange Postecoglou’s side missed the opportunity to do just this in the Carabao Cup as they were eliminated in the second round of the competition, losing a penalty shoot-out against Fulham at Craven Cottage after a 1-1 draw, and fans will be hoping history doesn’t repeat itself in the FA Cup, which is set to get underway for top flight sides next month.
The third-round draw for the competition has been made and it is a favourable one for Tottenham as they will host Premier League strugglers Burnley at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
This offers the north London side a great chance of qualification to the fourth round and with limited fixtures this season due to the absence of any European exploits, this is certainly a competition the club could go far in should they take it seriously.
Not only would a positive cup run be welcomed with open arms by the supporters, but recent developments suggest the board could also stand to benefit in the form of some lucrative cash injections.
The FA has already confirmed the prize fund for this season, with the winners taking home a total of £3.9million for their troubles, with £3million of that for winning the final two rounds.
As well as the prize money which is up for grabs, there are also other ways in which Tottenham could stand to benefit financially by being involved in the competition.
As confirmed via Spurs’ official website (7 December), the third-round clash with Burnley has been scheduled for Friday 5 January at 8pm, with the game set to be televised live on ITV1.
According to the Blackpool Gazette (16 October), any games which are selected to be televised from the third round onwards attract revenue of £100,000 and above.
This means the further Spurs go in the competition, the more chances they have of televised matches, especially if they’re drawn against rival Premier League sides. In addition to this, home draws could also prove lucrative through gate receipts and sales of food and drink in the stadium, which could be worth in the millions for Levy and the club.
A deep run should therefore certainly be a priority for Spurs due to its appeal to both supporters and the board.
In other Tottenham news, a BBC pundit has suggested one Spurs star should come straight back into the team for the clash with West Ham on Thursday night.