By Gary Lim
April 09, 2009
IT IS clear S-League clubs have some way to go before they can match the financial muscle of the Asian powerhouses.
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| RICH CLUB: Out of their $50 million annual budget, Kashima Antlers set aside almost half to pay top wages to their players like J-League's Most Valuable Player, Marquinhos (right). |
Club officials have also pointed out that the disparity in spending power is standing in their way of being transformed into a force to be reckoned with in Asia.
But S-League chief executive officer Winston Lee urged every one to be patient, knowing fully well the perils of wanting too much, too fast.
He explained: 'We have to look at how we can get there.
'At the moment, this is a good experience for the clubs and players to play at this (AFC Champions League) level.
'At a later stage, we can go on to try to compete, and even win.
'There is no short-cut.
'Patience, discipline and our commitment to continue to enhance our football strategic areas are crucial.'
A comparison of the balance sheet of a S-League club and a top Asian club reveals a huge financial gulf.
It is believed that Kashima Antlers, SAFFC's Champions League opponents last night, operate on an annual budget of some $50 million, of which $24m were set aside for players' wages.
Said Lee: 'That alone is easily higher than the entire budget of the S-League in a season, which is $8m to $9m.
'Add to that the expenditures of the clubs, and the S-League is a $20m business, excluding betting revenue.
'Contrast that with the average annual budget of J-League clubs, which is about $40m a season.'
The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) spends close to $9m on the S-League.
The Japan Football Association (JFA) has an annual budget of $226m.
'In fact, it allocates $17m for women's football, which is more than our entire budget for Singapore football,' said Lee.
The catching-up game will take time, according to him.
Lee is, however, glad that current S-League clubs are financially stable.
When Fifa recognised Singapore as one of the most improved countries in Asia, some Fifa officials told Lee jokingly that if there was a ranking based on outcome per dollar spent on football, FAS will be among the top 15 in the world.
Next in line, is the need for clubs to generate more revenue on their own.
At the moment, the S-League provides subsidies of between $400,000 and $600,000 to each club.
Financially stable
Most of the clubs are breaking even, while three or four clubs make profits.
He said: 'The clubs are now financially more viable, and stable.
'We have one of the healthiest balance sheets in world football.
'Some are beginning to generate more revenue on their own, through their own clubhouses and legalised betting outlets.
'We also need to look at increasing regional appeal.
'Hence, we invited foreign teams to play in the S-League and Singapore Cup. We are also looking into having an Asean Super League.'
S-League will never become as a big a business as the big Asian leagues, Lee stressed, but that will not stop S-League clubs from making good progress in Asia.
He said: 'The fact that J-League clubs have greater financial muscle and more resources than us can be attributed to a bigger market and population size, which enables them to attract more diverse revenue streams, including sponsorships, to invest and grow their league.
'We recognise both the financial and football gaps at the Asian level and we do need more resources to compete.
'However, it will not be realistic to expect S-League clubs to reach the level of financial resources of J-League clubs, as we do not have the population and market size of Japan.
'Of course, with more financial muscle, focusing on our football key drivers and working closely with stakeholders, we will continue to make progress at this level and improve on our top-10 ranking in Asia.'
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