Revenue trend
The Borussia Dortmund Group generated revenue of EUR 509,110 thousand (previous year: EUR 418,239 thousand) in the 2023/2024 financial year, representing an increase of EUR 90,871 thousand or 21.73%. This increase in revenue was recorded in all revenue streams. In particular, income from TV marketing increased due to the team’s successful UEFA Champions League season.
The performance of the individual revenue items is described in the following:
Borussia Dortmund Group – Revenue in EUR '000
Income from match operations
Income from match operations increased by EUR 9,058 thousand to EUR 52,582 thousand in financial year 2023/2024 (previous year: EUR 43,524 thousand).
As in the previous season, for the Borussia Dortmund Group, all 17 Bundesliga home matches in the 2023/2024 season were once again played to nearly sell-out crowds at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK. Due to inflation-related adjustments to ticket prices, income from match operations for domestic competitions rose slightly by EUR 1,084 thousand to EUR 31,973 thousand (previous year: EUR 30,888 thousand).
Income from domestic and international cup competitions increased by EUR 8,187 thousand to EUR 19,148 thousand (previous year: EUR 10,962 thousand). The increase is attributable primarily to the fact that the club hosted two more UEFA Champions League home matches than in the previous year and also one DFB Cup home match (previous year: no DFB Cup home match).
The Borussia Dortmund Group generated income of EUR 1,461 thousand from friendlies and ticket proceeds generated by the club’s other teams in this financial year (previous year: EUR 1,674 thousand).
Income from advertising
The Borussia Dortmund Group generated advertising income of EUR 146,576 thousand in the past financial year (previous year: EUR 142,271 thousand), an increase of EUR 4,305 thousand.
The strategic partnerships with the two primary sponsors Evonik Industries AG and 1&1 Telecommunication SE as well as with the equipment supplier, PUMA SE, remain the foundation for sponsorship income. Income from advertising in this financial year was also once again primarily generated with the holder of the stadium’s naming rights, SIGNAL IDUNA (long-term partnership until 30 June 2031), General Logistics Systems Germany GmbH & Co. OHG (GLS) and nine further Champion Partners.
Advertising income rose in particular due the year-on-year increase in income from the marketing of the hospitality areas and from kit and equipment sponsorships deals, whereas the high level of income generated from Champion Partners, Premium Partners and Partners in the previous year was not matched in full in this financial year.
Furthermore, advertising income includes bonuses for sporting success, in particular the fifth-place Bundesliga finish, which directly qualified the team for the league phase of the UEFA Champions League in the 2024/2025 season, and for advancing to the final of the UEFA Champions League in the 2023/2024 season (previous year: round of 16). Accordingly, advertising income increased year on year.
Income from TV marketing
In financial year 2023/2024, income from TV marketing amounted to EUR 206,050 thousand, up EUR 48,543 thousand on the prior-year figure of EUR 157,507 thousand.
Income from domestic TV marketing amounted to EUR 84,393 thousand (previous year: EUR 79,900 thousand), up EUR 4,493 thousand against the prior-year reporting period. The 2023/2024 season was the third covered by the media rights allocated by the German Football League (DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga GmbH) for seasons from 2021/2022 to 2024/2025, under which income averaging EUR 1.1 billion (total of EUR 4.4 billion) was generated for the clubs, with the distributions increasing with each passing season. The higher income in this financial year is due to the income generated from both the sale of the German-language media rights and DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga GmbH’s international TV marketing.
Income from international TV marketing for competing in the UEFA Champions League amounted to EUR 120,141 thousand in the past financial year (previous year: EUR 74,468 thousand). The significant year-on-year increase of EUR 45,673 thousand is attributable primarily to the team progressing to the final of the UEFA Champions League after having only reached the round of 16 in the previous year.
Borussia Dortmund’s run in this season’s DFB Cup ended in the round of 16. In the previous year, the team was eliminated from the competition in the quarter-finals. Income from the national cup competition thus declined by EUR 1,630 thousand to EUR 1,509 thousand (previous year: EUR 3,139 thousand)
Income from merchandising
Income from merchandising increased by EUR 14,539 thousand to EUR 47,898 thousand in the past 2023/2024 financial year (previous year: EUR 33,359 thousand). The reasons for this increase, which led to the record revenue, are manifold. In addition to the optimisation of our product range strategy, this was down to the improvement in sales during the Christmas holidays compared to the previous year, when the Christmas holiday sales were overshadowed by the 2022 World Cup, which had been held in the winter, and the approximately 95,000 special edition kits that were sold in the previous season but not delivered until this financial year. Furthermore, due to the team’s excellent run of form in the UEFA Champions League, the marketing business experienced a marked improvement in Q4 2023/2024 as compared to the previous year. Overall, the increases in revenue are attributable to both the online business and the brick-and-mortar fan shops.
Conference, catering and miscellaneous income
The Borussia Dortmund Group’s conference, catering and miscellaneous income increased by EUR 14,426 thousand from EUR 41,578 thousand in the previous year to EUR 56,004 thousand. This also included revenue from advance booking fees, rental and lease income, income from matches for the UEFA EURO 24 tournament, release fees for national team players, income from players on loan, training compensation and income from the FIFA solidarity mechanism.
Conference and catering income, which comprises income generated by the hospitality areas, public catering services and events, increased by EUR 7,642 thousand from EUR 20,823 thousand in the previous year to EUR 28,466 thousand. Income from hospitality and catering and in particular public catering increased by a total of EUR 6,809 thousand to EUR 23,545 thousand (previous year: EUR 16,735 thousand). This increase is due primarily to the fact that there were two more home matches than in the previous year. Income from non-match events and stadium tours also increased in the past financial year, rising by EUR 833 thousand to EUR 4,921 thousand (previous year: EUR 4,088 thousand).
Moreover, compared to the previous year, Borussia Dortmund also generated significant income from rental and leasing and miscellaneous income in connection with hosting matches for the UEFA EURO 24 at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK.
Advance booking fees and postage for match and season tickets generated income of EUR 4,852 thousand in this financial year (previous year: EUR 4,149 thousand).
Release fees for national team players amounted to EUR 4,340 thousand in the reporting period (previous year: EUR 5,754 thousand). The decrease of EUR 1,413 thousand is due to more than one factor: Firstly, due to the new agreement entered into between the German Football Association (DFB) and DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga GmbH, which sets out the rights and duties of the two organisations, the release fees distributed for national team players were reduced in principle. Secondly, the release fees in the previous year in connection with the 2022 World Cup in Qatar in the winter were recognised in full in the financial year, whereas a portion of the release fees for the UEFA EURO 24 had to be recognised in financial year 2023/2024 and the other portion in financial year 2024/2025.
The income from players on loan, training compensation and the FIFA solidarity mechanism decreased slightly by EUR 285 thousand year on year to EUR 1,671 thousand (previous year: EUR 1,956 thousand). This comprised primarily the loans of the players Giovanni Reyna to Nottingham Forest and Tom Rothe to Holstein Kiel and various payments received in connection with the FIFA solidarity mechanism. In the previous year, this comprised mainly the income from the loan of the player Thorgan Hazard to PSV Eindhoven and various payments received in connection with the FIFA solidarity mechanism.
Net transfer income
Net transfer income increased by EUR 25,321 thousand to EUR 97,852 thousand (previous year: EUR 72,531 thousand)
This includes primarily the transfer proceeds (including subsequent variable transfer proceeds) from the departures of the players Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Thorgan Hazard (RSC Anderlecht), Hendry Blank (RB Salzburg) and Julian Rijkhoff (Ajax Amsterdam) as well as subsequent transfer proceeds less residual carrying amounts, other derecognised items and selling costs incurred.
Gross transfer proceeds amounted to EUR 129,861 thousand (previous year: EUR 97,116 thousand). The residual carrying amounts and other derecognised items amounted to EUR 16,966 thousand (previous year: EUR 20,663 thousand) and transfer costs amounted to EUR 15,043 thousand (previous year: EUR 3,922 thousand).
In the previous year, net transfer income included primarily transfer proceeds from the departures of the players Erling Haaland and Manuel Akanji (Manchester City), Steffen Tigges (1. FC Cologne), Ansgar Knauff (Eintracht Frankfurt) and Bradley Fink (FC Basel) as well as subsequent transfer proceeds less residual carrying amounts and other derecognised items and selling costs incurred.
Other operating income
Other operating income increased by EUR 4,443 thousand year on year to EUR 11,260 thousand (previous year: EUR 6,818 thousand). In the current reporting period, it primarily includes gains from the derecognition of liabilities, gains on the reversal of valuation allowances, gains from reimbursement for granting contractual marketing rights and gains on insurance claims. Other operating income includes prior-period income in the amount of EUR 5,032 thousand (previous year: EUR 3,113 thousand).