"OM's Financial Woes: Understanding the Persistent Credit Reliance Throughout the Season"
Up Close with Marseille's Financial Turmoil: A Tale of Unfulfilling Promises, Chronic Deficits, and Enduring Loyalty
By Sébastien Pommier, Chief Investigative Reporter
Dive into the Passion and Financial Woes of Olympique de Marseille (OM)
As Marseille's amour propre, Olympique de Marseille (OM), graces the Champions League once more, the city's ardor for the beloved club is palpable. Week after week, Marseille's residents mourn, celebrate, and argue about their cherished team, making football little more than a religion in the city. And rightfully so, as 1993's Champions League win made OM the first French team to claim the title. Yet, the fiscal well-being of the club, following Paris Saint-Germain's emphatic 5-0 victory in the 2025 Champions League final, is less than rosy.
© Illustration by our site/Johnny Fidelin/Icon Sport Despite Paris Saint-Germain's reign over Ligue 1, OM has managed to secure another season in the Champions League, complemented by an operating budget of approximately 260 million euros and a salary incumbency of 148 million euros for the season[1]. Advertisements and sponsorships, totaling 74.3 million euros in 2024, bolster the team's revenue, which has seen an impressive surge of more than 20% compared to the previous season[1]. With an average of 3 million euros in ticket sales per home match, the club ranks among the top 10 European teams[1].
OM: A Sold-out Stade Vélodrome, and More
With a sold-out crowd of 67,000 spectators, OM is a regular draw at the Stade Vélodrome, ensuring robust matchday revenues and a financial footing that seems solid, even with the erosion of French clubs' main financial driver, TV rights[1]. Marseille's indomitable appeal clearly transcends the court-side municipal landscape.
The Misfortune of Absence: Marseille's Strategy Relying on the Champions League Despite its steadfast resilience, OM's financial and sporting strategy remains largely reliant on the Champions League, a priority that is all too apparent when the team is excluded from this prestigious competition[1]. "The entire project revolves around the Champions League. When OM isn't playing, it burns through even more funds trying to get back in next year," laments an astute observer[1].
In an intriguing twist, marketing contracts, like the one with equipment supplier Puma, are said to be escalated in the event of consecutive Champions League appearances[1]. Given the steep costs associated with player transfers and the chronic deficit, it comes as no surprise that the abundance of both funds and talent ebbs and flows each season.
Adrien Rabiot to OM: An Expensive Prospect
The club has made a series of player alterations, aided by Pablo Longoria, OM's president, a former recruiter with strong ties to agents. Driven by a vision of shaking up as much as 80% of the squad from season to season, OM has invested over 600 million euros on transfers since 2016, a figure that includes 334 million euros in the last three seasons alone[1]. On the parting side, the club has reportedly obtained 401.4 million euros under McCourt's governance, resulting in a deficit of 212.1 million euros[1].
This constant player turnover significantly influences OM's operations, as the club lacks a development-oriented business culture[1]. "As soon as a euro comes in, it's promptly reinvested in player transfers. The club essentially lives on credit throughout the season, waiting for an end-of-year payday from the owner," laments a former high-ranking official[1]. This constant drain has led to a cumulative deficit of over 467 million euros under McCourt's rule.
Frank McCourt's Dreams and Nightmares
Before his arrival in Marseille in 2016, Frank McCourt, an American tycoon, had envisioned a grand real estate project that would place OM at the heart of a bustling hub encompassing hotels, event spaces, and sporting facilities, including the Stade Vélodrome and Parc des expositions[2]. The city's authorities, while unopposed, the Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie (CCI), a stakeholder in Chanot Park, vehemently resisted the initiative. "Until 2022, Frank believed in it. He hoped to recoup his financial investment, to renovate Marseille just as he had rejuvenated Boston," a former collaborator recalls[2].
Yet, the entrepreneur's dreams went awry, as it became apparent that the ambitious project would never come to fruition. "Since then, the club has become more of a distraction for him," the same source adds[2]. Discussions around the sale of the club arise regularly among city-dwellers, while McCourt himself has never publicly broached the subject[2].
A Club Living on Borrowed Time?
Some skeptics question McCourt's continuing commitment, despite recent efforts to relocate the headquarters, which are reportedly on schedule for a 2023 shift[2]. As its storied history unfolds, OM grapples with the weight of its past successes, its present fiscal instability, and the looming question of whether Frank McCourt will shoulder the burden any longer.
ZOOM
- 467 million euros: The cumulative deficit of OM under Frank McCourt's reign (since 2016)
- 10 million euros: The yearly cost the city bears for maintaining the Stade Vélodrome
Sources:[1] Financial report published by DNCG (France's football league's financial overseer)[2] Insider sources
Related articles:Olympique de Marseille | UEFA | Ligue 1 | Football
- In light of the reliance on the Champions League for both financial and sporting success, it might be worth considering scholarships for talented athletes in lower-tier sports, as a means to build a more sustainable future for Olympique de Marseille (OM).
- The financial struggles of OM, despite impressive revenue streams, highlight the need for a broader investment strategy that includes sports other than soccer, such as scholarships for talented athletes, to foster a lasting and self-sustaining sports ecosystem within the club.
