An aggregate win over Hapoel Beer Sheva will net Celtic at least £20m making the games against the Israeli champions the most lucrative in Celtic’s history.
Brendan Rodgers will tell his players about the prestige and glamour of the leading club competition but after two years without the big cheque from UEFA the cash windfall will be warmly welcomed inside Celtic Park.
Figures vary greatly over the true value of being in the group stage, it’s impossible to calculate the spin-off’s across every area of the club that the champions League brings.
In real terms the payouts direct from UEFA are 40% up on the money Celtic picked up from the dismal 2013/14 campaign when they won just one match out of six. In terms of ‘prize’ money Celtic collected €17.5m directly from UEFA with the other money coming from gate money, hospitality and various bonuses paid for six prime time television slots.
By qualifying for the group phase UEFA will pay out €12m. Any group stage win is worth €1.5m while a draw will earn a modest €0.5m, assuming one win and one draw Celtic can expect to €16m pay out, around £14m at current exchange rates
If tickets average £30 per match for the group phase that generates £1.8m per match creating a total of £6.9m in ticket sales.
There are costs involved such as policing, stewarding, flights, hotels and VAT but the hospitality and merchandising spin offs should more than cover that creating over £20m for the club- if they can get past Hapoel Beer-Sheva.