19-05-2025
Sunderland's promotion windfall - How much is winning the play-offs worth?
THE Championship play-off final is often called 'the richest game in football', and Sunderland are set to rake in a huge amount if they are promoted to the Premier League.
Sunderland play Sheffield United in the play-off final, which will kick off at 3.01pm on Saturday May 24 at Wembley.
Promotion to the Premier League would make Sunderland one of the top 20 teams in the country and would revive the Wear-Tyne derby - on hiatus for several seasons after The Black Cats' relegation, but glimpsed briefly in last season's FA Cup.
It would also open the club up to a rather healthy windfall, with hundreds of millions of pounds expected to fly into the coffers if the team are successful in the capital at the weekend.
Premier League clubs share TV revenue money, with the newest deal being agreed for £6.7bn over four seasons. This means that clubs in the top flight are set to earn around £85m each season of the new deal.
Estimates from the BBC suggest that this season's Championship play-off final is worth £220m after commercial revenue, TV rights, Wembley gate receipts, and potential future parachute payments are taken into account.
It means that this season's final is worth more than any other has been in the past.
Clubs in the Championship this season will earn around £11m each (except those who receive parachute payments).
Sunderland go into the final knowing that they have beaten Sheffield United this season, but also that the Blades have beaten them too.
Will Sunderland wear red and white in Championship play-off final?
31 pictures as dozens of tractors roll out across County Durham for annual outing
'Pocket size' Durham among Britain's happiest places to live (and this is why)
Semi-final hero Dan Ballard said they weren't underdogs going into the final: "We've had two good games against them this year and I think those games will fill us with confidence.
"They'll probably go in as slight favourites but that's not the feeling in our dressing room.
"We're really excited and the way the last game went and nearly losing it, we feel extra privileged and realise the opportunity now because it was nearly taken away from us. We'll use that as extra fuel going into the game."
