Leeds United chief executive officer Angus Kinnear has claimed that the Whites' social media reach and engagement is growing quicker than any other club in world football. This is after Leeds' financial results were published from the 2020/21 season, where Kinnear outlined his ambitions and targets for the future.
The Whites announced a pre-tax profit of £26million for the 2020-21 Premier League season. The campaign was the Whites' first back in the top flight for almost two decades and despite the impact of Covid-19, the club were able to post just their second annual profit in the last 10 years.
The return to the Premier League and the TV money that comes with it, has played a huge part, rising from £1.4million in the Championship to £22million. Leeds posted a £62 million loss from their final season in the Championship, despite winning the title under Marcelo Bielsa.
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The annual turnover has leapt from £54million to £171million with central revenue payments rising from £7million in 2019-20 to a staggering £110million in 2020-21. Securing sponsorship deals with shirt sponsor SBOTOP has generated £7million and a new deal with kit manufacturer Adidas has also lined the coffers.
Amazon's release of second documentary of 'Take Us Home: Leeds United' helped the build the club's profile and grow the reach of the city itself. The appeal of the series was reflected in a growth of their social media following and engagement throughout the past few years.
On the club's social media growth, Kinnear said: "From a commercial perspective, the Whites announced record-breaking sponsorship revenues partnering with Adidas, SBOTOP, JD Sport and Hisense. The club once again collaborated with NEO Studios and Amazon to release a second series of the popular documentary 'Take Us Home: Leeds United' which built the club's global profile.
"This growing international appeal was reflected in digital media with Leeds United's social media reach and engagement growing faster than any other football club in the world. However, supporters were unable to attend games due to the pandemic which resulted in significant losses in matchday revenue from ticketing, concessions and hospitality as well as an adverse impact on other stadium events and on our conference and banqueting businesses."
Kinnear also added that the potential is there for Leeds to grow even more given that they are the only club in what he describes as the third-biggest city in the UK. He added: "The strong commercial results in the Club's first season in the Premier League illustrate the potential of Leeds United being the only club in the United Kingdom's third-biggest city. This should prove a structural competitive advantage that can be leveraged to secure Premier League status over the long term."
