The true cost of Newcastle United's Covid lockout in the Premier League has been revealed in the latest club's financial figures after the club reported a loss of £ 70.7 million.
When the global pandemic brought the world to a standstill, football was suspended for three months and even when the Premier League's "project restart" got underway, fans still missed the last nine games of the 2019/20 season as well as the majority of the 2020/21 campaign when football continued to be played behind closed doors.
The Magpies' first game back in front of a reduced crowd at St James' Park came in May 2021 with a 1-0 win over Sheffield United some three months before new ownership took over at Newcastle.
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But now the latest set of accounts show that compared to the pandemic affected set of figures, club revenue rose from £140.2million to £180million. Commercial income also rose in that time from £17.6million to £26.5million.
The figures reveal: "Commercial income increased £8.9m (52%) from £17.6m to £26.5m, reflecting the first year of the Castore sponsorship, increased revenue from Premier League and Club commercial partners, and the return of matchday and non-matchday commercial activities and events."
The strategic report reads: "At the beginning of the accounting period, the Group was still recovering from the challenges both operational and financial that were posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. "The shutdown of the league, and the subsequent resumption of play in empty stadia, impacted the entire 2020-21 season.
"It was only in August 2021 that we saw the return of fans to stadiums, and the resumption of a more normal rhythm of commercial activities."
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