Paul Gorst takes a closer look at Liverpool's Deloitte Money League financials and assesses the importance of Anfield holding gigs and events in the month of June
Taylor Swift performing to a sold out Anfield in 2024
Taylor Swift performing to a sold out Anfield in 2024(Image: 2024 TASRM and Getty Images)
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Earlier this month, a report claimed that Taylor Swift and her 2024 Eras Tour was found to have materially boosted the United Kingdom's economy. According to figures from Office of National Statistics, pop sensation Swift was found to have been responsible for a significant upturn in credit and debit-card spending at Visa during her shows.
"The publicity surrounding Taylor Swift’s stadium tour in London, Cardiff, Edinburgh, and Liverpool in the summer of 2024 prompted speculation of a large economic impact of the concerts," said ONS's Card Payments team.
The general claim from the ONS was placed under the microscope by the Financial Times, who aired some skepticism but for Liverpool Football Club, there can be no denying the arrival of the enormously popular Swift at Anfield in the summer of 2024 helped them hugely.
Figures, released at the curious time of midnight on Thursday, revealed Liverpool to top the Deloitte Money League when it came to Premier League clubs.
In figures that were all detailed in Euros, the club's overall revenues stood at €836.1m (£727m, according to international currency converter Xe.com). Match-day revenue reached over £130m, while broadcast (£279m) and commercial revenue (£318.5m) also soared.
They were numbers that took the Premier League champions from eighth the previous year to fifth in the world rankings, with Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Real Madrid completing the top five of European heavyweights.
“Liverpool’s strong performance was driven by on-pitch performance," says Marco D'Elia, who is assistant director at Deloitte Sport Business Group. "Champions League revenues and a 7% increase in their commercial revenues.
“That is driven by more focus on non-matchday events at Anfield, including concerts by Taylor Swift and corporate events. They also benefited from the challenges of other Premier League clubs, particularly Manchester City and Manchester United.”
Having spent the thick end of £200m to turn Anfield into a venue that is as close to a 365-day-a-year operation as possible over the last decade, the iconic home of Liverpool goes far beyond football these days.
The opening of its doors for music fans across the globe has been a wildly successful venture in recent years and after arranging a six-event-per-year agreement with Liverpool City Council, the numbers only look set to continue rising.
Paul Cuttill, Liverpool's vice-president of stadium operations, said the Anfield expansion, which had seen capacity increase from 45,000 in 2015 to 61,000 by 2024, was a major factor in bringing A-list acts to Merseyside.
"[A total of] 150,000 people came through the turnstiles for Taylor Swift," said Mr Cuttill. "They were younger, maybe their first time at a stadium or in a large crowd, we had to make sure they were welcomed in the right way. The feedback from promoters is the thing that makes Anfield different is the people."
Ben Latty, Liverpool FC’s chief commercial officer, said: “We’re delighted to play our part in boosting the local economy and providing local jobs through the staging of concerts at Anfield.
“Anfield has attracted the biggest stars on the planet, including three nights of Taylor Swift, and we’re very proud of the successes we’ve had so far. We’ve had incredible feedback from concert-goers, promoters and from local residents alike."
A report by Turley Economics in 2024 revealed how the local economy on Merseyside had been boosted to the tune of £31.3m by the summer gigs that take place now, while thousands of jobs have been created in the process. Last year's events that saw the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Dua Lipa and Lana Del Rey all perform will only swell those figures when they are made public.
Anfield has also previously hosted Bon Jovi, Take That, Elton John and The Eagles, with each concert bringing in employment opportunities, with a minimum of 1,450 staff required for for the various gigs.
As many as 85% of those employed for Anfield concerts came from the city of Liverpool itself, according to Liverpool FC and 55% of those taken on were under 30 years old.
Speaking to the ECHO in 2024 specifically about the tremors felt around Merseyside upon the arrival of Pennsylvania native Swift - who, remarkably, was reported to have had over 100 billion streams in 2025 - Mr Latty said: “We had roughly 250,000 people that came to those concerts and I think you just have to think about what that does for the city and the local economy.
“It was really apparent that these were people that were coming into the city to stay in the hotels, eat in the restaurants, make use of the local transport links, etc. I just think it's amazing for us to be able to bring those events to the city."
Tim Bridge, who is the lead partner in the Deloitte Sports Business Group, says: “There is a pivotal shift in some club business models with an increased focus on maximising the impact of their brand and their stadium assets.
"The presence of on-site breweries, hotels and restaurants is now commonplace and illustrates a strategic move to diversify income and create year-round entertainment destinations.
“This innovative approach is broadening revenue streams significantly, allowing clubs to unlock opportunities far beyond the traditional matchday experience in a drive to secure more sustainable financial futures.”
Considering its main use is for Arne Slot's Reds during the months of August and May, the June extravaganzas have become big business, with America rock band The Foo Fighters next up alongside My Chemical Romance and Zach Bryan, who are all slated to perform in June this year.
"The opportunity to use Anfield outside of football is important, not just for revenue – of course it helps the club’s business – but also 250,000 fans of Taylor Swift and Pink," CEO Billy Hogan said, just weeks after both had passed through the Shankly Gates for their respective gigs in 2024.
"They may not be football fans and may never come to Anfield or even Liverpool without those events. There was a wider benefit to the club and city. Concerts are fun, it was great, everybody wins."
It's estimated that each event, depending on the popularity of the specific artist or band, earns roughly between £5m and £10m for Liverpool. Swift, with her three-day takeover of the city, will surely have banked the club millions.
Senior sources at the club, though, have insisted they have embarked on the mission to open Anfield up to the world's biggest musicians in an effort to boost the reputation of the club, venue and city itself on a wider scale.
The financial benefits, however - as evidenced by the eye-watering sums of Deloitte - are becoming inescapable.