'Big Six' clubs are reportedly in dispute with the other Premier League clubs over a proposal to increase commercial revenue but decrease their individual deals
Man Utd Spurs Arsenal Man City Chelsea Liverpool
'Big Six' = Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool (Image: Visionhaus, Visionhaus/Getty Images)
Premier League clubs are reportedly at loggerheads over a proposition to boost sponsorship revenue by collectively selling additional commercial rights. Manchester United, for example, are said to regard any further pooling of rights as a stumbling block to their ambitions of growing individual income streams.
The league's 'Big Six' - Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Man United, and Tottenham Hotspur - are understood to be firmly against the proposal. They currently happen to be the highest-revenue clubs, making in excess of £490million according to their latest accounts for the 2024/25 season, with Aston Villa and Newcastle United the only other clubs that come closest, but neither breaks £400million.
According to The Telegraph, the Premier League estimates it could grow its annual commercial revenue from £200m to £750m. This would be achieved by adding rights inventory to the overall package offered to sponsors, including match-day perimeter LED boards.
Currently, some perimeter advertising is sold collectively, with proceeds distributed equally amongst all 20 clubs as central payments. Nevertheless, the vast majority of such rights are sold independently by the clubs.
Should any expanded commercial arrangement be approved, 'Big Six' clubs would reportedly push for a larger slice of the pie. The report cites Premier League sources who indicate they are working with clubs to reach an agreeable solution.
All clubs are understood to have held in-depth discussions about the matter on two separate occasions this year, initially in February and subsequently at June's AGM. These rights are expected to be reviewed again at a league shareholders' meeting on 24 September.
The crests of all the 2026/27 Premier League clubs
Premier League clubs are said to be split on whether to collectively sell any more commercial rights (Image: CFOTO, CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
Amendments to the league's rulebook require a minimum of 14 clubs to vote in favour. For instance, six clubs rejected this season's new squad cost ratio (SCR) regulations, yet the quorum overruled them. Nevertheless, they were not the 'Big Six' at that time. That sextet were understood to be Bournemouth, Brentford, Brighton and Hove Albion, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Leeds United.
Man City and Man United, though, were reportedly amongst a dozen clubs that successfully blocked a spending cap late last year. That proposal was to be calculated at 41⁄2 times what the Premier League's 20th-placed club earns.
The 'Big Six' would need to persuade at least one additional club, however, if they are to prevent this latest proposal from going through. Their next opportunity to do so arrives in a fortnight when all 20 clubs convene.
Collective commercial revenues will undoubtedly be a hot topic on the agenda. SCR rules only incentivise clubs to expand their revenue streams even further than the previous Profitability and Sustainability (PSR) ones.