Valuation in English Football: The Relationship Between Sports Performance and Financial Valuation of Football Clubs

Sammanfattning: This paper aims to contribute to the field of accounting and sports by investigating the relationship between sports performance and financial valuation in English football, using a sample of 72 football clubs in the English Premier League and the EFL Championship from 1998 to 2019. Markham's multivariate method is applied, a valuation model based on accounting metrics, to determine football clubs' approximate and comparable financial valuations for a specific year. Using regression analysis, obtained results suggest a relationship between sports performance and financial valuation exists. In particular, an exponential relationship is established for the Premier League. In addition, the validity of Markham's multivariate method is examined by comparing it to the market capitalization of Manchester United, the only publicly listed club in English football.