The prospect of a more than €2 million euro boost for SSE Airtricity League clubs will come into sharper focus this morning when the draws are made for the early stages of the UEFA Champions’ League and Europa League.
A new cycle of television rights money kicks in this year and the financial reward for St Patrick’s Athletic, Shamrock Rovers, UCD and Cork City negotiating safe passage into the second qualifying round of the lesser tournament will be a minimum €410,000. That’s 60% higher than it would have been at the same stage last season.
Dundalk as Champions, and playing in the Champions’ League Qualification rounds could do even better.
They have already secured €550,000, that’s €175,000 more than last year’s Qualifiers St Pats and if they can make it through the first of their two leg ties the figure for the season will burst through €1 million.
Those are high stakes for clubs playing in the domestic game and the draw will be keenly watched. Romantics might like to see Dundalk emerge against Celtic but the financial controller will be looking for less of a sell out stadium at this stage and more of a winnable tie.
