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SUNDERLAND TAKE ON SHEFFIELD UNITED AT WEMBLEY STADIUM LOOKING TO WIN PROMOTION BACK TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE BUT HOW MUCH WILL A RETURN TO THE TOP FLIGHT BE WORTH? 10:00, 23 May 2025

Sunderland know they're just one win away from a return to the Premier League after a long eight-year absence. Regis Le Bris' side finished the regular Championship campaign in

fourth place, overcoming Coventry City in a dramatic semi-final tie to set up a date with Sheffield United under the Wembley arch. The Championship Play-Off Final has been dubbed the most

lucrative game in the world of football, given the riches that await the winner in the Premier League. It's been quite the transformation both on and off the pitch since Kyril

Louis-Dreyfus' arrival at the Stadium of Light. The Black Cats owner revealed his five-year plan to take Sunderland back to the top flight and a win against Sheffield United at the

weekend would see that plan come to fruition. A win under the Wembley Arch would be a huge financial boost for the club as they look to restore themselves to their former glory. "There

has been plenty of tumult behind the scenes since Sunderland were last in the Premier League eight years ago, but much has been done in more recent times to steady the ship and improve the

balance sheet, and the Mackems are in good shape to reap the bountiful rewards that come with membership of English football’s elite tier," our Chief Business of Football Writer Dave

Powell told _ChronicleLive._ "There is a reason why the Championship Play-Off Final is dubbed ‘the richest game in the world’, it’s because, as a one off, it is. So large are the riches

on offer now in the Premier League, much larger than they were the last time Sunderland were there in 2017, to win the game can be transformational to a club for the very long term if they

can manage their affairs well. "If Sunderland can triumph over Sheffield United then they will be handed a financial bump of around £110m straight off the bat thanks to promotion, due

to the impact of vastly superior broadcast rights and merit payments thanks to the shared pot between Premier League clubs, which are made up of the broadcast rights paid both domestically

and internationally. The current cycle is worth around £12bn over four years to the league and its member clubs, who are the league’s shareholders. Article continues below "Other things

can get a bump on the back of promotion too. Sunderland’s Stadium of Light home has a capacity of a little under 49,000, meaning that it would already be one of the largest grounds in the

Premier League. "During the 2023/24 season, the campaign where there is the most recently published financial data for the club, Sunderland averaged 41,028 in terms of attendance from

26 games in all competitions. There were 24 home games in the Championship, but in the Premier League there will be 19. "But it is highly likely that an additional 5,000 to 6,000 per

game will be added onto each game in terms of attendance due to the nature of increased home interest and bigger away support visiting each week. The matchday revenue for 2023/24 was £11.6m.

"It is very possible that, with the potential that ticket prices could increase, the matchday revenue figure would rise by a few million even with fewer home games. "Commercial

revenue can also be leveraged in the event of promotion. Being part of the 20 elite groups, and with a backstory that was told to a global audience via the ‘Sunderland Til I Die’

documentary, means that they will be a compelling proposition to brands, and Sunderland can charge more for that. "Signing the right players is always crucial for any team coming up,

and it will be no different for Sunderland. Wages will undoubtedly go up. For 2023/24, the club’s wage bill in that Championship season stood at £31.4m, up £5.6m from the previous year.

"With new additions likely to be on bigger wages, and renewals and extensions more costly as a Premier League club for obvious reasons, the wage bill could well push the £50m mark and

beyond. "Managing payroll is of huge importance for clubs given the risk of a return to the Championship early and having to find the money for that payroll on diminished revenue,

although three years of parachute payments on a sliding scale softens the blow of that. Article continues below "When it comes to the club’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR)

position, they will remain subject to the allowable losses in the Championship over the three-year period, which is £39m for the Mackems (£13m per year). "That is a figure some way

short of the £35m per year (£105m over three years) that established Premier League clubs are permitted. Leeds United, who have already punched their ticket to the Premier League, will be

allowed to lose £61m as one of the three years PSR will scrutinise will take into account a season spent in the top tier. "But the broadcast sums mean that the club will have an

enormous boost to the balance sheet, and they will allocate some of that money to the playing budget to try and make sure the stay is not a fleeting one."