Everyone affiliated with West Brom is acutely aware of the significance of returning to the Premier League. Despite falling short in their efforts last season, the Baggies, currently under the leadership of the talented manager Carlos Corberan, are displaying a commendable performance this season, securing the fifth spot in the Championship table after 19 matches.
Although there is a considerable distance to cover, with numerous changes expected before the campaign concludes, the ultimate goal remains promotion to the Premier League, intensifying after recent developments in the competition. The Premier League’s completion of the sales process for UK live rights and free-to-air highlights for the four-year period from the 2025/26 season, as reported on the official Premier League website (4 December), signifies a monumental step.
The three agreements with Sky Sports, TNT Sports, and BBC Sport constitute the largest sports media rights deals ever in the UK, bringing a total revenue of £6.7 billion across the four-year period. The distribution of domestic revenue, outlined by the official Premier League website on 16 September 2016, involves equal division among clubs (50%), merit-based awards (25%), and facilities fees for televised matches (25%).
Given West Brom’s precarious financial situation, highlighted by the recent announcement of additional funding secured from MSD UK Holdings Limited, as stated on the official West Brom website (27 November), the club’s primary focus is on achieving promotion. The current state of affairs at The Hawthorns has been critically labeled as “pitiful” by former Birmingham Mail reporter Chris Lepkowski.
In light of these circumstances, fans can only envision the improved prospects and financial stability that a return to the Premier League would bring for the Baggies.