How much Coventry City and Doug King can actually pocket if promoted to the Premier League | OneFootball

Coventry City have a chance at promotion this year through the play-offs

Coventry City moved back into the play-off places with a 1-0 win over Portsmouth on Wednesday night.

The Sky Blues reached the play-off final as recently as 2023, but missed out on promotion with a dramatic penalty shootout loss to Luton Town.

Frank Lampard can now guide the club one step further, and their recent form will give them confidence that a long-awaited return to the Premier League could be on the cards.

Coventry haven’t competed in the top flight since 2001, a 24-year gap after a previous run of 33 years consecutively playing at the highest level of English football.

Here we take a look at how much the club and owner Doug King stand to make if promotion is secured in the coming weeks…

Financial reward of Premier League promotion

Coventry will have to make do with earning promotion through the play-offs this season, with the gap to the top two now too large to overcome in the final weeks.

However, this method of promotion is still incredibly lucrative for Championship sides, and even comes with a great day out at Wembley Stadium.

According to 90min, the winners of the 2024 play-off, Southampton, earned £140 million from their victory over Leeds United.

Clubs can earn up to £300 million depending on how long they remain in the top flight, but the Saints have already had their relegation confirmed back to the Championship.

It’s believed that teams receive just under £100 million from just broadcast revenue, before any additional income is earned based on their placement in the table.

Teams are also awarded £1.2 million per each fixture that’s played for a TV audience.

While Coventry missed out on that massive financial reward in 2023, in which the figures would’ve been quite similar, they now have the opportunity to make up for their disappointment two years ago and go one step further to a Premier League return.

Coventry’s route to promotion

Coventry still have five games remaining in the regular season, but if the table finishes as it is right now then they will be playing Sheffield United in the semi-finals of the play-offs.

Their two league meetings this season saw the Blades win 3-1 at home as recently as 28 March, with the two teams drawing 2-2 at the CBS Arena back in November.

Lampard’s side will have to improve on those results to make it to Wembley, where they could face either Sunderland or Bristol City, based on the current table.

However, the likes of Middlesbrough, West Brom and Millwall are all still in the mix for a top six finish, with the Sky Blues and Bristol City on the edge.

Sunderland are pretty secure in fourth place, but there could also be a change in third, with Sheffield United just two points behind Leeds United and Burnley, who could be possible semi-final opponents for Coventry if they finish sixth.

The play-off final will take place in Wembley Stadium on 24 May to determine the third promoted side to the Premier League for next season.