By Marta Elena Casanova
Follow us on social networks to stay updated on the latest transfer market news: Instagram, Facebook e X.
Index
Every year, three teams earn promotion to Serie A. In the 2024/2025 season, it was Sassuolo, Pisa, and Cremonese. Sassuolo’s club is no stranger to this experience, but what does it really mean beyond the fans’ euphoria and the tears on the pitch? The answer is simple: it’s worth tens of millions of euros, plus visibility, and a domino effect that can change the structure of a football club.
The TV Rights Windfall
The first, huge financial advantage comes from TV rights. Serie A distributes about €900 million annually to clubs, and even the newly promoted sides, though starting at the bottom of the revenue table, immediately take home around €25 million. An amount that can make all the difference for a club used to Serie B budgets, often below €10 million.
Moreover, in case of immediate relegation, there is the so-called parachute payment, compensation that can reach up to €10 million. So even if the season ends with a return to the second tier, promotion remains a golden opportunity.
Sponsorships and Merchandising: The Serie A Effect
Moving up to Serie A also means becoming more commercially attractive. Technical and shirt sponsors, which in Serie B generally provide modest revenues, suddenly become much more generous. National (and international) visibility is a powerful multiplier: sponsorship income for clubs promoted to the top flight can easily double or triple, exceeding €4–5 million overall.
Merchandising also experiences a real boom. Excitement brings more people to the stadium, more shirts sold, more season tickets, and obviously more matchday revenue. In a Serie A season, these streams alone can generate an extra €2–3 million.
Brand Value (and Players)
But it’s not just about direct income. Serie A is a showcase. The club’s brand value grows, as does the ability to attract new sponsors, talents, and even investors. Players themselves increase their market value, allowing the club to obtain more lucrative capital gains from transfers.
Furthermore, being in Serie A encourages more ambitious structural projects, such as stadium renovations, building training facilities, or developing the youth sector. All these activities strengthen the club in the medium to long term.
An Impact Beyond Football
There is also another often underestimated aspect: the impact on the local area. Serie A brings tourism, journalists, TV crews, and fans from all over Italy. Bars, hotels, restaurants, and local businesses benefit. The city gains visibility, which also reflects on the local economy.
All things considered, promotion to Serie A can be worth between €30 million and €60 million, including TV rights, sponsorships, ticket sales, and parachute payments. But the real value lies in the club’s ability to turn this leap into sustainable growth.
By Marta Elena Casanova
