View: Sunderland could land potential six-figure windfall from FA Cup draw
Sunderland could receive over £200,000 in revenue if they are able to advance past Stoke City in January’s FA Cup tie.
While the draw was perhaps less exciting than last year’s Tyne-Wear derby, a home tie against fellow Championship side Stoke provides the Black Cats with an opportunity to advance into the next round.
The winner of the tie will receive £115,000 for advancing past the third round with 45 per cent of ticket revenue also set to be received by the Black Cats which could bank them an additional £400,000 should there be a full house.
In the unlikely event the game is picked for TV coverage, over £100,000 in additional revenue will be available for both sides.
The winner of the FA Cup come the end of the season would receive over £2million in additional prize money.
Sunderland must take the FA Cup seriously
While promotion remains the key aim for Sunderland this season, the prospect of a successful cup run shouldn’t be overlooked for various reasons.
Not only would the club benefit massively financially, but winning breeds a positive mentality and a cup tie against Stoke provides an excellent opportunity to do just that.
It seems somewhat inevitable that the Black Cats will rotate their squad for the clash but they still have more than enough to overcome Stoke at home and it can be an excellent chance for fringe players to showcase their worth to the first-team squad.
Progress in the league has somewhat slowed down with the Black Cats winless in their last six and results between now and January could define how seriously the Mackems attack the cup competition.
A first-round exit against Preston in the Carabao Cup was seen as somewhat of a positive but the FA Cup should seem a far more enticing prospect to progress in what was once considered a prestigious trophy.
In other Sunderland news, Eleanor Dale has shown her worth to the Black Cats’ Women’s side.
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