Portsmouth ‘set for Premier League under Eisner’ amid £35m+ reveal
Michael Eisner completed his takeover of Portsmouth in 2017, paying £5.67million to buy 100 per cent of the club.
Before the former Disney CEO, Pompey had been owned by the Supporters Trust and 16 other ‘presidents’, who fought to bring the Blues back from the brink of liquidation in 2013.
Portsmouth had just been promoted from League Two when Eisner arrived, with the League One-winning 2023/24 campaign bringing their first promotion under the ownership of the American.
Portsmouth’s financial transformation under Eisner
Since Eisner bought the club in 2017, Pompey’s financial situation has only got better.
As reported by Forbes (4 August), Portsmouth currently have the strongest capital structure in their 127-year history. The Blues are debt-free and have net assets of £26.5m as of 30 June 2024.
Their cash reserves have risen by 16.3 per cent to £3.1m, and the club’s revenue rose last year to £13.6m following promotion to the Championship, the highest level since Eisner’s arrival.
Promotion has boosted the financial income to the club’s coffers in several ways, including in matchday takings, broadcasting revenue and commercial and sponsorship revenue.
| Portsmouth (2024) | Revenue (and increase from previous year) |
| Matchday takings | £6.9m (6.3%) |
| Broadcasting | £2.5m (12.5%) |
| Commercial and sponsorship | £1.8m (21.4%) |
Pompey and Nike extended their partnership in 2021, with that deal set to expire at the end of the season, likely leading to a more lucrative agreement for the Blues in light of their promotion.
But much of Portsmouth’s improved financial standing has come directly from Eisner himself, too.
The American injected £10m when he completed his takeover of the club in 2017, and as of June last year, Pompey’s owners have invested £37m into the club, with much of that coming in support of redeveloping Fratton Park.
Portsmouth heading to Premier League return under Eisner
Eisner’s arrival has seen consistent improvement on and off the pitch at Portsmouth.
The American has looked to organically improve the Blues’ ability to be self-sufficient, while also investing funds where appropriate.
But Eisner’s ultimate goal will be to return Portsmouth to where they truly should be – the Premier League.
Much of the former Disney CEO’s financial actions are likely in preparation for that very push, with Pompey’s financial improvements set to allow them to keep moving forward.
This summer’s incoming transfers have worked to support that theory, with Portsmouth set to launch a bid to climb the Championship table after a settling first season.
Who knows where the Blues could be under Eisner in five years? But one thing is for certain – Pompey fans should be excited.
Sign up for the Pompey News WhatsApp channel and turn on notifications to have all the latest, breaking Portsmouth news sent straight to your phone.