How much Tottenham earned from pre-season tour as Heung-min Son bid farewell

From sell-out stadiums to special edition kits, Tottenham Hotspur’s pre-season tour of Asia proved to be both a footballing and financial success.

Tottenham Hotspur’s summer preparations have certainly been eventful under new boss Thomas Frank. The first game of the Frank era saw Spurs beat Reading 2-0 in mid-July, before an unusual double-header a week later brought a 2-2 draw with Wycombe Wanderers and a goalless draw against Luton Town.

The squad then packed their bags for Asia, where the money started to flow in. They faced Arsenal in the first-ever overseas North London Derby, edging a 1-0 win at the brand-new Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong.

From there, Spurs travelled to Seoul for a 1-1 draw with Newcastle in what turned out to be Son Heung-min’s final match for the club, and fittingly, in front of his home crowd.

The tour wrapped up with a tough reality check in Europe, as Bayern Munich handed Spurs a 4-0 defeat at the Allianz Arena.

All told, Tottenham’s schedule was slightly more packed than most non-Club World Cup sides, who tend to play around five games in pre-season.

Tottenham Hotspur make £10m from Asian tour

According to Football Insider, Tottenham are believed to have earned around £10 million from their two-game tour of Asia alone. That figure will no doubt leave Daniel Levy smiling, with several factors contributing to the impressive total.

The historic overseas North London Derby in Hong Kong was staged at the newly opened Kai Tak Sports Park, where ticket prices ranged from around HK$399 (£38 approximately) to a staggering HK$2,499 (£237 approximately), and the match sold out. Furthermore, open training sessions proved lucrative too, with tickets priced between HK$99 (£9) and HK$299 (£28).

In Seoul, Son Heung-min’s farewell appearance brought a sell-out crowd of 66,000, with the majority donning Spurs colours in a show of affection for their national hero.

Additionally, the club capitalised with the release of special edition kits worn exclusively for the two Asian fixtures, and they became instant hits across the region.

And it wasn’t just tickets and merchandise bringing the money. Spurs announced a partnership with premium pet food brand Frontier Pets, who came aboard as the club’s Official Pre-Season Tour Sleeve Partner, Official Pet Food Partner, and Official Partner of ‘Tottenham Hotspaw’, which is their supporters’ club for dog owners.

Spurs give back to the community in Asia

While Tottenham’s Asian tour was a commercial success, the club also made a point of giving back. In Seoul, they partnered with Best Buddies, one of the world’s largest organisations supporting people with additional needs.

The Club also donated special edition shirts from the tour to charities including Animals Asia, Bring Me a Book, and Best Buddies, with Spurs players and staff engaging directly with fans and communities throughout the trip.

Spurs have always made charity work a part of their overseas tours, and it’s great to see that tradition continue. It’s no surprise their global fanbase keeps growing.