The numbers were announced at a press conference which the KNVB boasted made Dutch football "uniquely transparent". "There have been many figures mentioned in the media, but these are the only correct figures," Frank Rutten, director of the umbrella organisation of Eredivisie clubs, said on the KNVB website. The losses were blamed on a decline in revenue made from player sales overseas. During the 2009/10 season, Eredivisie clubs earned 66million euros on transfers, compared to 142million two years previously. The accounts showed that the bulk of expenditure was on player wages, with long-term contracts for those players making it difficult to change the situation in the near future. However, the Eredivisie - like other major leagues around Europe - has survived the recession with no significant loss of TV or sponsorship income. "The recession was completely unexpected, even in football," UEFA official Sefton Perry said. "Fortunately, the turnover in European football actually increased. Football is in the blood across Europe. "(TV and sponsorship) agreements are usually set for a longer period." Today marked the first time the Eredivisie has announced collective figures in this way, following an agreement reached between the clubs in May.
