I agree that it used to be based on gate receipts in the past, this enabled clubs to more routinely field stronger sides and created a virtous circle where they were more likely to win trophies, attract more supporters, and increase gate receipts. This also created a sort of lag effect, so that clubs who have not won much for some time (Think Spurs, Leeds, Everton, Forest, Sunderland, Newcastle, even Liverpool) still take in gate receipts based on past glories. I don't agree that this is no longer the case though. While gate money may be a smaller part of EPL clubs' turnover, it is not completely insignificant (especially since gate sharing was done away with in the eighties) but more recently corporate hospitality, merchandise sales and sponsorship have become more important and move in the same way - there's a reason Manchester United, Chelsea, and so on sell so many shirts in the Far East and their shirt sponsorship deals are so much more valuable. This all means that clubs can spend more paying for talent, both in tranfer fees and salaries. So, while winning the title made Leicester a bigger club, and will have a positive effect on the club for at least a generation, I wouldn't say that we're a bigger club now than several clubs who haven't won the title in much longer. Unless, of course, we can parlay the embiggening of the club in to further success.
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