A LACK of interest in Saints led to Brighton earning more prize money than them – despite finishing one place below Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side.

Saints only featured eight times on TV this season, which along with Huddersfield and Bournemouth, is the joint-lowest amount of times a team was featured on the small screen.

Despite the Premier League dishing out a minimum of £12.3 million, regardless of how many times you are broadcast, the St Mary’s side missed out on an extra £1.18 million per live game.

And because Brighton were shown live 13 times throughout the season, they took home £15.7 million from this income stream.

Overall, with place money totalling £9.6 million and an equal share worth £79.4 million, Hasenhuttl’s side earned £101.3 million from this year’s Premier League campaign.

Over the course of the campaign, broadcasters turned up for Saints’ matches against Brighton, Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, West Ham, Man City, Liverpool and Newcastle United.

Brighton, who sacked manager Chris Hughton on Monday, bagged themselves £102.7 million, even though they ended up three points behind Saints.

At the other end of the spectrum, second-place Liverpool topped the Premier League’s prize money table.

Jurgen Klopp’s side netted a staggering £149.5 million through the three different income streams, with £33.5 million of that coming from the 29 times they were screened live.

Manchester City, who finished one point above Liverpool in the league, earned £148.1 million for their efforts.

Last season’s newcomers, Wolves, Cardiff and Huddersfield, were all given their fair share of live matches.

Wolves raked in £17.9 million from their 17 live games, with Fulham being picked for TV 13 times and Cardiff being shown one less time than that.

Hasenhuttl has already admitted that Saints’ activity in the transfer window will depend on the money made available to him.

The Austrian described his task of recruiting new players as ‘difficult’.

And, although there is a sizeable amount of prize money heading their way, the failure to miss out on finishing 15th has cost them £2 million.

Hasenhuttl said: “It will be a difficult summer, I think because we have our limits with transfer fees, things like that. But we must be clear that we have to make a few new players in the team.”