Published: 29/01/2010 10:24:22 | Modified: 29/01/2010 10:32:00
Author: Bruce Talbot | All Contributors
In-profit Sussex predict more tough times
Chief executive Dave Brooks predicts that Sussex will announce a small profit at their AGM on March 30 after several years of heavy losses.
But Brooks, celebrating his first year in the top job at Hove this month, forecasts another difficult year for county clubs as the effects of the recession continue to bite.
Sussex’s coffers were boosted considerably by last June’s four-day game against Australia which was sold out on three days and attracted a total attendance of more than 25,000.
It made up for lower gate receipts and hospitality income from Sussex’s group games in the Twenty20 Cup which Brooks blames on the earlier start to last year’s competition.
Sussex went on to win the title for the first time, which earned them a place in the inaugural Champions League in India, as well as retaining their Pro40 title and reaching the Friends Provident Trophy final.
But all that success in one-day cricket was not the cash cow it might have seemed.
Brooks said: “You don’t tend to make money winning those competitions because the prize money tends to go back into player renumeration.
"Gate receipts in the early stages of the FP Trophy were non-existent and our Twenty20 group games were awful, both at the gate and commercially, because it started earlier.
“It will be tough again in 2010 because every year the smaller counties start from nil. You have to persuade members to renew, sell tickets and attract sponsors and this year we are going up against the football World Cup.”
Sussex have already re-scheduled one Twenty20 game, against Hampshire on June 18, from an evening start to 5.30pm because it clashes with an England game.
Brooks added: “We can’t get a big screen in but we will try to put more TVs in around the ground so people stay, have a beer and watch the football.
"We are looking at ways of making the games which potentially clash with the football into day-long events. It is a fact that every two years there is a major football tournament which England are usually taking part in, and so you have to make the best of it.”
Despite the loss of 50-over cricket, counties will still be playing at least one more match in 2010 and Brooks admits the congested schedule remains a concern.
And Sussex have become victims of their own success with Sky Sports screening ten of their games this season, often on Monday and Tuesday nights which are traditionally difficult to attract family audiences.
He added: “I think most counties would like to play a bit less one-day cricket but we have to recognise how important it is to our membership.
"In the Championship our derbies are tucked away at the start of the season but we are playing a lot more weekend cricket and are planning different ways of marketing fixtures.”
The one-dayer against Bangladesh has been designated Armed Forces Day while a community day will be held to coincide with the 40-overs fixture against the ECB’s recreational XI in May.
The job has its difficulties, especially in a harsh financial climate, but Brooks has no regrets about swapping his high-profile role in the baking industry for the more gentle rhythms of county cricket.
He said: “I am lucky to get on extremely well with (chairman) Jim May. When I took the role I told him I would do a minimum of three years but all the time I keep enjoying it I will carry on.
“I still have three non-executive directorships in the food industry so I keep my hand in. Cricket is a pretty insular business and there is a big wide world out there and we can learn a lot from it.
"But there is also a lot they can learn from cricket, especially in the way that teams bond.”