At a time when county cricket clubs are struggling to balance the books, are selling off land to make ends meet and are falling foul of the ECB in having to take advances to stay afloat, Derbyshire's announcement of a sixth successive surplus is a sporting miracle.
Everyone knows we are not one of the country's more affluent clubs, but to register a profit once more is a wonderful achievement and tribute to everyone involved.
If you cast your mind back six years and to Chris Grant's election as chairman of the club, we had just announced a loss of £187K, which could have proved the death knell for us. Bit by bit, first by prudent cuts and then by the building up of the commercial side of the club, we have become financially viable and have generated more money on that side than ever before.
This summer sees both Elton John and the Women's World Cup at the 3aaa County Ground. There was a time when an X Factor semi-finalist may have been the summit of our ambitions and international cricket unheard of, outside the tourist match. Yet the ground is transformed and the club too, with better facilities for players, members, supporters and the media. People don't dread coming to Derby any more, fearing a cold, open space, devoid of atmosphere. It is now a stadium, a proper cricket ground that has been well-funded, well thought out and well maintained.
Chris Grant deserves immense credit, but so too does Simon Storey and the members of the departing board, whose input has enabled the club to look as if it belongs in the first-class game. So too do the people behind the scenes, whose hard work is sometimes unnoticed but is so crucial to the club's future. All those successful Christmas nights and weddings have helped to pay for Imran Tahir, Hardus Viljoen, Jeevan Mendis and others.
Today's announcement acknowledges their work, but the proof of the pudding will be in performances this summer. If the new players live up to their advance press and the existing ones develop we will do just fine.
That will lead to an even greater celebration, but for now, well done to all concerned.
Six successive profits is one heck of an achievement in any sport.
Hi! What was the profit? Couldn't locate it on the Derbyshire site.
ReplyDeleteStephen, Lancashire
£2653 Stephen
ReplyDeleteThe season you refer to when the club lost £187k was in fact a one off previous to that year the club had made a profit for several years under the then chairman any suggestion that thr current regime saved the club from oblivion is spin and an insult to all the hard work done by the previous committee
ReplyDeleteI don't spin anything anon. Yes there were good people who did hard work at that time, but the bottom line is that a loss of that magnitude was one that on such a budget could not be repeated. Especially at a time when county cricket in its current form is under threat, we don't want to be seen as the runt of the litter that no one would miss.
ReplyDeleteIn a tough climate, six years of profit is, as I said, remarkable