Government supports prop up finances

Tipperary County Board are in the black financially for the second successive year in the annual accounts presented at County Convention.

Indeed, the surplus of €303,145, up from €20,178, on the previous year is impressive considering the accounts run for just eleven months from November 2020 to the end of September this year, which is the new deadline for which books must close for the completion of annual accounts for at club and county level, which was passed at GAA Congress earlier this year.

Despite a Covid impacted year, income (excluding contra items) rose from €1.6 million to €2.1 million. Club gate receipts were down marginally, however they don’t include those from October of this year which they would have in previous years which would likely have seen an increase.

The area which saw the biggest rise was in commercial income, up from €542,845 to €804,443. This is largely due to Teneo paying its final years sponsorship in full, while the royalties from the county boards partnership with Intersport/Elverys and O’Neill’s saw income jump from €125,344 to €392,901.

The jump in commercial income, as well as coaching income (increased participation in Cul Camps) and refund income (central funding of inter-county expenses) covered losses in areas such as National League share where Tipp received no income in 2021, as well as a reduction in fundraising activity, primarily due to the income capitalised from the Tipperary Draw not being included this year.

In terms of expenditure, again excluding contra items, spending rose from €1.64 million to €1.83 million. With a busier inter-county campaign, team expenses rose from €778,000 to €890,581, but this figure would have included expenses relating to the championships in November and December 2020, which weren’t included in last years accounts.

Tipperary County Board received government grants in the form of Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) to the value of €336,445. The County Board fitted the criteria for inclusion in this Covid scheme due to the 30% drop in income against the equivalent period in 2019 prior to Covid. County Board Treasurer Michael Power said the finances are in a healthy position “but challenges remain.”

Commenting on the impact of the pandemic, Ronan Spain of Spain, Fewer, Quinlan & Co accountants, said: “the pandemic has had a negative financial impact on the normal operations of Tipperary GAA.

“Without the financial support of the Irish Government, via Sport Ireland funding allocations, Tipperary GAA would have been in a loss-making position for the 2021 financial period. The pandemic situation continues to evolve such that it makes its long-term impact on Tipperary GAA difficult to determine.”