Financial surplus reported but continued vigilance required
By Shane Brophy
Tipperary County Board reported a surplus for the third consecutive year in the annual accounts presented at County Convention.
The surplus of €53,980 was well down on the 2021 figure when income over expenditure came to €303,145. However, €94,160 of income coming from government wage subsidy supports due to Covid, which have now been discontinued.
“Without the wage supports, the county board would have been in deficit,” warned Ronan Spain of Spain, Fewer, Quinlan & Co accountants.
Tipperary’s surplus was boosted by a dividend from the Tipperary GAA Clubs Draw of €295,000 which brought the surplus to €348,980. That dividend has been drawn down towards phase 1 of the redevelopment of the dressing rooms at Dr Morris Park which is underway and will be completed in February.
Excluding contra items, income for the year rose by 26% to €2.69m. All areas saw an increase, including gate receipts and sale of match passes which came to €824,982. While these figures didn’t contain gate income from matches in October and November of this year as the books were closed as the GAA’s financial year ends on September 30th, they did contain the gates for the same period last year, which weren’t in last years accounts which balance itself somewhat, particularly with the senior hurling finals going to replays in both years.
With full attendances back at games, club gate receipts rose from €234,604 to €644,104. Sale of match passes rose massively from €11,835 to €87,825 while the growth in popularity of streaming saw income from online games coming to 93,053, up from €42,593. When you take away the costs associating with online production, streaming generated a profit of over €61,000.
Commercial income also rose, up from €804,443 to €952,102, including sponsorship of the inter-county team by Fiserv of €250,000, as well as club sponsorship from FBD, Derrin Houses sponsoring Primary Schools Coaching and Robcare who sponsor the underage academies. The jump in commercial income, as well as coaching income (increased participation in Cul Camps) and the return of National League Share after there was none in 2021, while fundraising also improved with the return of the Team Tipperary Raceday at the Galway Races.
In terms of expenditure, excluding contra items, with things returning close to normal after Covid, spending rose by 44% from €1.83m to €2.6m. While Tipperary exited the inter-county senior championships at a relatively early stage, team expenses (covering all ages and codes) rose from €890,581 to €1.36.
“I am pleased that the financial situation of the board has been restored after such a big deficit in 2018,” said outgoing treasurer Michael Power, but warned that vigilance will be required annual with regard to inter-county spending, particularly in years Tipperary go deep in the senior championships.
“There is a big challenge to keep funding for all counties to be equitable and fair as if it is not, the competitiveness of our games will suffer,” he added.