NSW Rugby break-even despite disastrous 2017 season
NSW Rugby announced a break-even profit and loss position for 2017, despite enduring what can only be described as a disastrous season.
NSW Rugby suffered a 24% decline in membership and ticket sales, a 13% reduction in sponsorship revenue and a 15% decrease in Rugby Australia funding, but still recorded a minor surplus of $14,230.
“Considering the year that we had, I think it’s a really positive result,” NSW Rugby CEO Andrew Hore told Rugby News
“Obviously with the Waratahs poor performance on the field, the removal of the Western Force and the overall sentiment around Super Rugby, I think it was a hell of an effort.
“We also maintained our participation numbers and that was pleasing. Obviously we still face a lot of challenges in our game but I think we’ve created a good base to work from and progress forward.”
At the organisation’s AGM earlier this week, NSW Rugby finalised changes to their governance structure and appointed former Wallabies Marty Roebuck and Al Baxter as president and vice president respectively.
Hore said the streamlined governance model was vital for the future and growth of the game in New South Wales.
“In the past, we’ve been heavily reliant on Waratahs income and Australian rugby income. We need to get to a point where that income is the icing on the cake and we’ve established other sustainable income streams to fund the majority of the game in NSW.
“We charged a participation fee this year but we used that money to fund a government relations officer to lobby for funding and that’s an area that rugby hasn’t been as strong as we should have been in the past.
“We’ve also now got a Positive Rugby Foundation manager and their job is to ensure that money goes into programs that can strengthen and grow the community game right across NSW.”
While Hore didn’t take credit for the recent resurgence of the Shute Shield competition, he said his organisation still played an important and ever increasing role behind the scenes.
“We’re obviously involved in managing the competition but our role, with all of the competitions, is to support our fantastic volunteers and allow them to be the heroes of the day.
“We can do that through coach education and player development, we need to help the volunteers to be the best they can be.”
While the majority of the Shute Shield clubs are largely self sustainable, Hore said he thought there were several opportunities to improve community rugby’s commercial position.
“At the moment, the income generated from the Shute Shield pays for the competition to be broadcast on free to air television. Obviously that is important but it doesn’t leave much surplus revenue to help grow and support club rugby,” he said.
“That’s something we’d like to change eventually so we can help those clubs become bigger and stronger to help them increase their presence in the community.
“I’d also like to see a new significant commercial partner come on board, specifically around the community space. That way we can utilise the Waratahs brand and find a commercial partner that is right across rugby at all levels in NSW.”
Despite the positive result, the Kiwi born administrator admitted there was still plenty of work to do in the next 12 months and beyond.
“By this time next year, I hope that our rugby foundation has gone from strength to strength and we’ve got two or three community programs operational and working well for the growth and development of rugby. I’d like to so our government relations manager pushing for more funding for government programs as well.
“I’d also like to see more consistent performances from the Waratahs. I think what people want to see is that heart and I think we are starting to see it, that needs to continue.”