39 replies to this topic

[M Hopkins]

I am a little confused as to how Sheffield cand afford to run. Yesterday there was a crowd of around 750 and I'd say close to 500 were away support.

On top of this they have youth teams and a reserve team they must be getting a large flow of cash from somewhere? Any ideas?

[BatleyFanAndy]

Maybe Huddersfield have to pay them compensation for doing one over on them!

[Spanish Knight]

Good lottery, sponsors etc;.

[clement]

Nowt to do with money getting hammered in play offs.

[fredm]

Have been saying this for years. Their playing budget must be fairly large with having the South Sea islanders on their books, presumably accommodation etc to pay for, plus other decent players. As you say they also run reserve and youth teams which cost just to kit out. Presumably they have good sponsorship and other income streams which makes one wonder couldn't other Championship clubs take a lesson from them?

Do they get any income as a "development" club?

[M Hopkins]

With them being a city they probably do get additional funds for 'development'.

It's a shame all clubs don't get additional funds for development.

[Blind side johnny]

They don't get any extra from the RFL as far as I am aware. They do, however, manage to generate a healthy level of sponsorship and are reputed to run one of the tightest financial ships in the league. They also, crucially, get very good support from Sheffield council including, I believe, the payment of all of their rent but presented as sponsorship.

The same questions can be asked of many clubs, including Batley, and I guess if the fans knew the reality behind managing such organisations we would find it eye-wateringly difficult - a testimony to those who actually do the job.

Edited by Blind side johnny, 10 September 2012 - 10:29 AM.

[distantdog]

They may of course be extremely well run, and appear to have been for severel years, and well done to them for that.

[E.S.O]

No extra money from the RFL at all, we do well from sponsors, we probably wouldn't survive without them.

We're a well run club, have been since we started up again in 2000, the directors never spend what we can't afford. You'd be surprised at the wages some of our top players are on, they could certainly earn more elsewhere, but Mark has earned a reputation for developing players and they want to play for him.

It was a good travelling support from Batley yesterday, but if you think there were 500 there you need a new abacus. As far as I'm aware, we've had a higher average attendance than you this year (just over 1200).

I see Batley and Sheffield as similar sized clubs, to be honest.

[fredm]

Am not suggesting there is anything untoward about the way they are run, in fact am a little envious - as I stated perhaps other clubs could take a lesson. Agree we are of similar size but where you obviously have the pull is being the sole club in a large city with good hospitality facilities whether at DVS or Bramall Lane.

[M Hopkins]

I wasnt having a go at Sheffield either. I was only asking so that we might learn from it and maybe take steps in a similar direction when it comes to raising money.

[DEWSBURY TIL I DIE]

Iv noticed Sheffields crowds at DVS seem alot less than at Bramall Lane. Its a shame the club cant get more fans to games, Sheffield are a good team and certainly deserve higher crowds than they get, as do Batley aswel to be honest.

Whats Batleys average crowd this season?

[M Hopkins]

I've no idea. I'd guess at 1100 although it might not even be that?

[PKK]

Iv noticed Sheffields crowds at DVS seem alot less than at Bramall Lane.

No surprises there really, what an awful, awful ground to watch rugby at. Which is a shame, as our hoodoo aside, you can only admire what the club achieves and how they play year after year.

Surely, with a 1200 average, there are better options available? Bramall Lane's better, but not ideal with 1200 people floating around in 1 stand.

[E.S.O]

We won't be back at Bramall Lane any time soon (as I understand it) and there really isn't another option in Sheffield other than Don Valley, we'd have to start looking to Rotherham for a smaller ground. Ideally we'd build one of our own, of course.

Don Valley is great for the corporate side of things, but as you say, it's an awful place to watch RL.

Personally I'd rather us play at DV than BL (or Hillsborough for that matter) simply because playing at one of the other grounds splits the fanbase. I follow Wednesday and Eagles home and away, and so I went to BL cos I enjoy my rugby, but trying to entice a Sheffield Wednesday fan to go and watch his local rugby league team in Sheffield United's stadium - it just isn't going to happen, nor would it happen vice versa.

We're a football city and that will always be our main problem when it comes to attendances. Football fans are often quite stubborn when it comes to watching other sports (as are some RL fans I hasten to add) and we've got 50,000 of them (give or take) that pass through the turnstiles of Hillsborough and Bramall Lane for every game (combined).

Uphill struggle, but at least we're going in the right direction.

[Piggy's mate]

If anyclub over the last few years deserved a nice little ground it has to be Sheffield. This has got to be a place where the RFL should be looking to expand the game! Sod Wales, London and paying Bradfords over rated players! Sheffield has had a super league team before and must have had better attendance than London get and the big advantage........ We won't have to play them!

[coolie]

I am a little confused as to how Sheffield cand afford to run. Yesterday there was a crowd of around 750 and I'd say close to 500 were away support.

On top of this they have youth teams and a reserve team they must be getting a large flow of cash from somewhere? Any ideas?

were always asking the same question about another team with no fans,no obvious source of income other than matchdays
no function rooms,no car boot,and what must be a decent wage bill





























so batley how do you do it....cos sheffield must have the same accountant

[fredm]

Easy Coolie. Only 1 full time employee, lots of volunteers helping out, and paying low wages!

[HaroldShand]

Dear Coolie,

Maybe you could give Kevin Nicholas and Paul Harrison a call. I'm sure they'd be happy to explain to you. The direct number for the club is : 01924470062.
In the meantime, I'll allay your fears by suggesting that we also run a tight ship and don't offer players guaranteed contract money as do many other Championship clubs. Our players only get paid on appearances, and on a win/lose basis. When you view affairs from that standpoint, it's easy to comprehend how we pay our wage bill.
Our independent Squadbuilder also assists with any small bonuses that certain players may demand. The excellent people involved in the aforementioned organisation also run many fund-raising initiatives over the course of the season, which adds to the coffers available to the coach. BISSA has been operating since the early 2000's, and has raised a relatively astronomical amount of money for the club given the fairly small membership and size of our organisation.
We also have pretty decent levels of sponsorship, excellent bar and catering facilities that must rake in a relative fortune on matchdays (not an independently-owned burger van that takes supporters money OUT of our club on a matchday) and fans who are prepared to work for the club for no reward. Our board of directors are not simply there to act as a ceremonial cash cows, they give hours and hours of their own time to perform the tasks that most other clubs employ full-time staff to fulfil. However, I still suggest that you ring Paul or Kevin, you probably won't believe what I've had to say.

Edited by HaroldShand, 11 September 2012 - 09:54 AM.

[Griff]

No extra money from the RFL at all, we do well from sponsors, we probably wouldn't survive without them.

We're a well run club, have been since we started up again in 2000, the directors never spend what we can't afford. You'd be surprised at the wages some of our top players are on, they could certainly earn more elsewhere, but Mark has earned a reputation for developing players and they want to play for him.

It was a good travelling support from Batley yesterday, but if you think there were 500 there you need a new abacus. As far as I'm aware, we've had a higher average attendance than you this year (just over 1200).

I see Batley and Sheffield as similar sized clubs, to be honest.

We've had our losses in the past, ESO, to be fair.

It's easier to sell sponsorship in a big city - though that's been tough in the last year or two. Lottery's been merged with Sheffield United's which means we can offer bigger prizes, making it more attractive with less risk. We don't get anything as a development club per se but we do bid for development work - any club can do that as I understand, but most clubs just bid for their own immediate area. Don't offer silly wages but we do pay what we agree to pay (see Hendo's comments on leaving Barrow last year). Been fairly successful on the field - got to a final every four years on average. (Won four, lost three)

I agree with ESO that Batley are similar sized to us - as far as the rugby side of things goes. Commercially, though, your available market is much smaller.

Not a criticism of the town. Just how things are.