CATALANS DRAGONS’ travel costs amounted to almost £500,000 for the 2023 season.
That’s according to French publication, L’Independant, which has revealed the unique struggle that the Dragons have to contend with each year.
Whilst English sides that travel to Perpignan only have to do so once or twice a year, Catalans have to travel to the UK a minimum of 14 times throughout the Super League season.
With the French club subsidising its own travel, that cost came close to €600,000 last season – or €548,000 to be exact. That equates to just over £468,000.
L’Independant has also revealed that, depending on the period and how well the season, travel costs could be anywhere between €500,000 and €1 million for almost 40,000 kilometres of flight per year.
To make matters even harder for Steve McNamara’s side in 2024, the club will have four consecutive trips to the UK in August with trips to the London Broncos, Huddersfield Giants, the Magic Weekend at Leeds and then to Leeds Rhinos.
In a month when hot weather will be expected, fatigue will of course be a major consideration for Catalans, but the Dragons won ten out of 14 away games in 2023.
Going forward into 2024, Catalans’ opening three trips to London, Leeds and Warrington Wolves will depart from Barcelona each time and return to El Prat airport and another to Béziers with travel time expected to hit ten hours.
No other Super League side has to contend with that which makes the Dragons’ ability to make it to the Super League Grand Final in 2023 all the more impressive.
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