Convention: finances in a good state, gate receipts up
December 02, 2014
Gate receipts are up.
Treasurer Brendan Dempsey reported on a very profitable year on the financial front, with a surplus of €184,686 being accrued, at the annual convention of the County Committee.
Such a figure compares very favourably with the surplus of €16,676 for 2013 and especially with the very worrying deficit of over €180,000 of two years ago.
The gate receipts for local club games also totalled €442,559 compared with €381,240 for 2013. Dempsey said that gates had risen by €195,000 over the last two years.
That increase occurred despite the cut price offer of five euro admission charges to matches in the group stages of championships.
The treasurer said the ticketing system had worked well at Pairc Tailteann and Trim and it is hoped to add more venues to the scheme next year. He expressed satisfaction at the takings of €28,720 for underage football games in 2014, saying it was an avenue which had not been explored in past years.
"We have a product which the people want and are happy to pay for, said Dempsey, who remarked that the underage takings showed a big increase of 144 percent.
The Trim clubman remarked that raising money for the development at Dunganny will be top of his priority list in the coming year, remarking that such facilities will benefit all the clubs
Dempsey said the rise to Division 2 of the NFL was a big factor in the increase of League shares from €22,732 to €53,477.
He stressed the need to protect the Pairc Tailteann pitch more in the coming year, especially with the venue set to host its first Leinster SFC game in 20 years.
The treasurer referred to an outstanding debt of €60,000 from a former sponsor of county teams which remains unpaid despite correspondence about the matter.
Dempsey praised the work done by outgoing assistant treasurer Dessie Murtagh, who was unable to continue because of the five-year rule, and Peter Meehan, who has been carrying out an amount of valuable work behind the scenes.
