Clubs benefit from Covid support grant
Glasgow Rocks player/coach Gareth Murray admits receiving £300,000 from the Scottish Government saved their basketball season.
It was announced yesterday that sportscotland would distribute a £1m grant between basketball, motorsport, ice hockey and netball.
And Rutherglen ace Murray is hugely relieved to see his club benefit.
He said:“It was a massive boost and provided us with the money to continue the season.
“It wasn’t like a boost where we could go spend the money, it was to cover our bills to continue playing without having to pull out the league.
“It was a huge benefit to us because without it, I don’t think we’d be playing basketball right now.
“It was a serious situation. At the start of the season, there were concerns that we wouldn’t be able to finish the season because we had no money to play.
“We knew that the government was stepping in and giving us money so we decided to continue on.
“Eventually, we received the money so it’s been a massive help.”
The investment has been made in the form of grants to motorsport (£400k), basketball (£300k), ice hockey (£200k) and netball (£100k).
It is part of a £55million emergency sports funding package from the Scottish Government.
Netball side Strathclyde Sirens, who also play at the Emirates Arena like Rocks and whose players include Cambuslang’s Bethan Goodwin, have also benefitted.
Netball Scotland CEO Claire Nelson said:“The cancellation of the 2020 Season brought with it a complete shutdown of all of Strathclyde Sirens’ income streams.
“As a relatively new and completely commercially funded club whose ability to operate relies wholly on these streams, our survival depended on us being thrown a lifeline.”