SPORTING CHANCE OF SURVIVAL
EVEN the Southern League’s best-supported club will reconsider its playing budget this Spring – and the chairman behind that admission believes they cannot be alone.
Bromsgrove Sporting’s gates average at a little less than 1,000 on the back of three straight promotions from Midland Football League Division One into Premier Division Central.
On top of that, the Rouslers benefit from revenue generated by tenants Worcester City pulling in an average of around 300 and a regularly-used social club in a prime location in the town centre.
While that puts Sporting in a good position to survive the coronavirus crisis, it also means having to manage the loss of more revenue streams than most.
But chairman Mike Burke insists the club’s tried-and-trusted frugal approach will serve them well when dealing with uncertain times – and may even prompt rivals to rationalise outgoings.
“We are not silly with the budget for the players, we don’t waste money,” said Burke. “It is not just about income, it is about what you spend and we have been careful and controlled that over the past three or four years.
“We have got to a position where we can survive for a certain amount of time. That may mean we start back without the bank balance we would like to support a manager as you would want to when this is all over.
“A lot of clubs will find they won’t have so much to fall back on if the budget they offer a manager is not payable through the turnstiles.
Cushion
“When you have a bigger cushion, you might be a bit bolder with the budget but that is something we and a lot of others will have to look at when this is all over. Until this ends we don’t know what position we will be in but this club will not go bust.
“I come from a business background and you have to run a club as a business so it is here for future generations of supporters.
“There is no sugar daddy, no one is putting in loads of money, we are self sufficient and in a position to get through an awkward period like this, perhaps better than other clubs.
“It is hard to know what the future will hold. People could have less money, they might not want to spend it on football when they have to make sure they have the essentials. It could also mean companies have less money to spend on sponsorship.
“One thing that may hopefully come from this is clubs will ask ‘do we need to keep pumping money in?’ Perhaps it will make people think about stepping back and saving for a rainy day because we are having quite few of those as well at the moment.”
Burke revealed Bromsgrove’s players had been “very understanding” as the club faces missing out on “quite a bit of money” from four remaining home matches, a potential play-off, at least six Worcester games and cancelled functions.
“Now it is about what we can do to survive and managing the costs we are paying, it is not so much about what we would have gained,” he added. “We are in a position to carry on. Before we might have had to ask questions about someone putting in money but we are a long way from that now.
“Forecasts take us nowhere near danger because of what we have done over the past three or four years.”