‘Significant increase in team expenses cannot be ignored’

WE are pleased to report that 2018 was a good solid financial year for Kerry GAA. While our Senior footballers exited unexpectedly at the new Super 8s stage of the Championship, which has its own financial implications across the board in terms of fundraising ability and sales in our GAA Store in Killarney, other areas performed well contributing to the solid financial returns and continued progress of the board.

On review of the financial statements the results show a retained profit of €539k comprising of an operating profit from day to day activities of €111k, domestic fundraising of €266k and the Five-Year Ticket Scheme of €161k .

To keep Kerry teams successful, huge effort is required from players and management alike which in turn demand more resources resulting in costs to the board reflected in our team expenses especially in the area of player welfare and medical expenses. The results achieved for 2018 would not be possible without the support of our players and management teams who are well aware of the tight financial constraints that we have to operate within.

We would sincerely like to thank our supporters, sponsors and fundraising committees for all their help and support in our fundraising activities during the year.

GATE RECEIPTS

WITH gate receipts a very important revenue stream for the board, figures this year show an increase of 25% from the previous year with an increase of €90k. The Senior Football Championship increased by €96k as a result of a replay at the semi-final stage and an increase in attendances across the championship along with the national increase to €20 for admission to the county final. The Club championship month of April this year also contributed increases of €35k with the Intermediate final a stand out, while in the Hurling Championship we had a decrease of €38k compared to last year’s figures which included a county final replay and earlier round draws as well. Clashes with national fixtures on TV also added to reduced attendances.

COMMERCIAL INCOME

COMMERCIAL Income proved very solid again this year with an increase of €20k mainly arising from additional royalties from the sale of the new Kerry GAA ‘Back to Gold’ jersey. We would like to thank Kerry Group as our major sponsor, and all our competition and associate sponsors for their continued support throughout the year. Sponsorship is crucial in meeting the financial demands and commitments each year. The Kerry GAA Store in the Killarney Outlet Centre again deserves special mention making a profit of €64k. Sincere thanks to Niall O’Callaghan and Noreen Cooper and the staff along with John Joe O’Carroll and John O’Leary who represent us on the Board of the Kerry GAA Store for their outstanding work and making this venture a very important revenue stream for Kerry GAA.

FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES

THE Kerry GAA Night of Champions at the Dog Track again proved to be a huge success. The event raised €62k and has now generated more than €520k for Kerry GAA since 2010. We would also like to recognise the efforts and contributions of our Golf Classic Committees in Kerry and Dublin which generated €39k for the board. To all the clubs for taking up the annual church gate collection on behalf of the board, bringing in €15k in 2018. Development fundraising brought in

€126k with a Corporate Dinner in Dublin and a Golf Classic in New York. Unfortunately the Fitzgerald Stadium fundraising is down €38k this year and hopefully this can be restored to previous year’s figures in 2019.

Cairde Chiarraí under the chairmanship of Mike McCarthy again made a welcome contribution of €50k to the board along with €45k from the business people of Tralee through the Austin Stack Park fundraising committee under the chairmanship of Tony O’Keeffe.

COACHING & GAMES DEVELOPMENT

COACHING & Games Development continues to provide high quality coaching to our clubs, schools, coaches and IT College Tralee. With eight full-time coaches employed, Donal Daly and his team provide the necessary coaching structures and support systems to ensure all our clubs and schools are provided with the highest coaching standards. The Summer Camps again this year went from strength to strength with over 7,000 participants and provided a welcome boost to the boards finances. With Terence Houlihan as Coaching officer, this is a very active brief within the board which includes all our development squads in hurling and football along with the Summer Camps.