Sussex announce £26,000 losses in 2020

The club’s turnover fell by over £2m but their losses were mitigated by operational savings, government grants and the generosity of members, fans, sponsors and staff

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Sussex have announced operating losses of £26,000 for 2020, compared with an operating profit of £408,000 in 2019.

The announcement was made at their annual general meeting on March 30, with the accounts – which includes the Sussex Cricket Foundation - adopted by members.

The club’s turnover fell by over £2m due to impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, their losses were mitigated by many members and supporters donating their membership and Blast Pass fees, corporate sponsors deferring their sponsorship benefits, and playing and non-playing staff accepting temporary salary cuts.

Staging matches behind closed doors also yielded significant operational savings while the club also received government grants, including via the furlough scheme.

Other actions at the meeting included the re-election of Sir Rod Adridge and Bob Warren as president and chair, respectively, for 2021/22. Christopher Bidwell and Amanda Bridson were elected vice-presidents.

Commenting on the past 12 months, Warren said : "The last year has been a major test for the organisation, the players and the staff. However, all have come through relatively unscathed thanks to the collective and selfless contribution that makes Sussex such a special club. I would like to thank our members and partners for being part of that. I am proud of how we have come together during this extremely challenging time and am looking forward to a much more productive year, both on and off the pitch."

Meanwhile, chief executive, Rob Andrew, added: "The efforts made by all staff and players last year were fantastic. For many people it has been a very challenging 12 months, and sports clubs are no different. We set out early in the pandemic to protect the long-term health of our people and the business. I am pleased that we have been able to achieve that and set our vision for the next few years both on and off the field.

"I am very optimistic about our future with a very talented group of young players and the exciting construction of phase one of our masterplan for The 1st Central County Ground. Just as importantly, our community cricket activities continue to go from strength to strength, making a huge impact across the whole county. We are all looking forward to a packed summer of cricket and bringing smiles back to people’s faces."

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