Mayo GAA set for ‘significant loss’

WEARING HER COLOURS Mayo GAA Board treasurer Valerie Murphy is pictured at the recent National League match between Mayo and Down at MacHale Park in Castlebar. Pic: Conor McKeown

Mike Finnerty

MAYO GAA Treasurer Valerie Murphy expects the County Board’s finances to show ‘a significant loss in 2021’ despite the accounts currently showing a surplus of €59,000 for the last six months.
Ms Murphy told club delegates at last week’s online County Board meeting that there were two major factors behind her negative projection — ‘two inter-county seasons [2020 and 2021] showing in one financial period’ and the fact that the current surplus was ‘a result of the fundraising income for the [MacHale Park] pitch [redevelopment] showing without the relevant expenditure being incurred to match it’.
The Charlestown native predicted that, when that expenditure of approximately €300,000 is incurred, ‘we will have a significant loss in 2021’.
Delegates were told that the main sources of income for the last six months were commercial revenue (€212,000, which included county sponsorship, gear sponsorship, royalties, advertising income, field rent, and rental income); fundraising activities (€185,000, which included the Laochra Maigh Éo project, a golf classic, Smart Lotto income, club development draw, club levies, Cairde Maigheo and donations); and Government Funding (€155,000, made up of the Wage Subsidy Support Scheme and funding for players’ expenses for the league and championship competitions).
On the expenditure side, the largest outgoing was under the heading of ‘County Team Administration’. This amounted to €227,000  and covered player expenses, meals, catering, nutrition, leisure wear, playing kit, transport, equipment, management and backroom expenses, doctors, physios, hospitals and specialist bills).
“In relation to team expenses, they are high because we had two seasons — 2020 we didn’t finish until Christmas week,” explained Ms Murphy.
“The senior football [costs], which we didn’t finish until Christmas week, would be €611,000 and the senior hurling [costs] for the season 2020 would be €183,000.”
There were also significant outgoings in the areas of ‘Interest and Bank Charges’ - €77,000 (loan interest, bank charges, credit card charges); ‘Coaching & Games Development’ - €73,000 (coaching staff wages and expenses, course and workshop expenses);
‘Administration Expenses’ - €58,000 (staff salaries, printing, stationary, telephone, legal, professional fees); ‘Upkeep and Maintenance of Grounds’ - €49,000 (general repairs, pitch maintenance, water charges, rates, light, heat); and ‘Grants/Promotional’ — €35,000 (website cost, fundraising cost, and presentation).
The County Board Treasurer also confirmed that the MacHale Park redevelopment loan repayments to Croke Park amount to ‘€5,000 per month at this moment in time’.
These loan repayments had been in the region of €33,000 per month, but have been ‘deferred’ for the last 12 months due to the impact of Covid on Mayo GAA’s finances.
The Mayo News understands that, under the terms negotiated by Mayo GAA officers with Croke Park officials back in 2015, the loan repayments of €33,000 per month had approximately 24 years left to run when the repayments were ‘deferred’ last June.

Cúl Camp rebate
MEANWHILE, Valerie Murphy also confirmed at last week’s meeting that a decision had been taken not to award a rebate to Mayo GAA clubs for last year’s Cúl Camps.
In response to a question from Moy Davitts’ delegate, Joe McEvey, Ms Murphy said that a rebate was not being given to clubs ‘given that it was Covid and the reduced numbers’.
“We’re certainly going to look at it for 2021,” she added.
“I don’t think the club are going to be very happy about that to be honest. You might review that?” replied Mr McEvey.
Mayo GAA chairman, Liam Moffatt, agreed to ‘take that point on board and review it’.