Dundalk fans have said a number of times that their wage bill hasn't increased enormously this year. I seem to recall figures like €8k last year and €10-12k this year (I'm open to correction here). Obviously, that increase is a good chunk of their loss for the season, but promotion should have seen their income go up. That it hasn't says more about the relative drops in income (league-wide, I believe) than an over-ambitious wage budget.
You can't spell failure without FAI
I can't recall with certainty the figures for 2008, but it is probably a fair stab that the wage bill has increased for 2009 in the region of €1.5 to €2k a week. So clearly, that additional €60k - €80k is a big chunk of the €200k deficit this season. The other big issues were €195k drop in sponsorships, and the enforced €50k cost of replacing the pitch, apart althogether from the cancellation of Barcelona and unsuccessfull Atletico friendlies.
It is resonable to expect any board to be prudent and sensible with their projections and spending, and to apply a balance between this and sporting ambition (in this case to consolidate in the premier division). In hindsight, it would have required a player budget reduction of €5k a week to breakeven - and most probably have made an instant return to the graveyard division. No thanks, we will pay our debts, re-group and move on!
True (and I wasn't one of those getting digs in at Dundalk at the start of the season). I was working off very rough maths though. Crowds up by 1000 -20 games and a tenner a pop is E200k extra gate receipts. Prize money probably down E50k (cos they won the First last year). Loss of E200k compared to breakeven last year per the CEO. This leaves a shortfall on last year somewhere of E350k. If that's all (or mainly) down to fundraising, then they must have had a damned good fundraising department last year.
If we assume the wages are up from E8k to E11k, then you've E3k a week @ 36 weeks = E100k, but you've also to factor in 52 week contracts this year (full-time), which'd add on an extra E176k.
As I say, that's just me doing rough maths just to back up my initial post.
If youz lot start singing "We all went to Trinity", you'll be removed!!!
Edit - Ezeikal posted in the meantime. Sponsorship was E195k down on last year? That's a lot.
We are a credit to the league.....somehow
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