In a year that saw its men’s team crowned LV= Insurance County Champions for the eighth time, Warwickshire County Cricket Club has released substantially improved financial results, for the year ending 30 September 2021, following the safe return of crowds.
Edgbaston’s successful bid for a men’s Test match between England and New Zealand, which was subsequently named as the first Stage 2 event of the Government’s Events Research Programme (ERP), helped contribute to a 54 per cent year-on-year increase in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) of £2.8 million.
Turnover at, £17.6 million was £6 million (52 per cent) higher compared to 2020, in which all matches were played behind closed doors, whilst operating profit increased by 330 per cent to £1,207,994.
“This latest financial year was transformed by our successful bid for England men’s Test match versus New Zealand and then both the Test Match and One Day International being part of the Government’s research programme investigating the safe return of fans to major events.
Craig Flindall, Chief Operating Officer at Warwickshire CCC
“Major Match revenues represent the primary driver of income for the Club and 2021 was initially budgeted as a modest year in which no Test match was scheduled, as part of the 31-day allocation of fixtures that the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) awarded to Edgbaston in 2018 for the 2020 to 2024 programme.
“The Hundred also proved to incredibly popular in its first season, with two of the four games selling out and Birmingham Phoenix men’s and women’s team finishing second and third in their respective competitions.
“Looking forward, we have already sold out five of our seven men’s Major Match days in 2022. Hosting the eight-day women’s T20i tournament in the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games is also a unique opportunity that will keep Edgbaston at the centre of the sporting world.”
Through its close relationship with Birmingham City Council and the West Midland’s Mayor, Edgbaston not only secured the first Stage 2 event of the Government’s ERP, which attracted 60,000 spectators across four days, but England’s men’s Royal London One-Day International versus Pakistan was also granted Phase 3 status and welcomed a crowd of 18,000.
As part of its successful proposal to the Government, Edgbaston invested in new technology to secure safe stadium entry and to enhance the spectator experience. It’s new smartphone app received 314,344 views across the four days of the Test match for tickets, retail purchases, spectator information and food and beverage orders.
“We believe that our 2021 experience has created a blueprint for how many sporting events will operate in the future,” said Warwickshire CCC Chief Executive Stuart Cain. “The introduction of our app in 2021 allowed spectators to enter through tickets on their phone and order food and drink, with a delivery to seat option for disabled spectators. Further investment in the app will continue in in the coming years as we strive to create one of the best spectator experiences in the world.”
Having delivered several major projects in 2020 as part of the response to COVID, the Club’s community work was also at the forefront in 2021. Edgbaston’s Exhibition Hall operated as a vaccination centre for more than 180 days whilst the Club also hosted one of the first mass religious gatherings since the beginning of the pandemic, with more than 500 worshippers attending prayers to mark Eid ul Adha.
In addition, the Club launched new initiatives including the Midnight Ramadan Cricket League and the regional roll out of the African Caribbean Engagement Programme (ACE) in Birmingham. The Edgbaston Foundation again partnered with local charities to collect 15,000 toys, which were subsequently packaged and delivered to charities and community groups that support the city’s most vulnerable children.
In conjunction with development partners, PATRIZIA, work also commenced in 2020 on the construction of 375 residential apartments, retail units and a new piazza.
“The new piazza will create one of the largest amenity spaces in Birmingham and transform the arrival experience for Members, spectators and non-matchday visitors,” added Cain. “The piazza will be completed in advance of the 2022 season. Later this year we will share further plans for the redevelopment of Edgbaston, which will ensure that it remains one of the finest sporting venues in the world.”
Click here to read Warwickshire CCC’s 2020/21 Annual Report.
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