Shorts: Derby, Brighton, Forest
EFL Championship football club Derby County have reported an operating loss of £14.2m in their latest financial results.
Covering the Rams’ League One promotion-winning season, the results that span the 12 months running up to June 2024 include £1.2m in bonuses paid to players and coaching staff following the club’s return to the Championship.
Debts owed to club owner David Clowes have also risen to £47.9m, up from £36m from the previous year.
This sees losses up £3.6m from the previous year, with wages for their second successive season in League One rising to £22m – an increase of £4.8m.
Ticket sales of £7.6m made up the largest portion of the East Midlands club’s revenues, but the club also made £4.6m in transfers.
Brighton & Hove Albion will install safe standing in part of the North Stand from the start of the 2025/26 season.
Following ‘a detailed consultation process with season-ticket holders’, over 80% of fans seated in the North Stand, voted in favour of safe standing, which will be installed from row R backwards.
Albion’s Head of Ticketing and Supporter Services, Jenny Gower, said, “I’d like to thank the season-ticket holders for their feedback. We had a fantastic response to our survey and a very strong majority in favour of installing safe standing towards the back of the North Stand.
“We will help any season-ticket holders who want to move and the impact of safe standing will be regularly reviewed, but we are confident it will make the atmosphere in the North Stand even better and help Fabian Hurzeler and the team.”
The club said the safe standing would mirror the set up at Brentford’s G-Tech Community Stadium.
Nottingham Forest have appointed Michael Dugher to their Board of Directors, effective immediately.
Michael Dugher, a former Member of Parliament, has held senior roles across various sectors, including as Shadow Secretary of State for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport during his seven years in Parliament.
A lifelong Nottingham Forest supporter, Michael has previously served as a Patron and Board member of the Nottingham Forest Community Trust. He is a graduate of the University of Nottingham and holds a Fellowship from Leeds Conservatoire.
Responding to his appointment, Michael Dugher said, “As a massive Forest fan, to be asked join the Board of the greatest football club on planet earth is a huge honour and a privilege. These are exciting times for Nottingham Forest – back where we belong competing amongst the elite of English football.”
Everton have introduced Club View, a dedicated social space at Everton Stadium that provides fans with elevated halfway-line seating.
The Club View membership will be available to those eligible for a 2025/26 Season Ticket, with sales beginning in January 2025.
Everton’s eligibility for season ticket priority is based on supporters’ tenure since the 2002/03 season.
Club View offers a private concourse overlooking the Plaza and Everton Valley, complete with displays celebrating Everton’s history.
Memberships are priced at £1,200 per person and supporters with accessibility needs can purchase a Club View membership and will receive assistance to reach accessible seating located on Level 2 of the East Stand.
The 2024/25 Gallagher Premiership season has recorded a 30% increase in viewership on TNT Sports during its opening six rounds.
Over three million viewers in the UK have tuned into the Premiership rugby on TNT Sports and discovery+.
The clash between Bristol Bears and Saracens on the 19th October set a new regular-season audience record on TNT Sports, peaking at 333,000 viewers.
In-stadia attendance has also risen significantly, with over 21,000 extra tickets sold compared to the corresponding fixtures last season, reflecting a 6% increase in average stadium occupancy.
Ticket sales for the Gallagher Premiership Final 2025 are almost double those of this time last year, with only 30,000 general sale tickets remaining.
Simon Massie-Taylor, CEO of Premiership Rugby, said, “To see thousands more fans through the turnstiles and the TV audience growth accelerating is a huge achievement.
“It demonstrates the level of fan interest in the live and on-screen entertainment of the Gallagher Premiership, which is helping us to attract new, younger and more diverse audiences.”
Ascot Racecourse have confirmed that Chief Executive Alastair Warwick will step down from his role at the end of the year
Warwick’s departure sees Deputy Chief Executive and Commercial Director Felicity Barnard taking on the position of Chief Executive, effective from the start of 2025.
Barnard’s appointment follows her leadership at Ascot, where her dual responsibilities of Deputy Chief Executive and Commercial Director included overseeing commercial operations and supporting overall strategic direction.
Sir Francis Brooke, Chairman and his majesty’s representative at Ascot Racecourse, said, “Alastair has played a major role in the success of Ascot Racecourse since he joined the business in 2008, most recently as Chief Executive where he has overseen successful Royal Meetings in the new reign of King Charles III.
“We are all grateful to him on so many levels and thank him for his dedication to Ascot over the past sixteen years.
“I am delighted that Fliss Barnard has accepted the Board’s invitation to become Chief Executive. Fliss has already brought considerable commercial expertise to the racecourse and the wider industry.”
YRDS has added F1 Academy driver Alba Hurup Larsen to its roster of elite athletes.
Larsen, who turns 16 in December, is set become the youngest and first Danish driver in the F1 Academy, representing Tommy Hilfiger.
Larsen recently collaborated with MP Motorsport, a Dutch racing team, achieving a top six finish and winning Rookie of the Race during her Formula 4 debut in Chennai, India.
The announcement of her F1 Academy seat was made by Susie Wolff, Managing Director of the F1 Academy, on November 22 in Las Vegas.
“Securing funding for more track time, advanced training, coaching, entry fees, and travel is vital to turn potential into success. Partnering with YRDS ensures I have the resources to go all the way.” Added Alba following the announcement.
Super League club St. Helens Saints have signed a three-year extension of their partnership with SBW Law.
The renewal runs until the end of the 2025 season, and sees the law firm retain naming rights to the Family Stand at the Totally Wicked Stadium.
“We are delighted that SBW Law have extended their partnership with ourselves for the 2025 Season,” said Yvonne Millett, Commercial Sales Manager at St. Helens Saints.
“We welcome them their support for a third year and look forward to working with them throughout the season.”
Sheffield United have revealed a new agreement with data analytics specialist Driblab.
Under the new deal, Driblab will help bolster the EFL Championship club’s analytics department, providing technological tools that will help the Blades’ scouting process.
Sheffield will harness the company’s technology to evaluate player performance more efficiently, and to refine the club’s recruitment strategies based on targeted data.
“We are delighted to welcome Sheffield United to Driblab and we look forward to start working with one of England’s historical teams,” said Connor Venus, Driblab’s Sales Director for the UK and Northern Europe.
“United have shown clear desire in wanting to improve their analytical skills both in terms of having a strong position going into the transfer market and being able to get the best out of their own performances by working with quality and precise data.”.
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