Despite reports of widened pre-tax losses, St Helens rugby league club is remaining optimistic.

St Helens reported a pre-tax loss of £2.4m for the year to 31 October 2013, compared with a £1.7m pre-tax loss for the previous year. Revenue also dipped – going from £5.8m in 2012 to £5.4m.

Following an early exit from the Challenge Cup and recent liquidation of its third party catering company, the club is now making plans to become more self-sufficient.

The liquidation of its catering club resulted in crippling debts but this year the club is aiming to become more responsible for its own financing and less reliant on the support of its directors.

The Saints are looking to overcome the disastrous effects of the plummeting hospitality earnings and gate receipts and is now looking to bring as many services as possible in-house.

These plans meant that the the club’s directly employed staff numbers, both on a full and part-time basis, rose from 195 in 2012 to 647.

The club has also secured collaborations with St Helens College to provide staff training, which is set to support their “strategy of improving the services and standard provided to support rugby and commercial growth in the future”.

In the directors’ report accompanying the financial accounts, chairman Eamonn McManus said the club plans to continue to grow the brand to a wider geographic area and increase sponsorship revenue.

He added:

“The club’s objective to become self-financing and less reliant on directors’ financial support is progressing well against the long term plan with 2014 being on forecast.

“This strategy has been enhanced for 2015 and beyond with the league restructuring and a new TV deal going forward to 2017.”

Source: Insider Media

Image source: BBC