Most Super League clubs could lose £1million, admits Hull KR owner Neil Hudgell

Drew Darbyshire 18 Mar 2020 11:19 AM

Hull KR owner Neil Hudgell believes most Super League clubs will lose around £1million due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Rugby Football League has confirmed that all matches are suspended until April 3 but the general feeling is that the shutdown will last months rather than weeks.

Hudgell said: “I budgeted for this year on a very cautious basis. What has happened here has clearly thrown a monumental spanner in the works.

“Whether you play poorly and get 7,000 or play well and get 9,000, you are getting income. If you’re not playing games you get zero income.

“As a direct illustration of that we will lose up to £150,000 cash flow for not playing Hull FC on Good Friday. That is just one example in itself. Each club has particular circumstances.

“Given the suggestions this virus won’t peak until June, I think we are being over optimistic to suggest we will be back and functioning in early April, although no decisions have been made.

“For us in our cash flow, we have three concerts which with the best will in the world, don’t look like happening.

“The best-case scenario is those concerts still happen but nobody is going to buy tickets until the position becomes clearer. The reality is they will be postponed or not happen.

“The deals we have with those three concerts will net us at least £250,000 for those three events so you can image the size of that hole.

“My guess is most clubs will have at least a million pound hole by the end of the season.

“Hence the call for government assistance. Regardless of what costs we can trim, they are only going to scratch the surface of what that hole we will be left with will be.”

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