Tigers' form hurts balance sheet
15 June 2007 Herald-Sun
Jon Pierik
RICHMOND president Gary March last night admitted the Tigers' lack of on-field bite this season had led to double trouble.
Not only have the Tigers taken a hit on the AFL ladder - they are last and have yet to post a win - but the all-important balance sheet will be missing $1 million because of poor gate receipts.
While the club has record membership (29,856) and sponsorship, walk-up attendance has been miserable.
"We are going to be down $1 million on gate receipts alone from last year," March said last night.
"Having said that, we think we will still make a reasonable profit. But it (losing) does have an effect, it's the nature of footy. It bites you in two ways. It's not great."
The Tigers last year posted a record net profit of $948,000, but - depending on form in the second half of the season - March said this year's figure was likely to be closer to $500,000.
"We think it will be north of $500,000," he said.
"It could be as low as $500,000, but it could be over a $1 million."
The Tigers hope impending home clashes with crowd favourites St Kilda and Collingwood will drag large numbers through the gates, while the Round 21 match against Essendon at the MCG could be a sell-out if it looks like being James Hird's last match in Melbourne.
Hird could end his Hall-of-Fame career against West Coast at Subiaco the following weekend if the Dons suddenly slip from finals contention.
The Tigers and Bombers split gate receipts.
"We didn't have the greatest draw from a financial sense either," March said.
"Our first three home games, I think two (Sydney and West Coast) were against interstate sides.
"We didn't get a big drawing game early in the season, so that hurts as well."
Melbourne, another struggler through the first half of the season, this week announced $1 million would be wiped off its bottom line, but the Demons hope to post a profit of around $790,000.
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