Income streams: we've been so fortunate

One of the first questions that jump to mind when reports discuss the club's financial state is how on Earth have CCFC managed it?

The club is enjoying a sustained period in the Championship and, in a new stadium, is playing in front of some of its biggest crowds for decades, with an estimated 14,500 season tickets.

The club was also lucky in that it had significantly more season tickets for the 2008/2009 season that anyone would have budgeted for.

In 2008, City reached the F.A Cup final – netting £900,000 as losing finalists and a host of prize and television money along the way. That run included two visits to Wembley Stadium, providing the club with another significant cash injection.

In recent years, the clubs have netted a 40% share of ticket revenue from Cup games at Arsenal's Ashburton Grove and Highbury, Anfield, the Riverside Stadium White Hart Lane and a packed Jack-filled Liberty Stadium to name a few.

The club is receiving ground rent from the Cardiff Blues.

Additionally, many players have been sold for substantial fees in recent years. Cardiff City have been lucky in that financial problems in the past have been alleviated by selling big-name players.

Robert Earnshaw – joins West Bromwich Albion for a reported fee of £3million.
Daniel Gabbidon
James Collins – the two defenders joined West Ham simultaneously, with a deal allegedly worth £3.5million
Cameron Jerome – the towering forward joined Birmingham City for a fee in the region of £3million
Michael Chopra – Chopra swapped South Wales for Sunderland as the Black Cats splashed out a whopping £5million
Steve MacLean – the striker joined Devon rivals Plymouth for £500,000
Aaron Ramsey – Ramsey moved to Arsenal. The deal was initially worth £5million, but the club chose to cash-in early and scooped £4.8million.
Glenn Loovens – the Dutch defender joined Celtic for an estimated £2.5million.
Chris Gunter – joined Spurs for £2million in a sterling piece of business for Cardiff City.
Roger Johnson – another for the £5million club. Johnson fulfilled his dreams of playing in the top-flight by joining Birmingham.

Have I missed any? The above players' combined transfer income reaches a staggering figure of around £29.5million. Yet the club has been riddled with crippling financial problems throughout.

On top of all that, the club has just received a cash injection of some £3million from supporters who have parted company with their cash early to take advantage of Peter Ridsdale's latest season ticket initiative.

If we're being realistic, the above transfer fees are probably hugely inaccurate. Certainly, there was a lot of doubt over the fee the club received for Gunter. I'm sure almost all of the deals – perhaps with the exception of Ramsey – include numerous clauses and the club would only have received a small percentage up front. We also had to pay Feyenoord £625,000 straight away after Loovens moved on.

However, the above things indicate that the club's income streams have been unusually exhaustive in recent seasons. Nobody could have predicted that Dave Jones' shrewd dealings could prove so profitable, or that the YTS would produce players worth incredible amounts of money. Nobody would have predicted that the club would get to Wembley on two occasions, and be lucky enough to be paired alongside the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs, and Middlesbrough and so on in the Cup. Nobody could have predicted that the club would sell so many more season tickets for the 2008/2009 season because of the Cup run. All indicators to that point had suggested sales would fall massively.

With all this financial fortune, Cardiff City AFC still appears to be in a hell of a mess and is clearly struggling to find the funds to pay creditors and settle a significant debt from the Revenue that threatens the very existence of the club.

Personally, I think everything will turn out ok. We've had a handful of these problems in recent years and always seem to come through it. I very much doubt the Malaysians could tell you much about the 1992/1993 Welsh Cup winning squad, or know who Trixie the Cat is – but it seems they want to get involved and I have no doubt they will. I don't really like this kind of investment in football - but it seems to be the way modern football has gone, and without it indications suggest the club faces mammoth problems. However, where on Earth would the club be now had these fortunate turn of events not happenend?

One of the first questions that jump to mind when reports discuss the club's financial state is how on Earth have CCFC managed it?

The club is enjoying a sustained period in the Championship and, in a new stadium, is playing in front of some of its biggest crowds for decades, with an estimated 14,500 season tickets.

The club was also lucky in that it had significantly more season tickets for the 2008/2009 season that anyone would have budgeted for.

In 2008, City reached the F.A Cup final – netting £900,000 as losing finalists and a host of prize and television money along the way. That run included two visits to Wembley Stadium, providing the club with another significant cash injection.

In recent years, the clubs have netted a 40% share of ticket revenue from Cup games at Arsenal's Ashburton Grove and Highbury, Anfield, the Riverside Stadium White Hart Lane and a packed Jack-filled Liberty Stadium to name a few.

The club is receiving ground rent from the Cardiff Blues.

Additionally, many players have been sold for substantial fees in recent years. Cardiff City have been lucky in that financial problems in the past have been alleviated by selling big-name players.

Robert Earnshaw – joins West Bromwich Albion for a reported fee of £3million.
Daniel Gabbidon
James Collins – the two defenders joined West Ham simultaneously, with a deal allegedly worth £3.5million
Cameron Jerome – the towering forward joined Birmingham City for a fee in the region of £3million
Michael Chopra – Chopra swapped South Wales for Sunderland as the Black Cats splashed out a whopping £5million
Steve MacLean – the striker joined Devon rivals Plymouth for £500,000
Aaron Ramsey – Ramsey moved to Arsenal. The deal was initially worth £5million, but the club chose to cash-in early and scooped £4.8million.
Glenn Loovens – the Dutch defender joined Celtic for an estimated £2.5million.
Chris Gunter – joined Spurs for £2million in a sterling piece of business for Cardiff City.
Roger Johnson – another for the £5million club. Johnson fulfilled his dreams of playing in the top-flight by joining Birmingham.

Have I missed any? The above players' combined transfer income reaches a staggering figure of around £29.5million. Yet the club has been riddled with crippling financial problems throughout.

On top of all that, the club has just received a cash injection of some £3million from supporters who have parted company with their cash early to take advantage of Peter Ridsdale's latest season ticket initiative.

If we're being realistic, the above transfer fees are probably hugely inaccurate. Certainly, there was a lot of doubt over the fee the club received for Gunter. I'm sure almost all of the deals – perhaps with the exception of Ramsey – include numerous clauses and the club would only have received a small percentage up front. We also had to pay Feyenoord £625,000 straight away after Loovens moved on.

However, the above things indicate that the club's income streams have been unusually exhaustive in recent seasons. Nobody could have predicted that Dave Jones' shrewd dealings could prove so profitable, or that the YTS would produce players worth incredible amounts of money. Nobody would have predicted that the club would get to Wembley on two occasions, and be lucky enough to be paired alongside the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs, and Middlesbrough and so on in the Cup. Nobody could have predicted that the club would sell so many more season tickets for the 2008/2009 season because of the Cup run. All indicators to that point had suggested sales would fall massively.

With all this financial fortune, Cardiff City AFC still appears to be in a hell of a mess and is clearly struggling to find the funds to pay creditors and settle a significant debt from the Revenue that threatens the very existence of the club.

Personally, I think everything will turn out ok. We've had a handful of these problems in recent years and always seem to come through it. I very much doubt the Malaysians could tell you much about the 1992/1993 Welsh Cup winning squad, or know who Trixie the Cat is – but it seems they want to get involved and I have no doubt they will. I don't really like this kind of investment in football - but it seems to be the way modern football has gone, and without it indications suggest the club faces mammoth problems. However, where on Earth would the club be now had these fortunate turn of events not happenend?

Well come on board, nice to see you posting, good post

Also zero interest paid on the Langstone money.

PR will say it's all Sam's fault.

Bollocks.

Excellent post.

Most clubs that get that sort of money from transfers would be living very comfortable - but for one factor.You must have competent people handling it & if you don't - bring on the hyenas !!

Personally, I think everything will turn out ok. We've had a handful of these problems in recent years and always seem to come through it. I very much doubt the Malaysians could tell you much about the 1992/1993 Welsh Cup winning squad, or know who Trixie the Cat is – but it seems they want to get involved and I have no doubt they will. I don't really like this kind of investment in football - but it seems to be the way modern football has gone, and without it indications suggest the club faces mammoth problems. However, where on Earth would the club be now had these fortunate turn of events not happenend?

enr

THAT is a very good question!
Very good post, by the way.
I'm actually for the "Aim for the Stars!" approach at the moment. By hook or by crook, lets pour everything into a stab at promotion this year. Shit or bust! Because, I don't think "Bust" is that bad and it will certainly feel better than the current "death by 1000 cuts" that's in the air at the moment!
There will be league football at CCS in the "Bust" Scenario - we have a long way to fall.

nearly 5 million for the fa cup run when we reached the final.

if we had that sort of money come through our club we would be in the premiership face it you have been fleeced sooner thes people kicked out the better for you.

nearly 5 million for the fa cup run when we reached the final.

It was £2.3m. Apparently we LOST money when we played the final as we had to pay all travelling/hotel costs. As losing finalists we received no prize money (we received £900,000 for winning the semi-final) or gate money (which all went to the FA).

Portsmouth only picked up £1m in prize money for winning.