2026 cricket finance report

[dazedpenguin]

The cricket finance report is here: https://www.leonardcurtis.co.uk/sport-finance-report/cricket-finance-report-2026 There's a download link. This goes up to 2024 because that's up to when accounts are available, but it puts it all in context of the Hundred, non Hundred hosting counties etc. Basically- things are tough and are going to get tougher.

Here's George Dobell's view (from the Cricketer, paywalled): https://www.thecricketer.com/Topics/county-cricket-premium/county_cricket_mixed_financial_picture_highlights_monumental_triumphs_fears_future.html

"The report makes interesting - if alarming - reading in many ways. For one thing, it crystallises the uneven battle between those counties which host Hundred sides and those that do not. It concludes, unsurprisingly, there is a growing gap.

For example, some clubs - and Northants is a decent example - are disproportionately reliant upon the distribution of funds which comes each year from the ECB. Indeed, in 2024, this payment (which was ?4.2million for them) accounted for 70 per cent of their annual revenue.

By comparison, the ?4.09m received by Surrey (and you may very well ask why it's a smaller sum as it is meant, in part, to be performance related) made up only eight per cent of their annual revenue. Warwickshire (13 per cent), Hampshire and Lancashire (both 16 per cent) and Nottinghamshire (22 per cent) weren't far behind..

Other clubs with an unhealthy reliance upon that ECB distribution included Leicestershire (for whom the figure was 67 per cent), Middlesex (64 per cent), Worcestershire (59 per cent) and Derbyshire (56 per cent).

This might, in a previous age, have not mattered too much. But at a time when it is generally accepted that the value of future broadcast deals for international bilateral cricket could decrease, this feels like an alarm.

And remember: the non-host counties will receive a smaller share of the deal for The Hundred in future years. Team owners will receive 80 per cent of the value of the broadcast deal for that competition. That leaves the ECB, the recreational game and the non-hosts to share the rest.

All of which means, clubs that are already struggling to keep their heads above water are going to need to do so with even less money in future.?

[nat]

Not a problem if the ECB money is more fairly distributed. However, the evil face of greed is raising its head again. Strong leadership from the (particularly member owned) counties would see a strong domestic and national setup.

The ECB seems to run as an unaccountable body. Time to reign it in.

[vim]

It should be borne in mind, and this is more appropriate to Football league clubs. When the High Court winds a professional sport club up for bankruptcy. The situation will be the same, if the death penalty was re-introduced. After the first one, the ones that follow become easier.

[SirChef26]

3% of Leicestershire's total income in 2024 came from domestic income (so membership fees, ticket sales etc).

That statistic alone is why there will not be 18 first class counties long term. Northants...70% of their revenue comes from ECB payments. Crazy and unsustainable.

Fun fact when looking at the wage bills down the years, both our Championship wins in 2017 and 2019 came despite having the lowest wage bill in the division. Really does ram home the achievement of both titles.

In gloomier news, the club have failed to turn a profit ever since Covid, in fact the losses are increasing. Cost of living (bills, inflation etc), Blast ticket revenue taking a big hit due to the Hundred and Chelmsford being a rotting corpse with no way of raising non cricketing income are no doubt the main factors.

The future looks bleak.

[nat]

Thanks for the cheerie message. There *can* be a future for 18 counties (even more than 18 is possible) but it requires a re-invention of the ECB.

The ECB is 'owned' by the counties. The majority of the counties are member owned. There are moves afoot to de-mutualise many counties. The ECB (they are behind this move) are adopting a stealth approach to stripping members of their ownership.

The fightback has already started with the successful resistance to a reduction in CC games. Now is the time to mobilise and remove those elements at the ECB who are anti county cricket.

[SirChef26]

Thanks for the cheerie message. There *can* be a future for 18 counties (even more than 18 is possible) but it requires a re-invention of the ECB.

The ECB is 'owned' by the counties. The majority of the counties are member owned. There are moves afoot to de-mutualise many counties. The ECB (they are behind this move) are adopting a stealth approach to stripping members of their ownership.

The fightback has already started with the successful resistance to a reduction in CC games. Now is the time to mobilise and remove those elements at the ECB who are anti county cricket.

You can choose to bury your head in the sand and dream of returning to past days which are never going to happen in the modern era. Or you can choose to be realistic and honest about the future. I choose the latter.

I've agreed with you on many topics down the years. I can't agree on this though, sorry.