Hereford at Scarborough in January 2024
Scarborough Athletic have warned they are facing a projected loss of around £150,000 for the upcoming season as they're forced to play games 17 miles away.
The financial gap stems from the club being forced to relocate home fixtures to Bridlington, as repairs to their home ground are expected to keep it out of action for up to a year due to significant damage to the pitch.
In a statement, the board of the fan-owned club admitted the situation had created major uncertainty, stating that predicting future revenues was proving “extremely difficult".
While the repair bill may reach as high as £3.2 million, North Yorkshire Council is expected to cover the cost if discussions with the original contractor do not result in a resolution.
Club officials are concerned the temporary switch to Bridlington Town’s Mounting Systems Stadium will impact attendance figures, which had grown from roughly 400 to 1,400 over the last three seasons.
Alongside reduced ticket sales, Scarborough will also lose out on matchday catering and hospitality income, which will now go to Bridlington Town under the terms of the groundshare.
According to football finance expert Kieran Maguire, the club generated an annual profit of approximately £80,000 last year. As reported by the BBC, he said that the drop in income is “a possible cause of concern”, adding: “The club will need to maximise the revenue from every single item available.”
To mitigate the financial blow, the club launched a fundraising campaign, which it says has already raised around £60,000, significantly reducing the original projected shortfall of £250,000. Additional private donations have also contributed to the revised forecast.
Chairman Trevor Bull said the club is exploring travel options to encourage fans to attend games in Bridlington. Talks are ongoing with Network Rail and East Yorkshire Motor Services about providing discounted transport for supporters.
“If we can get more than 1,000 fans down the coast, that would help reduce the deficit further,” Bull said.
Discussions between the council and the original contractors over the start date for the repairs at the Scarborough Sports Village are still ongoing, with no confirmed timeline for the work to commence.