Munster feeling the pinch as deficit passes €1.9m

Munster Rugby’s poor performances and falling attendances have seen its annual deficit forecast soar to almost €1.95 million for the soon-to-end financial year.

Delegates at last night’s Munster Branch Annual General Meeting at Young Munster RFC were told by Munster Rugby financial controller Philip Quinn that the forecasted figure had risen from a €333,000 deficit in the final accounts presented for 2014-15 as gate income fell by more than €1m during the season just ended.

Quinn said playing Pro12 games during last autumn’s Rugby World Cup, with two of those Thomond Park games against Ulster and Glasgow kicking off at 6pm on a Friday, allied to the failure of Anthony Foley’s side to reach the league play-offs had had a significant impact, not just on gate revenues but related bar and match programme income streams, although he reported hospitality revenue had remained constant year on year.