Cricket Wellington suffered a $64,000 loss last year.

Presenting the annual directors' report for presentation on Wednesday, September 5, the chairman of the board of Cricket Wellington, John Hunn said the result was disappointing.

"The budget provided for a surplus of $40,000 after financing the appointments of a cricket operations manager, a new marketing manager and three development staff.

"The operating loss for the year was $64,000. This was primarily attributable to a reduction this year of $100,000 in our share of New Zealand Cricket's international gate revenue, together with a lower than budgeted return from sponsorship, marketing and members' revenues as the international programme hosted by Cricket Wellington did not have nearly the same appeal as the 1999/2000 season," Hunn said.

Contributing to the overall position were:

the increased expenditure on junior cricket which totalled $100,000, supplemented by a $45,000 grant from NZC;

the first year's operating results from the Academies;

an increase in marketing activities providing an additional contribution of $51,000;

an increase in administration expenses of $55,000 which was largely the result of the appointment of an operations manager.

Included among the debtors to the association are five clubs who have failed to pay a total of $40,000 in affiliation fees.

This attitude among clubs has resulted in the application of a tougher stance by Cricket Wellington.

"Management have been very co-operative in allowing clubs time to meet their liabilities over the season, however, the board has now decided that in fairness to all other clubs and in order to preserve our financial position a stronger stance must now be taken," Hunn said.

A new policy will be considered before the start of the new season.

In another move to reduce costs, the Association will move out of its existing offices and into the Easts clubrooms at the Basin Reserve. These will be extended to provide for all Wellington's accommodation needs.

Cricket Wellington has also sought a review of its funding arrangements with NZC as it believes the existing business model forces Cricket Wellington to share in the trading risks of NZC each season to a degree which inhibits sound long term planning and prudent financial management and over which it has no control.

"In such a volatile and uncertain environment the casualty must be the more optional expenditure areas, particularly our development areas," he said.

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