FAI AGM 2013On Friday the IRFU revealed that only €14 million of a hoped for €40 million had been secured through the latest sale of premium tickets at the Aviva Stadium, and that the Union would have to borrow to fund a deficit between now and 2020.
On Saturday, the FAI delivered a more upbeat financial picture with a record operating profit of €6.2 million but refused to take questions from the floor or from the media about the underlying financial debt, other than to say repayments were all on schedule to make the association debt free by the same year of 2020.
Over the coming days we will take a closer look behind the numbers and see whether the optimism from the top table or the scepticism from the media is closest to the truth for two of the big three sports operating in Ireland.
There is no doubt that the rebuilding of the Aviva Stadium has placed a massive financial strain on both associations but it was needed and does deliver in terms of ongoing revenue, especially once success is achieved on the field of play.
It also drives the money that delivers programmes at grassroots and representative level that are of the greatest real impact in sporting terms both in the present and the future.
There are however many significant threats and challenges.
John Greene writing in the Sunday Independent yesterday spoke of the reality of there not being sponsors around to fill the gap if alcohol sponsorship of sport is to be prohibited in isolation. Sport for Business has covered this in detail over recent weeks and will make the detail available to politicians to inform their consideration during this week.
Another issue that both may have to face between now and the target ‘nirvana’ date of 2020 is that the Three and O2, principal sponsors of the respective associations, while currently competing, will almost certainly have merged before the next renewal in 2016.
Rugby faces the biggest threat through the continued uncertainty over the future of the Heineken Cup and while a Rugby World Cup bid for 2023 may well bring significant financial leverage to existing developments, there are concerns over the scope the sport has to rely on a larger global authority.
That is a benefit which the FAI is keen to stress and to utilise.  Consistently good courting of UEFA has enabled the FAI to make a strong case for advances in the newly shared and massive revenues derived from the collective sale of international football TV rights.
Soccer in an international context continues to grow almost exponentially in terms of its appeal to fans, sponsors and broadcasters.
Declining Government funding needs to be replaced in the longer term but sport has much to offer in terms of its appeal across a number of key areas to business and to fans.
The monetisation of sport is something which is happening around the world and which can be improved through a greater awareness of what it has to sell; how it can be viewed by others as a channel of positive association for brands; and how the emotional engagement and consistently changing landscape it presents can be of greater value tomorrow than it is today.
Tuesday: IRFU Finances
Wednesday: FAI Finances
Thursday: Comparison of the Big Three
 sfb_roundtable_banner hpslider-1Sports Tourism Seminar at Croke Park (September 19th)
Sport for Business 20/20 at Ulster Bank HQ (October 8th)
The Business of Youth Sport Seminar (November 28th)