In this blog I will be examining the brilliant work of the Board at Lewes FC in promoting budget equality, the contradictions, risks, the future and questioning whether we should jettison the community model and adopt a more privately financed model, in order to keep the women’s team funded.
2016 saw the two main club benefactors announce to a baffled fan base ‘budget equality.’ Lewes FC were to become the first club in the world to pay our genders the same for playing. It was an initiative based on sound principle. The woman’s game is disgracefully underfunded hence the poor quality. But it wasn’t hidden it was hoped the initiative would bring in significant sponsorship into Lewes FC. Until it did the venture was underwritten by those two directors and benefactors for three years.
Year one saw a collapse of stout party as the sponsors failed to come to the party. A much publicised, ‘ground breaking’ the Board called it, deal with Skins equated to a £1000 life membership hit and as much of their compression sportwear as we needed. As ground breaking goes it didn’t register on the Richter magnitude scale.
But help was at hand. An unlikely punt at getting our ladies into the newly revamped 2 tier rebranded elite women’s division, was successful and Lewes took our places at the start of the season in the same division as Manchester United and Spurs. This was an FA initiative to bring in fresh interest, sponsorship and kudos to the women’s game. This played perfectly into the direction and plans of Lewes FC. The person in charge of marketing was jettisoned, his failing to get any interest in budget parity 2017-18 seemed to be the end of him.
So in a state of high excitement the Board have waited for the huge tsunami of funding to wash our finances into the clear. The shirt sponsor spot was left clear in anticipation of a big name sponsor I understand. Not forthcoming though, nor have the corporate sponsors. This is hard on the club because in order to compete in the Women’s Championship the club have had to take on enormous extra costs. So the difference between the Lewes FC operating costs and income has been quite simply widening alarmingly.
The women’s initiative has been an amazing thing to take on and we are lucky two people have generously funded it. But the rebranding of the women’s game has been a total flop elsewhere. Gates have stagnated at the already low level they were at other clubs and interest and sponsorship has not materialised. At Lewes though, through the brilliant marketing, the venture has been a huge success with interest high and attendances rocketing. It is a shame that the club in the top two flights that can least afford it has taken it the most seriously. But maybe that was always going to be the case as our women’s team are more high profile than the mens.
So we are in a state of flux. Funding for the women has been guaranteed until the end of next season at which point who knows ? Wouldn’t it be amazing if the efforts at Lewes were widely recognised as the credible and positive innovation that they are and some businesses or organisations recognised this and came to the table. However the paradox, if you like, is that Lewes FC have a core aim of being self sustained and the two benefactors realise that without the sponsorship to continue to bankroll the initiative after the stated three years, to continue to fund it goes against the grain of what they should be doing. As such if they wish to continue funding it themselves, then that is great, but to do it as a member of the Board would be contradictory, unwise and merely cement the thought that we are actually merely a privately owned club with a big community heart.
It begs the questions, can we sustain this level of generous hand outs and reasonably call ourselves a ‘community club’ ? No. Should we jettison the community model in order to have our women’s team heavily bank rolled ? Yes, we should. It is a far greater point of principle and stand out brilliant initiative that Lewes can be proud of than sticking rigidly to a constitution. One can reasonably argue the Board merely pay lip service to our constitution anyway and nobody seems that bothered. Except me and I’m not that bothered any more.
Of course whether the guys bank rolling it wish to continue to do so after three years is anyone guess.
Earlier blog this week
The Rights of Fans. 