Derbyshire has recorded its tenth surplus in eleven years for the year ending 31 December 2023.
The Club is able to announce a pre-tax profit of £105,000, while it invested a record amount in cricket, completed several significant ground development projects and faced significantly increased operating costs over the 12-month period.
The record investment in the cricket budget allowed the strengthening of the playing squad, while additional resource was committed to the Talent Pathway and training facilities at The County Ground.
The Club continues to work with key stakeholders across the county, as well as the England & Wales Cricket Board, to enhance spectator facilities, with two new toilet blocks and a Multi-Faith Room the latest in a number of inclusive additions to the venue.
Chair, Ian Morgan OBE, said: “In a year in which we have seen prices rising across the board amid the cost-of-living crisis, it is a great testament to the hard work of all at the Club that we can announce this surplus.
“We remain debt free as a county and continuing to keep a close eye on our costs, while growing new revenue opportunities, has allowed us to increase our investment in our cricket budget and I know that I join our supporters and stakeholders in being excited for the season ahead.”
Record aggregate ticket sales in the Vitality Blast and a first sold-out England Women international at Derby underpinned growing support, while the Conference and Events and Sponsorship arms of the business continued to perform particularly strongly, despite the challenges presented to the industry in the post-Covid landscape.
Non-cricket events hosted at The County Ground also played a significant role in contributing to the surplus, with The Who becoming the latest major act to perform in Derby, following in the footsteps of Elton John, Little Mix and Michael Bublé in recent years.
Chief Executive, Ryan Duckett, said: “As a Club, we pride ourselves on our innovation, adaptability and our desire to punch above our weight with every project we undertake.
“This year, we have seen growth across both our Conference and Events and Commercial revenue streams, while keeping a focus on careful cost management.
“The ground development projects, in particular the opening of a new Multi-Faith Room and additional family toilet facilities, improve our offering for supporters and we hope will enable us to attract more visitors to our venue year-round.
“On behalf of the Supervisory Board and the off-field team, I would like to thank our sponsors, Members and all visitors to both cricket and non-cricket events for their continued support.”
The Club’s Annual Report and Accounts were approved by Members at the Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 27 March at The County Ground.
