Pro12 rugby side Munster's forecast deficit of €1.95M ($2.2M) for the year ending June 30 "was attributed in the main to the lack of knockout rugby" in both Europe and the Pro12 along with league games with "unfavourable kick-off times during the World Cup," according to Simon Lewis of the IRISH EXAMINER. Yet this was "no unexpected financial downturn on foot of a poor season, rather the continuation of a declining trend in gate income coupled with rising player and staff costs." When accounts were presented by Financial Controller Philip Quinn, they featured a slide headlined by the pertinent question: "How Did We Get To This Position." To "illustrate further," Quinn compared the '15-16 figures to those of '09-10, when Munster had a squad which had won two Heineken Cups together. Heady times indeed and "very much a pinnacle as far as the province’s finances were concerned." Since that '09-10 season, "gate income has decreased" by €2.7M ($3M), with failures to reach the European knockout stages in '11, '15 and '16 costing €550,000 ($624,600) alone. Season ticket sales "have fallen away" by €300,000 ($340,700) while the decrease in tickets sold through the clubs amounts to €1.04M ($1.1M) over the last six years. Over the same period, Munster’s professional team costs have increased by €1.7M ($1.9M), although €1.1M ($1.2M) of that has been offset by additional Irish Rugby Football Union grants. Quinn said that Munster’s ticket price strategy "was not the problem, rather a combination of on-field decline" and a number of Pro12 kick-off times that have prevented a "sizeable contingent of supporters from attending games at Thomond Park" (IRISH EXAMINER, 6/7).
