Menu
Finance

Notts County Ladies Fold Two Days Before Start Of Spring Series

The Spring Series of the Women's Super League, which started Saturday, "has been thrown into chaos by the closure of Notts County’s Ladies team," according to Jack Pitt-Brooke of the London INDEPENDENT. Notts County was due to play Arsenal on Sunday but on Friday morning, Owner Alan Hardy "withdrew the team from the WSL citing debts and a tax bill they could not pay back." With "no time to find a replacement, that means the Spring Series, a short season over the next few months," will take place with nine teams rather than 10. The FA is "now trying to look after the Notts County players who have been left without an employer for the season." Five of them have England central contracts "which covers part of their salaries although clearly plenty of players will be left out of pocket" (INDEPENDENT, 4/22). The BBC reported in March, a winding-up petition against the club "was adjourned for a second time," giving Notts until July 3 to pay debts owed to U.K. tax authority HMRC. Local businessman Hardy purchased Notts County's men's and women's clubs in December, "aiming to clear debts." A club statement said, "Alan Hardy has reluctantly admitted defeat in his bid to save Notts County Ladies Football Club after facing a near-£1m bill to keep the club afloat this season." An FA spokesperson said, "Our priority is the welfare of the players and we will work closely with them, the (Professional Footballers' Association) PFA and wider stakeholders to support them through this time" (BBC, 4/21).

'FINANCIAL SUICIDE': In Nottingham, Jemma Page reported Hardy said that keeping the club going would have been "financial suicide" as operating costs were expected to be £500,000 ($640,900) this season -- "a major loss compared to the total projected incoming revenue from attendances and sponsorship" of £28,000 ($35,900). With the WSL transfer window having closed, "it is not yet clear" if any of the Notts players will "be able to sign for another English top-flight club this season." Women in Sport CEO Ruth Holdaway said, "We understand that the owners have battled and tried every route to avoid this outcome for the club and its players. It is yet another sad reminder of the years of chronic under-investment in both women's football and women's sport more widely" (NOTTINGHAM POST, 4/21). The BBC's Aloia & Garry reported England goalkeeper Carly Telford said that Notts County Ladies players "feel abandoned" by Hardy. Telford admitted players were initially "wary" of being released as early as December, when taken over as part of Hardy's purchase of Notts' men's side. Telford: "To leave it this late, we are all now left in a boat sinking quite quickly." Hardy said, "No player will be evicted from the houses. If it takes three months, four months, five months, I will personally stand by their houses. I'm absolutely devastated and gutted that we have to say goodbye to the club, but I can't afford it." Notts and Wales midfielder Angharad James said, "It's a devastating day. We were only told five minutes prior to it going out on social media. It is not a good day for women's football all round. We're jobless and we're homeless. As cliche as that sounds, it's the truth" (BBC, 4/21).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 18, 2024

Sports Business Awards nominees unveiled; NWSL's historic opening weekend and takeaways from CFP deal

ESPN’s Jay Bilas, BTN’s Meghan McKeown, and a deep dive into AppleTV+’s The Dynasty

On this week’s Sports Media Podcast from the New York Post and Sports Business Journal, ESPN’s Jay Bilas talks all things NCAA. Big Ten Network’s Meghan McKeown shares her insight into the Caitlin Clark craze. The Boston Globe’s Chad Finn chats all things Bean Town. And SBJ’s Xavier Hunter drops in to share his findings on how the NWSL is making a social media push.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Global/Issues/2017/04/24/Finance/Notts-County.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Global/Issues/2017/04/24/Finance/Notts-County.aspx

CLOSE