News: Rotherham United accounts show reliance on ASD Lighting
The overall operating losses at Rotherham United increased to £1.7m for the year ended June 2024 and the newly published accounts highlight the importance of sponsors, primarily the fellow subsidiary company, ASD Lighting PLC.
Rothbiz reported this week on the 2023/24 losses which compare to the loss before tax of £1.1m in the previous year when the club beat the odds to stay in the second tier. Last season, the Millers set out a playing budget which marked the highest set in the club’s history to combat other teams that had recently been in the Premier League and others benefitting from parachute payments or significant overseas investment but the season culminated in relegation to League One.
Turnover, including income from player trading, was £19.2m compared to previous season of £15.7m. The accounts confirm that income from player trading was £2.5m which includes fees for key players such as Viktor Johansson, Ben Wiles and Georgie Kelly.
Commercial income increased by 3% to £3.2m, compared to £3.1m in the previous season and Rothbiz has previously reported on ASD Lighting PLC continuing to provide £1m in sponsorship to the club into 2024. Rotherham United's accounts also confirm the previously reported group loan from ASD Lighting Plc of £5.2m.
Both ASD Lighting PLC and Rotherham United have ASD Lighting Holding Limited as their parent company, connected by Tony Stewart, the founder of ASD Lighting and the man who saved the Millers in 2008. The businessman brought them out of administration and has overseen promotions, cup success and a move to a new stadium in town, at the same time as a period of sensible financial management, not something always shared by fellow league clubs.
A statement from Rotherham United reaffirmed "to our supporters that the Chairman and Board’s desire to succeed burns as brightly as ever, despite the challenges we have been required to navigate over recent seasons."
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Clubs like Rotherham also rely on "Central Funding" from the English Football League and solidarity payments from the Premier League. Central Funding increased from £8.5m the previous season to £9.2m due to maintaining Championship status.
Football income from season tickets, gate receipts and prize money increased from £2.6m to £2.9m (up 11.7% year on year) but merchandising income (including relail, websile, programme and car park revenue) remained around the same at £836k with income from media reducing from £435k to £357k due to less TV coverage during the season.
Outgoings increased again with the cost of sales increasing by 11.7% from £14.7m to £16.4m "due to increased Championship wage pressures and match day operational costs."
Administration costs (including profit from disposal of assets) went up by over £2m to £4.5m, increasing from £2.1m with the club saying that this was "mainly due to restructuring cost, pitch repairs and increased utility costs."
The accounts also add: "Although the company had significant net liabilities at 30 June 2024 the directors have prepared cash flow forecasts for the next 12 months which show that the company can continue to trade as a going concern but it must continue to rely upon the support of sponsors, in particular its fellow subsidiary company ASD Lighting PLC to enable it to do so."
The football club continues to pay close to £1m a year in rent to R U Estates Ltd, another connected company, which itself has a £12m, ten year loan from ASD Lighting.
Rotherham United are playing host to The Price of Football Live at AESSEAL New York Stadium on Monday April 28 giving local fans of football the chance to gain insight into finances across the pyramid from industry expert Kieran Maguire.
RUFC website
Images: RUFC
Rothbiz reported this week on the 2023/24 losses which compare to the loss before tax of £1.1m in the previous year when the club beat the odds to stay in the second tier. Last season, the Millers set out a playing budget which marked the highest set in the club’s history to combat other teams that had recently been in the Premier League and others benefitting from parachute payments or significant overseas investment but the season culminated in relegation to League One.
Turnover, including income from player trading, was £19.2m compared to previous season of £15.7m. The accounts confirm that income from player trading was £2.5m which includes fees for key players such as Viktor Johansson, Ben Wiles and Georgie Kelly.
Commercial income increased by 3% to £3.2m, compared to £3.1m in the previous season and Rothbiz has previously reported on ASD Lighting PLC continuing to provide £1m in sponsorship to the club into 2024. Rotherham United's accounts also confirm the previously reported group loan from ASD Lighting Plc of £5.2m.
Both ASD Lighting PLC and Rotherham United have ASD Lighting Holding Limited as their parent company, connected by Tony Stewart, the founder of ASD Lighting and the man who saved the Millers in 2008. The businessman brought them out of administration and has overseen promotions, cup success and a move to a new stadium in town, at the same time as a period of sensible financial management, not something always shared by fellow league clubs.
A statement from Rotherham United reaffirmed "to our supporters that the Chairman and Board’s desire to succeed burns as brightly as ever, despite the challenges we have been required to navigate over recent seasons."
Advertisement
Clubs like Rotherham also rely on "Central Funding" from the English Football League and solidarity payments from the Premier League. Central Funding increased from £8.5m the previous season to £9.2m due to maintaining Championship status.
Football income from season tickets, gate receipts and prize money increased from £2.6m to £2.9m (up 11.7% year on year) but merchandising income (including relail, websile, programme and car park revenue) remained around the same at £836k with income from media reducing from £435k to £357k due to less TV coverage during the season.
Outgoings increased again with the cost of sales increasing by 11.7% from £14.7m to £16.4m "due to increased Championship wage pressures and match day operational costs."
Administration costs (including profit from disposal of assets) went up by over £2m to £4.5m, increasing from £2.1m with the club saying that this was "mainly due to restructuring cost, pitch repairs and increased utility costs."
The accounts also add: "Although the company had significant net liabilities at 30 June 2024 the directors have prepared cash flow forecasts for the next 12 months which show that the company can continue to trade as a going concern but it must continue to rely upon the support of sponsors, in particular its fellow subsidiary company ASD Lighting PLC to enable it to do so."
The football club continues to pay close to £1m a year in rent to R U Estates Ltd, another connected company, which itself has a £12m, ten year loan from ASD Lighting.
Rotherham United are playing host to The Price of Football Live at AESSEAL New York Stadium on Monday April 28 giving local fans of football the chance to gain insight into finances across the pyramid from industry expert Kieran Maguire.
RUFC website
Images: RUFC
30 comments:
Sack the Weeble!
"Our desire to succeed burns as brightly as ever"
What sort of season we'll have if the fire starts to go out doesn't bear thinking about
Another shocker last night in front of lowest ever attendance at New York Stadium for a league match. The boos ringing round at the end did not help but were understandable. Hard to fathom out where the club is heading at the moment but it is painful to watch for all Millers fans.
Soccer is results driven, so it is hard to imagine that the current management team will survive for much longer if things don't change pretty quickly.
Football not soccer
Says who and why?
I don't know what it is they're playing at New York Stadium these days but it's certainly not football.
It's hoofball
AnonymousMarch 19, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Says who and why?
Hardly anyone from these parts refers to it as soccer!
Miller's soccer schools
So when Rotherham United advertise their "soccer schools" it must be the Rotherham United fronm North Africa not the one from "these parts"?
If only it were that good.
As a young lad the first thing I looked for on Christmas morning was "Charles Buchan's Soccer Gift Book"
Prefer football to soccer , somehow the FA Cup wouldn’t sound right if it was the the SA cup
Did you do the soccer pools as well JEZ?
Every week without fail
Sorry Jez, but you wouldn't have been allowed to do the soccer pools when you were a lad reading Charles Buchan.
Why not, I was 24 at the time.
Crockerz Castles do brilliant Soccer Pools.
A lot of people think that soccer is an American word for football. It isn't. It's an English word.
RUFC is a joke from top to bottom
That you Brin?
Maybe change it to Rotherham united soccer club
Football club or soccer club ?
Football shirt or soccer shirt ?
Football boots or soccer boots ?
Football pitch or soccer pitch ?
Football club (FC) at the end of teams /clubs don’t remember seeing many with ‘soccer team’
Was that really worth the effort?
I guess the soccer ball needed to be kicked into the long grass
That would be good.
Better late than never I suppose. Good luck Matt and Andy
What a breath of fresh air!
Wonderful result against Blackpool
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