Huddersfield Town eye up an £8m promotion prize

May 14 2010 by Henryk Zientek, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

TOWN have an £8m prize in their sights as they prepare for the play-offs against Millwall.

Securing a place in the play-off final at Wembley could translate to an extra £500,000 in revenue for the Terriers.

But the big prize of promotion to the Championship would mean more than silverware for the trophy cabinet – it would open the door to generating an estimated £8m for the club’s coffers.

Town commercial director Sean Jarvis said the play-offs would bring a relatively small financial gain to the club – in the form of the sale of merchandise and its share of the proceeds of ticket sales and TV money from the play-offs and the Wembley final.

“A Wembley appearance could generate £250,000 to £500,000 in revenue for the club,” said Mr Jarvis. “But if you are promoted, the potential income is far higher.”

Playing in the Championship would guarantee significant television money. Under its agreement with the Football League, Sky TV would screen two Town home matches – unlike in League I where there is no guarantee of matches being televised.

In addition, Town could realistically expect to boost season ticket sales from about 8,500 at present to about 11,000 or 12,000 in the Championship.

Attendances would also be increased by the prospect of appetising “derby” matches against the likes of Sheffield United, Hull City, Barnsley, Doncaster and Scunthorpe.

The Galpharm Stadium would also expect to see an increase in attendances from away supporters – from an average of about 650 in League I to about 2,500 in the Championship.

Playing host to more away supporters could contribute an extra £500,000 to the club’s finances.

Mr Jarvis said Championship football would also prove a more attractive proposition to potential sponsors and corporate clients.

He said: “We have done remarkably well to sell all 42 hospitality boxes this season – which is a ‘first’ since moving to the Galpharm.

“In the Championship, interest in corporate hospitality and advertising will be heightened further.

“We have already done some deals with people who have been supporting us for a while and a number of other businesses will come on board and use the club as a vehicle to promote their brands, services or companies.