Cricket Australia has released its financial results from the 20/21 financial year, exposing the multimillion-dollar cost of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Cricket Australia spent a whopping $23m on Covid-19 biosecurity measures in the 2020-21 financial year but only recorded a net deficit of $151,000.
A CA spokesperson told NCA NewsWire that chartered flights and the cost of renting out entire hotels were the organisation’s costliest biosecurity expenses last financial year.
Releasing its full financial results at the annual general meeting on Thursday, CA confirmed it recorded a 6 per cent increase in revenue to $414.7m on the previous financial year.
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Despite the hefty financial impact of the pandemic, efficiency initiatives introduced in the 2019-20 financial year allowed CA to deliver $54m in savings.
CA also confirmed it was in the process of identifying its next board chair following the resignation of Earl Eddings on Wednesday. Eddings’ permanent replacement will be finalised by the end of the calendar year.
“Everything that has been achieved in the past 12 months shows not only the resilience of our sport but also what can be done when we work together,” said Richard Freudenstein, who has been appointed Eddings’ temporary replacement.
“This is a clear lesson we have all taken from the pandemic and will remain with us throughout this coming season.
“In the past 12 months, we’ve all faced significant challenges and demonstrated the resilience and collaborative spirit that defines our sport. And here we are now, heading into an Ashes summer and towards a World Cup – we have much to be proud of and a lot to look forward to.”
“In 2020-21, in a world where everyone has faced so many challenges, the collective commitment, resolve and sacrifice from so many people has meant that we delivered an incredible cricket season that gave hope and joy to people all around Australia and around the cricketing world,” CA chief executive Nick Hockley added.
“As we look forward beyond the pandemic, it’s never been more important that we work together across the game to make our sport more inclusive, diverse and sustainable.”
Cricket Australia confirmed that 858,465 fans attended cricket matches over the summer despite caps on attendance and 170,000 games of community cricket were played in Covid-19-safe conditions last financial year.
Last year’s Big Bash League was also the most watched in the 10-year history of the tournament, pulling a total television audience of 44.82 million. A spokesperson confirmed that NSW had the biggest share of viewers — a surge in community Covid-19 transmission prevented games from going ahead in Sydney at all in last year’s tournament.
The WBBL|06 was the most-watched female sporting competition in Australia last financial year, while girls’ registration in club cricket programs increased 17.5 per cent.
In red-ball cricket, 28 of the 31 sessions of the men’s side’s Test series against India attracted average domestic audiences of more than one million.
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