Surrey looking at ways to hand value back to members amid disrupted campaign

With no cricket to watch until at least early July, chief executive Richard Gould acknowledged that a proportion of Surrey’s 13,500-strong membership might seek refunds in lieu of the summer disruptions

Richard Gould, Surrey’s chief executive, has told the county’s members during a well-received online Zoom forum that the club is exploring various ways to give value back to them during the coronavirus hiatus.

Gould also reassured members that Surrey’s finances are robust enough to see out the crisis.

With no cricket to watch until at least early July, however – and then a likelihood of behind-closed-doors matches if a late-summer domestic schedule does prove possible – Gould acknowledged that a proportion of Surrey’s 13,500-strong membership might seek refunds in lieu of the summer disruption.

Surrey memberships, excluding junior and student packages, range from £148 to £238 per year, with the top tier including priority access to purchase tickets for England matches at the Kia Oval.

“We need to wait to see how much cricket is played this summer, and if spectators will be allowed,” said Gould.

“Perhaps we’ll only be able to have five or ten per cent capacity when cricket is played. If that is the case then members will be the priority for ground entry – but that is just me second-guessing at the moment because we just don’t know what the situation is going to be from July onwards.

“Whatever happens, we are already investigating ways of getting value to members for this year’s payments because, clearly, we need to keep our members’ cash in the business if we can do so. We had a very good year in 2019, so our cash balance is strong, but we have still had to make some cost-cutting and some reduction in salaries.

“One possibility, now the West Indies Test that we were scheduled to host in early June has been postponed, is that we offer member ticket-holders for that match the chance to buy tickets for next year’s India Test at the same price – thus offering them an immediate discount on what the India Test prices are likely to be.

“Or, we could offer membership discounts in future years. Our whole membership is very important to us – we are a members’ club – so we will be looking hard at what we can do for them and looking at all options.”

^{Surrey have cancelled deals for Michael Neser, Shadab Khan and D'Arcy Short to join the club as overseas players this summer}

The government’s rates holiday measures, as part of the wide-ranging coronavirus business aid scheme, has helped Surrey’s immediate cash flow and they are only one of two counties – Lancashire is the other – who have not chosen to furlough players and support staff.

“We do not feel it is right for the taxpayer to pay our cricketers,” said Surrey chairman Richard Thompson.

Surrey’s Zoom forum, attended by 365 members, featured Gould and Thompson, plus director of cricket Alec Stewart and club captain Rory Burns. Hosted by Jon Surtees, Surrey’s head of communications, who moderated questions both sent in beforehand and during the hour-long forum, the session covered a range of topics from the club’s finances to the likely make-up of a shortened season.

“The forum is exactly the sort of thing we can do at the moment that really does give back value to our members,” said Surtees.

“I think it is something that will be repeated soon because, as our chairman Richard Thompson said, it is a love of cricket and Surrey cricket in particular that brings all of our members together. It was great to see so many familiar faces on the Zoom call – people do feel they are part of a Surrey family, if you like, and it was brilliant to be able to connect with them.”

Gould also confirmed, during the forum, that Surrey’s £31 million redevelopment of the Peter May Stand – the first stage of a significant Oval expansion which also includes a future redevelopment of the Bedser Stand on the other side of the Micky Stewart Members’ Pavilion – has only been slightly disrupted by the coronavirus crisis.

Work has continued throughout March and April, with builders on site and despite some delays in delivery of steel and concrete, and the new stand should be completed by mid-May next year.

“It remains on budget, and all the necessary finance is in place,” said Gould.

Courtesy of the ECB Reporters Network.

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