The newest team in the Super 14 rugby union competition, Western Force, is on track to lose AU$2.8 million this year. The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper today carried a report from the West Australian newspaper that Western Force's poor finances mean it is at risk of going under.
The Sydney Morning Herald says the loss follows a failed sponsorship with fuel technology company Firepower, and poor crowds at the team’s home ground, the Subiaco Oval, due to its unsuitability for watching rugby. Membership of the club has nearly halved since 2006 and the average home attendance over the same period has fallen by nearly 10,000.
Western Force will play at a new venue next year, which should help its finances. However the West Australian reports that this will not have a great impact unless the West Australian government comes up with AU$73 million promised in 2004 to upgrade the new ground and increase capacity from 18,000 to 25,000.
