Staggies' top-flight survival 'worth £4m to the local economy'
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ROSS County’s survival among Scotland’s elite football clubs could be worth an extra £4 million to the local economy.
Victory on Sunday at Motherwell sealed the deal, sparking joy among the Staggies’ faithful after a nail-biting final day fixture.
The success of manager John Hughes' men will have positive repercussions far beyond the confines of Dingwall's Victoria Park, where 53 full- and part-time staff and players are employed.
Tony Mackay, an economic adviser to the World Bank and the European Commission, underlined the importance of Premiership status to Dingwall and the wider Ross-shire economy.
Had the club taken the drop, its economic input locally would have been slashed up to two-thirds – from around £6 million to £2 million.
Mr Mackay said: “Ross County playing in the Premiership next season has big financial and economic benefits for both the club and the local economy.
It is difficult to assess fully at the present given the impact of the pandemic and ban on spectators attending games. Hopefully, restrictions will have been lifted for next season.
“County’s turnover in the 2019-20 financial year was just over £3 million. They employed about 35 people, including 25 first team players and 10 other staff. Economists often use a multiplier methodology to estimate the local economic impacts, including the company’s purchases of goods and services, and the spending of employees and spectators locally."
He estimates an annual income of over £6 million support of around 70 local jobs, as well as the intangible benefits of media publicity.
Relegation would have meant a "huge fall" in spectator numbers and the significant loss of TV revenue.
The club's chief executive officer Steven Ferguson acknowledged: “As a football club, we understand our importance to our area.
“Safety this season has ensured that we’ve now been a Premiership club for nine of the past 10 years. That means we have contributed hugely to the local economy and that’s part of our strategy as a club.Wherever we can, in areas like hospitality or work on the ground, we use our sponsors and other community-based companies.
“There would be a huge difference financially had we fallen into the Championship.Being a provincial community club in the Premiership brings huge challenges, but it gives us a far more solid base to do what we do within the wider community.”
Sean Kennedy, licensee at the Mallard pub for the last five years, normally provides hospitality for thousands of visiting and local fans, given the popular watering hole’s proximity to the stadium.
He said: “I was like everyone else, biting my fingers watching the final game. I’m thrilled they’ve managed to stay up.It is a huge boost - probably the difference between us keeping 12 employees here instead of eight.
“The year they dropped to the Championship, the impact was very noticeable. It also had knock-on effects for fellow Dingwall businesses.All anybody can do now is keep fingers crossed fans are allowed back into stadiums come the new season as they have been sorely missed by everybody this past year.”
Long-standing Dingwall councillor Margaret Paterson, a Ross County life member, said: “I’ve rarely seen so many happy faces walking about Dingwall.
“It is great for the economy and great, not only for our supporters, but for others who want to come here to see their own team visiting.
“It is just fantastic, and I’m so proud of how they delivered on the day.We know how busy the shops are when there’s a big team in town, how busy the caravan site and hotels are with people coming to stay overnight. They go and shop and eat locally. People make a weekend of it.
“This is just amazing for everyone connected to the club and it brings a tremendous feelgood factor to the community.
“After what we’ve been through, football is great for people’s mental well-being.”
More about Ross County from the Ross-shire Journal
