LOSS ON SOCCER TOUR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21596, 14 September 1933, Page 11

LOSS ON SOCCER TOUR

VISIT TO AUSTRALIA REPORT BY MANAGER CRITICISM OF ARRANGEMENTS [by telegraph—own correspondent] ■WELLINGTON, Wednesday Further details in connection with tho recent tour in Australia by the New Zealand Association Football team were given at a meeting of the council .of the New Zealand Football Association in a supplementary report on the tour by Mr. H. L. Godber, who acted as manager. \ "The Australian Soccer Football Association has stated that the financial loss on the tour was caused by the indifferent form of the New Zealand team," said Mr. Godber. "In my opinion, the form of the team had very little effect on the financial result, and if it had the Australian Association must take a share of the blame for tho manner in which the itinerary was arranged." He believed one of the chief causes of the failure was the depression in Australia, especially in mining and industrial areas, where there was a great deal of unemployment. Ground Charges Too High

At matches in many centres thera had been large crowds outside' the grounds, and these, Mr. Godber had been informed, were composed of unemployed men unable to afford the price of admission. He had been told by several club secretaries that gate-tak-ings during the past few years had decreased very heavily, now being in the region of one-fifth of the former totals.

"The ground charge of Is 6d was, in my opinion, too high considering the abnormal times," Mr. Godber remarked. "That amount, added to the cost of transport to ground, must have appreciably affected the gates, particularly in the centres referred to." Another cause of the financial loss Mr. Godber considered to hare been lack of an adequate publicity campaign to advertise the tour. Several mediums of publicity had been untouched or were not sufficiently used. "As far as I know, there were only two wipdow displays in the whole of Sydney, and both these arranged by me without expense or trouble," he said. He suggested calico signs should be used, but he, had not heard of this being done. Advertising in connection with the floodlight game had been very poor. The Laundry Charge

A complaint had been received from the Australian Soccer Football Association regarding the laundry charge, £32, incurred on the tour, and Mr. Godber expressed a very definite opinion on the subject. "I am of opinion that the complaint in trivial and in bad taste," he said, "as I saved the Soccer Association over £SO in travelling expenses and gave them an extra game." He stated that the gate at the additional match had produced £45. The complaint which was referred to by Mr. Godber was embodied in a letter received at, a recent meeting of the council from the Australian body. In connection with the finance of future tours, the finance committee reported that it considered the first charge on profits, if any, of £ return visit by an Australian team must, be assembly charges incurred during the present season by the New Zealand Football Association. Regarding any suggestion of dividing profits after such charges had been met, the committee was of opinion that the matter would be best discussed at the time when officials from Australia were visiting the Dominion. Australia should be advised that though the New Zealand ■ Association lost money during the 1922-23 season series, no appeal had been made to the Australian body for losses to be met. It considered that the following causes contributed to the loss on the recent tour: —The present economic stress, the tour taking place too early in the season, the New Zealand team being called upon to play hard games at the commencement of the tour, inadequate publicity, and players' allowances, which were too high.

The meeting adopted the reports o: Mr. Godber and the committee.

A special meeting of the New South Wales State Soccer League, held in Sydney recently to consider the best method of liquidating the loss of £6ll in connection with the recent New Zealand tour, decided that the clubs must pay their quotas within 14 to 28 days. Air. Roy Drury, who is also secretary of the Australian Soccer Football Association, tendered his resignation as secretary of the New South Wales State League, owing to the unsatisfactory position created by the New Zealand tour and the lack of assistance from the clubs of the Sydney jurisdiction. The delegates accepted his resignation, and the subject was deferred for consideration within the next month. Mr. Drury stated that his resignation had been tendered only after mature consideration. He was emphatic that it would not be withdrawn.