Insufficient Funds

[Xàbia Shrimper]

The winners of the 2006 LDV Vans Trophy Final will lose out on £50,000 in prize money because the competition has lost its sponsor. LDV has been sold off after going into administration last year and the new owners will not be providing the cash. A Football League spokesman said the issue is "under review" but no decision is likely before Swansea and Carlisle meet at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium. The competition will now be known as the Football League Trophy.

Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins told BBC Wales Sport they have not received any money for progressing through the competition and he expects to lose out on an estimated £75,000 if they win on Sunday.

"Unless a last-minute sponsor comes in for the actual game on the day, we have to accept we're going to struggle to get any prize money from it. The players are on bonuses to get through to the final, and those bonuses are based on prize money so this does hit our earning power on the day. But we have a commitment to honour the bonus contracts so obviosuly we'll do that."

Despite the loss of a sponsor, both clubs are still set for a bumper pay-day on Sunday because they will receive 45% of the total gate receipts. Swansea have already sold 22,000 tickets and Carlise expect to break the 13,000 barrier this week.

 

[Bluemoon_Adam]

Funny that, I thought the pride and glory of playing in a final would be payment enough.

Shame about the sponsor but did they only enter the competition for the financial reward? As the article says, it isn't as if they haven't commercially benefited from their run.