Latest news with #TomGreatrex
The Herald Scotland
02-07-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
ScotGov warned nuclear stance is costing jobs and economic growth
And he says it could create thousands of new, highly-skilled jobs in Scotland while also delivering clean, secure and more affordable energy for working people. It comes as the MP visits Torness Nuclear Power Station in East Lothian and he wants Scotland to follow countries such as Denmark, Italy and Belgium in changing their views on nuclear energy. Mr Murray said: 'In other parts of the UK, the UK Government is driving forward nuclear power, as are countries across Europe and indeed the world. But in Scotland the Scottish Government clings to its ideological objection to new nuclear sites. Read More 'That means that Scotland is being left behind, missing out on thousands of skilled jobs and economic growth, as well as clean affordable energy. I urge the Scottish Government to put Scotland's interests first.' Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive of the Nuclear Industry Association said: "Nuclear in Scotland will bring jobs and growth as well as a constant supply of secure, reliable and clean electricity that complements other low carbon sources. 'As countries around the world are increasingly embracing nuclear as an integral part of achieving energy security, decarbonisation and minimising the exposure to the volatility of fossil fuel prices. The Scottish Government's refusal to countenance replacing Torness when it retires in a few years is indicative of a fundamental lack of seriousness of policy." Sam Richards, CEO of pro-growth campaign group Britain Remade, said: 'Scotland is being left behind. While countries like Sweden and Finland embrace clean, reliable nuclear energy - the Scottish Government clings to its outdated ban on new nuclear. If nuclear industry jobs and investment are banned from coming to Scotland, they will go to these places instead. 'Torness has powered homes and supported jobs for decades, but a lack of certainty over its future puts this in jeopardy. Renewables are vital, but wind and solar can't do it all. Scotland needs nuclear to provide jobs and investment, deliver secure domestic energy, and cut emissions. Most Scots and even most SNP voters back it. It's time for ministers in Edinburgh to stop saying no and start saying yes to new nuclear.' Torness is due to stop generating by March 2030, having been up and running since 1988. The power station currently employs around 550 full-time EDF employees plus more than 180 full-time contract partners. Staff are to be given an opportunity to retrain ahead of its closure in 2030 with the power station among the largest employers in the south-east of Scotland.
The Herald Scotland
27-06-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Nuclear industry says ScotGov green plans are 'fraud' with jobs for England
But they say that while the Scottish Government's anti-nuclear policy is in place, a new Torness nuclear plant would never start until possibly four other projects in England and Wales get under way. And they warn that with no nuclear - power will "inevitably" have to be imported from England when Scotland is short of power due to 'unreliable' renewable sources such as wind and solar which are dependent on the weather. It comes as the lifetime of the Torness nuclear power station was extended to 2030. Previously, it had been announced that the power station, which employs about 550 full-time EDF employees alongside more than 180 full-time contract partners, would stop generating power in 2028. But the future of nuclear in Scotland has been nipped in the bud with the NIA fiercely critical of the First Minister for being "hopelessly ideological and anti-science" after he said last year he was "not a fan" of the business and that he "never have and never will" support investment in such power plants. John Swinney had been responding to calls to lift the ban on nuclear fears grow over hundreds of jobs being lost and skilled workers leaving Scotland for overseas. But the NIA strongly criticised his comments telling the First Minister that he was "setting his face against reality" and that Scotland's nuclear power stations have saved more carbon "by far" than "any other source in the nation's history". GMB Scotland had made a direct appeal about the future of nuclear to deputy first minister Kate Forbes after Hunterston B nuclear power workers' representative David Ferguson issued a warning to colleagues about the decline of nuclear and the loss of skills. Kate Forbes Mr Swinney had said the country should "focus on creating clean, green, renewable energy resources". But Tom Greatrex, chief executive of the NIA argues that Torness could and should be the starting point for new nuclear that would create thousands of jobs and generate billions in investment to Scotland. But Tom Greatrex, chief executive of the NIA argues that Torness could and should be the starting point for new nuclear that would create thousands of jobs and generate billions in investment to Scotland. The former Labour MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West, who was shadow energy minister for nearly four years, says it can only happen if the Scottish Government ideology changes. He said opponents of a Torness B propose that there is no new nuclear in Scotland, which he said would lead to an "invevitable" shortage of power that would have to be imported from south of the border which he said meant "jobs for England, not for Scotland". "The Scottish Government's 'fraud' to the people of Scotland is its 100% renewables energy policy which completely discounts the only source of clean power that is available 24/7 purely based on ideology. More and more countries are turning to nuclear as part of a global trend because they know it's the only viable path to energy security and a secure economy," he said. "Torness should be at the heart of Scotland's clean power plans alongside renewables because it would create thousands of good, skilled, well-paid jobs, revitalising its industrial heartlands and bring billions in investment to the Scottish economy. READ MORE on the Future of Torness series: "Because of the Scottish Government's no nuclear policy it means that projects in England and Wales have a head start, but it's not too late, because a new Scottish nuclear project would benefit from all the learnings from those projects, adding to the already world-class nuclear expertise is has and keep those workers in Scotland rather than losing jobs south. "That is all possible with one policy change based on science and facts, on common sense rather than ideology. Scotland has benefited from nuclear for over six decades, and still does today, but before long it will lose it all. Importing nuclear from England will prop up the grid, but if Scotland wants the enormous economic shot in the arm that nuclear brings, then it needs to build its own new stations." He said the anti-nuclear ideology would leave "Torness like Longannet coal station, the Ravenscraig steelworks, the Greenock dry dock, relics of an industrial past and a bitter reminders of a future foreclosed by a lack of vision". RavenscraigHe added: "We can choose a different way: long-term investment starting today, in jobs, in 24/7 clean power, in opportunity for our children and for coming generations. A bet not on the weather, but on the skill, ingenuity and commitment of the Scottish people to deliver. That is a bet I would take any day." According to the NIA, Scotland's nuclear power stations have generated enough electricity since the first was opened at Chapelcross, Dumfries and Galloway in 1959, "enough to save 400 million tonnes of carbon emissions and power every home in the country for 70 years". They have stated that Scotland's last remaining nuclear power station, Torness, is the largest, cleanest and most reliable single generator in the nation. It was estimated last year that the industry sustains 3,700 direct jobs with more than £400 million total added value to the Scottish economy. The NIA says that at more than £100,000 per worker, they are more than twice as productive as the national average. And they say the jobs has been concentrated in poorer areas, with 48% of direct jobs in the most deprived 25% of local authorities, and 24.5% in the most deprived 10%. The Scottish Government, while ruled by an SNP-Green co-operation arrangement, has been steadfast in its opposition to nuclear, believing that it is not environmentally sustainable and "isn't required" while a climate target of reaching net zero by 2045 remains. Net zero describes a state where emissions of greenhouse gases due to human activities, and removals of these, are in balance over a given period. In 2016, nuclear power stations provided 42.8% of the electricity produced in Scotland. There were in 2019 two nuclear power stations in Scotland owned by French energy giant EDF that generated electricity: Hunterston B in Ayrshire which started generation in 1976 but shut down for the final time in 2022 after generating electricity for 46 years. There are four closed sites in Scotland that have been in the process of being decommissioned - Dounreay in Caithness; Hunterston A and B in Ayrshire and Chapelcross in Dumfries and Galloway. A Scottish Government spokesman said: 'The Scottish Government is focussed on supporting growth and creating jobs by capitalising on Scotland's immense renewable energy capacity rather than expensive new nuclear energy which takes decades to build, creates toxic waste which is difficult and costly to dispose of and does not generate power at a cost that will bring down energy bills. 'Significant growth in renewables, storage hydrogen, carbon capture and decommissioning are key opportunities for our future energy workforce in Scotland – with independent scenarios from Ernst and Young (EY) showing that with the right support, Scotland's low carbon and renewable energy sector could support nearly 80,000 jobs by 2050."
Telegraph
18-06-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Championship to flood Boxing Day and New Year's Day in Premier League absence
The English Football League will stage a full programme of Boxing Day fixtures after the Premier League scrapped the long-held tradition. Telegraph Sport has been told the EFL will do the same on New Year's Day, which has also been left clear for now by the world's richest league. All 72 EFL fixtures across both days will be televised live for the second successive season. There are likely to be some Premier League fixtures on Boxing Day and New Year's Day once Sky Sports and TNT Sports make their broadcast selections for match rounds currently scheduled for Saturday, December 27 and Tuesday, December 30. And while the scrapping of the Boxing Day round of games will rankle with some traditionalists, it may be welcomed by many match-going fans given most trains do not run on that day. Tom Greatrex, the chair of the Football Supporters' Association, told Telegraph Sport: 'With the increasingly rare ability to use any sort of public transport on Boxing Day – there are very few trains – in many ways the 27th is probably better. 'Although it's obviously long been a traditional day where there have been fixtures, I'm not sure necessarily there'll be the same level of concern about that given how difficult it's been to get to Boxing Day fixtures frequently.' Greatrex said the FSA members had been more upset about the likes of Tottenham Hotspur vs Newcastle United, and the reverse fixture between the teams, being scheduled in a midweek match round. When is EFL fixture release day? The Championship will release their fixtures on Thursday June 26 alongside League One and Two at noon. League One and Two get under way over the weekend beginning August 1. The Championship will start a week later on August 8-10. The EFL will also announce the draw for the first round of the Carabao Cup at 2.30pm after the announcement of the fixtures and the groups for the Vertu Trophy at 4.40pm. EFL key dates 2025/26 Fixture release date: Thursday 26 June 2025 at 12.00pm EFL Opening Weekends League One and League Two: Friday 1 August – Sunday 3 August Championship: Friday 8 August – Sunday 10 August Final games of the regular season May 2-3 2026. Carabao Cup Round One Draw – Thursday 26 June 2025 Round One – Weekend 11 August 2025 Final – Sunday 22 March 2026 Vertu Trophy Group Stage Draw – Thursday 26 June 2025 Matchday One – Weekend September 1 2025 Final – Sunday 12 April 2026 Play-offs Championship Play-Off Final – Saturday 23 May 2026 League One Play-Off Final – Sunday 24 May 2026 League Two Play-Off Final – Monday 25 May 2026
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How much do Premier League clubs make from tickets?
Football fans can be tribal. But when it comes to ticket prices, there is unity. "We are all fighting the same fight on ticket prices," said Manchester United Supporters' Trust CEO Duncan Drasdo. "Clubs are exploiting loyalty and fans are united in saying enough is enough." When 19 of the Premier League's 20 clubs raised their ticket prices before the 2024-25 season, the Football Supporters' Association (FSA) launched a campaign called 'Stop Exploiting Loyalty'. Those protests have grown again this season, with some clubs removing concessionary discounts for the elderly and young people - and teams like Arsenal announcing increases for 2025-26. The cost of competing for trophies, increasing operational expenses, and the threat of complying with financial regulations, have all been given as reasons for price hikes. BBC Sport has analysed a new Uefa report showing the league's financial power and how much clubs make from tickets - but also the challenge of increased staffing levels and expensive running costs. Premier League clubs made a total of almost 1bn euros (£830m) from selling tickets to home matches in 2023, Uefa's European Club Finance and Investment Landscape report shows. That figure is growing by about 10% per year, and is almost double that of Spain's La Liga (£481m) and Germany's Bundesliga (£430m). The report uses a mixture of full financial reporting of more than 700 clubs for 2023, plus 2024 figures from 130 of Europe's biggest clubs. Of the 10 clubs who generated the most income from gate receipts in 2024, six are English. The same six Premier League clubs feature in the top 12 for another ticketing metric, which measures the money earned per fan, per ticket. "What the figures show is that English top-flight clubs are doing very well financially in a whole number of different metrics," says Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA. "Healthy ticket revenue shows people are wanting to go - but also shows the ratcheting up of ticket prices in the past few years. That is manifesting itself in the protests and disenchantment we've seen." The report also points out that "stadium expansions and/or increases in premium seating and hospitality have also doubled gate revenues at Paris St-Germain, Bayern [Munich], Liverpool and Manchester City since 2009". Arsenal and Tottenham's positions are helped by sales of high-value hospitality seats at modern stadiums in London - one of the world's most-visited cities. "What we have seen clubs do through stadium expansion is a huge focus on those seats being hospitality," says Dan Plumley, senior lecturer in sport finance at Sheffield Hallam University. "On a basic financial level it makes sense, because you can generate more from that than a baseline seat. "But if that is stopping your more average fan getting a ticket, that is something clubs are going to have to grapple with." The report states the average amount made per fan from tickets is £29-£37 "for the majority of clubs". Fans from four rival clubs to protest at ticket prices Man Utd fans criticise ticket prices - as club reveals manager change costs Premier League ticket price rises - what the fans think The Uefa report paints a similar picture to other research such as the annual Deloitte Money League - with Premier League clubs bringing in far more revenue (£6.2bn in 2023) than other European leagues. However, English clubs reported a combined loss of £728m before tax. TV rights deals are showing signs of plateauing, so clubs need to maximise matchday income and commercial and sponsorship revenues to try to offset significant spending on transfers, wages and running costs in order to turn a profit. The report outlines some eye-watering spending figures: Premier League clubs spent £4bn on player wages in 2023, almost double second-placed Spain (£2.1bn). Four European clubs have squads that cost more than 1bn euros (£830m) to assemble by the end of 2024, and all are English - Chelsea (1.7bn euros/£1.4bn), Manchester City (1.3bn euros/£1.1bn), Manchester United (1.1bn euros/£920m), and Arsenal (1bn euros/£840m). Chelsea's 2024 squad was found to be "comfortably the most expensive ever assembled", 24% higher than the previous record - the 2020 Real Madrid squad. The report also says Chelsea spent almost 2bn euros (£1.7bn) in transfer fees in the five-year period to 2024. Four of the five most profitable clubs - by pre-tax profits - in 2024 were German: Bayern (£53m), Borussia Dortmund (£41m), Lazio (£34m), Leipzig (£31m), Eintracht Frankfurt (£27m). Three of the five least profitable clubs in 2024 - by pre-tax losses - were English: Juventus (£164m), Chelsea (£93m), Aston Villa (£84m), Roma (£63m), Liverpool (£55m). Plumley says: "Each individual club will have its own reasons for doing it, but raising ticket prices doesn't shift the dial massively in terms of the overall picture of the finances. "I get that costs have gone up, we understand that side of the equation, but this is where it really grinds with fans." Manchester United's controversial plans to make up to 450 redundancies, cut about 39% of its workforce and "return the club to profitability" have put a sharper focus on how many people are actually needed to run a football club - and the operating costs involved. While transfer spending remains a club's biggest outgoing, the report says high inflation in areas such as utilities, plus the wages spent on more employees to expand commercial activity, is biting. Operating costs have risen by 12% across Europe, with a total of £1.5bn spent in the Premier League in 2023, almost £500m higher than second-placed Germany Operating costs plus non-player wages absorb just under half the revenue of big-five European league clubs In 2024, six Premier League teams featured in the top 10 for money spent on operating costs. "Operations costs have increased - that's fair," Greatrex says. "But increasing ticket prices way beyond the level of inflation, year after year, which is what has started to happen with most clubs in the Premier League - and then trying to claim that PSR or financial fair play are the reason - is the clubs treating people as though they're idiots." Salaries paid to non-footballer staff members have also risen sharply. The average top 20 club in Europe has 970 full-time employees - Barcelona have the most with 1,781 Four Premier League teams have more than 1,000 full-time employees - Man Utd, Brighton, Liverpool and Man City Premier League clubs employed a total of 11,081 full-time employees by the end of 2023 English top-flight clubs paid a total of £1bn in non-player wages in 2023. That total, which includes wages paid to staff members such as coaches, media departments and ticket office personnel, is more than twice that of second-placed Germany There was 19% inflation on non-player wages across Europe in 2023 and for the biggest clubs, head coach wages rose on average 21% in 2024 That compares to a more modest average growth of 4.5% in player wages in 2024, which the report said was "essential for financial stability as clubs struggle with strong inflation". The logic behind the rise in staffing numbers varies per club. Brighton, for example, employ a notoriously vast recruitment and scouting operation. The report states that employee growth can be explained by clubs' desire to wring more from commercial and sponsorship deals. Across Europe, income from commercial and sponsorship deals has risen by 39% since 2019. "Commercial income is almost untapped in terms of potential and there is no restriction on the number of deals you can sign," Plumley says. "But you have to throw more resource at that. "There are more roles now in football clubs than ever before. Some of them are quite forward thinking. "It's a natural consequence of how the game has evolved, because everyone is pushing for growth, growth, growth."
BBC News
06-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
How much do Premier League clubs make from tickets?
Football fans can be tribal. But when it comes to ticket prices, there is unity."We are all fighting the same fight on ticket prices," said Manchester United Supporters' Trust CEO Duncan Drasdo."Clubs are exploiting loyalty and fans are united in saying enough is enough."When 19 of the Premier League's 20 clubs raised their ticket prices before the 2024-25 season, the Football Supporters' Association (FSA) launched a campaign called 'Stop Exploiting Loyalty'.Those protests have grown again this season, with some clubs removing concessionary discounts for the elderly and young people - and teams like Arsenal announcing increases for cost of competing for trophies, increasing operational expenses, and the threat of complying with financial regulations, have all been given as reasons for price Sport has analysed a new Uefa report showing the league's financial power and how much clubs make from tickets - but also the challenge of increased staffing levels and expensive running costs. How much do clubs make from ticket sales? Premier League clubs made a total of almost 1bn euros (£830m) from selling tickets to home matches in 2023, Uefa's European Club Finance and Investment Landscape report figure is growing by about 10% per year, and is almost double that of Spain's La Liga (£481m) and Germany's Bundesliga (£430m).The report uses a mixture of full financial reporting of more than 700 clubs for 2023, plus 2024 figures from 130 of Europe's biggest the 10 clubs who generated the most income from gate receipts in 2024, six are English. The same six Premier League clubs feature in the top 12 for another ticketing metric, which measures the money earned per fan, per ticket. "What the figures show is that English top-flight clubs are doing very well financially in a whole number of different metrics," says Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA."Healthy ticket revenue shows people are wanting to go - but also shows the ratcheting up of ticket prices in the past few years. That is manifesting itself in the protests and disenchantment we've seen."The report also points out that "stadium expansions and/or increases in premium seating and hospitality have also doubled gate revenues at Paris St-Germain, Bayern [Munich], Liverpool and Manchester City since 2009". Arsenal and Tottenham's positions are helped by sales of high-value hospitality seats at modern stadiums in London - one of the world's most-visited cities."What we have seen clubs do through stadium expansion is a huge focus on those seats being hospitality," says Dan Plumley, senior lecturer in sport finance at Sheffield Hallam University. "On a basic financial level it makes sense, because you can generate more from that than a baseline seat. "But if that is stopping your more average fan getting a ticket, that is something clubs are going to have to grapple with."The report states the average amount made per fan from tickets is £29-£37 "for the majority of clubs". How strong are Premier League clubs financially? The Uefa report paints a similar picture to other research such as the annual Deloitte Money League - with Premier League clubs bringing in far more revenue (£6.2bn in 2023) than other European English clubs reported a combined loss of £728m before rights deals are showing signs of plateauing, so clubs need to maximise matchday income and commercial and sponsorship revenues to try to offset significant spending on transfers, wages and running costs in order to turn a report outlines some eye-watering spending figures:Premier League clubs spent £4bn on player wages in 2023, almost double second-placed Spain (£2.1bn).Four European clubs have squads that cost more than 1bn euros (£830m) to assemble by the end of 2024, and all are English - Chelsea (1.7bn euros/£1.4bn), Manchester City (1.3bn euros/£1.1bn), Manchester United (1.1bn euros/£920m), and Arsenal (1bn euros/£840m).Chelsea's 2024 squad was found to be "comfortably the most expensive ever assembled", 24% higher than the previous record - the 2020 Real Madrid squad. The report also says Chelsea spent almost 2bn euros (£1.7bn) in transfer fees in the five-year period to of the five most profitable clubs - by pre-tax profits - in 2024 were German: Bayern (£53m), Borussia Dortmund (£41m), Lazio (£34m), Leipzig (£31m), Eintracht Frankfurt (£27m).Three of the five least profitable clubs in 2024 - by pre-tax losses - were English: Juventus (£164m), Chelsea (£93m), Aston Villa (£84m), Roma (£63m), Liverpool (£55m).Plumley says: "Each individual club will have its own reasons for doing it, but raising ticket prices doesn't shift the dial massively in terms of the overall picture of the finances."I get that costs have gone up, we understand that side of the equation, but this is where it really grinds with fans." So how many staff does it take to run a club? Manchester United's controversial plans to make up to 450 redundancies,, external cut about 39% of its workforce and "return the club to profitability" have put a sharper focus on how many people are actually needed to run a football club - and the operating costs transfer spending remains a club's biggest outgoing, the report says high inflation in areas such as utilities, plus the wages spent on more employees to expand commercial activity, is biting. Operating costs have risen by 12% across Europe, with a total of £1.5bn spent in the Premier League in 2023, almost £500m higher than second-placed GermanyOperating costs plus non-player wages absorb just under half the revenue of big-five European league clubsIn 2024, six Premier League teams featured in the top 10 for money spent on operating costs."Operations costs have increased - that's fair," Greatrex says. "But increasing ticket prices way beyond the level of inflation, year after year, which is what has started to happen with most clubs in the Premier League - and then trying to claim that PSR or financial fair play are the reason - is the clubs treating people as though they're idiots."Salaries paid to non-footballer staff members have also risen average top 20 club in Europe has 970 full-time employees - Barcelona have the most with 1,781Four Premier League teams have more than 1,000 full-time employees - Man Utd, Brighton, Liverpool and Man CityPremier League clubs employed a total of 11,081 full-time employees by the end of 2023English top-flight clubs paid a total of £1bn in non-player wages in 2023. That total, which includes wages paid to staff members such as coaches, media departments and ticket office personnel, is more than twice that of second-placed GermanyThere was 19% inflation on non-player wages across Europe in 2023 and for the biggest clubs, head coach wages rose on average 21% in 2024That compares to a more modest average growth of 4.5% in player wages in 2024, which the report said was "essential for financial stability as clubs struggle with strong inflation". The logic behind the rise in staffing numbers varies per club. Brighton, for example, employ a notoriously vast recruitment and scouting report states that employee growth can be explained by clubs' desire to wring more from commercial and sponsorship Europe, income from commercial and sponsorship deals has risen by 39% since 2019."Commercial income is almost untapped in terms of potential and there is no restriction on the number of deals you can sign," Plumley says. "But you have to throw more resource at that."There are more roles now in football clubs than ever before. Some of them are quite forward thinking."It's a natural consequence of how the game has evolved, because everyone is pushing for growth, growth, growth."
