Following the confirmation of the Government’s Support Package for Sport, Sale Sharks CEO Sid Sutton has made the following statement:
On behalf of everyone at Sale Sharks, I would like to thank the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport for this crucial financial package of support, both for Rugby Union and sport more broadly.
Covid-19 has had a devastating impact on both our club and our local community. The Sport Winter Survival Package from the government will help to ensure our short-term survival, which is vital as we begin a new season. There is no easy solutions to the challenges we face, and we will only be able to secure our long-term future once fans have returned to stadiums.
Whilst seeking Government support was a last resort for us, it provides us a safety net to continue playing over the next few months. There is still a big hill to climb until our long-term financial stability can be secured, but we look at this support from Government as a crucial element of safeguarding the future of Sale Sharks, the work we do in our community and the elite game as a whole.
The Sharks Community Trust support over 10,000 people a year through a variety of health, education and social inclusion programmes and since March have been working to help the most vulnerable in our community through this most challenging of times. I’m incredibly proud of what we do on the pitch, but I’m even more proud of our work off it.
We now look forward to continuing our work with Government, on the next challenge we face – developing a solution that allows fans safely back into our stadium as soon as is possible. Although we are in tier 3 so unable to invite supporters back at this time, we are working tirelessly to prepare the AJ Bell Stadium to be as safe and ready for when we can welcome back the Sharks Family to matchdays.
