RANGERS' Commercial and Marketing Director James Bisgrove gave an interview to Rangers TV as the club were honoured by the UK Government in London.
Here is what he had to say.
It speaks volumes about the power of this football club to be invited to such an event.
Fantastic event. For us to be hosted here by the UK Government celebrating 150 years of the football club, of this great institution, to be able to host a number of our partners here is brilliant. A real, real honour for us. To be here in London as a Glasgow and Scottish club but as a proud British club is important for us to be here in London and be present. I think we’re well aware there are a number of English Premier League clubs that have got headquarters here in London but are not based in London so for us to be here is really, really positive.
In general terms, how do you reflect on another year of growth within the football club?
It’s been a positive year for us, it’s been a really good year in terms of commercial revenue and it terms of commercial growth. I spoke back at the AGM in November 2021 and I set out what was our benchmark, our target if you like in what was the revenue figure that we wanted to reach which was £27.9 million. In previous years before Covid, we were around £13/14 million so we set a really high bar. We’re delighted that we reached that and actually exceeded it as well and that’s really thanks to our different commercial operations so our group of sponsors, the backing we get from hospitality clients, the backing we get from supporters through buying retail products, going on stadium tours and the Rangers Soccer Academy.
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That’s brilliant because that gives us a real platform to move forward and grow for next season. We’re looking ahead to next season with a lot of excitement. We’ve got the new Edmiston House now that’s picking up pace and will be ready by the end of the year with the club museum. We’re enhancing a lot of facilities at Ibrox such as the Blue Sky Lounge restaurant which will be a brilliant facility and a lot of the basic facilities as well for supporters to make sure that that matchday experience at Ibrox is as good as it possibly can be. For that commercial pillar to be performing really, really well, to be growing sits alongside the other pillars. The matchday revenue and season tickets sold out again in record time for this time of the season which was phenomenal. The backing this club gets is second to none, it’s really unparalleled. There are the broadcast revenues through European football. The run to Sevilla was obviously remarkable on the pitch but what that allowed us to achieve off the pitch was equally important and then the player trading which has again started to come to fruition. The work that Ross Wilson’s doing and the recruitment team so all of those pillars are now working in unison and it gives us a great base in terms of the revenue of the club. It’ll be at a level which it has possibly never been at before. Profitability and financial health give us a real stable footing for next season. That’s the work off the pitch and ultimately that’s all to the benefit of the team that will come out on a Saturday at Ibrox and hopefully perform well next season.
How fantastic is it to be able to bring, particularly new partners like Boxt to something like this to really demonstrate what this club is all about?
That’s really important for us. The Boxt guys are here, our new sleep partners next season, we’ve got existing partners like the guys from Kindred Group, Malton Brown and Lucozade. The guys are here in terms of their headquarters and their base so to be able to come to their home and spend some time with them is brilliant. Also to meet potential partners, that’s why there are Premier League teams not based in London have got their commercial operations here in London. It’s great for us at the right time to be in London, to meet the right people and no better occasion than this evening. The Houses of Parliament are over there hosted by the UK Government, 150 years of the club, it’s fantastic, it really is.
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