Fifty Years of Progress 1880-1930

A REVIEW OF THE FINANCIAL SIDE OF THE A.A.A. Fortunately, only once in the annals of the Association has a call, or "Athletic Rate," as it was then termed, been made, and that was after the first Championship Meeting held in I 880. There was a loss of £3 I 2s. 2d., but, true to the spirit in which the Association was founded, the furtherance of Amateur Athletics-with finance the secondary con– sideration-the following year, when the Championship Meeting was held at Birmingham, and a substantial profit of £325 r7s. was made, the "Athletic Rate" imposed in I 880 was repaid, and once again " all square" was called. It may be interesting to show the first Accounts of the Association, which consisted of the Championship Meeting only. It was, however, stated that of the deficit of £3 r 2s. 2d. a sum of £r 2 is. was expended on objects not immediately connected with the Championship Meeting. FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP MEETING AT LILLIE BRIDGE, Saturday, July 3rd, and Wednesday, July 7th, I 880 RitCll:IPTS. Share of Gate Money . Sale of Programmes Entrance Fees Deficit [. 29 II 20 31 s. 3 II 0 2 EXl'itNDITURE. d. 0 Advertisements in Newspapers 0 Printing and Posting Large 0 Bills 2 Printing Rosettes, etc. Band R. Rogers for Timing . Stationery, Stamps, etc. Prizes [. s. ti. 17 4 0 IO 4 0 18 9 6 I 7 3 8 r6 0 I 0 0 3 18 5 30 17 0 [.gr r6 2 [.91 16 2 It was extremely hard luck at the start of the Association's work to have receipts of about £60 only for a Championship Meeting, and it would certainly not go very far under the present conditions. The Second Championship Meeting at Birmingham in r88r resulted not only in a fine athletic meeting, with the American athletes, Myers (the quarter-miler) and Merrill (the walker) competing, but in a splendid financial success, which for some time relieved the Executive from anxiety. Here are the figures in summarised form :- RECEIPTS. EXPENDITURE. [. s. d. £ s. d. Entrance Fees 18 IO 0 Ground Expenses I IO 0 IO Gate Money and Sale of Medals 54 15 6 Tickets 5 2 5 5 II Printing 29 15 0 Programmes . 42 17 6 Advertisements 47 19 6 Secretary's Accounts 18 5 7 260 16 5 Profit 3 2 5 17 0 £586 13 5 £586 13 5 95