Airtricity League clubs have suffered a major blow after the prize fund for the Premier and First Divisions was slashed by 65 per cent.
The FAI used a short press release to announce the damning news that could spell disaster for many cash-strapped clubs.
In 2009, Premier Champions received €280,000 for finishing in top place. Last year’s Premier Champions Shamrock Rovers received a cash injection of €200,000.
Whichever team finishes top of the Premier Division this year will only win €100,000.
The First Division will also see the prize fund slashed. Derry City received €50,000 for finishing top of the table in 2010, but their successors will only receive €25,000.
The further down the table you go, the worse it gets. Any team finishing below seventh in the Premier Division or below fourth in the First Division will receive a paltry €5,000.
In total, the Premier League and First Division clubs will share a total pot of €314,500 in 2011. Last year the pot was €911,000.
Worryingly, many clubs have yet to receive their 2010 prize money.
“The FAI confirmed that it has concluded meetings with clubs and consultation with representatives from the other strands of the game about te 2011 prize fund for the Airtricity League,” the FAI statement read.
“The clubs have made significant reductions to their cost base over recent seasons, particularly in the area of player and staff salaries and the 2011 prize fund has also been revised downwards, as indicated to clubs during recent meetings.”
In addition to these cuts, the clubs’ Promotion Officer programme will no longer be part FAI funded (costing each club a further €15,000) and the FAI Cup has also seen its pot cut from €60,000 to €50,000.
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