Castleford Tigers have announced a loss of over £1.5 million in their latest financial reports, though the club have put it down to a ‘process of rebuilding’.
It’s that time of the year when many Super League clubs are filing their financial reports via government website Companies House, with Wigan Warriors among the recent teams to confirm major losses of around £4.5 million.
In contrast, Castleford’s £1.5 million deficit doesn’t seem anywhere near as significant but it is still substantial and whilst club owner Martin Jepson is a wealthy benefactor, he’s not as wealthy as the Warriors’ owner Mike Danson.
The Tigers’ end-of-year financial report also came with a strategic report, attributed to owner Martin Jepson, in which he confirms the 2025 season as a disappointing one that ‘fell below the ambitions established for the playing group and reinforced the need for further change and investment’.
On the club’s finances, the report read: “Turnover remained broadly consistent at £4.302m, compared with £4.274m in FY2024. However, increased expenditure resulted in a loss before taxation of £2.025m, compared with £1.167m in the previous year. The loss after taxation was £1.596m.
“These figures represent a significant loss and are not a sustainable long-term position. They should, however, be considered within the context of a club beginning to address years of underinvestment and structural weakness. New ownership and leadership recognised that maintaining the historic operating model would not provide a route to sustainable growth.”
The statement would add: “FY2025 [Financial year 2025] therefore carried significant short-term financial pressure while the club began creating the assets, systems and capability intended to support stronger future revenues and a more sustainable operating model.”
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Castleford Tigers’ financial report explores weaknesses and developments
The report also commented on the club losing their IMG Grade A status, citing lower attendances, poor on-field performance and therefore lower social media engagement as three key reasons why the club’s score dropped.
It also confirmed that the strategic work started in 2025 is part of a plan that continues through until 2028 with the goal being to ‘established a more professional organisational model’.
“The 2025-2028 strategy identified years of neglect, outdated facilities, limited revenue
streams and insufficient investment as weaknesses, while recognising opportunities through new ownership, stronger staffing, regeneration funding, commercial partnerships and digital engagement,” the report explained.
It concluded: “The difficult on-field season and IMG result also exposed where further investment was required. Rather than obscuring those weaknesses, the year made them measurable and allowed the new leadership to prioritise the next stage of change.
“If 2024 was about stabilising Castleford Tigers and protecting its future, 2025 was about beginning the difficult process of rebuilding the club beneath the surface.
“The objective was no longer simply to survive. It was to create the infrastructure, leadership, culture and commercial platform required for Castleford Tigers to become a sustainable, ambitious and successful modern sporting organisation.
“The physical and organisational foundations established during FY2025 provided the platform for a significantly accelerated programme of investment, professionalisation and growth during FY2026.”
