Leicestershire CEO Sean Jarvis has published an open letter to club members, warning that the club's future could be "very bleak" unless membership numbers increase.
In a lengthy document shared on X (formerly Twitter), Jarvis praised the club's recent achievements and pointed to examples of players produced who have gone on to represent England or England Lions over the last 12 months, such as Rehan Ahmed. He also highlighted the club's winning campaign in the One Day Cup last year and semi-final performance this year, as well as improved returns in the T20 Blast and County Championship. However, Jarvis also warned that the club's future was in jeopardy unless more people purchase memberships.
"For the Club to continue to compete and develop talent that our city and county can be proud of, including further development of homegrown players, we, quite simple, need more members," Jarvis wrote. "While we have a very loyal and supportive fanbase, the numbers are not sufficient for us to deliver our ambitious plans and continue to strive for more trophies. I would go so far as to say, that if we do not see an upturn in membership, the future of the Club could be very bleak.
An open letter 🦊 pic.twitter.com/ssHboAYjid
— Sean Jarvis (@SeanMJarvis) August 19, 2024
"Consequently, I want to be clear in my message: If the people of Leicestershire want a successful first-class Cricket team, then please support us... Finally, please support us and don't let the so-called bigger clubs dominate. By supporting the Foxes, you'll not only be keeping cricket alive in Leicestershire, but also championship a team proud of its county roots and determination to entertain."
Jarvis has been vocal in the past about Leicestershire's struggle to stay afloat. Earlier this year he warned that selling off The Hundred to private investors could be county cricket's "Premier League moment", widening the gap between the richer counties and those like Leicestershire. He was also a critic of Andrew Strauss's High Performance Review and the changes it sought to make to the county game.
After they were knocked out of the One Day Cup last week, and having missed out in a spot in the quarter-finals of the T20 Blast, Leicestershire's remaining action this summer will be in the second division of the County Championship, where they currently sit in fourth position having won two out of their nine matches.
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