Bohemians are a financial monster in League of Ireland and will only get stronger

EVEN BEFORE A ball has been kicked in anger in tonight’s Dublin derby with St Patrick’s Athletic some might say it’s been a supersonic week for Bohemians.

Yeah, we’re really not good at puns. Goodbye I’m going home.

Once again the League of Ireland club broke the internet with the unveiling of their FAI Cup jersey for this season.

In collaboration with Oasis – whose famous logo will adorn the front – Bohs will hope to wear the blue kit all the way to glory in the Aviva Stadium showpiece. “All profits from the shirt will be split between Bohemian FC and two charities,” the press release said, detailing how 50% will be split evenly between Music Generation Ireland and Irish Community Care Manchester (ICCM).

The promotional video feature Paul Weller, current Bohs player Jordan Flores and former teammate Paddy Kirk was filmed at the CrossGuns Snooker Hall at the top of Whitworth Road. Plenty will be wearing the jersey as they head down from that direction to see Oasis in Croke Park next month.

Naturally, some rival supporters took the opportunity to deride the collaboration and wonder about what possible link Oasis have to Bohs to warrant such a jersey.

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That completely misses the point.

The question should be how have Bohs managed to get Oasis to even consider such a crossover?

It’s because the League of Ireland club have successfully promoted their message of compassion, inclusivity, community and respect across the globe.

And in the process they have also been able to completely transform their own finances.

In an interview with Businessplus.ie in May, chief operating officer Daniel Lambert detailed the following;

a 2,000% increase in merchandise revenue since 2015

€2 million of their €4.5m turnover last year came from merchandise, compared to €100,000 in sales back in 2014.

the club previously sold an estimated 100 away jerseys per year, they now sell up to 30,000 shirts per year with ambitions to double that figure

Lambert concluded by insisting that once the fan-owned club eventually move into a redeveloped Dalymount Park – they will remain in situ for an undefined period of time in 2026 – the expectation is to sell out the 8,000-capacity ground every home game, doubling current ticket income levels.

“And if we do, we’ll have a higher average attendance than anyone else in the division,” Lambert said.

Now on Sale: Our 2025 FAI Cup Shirt, a very special partnership with @oasis , designed by BFC and produced by @oneillssportswear

All profits from the shirt will be split between Bohemian FC and two charities. Fifty percent (50%) of the profits from the shirt will be used by… pic.twitter.com/OGTXtCAvkE — Bohemian Football Club (@bfcdublin) July 1, 2025

“I think we would be in the best financial position in the league by a distance. We should be [able] to put out a top three budget every year, and break even or make a profit.”

As the current rise in commercial income suggests, Bohs are already becoming a financial monster in the League of Ireland and they way things are now going on the pitch it looks as though they are only going to get stronger from here.

The day before the Oasis news, the signing of striker Douglas James-Taylor was confirmed by the club. The 42 understands Derry City were also pushing hard after they missed out on Moses Dyer from Galway United.

On Wednesday, it was then announced that Lys Mousset has departed by mutual consent. The former Sheffield United forward was the highest profile arrival into the league during the winter when it emerged that he had been recommended to Bohs by Ruaidhrí Higgins via his old Blades teammate and Republic of Ireland international John Egan.

The Mousset signing was a worthwhile gamble on a player beset by injury and fitness issues. Crucially, it wasn’t a move out of desperation in an attempt to try and entice crowds or create the kind of vacuous excitement that dissipates after the first few bad results.

It definitely wasn’t done to try and shift shirts.

What Bohs are doing is built on much stronger foundations and the progress off the pitch has also allowed for the finances required to put structures in place to support greater cohesion on the pitch.

Take the last couple of weeks. Maybe if Bohs weren’t in such a healthy financial state then players could be picked off by rivals. James Clarke is wanted by English League Two side Grimsby Town but Bohs have been able to reject a bit deemed insufficient.

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Also, The Beat has learned of one German Bundesliga 2 club making contact about the availability of captain Dawson Devoy. As it stands, that inquiry was knocked back out of hand by the club as they do not want to sell their skipper.

Indeed, no bid is understood to have yet been made and even though there are others monitoring how the midfielder’s situation develops it is not believed that any move is imminent.

That is because Bohs are in rude financial health and can’t be pressured or panicked into accepting an offer that doesn’t meet their value.

Would that be the case if commercial activities weren’t providing such a support?

A win away to St Pat’s tonight – Bohs will actually be wearing the Oasis kit – would also see them go nine points clear of the Saints with two games in hand, and depending on Derry City’s result at home to Waterford Alan Reynolds’ side could end the night in second place.

European qualification will be vital for the progress of this team, with the prize money that flows adding to a strength that none of their rivals can match off the pitch.

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