Port Cash Crisis = ? for SANFL Clubs and Comp?

[Apachebulldog]

Spot on cutterman i have been saying the same thing for many years and so have many other posters on this site the AFL experiment in this state is now finally failing the novelty is starting to wear off one of the myriad of reasons is the yearly bastardisation of the rules making it a sanitisied pretty game of football its not original football when you see AFL players getting rubbed out for 1 or 2 games for legitimate bumps and tackles it makes you wonder what the hell is going on the game it is getting softer every year to suit the TV moguls who push this new type of football to the TV masses anyhow everyone knows it really still is the VFL. Thats why a lot of fans are now returning to the SANFL where the real football is still being played.

[LPH]

Hear... Hear.

About time Port People OWNED the problem.
Nice letter Booney.

As for my previous rant; RE: destroy the SANFL, can I say this...

1. My club died as a result of the initial move to join the AFL - so naturally I am anti-AFL & SA's involvement.
2. You can't say that the original effort to leave the SANFL & join the VFL, wasn't about Port looking after Port & 'to hell with the rest of the SANFL clubs'
3. Bruce Webber was YOUR Club President - he was doing the 'backdoor' deals ON BEHALVE of your club.

Now, PAFC is reaping what it sowed - all those years ago.

Sadly, I think it is going to destroy our competition, one way or another - you lot don't care, YOUR club will survive - it survives now because my club & 7 others have poured money into it, have voted to move the playing headquarters, etc.

So do I think that was the plan... it's hard not to because YOUR club survives but mine (as a single entity & the one I grew up loving & playing for) is dead.
Am I bitter? Bloody Oath... & that's the reason I can never be a 'neutral supporter' of your club.
Sorry.

[The Riddler]

My letter to the PAFC :

To the Board and Management of the Port Adelaide Football Club,

Season 2011 has seen the club reach a low point, a low point of which I wished I would never see, but, decades of seeing the club I love reach the heights of repeated SANFL Premierships through to an AFL Premiership give me hope that this can be the time we all look back upon with pride that we were able to see off the tough times to come out the other side a united and stronger club.

With recent support from the clubs AFL licence holder ( SANFL ) and the rallying of sponsors and most importantly members ( 36,000+ ) we, as members, supporters and fans felt the club was heading in the right direction. The "business model", we were told, held us in good stead to turn things around, financially. The "One Club" model was voted on and, much to my delight and satisfaction, passed by the SANFL and the 8 SANFL clubs directors. Finally and for once officially ( not just spiritually ) my Magpies and Power are all under one banner, part of One Club.

With the $4m injection from the SANFL, increased membership, the One Club ticket and a new coach at the helm of our AFL journey we, the members, supporters and fans began to see some positives.

We now hear through absolute media saturation ( and rightly so ) that the club has hit a "cash flow problem" and we have once again put our hand out for help. The SANFL has said no more and, in my opinion, the right people to do this ( the AFL ) have taken over and helped fund our immediate future.

Back to my "business model" comment. My current position with my employer exposes me to day to day running and profitability of a business. When I began in this role I was appointed to assist a relocated Branch Manager ( from Melbourne ) to develop a business model to move from merely a sales branch to a manufacturing facility. In less than 3 years we now have 4 office staff and 9 factory personnel. This is due to sound management, an unrelenting drive to stick to our plan and most importantly, assertive direction from senior management.

What does this have to do with my correspondence today? I fear that our club is being led by people who are not capable of making the tough decisions when needed ( like the choice to reappoint a clearly out of favour Mark Williams ) and by people who do not have the skills to haul our club out of the position we are in.

In my role we do not look to the factory staff to increase our sales, we look to management to set the standards and put procedures and measures in place. This is not happening at Alberton.

I feel that both Brett Duncanson and Mark Haysman are now in an untenable position as they have been given several months to not only implement but use this business model to develop our off field security and have not only failed to do so but have guided us further into a position of instability.

On field the club is at a stand still. Resources afforded to the coaching staff are well publicised as being sub-standard. Thankfully our Allan Scott Headquarters is an astounding facility that at least gives our players and staff a sound platform to work upon. Our off field dilemma has now set our on-field progress back several years and I doubt we will see any finals action in the next 5 or more years. In fact, we could be decades away from being a contender again due to our off field performances.

I am not in a position to demand the resignation of any persons involved in our management team, however I believe the "captain of the ship" has had enough to time to right our course and believe the board should seek to appoint a new CEO and President to lead us into the future.

As a Platinum Member, Season ticket holder, Magpies Member and frequent patron of the Port Club and its facilities I will continue to support the club financially, vehemently defend our honour and heritage and trust the board will make the tough decisions when needed. Now is the time.

*Name and address supplied*

I read the SANFL forum quite a bit and follow all the banter so can I ask is there an apology to Royal City in your letter anywhere Booney?. Cos he said this would happen and you ridiculed him.

[Booney]

Hear... Hear.

About time Port People OWNED the problem.
Nice letter Mal.
As for my previous rant; RE: destroy the SANFL, can I say this...

1. My club died as a result of the initial move to join the AFL - so naturally I am anti-AFL & SA's involvement.
2. You can't say that the original effort to leave the SANFL & join the VFL, wasn't about Port looking after Port & 'to hell with the rest of the SANFL clubs'
3. Bruce Webber was YOUR Club President - he was doing the 'backdoor' deals ON BEHALVE of your club.

Now, PAFC is reaping what it sowed - all those years ago.

Sadly, I think it is going to destroy our competition, one way or another - you lot don't care, YOUR club will survive - it survives now because my club & 7 others have poured money into it, have voted to move the playing headquarters, etc.

So do I think that was the plan... it's hard not to because YOUR club survives but mine (as a single entity & the one I grew up loving & playing for) is dead.
Am I bitter? Bloody Oath... & that's the reason I can never be a 'neutral supporter' of your club.
Sorry.

[Booney]

I read the SANFL forum quite a bit and follow all the banter so can I ask is there an apology to Royal City in your letter anywhere Booney?. Cos he said this would happen and you ridiculed him.

There are very few things I would offer Royal City mate and an apology sure isn't one of them.

[Apachebulldog]

The blame belongs solely with the PORT ADELAIDE FOOTBALL CLUB and not the SANFL it is typical of some Port fans to blame other parties when things get tough how about starting with the PAFC Admin who sold everyone as they say a pig in a poke so much for their new plan a complete lie and failure sack them all.

[The Riddler]

I read the SANFL forum quite a bit and follow all the banter so can I ask is there an apology to Royal City in your letter anywhere Booney?. Cos he said this would happen and you ridiculed him.

There are very few things I would offer Royal City mate and an apology sure isn't one of them.

fair enough Booney...Good to see you dont deny he was correct all along. Nice letter btw!

[Barto]

probably take the Port license from the SANFL and sell it to some corporate high flyer

They cant just "take" it. Where does this idea come from?

They can ; the sanfl currently have the lease on the 2 afl licenses. That lease on the Crows and Ports licenses expires this year .

Interesting. Seems that Port will get their wish.

This scenario is pretty much a fait accompli:

So the AFL say they'll help. No conditions etc yet given. What happens with Vlad opens up with this;

Vlad: "So Duncy, Port Power hey, need money.....mmm....I know a way, you can save 1.3 a year, add that to the 2 mil we have and you've got a deal"

Duncy: "How's that"

Vlad: "Wind up the Maggies"

Duncy: "DEAL!"

If the AFL are the owners of the Port licence and are pumping in funds to keep Port afloat, they're not going to be too keen to finance a club that plays in a different comp.

[Booney]

I read the SANFL forum quite a bit and follow all the banter so can I ask is there an apology to Royal City in your letter anywhere Booney?. Cos he said this would happen and you ridiculed him.

There are very few things I would offer Royal City mate and an apology sure isn't one of them.

fair enough Booney...Good to see you dont deny he was correct all along. Nice letter btw!

Make enough predictions and some of them have to become reality.

[darley16]

The below article from today's "Sydney Morning Herald", together with the statement that part of the agreed terms to bail out Port will be the surrender of both AFL licences back to the AFL until the Adelaide Oval move is complete in order to ascertain Port progress. There goes any dividend back to SANFL clubs, still a number of years away from selling AAMI stadium therefore cash resources drying up, BIG trouble ahead!

Dividing SANFL's money June 1, 2011

THE SANFL - or to be precise, its nine league clubs - owns the licences for Adelaide and Port Adelaide.

It takes 40 per cent of all takings generated by its AFL clubs, including catering and car-parking on match days, and the clubs share the rest. This is after the AFL takes its share from gate-takings.

The SANFL's 40 per cent share is used largely to develop and manage football throughout the state. The system reaped the SANFL clubs millions until attendances began to drop significantly in recent years. They then found themselves suffering because a large share of monies were being used to rescue Port.

The SANFL's cash cow has died. Most of the SA league clubs are struggling to stay afloat, and they have told the SANFL enough is enough.


Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/d ... z1NzWUTasi

[tigerpie]

Im confused
The AFL is going to prop up PP to the tune of 9 million
Should the other clubs get the same monetary infusion ?

Some have in the past
But whaddabout the financial clubs
To me itsa kick in the guts to the financially successful AFL clubs

I demand Collingwood be given $9m also. The Lexus center is looking a little run down.

TSG we actually agree about something re pies should get heaps of money as well.Seems The poorly managed clubs get heaps of money and the well managed get bugger all

AFL is not and never will be a level playing field.its VAFL for a start and they hate south australia.

i'm no doubt/might be off base here but i'll have a crack.
The AFL will bail Port out and in return Port Magpies will fold but be replaced by the Port Power reserves so in effect there will still be a Port side in the SANFL.
So the Crows will get a reserves side in the SANFL...only fair.
This makes it a ten team comp.

And now if the Foxtel Cup comp is expanded to a purely AFL reserves comp that completes the picture.
Division 2 is born!!!!

Outcome is Port are gone from the SANFL and we will lose our good SANFL players to prop up the 2 reserves sides.

Ultimately reducing the SANFL standard of footy once again making our comp weaker.

Objective VAFL complete!!!

Now feel free people to pick this theory to bits i'm all ears.

By the way, Booney, nice letter indeed.

[Barto]

Well done Booney, nice mate.

x 3

[GWW]

Im confused
The AFL is going to prop up PP to the tune of 9 million
Should the other clubs get the same monetary infusion ?

Some have in the past
But whaddabout the financial clubs
To me itsa kick in the guts to the financially successful AFL clubs

I demand Collingwood be given $9m also. The Lexus center is looking a little run down.

Did you say the same thing when Sydney (as well as Brisbane, the Kangaroos and WB) received their financial assistance (not to mention the vast recruiting concessions provided to Sydney and Brisbane)?

[CUTTERMAN]

Yes good letter Booney, good to see an open view on the topic

[nickname]

The below article from today's "Sydney Morning Herald", together with the statement that part of the agreed terms to bail out Port will be the surrender of both AFL licences back to the AFL until the Adelaide Oval move is complete in order to ascertain Port progress. There goes any dividend back to SANFL clubs, still a number of years away from selling AAMI stadium therefore cash resources drying up, BIG trouble ahead!

Where has that statement about the licences been made Darley?
By the way, I don't think that would necessarily be the end of dividends to the SANFL clubs anyway. If the AFL held the licences, the SANFL could presumably then charge the two AFL clubs match day rents for the use of the stadium to make up for loss of revenue, couldn't they? Where else are they going to play until the oval is ready?

[redandblack]

Stop letting facts get in the way of a dozen good conspiracy theories, nickname

[darley16]

Nickname and R&B the below is taken from an article in "The Age" yesterday:-

A probable guarantee that Port can finally get its act together will come when the AFL also takes back its licence from the South Australian National Football League and holds onto it until conditions of a more effective financial framework have been clearly established.

Also, a likely part of the deal is that the AFL will provide independent replacements on Port's board following yesterday's resignation of three members - Darryl Wakelin, due to business reasons, John Hood and Jane Jeffreys.

Included in the package, to be announced by the AFL within a fortnight, will be the SANFL also surrendering Adelaide's licence, which will be given directly to the club to help provide its financial stability.



Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/a ... z1NzqdUbWN

[redandblack]

Thanks for that reference, darley.

I was referring to the end of SANFL dividends and others' theories.

[Sojourner]

Over and over they keep saying "until the move to Adelaide Oval in 2014 / 15". Its interesting that there is not one shred of evidence provided that making the move to Adelaide Oval will increase attendance figures.

if people wanted to see Port play footy games they would be there now, to suggest that Adelaide Oval is better because it has better public transport is ridiculous. Unlike the MCG the trains go to a dead end, there is not even an extension of the Tram planned to Adelaide Oval. Recently at the Fri night 20/20 the roads went into grid lock. Public Transport via the Footy Express to Football Park is actually quite good. The problem is that very few people likely not as many as 1 in 20 bother to use it for the reason that culturally Adelaide people prefer to take the car and go the BBQ in the car park and so on.

If people are seriously stupid enough not to take any action now and just hope that things will get better when the club moves to Adelaide Oval, the club will go bankrupt fairly quickly.

The real issue for both the Crows and the Power is the sheer cost of taking the family each fortnight to the matches. The Global Financial Crisis has seen many people lose their jobs and work elsewhere for less money, or their companies have not been able to give any pay increases at all, one firm I know of its three years this year. That has to cut in somewhere and the entertainment budget is usually the first to get the chop.

Make footy the same price as in Melbourne and things might well change. Until it does the SANFL looks like a far better option for many families and no doubt has something to do with why more and more kids are turning up to footy training in SANFL Guernsey's.

[sjt]

Over and over they keep saying "until the move to Adelaide Oval in 2014 / 15". Its interesting that there is not one shred of evidence provided that making the move to Adelaide Oval will increase attendance figures.

if people wanted to see Port play footy games they would be there now, to suggest that Adelaide Oval is better because it has better public transport is ridiculous. Unlike the MCG the trains go to a dead end, there is not even an extension of the Tram planned to Adelaide Oval. Recently at the Fri night 20/20 the roads went into grid lock. Public Transport via the Footy Express to Football Park is actually quite good. The problem is that very few people likely not as many as 1 in 20 bother to use it for the reason that culturally Adelaide people prefer to take the car and go the BBQ in the car park and so on.

If people are seriously stupid enough not to take any action now and just hope that things will get better when the club moves to Adelaide Oval, the club will go bankrupt fairly quickly.

The real issue for both the Crows and the Power is the sheer cost of taking the family each fortnight to the matches. The Global Financial Crisis has seen many people lose their jobs and work elsewhere for less money, or their companies have not been able to give any pay increases at all, one firm I know of its three years this year. That has to cut in somewhere and the entertainment budget is usually the first to get the chop.

Make footy the same price as in Melbourne and things might well change. Until it does the SANFL looks like a far better option for many families and no doubt has something to do with why more and more kids are turning up to footy training in SANFL Guernsey's.

Agreed. I can only imagine it's not based on crowd numbers (although from memory, for some reason they think there will be an increase). Maybe based on a stadium deal or cost of running a game. At least, i hope they're not relying on an increase in crowd numbers. I reckon they're just trying to get $500 mil from the govt. whilst keeping their footy park assets (land).
Then they can also share maintenance costs with the SACA.