Port Cash Crisis = ? for SANFL Clubs and Comp?

[csbowes]

I've read this whole thread with great interest and have a few comments...

Port Adelaide knifed the SANFL back in the day and so blah blah whinge whinge cry cry toss the toys out of the pram

Seriously.

Take a look around you at who you were going to the footy with and/or discussing the footy with back in the 1980's. How many of those so-called fans walked away from their SANFL clubs to support the stupid Crows? I loved talking about Sturt with my mates who followed Norwood, Port Adelaide, West Torrens and so on... where are they now?

They follow the AFL... wouldn't even know what is going on in the SANFL. So regardless of whether Port Adelaide got the ball rolling, which led us to where we are now with piss poor attendances and media coverage, it was the fans that walked away from the SANFL.

Port Adelaide presidents and board members did not run around to the houses of the 50,000 or so fans who used to attend SANFL games each week and bop them one to stop them from attending. The fact is people had a choice and they chose to ditch the SANFL.

Port Adelaide were just given $4 zillion dollars recently and they've blown it like complete losers!

I agree.

BUT...

Port Adelaide didn't go to the ATM and withdraw the cash. They asked a bunch of supposedly well-informed business type people representing our clubs for money and each of them dipped into their pocket and handed it over.

Asking Port Adelaide why they're so stupid is like getting hold of that Nigerian guy and asking him what he did with your wife's money, I think most of us would be asking our wife why she gave the money in the first place!

Fool me once, shame on you... fool me twice, shame on me.

So... maybe we should be directing our questions and/or criticisms to our own presidents and board members and asking them why we should continue to trust their business acumen.

I'm not trying to defend Port Adelaide or admonish them from any blame with regards their current financial predicament, but I think it's a bit too easy to point the finger at them as the centre of everything that is evil and nasty in the AFL. I'm a great believer that the AFL is presenting us with a sanitised p*** poor product and we need a good round of witch burnings to sort it out, but that said our league, our footballing public have the power to improve things considerably.

Unfortunately Crows and Power supporters have walked away from the clubs they supposedly support, just like they did when they walked away from the SANFL many years ago and that has hurt the 11 clubs (once 12) of this state.

[csbowes]

... and if people want me to give a tirade, I'll gladly speak about North Melbourne.

I've always supported the Roos but even the Power have a way to go before they reach the depths of business stupidity that we seem to have reached over the years. Despite some facilities improvements, we seem to repeat time and time again our tried and true business plan of exchanging bags of money for magic beans...

[LPH]

csbowes...

I wonder if you would have the same view had YOUR club been FORCED to merge with North in the mid-90s?

[Booney]

csbowes...

I wonder if you would have the same view had YOUR club been FORCED to merge with North in the mid-90s?

You spend lots of time telling everyone how you are the WWT Eagles and get cranky at any mention of hybrids or merger, yet take almost every opportunity to go back to that time. No wonder you're still bitter.

[redandblack]

Good post, otr and I agree with most of what you've said, except for your 'solution'.

Perhaps we'll debate that later rather than take this off topic.

[Booney]

Agreed, good post otr.

Do you truly believe the SANFL would thrive if it were to be a stand alone competition with little influence from the AFL? For instance, if all support from the AFL was withdrawn in SA, from Auskick to SANFL league clubs, how would we fare here?

If you want to "break away" then you cant have it both ways. ( Any AFL involvement in SA at all )

[Dogwatcher]

Two article discussing Port on a national site:

http://www.theroar.com.au/2011/06/02/po ... ls-armour/

http://www.theroar.com.au/2011/06/02/ha ... vant-club/

[Pseudo]

I have read this thread with interest since since this story broke as well as "thepowerfromport" forums and "Adelaide Now" comments.

[... good stuff trimmed ...]

TIME TO ACT NOW before it is too late!

A perfect post, unerring in accuracy and infallible in content.

[Pseudo]

csbowes...

I wonder if you would have the same view had YOUR club been FORCED to merge with North in the mid-90s?

You spend lots of time telling everyone how you are the WWT Eagles and get cranky at any mention of hybrids or merger, yet take almost every opportunity to go back to that time. No wonder you're still bitter.

At least his mob merged with another SANFL team....

[Pseudo]

Do you truly believe the SANFL would thrive if it were to be a stand alone competition with little influence from the AFL? For instance, if all support from the AFL was withdrawn in SA, from Auskick to SANFL league clubs, how would we fare here?

The AFL would be shooting itself in the foot, since it is ultimately the AFL which would benefit from football development in this state. All AFL clubs take players from SA. The sooner the SANFL administration realises this, the sooner it might wean itself off the AFL-dollar teat... and develop the proper nonchalance to implied AFL threats of funding withdrawal.

[redandblack]

And how specifically would you have weaned the SANFL off the AFL-dollar teat, Pseudo.

And what major issues have the AFL affected the SANFL badly?

Genuinely interested.

[Aerie]

On The Rails, good post but it opens up more questions than it answers. I'd like to know more.

Yes, me too.

[Booney]

And how specifically would you have weaned the SANFL off the AFL-dollar teat, Pseudo.
And what major issues have the AFL affected the SANFL badly?

Genuinely interested.

I too wait with interest.

Oh, and just for the record, I dont think the AFL is going anywhere...

[darley16]

To respond to ONR post of ACT NOW BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE all posters on this site should immediately email their respective clubs CEO's and ask,
"In light of recent event surrounding AFL involvement in Port Power:
1) What strategies are in place to protect the on-going viablity of both our club and the SANFL competition?

2) What collective actions are to be taken against media misrepresentation of the facts concerning the distribution of dividends from the 2 AFL clubs to SANFL clubs?

It's time to protest loudly and now to our clubs and the SANFL commission, maybe mods could start a site designated towards this end?

[Aerie]

To respond to ONR post of ACT NOW BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE all posters on this site should immediately email their respective clubs CEO's and ask,
"In light of recent event surrounding AFL involvement in Port Power:
1) What strategies are in place to protect the on-going viablity of both our club and the SANFL competition?

2) What collective actions are to be taken against media misrepresentation of the facts concerning the distribution of dividends from the 2 AFL clubs to SANFL clubs?

It's time to protest loudly and now to our clubs and the SANFL commission, maybe mods could start a site designated towards this end?

Great idea darley. Would love to see a non-biased review of what the hell is going on with some honest answers from all parties involved. Obviously would be a massive job, but maybe a list of questions could be collated from readers here for our clubs CEO's, the Crows & Power CEO's, the SANFL and the AFL. We need to see the bigger picture.

There is a lot at stake here. Anyone that makes a living out of the AFL (directly or indirectly) seem to be biased in their views (or need to be) so it would take a collective effort from respected people from this site to illustrate what exactly is going on.

[oldfella]

On radio talking about the Power last night the "Foundation"? was mentioned and quickly hushed up?

What is this?

[Booney]

On radio talking about the Power last night the "Foundation"? was mentioned and quickly hushed up?

What is this?

Shhh! Dont speak of it.

[nickname]

On radio talking about the Power last night the "Foundation"? was mentioned and quickly hushed up?

What is this?

It's the thing that's crumbling.

[LPH]

csbowes...

I wonder if you would have the same view had YOUR club been FORCED to merge with North in the mid-90s?

You spend lots of time telling everyone how you are the WWT Eagles and get cranky at any mention of hybrids or merger, yet take almost every opportunity to go back to that time. No wonder you're still bitter.

I am surprised that you don't get it, Booney.
Let's say Port Magpies were forced to merge - for sake of argument, with West.
The merged entity is known as the West Adelaide Magpies.
Assuming you have NO interest in AFL, would YOU support the 'new' club or go & support Glenelg, Norwood, Centrals or one of the other clubs?

Would you have had me support one of the other 8 clubs?
I am against ALL FORCED MERGERS - in fact I supported Sturt's efforts to stand alone in the mid 90s, by contributing financially.

Ask a Fitzroy Fan if they are happy with what happened to their club in Melbourne - hang on, wasn't it said same club that caused their demise also?? Hmmm... call me a cynic but this is also the club that said, nay categorically stated they would have 35K+ every week to the footy.
How is PAFC any different to the basket case that Fitzroy were supposedly considered.

What annoys me most is people on here say things like... "spit the dummy", "caved in", "gave up", etc. when referring to West Torrens merging with Woodville. Let's be straight here, it was a FORCED MERGER because of the fear that the competition was going to die. Our $300 000 debt appears somewhat like 'chicken feed' compared to the MILLIONS that the SANFL are continually paying out to Port.

Does that make me bitter?
Damn Right!

[Wedgie]

Assuming you have NO interest in AFL, would YOU support the 'new' club or go & support Glenelg, Norwood, Centrals or one of the other!

I would support one of the other 8 clubs.
If North and Sturt had merged they would have been my most disliked club in the competition.