Is St Kilda in the firing line for relocation?

[Defacto]

If you look at the Saints' annual report for 2014 it becomes quite obvious that the club had an awful year off the field. A few observations:

• Made a loss of $3.9 million.
• Was given $5.3 million in extra funding on top of the base distribution (most for a Vic club).
• Made the smallest amount of revenue in 2014 ($30 million).
• Had the smallest membership base in Victoria (30k).

Now obviously finishing last is a factor here but their figures for 2013 weren't impressive either. So why isn't St Kilda thought of as a relocation team as much as another club like North Melbourne? Is there a chance there might be a push to relocate St Kilda any time soon?

i've noticed port have struggled to post a profit in years and are continuing to post large losses. so why dont the shut down the port licence and create one that more inclusive of SA as a whole?

 

[Young Gun #6]

i've noticed port have struggled to post a profit in years and are continuing to post large losses. so why dont the shut down the port licence and create one that more inclusive of SA as a whole?

That's due to the SANFL taking all of the money we make.

 

[telsor]

Oh, so we are trying. Good.

You're maintaining the status quo...and most of what you wrote was PR crap, not anything that would produce results...Hobart...Yeah, telling the locals you're only there short term/for the money will really win you heaps of fans.

One day they'll decide to stop/reduce funding. If you're not bigger by then, relative to other clubs, you'll die (as a stand alone AFL club).

Nothing you're doing will help that. The plan seems to be to tread water until Docklands is owned by the AFL and then expect everything to miraculously be OK.

 

[Defacto]

That's due to the SANFL taking all of the money we make.

oh ok and that never happened to st kilda?

because you know we havent been paying off a stadium for the last 10+ years have we, that saw our profits absolutely plundered when we were attracting large crowds to our home games

 

[Colonial]

Oh, so we are trying. Good.

Very trying

 

[flamingEMBERS]

Cull WCE and setup 3 clubs in WA from the remains.

I'm sure you wouldn't mind your club dying, for the good of the game, like you seem to expect of Vic fans.

Lel. Cull on of the most successful AFL clubs. A club that is required to financially prop up VFL standard clubs. Where would these poor clubs be without the WCE paying them. I mean thats the sad thing. With our membership base and waiting list you could make 2 clubs, most likely richer than the Kangaroos and other said povo Vic clubs.

I would hate it if my club was culled, but it wont and it isn't really ever going to happen. We are Rich b1tch. Now taking your VFL hat off. For the longevity and strength of our National competition there are too many Melbourne clubs. These fans themselves may find it hard to support another team, but their children will still love the game and find another team. I mean it wouldn't stop me from attending football.

 

[Bojan KantKick]

You're maintaining the status quo...and most of what you wrote was PR crap, not anything that would produce results...Hobart...Yeah, telling the locals you're only there short term/for the money will really win you heaps of fans.

One day they'll decide to stop/reduce funding. If you're not bigger by then, relative to other clubs, you'll die (as a stand alone AFL club).

Nothing you're doing will help that. The plan seems to be to tread water until Docklands is owned by the AFL and then expect everything to miraculously be OK.

We'll be debt free in a couple of years. Once Docklands is AFL owned, clubs that play there will be far less reliant on AFL funding to generate profit. You seem mad that Norf are doing what they can to survive.

The AFL have been very generous this year in allowing us to play Richmond twice. Guaranteed 8 points and further debt reduction. Thanks Gill

 

[Bojan KantKick]

That's due to the SANFL taking all of the money we make.

Why did the Crows break even? Did they sell their bay covers?

 

[Murraj1966]

Lel. Cull on of the most successful AFL clubs. A club that is required to financially prop up VFL standard clubs. Where would these poor clubs be without the WCE paying them. I mean thats the sad thing. With our membership base and waiting list you could make 2 clubs, most likely richer than the Kangaroos and other said povo Vic clubs.

I would hate it if my club was culled, but it wont and it isn't really ever going to happen. We are Rich b1tch. Now taking your VFL hat off. For the longevity and strength of our National competition there are too many Melbourne clubs. These fans themselves may find it hard to support another team, but their children will still love the game and find another team. I mean it wouldn't stop me from attending football.

Pathetic.

This type of attitude is why threads like these are nothing but bait aimed at supporters of smaller clubs, for the purpose of circlejerking supporters of "big" clubs.

 

[Riccardo11]

I hope you're not a Borough member.

We don't need or want elitist Stain Kilda fans on our membership numbers.

I most certainly am, and just as passionate about them as I am the Saints. Elitist is an odd one, never heard it about my AFL team, but you saying who we d and do not "want" as a member feels rather elitist to me, which is not the Borough way I know.

I will buy a membership for whomever I like, I even have the Borough logo as a tattoo. We VFA clubs need all the support we can muster.

 

[Nutsngum]

Lel. Cull on of the most successful AFL clubs. A club that is required to financially prop up VFL standard clubs. Where would these poor clubs be without the WCE paying them. I mean thats the sad thing. With our membership base and waiting list you could make 2 clubs, most likely richer than the Kangaroos and other said povo Vic clubs.

I would hate it if my club was culled, but it wont and it isn't really ever going to happen. We are Rich b1tch. Now taking your VFL hat off. For the longevity and strength of our National competition there are too many Melbourne clubs. These fans themselves may find it hard to support another team, but their children will still love the game and find another team. I mean it wouldn't stop me from attending football.

Actually splitting up the eagles into three smaller clubs that can then regrow again is excellent business. Its well known that the WCE membership is limited by Subiaco so the AFL can now build a couple of more stadiums and allow the membership base to grow. With the additional games now they can make even more money off the tv rights deal.

This just keeps on sounding better and better. I want to applaud you Embers for sacrificing your team for the greater glory of the AFL because afterall, tradition means nothing when MONEY is to be made correct? You basically said it yourself!

 

[Kram]

Thread is pretty shite really..

 

[Young Gun #6]

Why did the Crows break even? Did they sell their bay covers?

They broke even with 60,000 members that's how bad the deal is over there. Surely ironic rife comments coming from a north supporter...

 

[Bojan KantKick]

They broke even with 60,000 members that's how bad the deal is over there. Surely ironic rife comments coming from a north supporter...

The irony is that a supporter of a club which made a multi million dollar loss is talking about other clubs folding/merging/being poor. I recognize the Adelaide Oval deal is BS. The Etihad deal is BS too.

 

[telsor]

We'll be debt free in a couple of years. Once Docklands is AFL owned, clubs that play there will be far less reliant on AFL funding to generate profit. You seem mad that Norf are doing what they can to survive.

The AFL have been very generous this year in allowing us to play Richmond twice. Guaranteed 8 points and further debt reduction. Thanks Gill

I'm mad they're not doing enough.

Docklands being AFL owned wont miraculously solve everyone's problems, and a lot of the 'extra' you do get well be countered by getting less future fund money.

Yeah, you get 2 games, both at your home ground (Seems the AFL thinks you draw less of a crowd than GWS). Results, well, let's see how Dads army holds up.

 

[SpannaMan]

What do people expect the supports to do if their club folds or merges with another? Follow the new merged/relocated club? Follow a different team?

If the Saints left I would stop following AFL altogether. Instead I would follow the A-League. I like what they are doing, it is growing for a reason.

From a business perspective letting any of the current clubs die would not be in the best interests for anyone who follows the sport.

 

[Bojan KantKick]

I'm mad they're not doing enough.

Docklands being AFL owned wont miraculously solve everyone's problems, and a lot of the 'extra' you do get well be countered by getting less future fund money.

Yeah, you get 2 games, both at your home ground (Seems the AFL thinks you draw less of a crowd than GWS). Results, well, let's see how Dads army holds up.

So we'll be less reliant on the AFL if at all to generate a profit. Every team receives afl distributions.
There's only so much norf, the dogs and the Saints can do. There's a good reason for equalization. As for results, i wonder if Petrie will milne Rance again. Would make it 4 years straight. Dad's Army is better than recycled duds. Richmond should be playing all their games at Etihad.

 

[Falchoon]

You quite obviously charge too much for memberships.

St Kilda had basically the highest "revenue per member" result the past two years, so you are obviously charging the ones you do have too much.

Or not offering 3 game memberships to inflate the numbers.

Membership numbers need a FTE equivalent.

 

[Falchoon]

As for the saints, after a decade of success you commence your rebuild with a massive financial hole and a 20% fall in membership. If you can't get fans becoming members after multiple finals appearances, what will it take?

That decade of success saw the base membership move from sub 20k to approximately 30k.

No point measuring off the peak, that will come in the next cycle.

 

[Young Gun #6]

The irony is that a supporter of a club which made a multi million dollar loss is talking about other clubs folding/merging/being poor. I recognize the Adelaide Oval deal is BS. The Etihad deal is BS too.

I was simply replying to a comment saying the reason we lost money last year was because we have the worst stadium deal in the afl.

Didn't need your snarky comment about bay covers considering your club is in no shape or form to speak when you were this close to being relocated to Gold Coast.

 

[Matt Stevic]

What do people expect the supports to do if their club folds or merges with another? Follow the new merged/relocated club? Follow a different team?

If the Saints left I would stop following AFL altogether. Instead I would follow the A-League. I like what they are doing, it is growing for a reason.

From a business perspective letting any of the current clubs die would not be in the best interests for anyone who follows the sport.

This is the obvious point all the death riders miss.

 

[ApplecrossWC]

Sunshine Coast Saints?

Nah, I'd rather see the back of the Dogs, Dees, and definitely Norf long before the Saints.

Be good to move Richmond. So many years of failures and piss poor efforts, they definitely deserve it.

 

[joop]

Lock this, it's getting painful.

 

[Walter Sobchak]

Maybe they can relocate to Fitzroy

 

[Chadwiko]

Lel. Cull on of the most successful AFL clubs. A club that is required to financially prop up VFL standard clubs. Where would these poor clubs be without the WCE paying them. I mean thats the sad thing. With our membership base and waiting list you could make 2 clubs, most likely richer than the Kangaroos and other said povo Vic clubs.

I would hate it if my club was culled, but it wont and it isn't really ever going to happen. We are Rich b1tch. Now taking your VFL hat off. For the longevity and strength of our National competition there are too many Melbourne clubs. These fans themselves may find it hard to support another team, but their children will still love the game and find another team. I mean it wouldn't stop me from attending football.

What an absolute load of crap. So many of you WA supporters have this big chip on your shoulder about the "VFL", when in reality the only ones who care about WA v VFL nonsense are people in WA.