Expansion Media reaction: SL-NRL expansion vs. AFL two-team expansion plans

[Hoops]

Mickey, big fella, no re-writing of history is needed.
This plaque was laid at the MCG in 1958, commemorating the code's 100th year. Just check out that name of the game they celebrated back then:

"Melbourne/Victorian/Australian Rules", "Aussie Rules" ... nicknames given to the game by some journalists which caught on, but officially, Australian Football is its correct term.

That year, a carnival including the then major football States was held in Melbourne to celebrate the game's 100th year. 50 years later, 2008, we're celebrating its 150th.

That can't be right wasn't this whole 150th celebration to rain on the NRL Centenary Parade, Or did we just decide to celebrate the Centenary of Australian Football due to the NRL's 50th birthday bash.

 

[cos789]

Correct me if im wrong but wasnt the average nrl crowd attendance for Round 2 below the season average of last year.

yes

,

 

[can't mark can't kick]

That can't be right wasn't this whole 150th celebration to rain on the NRL Centenary Parade, Or did we just decide to celebrate the Centenary of Australian Football due to the NRL's 50th birthday bash.

the NRL is only 12 years old and didn't exist when the Centenary of Australian Football occurred.
the AFL is 18 years old.
and the sports are Australian Football and Rugby League.
the anniversary has nothing to do with anything other than the accepted date of the first game being 150 years ago.
the only time they fiddled with the dates was whe Ross Oakley decided he wanted to be involved in the centenary (of the VFL not of the game!) but didn't want to work an extra year to wait for the actual centenary to happen.

 

[Sebastian Balboa]

Jeez, how sensitive is Michael Searle, big-wig at the Titans?
Reading this article, his quotes re concerns for Qlder's are a front for his fear.
I'm sure Qlder's can think for themselves without this big sook's holier than thou attitude.

http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2008/04/09/9869_gold-coast-sport.html

 

[cos789]

Jeez, how sensitive is Michael Searle, big-wig at the Titans?
Reading this article, his quotes re concerns for Qlder's are a front for his fear.
I'm sure Qlder's can think for themselves without this big sook's holier than thou attitude.

The way he carries on and his grasp for logic
he could well be littledick's father .

 

[huntos]

Jeez, how sensitive is Michael Searle, big-wig at the Titans?
Reading this article, his quotes re concerns for Qlder's are a front for his fear.
I'm sure Qlder's can think for themselves without this big sook's holier than thou attitude.

http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2008/04/09/9869_gold-coast-sport.html

Typical News Limited paper. I wonder how many times they mention that they have a financial stake in the whole competition.

 

[Ronin]

Demetriou declared the challenge was going to be for the NRL, rugby union and the A-League to match it with the cashed-up AFL when the Gold Coast Football Club enters the competition in 2011.

"The Brisbane Lions in 1999 were one of four clubs (national football codes) in Queensland -- by the end of 2009 they will be one of nine perhaps," said Demetriou.

"We have never been in a better position to capitalise on this opportunity.
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"We have no debt, we will have $40 million in the future fund by the end of the year, we are spending $35 to $40 million every year to develop the game at a grassroots level.

"We see this as a golden opportunity to capitalise when we are cashed up. The challenge is going to be for the other codes in my view."

_________________________________________________



So Alex keeps coming out with gems like this, and no one can respond?

They failed on the Coast once before, it can happen again.

 

[Prince Imperial]

Searle is the one of the private owners of the Titans and has a massive financial interest in bagging the AFL and its expansion club. The AFL, in contrast, have stated that the new club will be a non-profit club controlled and owned by its members. Come 2011, Gold Coasters will have a clear choice between putting money into his pockets or supporting a club that is genuinely representative of its community. No wonder he continues to come out with crap like this and News Ltd who are in the same boat are so eager to promote it.

 

[Sebastian Balboa]

Searle is the one of the private owners of the Titans and has a massive financial interest in bagging the AFL and its expansion club. The AFL, in contrast, have stated that the new club will be a non-profit club controlled and owned by its members. Come 2011, Gold Coasters will have a clear choice between putting money into his pockets or supporting a club that is genuinely representative of its community. No wonder he continues to come out with crap like this and News Ltd who are in the same boat are so eager to promote it.

Yep and yep!

Puts everthing into perspective, doesn't it?

Who owns your team?
By LOUIS WHITE

http://www.insidesport.com.au/is/index?pg=features&spg=0706_Your-Team_10.htm#Gold-Coast-Titans

Gold Coast Titans
Chairman: Paul Broughton
CEO: Michael Searle
Coach: John Cartwright

Who owns the club?
A conglomeration of private owners led by the managing director Michael Searle under the name of Gold Coast NRL Pty Ltd hold the licence. Searle began campaigning to the NRL back in 1999 and was an ex-player with the Gold Coast Giants and Seagulls.

History: The Gold Coast Titans were awarded the 16th club licence by the NRL in 2005. They recruited ex-league and current rugby union player Mat Rogers as one of their star recruits and have a purpose built stadium constructed, with the help of the QLD State Government, that will be ready for use in 2008 to house 25,000 spectators and 2000 corporate sponsors.

 

[huntos]

Yep and yep!

Puts everthing into perspective, doesn't it?

Who owns your team?
By LOUIS WHITE

http://www.insidesport.com.au/is/index?pg=features&spg=0706_Your-Team_10.htm#Gold-Coast-Titans

Gold Coast Titans
Chairman: Paul Broughton
CEO: Michael Searle
Coach: John Cartwright

Who owns the club?
A conglomeration of private owners led by the managing director Michael Searle under the name of Gold Coast NRL Pty Ltd hold the licence. Searle began campaigning to the NRL back in 1999 and was an ex-player with the Gold Coast Giants and Seagulls.

History: The Gold Coast Titans were awarded the 16th club licence by the NRL in 2005. They recruited ex-league and current rugby union player Mat Rogers as one of their star recruits and have a purpose built stadium constructed, with the help of the QLD State Government, that will be ready for use in 2008 to house 25,000 spectators and 2000 corporate sponsors.

Geez he hit it lucky with the state government. He must of been counting the cash as they signed over the millions to make the stadium.

 

[greenhat]

Come 2011, Gold Coasters will have a clear choice between putting money into his pockets or supporting a club that is genuinely representative of its community.

Well the Titans will be a club built on local players, bringing up a large amount of players straight out of the Gold Coast rugby league system. The ones who aren't local will be players who chose to live in and represent the Gold Coast community of their own free will.

The GC AFL team will have a figurehead local boy or two but be a team mostly full of players from random places all over the country with no previous interest in the city or club, who are forced to live in and 'represent' the Gold Coast by the draft.

I know which team I'd consider to be genuinely representative of the community.

 

[Fire]

Well the Titans will be a club built on local players, bringing up a large amount of players straight out of the Gold Coast rugby league system. The ones who aren't local will be players who chose to live in and represent the Gold Coast community of their own free will.

The GC AFL team will have a figurehead local boy or two but be a team mostly full of players from random places all over the country with no previous interest in the city or club, who are forced to live in and 'represent' the Gold Coast by the draft.

I know which team I'd consider to be genuinely representative of the community.

I think I'm on the same page.

It would be the one which the community runs, wouldnt it.

 

[huntos]

Well the Titans will be a club built on local players, bringing up a large amount of players straight out of the Gold Coast rugby league system. The ones who aren't local will be players who chose to live in and represent the Gold Coast community of their own free will.

The GC AFL team will have a figurehead local boy or two but be a team mostly full of players from random places all over the country with no previous interest in the city or club, who are forced to live in and 'represent' the Gold Coast by the draft.

I know which team I'd consider to be genuinely representative of the community.

I'm pretty sure a club which is controlled by the community is more public than a privately owned club which plays in the Murdoch NRL. The people of the Gold Coast actually have a vote to decide the future of their club, not so at Titans Lmt.

Players from all around Australia playing in at different clubs is part of national competition, if you think that Melbourne in the NRL will ever produce a full team on its own in the next 20 years then you properly think that Carlton will win the AFL grand final. The Gold Coast will have Gold Coasters playing for them and representing the city, if you don't support the club because you want the entire team represented by one region then you will find it hard to support any club in Australian sporting leagues.

 

[Rob]

I didn't realisethe Titans were privately owned. Surprised this hasn't been made a point of difference already - amazing how this Searle can have the gall to call them the people can't be bought when you're a privately owned business trying to make a buck.

Membership based non profit club > Privately owned business.

 

[Sebastian Balboa]

I didn't realisethe Titans were privately owned. Surprised this hasn't been made a point of difference already - amazing how this Searle can have the gall to call them the people can't be bought when you're a privately owned business trying to make a buck.

Membership based non profit club > Privately owned business.

Searle's credibility now is shot. Everything the big fella says now, re anti-AFL, must be viewed within the prism of his financial self-interest.

How long to wait for the GC Bulletin to point this out...?

 

[littleduck]

I didn't realisethe Titans were privately owned. Surprised this hasn't been made a point of difference already - amazing how this Searle can have the gall to call them the people can't be bought when you're a privately owned business trying to make a buck.

Membership based non profit club > Privately owned business.

I thought AFL clubs were incorporated entities???

 

[Rob]

I thought AFL clubs were incorporated entities???

Course they are. Doesn't mean they're not not for profit and controlled by members.

 

[littleduck]

Course they are. Doesn't mean they're not not for profit and controlled by members.

All incorporated entities are controlled by their members; at least a majority of members or two-thirds majority or whatever the case may be.

AFL clubs are commercial entities in the same way as NRL clubs. Of course they are for profit, otherwise they risk insolvency and being wound up like any other incorporated entity.

 

[Rob]

All incorporated entities are controlled by their members; at least a majority of members or two-thirds majority or whatever the case may be.

AFL clubs are commercial entities in the same way as NRL clubs. Of course they are for profit, otherwise they risk insolvency and being wound up like any other incorporated entity.

No ld, they're ____ing not. The main difference being the ability of the members/shareholders to rip money out of the company.

Can you seriously not see the difference between a non profit club controlled by it's members and a for profit entity controlled by shareholders?

 

[Professor Knowall]

...Can you seriously not see the difference between a non profit club controlled by it's members and a for profit entity controlled by shareholders?

It doesn't matter if LD doesn't (or says he doesn't). Its sufficient that the rest of us clearly see the difference.

 

[littleduck]

No ld, they're ____ing not. The main difference being the ability of the members/shareholders to rip money out of the company.

Can you seriously not see the difference between a non profit club controlled by it's members and a for profit entity controlled by shareholders?

Yeah, of course there is a difference, but how do you know it applies here?

Who are the shareholders of AFL clubs? Annual memberships do not entitle you to shares.

Surely the objects in the Constitution of Gold Coast Titans RLFC Pty Ltd (or whatever the entity is called), for example, relate primarily to promoting Rugby League on the Gold Coast etc than maximising shareholder value? If so, how is that radically different to AFL clubs?

 

[Sebastian Balboa]

Yeah, of course there is a difference, but how do you know it applies here?

Surely the objects in the Constitution of Gold Coast Titans RLFC Pty Ltd (or whatever the entity is called), for example, relate primarily to promoting Rugby League on the Gold Coast etc than maximising shareholder value? If so, how is that radically different to AFL clubs?

(You've just added to your post...)

The question is: Why are the Titans privately owned if not to maximise Searle's and Co.'s profits? Defeats the purpose if otherwise.

A fundamental difference is the ownership structure and the philosophical difference of the AFL and its clubs.

AFL club ownership, in the main is for the people, by the people.

NRL club ownership is based on private ownership, therefore, individual self-interest (as can be seen by our good friend Michael Searle).

 

[Professor Knowall]

Yeah, of course there is a difference, but how do you know it applies here?

Its simple - its a product of the difference between membership owned clubs and private companies.

Who are the shareholders of AFL clubs? Annual memberships do not entitle you to shares.

Memberships are effectively the shares of the club. If the club was wound up (heaven forbid) and all the assets liquidated, then the members would all be entitled to their share of the proceeds (be it 1/#40,000 for Collingwood for instance). The proceeds won't go for one, or a small number of, private owners (or to its share-holders if listed on the stock exchange, which isn't the case with the Titans).

Surely the objects in the Constitution of Gold Coast Titans RLFC Pty Ltd (or whatever the entity is called), for example, relate primarily to promoting Rugby League on the Gold Coast etc than maximising shareholder value? If so, how is that radically different to AFL clubs?

No, as a private company, the Constitution of Gold Coast Titans RLFC would have no such provision at all (only trusts and clubs have such provisions). A private company exists in a legal sense purely to make profits for its owners e.g. the principal owner of Melbourne Victory, former Hawthorn President Geoff Lord, is not even a soccer supporter. He's only in it for the money. The same applies to the owners of the Titans. However, all the revenue of the AFL clubs is ploughed back into the footy. Huge difference.

 

[numchuks]

Which one's Searle?

 

[Sebastian Balboa]

Which one's Searle?

The chunkier one, on the left.