Press conference : 5:45pm

[GoNorth]

Desperate times, desperate measures and all that.

Chances are that the peeps offering the funds now would probably have never suggested we can have their filthy lucre in previos circumstances.

I know our frustrations are directed at previous boards but maybe we need this tipping point crisis to get our collective arses into gear.

I see your point. If this crisis has resulted in getting everyone to rally, then it will have all been worth it.

It still would be nice to have new, commited (to Melbourne) blood in admin/running the board, though. How well did JB speak in comparison to our previous chairmen? He is definitely chairman material.

(I was a little bit disappointed to hear JB say that he wasn't sure that Arch should join the board, though).

 

[pharro]

Well, AD considers Sydney, Brisbane, Tasmania, Darwin, Canberra and anywhere else a club that had any roots at any point in time as a Melbourne game. Lions fans get to see one of their "Melbourne" games in Tasmania.

And likewise the Tasmanian Govt has paid bucketloads of cash to play against Melbourne teams only to be saddled with "South Melbourne and Fitzroy". We are dealing with liars.

 

[Wednesday]

Somehow I am not particularly consoled by the fact that a Gold Coast football club will be membership based. Seriously... does anyone else care about the ownership of a Gold Coast football club? Do you think that's the important issue?

I would like to say to WANM or anyone else hoping to speak with Demetriou and his co-peanuts, please DO NOT discuss ownership of the club until we have secured our Melbourne future.

Most on here would prefer the club to be owned by shareholders in Melbourne over ownership by members on the Gold Coast however until the shareholding is disbanded completely we will always be one shifty deal, or large cheque away from the Gold Coast.

Those putting up the money (JB's backers and the AFL) would not be handing over their millions to a company owned and controlled by others so most likely there has already been a deal done with the shareholders.

 

[sutcliffe's hotel]

$100 million to prop up a franchise on the Gold Coast

Watching North Melbourne survive and thrive in Melbourne - priceless

 

[Horace]

Apparently the offer is worth about 100 million and includes seven games in Melb for next 10 years and six from there on.

They can offer us a billion if they want, 7 games a year back to 6 a year is a token effort compared to the 14 we get next year in Melbourne so they can take their offer and shove it up whoevers a*** is closest by.

This is without any doubt the same deal as South Melbourne and Fitzroy and is exactly what I have said all along. Anyone who follows the club if it goes to the GC (I will not be one of those) can look forward to being a part time supporter.

In the case of Brisbane this year, 6 games in Victoria, plus if I am not mistaken 2 games of free to air TV, all up 8 games "live" out of 22. Be able to spend more time in the garden watching the weeds grow assuming it hasn't completely stopped raining by then.

How disgracefully bad is that?

 

[Z_K]

Most on here would prefer the club to be owned by shareholders in Melbourne over ownership by members on the Gold Coast however until the shareholding is disbanded completely we will always be one shifty deal, or large cheque away from the Gold Coast.

Those putting up the money (JB's backers and the AFL) would not be handing over their millions to a company owned and controlled by others so most likely there has already been a deal done with the shareholders.

Save the club first, shareholding stuff later. Surely, surely, this can be agreed upon now.

 

[windsock]

What about Syd Barker night (if it will still becalled that?). Home finals? Functions like the Shinboner do from a couple of years back? Members cocktail parties? Sponsors pie nights?

To me the $100 million offer doesn't even register. It's the plan to keep us in Melbourne that I find exciting. As painful as this whole process has been, perhaps it's what we needed to get our acts together (and by 'our' I mean supporters, admin, board, everyone).

 

[Bonz]

They can offer us a billion if they want, 7 games a year back to 6 a year is a token effort compared to the 14 we get next year in Melbourne so they can take their offer and shove it up whoevers a*** is closest by.

This is without any doubt the same deal as South Melbourne and Fitzroy and is exactly what I have said all along. Anyone who follows the club if it goes to the GC (I will not be one of those) can look forward to being a part time supporter.

In the case of Brisbane this year, 6 games in Victoria, plus if I am not mistaken 2 games of free to air TV, all up 8 games "live" out of 22. Be able to spend more time in the garden watching the weeds grow assuming it hasn't completely stopped raining by then.

How disgracefully bad is that?

brisbane had 5 games free to air this year 3 were live

 

[Kangalicious]

Most on here would prefer the club to be owned by shareholders in Melbourne over ownership by members on the Gold Coast however until the shareholding is disbanded completely we will always be one shifty deal, or large cheque away from the Gold Coast.

Those putting up the money (JB's backers and the AFL) would not be handing over their millions to a company owned and controlled by others so most likely there has already been a deal done with the shareholders.

You're right. Most likely a deal has been done.

So please, please can we all put the shareholding issue aside for a fortnight and concentrate on relocation??

 

[Manbearpig]

The passion of hundreds of thousands of North Melbourne supporters is not worth $100M. Not for sale.

Who in their right mind thinks that a club could be succesful up at that shit hole?

 

[NimChief]

Apparently the offer is worth about 100 million and includes seven games in Melb for next 10 years and six from there on.

And you can guarantee that those 6 Melbourne games will turn into 6 Victorian games (one will be at Geelong).

So eventually we will end up with 5 games in Melbourne.

I feel ill

 

[londonrooboy]

Sorry all just waking up in Eurpoe to all this! Has anyone recorded the press conference and if so could they post it onto youtube or on here.

Cheers all and NORTH MELBOURNE IN MELBOURNE FOREVER

 

[Tas]

Most on here would prefer the club to be owned by shareholders in Melbourne over ownership by members on the Gold Coast however until the shareholding is disbanded completely we will always be one shifty deal, or large cheque away from the Gold Coast.

Those putting up the money (JB's backers and the AFL) would not be handing over their millions to a company owned and controlled by others so most likely there has already been a deal done with the shareholders.

While I do want to have the club return to member control, I think it needs to be done properly so we are not put at risk of a hostile takeover.

If we have 22,000 members the day before the membership cut-off date then Southport could buy 88,000 memberships and have the voting power to remove the board, put in place a Southport board, move the club to the Gold Coast and ammend the constitution so we can never get the club back.

That would cost them $13.2 million, less than the anticipated value of an AFL license which is estimated at $20 million.

Something as simple as changing the voting rights so a member has 1 vote for each year of membership over a 5 or 10 year period would raise the cost of a hostile takeover up too high to be remotely practicle.

I don't mind us having a shareholding, I just think the way it was implemented was disastrous. I think we could follow a model similar to the Green Bay Packers, a club we should look at as role model of how a small club with deep historical significance can survive in the NFL when Green Bay has a population of around 100k people while New York has a city of 20 million people to support them. Despite that, the Packers are one of the most popular teams in the NFL and they have sold out every home game since 1960 and have a 35 year waiting list for their memberships.

Packers are owned by the community, it is the only real "club" in the USA. Their supporters own the club, their shares are worth $200 each when they are released and no person can have more than 200,000 shares, it stops anyone or even a small group of people from ever being able to control the club.

We could still use a share base, and an incorporated association is more protective of members than a normal club structure, whatever we do I hope the future of the club isn't compromised.

 

[roger explosion]

What about Syd Barker night (if it will still becalled that?). Home finals? Functions like the Shinboner do from a couple of years back? Members cocktail parties? Sponsors pie nights?

To me the $100 million offer doesn't even register. It's the plan to keep us in Melbourne that I find exciting. As painful as this whole process has been, perhaps it's what we needed to get our acts together (and by 'our' I mean supporters, admin, board, everyone).

at least wait until its made public before you say things like that...

 

[sutcliffe's hotel]

at least wait until its made public before you say things like that...

Comrade - he simply means that you cannot buy what is not for sale.

 

[Manbearpig]

And you can guarantee that those 6 Melbourne games will turn into 6 Victorian games (one will be at Geelong).

So eventually we will end up with 5 games in Melbourne.

I feel ill

And when they draw crap crowds, the Bulldogs will decide to play us in Canberra. That's 4.

 

[Ghostwriter]

Sorry all just waking up in Eurpoe to all this! Has anyone recorded the press conference and if so could they post it onto youtube or on here.

Cheers all and NORTH MELBOURNE IN MELBOURNE FOREVER

Most of what was said is what I posted back on page 3 I think.

 

[Wednesday]

Another thing JB said was that there were 2 or 3 board members who saw the Melbourne plan for the first time today and it was only fair that they were given 2 weeks to assess the Melbourne plan. This means that 5 or 6 board members had seen the plan before today. Does this confirm that the board is now 5-3 or even 6-2 in favour of Melbourne?

 

[RoyalBlue]

Jesus, seriously, why is anyone talking about the share holding?

JB comes out with an plan that will secure us here, get around that, make the right decision, worry about shit like the share holding later.

First things first!

 

[Wednesday]

While I do want to have the club return to member control, I think it needs to be done properly so we are not put at risk of a hostile takeover.

If we have 22,000 members the day before the membership cut-off date then Southport could buy 88,000 memberships and have the voting power to remove the board, put in place a Southport board, move the club to the Gold Coast and ammend the constitution so we can never get the club back.

That would cost them $13.2 million, less than the anticipated value of an AFL license which is estimated at $20 million.

Something as simple as changing the voting rights so a member has 1 vote for each year of membership over a 5 or 10 year period would raise the cost of a hostile takeover up too high to be remotely practicle.

Whats stop's this happening at any club?

 

[Shinboners]

Regardless, we have the promise of all that cash if we stay. I don't understand what the deliberations are about?!

It'll be an issue of due diligence.

If the board made a decision today, it will appear that they haven't fully analysed the offers. By waiting two weeks, at the very least, they'll be able to say that they've analysed the two scenarios and decided that staying in Melbourne is the best option.

Apparently the offer is worth about 100 million and includes seven games in Melb for next 10 years and six from there on.

100million? That's enough money to keep us, the Dogs, and Melbourne afloat in Melbourne for the next 30 years if $1million per year is devoted to each blu.

The concept of relocating us to the Gold Coast is purely a business issue. How the hell will the AFL ever gain any sort of profit from a $100million investment in an area that is not proven to be an AFL friendly region?

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

If that's your mail Scotty - they have made their best and final offer today.

$82m was my mail of being the amount the AFL had budgeted in a worse case scenario to bribe/buy us out.

$82mil is the anticipated profit the AFL will make between 2007 and 2011. In the Next Generation strategy the AFL has said it will build a Future Fund of $82mil. I downloaded thses documents from the AFL's website last year.

Future fund
Principle: To plan and provide for the future economic strength of Australian Football.
• The AFL will underpin the financial future of the game by setting aside appropriate reserves to strengthen our future and provide security to deal with unforeseen economic circumstances.
• The AFL Commission will allocate a total of $82 million over the next five years to establish a Future Fund.
• One of the aims of the Future Fund is to strengthen the asset base of the competition and allow us to consider future
investments to secure new revenue streams for the competition.
• An example of such an asset is Telstra Dome — set to revert to AFL ownership in 2025.
• The AFL is pursuing diligently the correct governance model to manage the Future Fund.

I have my doubts as to whether it will be $100mil or $82mil. I can't see the other clubs letting the AFL blow this after the strategy took months to prepare and the clubs had an input and have approved the final result.

But I have said for a few years now that a relocated side or a 17th side will need a subsidy from the AFL and/or benefactors of $30mil+ in the first 5 seasons they are in existence.

 

[Mr Reliable]

$82mil is the anticipated profit the AFL will make between 2007 and 2011. In the Next Generation strategy the AFL has said it will build a Future Fund of $82mil. I downloaded thses documents from the AFL's website last year.



I have my doubts as to whether it will be $100mil or $82mil. I can't see the other clubs letting the AFL blow this after the strategy took months to prepare and the clubs had an input and have approved the final result.

But I have said for a few years now that a relocated side or a 17th side will need a subsidy from the AFL and/or benefactors of $30mil+ in the first 5 seasons they are in existence.

Thanks for your interest in these issues and your contributions, REH. Please keep them coming.

 

[BlueRoos]

The concept of relocating us to the Gold Coast is purely a business issue. How the hell will the AFL ever gain any sort of profit from a $100million investment in an area that is not proven to be an AFL friendly region?

where the heck do they suddenly pull the 100 mill. clams from? Surely the rest of the league would not be overly pleased with the league pouring that down the drain on a re-location?

makes ours and the Dogs/Dees assistance look rather small indeed in comparison.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Thanks for your interest in these issues and your contributions, REH. Please keep them coming.

No worries.