The family club reaps $23million from pokies.

[Rob]

They'd be worth a bit...The financial report would have a value for them (price less amortisation).

Mind you, as I've pointed out before, if you sell them, then you just have have the same machines, taking money from the same people with the only difference being whose pockets the profits go into, thus removing any claims to it being a moral move.

True, but the board would arguably be in breach of its duty as directors by simply holding the licences and not using them (i'd imagine there would be some holding costs involved there as well - government fees mostly).

Morals are all well and good but directors still need to act in the club's best interests. Holding a multi million dollar asset without exploiting it out of spite possibly fits that definition. North Melbourne seems to be taking a moral stand - but its amazing that it only found it's moral position on pokies after it tried and failed at running its own.

 

[scotty13]

True, but the board would arguably be in breach of its duty as directors by simply holding the licences and not using them (i'd imagine there would be some holding costs involved there as well - government fees mostly).

Morals are all well and good but directors still need to act in the club's best interests. Holding a multi million dollar asset without exploiting it out of spite possibly fits that definition. North Melbourne seems to be taking a moral stand - but its amazing that it only found it's moral position on pokies after it tried and failed at running its own.

Im sure you could just hand the licences in if you wanted to rather than selling them?

 

[telsor]

Im sure you could just hand the licences in if you wanted to rather than selling them?

Unlikely.

The government makes money off them after all so they're unlikely to want them to be idle.

I suppose there might be a mechanism where you could hand them in (for free/low price) and have the government reissue them (at full market value/auction), but you might as well just sell them and get the higher price yourself.

 

[bresker]

Here are some other threads on this topic for those interested: https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/a-favour-to-ask.1183726/

https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/north-melbourne-proudly-pokie-free.1185118/#post-54000861

 

[bresker]

I'm running for the Bulldogs board at the AGM next week and this is my message:

"“
My name is Stuart McDonald. I'm originally from Ireland. When I migrated to Melbourne in 1999 I soon realised I needed to choose an Aussie Rules team. I lived first in St Albans and then Sunshine, becoming an adopted Son of the West. I fell in love with the sport and with the Doggies. I became a member and travelled to Docklands to cheer on the boys every week they played in Melbourne. I had a spell back in Ireland but returned to Australia in time for Bev's reign and our glorious finals run. I'm a social club member and I was lucky enough to be at the MCG to watch our Grand Final victory. Through bigfooty.com I've sponsored a number of players over the years.


I'm a primary school teacher. I have three children aged sixteen, two and six months. The two year old is mad about the Doggies and accompanies me to games. I love the footy - but I hate pokies.


The Western Bulldogs operate 63 poker machines across two venues, Club Leeds in Footscray and Club Dromana. Community members lost nearly $6 million on Bulldogs pokies in 2016/17. The Club operates these pokies, despite research which tells us that 40% of this money comes from people with gambling addiction. About 60% comes from people experiencing harm with their gambling.


I'm a pokies addict. So are many others in our community. That's not surprising. Poker machines are deliberately designed to ensnare and addict users. Their sole purpose is to extract money from the user as quickly as possible.

I've lost thousands of dollars to these misleading and addictive machines over the years. Some of this money was lost at venues operated by our club. I consider myself fortunate. Other people have lost tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.


The pokie machines operated by the Western Bulldogs are responsible for immense harm within our community. They contribute to family violence, divorce, alcoholism, criminal behaviour and suicide.

New AFL chairman Richard Goyder has declared he hates the pokies and has established “Project Fruit” inside the commission which is aiming to reduce AFL club dependency on pokies revenue. The Bulldogs should be a leading advocate for reform through this process and ultimately join North Melbourne in being proudly pokies free.


This club stands for community. The sons and daughters of the west do not want our club operating these machines. Our club captain Easton Wood has publicly stated he "couldn't stomach" gambling. We have record membership and many revenue streams.Help me kick the pokies out of footy. We don't need them. We don't want them.

Regards and Go Dogs!

Stuart McDonald"

Now the club have only used the first two paragraphs on the nomination form. Anything I’ve put in bold has been left out. I suppose footy clubs don't like the embarrassment caused by their addiction to pokie revenues.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

I'm running for the Bulldogs board at the AGM next week and this is my message:

"“
My name is Stuart McDonald. I'm originally from Ireland. When I migrated to Melbourne in 1999 I soon realised I needed to choose an Aussie Rules team. I lived first in St Albans and then Sunshine, becoming an adopted Son of the West. I fell in love with the sport and with the Doggies. I became a member and travelled to Docklands to cheer on the boys every week they played in Melbourne. I had a spell back in Ireland but returned to Australia in time for Bev's reign and our glorious finals run. I'm a social club member and I was lucky enough to be at the MCG to watch our Grand Final victory. Through bigfooty.com I've sponsored a number of players over the years.


I'm a primary school teacher. I have three children aged sixteen, two and six months. The two year old is mad about the Doggies and accompanies me to games. I love the footy - but I hate pokies.


The Western Bulldogs operate 63 poker machines across two venues, Club Leeds in Footscray and Club Dromana. Community members lost nearly $6 million on Bulldogs pokies in 2016/17. The Club operates these pokies, despite research which tells us that 40% of this money comes from people with gambling addiction. About 60% comes from people experiencing harm with their gambling.


I'm a pokies addict. So are many others in our community. That's not surprising. Poker machines are deliberately designed to ensnare and addict users. Their sole purpose is to extract money from the user as quickly as possible.

I've lost thousands of dollars to these misleading and addictive machines over the years. Some of this money was lost at venues operated by our club. I consider myself fortunate. Other people have lost tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.


The pokie machines operated by the Western Bulldogs are responsible for immense harm within our community. They contribute to family violence, divorce, alcoholism, criminal behaviour and suicide.

New AFL chairman Richard Goyder has declared he hates the pokies and has established “Project Fruit” inside the commission which is aiming to reduce AFL club dependency on pokies revenue. The Bulldogs should be a leading advocate for reform through this process and ultimately join North Melbourne in being proudly pokies free.


This club stands for community. The sons and daughters of the west do not want our club operating these machines. Our club captain Easton Wood has publicly stated he "couldn't stomach" gambling. We have record membership and many revenue streams.Help me kick the pokies out of footy. We don't need them. We don't want them.

Regards and Go Dogs!

Stuart McDonald"

Now the club have only used the first two paragraphs on the nomination form. Anything I’ve put in bold has been left out. I suppose footy clubs don't like the embarrassment caused by their addiction to pokie revenues.

Out of interest, where all candidates restricted to a similar number of words/lines/paragraphs, or just you.

If the former, bad luck. If the latter, thats just wrong

Work the social media to get your message out though. You will be surprised how many voters you can hit via twitter and co

Also id create an account for the campaign. No point mixing your real life with a bf one (we all go feral here )

 

[bresker]

Nah, I waive my right to anonymity. I'm out there - https://www.facebook.com/WBFCboardnominee/

You'll forget my name after the campaign is over

 

[bresker]

Out of interest, where all candidates restricted to a similar number of words/lines/paragraphs, or just you.

If the former, bad luck. If the latter, thats just wrong

The other two candidates got full page bios. I was asked for a full page bio, was given two paragraphs. The club really doesn't want me standing.

http://s.afl.com.au/staticfile/AFL ... 2017/230118_AGMNoticeDirectorNominations.pdf

That's the document - my two little paragraphs are tucked away on page seven. Compare my bio to the other candidates.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

The other two candidates got full page bios. I was asked for a full page bio, was given two paragraphs. The club really doesn't want me standing.

http://s.afl.com.au/staticfile/AFL Tenant/WesternBulldogs/Articles/Matches 2017/230118_AGMNoticeDirectorNominations.pdf

That's the document - my two little paragraphs are tucked away on page seven. Compare my bio to the other candidates.

Youve been jipped imo

 

[Rob]

The other two candidates got full page bios. I was asked for a full page bio, was given two paragraphs. The club really doesn't want me standing.

http://s.afl.com.au/staticfile/AFL Tenant/WesternBulldogs/Articles/Matches 2017/230118_AGMNoticeDirectorNominations.pdf

That's the document - my two little paragraphs are tucked away on page seven. Compare my bio to the other candidates.

Agree with rfctiger74 - you got screwed there. They're betting you don't have the resources or will to take them on legally.

Best of luck.

 

[telsor]

Agreed. That's clearly unfair.

Good luck to you.

 

[Darkyprotector]

The other two candidates got full page bios. I was asked for a full page bio, was given two paragraphs. The club really doesn't want me standing.

http://s.afl.com.au/staticfile/AFL Tenant/WesternBulldogs/Articles/Matches 2017/230118_AGMNoticeDirectorNominations.pdf

That's the document - my two little paragraphs are tucked away on page seven. Compare my bio to the other candidates.

Mate it's bad enough that they endorse the other 2 without going to censorship
What a disgrace
If the pies get rid of the pokies you should come to us
As an Irishmen you bet you ld fit in
Good luck Stuart
I feel your pain

 

[BF Tiger]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-05-07/kennett-warns-of-indoctrination-of-sports-betting

Did someone say hypocrite?

 

[madmug]

Gee mate, ethical standards and community clubs.
If you want to wave the ethical flag, get off the AFL and look at the real community grass roots level.

I know a small town (home town) with around 7,000 people that is NRL strong.
The local NRL club in a rural league pays over $60,000 in senior match payments.
Guess what champ. Their $60,000 comes from their club pokie venue.

Does that RL club give a ratz arz about the addicted punters whose money paid the wide arsed boys to play?

Anyway we're talking about professional AFL clubs. Those clubs get their salary cap from the AFL. They don't need to bludge on their local pokieholics.

In fact the Qld AFL clubs get a lot more than that amount from the AFL, so they have less reason to use pokies to suck money from the community.

 

[telsor]

Does that RL club give a ratz arz about the addicted punters whose money paid the wide arsed boys to play?

Anyway we're talking about professional AFL clubs. Those clubs get their salary cap from the AFL. They don't need to bludge on their local pokieholics.

In fact the Qld AFL clubs get a lot more than that amount from the AFL, so they have less reason to use pokies to suck money from the community.

Yeah, because it's not like developing alternative revenue sources and thus reducing how much the AFL gives them would do them any good.

Nobody ever questions their existence due to the amount of AFL money they get after all.


As for "clubs getting their salary cap from the AFL"....It takes a bit more than that to run a club though...

 

[madmug]

Yeah, because it's not like developing alternative revenue sources and thus reducing how much the AFL gives them would do them any good.

Nobody ever questions their existence due to the amount of AFL money they get after all.


As for "clubs getting their salary cap from the AFL"....It takes a bit more than that to run a club though...

Good, you discuss it with him then.