West Coast v Covid 19 - we are better off than most

[Obeanie1]

Yes there are other threads about the virus but what about the club and players and how we deal with this.

Today two teams are standing down players and football departments WITHOUT PAY.

Report: Brisbane players stood down without pay

Clubs are acting fast to save money amidst the COVID-19 crisis.

www.sen.com.au

The Eagles have the strongest balance sheet of any club, assets, investments and cash reserves.

How can the club take advantage of that?

Will the AFL and AFLPA allow richer clubs to pay players more than other clubs who don't have the funds?

What will happen to the salary cap this year?

How will this effect players with front ended contracts?

I would not be surprised than with our cash reserves we could still pay our players 100% for the season. That would pay serious dividends in the future when attracting talent IMO.

It's tough on the not so well off clubs but will the Eagles be allowed to use its wealth to advantage the club now and in the future?

 

[kane249]

It is nice to be more secure than others, but there could be some big shake ups coming for the league as whole as well as some of the less financially secure clubs.

The struggling Melbourne clubs and expansion clubs in particular could go close to bankruptcy if the AFL can't bail them out.

 

[woosha24]

Covid-19 by 16 points.

 

[Obeanie1]

Covid-19 by 16 points.

How about we get Woosha back in the footy dept. Need a pharmacist in these challenging times.

 

[Biggie]

School Closures - Late Out

 

[Altum Volantes]

Biggest pain I suspect we will feel in an ongoing sense is stricter Footy Department caps for the poor clubs that the rest of the comp have to abide by in the view of ‘fairness’.

 

[Yoey]

Would be ironic if we had to bail out the AFL again!

 

[Wild Kelly]

What will, more than likely happen, is that we will be forced to support our club with the future fund we have accumulated through good financial planning. From memory this is circa $50m and this emergency will cost most of that. Other clubs who have not been as prudent or simply should not exist ie Gold Coast which has bled ~$20m pa from the AFL, will get propped up by the AFL or Government. When this is all over our financial position will be decimated and we will be back on equal footing with the other clubs.

 

[daddy_4_eyes]

It is nice to be more secure than others, but there could be some big shake ups coming for the league as whole as well as some of the less financially secure clubs.

The struggling Melbourne clubs and expansion clubs in particular could go close to bankruptcy if the AFL can't bail them out.

Eagles need to tread carefully not to overplay their hand.
If we go about flaunting our money, the AFL could very well reduce their revenue distributions and use the difference to compensate struggling clubs. Suddenly our reserves are depleted and revenues have reduced.

It's also naive to expect our revenues will continue unchanged. How likely are we to receive full sponsorship revenue if the season is reduced? Broadcast rights revenue?
Merchandise sales will drop as well when people tighten their belts.
Will membership fees need to be refunded if no games, or reduced games, are played? Other clubs memberships come with voting rights, so as "shareholders" in their footy clubs, the members can't expect a refund. Not so the eagles, where memberships are bought with an expectation that certain services/product is provided.

 

[Dazzler9]

What will, more than likely happen, is that we will be forced to support our club with the future fund we have accumulated through good financial planning. From memory this is circa $50m and this emergency will cost most of that. Other clubs who have not been as prudent or simply should not exist ie Gold Coast which has bled ~$20m pa from the AFL, will get propped up by the AFL or Government. When this is all over our financial position will be decimated and we will be back on equal footing with the other clubs.

What's that fable? The mouse and the cricket, or some such? Where the mouse gathers provisions all summer long while the cricket f***s about enjoying himself. Winter hits then ruh-roh, the cricket is f***d. Luckily the mouse has a big heart and takes him in.

Stupid mouse.

 

[Wild Kelly]

What's that fable? The mouse and the cricket, or some such? Where the mouse gathers provisions all summer long while the cricket f***s about enjoying himself. Winter hits then ruh-roh, the cricket is f***d. Luckily the mouse has a big heart and takes him in.

Stupid mouse.

Don't keep us in suspenders.........what happened to the mouse?

 

[woosha24]

Don't keep us in suspenders.........what happened to the mouse?

He caught coronavirus and died. The cricket, being a minor and largely unaffected by the illness, managed his way through winter off of the mouse's hard work with barely a sniffle.

And that cricket grew up to be Scott Morrison.

 

[Dazzler9]

Don't keep us in suspenders.........what happened to the mouse?

That was the end of the fable. Sh!t fable.

Don't be the mouse West Coast, don't be the mouse.

 

[shooshka]

Biggest pain I suspect we will feel in an ongoing sense is stricter Footy Department caps for the poor clubs that the rest of the comp have to abide by in the view of ‘fairness’.

Yep, this is it in a nutshell.

They have already announced a $1m reduction this year and something like $3m next year ($9.7m down to $6.7m). With additional travel and recovery etc we are disadvantaged more than most (Richmond cough cough) with a smaller football department.

On SM-G973F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[flamingEMBERS]

I would hope the pay cut is only geared so that players on match payments don't have their base touched

 

[RookiePick]

What's that fable? The mouse and the cricket, or some such? Where the mouse gathers provisions all summer long while the cricket f***s about enjoying himself. Winter hits then ruh-roh, the cricket is f***d. Luckily the mouse has a big heart and takes him in.

Stupid mouse.

Sounds like some sort of Chinese wet market?

 

[Dazzler9]

Sounds like some sort of Chinese wet market?

 

[Obeanie1]

That was the end of the fable. Sh!t fable.

Don't be the mouse West Coast, don't be the mouse.

Exactly.

We can afford to give ground somewhat on AFL distributions but dont stop us from taking advantage of our well earned accumulated profits and reserves.

Money talks.........BS walks!

 

[Truckosaurus]

Would be ironic if we had to bail out the AFL again!

Well they couldn't give a licence for a Joondalup team - they can't even support a WAFL team. Bunbury maybe? See how the Vics like having to take two planes to get to an away game.

 

[BarungaBullet]

I can tell you that a good number of WC footy department staff were laid off today. The cap is the same for all clubs, just because the club as an org has plenty of $$ doesn't mean the actual footy area will keep functioning unhindered.

 

[Tugga27]

Yep, this is it in a nutshell.

They have already announced a $1m reduction this year and something like $3m next year ($9.7m down to $6.7m). With additional travel and recovery etc we are disadvantaged more than most (Richmond cough cough) with a smaller football department.

On SM-G973F using BigFooty.com mobile app

Pretty sure the AFL pays for travel.

 

[flamingEMBERS]

I can tell you that a good number of WC footy department staff were laid off today. The cap is the same for all clubs, just because the club as an org has plenty of $$ doesn't mean the actual footy area will keep functioning unhindered.

what type of footy department staff?

 

[Art OF war]

I’m actually hoping we use this situation differently with our players. Pay them in full and be the only club that does. When it comes to re-contract time, they understand what WC did for them and their families and subsequently accept unders. Sign a Patrick Cripps as a FA with the extra Dinero. Complete a 4 peat and then fold the club only to arrogantly re-open just in time for the next season.

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

I fully expect the VFL will demand the Eagles bail out the competition (again) and that the Eagles will roll over and let them.

I don't want the Eagles to go full crazy, cos I want the competition to survive, but I do wish they could force the VFL's hand in making things fairer. Fairer fixtures, tear up the MCG Grand Final deal, etc. That would be amazing.

 

[DanWCE]

Let em fold, start our own new league from scratch. Crazy Vozzo to WCE CEO, Nesbitt to new league CEO. Come join us rich clubs, but you'll no longer have it all on your Victorian terms