Resource 2014 NMFC Annual Report and 2015 AGM

[Tas]

Can't believe I've just read that.

Yeah, that would be an excellent move for JB and co to take on the AFL over an issue in which their rightly acknowledging and compensating the club for our disadvantage.

We wouldn't last another 3 years with that type of nomad thinking.

No, you have to stand up and fight for your rights. Begging for scraps just makes you a beggar for life. We need to get off the AFL teat and ASAP or else there wont be any future for us, they will steer us like lambs to the slaughter like they did with GC, like they are trying to do with Tasmania.

AFL has only started to act because they were put under pressure by other clubs, we have largely sat by and done nothing but bitch. Force their hand, take the games away from them so they will have to address the Docklands issue, they have had a decade to do it and have done nothing about it.

This compensation isn't remotely close to what we should be earning from our home games.

 

[GarnerSmash]

No, you have to stand up and fight for your rights. Begging for scraps just makes you a beggar for life. We need to get off the AFL teat and ASAP or else there wont be any future for us, they will steer us like lambs to the slaughter like they did with GC, like they are trying to do with Tasmania.

AFL has only started to act because they were put under pressure by other clubs, we have largely sat by and done nothing but bitch. Force their hand, take the games away from them so they will have to address the Docklands issue, they have had a decade to do it and have done nothing about it.

This compensation isn't remotely close to what we should be earning from our home games.

That's nice rhetoric there Tas, but the reality of our situation means we have next to no hand. Whats next? Suing the AFL for giving us a s**t draw year after year after we take them to court? We are in a precarious enough position without having the AFL off side. If the club does go down the path you suggest I will continue to support the club all the way through to the next Roosistance Gig and beyond, because that is what the future will look like.

 

[Kimbo]

That's nice rhetoric there Tas, but the reality of our situation means we have next to no hand. Whats next? Suing the AFL for giving us a s**t draw year after year after we take them to court? We are in a precarious enough position without having the AFL off side. If the club does go down the path you suggest I will continue to support the club all the way through to the next Roosistance Gig and beyond, because that is what the future will look like.

So, BT, you're suggesting...



And some other bloke is suggesting...

 

[Only Forwards]

You know what we really really need to make our focus?

Winning games of footy. Lots of them. Most of the ones we compete in.

 

[Grogg]

I'd like NMFC to have a share of the equity once the AFL owns it. Or some profit-sharing arrangement that compensates us (and Saints, Dogs) for the years we took it up the arse and weren't adequately compensated.

Hopefully meaningful discussion is realised in due course between us and the AFL on exactly what we are likely to see once the stadium has been paid for, (largely off the backs of us and the other minnows of Melbourne you've mentioned.)

Like Only Forwards, I'm highly sceptical of the AFL doing the right thing by us once they have control of the ground and don't for one minute believe this will be a magic beans situation for us.

 

[GarnerSmash]

Thats exactly right Kimbo.

I agree with Tas' sentiments, we should be treated better, we should be able to have our grievances heard and responded to accordingly, but that is not how the AFL works and we all know it. Don't bite the hand that feeds. Call me a pussy or whatever, but I call it pragmatism. We can become a much stronger, more stable club by working within the bounds determined by the AFL. We go against them then we will have our backs to the wall in no time.

 

[Only Forwards]

Hopefully meaningful discussion is realised in due course between us and the AFL on exactly what we are likely to see once the stadium has been paid for, (largely off the backs of us and the other minnows of Melbourne you've mentioned.)

Like Only Forwards, I'm highly sceptical of the AFL doing the right thing by us once they have control of the ground and don't for one minute believe this will be a magic beans situation for us.

The AFL will do what serves the AFL.

I don't ever see that as being fair to us.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Thats exactly right Kimbo.

I agree with Tas' sentiments, we should be treated better, we should be able to have our grievances heard and responded to accordingly, but that is not how the AFL works and we all know it. Don't bite the hand that feeds. Call me a pussy or whatever, but I call it pragmatism. We can become a much stronger, more stable club by working within the bounds determined by the AFL. We go against them then we will have our backs to the wall in no time.

But surely there comes a point where the path we are being led down leads to the death of our club as we know it.

 

[Saintly31]

No, you have to stand up and fight for your rights. Begging for scraps just makes you a beggar for life. We need to get off the AFL teat and ASAP or else there wont be any future for us, they will steer us like lambs to the slaughter like they did with GC, like they are trying to do with Tasmania.

AFL has only started to act because they were put under pressure by other clubs, we have largely sat by and done nothing but bitch. Force their hand, take the games away from them so they will have to address the Docklands issue, they have had a decade to do it and have done nothing about it.

This compensation isn't remotely close to what we should be earning from our home games.

I agree with some of your rationale, but ever heard of "beggars can't be choosers"....

ATM we are getting back on our feet and in no position whatsoever to be making such bold statements.

One day maybe, certainly not now. We need the AFL onside, not offside, and the current administration is handling this balance the best for NMFC and best for AFL superbly as we increase our financial position.

 

[muttley45]

I am almost i sure i read that Port Power were not too happy with their $$ returns after a sold out showdown vs Crows etc, reckon they arent too happy with their stadium deal either

 

[GarnerSmash]

But surely there comes a point where the path we are being led down leads to the death of our club as we know it.

This current path we are on has lead to the following:

Debt reduced from over $8 million to under $2 million;
New facility
Beefed up Football Department with a spend comparable to most other clubs
Record membership
Record revenue

These milestones show a club with improving health, not declining health. I am no Nostradamus so cannot tell if we are going to be fodder for AFL plans in the future, but I can guarantee you that if that day ever comes we will be in a better position to hold our own by becoming a stronger team in the meantime by working within the bounds of the AFL system. Work against that system and see how long we remain profitable, how long we can fund the football department sufficiently, how quickly our revenue will drop and how fast our new members will drop off. Just how close to death will we be then?

 

[Tas]

That's nice rhetoric there Tas, but the reality of our situation means we have next to no hand. Whats next? Suing the AFL for giving us a s**t draw year after year after we take them to court? We are in a precarious enough position without having the AFL off side. If the club does go down the path you suggest I will continue to support the club all the way through to the next Roosistance Gig and beyond, because that is what the future will look like.

We have no hand if we do not exercise our right to play our hand.

AFL has a contract with the MCC and Docklands, if they do not meet games and attendance levels then they have to pay significant penalties. We don't have a contract with anyone and we have the legal right to play our home games as an independent entity to the AFL anywhere we please.

We obviously want to work with the AFL for the better of our club and the AFL in general but it is a two way street. The proposal for Docklands was based on heavily subsidised games, the AFL didn't deliver on that promise so any support we gave in the past for the decision to go play at Docklands is null and void, we have no contract to play games there.

If we copped the rough end of the pineapple and in return had equity in the stadium, guarantees of a totally clean stadium, preferential access to the stadium, etc then you can say short term pain is worth it in the long run. We have NOTHING. On top of that the AFL has used our vulnerability caused by forcing us to play there to try and shiv us with GC and is looking to do the same with Tasmania. We owe those campaigners nothing.

If North, Dogs and Saints refuse to play games at Docklands until we get a reasonable financial outcome then what is the AFL going to do if our clubs fight for our rights? They have to address. McChins will back us if we revolt against the AFL. Victoria is a ******* gestapo state, interstate clubs have the freedom to do whatever they want and the AFL takes a massive dump on most Victorian clubs yet it is the value of Victorian games that drives the broadcasting revenue. They can't afford to piss off the Victorian clubs. AFL would be a third rate competition without the Victorian contribution.

 

[TooUglyForFugly]

This current path we are on has lead to the following:

Debt reduced from over $8 million to under $2 million;
New facility
Beefed up Football Department with a spend comparable to most other clubs
Record membership
Record revenue

These milestones show a club with improving health, not declining health. I am no Nostradamus so cannot tell if we are going to be fodder for AFL plans in the future, but I can guarantee you that if that day ever comes we will be in a better position to hold our own by becoming a stronger team in the meantime by working within the bounds of the AFL system. Work against that system and see how long we remain profitable, how long we can fund the football department sufficiently, how quickly our revenue will drop and how fast our new members will drop off. Just how close to death will we be then?

Missing the top 4 result from last year sir.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

This current path we are on has lead to the following:

Debt reduced from over $8 million to under $2 million;
New facility
Beefed up Football Department with a spend comparable to most other clubs
Record membership
Record revenue

These milestones show a club with improving health, not declining health. I am no Nostradamus so cannot tell if we are going to be fodder for AFL plans in the future, but I can guarantee you that if that day ever comes we will be in a better position to hold our own by becoming a stronger term in the meantime by working within the bounds of the AFL system. Work against that system and see how long we remain profitable, how long we can fund the football department sufficiently, how quickly our revenue will drop and how fast our new members will drop off. Just how close to death will we be then?

Not the club-led path, the AFL-led path.

The club has done a fantastic job.

The AFL is happy for us to have to rely on them to turn profits through their equalisation system and playing games in another state and in turn they have total control over our ability to grow as a club.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

When Docklands is paid off, we, along with the Doggies and Saints will have paid off a large percentage of it.

We will own 1/18th of it. The same as GWS. That's sickening.

 

[Grogg]

And the only way we gain control of our destiny is to win games and flags of footy.

Winning=fans, fans=$, $=independence.

Simple.

 

[GarnerSmash]

We have no hand if we do not exercise our right to play our hand.

AFL has a contract with the MCC and Docklands, if they do not meet games and attendance levels then they have to pay significant penalties. We don't have a contract with anyone and we have the legal right to play our home games as an independent entity to the AFL anywhere we please.

We obviously want to work with the AFL for the better of our club and the AFL in general but it is a two way street. The proposal for Docklands was based on heavily subsidised games, the AFL didn't deliver on that promise so any support we gave in the past for the decision to go play at Docklands is null and void, we have no contract to play games there.

If we copped the rough end of the pineapple and in return had equity in the stadium, guarantees of a totally clean stadium, preferential access to the stadium, etc then you can say short term pain is worth it in the long run. We have NOTHING. On top of that the AFL has used our vulnerability caused by forcing us to play there to try and shiv us with GC and is looking to do the same with Tasmania. We owe those campaigners nothing.

If North, Dogs and Saints refuse to play games at Docklands until we get a reasonable financial outcome then what is the AFL going to do if our clubs fight for our rights? They have to address. McChins will back us if we revolt against the AFL. Victoria is a ******* gestapo state, interstate clubs have the freedom to do whatever they want and the AFL takes a massive dump on most Victorian clubs yet it is the value of Victorian games that drives the broadcasting revenue. They can't afford to piss off the Victorian clubs. AFL would be a third rate competition without the Victorian contribution.

I agree that we should be united with the other clubs in addressing this, we cannot do this alone because the risks of isolated backlash are far too great. For all we know discussions have been held but the presidents don't want to go down this path. Its all well and good to sit behind our keyboards and make demands of those in power but for all we know as much as can be reasonably done already has been. I don't want our club to be taken advantage of but the potential negatives of an isolated push for a fairer deal far outweigh the positives.

 

[GarnerSmash]

Not the club-led path, the AFL-led path.

The club has done a fantastic job.

The AFL is happy for us to have to rely on them to turn profits through their equalisation system and playing games in another state and in turn they have total control over our ability to grow as a club.

The club has done a fantastic job because they have AFL support. Remove that support and we fail.

My point is it will be easier for us to resist AFL moves to relocate us if we make hay while we can within its support structure than outside it. In fact I would go so far to say that going outside the AFL support structure will expedite their ability to use us as a plaything.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

The club has done a fantastic job because they have AFL support. Remove that support and we fail.

My point is it will be easier for us to resist AFL moves to relocate us if we make hay while we can within its support structure than outside it. In fact I would go so far to say that going outside the AFL support structure will expedite their ability to use us as a plaything.

We have AFL support because they screwed us over to begin with.

 

[GarnerSmash]

We have AFL support because they screwed us over to begin with.

We did the bending over, they did the screwing tbh. But more so we currently have AFL support because we are part of the business plan that includes meeting the contractual obligations of games at Etihad and number of games to be played each week under the TV rights deal. AS long as they are money makers and we are growing on and off field then I expect us to hold our own.

 

[Grogg]

Holding our own.

That's what got us into trouble in the first place.

I think we were holding theirs as well.

teehee.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

We did the bending over, they did the screwing tbh. But more so we currently have AFL support because we are part of the business plan that includes meeting the contractual obligations of games at Etihad and number of games to be played each week under the TV rights deal. AS long as they are money makers and we are growing on and off field then I expect us to hold our own.

Which is why it's slightly annoying that not a lot is being done about rectifying that situation.

I understand we can't do it solo.

 

[Saintly31]

AFL has a contract with the MCC and Docklands, if they do not meet games and attendance levels then they have to pay significant penalties. We don't have a contract with anyone and we have the legal right to play our home games as an independent entity to the AFL anywhere we please.

.

I don't believe this is an accurate statement.

 

[Tas]

I agree that we should be united with the other clubs in addressing this, we cannot do this alone because the risks of isolated backlash are far too great. For all we know discussions have been held but the presidents don't want to go down this path. Its all well and good to sit behind our keyboards and make demands of those in power but for all we know as much as can be reasonably done already has been. I don't want our club to be taken advantage of but the potential negatives of an isolated push for a fairer deal far outweigh the positives.

I didn't say we have to do it alone, it would be hard to do it alone. Saints and Dogs are being screwed as badly as we are and they are in rebuild phase so they are starting to feel what we have been feeling for a decade or so. Saints are borderline insolvent, they needed an extra $3m from the AFL to keep the lights on last year yet they pull in good crowds, they have been ****ed hard. AFL has ****ed the Dogs almost as much as we have been, they just haven't gone for the kill on anyone else because no other club is sticking their hand up to be the bitch.

It wouldn't surprise me if our club hasn't even had a joint meeting with Dogs and Saints alone as to how to tackle this problem let alone make a commitment to act together as an alliance to seek a better resolution for all the clubs being ****ed.

 

[Tas]

I don't believe this is an accurate statement.

Look up restraint of trade.