Giants and Private Ownership

Giant Pete

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On Footy Classified tonight it was revealed that two American billionaires are interested in owning the Giants. Apparently one of them currently advises the Whitehouse. It’s also a reason why they might be looking at playing a game in California. They would need $30 mill a season. Which would be spare change for them.
What implications would this have? Pros and cons?
At first glance I like it.
 
A particular owner might be good.

But what happens when they want to sell? Or they get sick of losing money?

And that's before even considering the bad owner scenario.
 
Apr 12, 2012
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Depends on the owner.

If it’s written into the contract they have to continue building and basing the club in Western Sydney and other protections are in place then I could see it possibly.

But I still remember as a kid seeing all the ads etc for the Swans and shaking my head at them.

“Kick on kick on”


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Interesting that they were at the Grand Final and it came out now

Would be good for them to provide some feedback in the media from the States being it is now 6 months since the Grand Final and where they stand with the current global economic crisis
 
Missed it. What was said? Any breakdown?


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Not much was given..

Something they are interested in but only been informal discussions

No breakdown into set-up and how it would work including full, partial, 3rd party etc

Game in the US very doubtful for 2021

Im sure there will be a article on SEN radio very soon in which i will attach on this thread
 
Apr 12, 2012
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Not much was given..

Something they are interested in but only been informal discussions

No breakdown into set-up and how it would work including full, partial, 3rd party etc

Game in the US very doubtful for 2021

Im sure there will be a article on SEN radio very soon in which i will attach on this thread

Here it is.




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Johnny Bananas

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This is an interesting conundrum. Private ownership can work out terribly for the club if the owner doesn't have enough money to cover losses and provide necessary capital injections, or if they just milk the club as a cash cow. But it looks like the prospective owners have more than enough money, and the Giants are hardly a cash cow at this point in time, so the prospective owners have every interest in investing proper resources to make the club a success.

Seeing as they're getting in at the ground floor of a potentially successful venture, and the exchange rate is good for them right now, it's obvious where the payoff is for the prospective owners, so it seems like a risk worth taking for the AFL. Particularly given the current economic climate and need to prevent any of the other clubs from becoming insolvent.
 
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BringBackTorps

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A con would be that we could gradually move away from our focus in developing grassroots footy in NSW because priorities may shift elsewhere
No, the opposite. A cashed-up, wealthy US-owned GWS woud be able to devote more funding to promote GR AF in WS.

Also, GWS would not be sacrificing any Sydney or ACT games to the US.

There will always be some impecunious Melb. Clubs. They would be willing to sell home games to the US, to play against GWS- in LA/San Francisco, Boston, & NY.

To reduce travel times for GWS, GWS could play in stints.
eg Game 1 in LA, vs. Melb.; 6 days later, game 2 in Boston, vs. NMFC; 6days later, game 3 in NY vs Footscray


Go to post #1664
 
No, the opposite. A cashed-up, wealthy US-owned GWS woud be able to devote more funding to promote GR AF in WS.
Or could go the other way. When organisations get taken private, business becomes more private.

They have less skin in the game to develop grass roots aussie rules than the AFL itself would.
 

BringBackTorps

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Or could go the other way. When organisations get taken private, business becomes more private.

They have less skin in the game to develop grass roots aussie rules than the AFL itself would.
Big picture.

US major financial institutions would have very little interest in GWS- because it is too small for them, any GWS profits would be very small
...UNLESS their long term intention was to introduce AF into the US as a popular TV & stadium spectator sport- & participant sport!

Put that in your pipe & smoke it.
 
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Johnny Bananas

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US major financial institutions would have very little interest in GWS- because it is too small for them, any GWS profits would be very small
...UNLESS their intention was to introduce AF into the US as a popular TV & stadium spectator sport- & participant sport!
Alternative hypothesis: they have seen how little it cost the WAFC to buy out the Eagles, and how much money they made from it. And they see the opportunity to do a similar thing with GWS. If Western Sydney ends up falling in love with the game, it's not far-fetched to say GWS could become the biggest club in the nation.
 
Apr 12, 2012
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Alternative hypothesis: they have seen how little it cost the WAFC to buy out the Eagles, and how much money they made from it. And they see the opportunity to do a similar thing with GWS. If Western Sydney ends up falling in love with the game, it's not far-fetched to say GWS could become the biggest club in the nation.

We are going to need a bigger boat, I mean stadium.


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And given some of the North American reaction to AFL at the start of the current crisis, an astute businessman may see value in getting a foot in the door at an easily-bought out & well-placed (but young) club. Could be good if they pump enough $ in to keep a professional set-up, but also could be disastrous if they lose interest or their $ sometime in the future. An interesting conundrum - and I don't have a clear opinion yet on whether it's good or bad.
 
Ask the Clippers (previously), Redskins, Knicks, Leeds, Chargers, etc fans how they feel about private ownership...

The problem is that no one can fire bad owners.
 

gee whiz giant

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Ask the Clippers (previously), Redskins, Knicks, Leeds, Chargers, etc fans how they feel about private ownership...

The problem is that no one can fire bad owners.
Plenty of examples, both good and bad, in the EPL.
Man Utd owned by Americans family the Glazers
 

Ichabod Noodle

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Nope.

They want to be involved they can buy a membership and when the AFL eventually let go, they can run in the election of club members to be on the board/become president, just like everybody else.

I HATE private ownership in sport. EPL, NFL, MLB - nope, f*#k it off. Not interested.

Just remember - if it’s privately owned, you’re not a member - you’re just a season ticket holder.
 
Apr 12, 2012
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Nope.

They want to be involved they can buy a membership and when the AFL eventually let go, they can run in the election of club members to be on the board/become president, just like everybody else.

I HATE private ownership in sport. EPL, NFL, MLB - nope, f*#k it off. Not interested.

Just remember - if it’s privately owned, you’re not a member - you’re just a season ticket holder.

I see your point but that’s pretty much what we are now though isn’t it?

Swans haven’t had elections and they are a successful club, do we see a time when the AFL will let us have any control?

MacArthur Bulls, new soccer team, actually are allowing 2 of their 6 board members to be voted on by members.

Wonder if that’s something the AFL will allow, they keep control and members get some “ownership”.

Edit. Went off on a tangent there so apologies.
 
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