Ben Buckley poised to become North Melbourne chairman

[FastLife]

Has he sacked Scott yet?

 

[Glory Days]

BB is so well credentialed it's not funny. Has to be one of the best CVs going around, and he knows the AFL inside out.

 

[giantroo]

Ben Buckley believes footy’s rising riches can help sustain 10 Victorian clubs

MICHAEL WARNER, Herald Sun
November 3, 2016 8:00pm

NORTH Melbourne supremo Ben Buckley says footy’s rising riches can sustain 10 Victorian clubs for years to come.

Buckley declared the AFL’s takeover of Etihad Stadium and the club’s three-game deal in Tasmania had secured the Kangaroos’ financial future.

The Herald Sun can reveals details of the crippling stadium deal North Melbourne was forced to endure for 16 seasons.

”Through broadcasting rights, through sponsorship rights and through the asset that has been built and acquired at Etihad Stadium -- there has never been more money in the game,” Buckley said.

“There is absolutely no reason 10 teams in Victoria can’t survive -- and won’t survive -- for a long time.

“What we’ve achieved as a football club over the last eight or nine years and what the Western Bulldogs have achieved and others, who are probably down the financial ladder, has proven that.”

New stadium deals for Etihad’s struggling tenant clubs will be struck before the start of next season, wiping out the game’s most glaring competitive balance disadvantage.

The Herald Sun can reveal North Melbourne wrote out a $3500 cheque to Etihad Stadium management after their Round 4 clash against Fremantle this year, despite drawing almost 24,000 fans.

The farcical transaction included a guaranteed payment of $110,000 paid by Etihad to all tenant clubs for home games -- meaning the actual loss from the game was $113,500.

The Roos paid out another $1500 to Etihad’s private owners after their Round 23 match against Greater Western Sydney, which attracted a crowd of 22,300.

North Melbourne’s total profit from eight home games at Etihad this year was just $1.38 million -- about $170,000 a game.

Cashed-up Geelong can bank more than $800,000 from a single match at Simonds Stadium.

Buckley, who replaces James Brayshaw after nine seasons in charge at Arden St, said North Melbourne’s business model was in “tremendous shape”.

“The work that James led over the last nine years has put the club in a great position,” he said.

“We have a great foundation. We’ve got 45,000 members, we’re making profits annually and our debt has been reduced to almost zero.

“There’s no reason why we can’t be as competitive a football club as anyone in the competition.

“We don’t have anything holding us back off the field -- but you can’t relax, it’s still challenging every season, and we need our fans to become members of the footy club.”

North Melbourne pockets more than $2 million from its deal to play three home matches at Blundstone Arena in Hobart, and club debt has fallen from $8 million in 2008 to $1.25 million.

The Roos are the only Victorian club that does not rely on poker machine or gambling revenue.

But Buckley said the club would not be committing to more than three Tasmanian matches.

“We don’t have any intention to go beyond that,” he said.

“We’ve got a good agreement that is working very well and we’re going to invest substantially in building an academy down there.”

Asked about a push for Tasmania to become a one-team AFL state, Buckley said: “That’s not even in our thinking. We are really satisfied with the three games down there at the moment.

“We’ve got 7000 members in Tasmania and that is growing and gives us access to a new supporter base.

“There’s some exciting times ahead.”

The AFL officially took charge of Etihad Stadium on Wednesday -- nine years ahead of the planned 2025 takeover -- at a cost of $200 million.

 

[Frank Thring]

I already love Buckley.

 

[spurs]

I already love Buckley.

Me too, I have always admired JB for what he has done for our club, but I believe Bucks will sling us forward at a rate of knots for years to come. Is it just me or is it more exciting for next year than this year?

 

[Frank Thring]

Me too, I have always admired JB for what he has done for our club, but I believe Bucks will sling us forward at a rate of knots for years to come. Is it just me or is it more exciting for next year than this year?

A lot of the unknowns = exciting i guess but i really like what im seeing from the club off field. Who we traded in without giving up our first 3 picks, the new logo with the prominant NORTH embalzoned and Buckley's words about 3 games max in Tas.

Adding in the fact that we will be seeing a lot of young players strutting their stuff next year has heightened the excitement level.

I really do hope we play the younger guys all next year and if we finish near last then so be it, we may get our hands on a jet or two in 2017.

 

[SMaturin]

Wonder what his public presence will be.

 

[danj]

Wonder what his public presence will be.

Pretty quiet to date, maybe he's planning a big announcement?

 

[Mr north man]

N

Pretty quiet to date, maybe he's planning a big announcement?

Dont think so maybe in bed with his PJs on with the Electric Blanket on 3 trying to figure how to get the club players and supporters going

 

[hotham]

Wonder what his public presence will be.

I was thinking the same thing on the drive home from Eithad last night. I've heard of Ben's reputation but have not seen or heard him publically.

 

[Gasometer]

He is doing the same in this role as how he played; thus far into 2017.

Weve gone from Luna Park to Marcel Marceau.

 

[GoNorth]

I'm glad this thread was bumped as I was going to do the same thing yesterday. Would love to see an interview with him regarding his thoughts on the direction he sees the club heading in, plans for the future, etc. Actually, I would just like to see something, anything from him.

 

[deano28]

He is doing the same in this role as how he played; thus far into 2017.

Weve gone from Luna Park to Marcel Marceau.

Haha , great analogy.

 

[Twinkletoes]

I'm glad this thread was bumped as I was going to do the same thing yesterday. Would love to see an interview with him regarding his thoughts on the direction he sees the club heading in, plans for the future, etc. Actually, I would just like to see something, anything from him.

He was the keynote speaker at the function prior to Friday's game. Did anyone here see that?

 

[Arden]

He was the keynote speaker at the function prior to Friday's game. Did anyone here see that?

Mate, surely you could get him on here for an AMA.

What could go wrong?

 

[Kimbo]

Fan clearly not happy with Ben's low media profile so far.

 

[El Triggso]

I'm glad this thread was bumped as I was going to do the same thing yesterday. Would love to see an interview with him regarding his thoughts on the direction he sees the club heading in, plans for the future, etc. Actually, I would just like to see something, anything from him.

Spot on.

Our club needs some positive messages out there to contrast with the normal negative media bullshit.

I want to hear about the VFL team, the Arden St redevelopment proposal, our AFLW bid, the ethical stance on pokies, our expectation of a new Etihad deal ASAP, and, the fact that our debt is about to be wiped out (hint hint, as compared to other "small" clubs around the place).

He's got heaps to work with.

 

[naturally north]

When does he start?

 

[Twinkletoes]

This was posted on the 3AW page yesterday under the headline "North confirm they're chasing Dustin Martin and Josh Kelly".

 

[giantroo]

https://coupler.foxsports.com.au/ap...a/news-story/9fb2141c122566d5e3e24834f0a18525



North Melbourne hierarchy rules out partial relocation to Tasmania

June 29, 2017 6:41pm

Jake NiallFOX SPORTS

NORTH Melbourne’s hierarchy has ruled out a partial relocation to Tasmania and says it has no plans to increase the number of home games it plays in Hobart.

North Melbourne’s chairman Ben Buckley, who took over as head of the club this year, was unequivocal that the club would remain based at Arden St while he was chairman and indicated the club did not wish to increase the number of Hobart games from the current three.

“No, I think we’re very comfortable with the number of games that we’re playing at the moment,’’ Buckley told Fox Sports News’ AFL Tonight.

“I can firmly say that under my leadership, North Melbourne will always be headquartered here at Arden St.’’

Buckley was responding a question about whether there were plans to increase the Hobart presence, but was also clearly keen to douse speculation that the club would entertain a shift to become a team primarily based in Tasmania.

“We’re committed to our heritage in North Melbourne,” he said. “It’s a very strong and successful partnership we’ve had with the community for many, many years.’

“We’re comfortable with playing three games in Hobart, we’re very supportive of growing football in Tasmania in partnership with the Tassie government and Football Tasmania and the AFL. But at this point in time we don’t see any need or have any great desire to play any more games.’’



North is making a Tasmanian presence a key plank of its bid for a women’s team and Buckley said the Roos intended to play some games in Tasmania if they were granted a an AFLW side.

Buckley also revealed that late last year the North Melbourne board had “challenged’’ the football department to be bold in pursuing elite players from other clubs — a directive that has seen North’s huge money offers to out of contract stars Josh Kelly and Dustin Martin.

“Certainly as a board have encouraged the football department to think boldly and aggressively about the way they go about putting a competitive team on the field,” Buckley said.

“We set that challenge to them towards the end of last season. They came back to the board with a clear very strategy and a very clear agenda about what they wanted to achieve over the next three to five years. The board endorsed that.”

But Buckley suggested the club could still thrive if it didn’t land big names.

“It’s not an either-or option,” he said. “We can certainly go forward and go forward strongly if we’re not successful in attracting other players from other clubs.’’

Buckley, who played at North just after Josh Kelly’s father Phil, said he had not spoken with Kelly’s father. Kelly is weighing up a nine-year offer worth more than $9 million from the Roos.

“I think we did wear the same number so we do have something in common,” Buckley said.

“His name was on the locker when I came down to North Melbourne, but no I haven’t spoken directly to Phil.’’

Asked whether North heritage was part of the club’s pitch to Kelly, Buckley said: “I can’t tell you what’s in any player who’s out there’s mind about the decisions that they will ultimately make ... But you know Phil was a very, very good player for the North Melbourne Football Club.’’

 

[gokangas]

Sadly, the Tasmanian move will be recycled everytime the issue of a Tassie AFL comes up. We can expect this regurlarly for a few years yet.

 

[ripperpart]

Big Balls Buckley.

 

[lockheed]

Interesting times for Ben, arising from Australia's bid for the 2022 soccer world cup, when he was CEO of Football Federation Australia - http://www.theage.com.au/sport/socc...al-of-australia-2022-bid-20170627-gwzz4g.html

He's not accused of corruption, but ...

"While Mr Buckley, who led Australia's bid as FFA chief executive, and former FFA chairman Mr Lowy, are not implicated in any corruption, the Garcia report details new evidence that shows the pair variously supported practices that appear to have breached World Cup bidding rules and, in the case of Mr Buckley, suggest the FFA was prepared to make improper offers to secure the votes of FIFA chiefs."

I don't know what implications, if any, this will have on Ben's tenure as chairman, but http://www.theage.com.au/sport/socc...n-world-cup-bid-payments-20170628-gx0lih.html states that Swiss prosecutors are investigating potential corruption charges against the recipients of the payments. I think I also read somewhere that the US Justice Department are also investigating.

 

[Groin guru]

Interesting times for Ben, arising from Australia's bid for the 2022 soccer world cup, when he was CEO of Football Federation Australia - http://www.theage.com.au/sport/socc...al-of-australia-2022-bid-20170627-gwzz4g.html

He's not accused of corruption, but ...

"While Mr Buckley, who led Australia's bid as FFA chief executive, and former FFA chairman Mr Lowy, are not implicated in any corruption, the Garcia report details new evidence that shows the pair variously supported practices that appear to have breached World Cup bidding rules and, in the case of Mr Buckley, suggest the FFA was prepared to make improper offers to secure the votes of FIFA chiefs."

I don't know what implications, if any, this will have on Ben's tenure as chairman, but http://www.theage.com.au/sport/socc...n-world-cup-bid-payments-20170628-gx0lih.html states that Swiss prosecutors are investigating potential corruption charges against the recipients of the payments. I think I also read somewhere that the US Justice Department are also investigating.

What a waste of money. Sure, let's go after a failed bid. Because Qatar winning the rights isn't suspect at all...

 

[Deadeyeroo]

Things just get better and better. You can bet Caro will run with this on Footy Classified.

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