Do Crowe and Holmes a Court even have a business plan for Souths?

MightyFighting

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Thread starter #1
Form the looks of this South Sydney fansite: http://www.rabbitohs.com/, it seems that some of Souths' supporters expect privatisation to lead to on-field success (even premierships), and (better yet) survival.

But hecking their website (http://www.thebell.com.au/summary.html), all it seems to say is how much the phone-thrower loves the club, that they want to make the club successful (both on and off the field), and it gives the minutest details of the proposed ownership structure.

What it doesn't say is how the hope to achieve success. Privatised soccer clubs in Europe have only become more successful because their new owner has been their sugardaddy (by deliberately running their club at a loss, just to see on field success). But it appears that Crowe and Holes a Court aren't prepared to that, because it states quite clearly that the want to club to be "profitable" (meaning they're not going to run it at a loss).

So what's going on? The privatised club will have a higher tax bill, and they'll find that people will no longer be prepared to donate money to it or to do unpaid volunteer work (which is what happened when the Swans were privatised). And yet, privatisation is not going to open up any new revenue streams, is it?

The whole thing reeks of businessmen playing with the club like it's a new toy, without realising that running a struggling NRL club isn't all fun and games.

So, are they just playing, or have they just not put their brilliant business plan on their website?
 

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MightyFighting

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copa said:
I'm sure he has a better plan than Piggins and co.
That wasn't the question.

So far, all I've seen is an unexplained confidence that they'll fix everything. It also seems that Holmes a Court doesn't know very much about the running of Rugby League clubs. What's amazing is that there's transcripts of interviews on their site where he talks about his familly, his schooling, etc. everything but how he hopes to achieve what he's promising. It reads like he just expects it to all fall into place somehow once he's there.

But since you brought up Piggins, I'd have to say that at least his plan is realistic (even if it's not as nice). The buying price of just over $3million isn't going to dig Souths out of their financial hole any more than the move to Homebush will.
 

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#5
MightyFighting said:
That wasn't the question.

So far, all I've seen is an unexplained confidence that they'll fix everything. It also seems that Holmes a Court doesn't know very much about the running of Rugby League clubs. What's amazing is that there's transcripts of interviews on their site where he talks about his familly, his schooling, etc. everything but how he hopes to achieve what he's promising. It reads like he just expects it to all fall into place somehow once he's there.

But since you brought up Piggins, I'd have to say that at least his plan is realistic (even if it's not as nice). The buying price of just over $3million isn't going to dig Souths out of their financial hole any more than the move to Homebush will.
Piggins with a realistic plan?!! WTF?! Which decade will that begin? Piggins knows nothing about running RL businesses... his track record proves this.

HaC is actually a wealthy businessman and Crowe a cashed up celebrity investor. They can both get in contact with nearly every "player" in Oz society in short notice as is the quality of their connections and friendships.

Here is the HaC proposal in full. It is quite detailed.

http://www.thebell.com.au/proposal.html

Piggins will love Souths to death.
 

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Thread starter #6
copa said:
Piggins with a realistic plan?!! WTF?! Which decade will that begin? Piggins knows nothing about running RL businesses... his track record proves this.
I was referring specifically to his relocation proposal.
copa said:
HaC is actually a wealthy businessman and Crowe a cashed up celebrity investor. They can both get in contact with nearly every "player" in Oz society in short notice as is the quality of their connections and friendships.
They have not promised to lose money on Souths. In fact their rhetoric is quite the opposite. (Hopefully, they're not just thinking, 'spend up the salary cap, suddenly become successful, immediately become hugely popular, rake it in.' If they are, then I think they'll be very disappointed.) Yes, they will have contacts, but so will the current board. AND once the club is privatised, they will not be able to get tax deductible donations anymore.

(Also, I think you've overestimated the Sydney business contacts of a Hollywood actor.)
copa said:
Here is the HaC proposal in full. It is quite detailed.

http://www.thebell.com.au/proposal.html

Piggins will love Souths to death.
All I can find on that page are the details of the legal restructuring of the club (from a more economical model to a less economical model). I asked for their business plan, i.e. how they are going to make it profitable and successful. The restructuring plan is not a business plan.

While they are campaigning for votes, you'd expect them to make their business plan a central feature (if they have one).
 

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I don't know much about this stuff, but does this now rule Souths members out of having a say on how their club is run?
 

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copa

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#13
MightyFighting said:
I'd like Holmes a Crowe to collapse financially.

Souths I don't care about any more.
The good thing for Souths is they get rid of their garbage fans who think "it's my way or the highway"..

They can now build a strong loyal fan base.

Even Piggins seems to prefer his own vision for the club than the club itself. Bye bye Piggins...
 

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Thread starter #14
copa said:
The good thing for Souths is they get rid of their garbage fans who think "it's my way or the highway"..
It's not about a "way". It's about the very nature of the club itself. The club is now just a rich man's toy, like a sports car.
copa said:
They can now build a strong loyal fan base.
:rolleyes: Anyone who would support Souths now is a patsy (unless they happen to be Crowe or Holmes a Court).
copa said:
Even Piggins seems to prefer his own vision for the club than the club itself.
There is no "club" anymore.
 

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#15
MightyFighting said:
I was referring specifically to his relocation proposal.
12,000 seater Redfern Stadim? Piggins is dead against the CC.

Piggins plans are realistic if Souths want to die a horrible slow death that they've been for the better part of two decades!

One of the largest cancers on the Good Ship RL has finally been cut. Lets hope there's no regrowth of the insiduous old prick.

I do have some reservations over this bid though. At best, Souths become a powerhouse of the game again. At worst, Souths are run into the ground, the tradition, soul and spirit destroyed and there's SFA the stalwarts who've kept the club on life support can do about it, and we can shift thier license somewhere else or shift them the Gosford.

Win/win imo.
 

MightyFighting

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Hurbie said:
12,000 seater Redfern Stadim? Piggins is dead against the CC.
I thought so, but he has been quoted as saying Souths should consider the Coast.

If they could move back to Redfern, it would mean they could be profitable with the sort of crowds they were getting to the SFS. It was Souths' only long-term hope within Sydney.
 
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