In today's Australian, in the business section on page 24, there is an article about how much it costs to run and AFL club. There are plenty of good points made, but unfortunately, North have been made the financial whipping boy again. Jeeze, bet you guys are surprised by that.
Anyway, the usual questions on whether we will survive are asked, but here are a few inconsistencies.
1. They say the BEWARE campaign is essentially a short term solution as the income we get won't be recurring income. That's all fair and good, so why didn't they bring up the Gutnick donations to the Melbourne FC, which is also non-recurring over the long term?
2. They highlight our loss of $1.1million in 2000, but don't mention Melbourne's loss of $1.5mil in 1999 and their projected loss of $1.0mil for 2001 in the article.
3. The Bulldogs made a small profit, but their membership numbers are weak, and so, they have less recurring membership income than North Melbourne. If you are going to write about recurring income, then you have to compare the efforts of clubs in a similar situation.
4. Ignorance of recent history. They make the point that should our on-field fortunes decline, our off-field fortunes will also decline. But recent history has shown that when a club has been in danger of folding, Victorian football fans have been very enthusiastic in donating money to keep clubs alive. In the last ten years, we've had Richmond, Hawthorn, St.Kilda, and the Bulldogs all mount successful campaigns to keep their clubs afloat when things have gone financially astray.
Michael McGuire (wonder if he's any relation to Eddie) did make some good points, but by primarily highlighting North Melbourne's problems and ignoring other clubs (even the St.Kilda administration in recent months has said that the next few years could be their last chance to establish their long term survival), it paints a distorted overall picture. The interstate clubs, plus Essendon and Collingwood aren't in trouble. Richmond is still in recovery while Carlton still has debt over their Legends Stand and are looking at further capital expenditure on their ground...but that still leaves plenty of other Victorian clubs with either clouds over them, or clouds rapidly approaching.
Anyway, the usual questions on whether we will survive are asked, but here are a few inconsistencies.
1. They say the BEWARE campaign is essentially a short term solution as the income we get won't be recurring income. That's all fair and good, so why didn't they bring up the Gutnick donations to the Melbourne FC, which is also non-recurring over the long term?
2. They highlight our loss of $1.1million in 2000, but don't mention Melbourne's loss of $1.5mil in 1999 and their projected loss of $1.0mil for 2001 in the article.
3. The Bulldogs made a small profit, but their membership numbers are weak, and so, they have less recurring membership income than North Melbourne. If you are going to write about recurring income, then you have to compare the efforts of clubs in a similar situation.
4. Ignorance of recent history. They make the point that should our on-field fortunes decline, our off-field fortunes will also decline. But recent history has shown that when a club has been in danger of folding, Victorian football fans have been very enthusiastic in donating money to keep clubs alive. In the last ten years, we've had Richmond, Hawthorn, St.Kilda, and the Bulldogs all mount successful campaigns to keep their clubs afloat when things have gone financially astray.
Michael McGuire (wonder if he's any relation to Eddie) did make some good points, but by primarily highlighting North Melbourne's problems and ignoring other clubs (even the St.Kilda administration in recent months has said that the next few years could be their last chance to establish their long term survival), it paints a distorted overall picture. The interstate clubs, plus Essendon and Collingwood aren't in trouble. Richmond is still in recovery while Carlton still has debt over their Legends Stand and are looking at further capital expenditure on their ground...but that still leaves plenty of other Victorian clubs with either clouds over them, or clouds rapidly approaching.
