Opinion PAFC Member Control

[ibd77]

Important; Mods please sticky in forum for continued discussion

It is time that all members of the Port Adelaide Football Club begin to demand to the president, the CEO & the AFL appointed board members that it is time to transition the club back to membership-based control.

This is the most important movement since the transition to Adelaide Oval in 2014 and needs to be set in motion now.

It is clear for all to see that AFL control will not provide the needed direction to derive success on the field. Out of the last 20 premierships, 16 of those came from member-controlled clubs, 2 from AFL controlled clubs (Sydney only) and 2 from WAFL controlled clubs (West Coast Only).

The members need to have this power to hold the appointed officials at the club to account during general meetings.

In the interim, the members should have the right to appoint an members advocate to sit on the club’s board to provide regular updates to the members on the process & schedule of transition.

Clearly the main restriction for us to transition from AFL to member control is our current level of debt. At this stage there is a lack of transparency on the level of debt, how it is being serviced and a time frame when this debt is set to be eliminated.
This is where the member advocate comes in to monitor, update the members and provide a strategy and time frame to remove the debt. The member advocate may also drive fundraisers to help remove the debt quicker in order to achieve the members goals.

Nominations for member advocate may include ex-presidents, CEO’s, players or coaches. My nomination would be Warren Tredrea

Warren Tredrea

Age

45

Ht

194cm

Wt

96kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.3

4star

K

10.1

4star

HB

4.2

3star

M

6.9

5star

T

1.4

3star

G

2.2

5star

No current season stats available

D

5.4

2star

K

2.8

1star

HB

2.6

3star

M

1.2

2star

T

0.6

3star

G

1.0

4star

being a fresh face back at the club instilling the successes the club had back in the early 2000’s. Other candidates could be Brian Cunningham or Greg Bolton.

Please discuss your views on the matter and the best way to approach it.

 

[bomberclifford]

I hate to say it but this horse has already bolted.

 

[Expat power]

Important; Mods please sticky in forum for continued discussion

It is time that all members of the Port Adelaide Football Club begin to demand to the president, the CEO & the AFL appointed board members that it is time to transition the club back to membership-based control.

This is the most important movement since the transition to Adelaide Oval in 2014 and needs to be set in motion now.

It is clear for all to see that AFL control will not provide the needed direction to derive success on the field. Out of the last 20 premierships, 16 of those came from member-controlled clubs, 2 from AFL controlled clubs (Sydney only) and 2 from WAFL controlled clubs (West Coast Only).

The members need to have this power to hold the appointed officials at the club to account during general meetings.

In the interim, the members should have the right to appoint an members advocate to sit on the club’s board to provide regular updates to the members on the process & schedule of transition.

Clearly the main restriction for us to transition from AFL to member control is our current level of debt. At this stage there is a lack of transparency on the level of debt, how it is being serviced and a time frame when this debt is set to be eliminated.
This is where the member advocate comes in to monitor, update the members and provide a strategy and time frame to remove the debt. The member advocate may also drive fundraisers to help remove the debt quicker in order to achieve the members goals.

Nominations for member advocate may include ex-presidents, CEO’s, players or coaches. My nomination would be Warren Tredrea being a fresh face back at the club instilling the successes the club had back in the early 2000’s. Other candidates could be Brian Cunningham or Greg Bolton.

Please discuss your views on the matter and the best way to approach it.

Hi Warren

 

[melanChronic]

I remember reading that Adelaide has a clause in their constitution that in 2028 or so they are to become majority member controlled, whilst Port doesn't have that clause.

So that's probably the biggest chance in the near future, if Adelaide do make the move away from AFL control then Port should angle to as well. Doesn't fill me with much confidence that Port needs to follow on the coat tails of the AFC though, when for every other major change in the SA football over the last 30 years Adelaide (and the SA football establishment they represent) have had to be dragged kicking and screaming by Port pushing against the status quo.

 

[ibd77]

I remember reading that Adelaide has a clause in their constitution that in 2028 or so they are to become majority member controlled, whilst Port doesn't have that clause.

So that's probably the biggest chance in the near future, if Adelaide do make the move away from AFL control then Port should angle to as well. Doesn't fill me with much confidence that Port needs to follow on the coat tails of the AFC though, when for every other major change in the SA football over the last 30 years Adelaide (and the SA football establishment they represent) have had to be dragged kicking and screaming by Port pushing against the status quo.

Nothing is going to happen unless this conversation begins to take centre stage. The Bring back the bars campaign has been important but this member control campaign needs to be front a centre by all fans and members of this club.

 

[misternoitall]

Understand the sentiment, but also very risky to have a board completely controlled or voted in by members. You only need to go through the many different online forums, social media pages and you will see yourself how many stupid people are out there.

I think there needs to be balance and agree it would be good to get much more of a say.

 

[Enviable Tradition]

Works for the successful Vic teams.

On SM-G975F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[melanChronic]

There would obviously be mechanisms to ensure that the board isn't being spilled every six months or so. But fundamentally the ethos needs to shift to the board being fully answerable to the membership, rather than four fifths of it (including the chairman) being answerable to the AFL who have other motives at play rather than the active pursuit of a premiership.

 

[ibd77]

Understand the sentiment, but also very risky to have a board completely controlled or voted in by members. You only need to go through the many different online forums, social media pages and you will see yourself how many stupid people are out there.

I think there needs to be balance and agree it would be good to get much more of a say.

What was the system we employed before we joined the AFL? Why couldn't that work again?

 

[misternoitall]

What was the system we employed before we joined the AFL? Why couldn't that work again?

I don't actually know, but I would think it would have been predominantly member elected.

Not sure it would work now, Pre AFL, we would have had say 4,000 members max?
Bugger all would care to vote.

Now with 50,000 + members, way too many idiots get their say and an idiot vote is worth the same as a non idiot vote.

I mean, everyone loved George and Gavin and voted them on.
At the expense of a wealthy business who helped bank roll the club for many years.
I am not sure they were the right people.

That said - we do have David Koch and Holly Ransom.

As I said above, i think there just needs to be a balance.

 

[bomberclifford]

Understand the sentiment, but also very risky to have a board completely controlled or voted in by members. You only need to go through the many different online forums, social media pages and you will see yourself how many stupid people are out there.

I think there needs to be balance and agree it would be good to get much more of a say.

A tight constitution helps keep it in check.

 

[Powerade 08]

Nice work derailing the thread. First post literally says 16 of the last 20 Premierships were won by member-controlled clubs.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

I don't actually know, but I would think it would have been predominantly member elected.

Not sure it would work now, Pre AFL, we would have had say 4,000 members max?
Bugger all would care to vote.

Now with 50,000 + members, way too many idiots get their say and an idiot vote is worth the same as a non idiot vote.

I mean, everyone loved George and Gavin and voted them on.
At the expense of a wealthy business who helped bank roll the club for many years.
I am not sure they were the right people.

That said - we do have David Koch and Holly Ransom.

As I said above, i think there just needs to be a balance.

who was the wealthy businessman who missed out?

 

[Power Raid]

I don't actually know, but I would think it would have been predominantly member elected.

Not sure it would work now, Pre AFL, we would have had say 4,000 members max?
Bugger all would care to vote.

Now with 50,000 + members, way too many idiots get their say and an idiot vote is worth the same as a non idiot vote.

I mean, everyone loved George and Gavin and voted them on.
At the expense of a wealthy business who helped bank roll the club for many years.
I am not sure they were the right people.

That said - we do have David Koch and Holly Ransom.

As I said above, i think there just needs to be a balance.

I think Koch has done a great job attracting sponsorship but I feel he thinks he’s better than he is

Name a successful businessman who gets up and starts work for someone else at 4.30 in the morning?


Koch needs to build a good board around him rather than stooges.

By doing so, port gets the best out of Koch.

But what we are getting is his weakness. That is his inability to make tough decisions (sacking the coach, sacking key people in the footy department and sacking piss weak figures on the board that don’t hold him to account or step up and help).

Think of this, would a quality coach like Clarkson put his hand up for a job with Ken still in place. Or does port need to make the position vacant first?

The fact that there were three or four excellent candidates last year highlights we missed an opportunity.

The first question I would ask any potential coach is “have you smoked dope around the club?”. If the answer is yes, I would thank them for their honesty and suggest they move on. If the answer is no, and I knew otherwise, I would walk out the room.


Until our chair has the strength of character to make changes we will fail.

Kich needs to change or sack himself.

 

[Enviable Tradition]

who was the wealthy businessman who missed out?

Does it matter?

Even in a majority member elected board there would be space for targeted recruitments of non-elected board members to fill certain skill requirements.

Make it 6 member elected, 4 skill based.

On SM-G975F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Rising Power]

who was the wealthy businessman who missed out?

Our own fisherman had a crack

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Does it matter?

Even in a majority member elected board there would be space for targeted recruitments of non-elected board members to fill certain skill requirements.

Make it 6 member elected, 4 skill based.

On SM-G975F using BigFooty.com mobile app

yes

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Our own fisherman had a crack

I dont remember seeing him on any ballot for a members elected position.

 

[Lawnchair Larry]

Can I ask whether the AFL really want to have control of PAFC?
I actually think that they would be fine with divesting interest upon clearance of debt.
Do we have evidence that they want control?

 

[Jonts]

Need a wealthy benefactor to whipe the debt with it being conditionally on this*

 

[OnTheWagon]

I most definitely did not agree with many of his later decision but genuinely think KT listened to and cared about what the members were thinking. Hence his 2019 letter. He actually admitted at this time there was a disconnect between the club and fans. We are now just "white noise" apparently. Cant see this ending well.

 

[ibd77]

I hate to say it but this horse has already bolted.

Shoot the horse and get another one.

 

[bomberclifford]

Shoot the horse and get another one.

Well, off you go then. I wish you luck in your endeavour.

 

[1954]

I believe it is still possible but it would require a backer (or multiples there of) with enough financial clout to eliminate any current debt in its entirety from the get go, which would (should) force the AFL into returning control of the club to it's members.

They would need assurances of the above happening from the AFL before handing over the funds, inc all board positions to be thrown open for an election by the majority of members, and one of their number, or their appointed choice, eg Warren Tredrea

Warren Tredrea

Age

45

Ht

194cm

Wt

96kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.3

4star

K

10.1

4star

HB

4.2

3star

M

6.9

5star

T

1.4

3star

G

2.2

5star

No current season stats available

D

5.4

2star

K

2.8

1star

HB

2.6

3star

M

1.2

2star

T

0.6

3star

G

1.0

4star

would need to be prepared to take on the role of president.

 

[Jojay]

I most definitely did not agree with many of his later decision but genuinely think KT listened to and cared about what the members were thinking. Hence his 2019 letter. He actually admitted at this time there was a disconnect between the club and fans. We are now just "white noise" apparently. Cant see this ending well.

Agree totally.