Port Adelaide - Can They Hack It In The Big Time League?

[Bicko]

 

[SimpkinByTheDockOfTheBay]

There's another key issue for Port.

No W team.

As Kennett has said, not having a W team is a huge problem when getting the best sponsors now.

The longer Port go without a W side, the further behind they fall.

 

[philthy05]

Time for an honest discussion about Port Adelaide as an AFL club.

Power left with $12 million debt as virus fallout takes toll

Port Adelaide Power have revealed a “significant” increase in debt but chairman David Koch says the playing squad is again ready to challenge for a premiership.

www.theage.com.au

Port have needed bailouts before. Is another justified?

Why can small Melbourne clubs like the Dogs and North get their debt down to zero but Port's balloons again?

Is Port Adelaide a great SANFL club that frankly belongs in the SANFL?

Is South Australia naturally a one team state?

Is the game better off acknowledging that small states like South Australia and Tasmania can only support one team and moving the pieces on the board to reflect this by taking Port's licence and giving it to Tassie?

Interesting. The point remains that they're clearly not up to the big league if they need benefactors to bail them out all the time.

But Port had massive debt and required a bailout years back when COVID wasn't a thing.

Issue is clearly structural.

Hey *******. We never received a bailout and on the table of equalisation payouts port is always mid table. Guess which team is one of the highest receivers of equalisation payments?

The “bailout” your thinking of is when Port got an advance on our payment as it was strategically smart to get it early. We didn’t get any extra money.

 

[BF Tiger]

Hey *******. We never received a bailout and on the table of equalisation payouts port is always mid table. Guess which team is one of the highest receivers of equalisation payments?

The “bailout” your thinking of is when Port got an advance on our payment as it was strategically smart to get it early. We didn’t get any extra money.

You probably won’t get it from the OP so here you go...

Good post.

Thanks for the contribution

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

Some good posts here. Good contributions.

Thanks.

 

[backtozero]

All bullshit aside, I'd like to see an honest breakdown of all the stadium deals in the comp. I feel like we are getting a raw deal.

The Crows should be absolutely swimming in cash but they make very modest profits.
We need to be working on this together but unlikely when their CEO is ex-Stadium Management Authority.

Too bad their fans are happy to keep making modest profits so long as they're slightly ahead of us, then they can always look down their noses at us.

For me it's like this:

1. Keep playing finals, keep generating revenue - we are in a great position to do this.
2. Keep pushing for a better stadium deal. 35- 40 something thousand people each week should be enough to turn a profit.
3. Move on from China. No doubt this cost us a fair bit. Happy to cut our losses and move on. No doubt our hand will be forced anyway.
4. Women's team asap.

The plans for the redevelopment of Alberton Oval will also go a long way to securing our future.

The debt will be reduced and we have a clear plan in place. To question our existence after an unprecedented year like 2020 is pretty dumb. Well done with that btw.

 

[Engimal v3]

Wow, genuinely had no idea Port were so rooted. Wonder what Koch's legacy will be. Definitely had some positive energy during his early tenure, but it feels like the last couple of years things keep going backwards for them.

 

[Doctor Feel]

lolnorf

 

[Kwality]

Port's revenue is larger than Adelaide's because they own a hotel and pokies operation (Prince of Wales Hotel and the Port Club). The Crows only have an e-sports team and a baseball team as outside-football interests which I strongly suspect are loss making (not that anyone from the club would comment). In 2019 Port had total revenue of $58M vs the Crows $56M, which included $7M from licensed venues.

Bit rich to expect OP to know what a number they post actually means.
The very different business models of clubs make simplistic comparisons dubious, when no research has been done.

 

[MarcusP2]

Bit rich to expect OP to know what a number they post actually means.
The very different business models of clubs make simplistic comparisons dubious, when no research has been done.

The other thing that is perhaps worth noting is that Port's statutory profits over the last couple of years have been supported by repeatedly revaluing their assets (land, buildings and memorabilia) to the tune of $5M+. In 2018 that was $4.2M (after a post-depreciation loss of $1M), in 2019 $1.2M (after a post-depreciation loss of $700K). So their property, plan and equipment which was worth $13M in 2017 is now worth $18M.

 

[Engimal v3]

If you'd clicked on this thread without reading the title you might think you've accidentally walked into a contest to see which Port posters can piss their pants the most and moan the loudest.

 

[Tibbs]

Serious answer requested by the OP, so this is my serious reply:

Firstly, you will note that most of the replies here by Port members have been in the form of dismissive banter. Reason being, we have grown to live with the fact that the AFL is really just a re-badged VFL, with the non-Vic clubs tolerated and 'allowed' to participate. It is the reality, although you Vic folk will deny it. So we are used to the fact that you lot know diddlysquat about our club. You know very little about the massive battle we have had to enter the competition, and indeed to remain in it. We find most Victorians to be not really interested in any club outside Victoria, so "why bother explaining?"

Well here goes ...From the start, the Power were owned by the SANFL, which bled the club dry while claiming credit for then bailing it out when cash-strapped, while every leg-up was given to the AFC, the bastard-child of the SANFL. During that time the SANFL in their blind hatred of Port forced the club to play as two separate entities, Port Adelaide Magpies and the 'Port Power,' separate from each other. To this day these tossers refuse to refer to us as the Port Adelaide Power, for fear of linking the two teams. Slowly this created an identity crisis among the supporter base, and to this day there are still many Magpie fans that support other AFL clubs, and many Power fans that dont support the Magpies. This was a football equivalent of genocide, as they strove to destroy the original Port Adelaide Magpies, leaving a crippled and weak Port Power that have no links to the club and its history. This is not just rhetoric, this is factual

Added to that Port had to play at that concrete graveyard, Football Park, the home ground of our mortal enemy the AFC, further disenfranchising supporters, resulting in declining crowds & memberships. What dwindling income there was, disappeared into SANFL pockets, as the club spiralled further down.

So we enter the Hinkley/Adelaide Oval phase of our life, and what has changed?
1] Ownership was handed to the AFL. An improvement, but we now have the ownership debt to repay, and they now control the board and pull the strings.
2] Fans and supporters began to flood back as the two clubs were reunited into ONE Port Adelaide, and a new home ground that had no Crows links was unveiled.
3] Big name sponsors have slowly started to knock on the door as the club has shown itself to be not just the equal of the Crows, but in fact, far superior!

So all is good? No, we are still hobbled by the AFL ownership issue which wont go away until we own our own club. But more significantly, despite our good crowds at Adelaide Oval, we are at the mercy of the SANFL though the stadium deal at the Adelaide Oval. I wont go into the details here, but basically North Melbourne probably make more money from 20,000 people at a home match than we do from 50,000.

Despite these financial limitations, the club has chosen to continue to INVEST in our football department, knowing that if we just cut costs to survive, we will never be a competitive force, and can never grow.

The future of this club is great, and will only get better. The investment has resulted in on-field improvement, players want play there, quality companies want to be partners & sponsors, and the supporters continue to gain strength & voice.

The ship wont turn around overnight, but it is well on the way. The Crows, their handlers, & supporters are seriously worried, and to the rest of the competition, all I can say is, "lookout, the real Port Adelaide is finally coming!"

 

[Tasmanian saint]

No, it is about Port and its sky-rocketing debt.

Of all clubs you would think a north supporter would be the last to call for a club to fold port will be fine they are looking at having an extended run in the finals you do realise the majority of businesses carry some form of debt .

 

[Tasmanian saint]

I dont know enough to comment on this, but I am curious if someone can shed some light on my earlier question. It has always been something I haven't understood.

Up until a few seasons ago the power had no offical connection to the sanfl club it wasn’t just like they jumped from sanfl to the afl it was a new club that carried there history from the sanfl over

 

[PetterdHoisted]

Serious answer requested by the OP, so this is my serious reply:

Firstly, you will note that most of the replies here by Port members have been in the form of dismissive banter. Reason being, we have grown to live with fact that the AFL is really just a re-badged VFL, with the non-Vic clubs tolerated and 'allowed' to participate. It is the reality, although you Vic folk will deny it. So we are used to the fact that you lot know diddlysquat about our club. You know very little about the massive battle we have had to enter the competition, and indeed to remain in it. We find most Victorians to be not really interested in any club outside Victoria, so "why bother?"

We here goes ...From the start, the Power were owned by the SANFL, which bled the club dry while claiming credit for then bailing it out when cash-strapped, while every leg-up was given to the AFC, the bastard-child of the SANFL. During that time the SANFL in their blind hatred of Port forced the club to play as two separate entities, Port Adelaide Magpies and the Port Power, separate from each other. To this day these tossers refuse to refer to us as the Port Adelaide Power, for fear of linking the two teams. Slowly this created an identity crisis among the supporter base, and to this day there are still many Magpie fans that support other AFL clubs, and many Power fans that dont support the Magpies. This was a football equivalent of genocide, as they strove to destroy the original Port Adelaide Magpies, leaving a crippled and weak Port Power that have no links to the club and its history. This is not just rhetoric, this is factual

Added to that Port had to play at that concrete graveyard, Football Park, the home ground of our mortal enemy the AFC, further disenfranchising supporters, resulting in declining crowds & memberships. What dwindling income there was, disappeared into SANFL pockets, as the club spiralled further down.

So we enter the Hinkley/Adelaide Oval phase of our life, and what has changed?
1] Ownership was handed to the AFL. An improvement, but we now have the ownership debt to repay, and they now control the board and pull the strings.
2] Fans and supporters began to flood back as the two clubs were reunited into ONE Port Adelaide, and a new home ground that had no Crows links was unveiled.
3] Big name sponsors have slowly started to knock on the door as the club has shown itself to be not just the equal of the Crows, but in fact, far superior!

So all is good? No, we are still hobbled by the AFL ownership issue which wont go away until we own our own club. But more significantly, despite our good crowds at Adelaide Oval, we are at the mercy of the SANFL though the stadium deal at the Adelaide Oval. I wont go into the details here, but basically North Melbourne probably make more money from 20,000 people at a home match than we do from 50,000.

Despite these financial limitations, the club has chosen to continue to INVEST in our football department, knowing that if we just cut costs to survive, we will never be a competitive force, and can never grow.

The future of this club is great, and will only get better. The investment has resulted in on-field improvement, players want play there, quality companies want be partners & sponsors, and the supporters are gaining strength & voice.

The ship wont turn around overnight, but it is well on the way. To the rest of the competition, all I can say is "lookout. Port Adelaide is coming!"

'genocide' lol
now I nearly seen it all on BF!

 

[DaTBird187]

Why is Adelaide so financially strong but Port not so?
I'm not trolling, genuinely curious without knowing the SA market.

They aren't. With the head start they got in the state and the various free kicks over the years they should be a financial powerhouse like West Coast. They are miles from that. They don't even have a home.

 

[Tibbs]

'genocide' lol
now I nearly seen it all on BF!

Yeah go ahead and laugh from your little perch. But it become a different matter when you have institutions from government down to your owners slowly trying strangle you and kill you off.

 

[Tzatziki_Man]

Serious answer requested by the OP, so this is my serious reply:

Firstly, you will note that most of the replies here by Port members have been in the form of dismissive banter. Reason being, we have grown to live with fact that the AFL is really just a re-badged VFL, with the non-Vic clubs tolerated and 'allowed' to participate. It is the reality, although you Vic folk will deny it. So we are used to the fact that you lot know diddlysquat about our club. You know very little about the massive battle we have had to enter the competition, and indeed to remain in it. We find most Victorians to be not really interested in any club outside Victoria, so "why bother?"

We here goes ...From the start, the Power were owned by the SANFL, which bled the club dry while claiming credit for then bailing it out when cash-strapped, while every leg-up was given to the AFC, the bastard-child of the SANFL. During that time the SANFL in their blind hatred of Port forced the club to play as two separate entities, Port Adelaide Magpies and the Port Power, separate from each other. To this day these tossers refuse to refer to us as the Port Adelaide Power, for fear of linking the two teams. Slowly this created an identity crisis among the supporter base, and to this day there are still many Magpie fans that support other AFL clubs, and many Power fans that dont support the Magpies. This was a football equivalent of genocide, as they strove to destroy the original Port Adelaide Magpies, leaving a crippled and weak Port Power that have no links to the club and its history. This is not just rhetoric, this is factual

Added to that Port had to play at that concrete graveyard, Football Park, the home ground of our mortal enemy the AFC, further disenfranchising supporters, resulting in declining crowds & memberships. What dwindling income there was, disappeared into SANFL pockets, as the club spiralled further down.

So we enter the Hinkley/Adelaide Oval phase of our life, and what has changed?
1] Ownership was handed to the AFL. An improvement, but we now have the ownership debt to repay, and they now control the board and pull the strings.
2] Fans and supporters began to flood back as the two clubs were reunited into ONE Port Adelaide, and a new home ground that had no Crows links was unveiled.
3] Big name sponsors have slowly started to knock on the door as the club has shown itself to be not just the equal of the Crows, but in fact, far superior!

So all is good? No, we are still hobbled by the AFL ownership issue which wont go away until we own our own club. But more significantly, despite our good crowds at Adelaide Oval, we are at the mercy of the SANFL though the stadium deal at the Adelaide Oval. I wont go into the details here, but basically North Melbourne probably make more money from 20,000 people at a home match than we do from 50,000.

Despite these financial limitations, the club has chosen to continue to INVEST in our football department, knowing that if we just cut costs to survive, we will never be a competitive force, and can never grow.

The future of this club is great, and will only get better. The investment has resulted in on-field improvement, players want play there, quality companies want be partners & sponsors, and the supporters continue to gaining strength & voice.

The ship wont turn around overnight, but it is well on the way. The Crows, their handlers, & supporters are seriously worried, and to the rest of the competition, all I can say is, "lookout, Port Adelaide is coming!"

Absolutely fasnicating, cant wait for the Netflix doco.

 

[Tibbs]

Absolutely fasnicating, cant wait for the Netflix doco.

Pfft! ... Hollywood blockbuster at least!

Seriously though, there have been numerous books written about the SANFL/Port saga. The lies & skulduggery are mind-blowing! If this had of occurred in the USA, it would have been a movie a long time ago.

 

[port_adelaide_1870]

Bit rich to criticise a club for getting more debt in a year that was like no other in the history of the game.

we have more sponsors this year, 3 major sponsors (first time in our history). We will be fine, going on the right direction in terms of reducing our debt.

 

[PowerLil]

Good post.

Thanks for the contribution

REH is the most knowledgeable, articulate Bigfooty poster on all things PAFC. The complete antithesis of yourself. I would suggest worrying about your minnow club.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

Thread is a disgrace, OP is a troll. We knew that even before the thread was created, but this removed all doubt.

 

[SimpkinByTheDockOfTheBay]

REH is the most knowledgeable, articulate Bigfooty poster on all things PAFC. The complete antithesis of yourself. I would suggest worrying about your minnow club.

My minnow club isn't $12m in the hole.

 

[SimpkinByTheDockOfTheBay]

Thread is a disgrace, OP is a troll. We knew that even before the thread was created, but this removed all doubt.

Hows your merge or relocate thread mate.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

Hows your merge or relocate thread mate.

Excellent, thank you. It was intended to find which people thought was the least worst option, and I got the answer to it because it was asked in good faith, unlike this car accident of a thread that only exists due to your insecurity over rumours linking your club to Tasmania. Mentioning relocation to Tasmania in the original post was the giveaway.