Mod. Notice Q&A with Keith Thomas

[Ford Fairlane]

Following the successful Q&A with Geoff Parker prior to the National Draft, the Port Adelaide Football Club is looking for questions from the supporters to put to the Club's Chief Executive, Keith Thomas.

Post your questions in here for the chance to ask Keith about the issues that are burning for you. The Q&A will be held either Tuesday or Wednesday next week so get your questions in by COB Monday 12 December 2011.

Thanks again to the Port Adelaide Football Club for inviting us to be part of this initiative.

We Are Port Adelaide.

 

[Pedro59]

Hi Keith

We as a club are looking forward to the move to AO

My question is:

Are we only relying on increased attendances to improve the financial picture for Port at the new ground or is there also some sort of better stadium deal as well?

(My concern is if we have 25,000 attendance days at this stadium will we still make money? .....I understand other clubs such as Geelong and Gold Coast still do very well at 25,000 attendance)

Thank you

 

[simba_]

Are you looking at a better stadium deal for Port Adelaide at AAMI for the short term, or will we ride out the current SANFL deal and look to have something better in place for Adelaide Oval?

 

[Forzaport]

Q1: Hi KT, now that you've experienced first hand the negative spin that is constantly placed on the Port Adelaide Football Club by the SA media, will you change how the club deals with local journalists and sports commentators?

Q2: Hi KT, it has become abundantly clear that 5aa has, and continues to, damage to the Port Adelaide brand. In light of this, 5aa's corporate partnership of the club would appear to be untenable. Will there be any action taken to protect the Port Adelaide brand from 5aa and any future rogue key partners?

 

[Natman]

I imagine that we have a football department budget. My questions are;

1. Who determines the size of this budget and who provides final approval?

2. How is the level of budget determined? What input does the coaching staff have and is it measured against other clubs?

3. If there was an expenditure required during the season that would enhance the on-field result, but exceed budget, who would make the expenditure decision?

 

[Portology]

Keith, much has been made of our club's relationship with local media of late. Yes, when we win more, the % of net +ve media stories will increase. On the flip side, I believe the "smaller" fan base in any two team town incurs a small structural bias against it in local media. Local journos come out of the community they serve - they have 'history' and unless there's something odd about people in the media (!) that 'history' should be distributed in roughly the same % as community support for the two teams. Now the media tend to report for their perceived audience, so in my opinion, those from a "Port background" exercise some unconscious self-censorship and restraint. They tone down their natural partisanship in a way that media people from a "non-Port" background don't feel any need to do - those guys are already pandering to "the masses".

So my question is what specific things are we doing to try to make the best of our relationship to the media ?

Have we ever thought of "embedding" a reporter into our club for a long period of time giving them exclusive access at the price of vetting the material and timing of going to print ? What starts as installment type reports in daily/weekly media, items with short half-life could then be compiled/expanded and published as "A Year With The Power" book or vid. I don't know how practical this is with all the media rights that currently exist around the AFL but it seems to me it would put us into a real partnership with some the media, sidestep the shallower elements, generate additional revenue and result in very much net +ve media exposure.

 

[Enviable Tradition]

What impact have the adelaide oval negotiations had on your relationship with whicker et al at the sanfl.

Do we currently have any caps on our spending imposed by the afl or sanfl? If so what?

Do we currently have any restrictions in terms of contract terminations/pay outs imposed by the afl/sanfl?

Do we feel that there is ever a place for imposing sanctions on any particular media outlet as a result of their coverage of our club?

 

[Spadge]

no doubt we'll end up with questions like "Hi Keith. What do you prefer on your toast. Vegemite or Jam"...

some of the questions here are awesome. I was going to ask one about the negative media impact on our club and how we are going to deal with it, but Forza covered it well

 

[FishingRick04]

KT: being a Norwood servant how have you found being at PAFC and how has working for Port changed your views on our club?

KT: Some supporters took your appointment as an SANFL "plant" what can you say to ease these concerns?

 

[The Smaller Warrior]

Hi KT,

Firstly I want to thank you for your work so far, from an outsider I have loved everything I have seen so far; the clubs communication has improved drastically.

I was in attendance at an SANFL Function late last year with the CEO's of each club and the discussion of Port Adelaide was brought up and it was a general view from the Clubs that they were happy to see the club itself 'fold'.

The Port Adelaide Football club provides a steady flow of income to the SANFL, and in turn the clubs themselves, so my question is;

What can we do, and what can the club do to improve the perception around South Australia that the Port Adelaide Football Club is a 'drain' on South Australian Football (The SANFL.) Is it just to Media Negativity or is there more to it?

 

[Jumbo]

Hi KT,
What are the most important KPI's that you have set for yourself over the short and long term for the club to which we (as supporters) can gauge your performance by?

 

[simba_]

KT: Some supporters took your appointment as an SANFL "plant" what can you say to ease these concerns?

KT: be careful how you answer this, the happiness of your families sleeping patterns may depends on it

 

[blackdiamond]

Keith, will the AFL also oversee the stadium deal that is offered to both SA Clubs to make sure it is workable, obviously this should be in the best interests of the AFL so that no further money is provided by them and the Clubs can then hopefully stand alone with no influence from the SANFL.

 

[PhoenixPower]

Q1: Hi KT, now that you've experienced first hand the negative spin that is constantly placed on the Port Adelaide Football Club by the SA media, will you change how the club deals with local journalists and sports commentators?

Q2: Hi KT, it has become abundantly clear that 5aa has, and continues to, damage to the Port Adelaide brand. In light of this, 5aa's corporate partnership of the club would appear to be untenable. Will there be any action taken to protect the Port Adelaide brand from 5aa and any future rogue key partners?

I STRONGLY would like to second these questions please. I was so happy to hear Keith on the radio the other night putting facts straight - I would like to ask the above questions also to get his views on how we are to handle the mischievous and slanderous media in this down and interstate (garry lyon etc)

 

[PhoenixPower]

Would also like to ask....

How are port adelaide preparing for the upcoming changes in Free Agency rules, and how does Keith feel it will affect a smaller market team like port adelaide vs the big clubs like Collingwood, Carlton, West Coast etc

 

[Portia]

When do you anticipate the PAFC being free of its current ongoing financial obligations to the SANFL?

Will we have a `clean stadium' at Adelaide Oval, where the PAFC receive income from catering, carparking in the manner that other AFL clubs do?

 

[Relativity]

Is it part of our agenda to gain ownership of our AFL licence from the SANFL?

 

[Portia]

You should be telling him whether its part of our agenda, Relativity.

 

[rumoursofwinter]

Hi Keith,

What is the PAFC's position regarding the establishment of a reserves side? Do you agree that the establishment of a reserves side would be a progressive move for the PAFC from both a football and identity perspective?

 

[missionpossible]

I know it isn't your role but can you teach our mids how to handball along the ground so that the first bounce stays low and the second bounce sits up for a team mate to run on to it.

With all the extra funds for the football department is the recruiting department going to be expanded?

 

[bomberclifford]

KT,

Over the past few years, there has been a lot of external opinions on how the club should present itself to market. The most vocal of these outsiders seem to be of the opinion that we should be distancing ourselves from our heritage and becoming a 'Crows-lite' or 'South Coast Sharks' or some other bland, nondescript, franchise brand.

In light of this and the launch of the new 'We are Port Adelaide' campaign, are you an advocate of our heritage being the biggest advantage we have in marketing the PAFC? If so, what other strategies do you envision to leverage this advantage?


cheers
bc

 

[Asgardian]

G'day KT

Have we been active in attempting to gain new sponsorship dollars from international companies that are new, or are seeking to introduce themselves, to the Australian market?

 

[70sDinosaur]

KT,

I believe the licence and control/governance arrangements for Port in the AFL are incongruous and unsustainable and have played a significant role in our off field problems.

No-one would think it would make sense for the VFL to hold the AFL licences of the Victorian clubs so my question is what plans do you have or are you making for Port to become the holder of its AFL licence, so that it can free itself from the SANFL and the unreasonable, onerous and anachronistic arrangements forced onto it two decades ago and be given the opportunity to compete equally with the other clubs?

Thank you.

 

[Lightning_Rod]

KT, freehold of our licence is a must for the future of this club, are the club venturing down this path at the moment and if so, what of a reserves side, do the magpies become a power b's with alignment of jumpers name etc or will the magpie live on through the sanfl side?

 

[Jonts]

Gday Keith

Q1: To potential sponsors, what are some of the key values of Port Adelaide that you try to sell?

Q2: What is in store to give Adelaide Oval the "Port Adelaide" feel/vibe to it?

Q3: When will Port Adelaide have AFL games without bay covers present?