Rumour The North Ultimatum

[freddy mercury]

The bombers haven’t won a final since 2004. Thats 17 years ago now. Let alone the drugs scandal. They’re basically only a big club due to their history, they’re a laughing stock now.

Tell me how they deserve anything more than North Melbourne currently.

They don't. Both clubs are rubbish. Hate them both.

But tell me more about the Bulldogs successful history.

 

[Engimal v3]

Word getting around that an official document has been sent to the North Melbourne football club hierarchy stating that if the club doesnt improve its membership and attendance to games by 2023 then the AFL will have no choice but to relocate them to Tasmania due to on going pressure.

The AFL are unable to relocate teams without consent. Is everyone here under 10 years old? Do we not remember when the AFL tried to do exactly that to North in 2008, and failed? North are significantly more stable off-field then they were at that time period.

 

[Tim Evans Beard]

Geez there are some absolute peanuts in here. The ones kicking north would be crying in a corner if their team was being linked to a relocation and rebranding.

Part of the issue on this forum is that a certain North supporting poster is constantly kicking other clubs that may be conceived vulnerable due to limited growth factors or historical mismanagement creating legacy issues only now being corrected.
I think that if the attitude towards North were to change, it would require a concerted effort by North supporters to garner friendships in the fight for survival, rather than attempt to deflect attention and throw other teams to the wolves.

 

[Saints43]

The AFL are unable to relocate teams without consent. Is everyone here under 10 years old? Do we not remember when the AFL tried to do exactly that to North in 2008, and failed? North are significantly more stable off-field then they were at that time period.

The AFL issue the licence that states a club is part of the league.
Any body that issues a license can revoke a license.

 

[Engimal v3]

The AFL issue the licence that states a club is part of the league.
Any body that issues a license can revoke a license.

Yes, meaning the AFL could kick us out of the league but not force us to relocate. Given that North are posting profits and are actually stable for once, there is zero risk of either happening.

 

[Tim Evans Beard]

Yes, meaning the AFL could kick us out of the league but not force us to relocate. Given that North are posting profits and are actually stable for once, there is zero risk of either happening.

I like your passion!

I will say that the current list North has assembled is the equivalent of entering a soap box cart in a touring car race. They may have spent less than the other teams, but they aren’t really in the race and at some stage will have to invest to get back in the race.

I think there may be a little bit of a false economy statement on North. At some stage they will need upgraded facilities and increased support staff if they are to be competitive on field. This upgrade will cost money and I’m not sure current trends on North revenue will meet the costs, so they will need to go into debt.

There may be a new facility being built, but there is a fair chance the rate payers and residents will want to use it, so not exclusively a home for North.

Clubs that have or are going into debt are doing so chasing success - not survival.

Dare to be great North! Leave no stone unturned! If not, these questions will continue seasonally rise.

 

[Roylion]

This fetish to relocate/merge teams has always baffled me.

Agree. I'm sure some think its like playing a football management game. There's been one relocation in VFL-AFL history (South Melbourne to Sydney) and one ejection (Fitzroy) from the competition in nearly 40 years. It's not that easy.

 

[Roylion]

I think there may be a little bit of a false economy statement on North. At some stage they will need upgraded facilities and increased support staff if they are to be competitive on field. This upgrade will cost money and I’m not sure current trends on North revenue will meet the costs, so they will need to go into debt.

There may be a new facility being built, but there is a fair chance the rate payers and residents will want to use it, so not exclusively a home for North

Since 2018 there's been a $10 million re-development of Arden Street which was completed in 2020. North also have another $7 million grant from the Victorian government which will include community and AFLW/VFLW female friendly changerooms, umpires changerooms, multipurpose meeting spaces, multi-media facilities, away team doctor/first aid/ASADA office, a commercial kitchen, and a re-design of the club’s community arm, The Huddle. Construction will commence early in 2021.

Why would North merge or relocate?

 

[Saints43]

Yes, meaning the AFL could kick us out of the league but not force us to relocate. Given that North are posting profits and are actually stable for once, there is zero risk of either happening.

Meaning that they have significant bargaining power. They issue the license, they fixture the matches.
This doesn't mean their only power is existence or non-existence of particular clubs in the AFL. It means they hold the whip hand in all negotiations, particularly with clubs they have predetermined aren't the 'big 4' in Melbourne. If any club goes into talks with the governing body waving their own constitution and daring the league to finish them off then they'll learn about regime change fairly quickly I'd reckon.

 

[Engimal v3]

Meaning that they have significant bargaining power. They issue the license, they fixture the matches.
This doesn't mean their only power is existence or non-existence of particular clubs in the AFL. It means they hold the whip hand in all negotiations, particularly with clubs they have predetermined aren't the 'big 4' in Melbourne. If any club goes into talks with the governing body waving their own constitution and daring the league to finish them off then they'll learn about regime change fairly quickly I'd reckon.

Why are we hypothesising about something the AFL has already tried to do to this exact club already? They did everything in their power to relocate North, and even with North's debt at the time they failed.

 

[Roylion]

If any club goes into talks with the governing body waving their own constitution and daring the league to finish them off then they'll learn about regime change fairly quickly I'd reckon.

That depends totally on the club’s constitution. I was a Fitzroy shareholder in 1996 and the AFL had no power to appoint or remove the Fitzroy directors. Only the shareholders could do that.

 

[Obeanie1]

Bad timing to be down the bottom of the ladder copping these types of shellackings......

Um......when you are down the bottom normally means........you are copping shellackings!

And BTW when exactly is it good timing to cop them?

 

[Obeanie1]

The AFL issue the licence that states a club is part of the league.
Any body that issues a license can revoke a license.

So how do you relocate a club..........with no license?

What grounds would the AFL have to revoke Norths? They are debt free and going through a full list rebuild.

So what? Thats football.

 

[Atomboy]

Um......when you are down the bottom normally means........you are copping shellackings!

And BTW when exactly is it good timing to cop them?

Preferably not when you are one of the 2-3 clubs targeted for destruction/relocation while the comp is struggling financially from a global pandemic, Tasmania is lobbying furiously for a team and you look like being down the bottom for a good while.

That is not good timing by any stretch.

 

[Mordecai]

I think we need this false threat of relocation/ejection to prevent teams from purposefully losing to bring in talent. All clubs do it to a degree. North are no different. This stupid narrative that we have to stay in the vortex because of our finances only serves the opposition. It's our turn, there's nothing more to it.

 

[Obeanie1]

Preferably not when you are one of the 2-3 clubs targeted for destruction/relocation while the comp is struggling financially from a global pandemic, Tasmania is lobbying furiously for a team and you look like being down the bottom for a good while.

That is not good timing by any stretch.

From a list rebuild perspective its a good time to bottom out. Lists and salary caps being reduced. Covid putting pressure on players living interstate away from family. Good opportunities to pick up useful fringe players or buying a quality player as a FA or trade. Last season was mickey mouse and not taken seriously.

If the AFL is going to kill a financially stable club because it decided to rebuild well thats just plain wrong.

 

[Atomboy]

From a list rebuild perspective its a good time to bottom out. Lists and salary caps being reduced. Covid putting pressure on players living interstate away from family. Good opportunities to pick up useful fringe players or buying a quality player as a FA or trade. Last season was mickey mouse and not taken seriously.

If the AFL is going to kill a financially stable club because it decided to rebuild well thats just plain wrong.

That’s a good positive spin

 

[JackFlash]

"the AFL will have no choice but to relocate them to Tasmania due to on going pressure" This will not work because Tasmania want their own team, not a relocated one with its former history attached. If North go to the Apple isle, so does their identity, their colours, their name, everything!

 

[PT Bar None]

It would be a travesty if North were to lose their marquee Easter Friday game just because they are struggling on field at the moment.

 

[Tim Evans Beard]

Since 2018 there's been a $10 million re-development of Arden Street which was completed in 2020. North also have another $7 million grant from the Victorian government which will include community and AFLW/VFLW female friendly changerooms, umpires changerooms, multipurpose meeting spaces, multi-media facilities, away team doctor/first aid/ASADA office, a commercial kitchen, and a re-design of the club’s community arm, The Huddle. Construction will commence early in 2021.

Why would North merge or relocate?

Where have I stated merge or relocate in this post?

Ive stated they need to invest more to get to the level of other clubs. eg west coast

 

[Saints43]

That depends totally on the club’s constitution. I was a Fitzroy shareholder in 1996 and the AFL had no power to appoint or remove the Fitzroy directors. Only the shareholders could do that.

We're using Fitzroy as an example of how a clubs constitution can hold off the power of the AFL? Righto.

 

[Saints43]

It would be a travesty if North were to lose their marquee Easter Friday game just because they are struggling on field at the moment.

St Kilda got one crack at it. Played woefully and straight back to Sunday 4.40s.

 

[Roylion]

We're using Fitzroy as an example of how a clubs constitution can hold off the power of the AFL? Righto.

The point is that the AFL cannot merge or relocate a club that it doesn’t own. Nor can it replace the club‘s elected directors. It couldn’t even do any of that with Fitzroy. And they were in a much worse financial position than North Melbourne.

 

[chickentendies]

Would rather we keep all the Victorian clubs exactly where they are instead of the AFL just manufacturing another generic club out of thin air. I don't think how profitable a club is should be a determinant of survival. Also, North don't have any pokies, which more clubs should be aspiring to do.

 

[Roylion]

Where have I stated merge or relocate in this post?

Ive stated they need to invest more to get to the level of other clubs. eg west coast

From what I can see they are doing exactly that.