West Coast v Covid 19 - we are better off than most

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Capriati

Club Legend
Aug 25, 2019
1,986
2,707
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AFL Club
West Coast
Interesting article in the West around our cash reserves.

If we put up significant funds to ensure the continuation of the league, I hope we use it as leverage to ensure a fairer national competition.

Coronavirus shutdown: AFL eyes off Bank of West Coast for rescue bid
Mark Duffield and Jon RalphThe West Australian
Wednesday, 25 March 2020 5:00AM


The AFL faces a potential legal battle with WA football if it attempts to use West Coast’s $45 million cash reserve to help guarantee a financial bailout of the code worth up to $500 million.
It has been suggested that the league could use the reserves of the Eagles ($45 million), Richmond ($24.5 million) and Collingwood ($30 million with a $17 million future fund) as part of the surety for a package they are seeking from the Victorian State Government or the NAB Bank to offset the financial devastation of the coronavirus pandemic.
The league — which has already told clubs to cut their 2020 wages bill by up to 80 per cent, cut their own bill by the same amount and demanded a 70 to 80 per cent pay cut from players — would scrap annual distributions to clubs and replace them with a scaled-down liquidity package as part of the proposal. It is also possible that the league’s stadium, Marvel, would be part of the bailout’s surety.
Clubs have been told their football department soft cap would be cut by 30 per cent by next year to about $7 million in a bid to increase the viability of the code and all 18 clubs.
But business sources which The West Australian spoke with last night said any attempt to use West Coast’s cash reserves would create a legal minefield. The Eagles are 100 per cent owned by the WA Football Commission which also owns their AFL licence.

One source said Eagles board members could be putting themselves in an “invidious” position legally if they agreed to use funds from a viable financial entity to guarantee the bailout of clubs which may not prove financially viable.
The crisis has forced West Coast, despite its cashed-up status, to take austerity measures.
A significant number of West Coast staff were told this week they would lose their jobs. Others have been urged to take leave without pay until football resumes.
Fremantle are likely to announce the extent of staff and pay cuts in the next few days.
North Melbourne chief executive Ben Amarfio claimed clubs were banding together to ensure they had enough collateral for a bailout.
“The AFL has asked all clubs for transparency over their cash flow but also their reserves,” he said.
“It won’t be stealing their money, it will basically act as a surety for the massive loan the industry will have to take.
“The AFL has told us already we will all get a liquidity package.
“The old distribution is gone and replaced by a new distribution which will be a very small amount of money and we will have to make do with that small amount of money on the skeleton staff we have.”
Meanwhile, Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett warned the AFL season could be cancelled and all 850 players stood down if they refused to accept the league’s demand for an immediate 80 per cent pay cut.
Players are holding firm to their offer of a 50 per cent wages reduction until the fate of the 2020 season becomes clearer.
A tentative restart date has been set for May 31.
Talks between AFL boss Gillon McLachlan, who has volunteered to take a 20 per cent pay cut, and AFL Players’ Association boss Paul Marsh yesterday failed to resolve the stand-off.
“I understand their concern but this is about survival between now and when the competition starts again,” Kennett, a member of the AFL’s emergency war cabinet, said.
“And if an impasse cannot be resolved, one of the alternatives is the players don’t get paid at all until, and if, the season opens again.
“No one is trying to mislead or gain here. We are simply trying to survive.”
 
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ziad

Brownlow Medallist
May 2, 2009
22,447
15,538
Sydney
AFL Club
West Coast
Interesting article in the West around our cash reserves.

If we put up significant funds to ensure the continuation of the league, I hope we use it as leverage to ensure a fairer national competition.



If
I would be very strong on benifits to WCE if any cash is used to help the VFL. The time for sharey-sharey is over while bludgers act like parasites.
 

shooshka

Premiership Player
Oct 7, 2011
3,159
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Melbourne
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Interesting article in the West around our cash reserves.

If we put up significant funds to ensure the continuation of the league, I hope we use it as leverage to ensure a fairer national competition.

I also wonder why Gil thinks he can force the players to take 79% pay cuts while he takes a 20% clip.

One in all in is what it should be - he (and other afl execs) should be mandated to take an identical pay cut to what the players do.
 
Aug 14, 2011
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Do you want to share your insights?

Do they have the right to the money under the terms of the AFL sub licence:
- IPL uses the football assets of the WAFC under a sub-licence arrangement whereby a football team participates in the Australian Football League Competition.
- IPL is to pay the WAFC a royalty each year determined on a basis relating to the results of the Consolidated Entity’s operating activities.

I'm not suggesting the Eagles would unreasonably withhold the money, but IPL is a legal entity & its directors have a responsibility to it.

There was a conversation around the issue a few days back, the quote was a reply to a question.
 

Capriati

Club Legend
Aug 25, 2019
1,986
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Melbourne
AFL Club
West Coast
I would be very strong on benifits to WCE if any cash is used to help the VFL. The time for sharey-sharey is over while bludgers act like parasites.

I get your point, but I wouldn't frame it as "WCE benefits" more around "fairer national competition".

At the end of the day, we may be the poor fools that hand all our coin over and bail out the Victorian clubs for a 2nd time.
 

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Jul 26, 2007
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Biggest pain I suspect we will feel in an ongoing sense is stricter Footy Department caps for the poor clubs that the rest of the comp have to abide by in the view of ‘fairness’.

You have to wonder if and when this gets challenged as being anti competitive.

It's also totally unfair on individuals who would get a job with a 'richer club' but don't because the poorer clubs can't afford the same job at their club.

Just another weird crazy AFL rule they make up that actually goes against free trade and anti competition laws.
 
Jul 26, 2007
31,776
32,775
Darwin
AFL Club
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Idle media nonsense, journos with no idea of the legal relationships.

Hope you are right here!

AFL bend us over at nearly every opportunity and are now eying off our cash reserves to help other clubs who can't manage a budget or build a viable business model.

The salary cap is $13-14 million, we have $45 million in the bank.

We will pay our own way and just watch the AFL give us no distribution or a massively reduced one compared to others.

That's how they will "grab our cash", they will change the rules and policy on the run and pay other clubs and not the Eagles.
 

fomoco04

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Jun 18, 2007
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I also wonder why Gil thinks he can force the players to take 79% pay cuts while he takes a 20% clip.

One in all in is what it should be - he (and other afl execs) should be mandated to take an identical pay cut to what the players do.

Just shows you the parasite is in it solely for himself.
 

Truckosaurus

Brownlow Medallist
Oct 19, 2009
14,614
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Perth
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He's booted 80% of his staff, so you'd assume he has 80% less work to do. There's really only one issue he needs to deal with anyway, and that's pretty much a waiting game.
 

ziad

Brownlow Medallist
May 2, 2009
22,447
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Sydney
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West Coast
He's booted 80% of his staff, so you'd assume he has 80% less work to do. There's really only one issue he needs to deal with anyway, and that's pretty much a waiting game.
are you thick - he is likely to be working beyond imagination to keep the buisness from folding. The players are not working at all. To compare the two is an insight into societies weakness
 

arfadunger

Club Legend
Apr 16, 2007
1,003
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Perth
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Of course Gil should take the same whack as the players. What rubbish the players aren't working, they have been slogging their guts since just after Christmas. Just because there isn't the environment to put on the show is no more or less their fault that Gil's
 

ziad

Brownlow Medallist
May 2, 2009
22,447
15,538
Sydney
AFL Club
West Coast
Of course Gil should take the same whack as the players. What rubbish the players aren't working, they have been slogging their guts since just after Christmas. Just because there isn't the environment to put on the show is no more or less their fault that Gil's
Their pay is only cut while they are not working - paid fully up to end of the month including preseason training and mandated 8 week leave..
 

arfadunger

Club Legend
Apr 16, 2007
1,003
963
Perth
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West Coast
Their pay is only cut while they are not working - paid fully up to end of the month including preseason training and mandated 8 week leave..
Thanks for the clarification mate. They're still working though, they're just training on their own (except for Gov though probably)
 
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Truckosaurus

Brownlow Medallist
Oct 19, 2009
14,614
35,120
Perth
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are you thick - he is likely to be working beyond imagination to keep the buisness from folding. The players are not working at all. To compare the two is an insight into societies weakness

Sacrificing 80% of his salary would free up a bit of cash.
 

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