Tahs broke and can't go shopping.

[blueandblack]

I dont think they (the ) have ever hidden the financial need to change.

[Swee_82]

RUGBYWa posted a profit, not the force, the tahs lost 300 grand last year and have cut costs accordingly and limited player spending in order to brake even and cut down on overheads in the economic crisis.

i think you will find that the forces move is a financial one and while the pr department has done a good job of selling it as "for the fans" there cutting down on costs just like any other organisation. to claim your broke so that the government builds a new stadium is a very risky bussiness when there are other towns and backers wanting teams in there backyards.

Trust me RahRah girl, no PR spin is required to 'sell' a move to MES as good for the fans (well that's the majority opinion anyway). Subi is crap, and costs alot to hire every week (paid into the pockets of RWAs competitors (WAFC) by the way). There is a cost advantage to moving there as well, but at the moment the trial game at MES this year has been the 2nd-highest selling rugby match for 2009- there's a message in that about the fans appetite for viewing rugby in an appropriate ground (that or there's ALOT of Canterbury supporters here). If it were more financially effective to stay at Subi (e.g. if i were possible to attract 30,000+ crowds most weeks) then the fans needs probably would run 2nd, but the 2 problems are linked- demonstrably, people aren't paying to go to Subi, cos it's a shithole.

[rahrahgirl]

I agree with you swee but im saying that if the force were in a good financial state then moving to a stadium that will fit in the crowds your getting and less corporate hospitality only makes sense if the club is downsizing and therefore others raving about the force making a profit and being in a good financial state seem out of touch. the move is as much if not more about securing the finances of the club as it is the fans. im saying its not a "the fans want this and this is why" situation.

the claim in the report of 2.5 million dollars of debt being racked up at subi isnt good for the club even if its a prediction. it means the club isnt self sificiant and along with reports that the force pay players more than any other franchise in the country makes for scary reading! we want them to be sustanable as a seperate entity so that the players want to come there!

[The EnForcer]

I agree with you swee but im saying that if the force were in a good financial state then moving to a stadium that will fit in the crowds your getting and less corporate hospitality only makes sense if the club is downsizing and therefore others raving about the force making a profit and being in a good financial state seem out of touch. the move is as much if not more about securing the finances of the club as it is the fans. im saying its not a "the fans want this and this is why" situation.

the claim in the report of 2.5 million dollars of debt being racked up at subi isnt good for the club even if its a prediction. it means the club isnt self sificiant and along with reports that the force pay players more than any other franchise in the country makes for scary reading! we want them to be sustanable as a seperate entity so that the players want to come there!

There is a lot more depth to this issue than you fully appreciate rahrahgirl. I think you will find that we are in a healthier position than you would like to think. The negative spin on the future of the Force and associated move to MES is a lot more to do with leverage and I'm very confident that the current business plan will not be forecasting downsizing, quite the opposit, I would suggest.

Isn't it funny how the focus on our finances and future was increased recently just before the news that the Tahs poor financial position was realeased.

[Flamethrower]

Isn't it funny how the focus on our finances and future was increased recently just before the news that the Tahs poor financial position was realeased.

Surely that would only be a coincidence

[rahrahgirl]

im not saying i fully understand it, just that it doesnt appear good! the Tahs financial news was known before the season started, its all regurgitated and the ceo has made no excuses for cost cutting and downsizing all season at first to make up for the loss last year and secondly to combat the economic crisis. i dont think the force news was thrown out as a destraction at all. that sounds more like you want it to be bias than facing it.

it is my understanding that the Brisbane Broncos are one of the only sporting teams that run at a profit and someone like TOCC or TIC may be better equiped to answer this but they average huge crowds and own there leagues club so its hard to see other teams doing as well.

the most troublesum part of the forces future is without a doubt sponsorship and corporate clients. MES (and i admit ive only been there once for a reds game when i was very young!) doesnt seem to have alot in the way of high flyer options and this leaves a huge dent in income one would imagine. with less than 20 thousand seats and even less if the redevelopment goes ahead one would think a corporate client would be worth alot more than an average punter and as a result without boxes to give out it means that memberships will start further down the line and even less actual fans will gain entry. also on top of this the players leaving and failure of others to commit so far would leave a sponsor feeling a bit awkward about commiting themselves.

its not doom and gloom but it doesnt seem like there isnt some demons to face over the next few years that are going to cause a bit of short term heartbreak!

[travelling_gerry]

Reds game when you were young?

Wow..you must have been very young and forgot the Reds played at the WACA.

[The EnForcer]

the most troublesum part of the forces future is without a doubt sponsorship and corporate clients. MES (and i admit ive only been there once for a reds game when i was very young!) doesnt seem to have alot in the way of high flyer options and this leaves a huge dent in income one would imagine. with less than 20 thousand seats and even less if the redevelopment goes ahead one would think a corporate client would be worth alot more than an average punter and as a result without boxes to give out it means that memberships will start further down the line and even less actual fans will gain entry. also on top of this the players leaving and failure of others to commit so far would leave a sponsor feeling a bit awkward about commiting themselves.

Corporate sponsorship is not a big issue at present, however the current economic crisis may have an effect on that, but WA is in a slightly better position than most in that regards. I'm led to believe that there was a meeting held with all of the sponsors with reagrds to moving to MES and the outcome was they were prepared to "rough it" for a few years with the view to encouraging the government to expanding the stadium to suit the corporate and fans needs.

The financial support we have from the private sector here in WA is extremely loyal and are committed to helping the Force grow, prosper and win. The ONLY, sponsorship issue we have had is from the Firepower debacle and this has certainly caused issues and some bad feeling among some of the players. An unfortunate occurence, but as I have previously stated, we were by no means the only business to have been stung by this. On a very positive note, one of the local companies which had a large stake in firepower not only lost a whole bunch of money but they stepped up to the plate to try to recover the situation, financially as well as through support.

Is the glass half full or half empty? I'll take the view that the glass is half full and that is based on an informed position. (The engineer in me always wants to answer that question by saying the glass is too damn big, but that is just me.)

[Flamethrower]

Is the glass half full or half empty? I'll take the view that the glass is half full and that is based on an informed position. (The engineer in me always wants to answer that question by saying the glass is too damn big, but that is just me.)

The glass is never too damn big!!!

The publican is just tight fisted