toffee66
Player Valuation: £8m
There is NO financial irregularity. Elstone (finally!!) gave a reasonably detailed explanation of the cost items in Other Operating Costs at the AGM and there is nothing unusual.
Everton have a revenue problem not a cost problem. A club of our tradition, regularly finishing top 8 in the richest league in the world should generate revenue c. 50% higher than we do using Tottenham as a benchmark of sorts. The reasons why we fall so short are various but largely fall into 3 simple categories:
1. Location, location, location: poor city/poor core fanbase, higher profile neighbours, Manchester rivals...not instantly attractive to "bright lights, big city" international investors, tier A sponsors and casual international fans with £ to spend so you really have to create an alternative image through brand building which takes vision, creativity, time and smart investment
2. 20th century infrastructure in a 21st century economy: old ground/bad views, poor facilities, cramped seating, no mod-cons, underwhelming club shops...bargain basement facilities that we can only sell at (by PL standards given our stature) at bargain basement prices. Arsenal generate 50% of their matchday revenue from 10% of their attendance due to corporate facilities, extensive lounges, executive seating. This is more than we could ever do given #1 but we are still constrained (having thrown away the opportunity of our lifetime's at Kings Dock through the power struggle between Bill and Paul Gregg) but we can, should and must do better. A plan that fans support and will help promote/fund would be a starting place!
3. Commercial Conservatism: We have leadership who know the price of everything and the value of nothing and see risk where others might see opportunity resulting in a collection of commercial deals designed to provide certainty and predictability and which have reduced risk but handcuffed our commercial staff and eliminated growth opportunities e.g. Kitbag, Sodexho and our shirt sponsorship deals
Kenwright and Elstone deserve to be in the firing line but not because of ridiculous and frankly libelous suggestions that they have their hand in the till (they don't). They should be under intense and critical scrutinY because of their complete and utter failure to have a strategy in place to remove/circumvent/mitigate our revenue blockers and build effectively on marketing gold like The People's Club concept as a selling tool beyond our core fanbase and players with popular appeal (Fellaini's physical image, Baines' cool...).
The consequence is that Plan A has been, remains and forever shall be (for as long as they remain) live within our means and hope some mug comes along who'll bankroll us whilst maintaining the leadership status quo. It hasn't happened yet. There is a reason for that...
Everton have a revenue problem not a cost problem. A club of our tradition, regularly finishing top 8 in the richest league in the world should generate revenue c. 50% higher than we do using Tottenham as a benchmark of sorts. The reasons why we fall so short are various but largely fall into 3 simple categories:
1. Location, location, location: poor city/poor core fanbase, higher profile neighbours, Manchester rivals...not instantly attractive to "bright lights, big city" international investors, tier A sponsors and casual international fans with £ to spend so you really have to create an alternative image through brand building which takes vision, creativity, time and smart investment
2. 20th century infrastructure in a 21st century economy: old ground/bad views, poor facilities, cramped seating, no mod-cons, underwhelming club shops...bargain basement facilities that we can only sell at (by PL standards given our stature) at bargain basement prices. Arsenal generate 50% of their matchday revenue from 10% of their attendance due to corporate facilities, extensive lounges, executive seating. This is more than we could ever do given #1 but we are still constrained (having thrown away the opportunity of our lifetime's at Kings Dock through the power struggle between Bill and Paul Gregg) but we can, should and must do better. A plan that fans support and will help promote/fund would be a starting place!
3. Commercial Conservatism: We have leadership who know the price of everything and the value of nothing and see risk where others might see opportunity resulting in a collection of commercial deals designed to provide certainty and predictability and which have reduced risk but handcuffed our commercial staff and eliminated growth opportunities e.g. Kitbag, Sodexho and our shirt sponsorship deals
Kenwright and Elstone deserve to be in the firing line but not because of ridiculous and frankly libelous suggestions that they have their hand in the till (they don't). They should be under intense and critical scrutinY because of their complete and utter failure to have a strategy in place to remove/circumvent/mitigate our revenue blockers and build effectively on marketing gold like The People's Club concept as a selling tool beyond our core fanbase and players with popular appeal (Fellaini's physical image, Baines' cool...).
The consequence is that Plan A has been, remains and forever shall be (for as long as they remain) live within our means and hope some mug comes along who'll bankroll us whilst maintaining the leadership status quo. It hasn't happened yet. There is a reason for that...
