The Everton Board Thread 2014/15

[davek]

I think ultimately you're right Dave, and history would tell us that the former won't be achieved without the latter. However, I don't think we should write off the possibility.

In addition there's plenty we can do around sponsorship, profile, marketing etc, that isn't going to change the club overnight and therefore be a 'game changer' but is essential if we're not going to fall further behind our peers who are out performing us in these areas.

Yes, fair enough. Bigger sponsorship deals etc can certainly do that. As stated earlier though the culture in place at the top of this club is one of short termism. You would literally have to persuade the hierarchy of Everton to think with the long term organic development of Everton in mind and ditch their "get a stadium built and sell up" philosophy that trumps ALL other business considerations.

Our board of directors are complete yahoos. 15 years experience we all have of them. I refuse to take seriously anyone who gives these people the benefit of the doubt that they can change their spots.

 

[RaleighBlue]

Yes, fair enough. Bigger sponsorship deals etc can certainly do that. As stated earlier though the culture in place at the top of this club is one of short termism. You would literally have to persuade the hierarchy of Everton to think with the long term organic development of Everton in mind and ditch their "get a stadium built and sell up" philosophy that trumps ALL other business considerations.

Our board of directors are complete yahoos. 15 years experience we all have of them. I refuse to take seriously anyone who gives these people the benefit of the doubt that they cN change their spots.

It's not so much the benefit of the doubt though, it's more this is the sole course of action that has even the slightest glimmer of hope. You have admitted that protests will not work while the team is performing, so we can either sit and wait and hope, or we can try to do something. If we're really lucky then it will work. If we're slightly less lucky then we can raise the profile of the club for investors (or maybe more lucky?). If we're entirely unlucky and you are completely correct, then perhaps we'll have done enough that people will protest even with the results going the right way.

Worst case - nothing changes. So isn't it worth the shot?

 

[davek]

It's not so much the benefit of the doubt though, it's more this is the sole course of action that has even the slightest glimmer of hope. You have admitted that protests will not work while the team is performing, so we can either sit and wait and hope, or we can try to do something. If we're really lucky then it will work. If we're slightly less lucky then we can raise the profile of the club for investors (or maybe more lucky?). If we're entirely unlucky and you are completely correct, then perhaps we'll have done enough that people will protest even with the results going the right way.

Worst case - nothing changes. So isn't it worth the shot?

Good luck to you with it.

My counsel though would be to not waste your time and energy on people who won't take your efforts seriously.

Those directors and officers of the club are a hard bitten cynical piss taking machine. The only way to deal with them As far as I'm concerned is to treat them with the same contempt they treat the fans.

 

[nsno-chris]

In the midst of protesting, United were picking up trophies season after season, and Liverpool even during the G&H period were never far from silverware.

Those clubs and their fans operate at a different speed to us. What tips the balance toward protest with them is vastly different to what tips the balance with clubs like everton.

How you can't appreciate that I don't know.

they still protested against the board and they where in the top half; you said what team would and I named 2, you can't change the nature of your post because it doesn't fit your agenda.

 

[SerenityNigh]

In this respect, the stadium is a millstone around our necks. A new stadium or a completely refurbished GP is a must within the next few years...and the new stadium must not be built for 'now' it must be built to accomodate even more fans, from around the world, when they are attracted by our (presumed) success on the field.

I don't necessarily disagree, but I don't naturally follow. What are the benefits of a new stadium?

 

[Steve Wigan]

But the bulk of that boils down to raising Everton's profile in Ireland/America/Africa etc. That's not happening without greater on-field success.

IIRC I think Bruce Wayne off here contacted the club with a raft of ideas on how to maximise revenue through crowd-sourcing etc. Again IIRC, he got nothing back by way of acknowledgement.

My own view is that none of this activity offers the game changer we require. We need a stadium (which this lot in control are completely hopeless in securing) or a takeover.

Thank you Dave, thats a more mellow post from you highlighting a problem and part of a solution...greater success on the field is essential...the global market latches on to winners. The clubs lack of response to Bruce Wayne is something that could be taken up with the club, but in the right way...not inflammatory, but a simple question/suggestion that they should at least acknowledge, and preferably comment on sensible suggestions recieved from supporters. I wrote to the club a few years ago and like BW, did not get a response. More success getting a reply from Bill K himself!(non football matter!)

 

[roydo]

Did you get the part Steve?

 

[Steve Wigan]

I don't necessarily disagree, but I don't naturally follow. What are the benefits of a new stadium?

A successful team will bring a higher attendance, there will be considerably more corporate facilities, facilities for supporters will be improved and will be more attractive and family friendly,merchandising and catering facilities will be much improved and therefore more profitable The stadium could be used throughout the wek for other events, on the pitch within limits, or in the function rooms. The alternative is ongoing and progressively more serious repairs and refurbishment to GP, a constant drain on finance, and while I AM in favour of the club playing at a completely refurbished gP, the cost of that would not be much less than the cost of a new stadium, and to expand GP to add, sa, 12,000 seats would be a major task for designers and builders.

 

[Steve Wigan]

Did you get the part Steve?

It wasn't about me. I don't do much acting. If youre an actor, people on footballs forums assume you're gay. Another reason I don't is that I think I'm crap at it !

 

[SerenityNigh]

If youre an actor, people on footballs forums assume you're gay.

Not that there's anything wrong with that

 

[ThebanksoftheBramleyMoore]

I don't necessarily disagree, but I don't naturally follow. What are the benefits of a new stadium?

have you seen the amount of obstructed views we have? main reason we don't sell out every game. The stadium from the outside looks like a giant shed. No one grows up dreaming of visiting a large shed

 

[Username]

have you seen the amount of obstructed views we have? main reason we don't sell out every game. The stadium from the outside looks like a giant shed. No one grows up dreaming of visiting a large shed

I did mate, still do.

 

[SerenityNigh]

have you seen the amount of obstructed views we have? main reason we don't sell out every game. The stadium from the outside looks like a giant shed. No one grows up dreaming of visiting a large shed

No doubt that's a problem, but I don't know that it's the problem/solution. Double the gate receipts and you only add about £10M in turnover. That's a very simplified view, and no doubt I'd like to see an extra £10M spent every year on players, but to me it illustrates that while a new/redeveloped stadium is necessary, it's not necessarily going to add the missing turnover we all desire. Development/redevelopment may be part of the solution, and it may even be the first step, but I don't see that it is the solution.

Then again, I may be looking at it entirely wrong.

 

[blueblue]

When supporters talk about their club , they very often look at Man City and Chelsea as examples of where their club should be. These are obviously bad examples as they have been taken over as expensive toys.
Everton would compare reasonably well with most other clubs over the last ten years and the board must take credit for that.

The next test is the biggest and most important and that is the provision of a new stadium.
Without a new stadium we cannot move to the top table...unless the manager can somehow bridge the gap
caused by lack of funds....and even if he did we would always run the risk of losing him and our best players to wealthier clubs.

 

[RaleighBlue]

No doubt that's a problem, but I don't know that it's the problem/solution. Double the gate receipts and you only add about £10M in turnover. That's a very simplified view, and no doubt I'd like to see an extra £10M spent every year on players, but to me it illustrates that while a new/redeveloped stadium is necessary, it's not necessarily going to add the missing turnover we all desire. Development/redevelopment may be part of the solution, and it may even be the first step, but I don't see that it is the solution.

Then again, I may be looking at it entirely wrong.

The stadium issue is certainly something that must be sorted out. So are sponsorships and merchandising.

This has to be a long view plan, and will require many facets to ever come to proper fruition. The stadium will bring in far more than better gate receipts - think corporate facilities (not just boxes, but meeting rooms and ballrooms for conventions), think improved catering services and food services, think integrated gift shops, basically compare Goodison (I know you've been) with a newish major American sports stadium - see the areas a stadium can help us outside of the gates?

We have to approach any growth on a multifront level, and stadium development is certainly a primary tine in the fork. United generate €122 million in matchday income. Compared to our (approx. - current conversion) €23 million. Certainly there will always be a gap until we can sell out 76,000 seats and are in Europe, etc. But the point is - a new stadium is vital.

Alongside a new stadium (I believe in parallel, not serial) we must improve our ability to generate non-matchday income, this is sponsorships and merchandising, along with strategic partnerships.