Clive Palmer is a merkin

[Misanthrope]

I'm not a massive soccer fan, but I do love Canberra. I really really don't see Canberra's embracing a relocated team after being refused a team previously.

It's that kind of geniused snobbery that keeps rugby league off the Central Coast. Either a region wants a team or they don't. There's no in between.

 

[NK Arsenal]

FOOTBALL Federation Australia and Gold Coast United chairman Clive Palmer have finally brokered a peace deal to end the crowd cap at Skilled Park after fan power won the day.

Under the agreement the cap on crowds is gone and all sections of Skilled Park will be open to the public. In addition, a new pricing structure will be released this week making the game more accessible to all people on the Gold Coast.

An intensive campaign aimed at building support in the local community will also be launched very soon, said FFA CEO Ben Buckley.

"We have always believed the fans are there and this move will help Gold Coast United get back in touch with its supporters and endeavor to build support and create new fans for the future," said Buckley.

"We are committed to supporting Gold Coast and we are delighted to reach a constructive agreement with Clive and his team.

"This is the first stage of winning the fans back and building strong community support for what is a very good football team."

It was important the club and FFA moved quickly to address the issues around the stadium and crowd support, said Gold Coast United CEO Clive Mensink.

"We have listened to the fans and the community and they have told us that they want the stadium opened up and there are some issues around pricing," said Mensink. "I have heard them loud and clear.

"These moves are the first of a series initiatives we will be making in conjunction with FFA to cement our position in the sporting market of the Gold Coast and build our fan base for the future.

"I am delighted to be working closely with FFA and they have been supportive to us as we worked on this strategy behind the scenes.

"We want to thank our fans who have been supporting us so well this year and urge them to continue coming to our games and bringing their friends and families".

http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/115922,the-cap-comes-off.aspx

Sorry Clive(s), but I think the damage has already been done.

Good luck getting 5k this weekend

 

[Once Dead]

LOL

As a Fury fan this is so so funny. At the beginning of the season everyone (particularly Palmer) were talking up the Gold Coast and writing off the Fury as a franchise.

And as of now the Fury are starting to get their act together nicely on and off the field whereas GCU are a disgrace and should have their license revoked.

Oh and then there was everyone talking up Culina and saying Fowler would be a bad signing. LOLOLOLOL As a marquee signing Fowler clearly owns Culina, as he does as a player quite obviously.

While I agree with you about some points, the Fury also have to improve their crowds too. They get Fowler every week or two and their team actually has a bit of heart.

 

[Dr Crane]

auckland

 

[Engine]

Sorry Clive(s), but I think the damage has already been done.

Good luck getting 5k this weekend

Im praying they get 2000 or less.

 

[Engine]

The Gold Coast are as good as dead. I cannot see them recover and gain a significiant share of the Gold Coast sporting dollar. Even if they are in good form, the GC public simply doesn't care.

I doubt even a big name hack import could save them. How lucky are the Fury to have Fowler on their books.

 

[NK Arsenal]

Two quotes from an article caught my eye today

Mr Fraser's stance is supported by a source from Stadiums Queensland which reveals that contrary to United's claims that they need 10,000 gates to break even after stadium charges, the true figure is claimed to be 7500 at $15 per head for tickets.

It's also claimed the club made a $6000 profit from their round two match against the Fury, watched by 7561.

http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2009/11/02/154191_gold-coast-soccer.html

I get the impressions from the above that the whole thing was a sh*t fight between him and Anna Bligh

Well, Mr Palmer, in football (or any sport for that matter), nobody is bigger than the fans.

Anyway, here's another article about the "peace deal"

Gold Coast United has ditched its contentious crowd cap, with Football Federation Australia stepping in to take over the staging of all games at Skilled Park until the end of the season, starting with Saturday night’s visit of A-League leaders Sydney FC.

United’s billionaire boss Clive Palmer struck a peace pact with the governing body who will market the nine remaining regular season home games and also restructure the club’s heavily criticised ticket-pricing policy.

The FFA will also wear any losses and reap any profits from the co-venture with the problem child of the competition.

A day of emergency meetings between FFA and United delivered a conclusion which reduces the influence of Palmer, who has been accused of alienating the Gold Coast public by imposing the 5000-crowd ceiling.

FFA CEO Ben Buckley, who worked with A-League boss Archie Fraser to broker a deal, said: "We all want what’s best for the growth of the game on the Gold Coast and the agreement we’ve reached is a step forward.

"We can focus on building a fan base and prompting the game on the Coast. It’s been a big undertaking, the launching of a club and it’s not going to be without its teething problems. But we’re determined to work through it and make it work."

"We have always believed the fans are there and this move will help Gold Coast United get back in touch with its supporters and build from the ground-up through the community."

The immediate aim for the FFA is to better United’s best A-League gate to date after five home games, the 7561 against the Fury back in Round 2, with Buckley adding: "United have a big game this weekend. We’ll be issuing new ticket pricing structure and the good news is there is no cap anywhere and fans can sit where they want to sit, where they want, and get the best out of the experience."

Palmer’s about-turn came, in part, as a reaction to a fan’s revolt, with just 2616 turning out to watch them crash 2-0 against North Queensland Fury on Saturday night.

The cap, which United claimed saved it $100,000 in ground rental and associated costs, made headlines around the world – for the wrong reasons.
United’s CEO Clive Mensink said in statement: "We have listened to the fans and the community and they have told us that they want the stadium opened up and there are some issues around pricing.

"I have heard them loud and clear.

"These moves are the first of a series of initiatives we will be making in conjunction with FFA to cement our position in the sporting market of the Gold Coast and build our fan base for the future.

"We want to thank our fans who have been supporting us so well this year and urge them to continue coming to our games and bringing their friends and families."

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/a-league/crowd-cap-ditched-ffa-step-in-252401

 

[skeepe]

It's that kind of geniused snobbery that keeps rugby league off the Central Coast. Either a region wants a team or they don't. There's no in between.

Agreed. Obviously it won't happen, but if it meant an A-League team in Canberra I honestly wouldn't care how it arrived.

 

[Eddie Lab]

It's that kind of geniused snobbery that keeps rugby league off the Central Coast. Either a region wants a team or they don't. There's no in between.

Central coast don't want the sharks to relocate because it wouldn't be there team. If you think (hypothetically) GCU being relocated to Canberra would gain local support that's great but I have my doubts it would work.

 

[Misanthrope]

I doubt even a big name hack import could save them. How lucky are the Fury to have Fowler on their books.

If by 'lucky' you mean 'smart', they're pretty 'lucky'. There's a few players in their squad I wouldn't mind at the Jets, actually. People wrote them off early purely because Fowler looked unfit - but he's been the form player of the competition in my eyes.

 

[Bumble]

If by 'lucky' you mean 'smart', they're pretty 'lucky'. There's a few players in their squad I wouldn't mind at the Jets, actually. People wrote them off early purely because Fowler looked unfit - but he's been the form player of the competition in my eyes.

oh hai

 

[fish eel]

Did he even get a touch against Sydney?

 

[Iafeta]

Given that it was his assist to put Barbarouses in, I'd suggest he did.

 

[fish eel]

Right you are - I should have prefaced that with 'before sydney took their foot off the gas...'

As a complete aside, why doesnt that Barbarosa kid start more?

 

[Bumble]

Right you are - I should have prefaced that with 'before sydney took their foot off the gas...'

As a complete aside, why doesnt that Barbarosa kid start more?

Over who? Wellington have, IMO, the best front 6 in the league. Or at least they will once Fred arrives. All the same, he's not getting near Greenacre or Ifill's spots.

 

[fish eel]

Over who? Wellington have, IMO, the best front 6 in the league. Or at least they will once Fred arrives. All the same, he's not getting near Greenacre or Ifill's spots.

Is that why they're third from the bottom, and, if it wasnt for the GC match (which looks like an abberation after their first half against Sydney), they'd be averaging less than a goal a game.....

 

[Misanthrope]

oh hai

Yeah... no....

 

[Timmah]

It's that kind of geniused snobbery that keeps rugby league off the Central Coast. Either a region wants a team or they don't. There's no in between.

:lol:

The Central Coast has had the carrot dangled before it for over a decade now. geniused snobbery? Hardly something a Novocastrian can claim given the fickleness of the crowds in Newcastle lately...

 

[roboshark]

Any idea on whether daniel and moss will play for well against the mighty jets tom night. Massive game. We need the 3 pts badly

 

[Engine]

If by 'lucky' you mean 'smart', they're pretty 'lucky'. There's a few players in their squad I wouldn't mind at the Jets, actually. People wrote them off early purely because Fowler looked unfit - but he's been the form player of the competition in my eyes.

I meant that they hit the jackpot be getting such a good finisher.

Fowler gets next to no opportunities, yet he makes the most out of them. He is fast becoming the best a-league finisher we've ever had. I have total respect for the man. If he had the Melbourne Victory midfield behind him, it would be scary to see how many he'd get.