The Tinkler thread

[Serc]

I have a sneaking feeling there's going to be just a few more articles about Tinkler and co over the next little while...might be worth throwing many of them in here. Even stuff like 'Tinkler is now officially a billionaire' could be worthwhile as it gives further background.

Nathan Tinkler is making an impact and yet still doesn't have control of the Knights

• Brent Read
• From: The Australian
• February 18, 2011 12:00AM

NATHAN Tinkler's bid to buy the Newcastle Knights is set to go before the club's members next month. And the sale can't come quickly enough for officials and supporters.
Tinkler, a self-made billionaire, has the ability to turn the Knights into financial heavyweights. Like most self-made men, however, he doesn't mind ruffling some feathers along the way. And Tinkler has certainly done that.
Football clubs are political animals. With the sniff of a takeover in the air, the lobbying is frenetic and frenzied. Inevitably, there is friction. Tinkler's relationship with Knights' chief executive Steve Burraston has been strained during talks about his potential takeover.
Yesterday, his ability to create waves stretched beyond Newcastle, all the way to Sydney's southern beachside suburbs.
While the Tinkler Sports Group last night insisted no one from its organisation had contacted Cronulla prop Kade Snowden, prompting him to have second thoughts on a two-year contract extension, fingers were being pointed in only one direction. Straight at Tinkler.
Privately, Sharks officials said they were in no doubt where the approach had come from. Privately, Newcastle officials were in no doubt where the approach had come from. Denial be damned. Tinkler was being blamed.
All this and he still doesn't have control of the Knights. Tinkler has been a long-time supporter of the club, having backed Newcastle with his considerable financial bulk for years.
Now he wants a say in how the club is run. His offer and the rhetoric since it was tabled make for compelling reading. Tinkler has guaranteed $100 million in sponsorship to the Knights over the next 10 years. He has promised to return the club to the community. He insists his desire to be involved is purely altruistic. He's not in it for himself.
Mind you, Tinkler's actual input will be nowhere near the $100 million that has been guaranteed, given the Knights already earn upwards of $8m a year in sponsorship. Yet the Knights' faithful, having watched their club live on the breadline for years, are spellbound.
They see the way South Sydney co-owner Russell Crowe has turned around the Rabbitohs' fortunes and they yearn for the same _ a high-profile owner who has the financial clout to attract marquee players and win a premiership.
Tinkler has also appealed to their sense of local pride. He wants the Knights to again be representative of Newcastle. That's where Snowden fits in. He is a Newcastle junior who left the club but would have preferred to stay.
Other prominent names are being mentioned. Bulldogs centre Jamal Idris played under-15s for Newcastle before moving to Sydney with his family. Greg Bird hails form Maitland.
Interestingly, Tinkler and Crowe could go head-to-head for the signature of St George Illawarra coach Wayne Bennett. The seven-premiership winning coach is yet to decide his future.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...l-of-the-knights/story-e6frg7mf-1226007821381

 

[Alex28]

It feels like he's the cool uncle you have that gets you the stuff you want that your parents wouldn't.

"Now... Don't tell your olds... But you know that Kade Snowden that you wanted? Here you go... Don't tell your parents!"

He's kinda awesome in a ruthless dictator kinda way

 

[cram]

It feels like he's the cool uncle you have that gets you the stuff you want that your parents wouldn't.

"Now... Don't tell your olds... But you know that Kade Snowden that you wanted? Here you go... Don't tell your parents!"

He's kinda awesome in a ruthless dictator kinda way

Uncle Buck!

 

[Newie is God's Country]

I guess Kade will be a done deal you would think. I don't mind him backing out of a deal if he hadn't signed anything and if it is verbal then in this day and age it means nowt. Bennett must be seriously strongly considering us now as he has a future boss who can get him what he wants.

 

[roopy]

Apparently he is in talks to take over the GPT holdings in the Newcastle Mall as well.
I can't imagine the Mall repainted in red and blue - that would be bloody ugly.

 

[Jobdog]

I'm beginning to like this bloke more and more as the days progress

 

[roopy]

If I had a lazy billion or so, most of the things he is doing are things i'd at least think about.
I really like the focus he has on bringing on our juniors and buying back our best.

I'm very keen to see what he does for the team and the town until he gets sick of it or goes broke, whichever comes first.

 

[Yosh]

He has the power to make my predictions come true. I swear, check my post from a year ago and you'll see what I mean. Tinkler is the means to my vision!

 

[Newie is God's Country]

Tinkler gives me the impression he will be happy to retire on few million if it means he made an impact on his city. He is a philanthropist of the highest order any way you cut it.

 

[roopy]

Tinkler gives me the impression he will be happy to retire on few million if it means he made an impact on his city. He is a philanthropist of the highest order any way you cut it.

I saw an interview with Robert Holmes a court after the 1987 sharemarket crash where they asked him what it was like to lose a billion dollars in a day, and he said that a person could only spend about 10 million (in 1987) on themselves, so after that it is just a game.
Tinkler is set for life, so he wouldn't feel as much pressure as your average wage slave who is trying to keep the bills paid.

 

[Dragon Slayer]

Anyone know where the fat prick lives?

 

[Spark Plug]

Anyone know where the fat prick lives?

Not sure where he lives, but he seems to spend 3 nights a week at your mum's house

 

[Serc]

Here's the latest 'Tinkler is about to nick off' article by the looks!

Tinkler running out of patience
Brett Keeble and Chris Barrett
February 19, 2011

NATHAN TINKLER has threatened to withdraw his $100 million privatisation proposal and walk away if the Newcastle Knights do not agree on Monday to call an extraordinary general meeting to put his offer to club members.
The multimillionaire mining and racing magnate will attend the make-or-break meeting between Tinkler Sports Group executives and Knights management, headed by chief executive Steve Burraston and chairman Rob Tew.
TSG executive chairman Ken Edwards said Tinkler had grown impatient with the Knights, whose board met on January 19 and agreed in principle to accept the offer, pending the clarification of ''a number of details'' and the approval of at least 75 per cent of their members.
According to the Knights' articles of association, members must be given 21 days notice of a special general meeting. Edwards said yesterday that Tinkler wants that to be held in the week beginning March 21.
''Tinkler Sports Group and the Knights board have agreed to meet at 2pm on Monday. We [TSG] have been negotiating and working hard at getting the deal finalised for a month and it is time to agree to do a deal or not,'' Edwards said. ''It's our sincere hope that both parties can finalise any outstanding issues at that meeting and set a date for the members' meeting. It is our wish and desire that that meeting be held no later than the week of the 21st of March.''
Asked if the Knights had set any new conditions on the deal, Edwards said: ''We are just concerned it has dragged on for too long, for the sake of players and members.''
In summary, Tinkler has guaranteed the Knights annual sponsorship revenue of up to $10m for the next 10 years and to clear the NRL club's estimated $3m in accumulated losses in return for the club's NRL licence.
Tew insisted the Knights had not ''dragged our feet'' since the board agreed in principle to the offer and said Monday's meeting was not about them responding to an ultimatum.
''We received on Wednesday night a complete suite of documents in draft form, which we have agreed to return for their consideration by Sunday, with a view to meeting on Monday. I don't see any dramas with that,'' Tew said last night. ''We're optimistic we can reach an agreement on the major commercial aspects of the negotiation, but that will be resolved on Monday afternoon. Given the scale of the exercise and the need for correct documentation in order that our members are fully informed when they make a decision, the time frame … has been frenetic, and we've not dragged our feet in any way, shape or form.''

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/tinkler-running-out-of-patience-20110218-1aziq.html

 

[macavity]

I have a strong feeling that it is still a fair way from over the line, and we are going to see another bullying tact through the media very soon - to push it through before the state election.

This has me concerned, not excited.

Tinkler threatens to withdraw $100 million Knights offer


BRETT KEEBLE
19 Feb, 2011 04:00 AM
SPORTING tycoon Nathan Tinkler has threatened to withdraw his $100million privatisation proposal and walk away for good if the Newcastle Knights do not agree on Monday to call an extraordinary general meeting to put his offer to club members.The multimillionaire mining and racing magnate will attend the make-or-break meeting between Tinkler Sports Group executives and Knights management, headed by chief executive Steve Burraston and chairman Rob Tew.
TSG executive chairman Ken Edwards said Tinkler had grown impatient with the Knights, whose board met on January 19 and agreed in principle to accept the offer, pending the clarification of some details and the approval of at least 75per cent of their members.
According to the Knights’ articles of association, members must be given 21 days’ notice of a special general meeting.
Edwards told the Newcastle Herald yesterday that Tinkler wanted that to be held no later than the week beginning March 21.
‘‘Tinkler Sports Group and the Knights board have agreed to meet at 2pm on Monday,’’ he said.
‘‘We [TSG] have been negotiating and working hard at getting the deal finalised for a month and it is time to agree to do a deal or not.
‘‘It’s our sincere hope that both parties can finalise any outstanding issues at that meeting and set a date for the members’ meeting. It is our wish and desire that that meeting be held no later than the week of the 21st of March.’’
Asked whether the Knights had set any new conditions on the deal, Edwards said: ‘‘We are just concerned it has dragged on for too long, for the sake of players and members.’’
In summary, Tinkler has guaranteed the Knights annual sponsorship revenue of up to $10million for the next 10 years and to clear the NRL club’s estimated $3million in accumulated losses in return for the club’s NRL licence.
Tew insisted the Knights had not ‘‘dragged our feet’’ since the board agreed in principle to the offer and said Monday’s meeting was not about them responding to an ultimatum.
‘‘We received on Wednesday night a complete suite of documents in draft form, which we have agreed to return for their consideration by Sunday, with a view to meeting on Monday,’’ Tew said last night..
‘‘I don’t see any dramas with that.
‘‘There are some matters yet to be resolved and they will have that opportunity on Sunday afternoon when we return a full suite of documents with our considerations. We’re optimistic we can reach an agreement on the major commercial aspects of the negotiation but that will be resolved on Monday afternoon.
‘‘Given the scale of the exercise and the need for correct documentation in order that our members are fully informed when they make a decision, the time frame, I think, has been frenetic and we’ve not dragged our feet in any way, shape or form.’’
Burraston said: ‘‘This matter cannot be rushed through before all the details are documented and understood.
‘‘This is the biggest decision in the history of the club and the members need to be supplied every detail in final documents before being asked to vote.’’
A television report last night suggested that the members’ meeting would take place on March 21, but the Tinkler group and the Knights both denied afterwards that a date had been set.
State member for Newcastle and Minister for the Hunter Jodi McKay urged Knights management to finish negotiations with Tinkler and set a date for members to vote.
‘‘It would be an absolute travesty if the Tinkler Group was to walk away from this,’’ she said. ‘‘I don’t think that would be in anyone’s best interests to see that happen and the Knights’ board to be responsible for that.
‘‘If there are real issues that they’re trying to sort through, and I said this initially, there needs to be constant communication with their members.
‘‘The members need to know what these issues are ... because people are left out there at the moment not knowing what’s going on.’’
McKay said the state government was still waiting for the Knights and the government-appointed Hunter Venues Authority to settle the new Ausgrid (formerly EnergyAustralia) Stadium access agreement.
‘‘We take over the stadium from April 1 and we need to know what’s going on,’’ she said. ‘‘We still haven’t been able to sign the complete access agreement and we’re certainly understanding of the impending ownership change and we may be signing that with someone else.
‘‘But we absolutely have to get a result on this as soon as possible, not just for the good of the club but to ensure we can sign an agreement with whoever is in control of the Knights to use the stadium.’’
Burraston said the confidentiality agreement governing the arbitration between the Knights and Hunter Venues precluded him from commenting.

This urgency to have it done on 21 March wouldn't have anything to do with the State election on 26 March, would it... no, that would be a conspiracy theory.... :sarcasm:

 

[roopy]

This urgency to have it done on 21 March wouldn't have anything to do with the State election on 26 March, would it... no, that would be a conspiracy theory.... :sarcasm:

Tinkler has very strong links with the Labor party, and i'm told he is a lifelong Labor supporter, but he's a billionaire, which means the Libs will suck up to him even more than Labor does.

 

[Newie is God's Country]

Tinller will get what he wants. He didn't become a billionaire by being a cleanskin.

 

[Jobdog]

Well, I did like him ... until he threatened to take his bat and ball and go home if the deal's not done by [insert date here].

 

[Burwood]

I have a funny feeling we'll be cursing Tinkler one week and praising him the next over the following 10 years if he gets into power.

 

[Rusty]

Tinkler ought to be careful. This sorta thing may backfire on him. I think it's risky business delivering ultimatums when you're trying to win members votes. He must be of the belief that he will definitely take over the club. I have no doubt that the rush has something to do with Bennett.

 

[roopy]

I don't follow horse racing, but you often see stories about Tinkler moving his stables at the drop of a hat, sacking longterm trainers over petty disagreements etc - but you also see stories of him paying far more than others would for the best horses, facilities, trainers etc.
It won't be dull.
He'll be good for a headline every week.