perverse said:
it's easy to criticize the board on the financial situation of the club, but coming up with genuine solutions is a different matter altogether.
since i'm not privvy to what actions are already being taken i wouldn't even know where to start.
The financials are just an outcome from what is a far greater problem - the club fails to have any common business sense and simple marketing techniques.
People can criticize Tony Butterfield all they want for being a whinging ex player, but the reality is he has valid points about the failings of the club. None are more highlighted than the points he made in regard to our 20th anniversary last year.
You would have hardly knew it was the Knights 20th anniversary, and there was hardly any 20th anniversary specific merchandise available for purchase. As was pointed out, the 20,000 odd T Shirts the Knights were able to sell each year when winning the premiership bought a massive cash boost into the club - and simple merchandise like this wasn't even available during the 20th anniversary year in 2007.
There are lots of solutions being offered to the club, but there is a big difference between offering assistance, suggestions and ideas, and the club actually taking any of the suggestions on board and making a difference.
Its disappointing to continually hear that the reason behind much of these problems is because of our financial situation - but isn't it common business sense to spend some money to make some money?
There are countless ideas that are low cost or free that can enhance the Newcastle Knights immediately.
For too long the fans have been taken for granted, and there has been far too much reliance on Andrew Johns pulling a crowd through the gates. There is no room for complacency in 2008, when you are running a professional sporting team.
There could not be a better blueprint for future success than the South Sydney Rabbitohs. While they will lose alot of money last year, they have already reduced the net loss this year, and will be making money in 2009. Simple marketing techniques, involvement with fans, lots of quality available merchandise, and basic business common sense is all it has taken to turn the Rabbitohs from a laughing stock to the image they currently have.
In Newcastle we have a massive advantage of being a one town team, and instead of utilising this to profit as much as they can, there is too much sitting on hands and simply expecting fans to turn up to games because we are winning games.
People say success on the field leads to success off it - but I counter with success on the field starts with success in the front office.
There is no better example of that than South Sydney - whos image and marketing and promotion was enhanced first and foremost before Round 1 last year - only to lead to an appearance in the semi finals after the initial groundwork was laid by the great efforts of staff at Souths. That type of effort is infectious.
In Newcastle, the biggest enhancement we can make as an organisation is to accept we can do better, and make a difference.
If egos were removed from the equation, one look around at how other clubs are run, is all it should take to see that we are doing something seriously wrong.
I assure you I get no enjoyment out of continually writing what may seem like negative statements about the club - but there are plenty of us who are genuine fans who care, who are more than happy to be proactive, be a part of the solution and not just whinge.
There is so much that can be done, and it really isn't going to take that much to make a huge difference.
A few tweaks and ideas here and there can be the difference between losing 1.2M and losing 200,000.
