Parramatta Eels’ bold plan to become Australia’s No.1 sporting franchise

[Chipmunk]

http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/nr...ancial-situation/story-fnp0lyn3-1227238947334

This article also says the Titans are paying $2 million a year to play at their Home Ground. Who would pay $2 million a year to play at a their home ground?

On the other side of the scale, the Raiders are being paid $1.7 million a year to play at their Home Ground.

 

[hineyrulz]

http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/nr...ancial-situation/story-fnp0lyn3-1227238947334

This article also says the Titans are paying $2 million a year to play at their Home Ground. Who would pay $2 million a year to play at a their home ground?

On the other side of the scale, the Raiders are being paid $1.7 million a year to play at their Home Ground.

That's the shitty deal they got with the QLD government, while the Suns got a sweetheart deal on the gold coast. It's amazing how well the AFL leeches off the taxpayer.

 

[Chipmunk]

That's the shitty deal they got with the QLD government, while the Suns got a sweetheart deal on the gold coast. It's amazing how well the AFL leeches off the taxpayer.

There's plenty of smart people in Corporate Australia leeching of the taxpayer. If you're not doing your best at getting Government funding, you're not really doing the best for your business/sport.

 

[Joely01]

We're going up up up!

 

[Craig Johnston]

goals need to be achievable, and how you achieve needs to be quantifiable. the problem i have with a goal statement of premierships is that seward hasn't offered anything to suggest how that is achievable. things like changing your attitude are not quantifiable to achieving a premiership. they can change office culture and improve productivity by x % but provide no guarantee on the football field.

 

[hineyrulz]

There's plenty of smart people in Corporate Australia leeching of the taxpayer. If you're not doing your best at getting Government funding, you're not really doing the best for your business/sport.

That's true, , one of the first things David Smith has done was get a lobbyist on board. So hopefully now RL will be getting it's fair share.

 

[souths_pride]

I don't mean to sound cynical or anything like that but does anyone else see this as a bit of spin put out by club board in order to keep fans happy and show them that they are actually doing their jobs? I say this because this is about the 4th or 5th club to come out and state that they aim to win titles in the next few years, increase profits, develop facilities and other club infrastructure, become Australia's no. 1 sporting team etc. etc. We've already had Souths, Penrith, the Bulldogs and maybe one or two more clubs come out and state their ambitions for the future. Basically, it seems to be a trend now for clubs to come out and state that they have bold ambitions.

 

[souths_pride]

"* A local junior is contracted to the NRL top 25 squad every year"

You know you are struggling to develop players when your goal is 4% of the squad to be local juniors :sarcasm:. Bred not bought.

For me this is one of the biggest things that is holding Parra back from on-field success. Parra have outstanding juniors but their talent pool is so big that it becomes hard to keep everyone. I accept this, but what I do think Parra should aim for is to keep better players than the ones that they letting go.

 

[Gronk]

I don't mean to sound cynical or anything like that but does anyone else see this as a bit of spin put out by club board in order to keep fans happy and show them that they are actually doing their jobs? I say this because this is about the 4th or 5th club to come out and state that they aim to win titles in the next few years, increase profits, develop facilities and other club infrastructure, become Australia's no. 1 sporting team etc. etc. We've already had Souths, Penrith, the Bulldogs and maybe one or two more clubs come out and state their ambitions for the future. Basically, it seems to be a trend now for clubs to come out and state that they have bold ambitions.

Look, the club released it's goals and mapped their plan for the future. Shit like this drives new memberships and new sponsorships. Ever been to a shareholder meeting of a public company ? It's what people want to hear - especially leading into a new year when only a few months ago the worlds best player walked out on us to go on a sabbatical.

I fail to see how any criticism is in any way valid here.

 

[hineyrulz]

Look, the club released it's goals and mapped their plan for the future. Shit like this drives new memberships and new sponsorships. Ever been to a shareholder meeting of a public company ? It's what people want to hear - especially leading into a new year when only a few months ago the worlds best player walked out on us to go on a sabbatical.

I fail to see how any criticism is in any way valid here.

Spot on, nah instead they should make a press release at how f**ked the club is and we have no plans for the future :lol:

 

[souths_pride]

Look, the club released it's goals and mapped their plan for the future. Shit like this drives new memberships and new sponsorships. Ever been to a shareholder meeting of a public company ? It's what people want to hear - especially leading into a new year when only a few months ago the worlds best player walked out on us to go on a sabbatical.

I fail to see how any criticism is in any way valid here.

I'm was not trying to criticse Parra or any other club for public releasing their plans for the future. I'm just pointing out that it is becoming a trend among clubs to do this sort of thing now for the exact reasons you've pointed out - its a good thing! Also, another reason for these releases is that it proves to the NRL that clubs can be financially stable and run their own affairs without needing any assistance. My only concern is if fans, after hearing and reading about these sorts of plans, automatically assume that their club will be guaranteed premiership success.

 

[Obscene Assassin]

You can win 5 premierships in 6 years but if you don't have that financial backing eventually you're just going to fold. You can win 0 in 30 years but if the NRL don't have to keep bailing you out then you'll stay open for business as a club.

 

[The Elephant In The room]

For me this is one of the biggest things that is holding Parra back from on-field success. Parra have outstanding juniors but their talent pool is so big that it becomes hard to keep everyone. I accept this, but what I do think Parra should aim for is to keep better players than the ones that they letting go.

You do realize that the line I quoted was taken from the Bulldogs plan don't you?

That said, I expect that only 6 players running out in our first game this year debuted at Parra. I'd personally like that number to be 9-10, but sometimes you need to look further afield.

 

[souths_pride]

You can win 5 premierships in 6 years but if you don't have that financial backing eventually you're just going to fold. You can win 0 in 30 years but if the NRL don't have to keep bailing you out then you'll stay open for business as a club.

I think your 100% correct. Rugby league clubs are businesses like any other - they need to be making money. I feel that the best way to set up your club to appoint appropriately qualified people in correct positions. There seems to be this trend in rugby league that just because you have had a good career as a player you are automatically guaranteed a job for life and become a leading authority on all things rugby league related. This is not the case. Teams like Souths and Penrith have improved because they have hired people in off the field positions (e.g. CEO, Board of Directors) who are qualified and have suitable experiences in those sorts of positions. With the greatest respect to clubs like the Tigers, I'm not so sure they have people in those sorts of positions who are qualified.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

My only concern is if fans, after hearing and reading about these sorts of plans, automatically assume that their club will be guaranteed premiership success.

Why would you be concerned about that? It's obvious that your ability to win a premiership is directly related to your operating budget.

There are 16 clubs trying to win each year and there are a few with very big budgets. We need to become such a club to compete on the field.

Thanks for your concern but.

 

[souths_pride]

You do realize that the line I quoted was taken from the Bulldogs plan don't you?

That said, I expect that only 6 players running out in our first game this year debuted at Parra. I'd personally like that number to be 9-10, but sometimes you need to look further afield.

Yep I did! But I do think that it is problem that you guys have - keeping the best of your juniors. I'm not saying its going to be easy, but I definitely think its a realistic goal that Parra should aim for.

 

[souths_pride]

Why would you be concerned about that? It's obvious that your ability to win a premiership is directly related to your operating budget.

There are 16 clubs trying to win each year and there are a few with very big budgets.

Just because your successful financially doesn't guarentee your premiership success. Brisbane have been a financially well-off club for years and they haven't exactly been the force that they once were. Then you've got things like the salary cap which restricts spending powers. The other thing is, with more and more clubs outlining these plans for the future (I expect more clubs to outline their ambitions in the not too distant future), not every club is going to win the comp or make the eight; someones going to miss out.

 

[Craig Johnston]

keys to premiership success imo

1. create a culture where players are prepared to take less than they would get elsewhere, this could be bringing a bunch of juniors through together, a high profile coach, lifestyle...whatever it is, pick a strategy and back it. using brad arthur to poach manly is working, AND we're seeing a new crop come through, every little bit will help.
2. increase revenue streams to be able to fund out of cap expenditure, eg support coaches, facilities, sports science - melbourne have done this better than anybody (under nrl ownership)
3. improve talent identification and retention plans, lower in the priority list because other clubs don't have the talent pool we have and still succeed. the 2 points above are far more important, but this one goes hand in hand

 

[forward pass]

Yeah - entertainment precincts, car parks, high performance centres and 50,000 members sounds great - but I just wanna make the f**ken top eight !!

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Just because your successful financially doesn't guarentee your premiership success

I think you're missing the point.

If you are unable to maintain a high operating budget you are guaranteed to not be successful on the field.

So you need a high operating budget just to be a fair chance. Once you're a fair chance then it's just a numbers game against all the other clubs that spend enough on their football operations (e.g. If there are six such clubs then you are a one in six chance, for example).

Brisbane have been a financially well-off club for years and they haven't exactly been the force that they once were. Then you've got things like the salary cap which restricts spending powers. The other thing is, with more and more clubs outlining these plans for the future (I expect more clubs to outline their ambitions in the not too distant future), not every club is going to win the comp or make the eight; someones going to miss out.

Don't confuse financial stability with the size of the operating budget. Look at Manly up until Des jumped ship - they were spending well beyond their means (feeder club in the QLD Cup plus huge scouting/recruiting budget) and so were successful on the field. Recently the money ran out which is why Hasler left, and why ownership recently changed hands.

A similar thing happened in the 90s - they made three straight grand finals then went broke and had to merge.