.................................................................................................................................Fourthousand wrote:OK - here's my two pennies worth:
The revenues are to small at present to reach or achieve sustainability nor do they provide for a real competitive playing budget and certainly not even close to dream about the purchase/development/contribution towards a new ground.
No banks loan to football clubs/ the council ain't going to help/ our landlords ain't going to help (different ball game and I see no benefactor on the horizon( I don't like that route anyway).
So we have to do it ourselves. Totally agree we need a 5 year Business Plan. For me that 5 year Business Plan should have one objective only - to grow REVENUE. I'll explain why:
I could simply say that without it everything else is just PIE IN THE SKY
We need to develop and turn on our consistent revenue streams that drive the bottom line. In turn that will help achieve sustainability and increase the playing budget and if they 'gush' then also into a ground fund (along with Cup windfalls).
So one idea for such a stream. Other clubs have put electronic advertising on main motorways (M4 for us) - they provide 'significant' revenues which drive the bottom line I.e. advertising monies PLUS we can promote our forthcoming fixtures PLUS awareness of our brand and in some instances our very existence = upside is potential increase in crowds/sponsorship. (Other clubs are doing this successfully). Imagine the deal we could offer then to sponsors.
So use our cup run money to invest in these as a one off capital expenditure to develop and grow a revenue steam year after year. Once we have this type of thing in place THEN we can plan what to do with any surplus cash but in the NOW don't waste any time on grounds or stadiums or playing in the Championship or finding a benefactor just focus every last mortal into driving revenue and the rest will come.
There.
UTC
You have highlighted some very goods points and ideas. On the emboldened bit above, serious question, when you say "year after year" , just how many years do we have? There will come a time when the chance to stay at Rodney Parade will be closed to us, and at some point the chance to arrange playing anywhere at all will also close to us..... so how many years do we have to achieve the revenues? Cos one day we'll be homeless no matter how much money we've got coming in, it'll be too late to stay here, and too late to move elsewhere.
We can 't leave it til three months before the lease is up while we build revenue streams, as much as we do need to do the things you mention.