Sir Bobby wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 26, 2018 1:45 pm

Well you could quite easily argue that football teams are monopolies (and perhaps even monopsonies too) that have a low elasticity of demand which gives them a large ability to exploit customers (fans). There’s definitely a case for debating it seriously. Whether any reasonable ideas would come from a debate is a different matter.

Sir Bobby wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 26, 2018 1:45 pm

Well you could quite easily argue that football teams are monopolies (and perhaps even monopsonies too) that have a low elasticity of demand which gives them a large ability to exploit customers (fans). There’s definitely a case for debating it seriously. Whether any reasonable ideas would come from a debate is a different matter.

Bodacious Benny wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 26, 2018 1:21 pm

Colback's Orange Tufts wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 26, 2018 1:16 pm

This.

Football clubs are private businesses. Parliament can't really tell companies how they should choose to invest, they should be free to fail from monumentally under investing.

Sage has a big impact on the North East, but is Mr Ashley was running it like he runs NUFC would it be appropriate for MPs to demand they invest more?

Yeah I didn't see the point. Apparently it was to raise awareness about an issue that literally everybody knows about, and from a business/legal point of view Ashley doesn't appear to have done anything wrong so I'm not entirely sure what the 4 MPs sat there listening could do about it. Loads of our fans were/are kicking off about Ashley which they've every right to do so, but running a football club on a shoestring isn't illegal. Yes it's annoying for us fans but there's **** all MPs can do about it.

Bodacious Benny wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 26, 2018 1:21 pm

Colback's Orange Tufts wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 26, 2018 1:16 pm

This.

Football clubs are private businesses. Parliament can't really tell companies how they should choose to invest, they should be free to fail from monumentally under investing.

Sage has a big impact on the North East, but is Mr Ashley was running it like he runs NUFC would it be appropriate for MPs to demand they invest more?

Yeah I didn't see the point. Apparently it was to raise awareness about an issue that literally everybody knows about, and from a business/legal point of view Ashley doesn't appear to have done anything wrong so I'm not entirely sure what the 4 MPs sat there listening could do about it. Loads of our fans were/are kicking off about Ashley which they've every right to do so, but running a football club on a shoestring isn't illegal. Yes it's annoying for us fans but there's **** all MPs can do about it.

Colback's Orange Tufts wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 26, 2018 1:16 pm

Colly wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 26, 2018 12:42 pm

The daft thing is I'm a fan of Chi generally, she's an engineer which gives her way more grounding than most MPs, but this is just posturing nonsense. I don't even doubt she's a fan, but what exactly is she hoping to achieve?

This.

Football clubs are private businesses. Parliament can't really tell companies how they should choose to invest, they should be free to fail from monumentally under investing.

Sage has a big impact on the North East, but is Mr Ashley was running it like he runs NUFC would it be appropriate for MPs to demand they invest more?

Colly wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 26, 2018 12:42 pm

The daft thing is I'm a fan of Chi generally, she's an engineer which gives her way more grounding than most MPs, but this is just posturing nonsense. I don't even doubt she's a fan, but what exactly is she hoping to achieve?

I'm over Colo wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 25, 2018 6:05 pm

omegaprimevkm wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 25, 2018 2:53 pm

Indeed, but then refuse to disclose purchase prices where possible and continually the excuse has been offered that NUFC can't financially compete, in particular with Watford, Burnley, Bournemouth etc. when they should be at least running the same speed in terms of consistency and salary as the likes of Everton, West Ham etc.

Totally agree on all of that. I get that he doesn't want to spend the amount other owners are, because the entire industry has gone crazy, and it's totally reasonable that someone who cares about a return on their investment doesn't want to spend more. But that's part and parcel of owning a PL football club right now, so he should just move on as soon as possible.

omegaprimevkm wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 25, 2018 2:53 pm

I'm over Colo wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 25, 2018 2:38 pm

Oh I have no doubt that happens all too often in football, and he doesn't deserve receiving the benefit of the doubt when it comes to business dealings, I really just meant that money laundering would lend itself to artificially inflating the club's revenues in their accounting, when in fact they've been rightfully criticized as too low and below a lot of their league competitors.

Indeed, but then refuse to disclose purchase prices where possible and continually the excuse has been offered that NUFC can't financially compete, in particular with Watford, Burnley, Bournemouth etc. when they should be at least running the same speed in terms of consistency and salary as the likes of Everton, West Ham etc.

I'm over Colo wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 25, 2018 2:38 pm

omegaprimevkm wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 25, 2018 2:32 pm

Simple speculation owing to the fact that stated public accounts are not compared against bank balances, and that the business practices of Ashley have been unscrupulous consistently, and that UK football clubs have been used as money laundering previously (Birmingham City, Portsmouth, Leeds etc.)

https://www.int-comp.com/ict-views/post ... der-money/

Oh I have no doubt that happens all too often in football, and he doesn't deserve receiving the benefit of the doubt when it comes to business dealings, I really just meant that money laundering would lend itself to artificially inflating the club's revenues in their accounting, when in fact they've been rightfully criticized as too low and below a lot of their league competitors.

omegaprimevkm wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 25, 2018 2:32 pm

I'm over Colo wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 25, 2018 2:23 pm

Totally fair criticism, although I suspect he'd argue he wouldn't have spent so much out of pocket in loans to the club if his company wasn't getting free advertising. Not saying that's right, but probably would be his justification.

My previous post then is just countering your point that they're lying in their accounting and our costs are half that of everyone else.

Simple speculation owing to the fact that stated public accounts are not compared against bank balances, and that the business practices of Ashley have been unscrupulous consistently, and that UK football clubs have been used as money laundering previously (Birmingham City, Portsmouth, Leeds etc.)

https://www.int-comp.com/ict-views/post ... der-money/

I'm over Colo wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 25, 2018 2:23 pm

omegaprimevkm wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 25, 2018 12:09 pm

Revenue - He doesn't give the club any money for all the in stadium advertising. The year that he bought the club, NUFC commercial revenues were comparable to that at Spurs...in fact most of the finances at the club were.

Other clubs get as much as £15m a year in such revenues.

Totally fair criticism, although I suspect he'd argue he wouldn't have spent so much out of pocket in loans to the club if his company wasn't getting free advertising. Not saying that's right, but probably would be his justification.

My previous post then is just countering your point that they're lying in their accounting and our costs are half that of everyone else.

omegaprimevkm wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 25, 2018 12:09 pm

I'm over Colo wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 23, 2018 3:54 pm

So are you talking about costs or revenues? I don't doubt there have been missed opportunities for more advertising revenue. But that's completely separate from operating costs - to which I'm sure we're pretty in line with the salary structure of half the league.

Revenue - He doesn't give the club any money for all the in stadium advertising. The year that he bought the club, NUFC commercial revenues were comparable to that at Spurs...in fact most of the finances at the club were.

Other clubs get as much as £15m a year in such revenues.

I'm over Colo wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 23, 2018 3:54 pm

omegaprimevkm wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 22, 2018 8:00 pm

Long after Ashley goes and the truth comes out regarding all the fraudulent accounting NUFC has had under his stewardship, it'll be found that NUFC was running at half the costs of its competitors all along.

As it stands we've not had the commercial revenue that the club has been owed for 11 years. I reckon that's equal to the £120m+ worth of 'loans' he has given. It's worth approximately £275k in wages a week...I wonder what difference that injection would make to the playing squad.

So are you talking about costs or revenues? I don't doubt there have been missed opportunities for more advertising revenue. But that's completely separate from operating costs - to which I'm sure we're pretty in line with the salary structure of half the league.

omegaprimevkm wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 22, 2018 8:00 pm

Long after Ashley goes and the truth comes out regarding all the fraudulent accounting NUFC has had under his stewardship, it'll be found that NUFC was running at half the costs of its competitors all along.

As it stands we've not had the commercial revenue that the club has been owed for 11 years. I reckon that's equal to the £120m+ worth of 'loans' he has given. It's worth approximately £275k in wages a week...I wonder what difference that injection would make to the playing squad.