CCM Supporters Trust

[Tevor]

So I should ask for my membership to be cancelled since it isn’t an investment in the club?

 

[Ancient Mariner]

If you use it to attend games it is cheap admission. Only if you do not use it it becomes a donation to the Club or an investment where you may hope for a return, probably through goodwill or exposure if you are a business. But you get no way to control where the money is spent.

Professional sport has changed from what it was. In the past it was a community model. If you were a member of say a Rugby League Club you had a stake in the ownership. Every year there was an annual general meeting where you could stand for the board to be in a position to be part of the decision making body.
These days with private ownership only the owner has a say in the way things are run. Fans are now powerless unless they vote with their feet and that runs the distinct possibility of sending the Club into extinction.
If you want to have some control or say with the owner you either buy a share or make such a significant contribution that you get a say in how things are run. I am sure, even though he did not purchase a share, last year, Anton made a significant enough contribution to the Club that he ended up having a say in how things were run. If your financial contribution is large enough you will get a seat at the table.
This is why I see the proposed Trust as being so important in the future direction and success of this Club, whatever funding model proves to be most effective, which will be decided by the trustees. I see it as being even more important while we have a financially weak absent owner.

I am not a supporter nor an apologist for the owner, It makes no difference to me who owns the Club, except that a financially poor or tight owner makes the trust idea more important. I want the Club to prosper and I see the Trust as a way to move this Club forward with the fans having an increasingly important role in the Club's running.

It also allows the dream (at the stage) that someday we may have full ownership and control.

 

[Tevor]

If you use it to attend games it is cheap admission. Only if you do not use it it becomes a donation to the Club or an investment where you may hope for a return, probably through goodwill or exposure if you are a business. But you get no way to control where the money is spent.

Professional sport has changed from what it was. In the past it was a community model. If you were a member of say a Rugby League Club you had a stake in the ownership. Every year there was an annual general meeting where you could stand for the board to be in a position to be part of the decision making body.
These days with private ownership only the owner has a say in the way things are run. Fans are now powerless unless they vote with their feet and that runs the distinct possibility of sending the Club into extinction.
If you want to have some control or say with the owner you either buy a share or make such a significant contribution that you get a say in how things are run. I am sure, even though he did not purchase a share, last year, Anton made a significant enough contribution to the Club that he ended up having a say in how things were run. If your financial contribution is large enough you will get a seat at the table.
This is why I see the proposed Trust as being so important in the future direction and success of this Club, whatever funding model proves to be most effective, which will be decided by the trustees. I see it as being even more important while we have a financially weak absent owner.

I am not a supporter nor an apologist for the owner, It makes no difference to me who owns the Club, except that a financially poor or tight owner makes the trust idea more important. I want the Club to prosper and I see the Trust as a way to move this Club forward with the fans having an increasingly important role in the Club's running.

It also allows the dream (at the stage) that someday we may have full ownership and control.

At this stage membership is crucial for the club, from what I understand it funds the back office and some. The Fox money goes to the cap so meant for the players (only that MC doesn’t use it all for what it’s intended). Other than sponsorship the next major funding stream is membership. The trust will take time and probably not really add anything this season due to timing. I’m all for the trust. I registered my interest, listened to the pod and completed the survey on the first day it came out.

Does MC even want the trust? Does not seem like the type of person to give those pesky fans a say in anything. You seem to think he is going to like the idea and support the trust telling him how to run his club. I’m not as confident as you with our illustrious owner or his business ideas. You can only purchase a proportion of the club if HE decides to sell it to you. Would he even do that?????

I pay for 5 Gold memberships so the funding for the trust is no issue for me given the amounts they are considering. There is a lot of info on how it will work and how MC will handle it before I’m committing any further $$$. However I will continue to invest in the club through membership which will help the club survive in my opinion.

 

[Ancient Mariner]

I think we are singing from the same book.

What the trust is able to do definitely comes down to the owner being willing to agree. I imagine a Russian oligarch or rich Arab would probably list involvement to contributing to a marquee if at all. I doubt our current owner would refuse any input and I seem to remember the lead contender to purchase indicated some willingness to sell a percentage.
There is so much water yet to go under the bridge with how the Trust will operate and interact that it is not funny. It is not helped by the state of the league nor the virus which I imagine has disrupted many deals and future plans already.

I do not think any sane person would contribute even a penny to the proposed Trust if all the is are not dotted nor the ts crossed.
There will be plenty of time to discuss whether or not to contribute, or even if the whole idea is worthwhile when many things become more clear.
I admire those who are trying to get it running and I do not see the point of it being talked down while it is still really only an exciting concept.

I am poor and have purchased only 4 Gold memberships. I only buy these for the prawn sandwiches. I imagine there will be those who seriously cannot afford much but still wish to be part of the deal. It will be interesting how the Trust caters for this majority who while as individuals are not able to contribute much but as a group could d be extremely valuable. Likewise there must be a pathway for those who want to contribute more.

Of recent times there has not been much to hope about for the Club. I look forward to this proposal working almost as much as the signing of quality striker and central defender.

It will take time.

 

[Ancient Mariner]

It has been a while since there has been any news here.
I am guessing, that like the ownership decision, things are in limbo until the new A-League management structure gets its act together and things become clearer.
Any clues out there?

 

[FFC Mariner]

Latest update is here if you didnt get the email - trust will be set up as a co-operative

Central Coast Mariners Supporters Trust Co-Op

www.ccmsupporterstrust.com

 

[Ozhammer]

There will hopefully be some big news on this before too much longer, as I understand that some key things are happening in the background at the moment.

Exciting times all round with all the positivity surrounding CCM right about now.

 

[FFC Mariner]

Another follow up survey from the team this morning. Very professional.

FWIW, I supported direct support of NPL or academy as just giving money to our current owner will only encourage him to spend even less and nothing will change

 

[Jimmy]

Supporters Trust Update

There's a new survey out, make your voice heard and help shape the future of the trust.

CCM Supporters Trust Survey

CCM Supporters Trust Survey

app.getparampara.com

 

[Holy]

Supporters Trust Update

There's a new survey out, make your voice heard and help shape the future of the trust.

CCM Supporters Trust Survey

CCM Supporters Trust Survey

app.getparampara.com

Done

 

[adz]

Ohhhh that gif at the end... haha

 

[scottmac]

Another follow up survey from the team this morning. Very professional.

FWIW, I supported direct support of NPL or academy as just giving money to our current owner will only encourage him to spend even less and nothing will change

Will be very interesting as to how that vote goes when the time comes.

 

[marinerbhoy]

Another follow up survey from the team this morning. Very professional.

FWIW, I supported direct support of NPL or academy as just giving money to our current owner will only encourage him to spend even less and nothing will change

Voted for the option of a regular 6 month vote as I am expecting for priorities to change over time. While they were mostly great options, my preference is for infrastructure investment. The only one I am dead against is funding a marquee. Either way I am still on board.

 

[adz]

I think it was mentioned on the podcast too, that whatever money coming from this shouldn't be used as a cop-out for Mike (or anyone else), it should be in addition to whatever other money is coming in, not as a replacement for it.

 

[Tevor]

Another follow up survey from the team this morning. Very professional.

FWIW, I supported direct support of NPL or academy as just giving money to our current owner will only encourage him to spend even less and nothing will change

My exact thought process as well and let’s bring more gun young players on its our future and we need to do it right like we are now. MC needs to keep contributing as he is now and if the club does better in the long run then he benefits.

 

[marinermick]

I still won’t buy into a trust whilst MC is in charge despite the last few months.

 

[Tevor]

I still won’t buy into a trust whilst MC is in charge despite the last few months.

I respect that and I’m very close to the same decision. Giving the trust the benefit of the doubt until I see how it’s all going to work but if I sniff help for MC where it’s not deserved I’ll wain in my enthusiasm very quickly.

 

[Jimmy]

I think it was mentioned on the podcast too, that whatever money coming from this shouldn't be used as a cop-out for Mike (or anyone else), it should be in addition to whatever other money is coming in, not as a replacement for it.

This is correct, any of the trust money would be an addition to what the owner has already covered as a minimum. It was a very early stipulation that was made.

Mark is working hard in the background, I've read the draft and it's looking very good, definitely value for money if it can all get across the line. Quite a few things to iron out first.

 

[bikinigirl]

This is correct, any of the trust money would be an addition to what the owner has already covered as a minimum. It was a very early stipulation that was made.

Mark is working hard in the background, I've read the draft and it's looking very good, definitely value for money if it can all get across the line. Quite a few things to iron out first.

. i don't know if it was your intention but i don't see anything there to suggest the funds raised would be used for anything other than reducing the financial contribution of the other owner/s

. that is, Mike has been reporting losses year-on-year ... so, to my mind, costs are not currently 'covered'. it may just be a wording issue but it seems that it will need to be extraordinarily clear for quite a few to believe

. on the hand Mark has already done several metric shit-tonnes of work (despite there being more to do) ... and is very deserving of credit (whether you can see the work or not)

 

[Ancient Mariner]

I am a little concerned about all the talk about "not if Mike Charlesworth is owner". I think we want to see whatever we raise initially to be in addition to what any owner is prepared to contribute.
The Club is up for sale and I am fairly certain that a buyer will be found once a new broadcast deal is worked out and distribution to the clubs finalised, thus allowing an appropriate sale figure to be determined.
Mike Charlesworth's problem is that he is not rich enough to poor as much money into the team as other owners. However he did pay the bills and take responsibility when the Club was going to the wall and he has continued to cover the bills this season rather than allow debt to accumulate to be eventually settled by the new owner.
For this I think he deserves thanks and some more respect here than many are showing. There are many past examples for any here to see we could have been in deep shit.
I do not think we need to say our support for the trust will be conditional on who the owner is. However the money is spent it must be used for the future success and be in addition to and seperate from the Club's management.
I can see the boards management being in close contact with the Club and the Coach as to how and where they can see any donation being most useful at any given time.
At present it appears the development of young players and the Academy is working. It is a noble cause. However in terms of results any contribution from the Trust may be more usefully put to ensuring that a future star is not lost to SFC for want of an extra 20k on his contract.
I see any money available must be used to close the gap as much as possible between us and the better funded clubs. Nit picking about who will pay what is unnecessary at this stage. The trust must be to a degree an independent organisation and to say where any monies will be directed.

Of course if it is massively successful and grows along with the League and the question of community ownership arises, as is alluded to on the Trust's web page, then we enter a whole new ball game.

At present it is a matter of getting it up and running and raising enough money for it to be taken seriously for any owner to treat it with the respect it deserves.

In the meantime let's try and keep it positive. This is an amazing chance for something truly worthwhile and a great future.