More relocation chat/brawling

[bikinigirl]

Actually, tbh, I can see how that might make sense... It's in the family of what I suggested the other day, try moving the low-pulling games perhaps, especially if one of the reasons for the low crowds is that a large portion of us are commuting...

. and perhaps if that had been the initial concept it may have gained broader acceptance ... IF ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY FOR SURVIVAL

. but it is still not that convenient for commuters ... having commuted for years ... because it messes with your whole routine. not to mention what it might do for the rest of your family

 

[Ancient Mariner]

The number that's been put out is 20 percent from NS. I'd be interested in what those 20% of members from North Sydney think about it all.
Do they want CCM to stay in Gosford?
Do they want more than one game a year at NSO?
Do they want the club to shift to NS?
Would they prefer their own club built from the ground up?
What would get them to attend more games at BT?
Would public transport being included in membership like some other clubs do make a difference?

For all we know they might be just as opposed to a move as everyone else.

1) Yes
2) 1 or 2, no more.
3) No
4) No
5) Attend all
6) No, being ancient I get cheap train fares. The problem is of a night time the service back to Sydney always seems to involve a 30 min wait on Gosford station. Even if you manage to time a train, it still makes a very late night. Quicker to drive.

The real worry is the low crowd for the Sydney game. This is a game to push up our average and but it dragged it down. The talk about shifts to NSO may have had an effect but not enough to drag the attendance of one of our "Marquee" games so low.

Our best attendances were in season 3 when we had a Aloisi, but that was not the only reason. There was also the novelty effect of the new A-League actually working plus the really big one that everyone was getting on board to see the little local club punching above its weight and taking down the big names. And since then many people stayed on board pushing the team to go all the way.

Last year it happened. I suspect that the "been there, done that effect" has kicked in, and a lot of the non rusted on attendees are looking for the next "thing". This is exacerbated by the loss of so many players plus Arnie who was a "name" and in the press regularly.

The big problem in drawing crowds at Gosford is that there just are not enough locals who are into football enough to attend games regularly. This is not a criticism of the locals, indeed they support above their population size. This is why the search is on elsewhere.

The locals will attend for New Years Eve, for Aloisi or ADP. The trouble is you cannot provide a circus every week.

EASY SOLUTIONS:
Purchase a marquee of the stature of ADP, Kewell or Cahill. They would have to be big, not just any Marquee. Lucas Neil would not be enough (possibly negative).
Find another owner prepared to lose a million a year (or possibly more in a bad season).
Bargain Bluetongue down to a break even figure.
Build the COE pitch to an acceptable level accommodating about 12k.

I have said more than enough on this topic. My last comments are:

1)cut out the negative bitching, whingeing, threatening, negative talk here. Believe me it will take on a life of its own and become self fulfilling.

2) support the club and the owners in their endeavours to make the club sustainable, the alternative is not pleasant. They want success, we want success. Instead of worrying and digging in the heals about an NSO game, support it, have a night out, make it an annual event, use it to get up SFC's nose. If it is a success local crowds will follow. That then turns one loss making game into a profit. If that then eventually leads to more North Sydney supporters overall, great.

There are enough reasons spelt out already why NSO will not be acceptable for more than a novelty game. Worry more about the club not being viable than a move that is not going to happen.

 

[sydmariner]

. i had never been to nso before so consider that in my thoughts:

1. it actually seemed pretty full ... how the hell you would fit 3x as many in i have no idea. but even worse how do you get them out because that was a bit of a nightmare. stands are uncomfortable with terrible views which are easily obscured
2. refer to words above
3. define atmosphere? not a good 'football' atmosphere ... lots of chatter from what i observed but not really about the game (or if it was they were doing it without watching). plenty of kids running around ... if you like that kind of thing (which i don't). based on these observations definitely a gimmick-driven crowd
4. i decided late to take the $10 deal, at $25 bucks i'd go and spend my money (and more) watching the game at a pub/club on the coast
5. not many regulars i'd guess ... partaking in some novelty rather than searching for a commitment. although there were plenty there that did seem to have an identity problem (plenty that were calling themselves del peiro, but i don't think they were)
6. and it would be interested to see what the gate takings were $/person (plenty of kids, cheap members tickets and god knows how many freebies)
7. umm ... no ... well we won, so that's a success
8. yes. i can't imagine any measurement metrics where the crowd or venue could be viewed as a success compared to our 'bad' attendance numbers on the coast
9. need i go on?

 

[localpom]

The Gosford CBD is like a ghost town on game days no matter what the time is

Gosford is changing and will change dramatically in the next 2 or 3 years. That will help both with more people living close to the stadium and the fact that there will be alot more to do prior to the game and after.

 

[Forum Phoenix]

"The roll-up delighted Central Coast officials, whose calls for big support at Gosford have often fallen on deaf ears in the past."

Ahh those remarkable advertising campaigns, foiled only by the despicable deafness of the coast!

The odd newspaper article or radio interview of various players or staff saying "get to the game" or "support your team" is so far from an effective marketing strategy that the fact they ever expected anything to come off it in real terms has always staggered me.

Maybe they're all just too immersed in Mariners centric circles, but it does't matter if we are two points from the premiership or have been playing scintillating football, because a huge portion of our population still barely has any idea there are games on, let alone know when, let alone be so excited by the prospect of them that they will organise theirs and their families lives around them and then allocate the money to do so. And I'm not taking about disinterested rugby heads and retirees. I' talking about people who have usually been to several games before. Who like, even say they love the Mariners. And they have NFI.
By and large most casuals only know what they know, not because of advertising, but because the more passionate followers/members spread the word. I've accepted this because we were skint. And instead have applauded the mariners grass roots community based strategy, carried out so well by the players and coaches and staff. It's been terrific work. And it is clearly how we have survived and thrived. But what that has created is a grass roots club surviving on the back of the community spirit it engendered, and as such is almost entirely reliant on word of mouth marketing and direct referrals... so from the bottom of my heart to the CCM board, f**k with that at the clubs own direst peril.

Whoever is advising MC is ether failing to communicate effectively our position or he is being very ill advised. Destroy the goodwill and word of mouth, and you destroy the club, both on and off the filed. The clubs greatest asset is not our trophies, it is the goodwill of the community and the huge number of kids who have been growing up with "mariners days" as a part of their lives for the past 8-9 years. This is the real investment in a sustainable future, and it's clearly going really really well. It's just not going to be reflected in gate for a while yet. So we need to stay calm, stay positive and find ways to nurture the investment a bit longer.

To this end, if it means the club prospers, I could almost happily stomach a couple of games at NSO, but while the novelty was fun in its own way yesterday, it's a very poor football experience. A lovely quaint ground, that puts the football and the viewing of it last.
And if MC is day dreaming of a Wanderers the 2nd sprouting up overnight, he is gravely mistaken or is being sold a line. This is a very different demographic. There were also a lot of pre existing CCM fans making up the numbers yesterday. (*note to club, never had a chance to get my members ticket - so please don't assume all sales outside of the usual were non members - as there were other like me in the line when I bought)

If they want increased numbers. Great. We all get it. But forget easy fixes and get to work finding way to reach your existing and already very positively disposed (for now) market where you have done so much of the most important and hardest work. It is not by any menas tapped out. Nor has your marketing campaign resembled anything even remotely exhaustive. If you must have quick results, then I humbly suggest accepting that significant growth here or especially elsewhere, will mean we have to spend significant $$$ to do so. The word of mouth and numbers you benefited from in season 2-3 was a honeymoon period, and is not indicative of disinterest since. It is indicative of the failure in marketing to generate the same critical mass level of awareness required to get the numbers you want to games.

Or maybe I'm wrong, and we should keep the advertising lean, keep complaining that the club is unappreciated, unviable, and needs to be whored out to become sustainable.

That should work a treat.

I've said it before, until you have billboards all over the major through ways of the coast and large digital signage at the meccas of the CC population -- Erina fair and WF Tuggerah, I simply can't take our populations supposed disinterest seriously. (and that's ignoring our league crowd standing and per capita argument which are bloody valid in their own right) Our marketing and brand has never been high profile or prolific and there are only so many off field activities players and staff can attend. Incidentally - beyond stadium squabbles, this an area where I think council should be bending over backwards to support the Mariners.

It's a crazy wild idea for a Mariners fan Mr Charlesworth... But it just might actually be time to do the one thing we have never done as a club before... and throw some money at the problem.

...before we throw it away by relocating the baby with the bathwater.

 

[bikinigirl]

1)cut out the negative bitching, whingeing, threatening, negative talk here. Believe me it will take on a life of its own and become self fulfilling.

. sorry i can't believe that ... i reckon the guys have done a good job of separating most of this talk from other threads and the discussion has been much more thoughtful than anything charlesworth has had to say publicly

. but the main reason i object is without the ability to vent on here (and see that i am not the only one with such thoughts) ... i may have had a brain aneurysm or resorted to punching puppies to release my frustrations. i have found the discussion somewhat therapeutic

 

[Ancient Mariner]

It's a crazy wild idea as a Mariners fan Mr Charlesworth... But it just might actually be time to do the one thing we have never done as a club before... and throw some money at the problem.

Glad to hear you are prepared to fund this advertising budget.

 

[Ancient Mariner]

. sorry i can't believe that ... i reckon the guys have done a good job of separating most of this talk from other threads and the discussion has been much more thoughtful than anything charlesworth has had to say publicly

. but the main reason i object is without the ability to vent on here (and see that i am not the only one with such thoughts) ... i may have had a brain aneurysm or resorted to punching puppies to release my frustrations. i have found the discussion somewhat therapeutic

I have found the discussion here anything but therapeutic and indeed makes me feel like punching puppies. Too many here want to misrepresent this discussion as about a relocation that will not happen.

The problem is that it is becoming clear that the population of the Central Coast does not provide enough bums on seats for the club to run without making a loss which our owner cannot afford.

Maybe like Forum Phoenix many believe their are many out there in love with the club but so in love they do not know when they are playing. Sorry, rofl.

We have seen one owner lose a packet in the attempt to make the club viable.

Yes, MC wants to make money in the long run. But some here see that as being sinister, rather than seeing that by protecting his investment is also protecting the club.

But no, he is getting poor advice, or is an idiot, unlike all the other successful millionaires who post here and know better.

If I were MC and read this forum, and interpreted the views put here as a sample of the Central Coast supporters, I would be looking for the best way to cut my losses and then just walk away.

You had better hope he does not, because surprisingly there is not a queue of millionaires waiting to take over and lose money. And if you think the FFA will not let CCM fold you probably believe in Santa Claus.

I get the feeling there are many here who would like to see MC go. Maybe they could get used to the Jest being their local team or wait for the Central Coast bears or maybe even the Russians.

Enough.

 

[Forum Phoenix]

I don't want to fight with you Ancient or trade in mockery. I've always really appreciated your posts on here.

Yes, I would like to see the club spend more money on advertising before we write off the Coast as not caring or appreciating their team. Hardly the most outrageous opinion surely?

I appreciate any owner who values our club and I have nothing against MC and have made no derogatory remarks of any kind. But he is making disturbing noises that are clearly scaring many ardent fans. I don't scare easy. And I'm not a pessimist. But the language around our "lack of support" greatly bothers me. But I still try to be solution oriented, though you ridiculed me for my opinion on it.

As a supporter since season 1, promotion has always been very light on the ground, by necessity I've assumed. And so yes, I think changing that would be a great thing. If not's possible still, that's ok, but I think it's pretty pointless complaining about our numbers unless we want to spend more on marketing. If you think they have tried everything, and the coast is tapped out, we'll have to agree to disagree.

Re you ROFL'ing, well, I'm not lying mate, I know lots of them. I can tell them they mustn't really like the Mariners or go to enough games, but they think they do, and it's not going to help anyone. They clearly need a push over the edge to get them properly committed. I think the answer lies in promotions as it's the bigger hyped games that usually get them in. And yep they rarely have a clue about game days. Personally, I think anyone who thinks it's obvious whenever the Mariners are playing and that everyone knows about it is living in a total dream land. And that's the one I want to live in. As it stands, many people only figure it out because we all walk around with our jersey on on game days. And I did not say they merely need to know details to get them to games, but I think it would be a pretty good place to start as local rag and radio ads are clearly not enough.

For the record, I believe everyone is entitled to an opinion, and that is what public forums are about. So I dislike people being brow beaten about the right to having one because someone else may be more successful than they are. As it happens though, I do actually know a bit about business, community engagement and marketing here on the coast, as I co own businesses that have turned over many millions here over many years. So i'm not just talking out my arse as you suggest. And ironically, there is little that would bring me more joy than one day being in the financial position to back the Mariners.

On MC reading this thread and wiping his hands of us. I'm sure he can handle it. Move fans games and make mention of moving more and it just simply comes with the territory. You have to have thick skin and be a realist don't you?

For myself, I think everybody would do well not to take any of it personally, on all sides of the coin.
*No puppies were harmed in the writing of this post*

Peace out

FP

 

[bikinigirl]

My last comments are:

. not really my last comments ... just shit-stirring - i do that too especially when passionate about something

Too many here want to misrepresent this discussion as about a relocation that will not happen.

. i don't know how you can say there is a mis-representation when there hasn't been a clear statement from the club or the ffa on what can and can't happen / will or won't happen ... or at least something that isn't then deemed superseded by a later statement, report or action

. yet the nso game has still 'delighted' central coast officials when their own attendance targets weren't met (like we are doing at home) ... to me that is mis-representation. if 'we' have already asked for more games at nso next year when a public declaration has said our home is on the coast and we are not due to host community games and the ffa have stated the chosen venue is unsuitable ... to me that is mis-representation. drawing conclusions from the information available and the conflicting statements from 'the club' is not mis-representation in my opinion

. if we stop discussing it as you suggest, it is not going to magically all become clear ... but we may become further dis-illusioned

But no, he is getting poor advice, or is an idiot, unlike all the other successful millionaires who post here and know better.

. philosophically i'd argue that money alone doesn't make you successful (and many 'successful' people are not motivated by money), but that is beside the point ...

. like FP i don't want to argue for the sake of arguing but:

• who is advising him? (because we can't even understand the simple maths he is using to motivate or justify his decisions)
• did he become a successful millionaire by pissing off many of the loyal customers he already had by not listening to them? ... and/or did they just shut up and abide by what he forced upon them?
• you can't blindly apply his success as a businessman to his ability to make the best decisions for a football club (whether that is to make money or not) especially when the business models are so different

. you, of course, are entitled to your opinion on the coast's ceiling and saturation point ... and you may be right. but there are plenty on here that think there is still more potential (or much more potential for some). and i will ask this once more for clarity ... have we been spending the same amount advertising games on the coast as we did for the game in north sydney? were similar discounts offered to entice more people to attend? (the rental issue i have done to death so please set that aside)

. until those questions can be answered truthfully and openly with the data to back it up ... we can only draw our own conclusions ... which show that the game was far from a success and the officials should be anything but delighted. and if they are delighted, we do need to keep talking about and we do need to tell them that they are being wrongly advised

 

[Ancient Mariner]

Enough.

No more.

 

[adz]

No more.

You're saying we can't discuss business aspects of the club unless we are millionaires from running a business (that doesn't even have anything to do with football)?

If we follow that logic, we shouldn't allow comments on tactics, formations, judgement calls on which players were the best on filed (man of the match) unless we have a professional coaching license.

I doubt MC got into his position without having to fight for his ideas and having everyone just fall into line and say "yes, absolutely, everything you do is perfect" - but I could be wrong there.

Either way this is a discussion forum, we discuss ALL aspects of the club, we are reacting to actual quotes taken from the man himself, so maybe get down off that high horse on this one?

 

[sydmariner]

You're saying we can't discuss business aspects of the club unless we are millionaires from running a business (that doesn't even have anything to do with football)?

If we follow that logic, we shouldn't allow comments on tactics, formations, judgement calls on which players were the best on filed (man of the match) unless we have a professional coaching license.

I doubt MC got into his position without having to fight for his ideas and having everyone just fall into line and say "yes, absolutely, everything you do is perfect" - but I could be wrong there.

Either way this is a discussion forum, we discuss ALL aspects of the club, we are reacting to actual quotes taken from the man himself, so maybe get down off that high horse on this one?

 

[bikinigirl]

I doubt MC got into his position without having to fight for his ideas and having everyone just fall into line and say "yes, absolutely, everything you do is perfect" - but I could be wrong there.

. but that may be the response he gets in the mariners office

 

[pjennings]

Simply put NSO is not the answer. It is not an HAL standard ground. As an experiment I think it was a failure - especially considering the freebies, the mainstream media friendly treatment that the game received and the extra promotion done for the game. It looked to me that we took more people to Canberra than to NSO with a fair few SFC and Wanderers bolstering the crowd. You have to wonder if the same effort went into BlueTongue games whether we would have a larger average crowd

I also doubt that there is much of a the market in North Sydney. Anybody that wants to watch football in the area simply needs to cross the bridge. The only advantage to North Sydney is that it has more corporate sponsors - though without any facilities. If Charlesworth wants to engage with North Sydney for this reason then he might get some joy. However, he needs to do it carefully without destroying the goodwill the Mariners - not Charlesworth - has on the Coast.

I would suspect that any relocation would basically kill any support from Coast based supporters. Is it realistic that the FFA would support a move away from an area that they have supported to an area that has had a history of killing sporting clubs and that realistically is already covered by SFC.

 

[Ancient Mariner]

You're saying we can't discuss business aspects of the club unless we are millionaires from running a business (that doesn't even have anything to do with football)?

If we follow that logic, we shouldn't allow comments on tactics, formations, judgement calls on which players were the best on filed (man of the match) unless we have a professional coaching license.

I doubt MC got into his position without having to fight for his ideas and having everyone just fall into line and say "yes, absolutely, everything you do is perfect" - but I could be wrong there.

Either way this is a discussion forum, we discuss ALL aspects of the club, we are reacting to actual quotes taken from the man himself, so maybe get down off that high horse on this one?

No, you misunderstand, I meant no more from me. But here goes.

Yes BG, I do stir but I have to, to shake you lot up.

Maybe if you know where I am coming from you may understand.

Most here see the problem as keeping the CCM on the Coast (cap C). I see the worry as keeping the CCM, full stop. I do not believe CCM will exist away from the Coast.

There have been 3 clubs in my life that I have seen disappear. Believe me, it hurts every time, I do not want it to happen again.

I do not see MC as a Knight in shining armor, but I do see him as the best chance we have and will support him.

OK, where I come from.

I was a third gen Bears supporter. I used to sit in the rain with my father and grandfather week in and week out, year after year (from the 1950's, (yeh that ancient)), always hoping. Nobody I sat with ever believed the Bears could disappear. They were a foundation club, they were iconic and were part of what made rugby league, rugby league.

They went and in the worst possible way, they were combined with the hated rivals and made a joke.

This is one reason why I get fed up when people here compare our current position with the Northern Eagles. No one is suggesting we combine with Newcastle and play out of Wollongong, so please do not represent the situation.

CCM is not as bullet proof as many here seem to imagine.

That period of my life showed me the importance of negativity and knocking. The biggest knockers of the Bears were their own supporters. The negativity built and became self fulfilling.

I am not against constructive criticism, in fact the opposite, I am in favour, without it, nothing gets discussed. I am against a lot of the crap (close to abuse) dished out to MC in his efforts in making the club viable. I find it annoying and probably makes my responses stronger than they should (like much of the criticism that gets to me).

I saw a lot of this problem when PT called for payment of the next season memberships before the current season was over in a previous forum. I saw those discussions revert to doom and gloom negativity that had a great detrimental effect on memberships and on the forum.

I want to keep supporting the club in Gosford and strongly believe that the club, if it survives, will stay in Gosford. I get extremely frustrated with people that see NS Oval as a threat. Take it from someone who has spent half his life there, it is not, and never will be. However it can be used as a tactical piece in a greater strategy.

To FP, sorry for the sarcasm, but really, if someone loves their team they now how to get to a game. Yes I hear the same stuff, but it is usually from people who cannot be bothered to pull their finger out and no amount of advertising will shift them. I will not withdraw the shot about the money, it stands.

And I do not think that someone who has made a lot of money is the font of all wisdom, but many here show a distinct lack of wisdom in comparison . And someone who has put his money where his mouth is deserves to call the shots.

I support MC because I can see where he is coming from and agree their is a market to be tapped on the North Shore having been involved with a club in the district and seen the support that exists at that level but needs a push.

Ok, obviously by what has happened here it has not been sold well. Hopefully some of the obvious talking with Fish can help that. I hope to see something eventuate, in public, from those talks that will get all heading in the same direction. It is to the benefit of those that want: to make money from the Club, to see the club win, to see the club be successful, to see the club survive, to see the club boost their ego (supporter or owner).

One final dig. Stop being so bloody precious about "your" team it belongs to more people than those that are lucky enough to live on the Coast.

This is definitely all from me. I think I have said all I have to say. Time to sit back and enjoy the chaos.

ps Didn't the size of the crowd at the game between the champions and the Smurfs scare the shit out of others as it did me and start you thinking that some serious measures were called for?

Final from me, please feel free to carry on.

 

[Ancient Mariner]

I said final but this was posted before my final went up.

Simply put NSO is not the answer. It is not an HAL standard ground. Exactly, no argument. As an experiment I think it was a failure Not necessarilly - especially considering the freebies, the mainstream media friendly treatment that the game received and the extra promotion done for the game. It looked to me that we took more people to Canberra than to NSO with a fair few SFC and Wanderers bolstering the crowd. You have to wonder if the same effort went into BlueTongue games whether we would have a larger average crowd. Strongly disagree, I live in the area, the only promotion I saw was photos of buses on this forum, and a couple of flags, ((no more than on the bridge at Gosford)

I also doubt that there is much of a the market in North Sydney disagree, it is not just North Sydney it is the entire Northern Suburbs. Anybody that wants to watch football in the area simply needs to cross the bridge. The only advantage to North Sydney is that it has more corporate sponsors bugger all to be had - though without any facilities. If Charlesworth wants to engage with North Sydney for this reason then he might get some joy. However, he needs to do it carefully without destroying the goodwill the Mariners - not Charlesworth - has on the Coast Agree but cut him some slack and stop being so precious (not you, the Coast).

I would suspect that any relocation it will not happen would basically kill any support from Coast based support of course it will t........he FFA would support a move away from an area that they have supported to an area that has had a history of killing sporting clubs and that realistically is already covered by SFC. They will provide support to a limit to help keep the club going,but will not take over a failing club

 

[BaysideMariner]

No, you misunderstand, I meant no more from me. But here goes.

Yes BG, I do stir but I have to, to shake you lot up.

Maybe if you know where I am coming from you may understand.

Most here see the problem as keeping the CCM on the Coast (cap C). I see the worry as keeping the CCM, full stop. I do not believe CCM will exist away from the Coast.

There have been 3 clubs in my life that I have seen disappear. Believe me, it hurts every time, I do not want it to happen again.

I do not see MC as a Knight in shining armor, but I do see him as the best chance we have and will support him.

OK, where I come from.

I was a third gen Bears supporter. I used to sit in the rain with my father and grandfather week in and week out, year after year (from the 1950's, (yeh that ancient)), always hoping. Nobody I sat with ever believed the Bears could disappear. They were a foundation club, they were iconic and were part of what made rugby league, rugby league.

They went and in the worst possible way, they were combined with the hated rivals and made a joke.

This is one reason why I get fed up when people here compare our current position with the Northern Eagles. No one is suggesting we combine with Newcastle and play out of Wollongong, so please do not represent the situation.

CCM is not as bullet proof as many here seem to imagine.

That period of my life showed me the importance of negativity and knocking. The biggest knockers of the Bears were their own supporters. The negativity built and became self fulfilling.

I am not against constructive criticism, in fact the opposite, I am in favour, without it, nothing gets discussed. I am against a lot of the crap (close to abuse) dished out to MC in his efforts in making the club viable. I find it annoying and probably makes my responses stronger than they should (like much of the criticism that gets to me).

I saw a lot of this problem when PT called for payment of the next season memberships before the current season was over in a previous forum. I saw those discussions revert to doom and gloom negativity that had a great detrimental effect on memberships and on the forum.

I want to keep supporting the club in Gosford and strongly believe that the club, if it survives, will stay in Gosford. I get extremely frustrated with people that see NS Oval as a threat. Take it from someone who has spent half his life there, it is not, and never will be. However it can be used as a tactical piece in a greater strategy.

To FP, sorry for the sarcasm, but really, if someone loves their team they now how to get to a game. Yes I hear the same stuff, but it is usually from people who cannot be bothered to pull their finger out and no amount of advertising will shift them. I will not withdraw the shot about the money, it stands.

And I do not think that someone who has made a lot of money is the font of all wisdom, but many here show a distinct lack of wisdom in comparison . And someone who has put his money where his mouth is deserves to call the shots.

I support MC because I can see where he is coming from and agree their is a market to be tapped on the North Shore having been involved with a club in the district and seen the support that exists at that level but needs a push.

Ok, obviously by what has happened here it has not been sold well. Hopefully some of the obvious talking with Fish can help that. I hope to see something eventuate, in public, from those talks that will get all heading in the same direction. It is to the benefit of those that want: to make money from the Club, to see the club win, to see the club be successful, to see the club survive, to see the club boost their ego (supporter or owner).

One final dig. Stop being so bloody precious about "your" team it belongs to more people than those that are lucky enough to live on the Coast.

This is definitely all from me. I think I have said all I have to say. Time to sit back and enjoy the chaos.

ps Didn't the size of the crowd at the game between the champions and the Smurfs scare the shit out of others as it did me and start you thinking that some serious measures were called for?

Final from me, please feel free to carry on.

Wow. A well thought out piece. We'll done. I don't like all of what you say but it makes sense.

 

[pjennings]

Ok, obviously by what has happened here it has not been sold well.
...
ps Didn't the size of the crowd at the game between the champions and the Smurfs scare the shit out of others as it did me (yes - but what came first the chicken or the egg) and start you thinking that some serious measures were called for?

I hosted an end of year function during the week. Quite a few 'casuals' were in attendance and I asked why I hadn't seen them at the SFC game. The common refrain was why bother the owner wants to move to North Sydney. So my comment of 'he needs to do it carefully without destroying the goodwill the Mariners - not Charlesworth - has on the Coast' rings very true to me. Anybody on this forum is likely to turn up come hell or high water. But if we want to grow we have to stop giving others a reason not to go. The aim should be to grow locally, while balancing that with reaching out to other areas and bringing them into the fold. The rhetoric from sources in the club seems to be pitching areas against each other and that is baffling to say the least.

 

[Phish Phart]

I have been a supporter since Year 1 and have been surprised that the club has survived financially for so long (and achieved the extraordinary on-field success in the face of the unfavourable demographics).

Sad to say, but to me MC is not the solution but instead seems to be rapidly becoming part of the problem. While he has been hailed as the club's saviour he has gone to water after facing a loss in his first year of ownership.

What is he about? Did he do due diligence before taking over the club and accepting the responsibility that goes with such acquisition? Is he less wealthy than many thought and cannot therefore afford to underwrite any more losses? Is he already tired of the whole thing and is looking for an excuse to get out?

What the club needs is an owner with very deep pockets who is unfazed by having to put his/her hand in said pockets for an indeterminate period of time coupled with a love for the game and a long-term commitment to the region. There are examples elsewhere in the world where this applies. On the face of it MC does not fall into this category however.

Mariners warning: Rough seas and uncharted waters ahead.