Fighting Tiger Fund

[pitchfork 181]

Just saw Brendan Gale on the tele talking about the 'fighting tiger fund' - best of luck to them

But...

I just reckon they're going about it the wrong way. We all experienced something similar in DEBT DEMOLITION, a real success that has given our club real room to improve and compete.

Richmond are approaching this from a different point of view. Where Jim and Cam Schwab said (paraphrase) ... 'The Melbourne Footy Club is in debt, if you want your club to survive and thrive donate now'...It took 3 years now we're in the black.

In contrast Richmond say nothing about debt, rather appealing to the idea of 'football investment' to win a premiership.

Now the two initiatives are ostensibly the same thing, yet I fear that Richmond, despite their impressive (though overhyped) supporter base, is going to fall short of their mark. It just doesn't strike the same cord as our program and doesn't appear as urgent.

[Roost It 1,434]

Just saw Brendan Gale on the tele talking about the 'fighting tiger fund' - best of luck to them

But...

I just reckon they're going about it the wrong way. We all experienced something similar in DEBT DEMOLITION, a real success that has given our club real room to improve and compete.

Richmond are approaching this from a different point of view. Where Jim and Cam Schwab said (paraphrase) ... 'The Melbourne Footy Club is in debt, if you want your club to survive and thrive donate now'...It took 3 years now we're in the black.

In contrast Richmond say nothing about debt, rather appealing to the idea of 'football investment' to win a premiership.

Now the two initiatives are ostensibly the same thing, yet I fear that Richmond, despite their impressive (though overhyped) supporter base, is going to fall short of their mark. It just doesn't strike the same cord as our program and doesn't appear as urgent.

They'll raise more money in less time, simply because they have more supporters. However they still won't win a Premiership anytime soon. Gale talks like the advent of free agancy = premiership for Richmond. I think he's banking on some talent from GC and GWS wanting to return home. I still think they chose the wrong time to be near the bottom.

[Guest melbman]

Just saw Brendan Gale on the tele talking about the 'fighting tiger fund' - best of luck to them

But...

I just reckon they're going about it the wrong way. We all experienced something similar in DEBT DEMOLITION, a real success that has given our club real room to improve and compete.

Richmond are approaching this from a different point of view. Where Jim and Cam Schwab said (paraphrase) ... 'The Melbourne Footy Club is in debt, if you want your club to survive and thrive donate now'...It took 3 years now we're in the black.

In contrast Richmond say nothing about debt, rather appealing to the idea of 'football investment' to win a premiership.

Now the two initiatives are ostensibly the same thing, yet I fear that Richmond, despite their impressive (though overhyped) supporter base, is going to fall short of their mark. It just doesn't strike the same cord as our program and doesn't appear as urgent.

Save Our Skins MKII?

[Eth 4]

Richmond's 'fund' won't work (well, not as well as ours) because it's just a message saying 'hey, we're in debt, wouldn't mind a few dollars', where as ours had much more meaning. Better name, too.

[OPETH 0]

Watt was the bulldogs name for their campaign? " Bulldoze the debt" or something [censored] like that. Lol

Edited February 12, 2011 by OPETH

[Sir Why You Little 36,670]

Richmond looked like the MFC of 2007. They have a long way to go to get anywhere.

I had no idea Richmond were in debt until last week, is it because of their new buildings?

[george_on_the_outer 7,434]

I had no idea Richmond were in debt until last week, is it because of their new buildings?

Bought the money they received from the Federal government (12M) into their accounts 2 years ago as revenue received, and so saved their Board the embarassment of showing how much in debt they actually were.

Now they have to build the buildings = all outgoings. How these were every justified as an "Indigenous centre" is beyond me, especially given the conditions on Palm Island or in numerous other locations.

[Mazer Rackham 14,971]

We're in no position to criticize. Good luck to them.

But we have Big Jim, who brings with him an enormous amount of goodwill and respect. That helped a hell of a lot with Debt Demolition. Can't think who Richmond have who's the equal of Jim in social standing.

Jim made it seem like a nation building exercise, rather than a tin-rattle.

[Summer Blease 0]

I hope they fold

[Roost It 1,434]

I hope they fold

As a club we are much closer to folding than Richmond. It would also mean 2 less wins each year.

[Jaded No More 67,822]

I hope they fold

That sort of hatred should be reserved for Carlton.

I have nothing against Richmond. They suck and they gave us Trengove. Kudos to them.

Edited February 13, 2011 by Jaded

[Guest Rojik of the Arctic]

I hope they fold

Agreed. I remember them wishing it on us so I can only hope they fail.

[BAMF 4,120]

Agreed. I remember them wishing it on us so I can only hope they fail.

I'm sure it was a very small minority who really did.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

We're in no position to criticize. Good luck to them.

All AFL clubs in MEL bar Collingwood, Essendon, Hawthorn and Carlton are financial battlers.

Lets not split hairs. What Richmond is doing is essentially the same as MFC did 2 years. Reduce debt with the promise of focus on a premiership.

Richmond may not have anyone with charisma of Stynes, but they do have more supporters than MFC.

And its not the first time they have done a tin rattle in the past 15 years.

[dee-luded 2,959]

If I was a young player such as Tom Scully,,, who was a died in the skin Tiger supporter, Who had been offered wheel barrow loads of Cash to sign with the GWS giants. I'd be flattered,,, but I would Not want to spend all my playing days in Sydney.

But I would be tempted by the cash. The clincher to the deal would be the clause in the contract that promised to trade me back to the Tigers, in a swap of players & picks, after 4 or 5 Years.

This way, I, the hypothetical player, could get Wealthy, & get to come home to my friends & family, & finish my ambitions @ Richmond.

Just as well, I'm Not a teenager, being tempted & prodded from pillar to Goalpost by the promise of everything Rolled Gold.

I'm just an average Melbourne punter who would not change teams for threat, nor money.

Go DEES! All the Jacks...

[jnrmac 19,905]

If they are hoping the fans will back their footy department they are in real trouble. It's dysfunctional and they have an abysmal track record. Admittedly they have got rid of Miller and Terry Wallet but the bitterness remains strong....

[Summer Blease 0]

I really want North to fold, there is only one Melbourne. What's this North [censored]?

[darkhorse72 1,866]

There is no club I want to fold (though North should have relocated). But I don't think they will get the response we have, mainly as because the reason for the raising. OUrs was for survival and their is thinking they can buy a flag in the short term.

Good lcuk to them but I think they will simply waste it.

[volders 22]

They wont fold. Infact if they ever get a decent list together for some sustained finals action they will thrive (massive if lol). They have a massive, massive untapped supporter base, due to success in 70's and early 80's I guess, but because they've been [censored] for so long most of these supporters are not members.

[Little Goffy 14,060]

Hmm.. some differences...

Firstly, the old saying "We would have been ruined if we hadn't been so close to ruin". The Debt Demolition was rightly declared a necessary step to survival. Simple, brutal, survival. Richmond aren't putting that forward - for a club with 2-3 times as many supporters as Melbourne to be mumbling about doom would just be hideously embarrasing. The supporters would have to have an element of 'well, what can we do if you're just not going to run the place right?'.

Which leads onto the second part... Debt Demolition came in the midst of an outright revolution, not just a coup or changing of the guard, but a dramatic shift in the leadership at every level and department of the club. It came with the promise of a new era, pushing past the survival crisis and onto a bold future. It was vouched for by every Demon you could imagine, and the new board personally piled in many hundreds of thousands of dollars (names I'm aware of are the Spargo and Szental families which both tipped 6-figures). Richmond are the same hack administration basically asking the supporters to fill their bad management hole with dollars.

Finally, the pushing of the message of unity and positivity was relentless and ubiquitous. You couldn't read a story about the Demons without some mention of 'we're all in this together' and 'we are doing the hard work now to set us up for real change'. Plus there was a huge information and inclusion effort, from Whiteboard Wednesday and the 'Demon Summit' for the hardcore supporters, all manner of events, and the regular statements of 'here is what we are doing - these facilities, this deal, and this recruiting team, and this focus on player development'. Even where things weren't perfect and others might disagree, it was always clear that it was part of a sound and reasonable general plan.

It's the difference between a guy sitting on the street corner with his hat out and a little cardboard sign saying 'give'. And someone with a brochure explaining the key steps they are going to take to use any money they get to turn their life around; "I'm going to get a haircut, it will cost this much, I will buy a pack of razors and some interview clothes, I will get a Diploma of Employability..."

In short, Richmond are still led by the same people, the same way, as Richmond has been led for a quarter of a certury. Should that be inspiring?

For the record, I don't wish closure upon them and find that kind of talk frankly distasteful. Wish all misery you like on the management, but Richmond supporters are a bizarrely loyal mob and shouldn't have to deal with the unpleasant lurking fear that comes from a club in survival mode.

[Guest DeesPower]

I do not understand this about the Tigers have more supporters. It is true they once did, but times change. If we get 40k plus supporters this year I suggest we will have more members than them. If we add the 30k odd MCC members who do not take out MFC memberships then we are well in front. 20 years ago the Hawks were less than 20k with one of the smallest bases in the competition. Now they are approaching 60k.

Brendon Gale continually talks up Richmond as winning a flag in the next 3-4 years, and the Tiger supporters I know seen to be believing it. They also seem to believe they can pinch first round draft picks at will (GWS like), which they may do with free agency, but so can everyone else.

Unfortunately for the Tigers they are a couple of years too late to bottom out. They will remain in the bottom half of the list for the next ten years. If you don't believe me just look at how they played at the weekend. On that performance they will finish 17th.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

If they are hoping the fans will back their footy department they are in real trouble. It's dysfunctional and they have an abysmal track record.

Sounds like MFC 3 years ago....

I really want North to fold, there is only one Melbourne. What's this North [censored]?

Logic that would shame the Wiggles.

In short, Richmond are still led by the same people, the same way, as Richmond has been led for a quarter of a certury. Should that be inspiring?

For the record, I don't wish closure upon them and find that kind of talk frankly distasteful. Wish all misery you like on the management, but Richmond supporters are a bizarrely loyal mob and shouldn't have to deal with the unpleasant lurking fear that comes from a club in survival mode.

Well said.

I do not understand this about the Tigers have more supporters. It is true they once did, but times change.

Not that quick. The Tigers have a broad and dedicated supporter base out of the 1960s and 1970s success and strong links to the Richmond community.