Unless we have some sustained bumper years you will have to do more than hope.

I think it is doubtful that MFC will survive in its existing structure in 10 years.

To me Fitzroy was tragic.. And the Kangas is a tragedy waiting to happen.

Don't worry, Ian Johnson won't let it happen...

Uhhh... why is that?

Interestingly, each of the last three years has been below expectations in progress, but at the same time progress has been made every year. Some years better than others

I'll underline it -

Each year the Melbourne football club is finishing in a better financial position than when it started.

We can want more, we can be angry about waste, we can be frustrated by lack of action, but we can also be confident that we're not going to fall in on ourselves, either.

You might want to avail yourself to what the actual financial position of the MFC is before underlining naive statements like that.

Rhino, do you fail to grasp the difference between turnover and bottom line profit? Because it's the bottom line profit derived from the sporting club that would be required to prop up the football club. They would be trading as separate entities. Gaming revenue is little more than a 2nd tier sponsor for the AFL clubs.

History shows that gaming revenue was not enough to sustain Sydney rugby league clubs. Many folded or merged.

I see North Melbourne being in the same position as the Hawks were in 1996. It took the threat of a merger to wake it from it's slumber. North should be given this opportunity, because if it moves to the Gold Coast, it's identity will be lost.

I would hope that we would also have the opportunity to explore every avenue to survive in Melbourne, if or when we are in the same situation as North.

Mo,

Have you been to Penrith or Parramatta Leagues Clubs recently? State taxes on gambling have diminished the return in Victoria but have you seen the Richmond Football Club’s 2007 Annual Report?

There’s people that think that on-field success will restore the MFC to a position of wealth and give it more marketability with the AFL. It’s a valid argument but our biggest opposition is not the other 15 clubs, but the AFL itself.

The AFL tightens the screws on the MFC and then asks why our staff turnover is so high. People accuse our CEO of being impossible to work with, but if you were pursuing a career in sport administration/marketing and were offered $5k a year more, would you consider the proposition?

The Kangaroos were promised more Friday night games next year if they finished higher on the ladder in 2007. Where did they finish and how many Friday games have they been allocated in 2008? The decision on North has already been made.

As Rhino points out, the NMFC, who have placed themselves in a position of potential relocation for the last 10+ years, have done nothing to advance it. Same goes for the Western Bulldogs. It doesn’t make it right, but its interesting that the MFC are pursuing a different line of thinking.

Mo,

Have you been to Penrith or Parramatta Leagues Clubs recently? State taxes on gambling have diminished the return in Victoria but have you seen the Richmond Football Club’s 2007 Annual Report?

There’s people that think that on-field success will restore the MFC to a position of wealth and give it more marketability with the AFL. It’s a valid argument but our biggest opposition is not the other 15 clubs, but the AFL itself.

The AFL tightens the screws on the MFC and then asks why our staff turnover is so high. People accuse our CEO of being impossible to work with, but if you were pursuing a career in sport administration/marketing and were offered $5k a year more, would you consider the proposition?

The Kangaroos were promised more Friday night games next year if they finished higher on the ladder in 2007. Where did they finish and how many Friday games have they been allocated in 2008? The decision on North has already been made.

As Rhino points out, the NMFC, who have placed themselves in a position of potential relocation for the last 10+ years, have done nothing to advance it. Same goes for the Western Bulldogs. It doesn’t make it right, but its interesting that the MFC are pursuing a different line of thinking.

fatty, the point I was making about the leagues clubs was in respect of the turnover of Southport Sharks compared to North Melbourne. I often hear that Collingwood, Adelaide and West Coast turnover between $40-$50 million. Based on what you and Rhino are saying, all of the NRL clubs (Storm and NZ excluded) would have a higher turnover than even the strongest AFL clubs, because they'd include non-football related revenue/expenses in their bottom line. For me, this is folly!

You are 100% correct when you say that AFL is our biggest opponent. The AFL have weapons of mass destruction it can use on a club if it wants to weaken the club. It's nuclear warhead is the draw, which has a massive impact on the club's potential to attract sponsors. In the next few years, the AFL will use all it's artillery to ensure that North Melbourne can't survive. That's the part that I find sad, because they could equally find the means to ensure North Melbourne's survival. But they have agendas known only to themselves.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,2...4-23211,00.html

The Saga continues with North Chief Executive chucking it in for "personal reasons "

Take that as a huge vote of NO confidence in the future aspirations of the North at Arden St brigade !!

Are these the first cracks ?

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,2...4-23211,00.html

The Saga continues with North Chief Executive chucking it in for "personal reasons "

Take that as a huge vote of NO confidence in the future aspirations of the North at Arden St brigade !!

Are these the first cracks ?

No great surprise. His old man has been pushing for the relocation to the Gold Coast. Like father like son.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,2...4-23211,00.html

The Saga continues with North Chief Executive chucking it in for "personal reasons "

Take that as a huge vote of NO confidence in the future aspirations of the North at Arden St brigade !!

Are these the first cracks ?

Given the decision of the North board, Rick Aylett's public support for the move put him in an untenable conflict position.

So great! North now stride forward with no CEO and an uncertain future.

What a basket case in the making.

What a basket case in the making.

And the AFL is busily weaving the basket.

They've effectively said to the Kangaroos that "if you want North To Stay South, then the Gold Coast push is over for you". Their first action is to remove the Kangaroos from the Gold Coast during the pre-season competition, and shift their community camp from the Gold Coast to Bairnsdale (!). They look like letting the Kangaroos play only three games instead of the requested four on the Gold Coast next year, reduced to none in 2009. Each Gold Coast game is worth $400,000, meaning a potentially reduced revenue of $400,000 in 2008 and $1.6 million in 2009.

The AFL has denied any "payback", saying "the Kangaroos want to grow their Victorian base. We're actually working to achieve their ends. It couldn't possibly be argued that there's any payback or anything negative about it." <_<

The most realistic solution that I reckon will happen is that 2 Victorian clubs will be forced to merge, or the Kangaroos will go broke and be forced to move up to the Gold Coast.

The AFL have forsaken the Roos.

It's death or glory for them now, with no in-betweens.

It might be drawn out, but that is up to the Roos.

If they fall over in the short term, they will be offered the re-locate again, at drastically inferior terms.

Otherwise, it's a new club up in Qld. And hostile relations between the AFL and the Roos.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,2...4-23211,00.html

The Saga continues with North Chief Executive chucking it in for "personal reasons "

Take that as a huge vote of NO confidence in the future aspirations of the North at Arden St brigade !!

Are these the first cracks ?

It certainly does sound like the cracks are getting bigger

It certainly does sound like the cracks are getting bigger

You can just tell this isnt going to be pretty!!!

Nth have the passion and romance on their side.. the AFL have everything else !!! and unfortunately for the Kangas the AFL are in charge of the goalposts !!

I hope the Brayshaws have plenty of panadol !!

The AFL have forsaken the Roos.

It's death or glory for them now, with no in-betweens.

It might be drawn out, but that is up to the Roos.

If they fall over in the short term, they will be offered the re-locate again, at drastically inferior terms.

Otherwise, it's a new club up in Qld. And hostile relations between the AFL and the Roos.

spot on.

The only thing the teh kangas can hope for is time. This may come in the form of dithering on teh GC regarding the redevlopment of a suitable venue.. The process and signing off may buy valuable months until the fragrance of flowers finally permeates the collective Arden St. Cerebrum !!

The irony is any short term success will actually be their final undoing !!

And the AFL is busily weaving the basket.

They've effectively said to the Kangaroos that "if you want North To Stay South, then the Gold Coast push is over for you". Their first action is to remove the Kangaroos from the Gold Coast during the pre-season competition, and shift their community camp from the Gold Coast to Bairnsdale (!). They look like letting the Kangaroos play only three games instead of the requested four on the Gold Coast next year, reduced to none in 2009. Each Gold Coast game is worth $400,000, meaning a potentially reduced revenue of $400,000 in 2008 and $1.6 million in 2009.

The AFL has denied any "payback", saying "the Kangaroos want to grow their Victorian base. We're actually working to achieve their ends. It couldn't possibly be argued that there's any payback or anything negative about it." <_<

The various North Boards have been providing the straws for the basket for years.

North have chosen an agenda in conflict with the AFL and are going to pay the price.

The AFL action is hardly a surprise given the Fitzroy and South Melb experience. They werent just going to throw their hands in the air and say "Oh well".