Last night Neitz was the first person to come out and address the real issue facing the Melbourne Football Club. Our relationship with the MCC.

My understanding is this:

- When the MFC was established it was part of the MCC. We were the same entity

- The two clubs split at the start of the 20th century

- When the MFC was in financial turmoil a few years later it was absorbed into the MCC

- This arrangement continued until 1980 when the two clubs split again

As Neita correctly stated last night the MFC has played a large role (possibly the largest role ahead of the AFL and cricket) in building the MCC into what it is today.

The current relationship does not reflect this fact.

In my opinion the MCC in light of the MFC's contribution to it should:

- Make a financial contribution, the equivalent of a membership, for each MCC member that nominates Melbourne as their team

- Share the costs of hosting a game at the ground halving the break even crowd figure

Currently we recieve a one off payment of $500,000 which I believe is set to decrease next year. We also have a similar tenacy agreement as other clubs with bigger followings and less MCC members.

The problem with all I have written is the MCC have no incentive to strike such an arangement because their revenue streams since 1980 or so have increased to include the AFL and other clubs who play home games at the 'G. If they are not making money from Melbourne they are making it from other streams.

Enter David Neitz. Does this man have the ability to galvanize the two clubs? Is he a person who can sit on both boards and represent either clubs interests to the other?

Or is it a lost cause? Will we continue to be treated like any other tennant and forced to look for revenue in other places including selling home games or at worst re-locating to Gold Coast or Tasmania?

I fear it is the latter.

Dont wait for Neitz. Love the bloke but he is not the one to galvanise.

The best solution for MFC and MCC is for the MCC to take over the MFC and run it as their own. Its a bit left field but I reckon as a means of maintaining the MCC's pre eminence as sport and membership body that it headlines a number of Team Melbourne type sports.

I think it has advantages for both bodies after you work through some hurdles but I think it would be a goer.

Otherwise, MFC cannot continue in its current form and expect to be successful.

Dont wait for Neitz. Love the bloke but he is not the one to galvanise.

The best solution for MFC and MCC is for the MCC to take over the MFC and run it as their own. Its a bit left field but I reckon as a means of maintaining the MCC's pre eminence as sport and membership body that it headlines a number of Team Melbourne type sports.

I think it has advantages for both bodies after you work through some hurdles but I think it would be a goer.

Otherwise, MFC cannot continue in its current form and expect to be successful.

QFT. It's sad that the MCC is probably bigger then the MFC. The two need to join forces already and become one.

Dont wait for Neitz. Love the bloke but he is not the one to galvanise.

The best solution for MFC and MCC is for the MCC to take over the MFC and run it as their own. Its a bit left field but I reckon as a means of maintaining the MCC's pre eminence as sport and membership body that it headlines a number of Team Melbourne type sports.

I think it has advantages for both bodies after you work through some hurdles but I think it would be a goer.

Otherwise, MFC cannot continue in its current form and expect to be successful.

Could be an option however:

If Melbourne was to become a subsidiary of the MCC it would be put to a vote. MCC members, with only 20% supporting Melbourne, will not allow it.

However members don't vote on other business decisions such as tenacy agreements, hence my suggestions above.

The other problem with the MFC becoming a subsidiary of the MCC is where does that leave MFC members? Any sense of belonging or ownership?

The other point I'd like to make is any money the MCC contributes to the MFC will surely be counted as goodwill which is an asset I believe. If Melbourne is properly looked after tenacy wise I'm sure it would be happy to share profits with the MCC after paying the football department and 100% of the salary cap.

This might increase the net worth of the MCC, goodwill as an asset and say 50% of MFC's profit as revenue. Any accountants out there?

An interesting idea.. Not sure that the MCC would that interested to tell the truth. Interesting none the less. Memebership would become "respectable" overnight...lol. Id have no problem still identifying with Melbouren as a club if ws to occur. I mean some of us here used to many years a go. No diff !!

Certainly would put the AFL on the backfoot wouldnt it.. I mean.. A club with a real association with the G !! ooff...almost salivating at that thought !!

Cant see it happening though. Interesting idea

An interesting idea.. Not sure that the MCC would that interested to tell the truth. Interesting none the less. Memebership would become "respectable" overnight...lol. Id have no problem still identifying with Melbouren as a club if ws to occur. I mean some of us here used to many years a go. No diff !!

Certainly would put the AFL on the backfoot wouldnt it.. I mean.. A club with a real association with the G !! ooff...almost salivating at that thought !!

Cant see it happening though. Interesting idea

If something like was possible the best thing about it is it would take the AFL right out of the equation. It would be nice if there was one thing in the game they couldn't control or influence.

It is clear where the AFL stands on us. They have no loyalty to anything but the bottom line. They are not interested in history, just money. The more influence they have on our future the greater the danger IMO.

One thing that would occur in such an arrangement is that we would be a totally "protected species" . It certainly has its plusses

Pretty certain the MCC gives MFC a one million dollar donation every year.

not after this year

Pretty certain the MCC gives MFC a one million dollar donation every year.

I think this will reduce to $250,000

I think this will reduce to $250,000

Which is a pissy contribution considering everytime we have a crowd below break even we pay them money.

Can some one tell me some names of the 1st XI that represent Melbourne Cricket Club?

The MFC was established as a separate body to the MCC in 1958 by Harrison and Wills who were senior office holders of the MCC at the time.

I believe it officially became a part of the MCC in the mid 1870's (not absolutely sure of date)!

I understand it was Jim Cardwell who instigated the breakaway from the MCC in 1980 - or thereabouts.

Reason - every cent spent needed MCC committee approval and that was proving to be very frustrating.

So, while we may claim with justification that the Melbourne Football Club is the child of the Melbourne Cricket Club we have since untied the umbilical cord and gone off to face the big bad world as an adult. And re-tying the cord would be somewhat problematic.

However the current president and most of the committee of the MCC are MFC supporters, Steve Smith for one having played with distinction for us. But, the MCC is now a multi, multi million dollar entertainment business which needs to generate an acceptable profit each year to pay for the facilities. Would they want us back, I'm honestly not sure they would, too much trouble, too much politicking they would probably say.

However a closer alignment in some way through more and better cross promotion would sure help. That figure of 20% MCC member support for the MFC is probably closer to 25-28%. However much of it is soft support and a real hard push to get more members to support their "child" would help (and that's a subject on its own)!

I believe that MFC players are offered MCC membership after a certain milestone in their career is reached (5years? 10 years? 100 or 200 games?) a privilege offered to the players of no other club. And yes, we do receive financial support from the MCC but as to how much, I'm not exactly sure.

From my point of view as a member of both clubs a re-alignment would be nice but I'm not sure it will happen.

But just one more remark, Paul McNamee (who's an MCC member) told me he wanted to see a closer relationship between both clubs, so something positive may eventuate!

The other point I'd like to make is any money the MCC contributes to the MFC will surely be counted as goodwill which is an asset I believe. If Melbourne is properly looked after tenacy wise I'm sure it would be happy to share profits with the MCC after paying the football department and 100% of the salary cap.

This might increase the net worth of the MCC, goodwill as an asset and say 50% of MFC's profit as revenue. Any accountants out there?

that's not the way it works... goodwill refers to the value of a business that isn't made up of it's assets... i.e. if i had a milk bar that had $100k worth of net assets, but I sold it for $200k, then the $100k would be goodwill... it represents the value of the business which isn't made up of the assets it owns, it's good name, its loyal customers, its quality service etc...

when the MCC give us money, it would simply be written off as an expense on their behalf, and reduce their profit...

while it would be nice to join back up with the MCC, unfortunately I can't see it happening... as people have already said, it would lack the support of the members, as we'd need a third of non melbourne supporting members to support the integration of the club...

the one way we could convince the MCC though is if we could show them that we would be a profitable subsidiary for them, due to efficiencies created by the merger, and could help them be more profitable... could we do that? i'm not sure... and even if we could it would be no certainty...

Can some one tell me some names of the 1st XI that represent Melbourne Cricket Club?

Michael Hill

Brad Hodge

Shane Harwood

Grant Baldwin