Who wants to find a millionaire? : Sun Jul 21, 2013 10:44 am  

Just a spin off from the other thread regarding ownership of the club and how to take the club forward. I'm with the general consensus that David Hughes has done a great deal financially for the club but lacks the nous and additional funds needed to really push the club forward.

The fans owning the club as suggested in the other thread is an interesting idea but we really lack numbers. I think it may be more successful if the supporters of the club (us) lobbied and email as many people who we think may be interested in owning a rugby league club.

This appeal could be structured with some kind of mandate that specifies what is needed to take the cub forward, ie, stadium ownership, more development officers, larger marketing office, extend grass roots and academy activities, improvement of 1st team performance etc.

Once we have that then we can begin some of the countries or worlds top millionaires and I'm sure there are plenty out there. I just do not believe that there is not one more Koukash out there who wants to own a rugby league club in the greatest city in the world.

We could start by emailing/contacting Tony Kleanhous, the bloke that tried to buy Wasps and owns Barnet FC.

Re: Who wants to find a millionaire? : Sun Jul 21, 2013 11:30 am  

Truth is we would not be here but for David Hughes, so I will always respect him for that.

David must be successful in his business field, sadly as time has gone by, he has not shown he has what it takes in the rugby league world, he seems a genuine guy, but has been far to loyal with CEO's and coaches.

The main problem currently with attracting millionaires to the sport is the state of the game and the way it is being run! I'm sure Dr Koukash must regret ever meeting Nigel Woods, the way they soon turned on him!

Everyone used to knock Maurice Lyndsay, but he had some get up and go which Woods and his second in command clearly do not have! Yes Tony Kleanthous would be ideal. but anyone who does some diligence with the sport itself at present will have serious doubts.

Re: Who wants to find a millionaire? : Sun Jul 21, 2013 1:10 pm  

Rich people don't get rich by throwing money away on non performing businesses. Broncos and rugby league in general are charity cases not businesses. As someone rightly pointed out there are around four viable SL clubs. RL as a sport cannot get decent sponsors; times are tough but RL has a poor image. In London it is perceived as a regional, parochial minor interest game (and if you read some of the flat cappers comments the perception might be correct). Too many fans, in my view, want the convenience of a M62 corridor based game yet the publicity and media interest due a national or even international sport. I have recently been working with a sponsorship expert who raised £10m in sponsorship for an amateur football league. He has been successful in raising sponsorship for various other sports too. Wouldn't touch RL with a barge pole as he cannot see a return for any investor. Lets hope someone somewhere is feeling generous!

Re: Who wants to find a millionaire? : Sun Jul 21, 2013 2:13 pm  

The two clubs who were taken over most recently were Salford City Reds and Bradford Bulls, both of those clubs were in a financial mess and it was common knowledge that both clubs needed to raise a certain amount of money to survive and were then bought. However, are the Broncos for sale?

I haven't seen anything to suggest they are and maybe that has an influence on the clubs future.

Re: Who wants to find a millionaire? : Sun Jul 21, 2013 5:08 pm  

Euclid wrote:

Too many fans, in my view, want the convenience of a M62 corridor based game yet the publicity and media interest due a national or even international sport.

Trust me, you are not alone in that view. Regrettably, I feel the within 5 years RL in the UK will be little more than a semi-professional irrelevance.

Re: Who wants to find a millionaire? : Sun Jul 21, 2013 5:14 pm  

Andover Boy wrote:

Trust me, you are not alone in that view. Regrettably, I feel the within 5 years RL in the UK will be little more than a semi-professional irrelevance.

Been saying this, and I just get laughed at by many, the game is run for the convenience of about 4 clubs and the rest just struggle on!

Those that run the game at The RFL are not up to the job, but no one at club level seems to want to call for heads, again due to the four clubs in total control!

Re: Who wants to find a millionaire? : Sun Jul 21, 2013 7:27 pm  

Wholeheartedly agree with the general consensus, especially pertaining to Maurice Lindsay. Of course he made mistakes but he was a victim of that era, british sport as a whole was poorly run and we were way behind in nutrition, sports management, coaching everything. But as you stated he saw a vision for rugby league as a national and global sport and he was the one that set the wheels in motion for some of the national development we see now. I would rather a leader tried than to not try and would sooner him or Richard Lewis was in charge than some of the muppets we have now.

Re: Who wants to find a millionaire? : Sun Jul 21, 2013 7:27 pm  

Jaybs, I'm not sure it's as simple as that....do you feel Wigan and Leeds, for example, are happy and content to be big fish in such a tiny pool?
If RL went back to semi pro could Wigan do the unthinkable and join the RU.? Is that as mad as it sounds? Could those few people with money and power in RL desert the sinking ship?

Re: Who wants to find a millionaire? : Sun Jul 21, 2013 8:56 pm  

It's been over 100 years since we had defections - and they were to Soccer not Rugby Union.
Leeds have seen what a stadium filler top level Rugby Union is not, and if you think Wigan Athletic struggle for a crowd, wait till they get rugger every two weeks!

Re: Who wants to find a millionaire? : Sun Jul 21, 2013 9:25 pm  

jaybs wrote: Been saying this, and I just get laughed at by many, we're not laughing at you for that.....just everything else you come out with I have written to this guy (http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/6514080/Billionaire-Owen-Glenn-buys-into-Warriors) as well as speaking directly to his mate (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Leitch_(Mad_Butcher)) about the possibility of them buying the London club as a place to develop some of their younger guys at the Warriors. Mr Leitch alluded that both of them would rather spend their money on a 2nd NZ franchise and are in constant discussions with the ARL/NRL regarding this. Feel free to get in touch with Owen Glenn via the site below. He is open to suggestions on how best to spend his billions and although he spends a fair amount of time here in NZ, he is based in Monaco for Tax reasons and might be persuaded to come to a game to at least look at the club...he is a BILLIONAIRE by the way.....the 15 million I believe would be needed to turn the club into a self sufficient is the sort of money he finds down the back of his sofa http://www.glennfamilyfoundation.org/new-zealand-projects/sport

jaybs wrote: Been saying this, and I just get laughed at by many, we're not laughing at you for that.....just everything else you come out with I have written to this guy (http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/6514080/Billionaire-Owen-Glenn-buys-into-Warriors) as well as speaking directly to his mate (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Leitch_(Mad_Butcher)) about the possibility of them buying the London club as a place to develop some of their younger guys at the Warriors. Mr Leitch alluded that both of them would rather spend their money on a 2nd NZ franchise and are in constant discussions with the ARL/NRL regarding this. Feel free to get in touch with Owen Glenn via the site below. He is open to suggestions on how best to spend his billions and although he spends a fair amount of time here in NZ, he is based in Monaco for Tax reasons and might be persuaded to come to a game to at least look at the club...he is a BILLIONAIRE by the way.....the 15 million I believe would be needed to turn the club into a self sufficient is the sort of money he finds down the back of his sofa http://www.glennfamilyfoundation.org/new-zealand-projects/sport