Re: Looking At Football Teams To Move In : Fri Jan 06, 2023 1:02 pm  

REVENUE wrote:

Interested to here how many RL sides share their facilities with soccer teams and whether fans think it is detrimental to their pitch and is the extra revenue worth it. Not sure where Huddersfield, Wigan and Hull stand regards sharing (and at the present time it doesn't look like the following will be troubling any clubs) but didn't the Premier League draw up plans previously that no Premier League team would be allowed to share their pitch with any other sport, or was the recommendation ever passed ?

I suspect they realised that there were leases in place that protected the rugby clubs, so rather than evicting the rugby clubs, it would evict the football clubs.

Re: Looking At Football Teams To Move In : Fri Jan 06, 2023 1:27 pm  

I wonder if the club are looking at renting the pitch out for sporting events/days etc maybe like local competitions. Perhaps even local gala’s etc.

Not sure if it’s an option but I guess the club will explore many options for generating income.

I wonder if we can link in with any WMDC events to host.

Re: Looking At Football Teams To Move In : Fri Jan 06, 2023 4:08 pm  

1315trinity wrote:

Exactly! the only one I could see with any potential is Ossett (didn't town and albion merge?) but they have their own stadium don't they? I'm sure it won't be up to the upgraded BV standard, but how many of their supporters would travel to see football played (With respect) at their level? to get LU reserves back would be great and a much better option. As for Wakefield AFC - well if the people of Wakefield are as much interested in football as they are rugby - forget it.

The only option is Wakefield AFC and always has been, sorry but I think Ossett town has zero potential.

It all depends how serious the new owner is, a Brazilian multi-millionaire I'm told.

I believe he'd prefer a new ground just for them, but I also believe he's rapidly realising how hard that is in the UK.

A five year lease to start with is the most likely option and I think he knows it, and Wakefield rather than Featherstone is where they need to be. The main reason other that catchment area is the fact that the FA view Wakefield the city, as an expansion area and will support any start up team in such an area.

How the deal would pan out I don't know for sure, but there are two options as far as I can see.

One, they simply pay rent as a match day facility and see how they progress over five seasons and then decide what to do next.

Two, they become a partner in the ground along with Trinity and WMDC. Both would be minor shareholder and the football team would be secondary the team, no matter what league they are in. This has a fair few benefits for us, we are the landlord and will run the facility and take the lions share of none match day revenue. However Wakefield AFC will be a junior partner in BV and thus should be eligible for FA grants to improve BV. WMDC get a multi-sport facility that they can then justify supporting with ratepayers cash, everyones a winner. Whether it pans out that way is yet to be seen.

Re: Looking At Football Teams To Move In : Fri Jan 06, 2023 4:22 pm  

vastman wrote:

The only option is Wakefield AFC and always has been, sorry but I think Ossett town has zero potential.

It all depends how serious the new owner is, a Brazilian multi-millionaire I'm told.

I believe he'd prefer a new ground just for them, but I also believe he's rapidly realising how hard that is in the UK.

A five year lease to start with is the most likely option and I think he knows it, and Wakefield rather than Featherstone is where they need to be. The main reason other that catchment area is the fact that the FA view Wakefield the city, as an expansion area and will support any start up team in such an area.

How the deal would pan out I don't know for sure, but there are two options as far as I can see.

One, they simply pay rent as a match day facility and see how they progress over five seasons and then decide what to do next.

Two, they become a partner in the ground along with Trinity and WMDC. Both would be minor shareholder and the football team would be secondary the team, no matter what league they are in. This has a fair few benefits for us, we are the landlord and will run the facility and take the lions share of none match day revenue. However Wakefield AFC will be a junior partner in BV and thus should be eligible for FA grants to improve BV. WMDC get a multi-sport facility that they can then justify supporting with ratepayers cash, everyones a winner. Whether it pans out that way is yet to be seen.

Does he like Rugby?

Re: Looking At Football Teams To Move In : Fri Jan 06, 2023 7:28 pm  

Whatever Wakefield FC's ambitions are, not playing on a terrible sloping pitch must be at the top of their agenda.

Re: Looking At Football Teams To Move In : Fri Jan 06, 2023 7:42 pm  

vastman wrote:

The only option is Wakefield AFC and always has been, sorry but I think Ossett town has zero potential.

It all depends how serious the new owner is, a Brazilian multi-millionaire I'm told.

I believe he'd prefer a new ground just for them, but I also believe he's rapidly realising how hard that is in the UK.

A five year lease to start with is the most likely option and I think he knows it, and Wakefield rather than Featherstone is where they need to be. The main reason other that catchment area is the fact that the FA view Wakefield the city, as an expansion area and will support any start up team in such an area.

How the deal would pan out I don't know for sure, but there are two options as far as I can see.

One, they simply pay rent as a match day facility and see how they progress over five seasons and then decide what to do next.

Two, they become a partner in the ground along with Trinity and WMDC. Both would be minor shareholder and the football team would be secondary the team, no matter what league they are in. This has a fair few benefits for us, we are the landlord and will run the facility and take the lions share of none match day revenue. However Wakefield AFC will be a junior partner in BV and thus should be eligible for FA grants to improve BV. WMDC get a multi-sport facility that they can then justify supporting with ratepayers cash, everyones a winner. Whether it pans out that way is yet to be seen.

Do catch up Vasty, Ossett Town and Albion merged about 5 years ago, and was the brainchild I believe, of 3 businessmen, John Childlaw, James Rogers and Lee Summerscales. The idea behind it was to bring professional football to the Wakefield area. If that were to happen, can't see the site neat Ossett bus station being big enough

Not sure how many promotions they would need to get from where they are now, to get into the fourth tier of the football league, same for Wakefield AFC. The average crowds in the 4th tier are a little higher than what ours is now.

Also, to make the football aspect a bigger draw, what's to say down the line that Wakefield and Ossett were to merge. At the end of the day it is Wakefield & The Five Towns, we could be like Brighton & Hove Albion, ie Wakefield & Ossett United

Re: Looking At Football Teams To Move In : Sat Jan 07, 2023 10:10 am  

homme vaste wrote:

Does he like Rugby?

Haha my thoughts too. How the heck do they get these investors?
What is it about Trinity - one of the oldest clubs in RL-that deters these multi millionaires investing in us? I appreciate he's a football man but you'd have thought somewhere out there was a rugby loving wealthy man with money to invest?

Re: Looking At Football Teams To Move In : Sat Jan 07, 2023 10:51 am  

1315trinity wrote:

Haha my thoughts too. How the heck do they get these investors?
What is it about Trinity - one of the oldest clubs in RL-that deters these multi millionaires investing in us? I appreciate he's a football man but you'd have thought somewhere out there was a rugby loving wealthy man with money to invest?

I do find it strange too. Wakefield Trinity has a lot of potential and could easily grow to 7-10k regular attendances with the right approach and investment in the club/stadium.

It’s also a club that can be run to a profit too which is a rarity in sport.

It’s really only the facilities holding Trinity back. If we could just get the South/West developed we would be a very attractive club indeed.

Re: Looking At Football Teams To Move In : Sat Jan 07, 2023 12:24 pm  

Trojan Horse wrote:

I do find it strange too. Wakefield Trinity has a lot of potential and could easily grow to 7-10k regular attendances with the right approach and investment in the club/stadium.

It’s also a club that can be run to a profit too which is a rarity in sport.

It’s really only the facilities holding Trinity back. If we could just get the South/West developed we would be a very attractive club indeed.

It’s not just about money, it’s about the right person, one who’s in it for the long haul.

For every Ken Davey there are a dozen sharks, wealthy but still sharks.

Once the upgrade is complete we will look a better buy no doubt. However we need to combine that with a few good seasons. It’s hard to get someone to invest when 12 month later you’ve potentially lost every penny.

Steve Parkin??? Was on the brink of buying us ten years back, a truly wealthy man. But he wanted assurances the game couldn’t give and still can’t for now at least.

Finding the magic bullet investor is not an easy task.

Re: Looking At Football Teams To Move In : Sat Jan 07, 2023 1:55 pm  

vastman wrote:

It’s not just about money, it’s about the right person, one who’s in it for the long haul.

For every Ken Davey there are a dozen sharks, wealthy but still sharks.

Once the upgrade is complete we will look a better buy no doubt. However we need to combine that with a few good seasons. It’s hard to get someone to invest when 12 month later you’ve potentially lost every penny.

Steve Parkin??? Was on the brink of buying us ten years back, a truly wealthy man. But he wanted assurances the game couldn’t give and still can’t for now at least.

Finding the magic bullet investor is not an easy task.

Parkin is the name I have though about. Wanted a guarantee from the RFL about top flight status but walked when they rightly couldn't give it. Has/had a football team at a fairly decent level who needed a stadium, recently sold up at Clipper(?). Would've been nice if he had got in touch with JM as one of the owner-shareholders.