Fans forum re: stadium situation - Thu 8th July
Jul 9, 2021 10:26:08 GMT
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salford1961 likes this
Post by SalfordSlim on Jul 9, 2021 10:26:08 GMT
Ok guys so IIRC correctly, here's the crux of it from my notes from last night...
Sale have registered interest in buying the stadium.
Currently it SHOULD cost us c350k a year to rent the stadium +100k training costs. (Someone please put me right on this if my figures are wrong)
We are currently only paying 150k of that and have been since we moved in.
When we moved from the Willows 8000 fans were "expected/hoped for". Our average crowd is 3365 which means revenue from ticket sales is 750k+ down PER SEASON based on predicted attendances.
From 2023 that rent (which we are current underpaying) could rise to potentially 600k-700k.
So as far as the AJ Bell is concerned, without a very generous co-habitor we just can't afford it unless crowds pretty much double (not gonna happen).
SL funding is going to drop by 300k(?) per club from next season.
So the 3 options...
A) Stay at AJ Bell and make up the shortfall in rent we've been paying by taking it from our playing budget. Best case scenario that means cutting 300k from the playing budget, worse case scenario if the rent goes up and we'd be losing 500k+. That would mean a team worse than Leigh's and almost certain relegation and then you're looking at Salford as a Championship team for the foreseeable future.
B) Stay within Salford and look at an alternative venue. AFAIK a 5000 stadium is enough to meet SL requirements from a capacity perspective. Moor Lane holds 5200 I think so fits that bill but then you've got training facilities, parking etc (of which there are none) to take into account. One plus would be increased revenue streams from matchday catering etc as companies like Seven Brothers Brewery (McAvoy's company) are now established there and there are bar facilities for pre/post game fan mingling etc. You would also need to factor in additional costs for stewarding, groundsman etc which currently are included in the AJ rental costs.
C) Move outside Salford (3 potential venues have been put forward - Gigg Lane, Etihad & A.N Other?). Paul King has stated this not an option for him and (quite rightly in my opinion) would be the end of his involvement with the club.
So in all likelihood Moor Lane looks the only viable option at the minute IF it meets SL criteria. Personally I've always been in favour of some sort of partnership with Salford City as I can see so many mutual benefits with both aiming to be community clubs. The sharing of staff, facilities etc brings costs down on both sides although obviously Salford City would be the landlords in any groundshare deal and it would take Gary Nev & co cutting us a massive amount of slack and effectively giving us "mates rates".
So unlike some of the posts above it's not all doom and gloom. There are some great people involved at our club, from Bleasey & Paul King at the top to the foundation guys, backroom staff and the numerous sponsors we have who financially support the club without being big in the business world.
I think the whole stadium management has been poor TBH and never fully utilised and the figures thrown around for the debt the stadium holds is mind-boggling and pretty much backs that up.
Sale have registered interest in buying the stadium.
Currently it SHOULD cost us c350k a year to rent the stadium +100k training costs. (Someone please put me right on this if my figures are wrong)
We are currently only paying 150k of that and have been since we moved in.
When we moved from the Willows 8000 fans were "expected/hoped for". Our average crowd is 3365 which means revenue from ticket sales is 750k+ down PER SEASON based on predicted attendances.
From 2023 that rent (which we are current underpaying) could rise to potentially 600k-700k.
So as far as the AJ Bell is concerned, without a very generous co-habitor we just can't afford it unless crowds pretty much double (not gonna happen).
SL funding is going to drop by 300k(?) per club from next season.
So the 3 options...
A) Stay at AJ Bell and make up the shortfall in rent we've been paying by taking it from our playing budget. Best case scenario that means cutting 300k from the playing budget, worse case scenario if the rent goes up and we'd be losing 500k+. That would mean a team worse than Leigh's and almost certain relegation and then you're looking at Salford as a Championship team for the foreseeable future.
B) Stay within Salford and look at an alternative venue. AFAIK a 5000 stadium is enough to meet SL requirements from a capacity perspective. Moor Lane holds 5200 I think so fits that bill but then you've got training facilities, parking etc (of which there are none) to take into account. One plus would be increased revenue streams from matchday catering etc as companies like Seven Brothers Brewery (McAvoy's company) are now established there and there are bar facilities for pre/post game fan mingling etc. You would also need to factor in additional costs for stewarding, groundsman etc which currently are included in the AJ rental costs.
C) Move outside Salford (3 potential venues have been put forward - Gigg Lane, Etihad & A.N Other?). Paul King has stated this not an option for him and (quite rightly in my opinion) would be the end of his involvement with the club.
So in all likelihood Moor Lane looks the only viable option at the minute IF it meets SL criteria. Personally I've always been in favour of some sort of partnership with Salford City as I can see so many mutual benefits with both aiming to be community clubs. The sharing of staff, facilities etc brings costs down on both sides although obviously Salford City would be the landlords in any groundshare deal and it would take Gary Nev & co cutting us a massive amount of slack and effectively giving us "mates rates".
So unlike some of the posts above it's not all doom and gloom. There are some great people involved at our club, from Bleasey & Paul King at the top to the foundation guys, backroom staff and the numerous sponsors we have who financially support the club without being big in the business world.
I think the whole stadium management has been poor TBH and never fully utilised and the figures thrown around for the debt the stadium holds is mind-boggling and pretty much backs that up.
