Re: Salary cap rule change next year : Thu Jul 21, 2016 9:03 pm  

ATS1 wrote:

But as we are constantly told there is no such thing nowadays as an easy football game.

And it's just as much utter, total, rampant bollox as ever it was

Re: Salary cap rule change next year : Fri Jul 22, 2016 7:43 am  

Ferocious Aardvark wrote:

And it's just as much utter, total, rampant bollox as ever it was

A bit like the thoughts of chairman Nigel then

[Bulliac]

Re: Salary cap rule change next year : Fri Jul 22, 2016 9:15 am  

Ferocious Aardvark wrote:

Our prices are I assume the highest in the division. Our crowds are the biggest in the division.

Therefore we do not need to put up prices to compete.

If despite having high prices, we need more money to compete, then that can only be because our other income/funding (or lack thereof) turns the ticket sales advantage into a shortfall of income.

I doubt our expenses are THAT much different to other clubs, for example, no ground is free to maintain.

I think our best 'savings' should have come form the, "leaner, smaller squad", which we were apparently getting for this season. Maybe next year?

Agree that no ground is 'free' to maintain, but I think the sheer size and age of our ground causes much of the extra expense and makes us a bit of an exception; often for the basic H&S reasons which can't be avoided if we want a safety certificate.

I think it's fair to say that RL clubs have historically left all maintenance, with the exception of maybe, 'slapping on a bit of paint', to be done sometime "later", and it's true to say that many of those clubs which have got new grounds actually left their old one in a very dilapidated state. To be fair, you you can get away with that sort of dereliction more easily if your ground is of a reasonable size and was built or renovated a bit more recently than Odsal. Or, of course, if you have new one on the drawing board...

Re: Salary cap rule change next year : Fri Jul 22, 2016 11:25 am  

I'm far from an expert on equations, but would reckon that [ the cost of maintaining existing Odsal ] would be less than
[ the cost of maintaining New Improved Odsal (not free) ] + [ the cost of servicing the ginormous borrowing to build a New Improved Odsal ] + [ the future "take" of any developers/funders who take part in any scheme, and who naturally do so to secure a permanent future slice of the action ]

[Pumpetypump]

Re: Salary cap rule change next year : Fri Jul 22, 2016 11:50 am  

Meanwhile professional Rugby League in York appears to be facing oblivion. It's utterly utterly depressing.

Re: Salary cap rule change next year : Fri Jul 22, 2016 12:31 pm  

Pumpetypump wrote:

Meanwhile professional Rugby League in York appears to be facing oblivion. It's utterly utterly depressing.

Sort of. While York Council and York City FC haven't been particularly helpful to the Knights over the past few years (especially shooting the Knights in the back when they left their home at Huntingdon stadium), the Knights chairman is the sort of rampant egotist who makes uncle Marwan look like a down-to-earth, approachable grandfather figure who will give you a pat on the head and a worthers original.

Without him in charge I don't think it will be long before someone more approachable can be found to start up another professional RL club in York which will make use of the new stadium being built.

In the past the owners of YCFC have even expressed an interest in buying the Knights. However, that was before they got relegated out of the league at the end of last season....

It is pretty sad to see a club go like this; especially one that has had a good season who are not really in the heartlands. They did say thanks to the RFL for all their help, but I can see that being put in there BY the RFL to deflect attention from them not supporting them enough while posting a profit, and expanding the game into Canada and France.

[Pumpetypump]

Re: Salary cap rule change next year : Fri Jul 22, 2016 1:15 pm  

The consistent message is that the Chairman of York Knights has irritated everyone he has had dealings with, quite possibly even those with the best interests of the club at heart.

Combine that with a historically disinterested council and a football club not being entirely flexible about the groundshare (they wouldn't let the Rugby be played this weekend because they've scheduled 3 friendlies in 8 days), well it's rubbish.

York has always struck me as a club that can get gates of 1000+ with very minimal success. I really hope York Mark 2 (or is it mark 7.2?) gets off the ground very soon.