LOL @ Titans thread v.2012

[Jeba]

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/rug...bs-concerned-about-titans-20120321-1vjx3.html

NRL clubs concerned about Titans
Wayne Heming
March 21, 2012 - 5:04PM
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Rival NRL clubs are deeply concerned by Gold Coast's financial plight with some fearing the club could "fall over" unless the ARL Commission steps in and examines its viability.

Alarmed chief executives, who did not wish to be named, want the game's newly appointed ARL Commission to urgently carry out its own probe into the Titans amid talk the club is battling massive debts.

The Titans go back to court on Friday, this time to battle Reed Constructions, who are seeking $1.4 million for completing work on the $20 million centre of excellence at Robina.

Titans chief executive Michael Searle insists the club's property arm is totally separate from its rugby league operations, and that the football club is not in strife.

Searle called the players together late last week to update them on the club's situation.

There are growing concern within the NRL fraternity that the Titans are on shaky ground with creditors closing in.

"There's a great deal of concern and even fear among NRL clubs that the Gold Coast are going to collapse financially because of widespread debts," one chief executive said.

Another club boss said the Commission had to act to assure other NRL clubs the Titans were viable into the future before the code - battling the AFL on two fronts on the Gold Coast and Sydney's outer west - was made to "look bad".

Commission chief executive David Gallop said today the situation was being closely monitored.

"We can appreciate some of the concerns being expressed by clubs when they see another suffering financial stress," Gallop said.

"However the fact remains we have been monitoring the Gold Coast situation and been in constant dialogue with the club for some months.

"We've also had external consultants look into the club towards the end of last year to review the situation and we've asked them to do further work at this club this week."

Gallop said it was important to remember the court proceedings related to the property investment rather than the football club.

"Michael (Searle) is working extremely hard within the existing business that he has contributed significantly, and he deserves to be given every opportunity," Gallop said.

Significant debts hanging over the Gold Coast Titans (Property) Pty Ltd, and pending court action by creditors combined with speculation the bank may foreclose on its loans, have sparked concerns about the club's future viability.

Searle has given public assurances the Titans are sustainable and will continue to be so in the future.

Apart from the $1.4 million Reed Construction claim, the Titans are also in dispute with the centre's original builder Simcorp which says it's owed $4.2 million from work it carried out in 2010 on the multi-level building.

Searle insists that debt has been paid.

In recent months the club has splashed out millions recruiting stars Jamal Idris, Nate Myles and Beau Champion on multi-year deals.

This week they splurged close to $2 million to lure South Sydney giant Dave Taylor to the club next season, and they are rumoured to be already working on their next target, Melbourne halfback Cooper Cronk.

"They need to operate the footy club in the normal course - and the normal course includes recruiting players as long as they're within the salary cap rules," said Gallop.

"At this stage we don't intend to interfere."

But the Titans' massive spending doesn't sit well with a lot of NRL clubs hearing they are being propped up financially.

"They (Titans) just keep signing marquee players while the vultures (creditors) are circling," said a concerned club official.

AAP

 

[Nashy]

This was pretty much a facepalm in the car on the way to work today.

Unbelievable how this club has been run. They had the whole friggin GC on board. And they still managed to **** it up.

 

[Nashy]

This is an absolute blight on our game. Look I know many other clubs have struggled financially in the past, but when you have other businesses going to the media and saying they want their money back, THAT is bad. Especially for a new club.

Honestly, I don't think The Gold Coast is a sporting city at all. If they loved their sport so much, you wouldn't have **** crowds at pretty much every sporting event they have going there. And you wouldn't have clubs dying off.

I don't think it's that, I think it's just too small.

 

[Bucking Beads]

They ran into trouble as soon as they decided to build the Centre of Excellence after being in the comp for a year. They have simply bitten off more then they can chew. Sure the small crowds aren't helping but the dramas all revolve around the Centre of Excellence.

 

[Coxy]

Like I said on Facebook, they made the cardinal sin of borrowing beyond their means early in their business. all it took was a couple of lean years and they were toast...and sure enough, they finished last last season - the same year the Suns became competitors in the market - and their finances have dried up completely.

It was poor decision making. Michael Searle is entirely responsible.

 

[Nashy]

600,000 isn't too small. The Gold Coast is Australia's 6th most populated city. Bigger population than Canberra even. Bigger than Newcastle too. And Townsville.

None of them have a city the size of Brisbane an hour up the road. And I think that plays a massive part. Their city is so close to the Broncos. I really think the Broncos' supporter base is just to widespread around SE QLD.

It's the very reason why I think a second team in Brisbane will never work.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Also I call bull**** on the thought that the Gold Coast isn't big enough to support a Rugby league team. The problem is how it is being run and keeping the community engaged and interested in the local team. It seems the Titans have pissed off plenty of local business which spreads like wildfire so they have plenty of relationships to mend in the future.

 

[Nashy]

Can anyone see a future there?

 

[Coxy]

Can anyone see a future there?

It's not the size of the city it's the fact hardly anyone is born and bred there. Most would support other teams and would only take a passing interest in the local team. Until they win a title they won't get a genuine following long term. Even then they'd need sustained success.

 

[schmix]

I also think it would have something to do with the history of league teams in the area - let's be honest, it's far from ideal. Teams changing their name and failing and going broke and sitting at the bottom of the ladder for years.

No wonder the Gold Coast public is not 100% on board with this new team! They're just waiting for disappointment (which has come quicker than most people thought, unfortunately). They did a great job of getting kids excited, but kids are fickle.

 

[Broncoman]

And 2 years ago Paul Broughton declared the Tits would overtake the Broncos as QLD'S No 1 NRL franchise. Dream on mate hope your enjoying licking the spoon. It's the Chargers all over again.

 

[schmix]

I honestly think that if they came in, kept their heads down for 5-10 years, made a concerted effort to develop their own players and just tried to play good honest footy without too many bells and whistles (or "centres of excellence") then they would have developed a pretty loyal fanbase.

I sincerely hope they can pull themselves out of it. The game is better for their presence.

 

[pennywisealfie]

It's not the size of the city it's the fact hardly anyone is born and bred there. Most would support other teams and would only take a passing interest in the local team. Until they win a title they won't get a genuine following long term. Even then they'd need sustained success.

yep, I lived there for 20 years and I hardly knew anyone at all that was born on the Gold Coast. I can think of 2 people I know that were born on The Gold Coast.

There is a few reasons why the crowds have dwindled tho. All the hardcore league fans on the gold coast already had teams and most of them stuck with the club they had supported their whole lives. I know I did and most of my friends did. The only ones who became titans fans were casual league fans or people who had never watched league before and got caught up in what was at the time, the in thing on the Gold Coast.

So with the titans being high profile, everyone was excited about the titans and they were going to the games. Fans of other teams that lived in the area were keen to see some footy. This is why, their crowds have forever been dropping, despite the team being at their best in their 3rd and 4th seasons, because the novelty wore off for the casuals, and the hardcore fans started to despise the arrogant titans.

Now they are in a position where they have very minimal hardcore fans and get casual fans that go to probably around 1-4 games a year.

 

[dukey]

yep, I lived there for 20 years and I hardly knew anyone at all that was born on the Gold Coast. I can think of 2 people I know that were born on The Gold Coast.

There is a few reasons why the crowds have dwindled tho. All the hardcore league fans on the gold coast already had teams and most of them stuck with the club they had supported their whole lives. I know I did and most of my friends did. The only ones who became titans fans were casual league fans or people who had never watched league before and got caught up in what was at the time, the in thing on the Gold Coast.

So with the titans being high profile, everyone was excited about the titans and they were going to the games. Fans of other teams that lived in the area were keen to see some footy. This is why, their crowds have forever been dropping, despite the team being at their best in their 3rd and 4th seasons, because the novelty wore off for the casuals, and the hardcore fans started to despise the arrogant titans.

Now they are in a position where they have very minimal hardcore fans and get casual fans that go to probably around 1-4 games a year.

In this respect, the AFL have the right idea with their expansion. GWS and the Suns are long-term business plans. The AFL will subsidise them for 10-20 years and use them to indoctrinate the children in those regions, who will then grow into the local fans of tomorrow. The Titans have no such plan.

 

[Ari Gold]

Newcastle is 1.5 hours from Sydney and yet they've never had problems with support.

Nothing to do with the size or how many teams in the area. While we have an epic supporters base, that's nil excuse in town that has the 6th largest population in Australia, especially when you have Sydney teams out-doing them for crowds. And there's 9 teams in Sydney.

Coxy I think must be spot on. It has to be the only logical reason. Are the residents from the Gold Coast a bunch of blow ins from other states? That would explain it a bit I'd say.

Newcastle is a working class town, whereas the Gold Coast is basically a tourist town with retirees or relocated people. I think Newcastle is more a community, where they rally around their team, whereas the Gold Coast is really just a mesh of people who couldn't care less about the Titans. And who can blame them really. Their team barely even has any local players in it - no youth policy of note and big name recruits from other areas. There's basically nothing about the team that would inspire locals to rally around them.

 

[Coxy]

Newcastle is a working class town, whereas the Gold Coast is basically a tourist town with retirees or relocated people. I think Newcastle is more a community, where they rally around their team, whereas the Gold Coast is really just a mesh of people who couldn't care less about the Titans. And who can blame them really. Their team barely even has any local players in it - no youth policy of note and big name recruits from other areas. There's basically nothing about the team that would inspire locals to rally around them.

They shoot their membership ads on the beach. That's tying them to the locals right?

 

[Broncoman]

Are the Titans over the cap or something with the signing of Dave Taylor and they are after Cooper Cronk as well after signing Jamal Idris for big bucks last year. Does this send alarm bells ringing.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Surely the Titans won't fold?? Did I hear the NRL are contemplating kicking them out of the comp?? Gee up surely.