ASK THE CHAIRMAN - PART 8 corporate hospitality

[Blatter]

My old boss had a saying.

'The value of anything is what someone is prepared to pay for it'.

 

Sounds like the club are discovering this the hard way.

[steelowl]

1 hour ago, mkowl said:

 

No and that wasn't right either

 

Lets be clear once you have no corporate customers, once you have limited POTG folk, once you have creamed everything merchandise wise, tell me who is actually left to turn to apart from season ticket holders 

 

Football is always about today so perhaps that is simply what we focus on, but lets look ahead 2 may be 3 seasons, we aren't in the Premier League, the funds have dried up, some of the decisions made today for me have a huge capability of causing long term damage to the Club

indeed 

but he must know what he's doing ...right?

[Guest mkowl]

3 minutes ago, steelowl said:

indeed 

but he must know what he's doing ...right?

His call mate

 

It could work out or it could go t*ts up. Don't want to be on here if the latter happens 

[Blatter]

4 hours ago, mkowl said:

Clearly there is a potential demand for this type of hospitality but the pricing has to reflect your customer base and the product on offer. Now I readily accept you Don't just offer this just for the sake of offering it. Businesses should close down poorer performing divisions even if they are turning a small profit or try and increase said profit. However if the result is no customers I suggest that is not a good outcome unless you are not bothered at all

An interesting point this.

It does come over a bit as if the club are not really interested in corporate hospitality at all.

Surely if you are trying to sell a commodity and no one will buy it then you don't just give up.

No, you look seriously at both the price and what you are offering.Change what you are offering if need be. Try different things. Have a look at what other clubs do.

Corporate hospitality packages across the city are half the price of ours. 

Manchester united have a whole range of packages at different prices.

They get ex players heavily involved talking with clients etc etc.

 

I just don't believe other clubs run corporate hospitality at a loss.

Make a proper study, learn and act. We seem to be missing a trick here.

 

[steelowl]

50 minutes ago, Freshfish said:

 

This is the bit that I don't get. Everyone in 'Corporate Hospitality' understands the 'business'. In every business prices go up and you weigh up buying against the cost benefits. Club loyalty, unless a tax write off or the business you run is hugely profitable and you are a lifelong supporter, means nothing. It's about schmooozing clients and stroking ego's to promote business loyalty or create new business. 

 

Once again DC is very clear with his response. An excellent process. Well done.

good grief 'an excellent process' - are you missing similarity of the opportunist 11th hour ultimatums bit or just choosing to fall for the excuse put forward for the complete horlicks of a kit release   yet failing to see the galling irony of the reverse of this when used against local business who walked away en masse?

 

 

 

[steelowl]

2 minutes ago, Blatter said:

An interesting point this.

It does come over a bit as if the club are not really interested in corporate hospitality at all.

Surely if you are trying to sell a commodity and no one will buy it then you don't just give up.

No, you look seriously at both the price and what you are offering.Change what you are offering if need be. Try different things. Have a look at what other clubs do.

Corporate hospitality packages across the city are half the price of ours. 

Manchester united have a whole range of packages at different prices.

They get ex players heavily involved talking with clients etc etc.

 

I just don't believe other clubs run corporate hospitality at a loss.

Make a proper study, learn and act. We seem to be missing a trick here.

 

One day  someone will wake up and realise this is not a club on the outskirts of London

 

 

 

[room0035]

5 hours ago, BARMYARMY2010 said:

Still prattling on i see. 

Stick being a C0ck I see

[BARMYARMY2010]

1 minute ago, room0035 said:

Stick being a C0ck I see

Is that it ? 

Was expecting chapter and verse about anything and nothing made up cack. 

Disappointing. 

[room0035]

3 minutes ago, BARMYARMY2010 said:

Is that it ? 

Was expecting chapter and verse about anything and nothing made up cack. 

Disappointing. 

Can't be bother to waste my time on people who really don't matter.

 

Your just a sad individual that likes to slag people off on line.

[Freshfish]

1 hour ago, steelowl said:

good grief 'an excellent process' - are you missing similarity of the opportunist 11th hour ultimatums bit or just choosing to fall for the excuse put forward for the complete horlicks of a kit release   yet failing to see the galling irony of the reverse of this when used against local business who walked away en masse?

 

 

 

 

I'm looking at how someone comes in and deals with each problem that needed dealing with after 30 years of complete fuckups ... in a manner that isn't some sort of weird knee-jerk reaction and that doesn't offer miraculous, over-night solutions. When I see or hear of anything that I find really damaging or potentially damaging to the club then I'll comment on it here and with the club...as I did with the 'Doyen Sports' connection. 

 

If, like a player, a business doesn't like what is happening due to cost, then let them walk away. As I said before, business is about cost against benefit. Nothing to do with loyalty.

[BARMYARMY2010]

Just now, room0035 said:

Can't be bother to waste my time on people who really don't matter.

 

Your just a sad individual that likes to slag people off on line.

Bless you Snowflake. 

You post made up drivel time after time but get "gob on" when somebody shoots ya posts down, this dear boy is not exclusive to you, ya just think it is. 

[room0035]

2 minutes ago, BARMYARMY2010 said:

Bless you Snowflake. 

You post made up drivel time after time but get "gob on" when somebody shoots ya posts down, this dear boy is not exclusive to you, ya just think it is. 

Its not made up but because its not your sheltered, rose tinted view then I am wrong.

 

I hate to break it to you but not everything people tell you is true, DC and the club don't value us they see is as a customer to milk for whatever they can. If you think he is here for any other than profit you are living in a dream world.

 

I won't drop names on here as that's not what I would do, but yes I do know people at the club, I also work with friends who are related to playing staff both first and youth and yes my company used to have a corporate box but no longer. But if you wish to call this all lies i really don't care.  

[tarn owl]

Sounds like to me that the hospitality boxes and whole process needs an overhaul. New pricing, new setup and everything. Including looking at why costs at Wednesday mean we have to charge so much. Over time hopefully they can get this balance right. Hopefully make a package that sells out and makes a good profit.

[steelowl]

19 minutes ago, tarn owl said:

Sounds like to me that the hospitality boxes and whole process needs an overhaul. New pricing, new setup and everything. Including looking at why costs at Wednesday mean we have to charge so much. Over time hopefully they can get this balance right. Hopefully make a package that sells out and makes a good profit.

 

I don't like to compare us with the other lot  I wouldn't put a cent of mine into them ever under any circumstances

but putting aside rivalry we are in the same city 

however I bet they don't fly their food in from Harrods like I assume we plan to do 

use local student staff instead of chauffeuring in moonlighting waiters from the Ritz which would account for potentially shocking labour costs

their electric is prob from the mains ( hopefully their own not someone else's ) not rip off pay as you go meter credit vouchers  

 

alll things considered perhaps it is cheaper to give the box to players and light them with candles 

[Whatahoot]

my problem with the club and its running of the commercial side is that it wants its increased profit "now" instead of taking a slightly longer view.

It makes sense to me to build up the demand for something first before increasing prices.

DC says that the demand for the boxes, prior to his arrival, was only about 60% at lower prices. But that was against a backcloth a team over performing on a very low budget, with little expectation of promotion to the Premiership etc. If he had kept prices at previous levels and allowed market forces to take effect, he would have had much better % take up of the boxes. When 100% is reached, then make some increase on price gradually and build your client base and demand at the same time. This would have shown what the price should be set at....(market price). Instead we have frightened off good clients, who can, if they are not allegient to one Sheffield club or the other particularly, go and use the facilities of UTD or indeed another sport or entertainment outlet (horse racing,rugby,theatres etc)

If DC is in it for the long haul, why does he need to go for the "mega hit" all the time. I understand the pressures of Financial Fair Play regs., but are we not building a sound sustainable club into the future and not just something built on short termism ?

[fred mciver]

So, from all this , appears greatest weakness both financially and from a playing point of view is poor recruitment.

 

Paying Abdi et al £20 k per week to do nowt and devalue as an asset is surely the biggest cost to our accounts.

 

And that's DC's fault for using Doyen (like Watford, who must have paid Doyen well to get such an old, injury -prone player off their books). 

[room0035]

25 minutes ago, Whatahoot said:

my problem with the club and its running of the commercial side is that it wants its increased profit "now" instead of taking a slightly longer view.

It makes sense to me to build up the demand for something first before increasing prices.

DC says that the demand for the boxes, prior to his arrival, was only about 60% at lower prices. But that was against a backcloth a team over performing on a very low budget, with little expectation of promotion to the Premiership etc. If he had kept prices at previous levels and allowed market forces to take effect, he would have had much better % take up of the boxes. When 100% is reached, then make some increase on price gradually and build your client base and demand at the same time. This would have shown what the price should be set at....(market price). Instead we have frightened off good clients, who can, if they are not allegient to one Sheffield club or the other particularly, go and use the facilities of UTD or indeed another sport or entertainment outlet (horse racing,rugby,theatres etc)

If DC is in it for the long haul, why does he need to go for the "mega hit" all the time. I understand the pressures of Financial Fair Play regs., but are we not building a sound sustainable club into the future and not just something built on short termism ?

Watch it matey Barmy will be shouting you down for questioning the club.

 

But yes a very interest question why has everything done been a quick fix almost as if money currently is an issue. Any business knows you build up your client/customer base over time hoping for repeat business and get extra profit from added value. All our current policy seems to be is what is the most we can charge - don't worry they will pay it. What no one wants a £48,000 box - this business are not very loyal fans are they.

 

Lets wait and see how much the club is in the brown stuff when the next accounts come out they are allowed £39m in losses over 3 years re FFP, the loss in 2015/16 was £9,755,000, then we have last years accounts not filed yet and this years. The first year had the 50% increase in season ticket prices and what ever extra we got for losing the play off final, depending where you read this is anything from nothing to £5m. I am sure someone will have the exact figures.

 

So last season play offs again but no final but all the extra spend on wages and players I would expect the £9.7m loss to increase then it potentially make January transfer window very important if we are close to breaking FFP and players maybe need to be sold.

[room0035]

5 minutes ago, fred mciver said:

So, from all this , appears greatest weakness both financially and from a playing point of view is poor recruitment.

 

Paying Abdi et al £20 k per week to do nowt and devalue as an asset is surely the biggest cost to our accounts.

 

And that's DC's fault for using Doyen (like Watford, who must have paid Doyen well to get such an old, injury -prone player off their books). 

You could add in Matias, Boyd (who has been injured all but 3 games), Kean (low wages), Nuihu (never plays), Winnall (we will be paying some of his wage), Venancio (never played) etc

 

We are carrying maybe 10-12 players we don't need and will never play or will play less than 10 games a season paying their salary for a full season with no resell potential is stupid. The short fall here should be cover by squad and youth players normally.

 

 

[torryowl]

20 minutes ago, room0035 said:

You could add in Matias, Boyd (who has been injured all but 3 games), Kean (low wages), Nuihu (never plays), Winnall (we will be paying some of his wage), Venancio (never played) etc

 

We are carrying maybe 10-12 players we don't need and will never play or will play less than 10 games a season paying their salary for a full season with no resell potential is stupid. The short fall here should be cover by squad and youth players normally.

 

 

i'll be fecking amazed if we paying any of winnall's wages .....i'd be interested to know the 10-12 players we should be shot of .....12 would leave us with a squad 16 .

[room0035]

Kean, Venancio, Pudil, Matias, Nuihu, Boyd, Abdi, Jones, Winnall - why have players if they don't play

 

Then loan Dawson and Hirst as any first team football will increase what we get for him in tribunal 

 

This i based on players who don't play maybe keep Jones but when you have Lee/Hutch/Butterfield/Bannan he is not needed

 

Leaving

 

Keeper - Westwood/ Wildsmith

Full backs - Hunt/Palmer/Fox/Reach

Centre backs Lees/Loovens/Aken

Left wing Reach/Fessi

Right Wing Wallace

Central midfield Lees, Hutch, Bannan, Butterfield

Strikers Hooper. Rhodes, Joao, Fletcher

 

Still plenty of depth but but maybe anywhere from £100,000 to 200,000 off the wage bill not including fees or loan fees and when you look who has played this season so far other than a few games for Pudil and Jones none have featured.