To paraphrase
Cullen in the video from the Guildhall City event
Talks a lot about the money spent on the ground and other infrastructure then goes on to say but we must not lose sight of the need to improve the team on the pitch or words t that effect.
That latter bit suggests they have listened to the fans and are going to put the team first for a while.
That's how I interpreted his comments anyway.
If you have not seen it, I strongly suggest a watch is a good use of your time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ8_L-bbeN0
Even more surprising the link worked first time!
Thanks for that.
I am struggling to grasp Cullens comment about only extending the North Stand when “all the stars are aligned” as he calls it. I can only assume he is referring to 1.) promotion to the Championship and 2.) when agreement has been reached with Network Rail, the Council and other stakeholders for safe access to the stadium from Fratton station. The second is a rather moot point for a reason not to extend the North stand. As a percentage, how many fans actually travel by train? More to the point, what if an agreement cannot be reached i.e. all the stakeholders involved expect Michael Eisner to foot the bill? Then what? Do we have a plan B?
With regards to the first point, I have raised this before on another thread. Building a new North stand has an intrinsic value and should not be reliant on promotion. The Eisners would be increasing the value of their asset. They are not going to lose any money once it’s built. Moreover, it would generate a huge financial benefit with corporate facilities. That’s where the real income generation is for football clubs on a match day. This of course means we can invest in the first team and academy. It’s a no brainier isn’t it? Some may say we don’t need an increase in capacity right now. I disagree. Look at Ipswich. They are averaging 25k this season, £21k last season and 19k before that. All in league one I might add. If Pompey were Ipswich are in the league right now, i don’t think we would be shy of 25k if we had the capacity.
Thanks for sharing Hammie. If you are worth a billion quid and you can't afford to build a bridge to unlock growth in your business, you're in the wrong game.
If network rail do not contribute to the cost PFC should lock it up and only open it on match days. And/or charge network rail rent for usage. Its not a big issue and it seems stubbornness is the only thing preventing it from happening.
(07-02-2023, 10:16 PM)BigSmokeBlue Wrote: [ -> ]Thanks for that.
I am struggling to grasp Cullens comment about only extending the North Stand when “all the stars are aligned” as he calls it. I can only assume he is referring to 1.) promotion to the Championship and 2.) when agreement has been reached with Network Rail, the Council and other stakeholders for safe access to the stadium from Fratton station. The second is a rather moot point for a reason not to extend the North stand. As a percentage, how many fans actually travel by train? More to the point, what if an agreement cannot be reached i.e. all the stakeholders involved expect Michael Eisner to foot the bill? Then what? Do we have a plan B?
With regards to the first point, I have raised this before on another thread. Building a new North stand has an intrinsic value and should not be reliant on promotion. The Eisners would be increasing the value of their asset. They are not going to lose any money once it’s built. Moreover, it would generate a huge financial benefit with corporate facilities. That’s where the real income generation is for football clubs on a match day. This of course means we can invest in the first team and academy. It’s a no brainier isn’t it? Some may say we don’t need an increase in capacity right now. I disagree. Look at Ipswich. They are averaging 25k this season, £21k last season and 19k before that. All in league one I might add. If Pompey were Ipswich are in the league right now, i don’t think we would be shy of 25k if we had the capacity.
More to the point, why would you wait to improve the infrastructure (and I guess by definition have to reduce capacity and income during the works) until promotion is achieved, when such a promotion will increase demand and revenue opportunities?
One reason would be if you don't have the money for the investment, but despite some evidence to the contrary, nobody believes the Eisners are really pound-shop billionaires. Your point about, for example, building a new North Stand (and thereby doing something really substantial to improve the infrastructure of the club rather than just faffing in much the same way PST would have done so) would be a win-win for them. They clearly have the cashflow somewhere in their group of companies to fund this, it would increase the value of their asset (PFC) and as a capital expenditure investment could be written down across a number of years, while generating extra and growing revenue.
Once again it is curious, and there really is no other way of putting it, that they haven't gone that route. Shoving more cash at the team instead is really following the Mandaric strategy and I think we've seen that movie before. It also doesn't really take much of a mystic meg type soothsayer to see a situation where once promotion is achieved, commercial opportunities and the need for a full ground atmosphere might mean the desired, and planned buildling work is sadly put on the back burner again, and we have deffo seen that movie before with jcbs and hard hats all around
. Referring to old school Gordon Gekko, I always thought that being a billionaire ("liquid") meant that you could save time and cut through any short term nonsense, but that doesn't seem to apply to dear old Michael.
(07-02-2023, 11:07 PM)Pedalo_menders Wrote: [ -> ]Thanks for sharing Hammie. If you are worth a billion quid and you can't afford to build a bridge to unlock growth in your business, you're in the wrong game.
If network rail do not contribute to the cost PFC should lock it up and only open it on match days. And/or charge network rail rent for usage. Its not a big issue and it seems stubbornness is the only thing preventing it from happening.
Not sure you are allowed to just build a bridge on someone else's land, even if you are a billionaire
Oh come on, Deep, people are always doing it. I’ve got three in my garden.
(07-02-2023, 10:16 PM)BigSmokeBlue Wrote: [ -> ]Thanks for that.
I am struggling to grasp Cullens comment about only extending the North Stand when “all the stars are aligned” as he calls it. I can only assume he is referring to 1.) promotion to the Championship and 2.) when agreement has been reached with Network Rail, the Council and other stakeholders for safe access to the stadium from Fratton station.
I think I can clear that one up.
He is referring to the Age of Aquarius.
Specifically, "when the moon is in the seventh house and Jupiter aligns with Mars..."
When the moon is in the Seventh H
It goes on Gerry - " Harmony and Understanding.."
Two major points there - I think we need the understanding bit before Harmony sets in, among all Pompey supporters.
Great song though - from the elite days of proper music, " When the sun...."
I think Cullen made clear this is a long-term plan.
According to Nostradamus, the alignment will happen around 2045 AD as reflected in the original lyrics to this song...
"When scummers are in the conference and Pompey are Euro champs....
I'm pretty sure the plan includes a hotel, especially as the Royal beach is looking like being out of use long term.
Royal Beach will out of action for the next 12-18 mths and could eventually even be converted into apartments
(09-02-2023, 10:39 PM)bluetagagain Wrote: [ -> ]Royal Beach will out of action for the next 12-18 mths and could eventually even be converted into apartments
the former might be less if we can sort out the influx from Eastern Europe who have no need or right to be here. Nice of us to put them up in one of our nicer hotels. I bet some of our older residents would love to live there free for a few months with someone else paying for food and heating.