Ditch Bristol Sport

[Robbored]

Just now, RedZepperin said:

SL wanted, as well as a backroom operation, a vanity brand. A few people humoured him, jumped on the gravy train, and started an absurd marketing campaign, which got out of hand. Most older fans don't care. A lot on here are so sycophantic towards SL, they have "Emperor's new clothes" syndrome.

We already have a Cynic on here RZ.....

[RedZepperin]

Just now, Robbored said:

What!?

SL initially moved to Guernsey for tax reasons, plus the Channel Islands are great places to live.

 

You're almost there, RR. Keep thinking about it a little more. Concentrate.

[Fiale]

11 hours ago, WTFiGO!?! said:

With respect, that is a childish (black is white) argument that could be used to justify any ridiculous thing.

With the advancement of transport and increase of population City evolved into a West Country club.

So what actually is 'Bristol Sport'?  An admistrative, legal, financial operative? I honestly don't know.  

It's for starters certainly not a sport and therefore grates somewhat that its image seems to be becoming more of a priority to the people in power running it than that of the club of a hundred years plus.  

Bill Shankley once said: "A football club is a trinity made up of the players, the manager and the supporters.  The chairman is just there to write the cheques".  

Obviously that was right back in the day but possibly as a pertinent and relative now as was then. 

It looks to me like the modern day equivalent quote is: "A football club is a trinity made up of a billionaire, leaches and a golden boy.  The supporters are just there to behave like sheep".

That's the way the game's gone.

 

Yup, it's a umbrella for sporting teams in Bristol. A lot of clubs have the same needs, Legal representation for players / contracts, advertising, hiring/firing managers and staff, food and drinks, licencing, H&S, facility management (security, day concession staff, cleaners) promoting the clubs in the community, investing in the community and grass level sports - and that is being carried out by Bristol Sport. I would suggest that by them organising this for the clubs there is a much better reach and targeting of resources. The clubs are able to then concentrate on the end product for us fans.

 

 

 

 

Bristol Sport was formed with a single minded goal:

TO INSPIRE SPORT IN BRISTOL AND BEYOND

As part of this promise Bristol Sport will deliver a modern, multi-use stadium to make Bristol proud.

#MakingBristolProud

Bristol Sport promotes access to professional sport and participation in sport across all age and capability ranges.

It is part of a group of sports companies owned by Stephen Lansdown. Bristol Sport oversees the business, commercial and operational interests of its affiliated clubs which include Bristol City Football Club, Bristol Rugby Club, Bristol Flyers Basketball, Bristol City Women's Football, Bristol Ladies Rugby, Bristol Jets Badminton and Bristol Sport Racing. Bristol Sport is managing the Ashton Gate stadium rebuild.

THE TEAM

BOARD
Executive Chairman: Martin Griffiths
Vice Chairman: Jon Lansdown
Chief Executive: Andrew Billingham
Directors: Chris Booy, Keith Dawe

EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT
Executive Chairman: Martin Griffiths
Chief Executive: Andrew Billingham
Chief Finance Officer: Gavin Marshall 
Chief Stadium Operating Officer: Mark Kelly
Chief Communications Officer: Lisa Knights
Chief Community Officer: Ben Breeze
Chief Commercial Officer: Caroline Herbert

MANAGEMENT
Group Financial Controller: Lisa Rees
Head of Marketing: Matthew Joy
Head of Supporter Services: Rachel Lemar
Head of Merchandise: Marie Longhurst
Head of Digital: Richard Pepper
Head of Communications (Football): Adam Baker
Head of Communications (Rugby): Tom Tainton
Head of IT Projects: Paul Lipscombe
Conference & Meetings Sales Manager: Amy Manton
Stadium Development Project Manager: Peter Smith
Groups & Memberships Manager: Vicky Barlow
Resource Manager: Georgina Phillips

STADIUM MANAGEMENT
Head of Safety & Security: Dave Storr
Executive Head Chef: George Opondo
Catering Operations Manager: Mike Keeling
Retail Manager: Marie Longhurst

[RedZepperin]

8 hours ago, Robin TBW said:

If you rename Bristol Flyers and Bristol Rugby to Bristol CITY Flyers and Bristol CITY Rugby you'll just end up isolating extra bits of the fanbase unnecessarily.

I've seen a number of Bristol Rovers shirts at Flyers games in the last year and imagine there are a fair few Rugby fans from that side of town too and to suddenly tell them they support Bristol City just wouldn't be fair in any way and would cause many to step back.

Silly idea.

Good thinking. If all those Bristol Rovers fans stop watching Bristol Flyers, it will no longer be such a great money spinner and Bristol Sport will no longer have money to buy players for Bristol City. If Rovers find out City's owner also owns Bristol Flyers, they might stop going to the basketball games. Revenue will plummet. We must change Bristol City's name to Bristol Corinthians or something, just in case.

Would be a silly idea not to

 

 

[RedZepperin]

7 minutes ago, Fiale said:

THE TEAM

BOARD
Executive Chairman: Martin Griffiths
Vice Chairman: Jon Lansdown
Chief Executive: Andrew Billingham
Directors: Chris Booy, Keith Dawe

EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT
Executive Chairman: Martin Griffiths
Chief Executive: Andrew Billingham
Chief Finance Officer: Gavin Marshall 
Chief Stadium Operating Officer: Mark Kelly
Chief Communications Officer: Lisa Knights
Chief Community Officer: Ben Breeze
Chief Commercial Officer: Caroline Herbert

MANAGEMENT
Group Financial Controller: Lisa Rees
Head of Marketing: Matthew Joy
Head of Supporter Services: Rachel Lemar
Head of Merchandise: Marie Longhurst
Head of Digital: Richard Pepper
Head of Communications (Football): Adam Baker
Head of Communications (Rugby): Tom Tainton
Head of IT Projects: Paul Lipscombe
Conference & Meetings Sales Manager: Amy Manton
Stadium Development Project Manager: Peter Smith
Groups & Memberships Manager: Vicky Barlow
Resource Manager: Georgina Phillips

STADIUM MANAGEMENT
Head of Safety & Security: Dave Storr
Executive Head Chef: George Opondo
Catering Operations Manager: Mike Keeling
Retail Manager: Marie Longhurst

That should bring the costs down.

[Cowshed]

36 minutes ago, Fiale said:

 

Yup, it's a umbrella for sporting teams in Bristol. A lot of clubs have the same needs, Legal representation for players / contracts, advertising, hiring/firing managers and staff, food and drinks, licencing, H&S, facility management (security, day concession staff, cleaners) promoting the clubs in the community, investing in the community and grass level sports - and that is being carried out by Bristol Sport. I would suggest that by them organising this for the clubs there is a much better reach and targeting of resources. The clubs are able to then concentrate on the end product for us fans.

 

 

 

 

Bristol Sport was formed with a single minded goal:

TO INSPIRE SPORT IN BRISTOL AND BEYOND

As part of this promise Bristol Sport will deliver a modern, multi-use stadium to make Bristol proud.

#MakingBristolProud

Bristol Sport promotes access to professional sport and participation in sport across all age and capability ranges.

It is part of a group of sports companies owned by Stephen Lansdown. Bristol Sport oversees the business, commercial and operational interests of its affiliated clubs which include Bristol City Football Club, Bristol Rugby Club, Bristol Flyers Basketball, Bristol City Women's Football, Bristol Ladies Rugby, Bristol Jets Badminton and Bristol Sport Racing. Bristol Sport is managing the Ashton Gate stadium rebuild.

THE TEAM

BOARD
Executive Chairman: Martin Griffiths
Vice Chairman: Jon Lansdown
Chief Executive: Andrew Billingham
Directors: Chris Booy, Keith Dawe

EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT
Executive Chairman: Martin Griffiths
Chief Executive: Andrew Billingham
Chief Finance Officer: Gavin Marshall 
Chief Stadium Operating Officer: Mark Kelly
Chief Communications Officer: Lisa Knights
Chief Community Officer: Ben Breeze
Chief Commercial Officer: Caroline Herbert

MANAGEMENT
Group Financial Controller: Lisa Rees
Head of Marketing: Matthew Joy
Head of Supporter Services: Rachel Lemar
Head of Merchandise: Marie Longhurst
Head of Digital: Richard Pepper
Head of Communications (Football): Adam Baker
Head of Communications (Rugby): Tom Tainton
Head of IT Projects: Paul Lipscombe
Conference & Meetings Sales Manager: Amy Manton
Stadium Development Project Manager: Peter Smith
Groups & Memberships Manager: Vicky Barlow
Resource Manager: Georgina Phillips

STADIUM MANAGEMENT
Head of Safety & Security: Dave Storr
Executive Head Chef: George Opondo
Catering Operations Manager: Mike Keeling
Retail Manager: Marie Longhurst

Yup, it's a umbrella for sporting teams in Bristol. A lot of clubs have the same needs ... But do not create alien brands and companies to service them.

promoting the clubs in the community, investing in the community and grass level sports - and that is being carried out by Bristol Sport ... No it is not. As I pointed out to you in another thread. Bristol Sport does not invest money in grass roots sport, via the Community trust it charges them to become a partner. Partnerships many schools and junior football clubs cannot afford. Bristol City engagement with players etc and the Community is then linked to £££'s via these partnerships and other services..

The Community trust has peeled back some of what it offers to sell costly partnerships - The Community trust is in danger of not being socially inclusive and is not acting as other sporting charities in the City do. People (some of whom are simply brilliant at what they do) in the Community trust have made no secret of how unhappy they are about this, and it is being done due to the influence of Bristol Sport.

 

[Robbored]

31 minutes ago, RedZepperin said:

That should bring the costs down.

You hungover RZ?

You've certainly got it about you this morning....

[Monkeh]

36 minutes ago, RedZepperin said:

That should bring the costs down.

It does, rather have all those position at each club draining each clubs resources there is just one bunch of management mean each club have more operational money,

we've been under bristol sport for what 4 years now?

has our name or shirt changed? No

has our identity been lost? No, last time I checked everyone still calls us bristol city

have we been able to spend more money in the transfer market due to operations costs not coming under the club? Yes yes we have

do we have better facilities? Yes

have crowds increased? Yes

 

as much as it grate the people who hate change, bristol sport has been a massive success for the club, 

[Lanterne Rouge]

50 minutes ago, RedZepperin said:

SL wanted, as well as a backroom operation, a vanity brand. A few people humoured him, jumped on the gravy train, and started an absurd marketing campaign, which got out of hand. Most older fans don't care. A lot on here are so sycophantic towards SL, they have "Emperor's new clothes" syndrome.

The problem I have with using that as an analogy is that SL delivers on his promises rather than saying a lot but doing very little.

You only have to look a few miles northwards to see a real situation where this is the case.

[Cowshed]

8 minutes ago, Monkeh said:

It does, rather have all those position at each club draining each clubs resources there is just one bunch of management mean each club have more operational money,

we've been under bristol sport for what 4 years now?

has our name or shirt changed? No

has our identity been lost? No, last time I checked everyone still calls us bristol city

have we been able to spend more money in the transfer market due to operations costs not coming under the club? Yes yes we have

do we have better facilities? Yes

have crowds increased? Yes

 

as much as it grate the people who hate change, bristol sport has been a massive success for the club, 

Aspects of the were already being achieved prior to the inception of Bristol Sport and could have been achieved without them.

Bristol Sport did not exist four years ago.

It does, rather have all those position at each club draining each clubs resources there is just one bunch of management mean each club have more operational money ... Which can be achieved by creating a backroom operation under one of the already existing companies.

Have we been able to spend more money in the transfer market due to operations costs not coming under the club? No. Those operation costs do not affect FFP.

Other elements there are debatable ... The child like scrawl on the training tops attracting less than glowing appraisal is like that because  the identity of the club is controlled by these people who think it looks cool - Bristol Sport..

[The Dolman Pragmatist]

18 hours ago, bristolcitysweden said:

I truly dislike the concept of Bristol Sport and can't see it in anyway benefitting the football club apart from cost sharing. Sorry.

What do you dislike about it?

Actually cost sharing in itself is a huge benefit...

[Davefevs]

https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/07881103/filing-history

Martin Griffiths....no longer on board, guess the Stadium work is over....for the time being.

The general concept of Bristol Sport is a good one in my eyes, but I know others have good reason why they are sceptical.  Each to their own.

[WTFiGO!?!]

49 minutes ago, Monkeh said:

It does, rather have all those position at each club draining each clubs resources there is just one bunch of management mean each club have more operational money,

we've been under bristol sport for what 4 years now?

has our name or shirt changed? No

has our identity been lost? No, last time I checked everyone still calls us bristol city

have we been able to spend more money in the transfer market due to operations costs not coming under the club? Yes yes we have

do we have better facilities? Yes

have crowds increased? Yes

 

as much as it grate the people who hate change, bristol sport has been a massive success for the club, 

Monkeh, it's twice you've used the point about hating change now.  It will grate with people who hate change as, by definition, any single change does, by that criteria.

I don't necessarily mind change, getting to the Championship play off Final in 2008 for the one and only time was change - I didn't hate that.  I had a pay rise that year too which changed my income, that was fine.

Bristol Sport grate not because of the change, and to lower its level of visibility so that a fairly boring, cost cutting organisation is not glamourised off the back of the football club would be a change I'd very much welcome.  

It is a vanity project which places its own importance above the very things it is claiming to be aiding and that's what grates.

 

[REDOXO]

23 hours ago, glos old boy said:

The revenue in also has large costs to cover, we are now in a larger queue at the SL TABLE.

Yes I guess that's true, however the stadium revenue somewhat offsets money that SL anti ups for (has anti upped for) new players and LJ has bought plenty of them. 

It seems the plan is to make all the teams somewhat sustainable and bring money into the area. A train and a platform was unthinkable a few years ago among other improvements. 

Fingers crossed we can have a team/s to match the ambition. SL is so wealthy now it's just chump change now to him. 

[View from the Dolman]

4 hours ago, Davefevs said:

https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/07881103/filing-history

Martin Griffiths....no longer on board, guess the Stadium work is over....for the time being.

The general concept of Bristol Sport is a good one in my eyes, but I know others have good reason why they are sceptical.  Each to their own.

Following his departure from the Bristol Sport board of directors, Martin Griffiths has joined the Ashton Gate Ltd board of directors.

[robinreliant]

On ‎01‎/‎07‎/‎2017 at 15:40, bristolcitysweden said:

I can't see the football benefit from the Bristol Sport project. We are the biggest sport limiting the lost of money. Cost sharing apart - in what way are we benefitting from Bristol Sport? When does the basketball, motorracing or rugby money spill over to the football club?

The money from them might not but the support from them might increase our gate receipts increasing our revenue. Have you not thought what Rugby and Basketball etc bring to Bristol. If Bristol Rugby/Basketball etc support us and vice versa then that's all to the good. As long as Rovers don't become part of Bristol Sport I'm happy.

[TheCulturalBomb]

Nothing about our identity has changed, and I'm sure that's the same for other clubs looking over the fence. People just moaning about change. It's done and here to stay.

[Drawstringsandals1]

On 01/07/2017 at 15:05, Cowshed said:

Bristol Sport do interfere with how fan support their club, they decide what its identity is to a degree where like idiots they, ban flags, push back progress fans had made, and have also interfered in elements of the FC like the Community trust (since Amy Knighton left)  and lessened its prescience in the community leading to the Community trust themselves being heavily criticised by junior football clubs (and charities) in South Bristol. Bristol Sport have damaged the great work the Community trust do/and did.

Bristol Sport is unnecessary in its form. It could simply be a backroom operation offering services and part of the small print at the bottom of the match day programme in appearnace.

 

Not sure Bristol Sport make the decision on banning flags. That's probably down to the stadium regulations 

[Nibor]

It makes sense to have an organisation quietly and efficiently providing common services that all the different sporting endeavours need (ticketing, ad sales, retail, catering).

It makes no sense whatsoever to create another brand and push it over the clubs that fans support, alienating people and making for a haphazard and confused marketing message.

It makes no sense whatsoever to create an organisation stuffed full of expensive senior management poking their noses into each club with authority but without accountability.

Thankfully this sort of thing never works in the long run, it will sort itself out at some point.

[Three Lions]

5 minutes ago, Drawstringsandals1 said:

Not sure Bristol Sport make the decision on banning flags. That's probably down to the stadium regulations 

It was Bristol Sport. They did not like the wording on flags. There are no flags around Dolman A because Bristol Sport don't want them there not because fans didn't want to put them up. BS were met by fans wont be happening for no good reason beyond BS do not like it.

[Cider_boy]

Thing is, if BS didn't exist, anything 'they' say we can and can't do (putting flags up etc), we would simply be told by Bristol City FC Ltd instead. The main people in BS would just be the main people in BCFC, making the same decisions. Ultimately it all comes down to SL, and the suits he has working for him.

BS does save operational costs, one communities executive, one head of communications etc, gives a better opportunity to try to cross sell different sports to each set of fans.

The one thing we may not like is that it forces the football club to be good hosts to, particularly, Bristol Rugby, such as having some reference to them in the stadium, being able to light it up with blue lights when they play (does this happen, I know it was meant to!?).

 

 

[Three Lions]

4 minutes ago, Cider_boy said:

Thing is, if BS didn't exist,

 

 

Dan etc would have kept their jobs and people would not be given the run around by people who do not give two shits about peoples support and time and it would be a straight yes or no and not eighteen months to get neither.

[jayjay]

It is not really "Bristol Sport" because that infers that it encompasses all sport in Bristol, which it certainly does not. The "notable" exception is Bristol Rovers. They are, although it pains me to say it, a significant part of sport in Bristol. SL owns the whole kit and caboodle now (and I just hate that) so why did he did he not simply call by it's correct name, Lansdown Sport.

I can no longer face a difficult 3 to 4 hour journey to my spiritual home so have to rely on photographs. Am I correct in saying that the seats spell out simply "Bristol" with no reference to City? I may be wrong but that is all I have been able to spot.

[Spoons]

Is bristol sport perfect ? No. But it has loads more pro's than con's.

All the things going on in the world of football and we have 3 pages on this thread about bristol sport?

Funny think is if SL called it another name like SL holdings for eg people wouldn't bat an eyelid ! 

 

[elhombrecito]

44 minutes ago, jayjay said:

Am I correct in saying that the seats spell out simply "Bristol" with no reference to City? I may be wrong but that is all I have been able to spot.

The Dolman says 'Bristol' but only because the seats that spelled 'City' were demolished. The Atyeo still says 'Bristol City' (kind of) don't worry.

[RedZepperin]

21 hours ago, Robbored said:

You hungover RZ?

Feeling a lot better this morning, RR, thanks.

There are probably three main arguments concerning Bristol Sport:

1. Is there a need for a backroom operation? Everyone seems to agree that some sort of combined team is needed to manage the groundshare (with Bristol Rugby).

2. Is there a need to add other sports to the groundshare? Personally, I believe that SL has proven over the years that, despite seeming a very nice chap, he is (per pound invested) a pretty poor steward of sports clubs. This is therefore an unnecessary distraction and a waste of money. There are many areas of society, at home and abroad, that would benefit from his generosity (not that he doesn't do that already).

3. Given that this groundshare + odd sports clubs is a reality, what to do with this backroom operation? The former BCFC marketing department did not go round banging a drum or blowing its trumpet all the time. Why the need to ram this horrible logo down our throats, confuse children with "Bristol Sport scarves", squander a precious moment on national tv before the West Ham game by droning on about an absurd vanity brand instead of raising City's profile, and relegating Bristol City to the status of "sub-brand" (many on here don't want to see it, but it has happened)?

What are the supposed financial benefits of launching and maintaining this dreadful brand? Only by quantifying these benefits can you even begin to suggest that Bristol Sport, as a brand, has been a success.

However, for me, no financial benefits would ever justify launching a brand to turn Bristol City into a sub-brand.

[Bristol Rob]

23 hours ago, Fiale said:

 

THE TEAM

BOARD
Executive Chairman: Martin Griffiths
Vice Chairman: Jon Lansdown
Chief Executive: Andrew Billingham
Directors: Chris Booy, Keith Dawe

EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT
Executive Chairman: Martin Griffiths
Chief Executive: Andrew Billingham
Chief Finance Officer: Gavin Marshall 
Chief Stadium Operating Officer: Mark Kelly
Chief Communications Officer: Lisa Knights
Chief Community Officer: Ben Breeze
Chief Commercial Officer: Caroline Herbert

MANAGEMENT
Group Financial Controller: Lisa Rees
Head of Marketing: Matthew Joy
Head of Supporter Services: Rachel Lemar
Head of Merchandise: Marie Longhurst
Head of Digital: Richard Pepper
Head of Communications (Football): Adam Baker
Head of Communications (Rugby): Tom Tainton
Head of IT Projects: Paul Lipscombe
Conference & Meetings Sales Manager: Amy Manton
Stadium Development Project Manager: Peter Smith
Groups & Memberships Manager: Vicky Barlow
Resource Manager: Georgina Phillips

STADIUM MANAGEMENT
Head of Safety & Security: Dave Storr
Executive Head Chef: George Opondo
Catering Operations Manager: Mike Keeling
Retail Manager: Marie Longhurst

We have too many chiefs and from the names listed, no Indians.

How diverse is the management structure in terms of ethnic representation?

[EnderMB]

I can see both points of view.

Bristol Sport is a good idea, and it's not a terrible idea to put a number of sports clubs that exist within the same city under the same umbrella. It allows for the kind of exposure that some of these sports wouldn't necessarily get, and shows the city that sport in general is worth investment.

The problem, at least for Bristol City, is that I think we were all sold on Bristol Sport being a holding company, and not a prominent brand alongside the club. You don't see City Football Group plastered all over Man City's stadium, do you?

It's a common theme of this club. Take a good idea from another club and execute it badly.

[RedZepperin]

4 hours ago, Bristol Rob said:

How diverse is the management structure in terms of ethnic representation?

George Opondo is Irish. 

That's about it.

[CyderInACan]

20 hours ago, Cider_boy said:

The one thing we may not like is that it forces the football club to be good hosts to, particularly, Bristol Rugby, such as having some reference to them in the stadium, being able to light it up with blue lights when they play (does this happen, I know it was meant to!?).

 

 

We don't "host" Bristol. We share the ground with them. It's now as much their's as it is our's.