Who can we sacrifice to free up salary space?

[Monkeh]

6 minutes ago, SydneyCity said:

It could all go horribly wrong… but the one thing I do have faith in at the moment is the development of youth and a knack for bringing them in when they’re ready.

Or it could give us the next buffon, we just don't know,

Not many teams have 2 senior keepers these days, they ether run with an understudy or a player towards the end of their career

[Son of Fred]

45 minutes ago, Calculus said:

Yup, 'self-imposed' seemingly the key words. Nige always talks about there being no room in the budget, not FFP.

Maybe the budget could be increased without creating a FFP issue but don't really know. 

Would be interested in the views the FFP experts as to whether our budgets are now driven by FFP concerns or just a general tightening by Steve and Co for 'sustainability purposes'.

You couldn't make it up -

We went so far one way with Swiss Tony & partner that we were up shit creek-

And now we're going way to the opposite end of the scale & doing an Albert Steptoe, living on a shoestring - do any of the top brass have any bloody sense??????

Edited August 24, 2023 by Son of Fred

[Tony Tootle]

Is there really any point in signing another keeper when you can use the emergency loan option should the worst happen. If O'Leary did get a bad injury I assume we would just loan in a keeper from a Premier League team as we would be allowed to do so outside of the transfer window.

[Mr Popodopolous]

1 hour ago, Monkeh said:

I think the answer isn't so much sacrificing a player, it's more increasing commercial revenue,

That would of happened under Gould but sadly he got a better offer,

This is where a CEO needs to earn their crust,

How much higher can it go realistically for a non in modern times top flight club of our size while we remain at the level?

However I do agree, this is another important side of the coin. Just trying to think, significant room for growth hmm.

Covid has had an impact on the events sector although this is in reverse now but WFH persists, Cost of living although our concerts do quite well.

In theory we could get tie ups with some of SL's new ventures in Guernsey provided they are at Fair Value rules but a bit of promotion on the mainland wouldn't do them any harm at all.

[Atyeo's Love Child]

If we are just looking to free up wages, could we just not move on Jon Lansdown?

[Monkeh]

1 minute ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

How much higher can it go realistically for a non in modern times top flight club of our size while we remain at the level?

However I do agree, this is another important side of the coin. Just trying to think, significant room for growth hmm.

Covid has had an impact on the events sector although this is in reverse now but WFH persists, Cost of living although our concerts do quite well.

In theory we could get tie ups with some of SL's new ventures in Guernsey provided they are at Fair Value rules but a bit of promotion on the mainland wouldn't do them any harm at all.

I'm not a marketing or commercial expert, but I'm sure there are other things the club could do, though I trust that they are thinking of this already,

[Mr Popodopolous]

9 minutes ago, Monkeh said:

I'm not a marketing or commercial expert, but I'm sure there are other things the club could do, though I trust that they are thinking of this already,

All businesses, entities- (it's a club I hate the term business or entity in this context but sadly in 2023) yes more xan alaays be done, explored.

[Midlands Robin]

1 hour ago, Monkeh said:

I think the answer isn't so much sacrificing a player, it's more increasing commercial revenue,

That would of happened under Gould but sadly he got a better offer,

This is where a CEO needs to earn their crust,

It's exactly this. I made this point in a different thread. We simply don't generate a high enough revenue to balance the FFP books. The occasional times we make an annual profit is down to transfer income. 

I get there are no easy answers to how we do it and most of the time it involves fans shelling out more of their hard earned cash but it's the crux of our problem. It's why just one season in the Premier League can completely change a clubs fortunes if its managed carefully. 

[Bristol Rob]

17 minutes ago, Tony Tootle said:

Is there really any point in signing another keeper when you can use the emergency loan option should the worst happen. If O'Leary did get a bad injury I assume we would just loan in a keeper from a Premier League team as we would be allowed to do so outside of the transfer window.

Not sure we can play the emergency keeper loan card, Bajic has played a number of games (I think) that would mean he'd need to be out as well. 

[Mr Popodopolous]

4 minutes ago, Midlands Robin said:

It's exactly this. I made this point in a different thread. We simply don't generate a high enough revenue to balance the FFP books. The occasional times we make an annual profit is down to transfer income. 

I get there are no easy answers to how we do it and most of the time it involves fans shelling out more of their hard earned cash but it's the crux of our problem. It's why just one season in the Premier League can completely change a clubs fortunes if its managed carefully. 

We don't want to go all Chansiri, who seems to have one plan only which is ever higher ticket prices to plug gaps- we have to utilise Ashton Gate to its max.

Problem is, short of promotion I'm not seeing those great opportunities for short term growth, maybe mean to long term here.

To break even we could need to slash the entire cost base to around £30m. Wouldn't surprise me if it is £45-50m.

Next season T.V. revenue is set to rise at this level. Will boost all clubs of course but commercially I dunno talking non matchday revenue.

Edited August 24, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[Bristol Rob]

2 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

We don't want to go all Chansiri, who seems to have one plan only which is ever higher ticket prices to plug gaps- we have to utilise Ashton Gate to its max.

Problem is, short of promotion I'm not seeing those great opportunities for short term growth, maybe mean to long term here.

To break even we could need to slash the entire cost base to around £30m. Wouldn't surprise me if it is £45-50m.

Next season T.V. revenue is set to rise at this level. Will boost all clubs of course but commercially I dunno talking non matchday revenue.

I'm sure there is either an obvious answer, or I've just misread things over the years, but our base-costs always appear to be several million higher than other clubs.

Would it not make a lot more sense to have all operations, for example (and they might already be) - Ticket Staff - under the 'Bristol Sport' umbrella rather than them being a club cost? 

[sh1t_ref_again]

4 minutes ago, Bristol Rob said:

Not sure we can play the emergency keeper loan card, Bajic has played a number of games (I think) that would mean he'd need to be out as well. 

In that case the decision is Bajic up to replace Max if we have an injury, if not then he needs to go out on loan to open the door for an emergency loan if needed.  

[Sir Geoff]

7 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

We don't want to go all Chansiri, who seems to have one plan only which is ever higher ticket prices to plug gaps- we have to utilise Ashton Gate to its max.

Problem is, short of promotion I'm not seeing those great opportunities for short term growth, maybe mean to long term here.

To break even we could need to slash the entire cost base to around £30m. Wouldn't surprise me if it is £45-50m.

Next season T.V. revenue is set to rise at this level. Will boost all clubs of course but commercially I dunno talking non matchday revenue.

And yet someone recently started a thread complaining that for the past 2 home games and forthcoming WBA game we have opened up the capacity of the Atyeo stand for away fans by approx 1000 per game. Over the course of a season that nets well over half a million pounds plus extra profit on food and drink. Easy money.

[Mr Popodopolous]

7 minutes ago, Sir Geoff said:

And yet someone recently started a thread complaining that for the past 2 home games and forthcoming WBA game we have opened up the capacity of the Atyeo stand for away fans by approx 1000 per game. Over the course of a season that nets well over half a million pounds plus extra profit on food and drink. Easy money.

I mean marginal gains, I dunno does reducing away capacity help with home results? I certainly see the point and the disconnect thinking about the non matchday revenue related items too. Balancing football and finance is never easy.

Edited August 24, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[Mr Popodopolous]

13 minutes ago, Bristol Rob said:

I'm sure there is either an obvious answer, or I've just misread things over the years, but our base-costs always appear to be several million higher than other clubs.

Would it not make a lot more sense to have all operations, for example (and they might already be) - Ticket Staff - under the 'Bristol Sport' umbrella rather than them being a club cost? 

I think we are moving in the direction.

The increased digitisation, the fact on non matchdays the Ticket Office in person now is not open in the way that some other clubs seems to be..are the Independence Sports Bar and Coffee not open as much as they once were.

[mozo]

Stadium sponsorship?

[Mr Popodopolous]

12 minutes ago, mozo said:

Stadium sponsorship?

That's an idea.

Could do naming rights for Ashton Gate verbatim and then each individual stand if we want to go down that road.

Wouldn't be a game changer at this level (IMO) but it all helps..and should enable a bit more to be spent on the team.

Edited August 24, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[One Team]

51 minutes ago, Atyeo's Love Child said:

If we are just looking to free up wages, could we just not move on Jon Lansdown?

I was thinking Downsey.

[archie andrews]

1 hour ago, Calculus said:

Thanks, that's very depressing. Seems that the Lansdown legacy will only be measured in commercial revenue and assets.

Thought the saying was you cant take it with you..... 

[Bristol Rob]

7 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

That's an idea.

Could do naming rights for Ashton Gate verbatim and then each individual stand if we want to go down that road.

Wouldn't be a game changer at this level (IMO) but it all helps..and should enable a bit more to be spent on the team.

I have always been surprised that since redevelopment, the Dolman stand hasn't been "name" sponsored - the front of the roof has a huge area that could be used as advertising space. 

[One Team]

4 minutes ago, archie andrews said:

Thought the saying was you cant take it with you..... 

Well indeed. His children and grandchildren will be set for life maybe even for further generations, so what else is there? Philanthropy? 

If it were me I’d be putting a lot into seeing us at the top level before I left this world. The ground and HPC are big ticks, but leaving it at that feels unfinished to me. 

[Fuber]

12 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

That's an idea.

Could do naming rights for Ashton Gate verbatim and then each individual stand if we want to go down that road.

Wouldn't be a game changer at this level (IMO) but it all helps..and should enable a bit more to be spent on the team.

Sat on the South Stand, without a name, for how long now?

[stortfordred]

7 minutes ago, Bristol Rob said:

I have always been surprised that since redevelopment, the Dolman stand hasn't been "name" sponsored - the front of the roof has a huge area that could be used as advertising space. 

Not sure Marina would be too happy. 

[Monkeh]

29 minutes ago, mozo said:

Stadium sponsorship?

It should be done imo, people won't like it but that and stand sponsorship are 2 revenue streams we are currently missing out on

[The Dolman Pragmatist]

1 hour ago, Cidre Monita said:

I find it staggering that we have reached the wage limit with a squad of c24 players including 9 academy graduates.  Have we?

We are 3 league games in and already in crisis.   Are we?

God forbid Vyner goes before next Friday with no replacement. Who says he will?

Make no mistake this is SL cutting the budget to the bone Is it?

and seems hellbent on a further tightening of the purse strings.
Is he?

I really do fear for us tomorrow night…,  Why? We won our last away game…

An awful lot of assumptions and guesses here.  I was highly critical of our performance last Saturday, but for footballing reasons.  We’ve got a decent squad: it’s Pearson’s job to get them to deliver.

[Mr Popodopolous]

You can also add Naming Rights for HPC if we want to go down that road. Highest bidder or comparable deals for the level, profile of club.

[Bristol Rob]

6 minutes ago, stortfordred said:

Not sure Marina would be too happy. 

We had the Carling Atyeo stand, no reason why we couldn't have 'The Dolman stand, sponsored by..... '

[Northern Red]

It's been called the Evening Post Dolman Stand in the past.

[Whitchurch]

Downsy.

[stortfordred]

According to Wikipedia: ‘The use of the suffix -gate after an identifying term has since become synonymous with public scandal,^[16][17][18] especially political scandal.’ 

Therefore the following:

’Ashtongate was named after the political scandal in Bristol involving the administration of CEO Mark Ashton from 2016 to 2021 that led to  Ashton’s resignation. The scandal stemmed from the administration's attempts to cover up its involvement in many spurious and hopeless football transfers to the Bristol City headquarters in the West Country.’
 

I therefore feel that the world famous home of Bristol City should be sponsored and renamed so that I don’t have any reminders of that donkey who dropped us in it from a great height.