Another Year Older And Deeper In Debt!

[TKIZ!]

Be just our luck that they would exclude us from Europe should/if we get there

[Gravedigger]

This thread has become fragmented!

Too many people chipping away at it.

[BWFC_Insane]

I think that report just highlights how amazing it is that we've stayed in this division so long.

End of the day something is seriously wrong with a sport where staying in the top flight is so crucial financially to clubs but to stay competitive in the top league leaves clubs sinking further and further into trouble and relying on the TV riches.

I think it also shows that perhaps its time for the folk of Bolton to dig a bit deeper into their pockets and start coming down to the Reebok and filling it regularly. As much as people find these kind of statements annoying, folk that moan about the club but don't turn up for games are the ones who really harm it more than anyone else.

It also puts into perspective the longer term future, we're doing well now because we have a potentially brilliant manager in Coyle, but there won't always be someone like him around and so we're likely in the future to end up back in a similar position as when Megson was in charge, treading water and doing just enough to stay in the division, because ultimately you can't really blame the board if they had to settle for 17th place each season.

[Lofthouse Lower]

I think that report just highlights how amazing it is that we've stayed in this division so long.

End of the day something is seriously wrong with a sport where staying in the top flight is so crucial financially to clubs but to stay competitive in the top league leaves clubs sinking further and further into trouble and relying on the TV riches.

I think it also shows that perhaps its time for the folk of Bolton to dig a bit deeper into their pockets and start coming down to the Reebok and filling it regularly. As much as people find these kind of statements annoying, folk that moan about the club but don't turn up for games are the ones who really harm it more than anyone else.

It also puts into perspective the longer term future, we're doing well now because we have a potentially brilliant manager in Coyle, but there won't always be someone like him around and so we're likely in the future to end up back in a similar position as when Megson was in charge, treading water and doing just enough to stay in the division, because ultimately you can't really blame the board if they had to settle for 17th place each season.

Well put. Hopefully this sell-out at weekend will be the start of an upturn in attendances as the first step on the road to producing better figures this time in a year.

[David Lee's Hair]

This thread has become fragmented!

Too many people chipping away at it.

You're codding right?

[BWFC_Insane]

I think that report just highlights how amazing it is that we've stayed in this division so long.

End of the day something is seriously wrong with a sport where staying in the top flight is so crucial financially to clubs but to stay competitive in the top league leaves clubs sinking further and further into trouble and relying on the TV riches.

I think it also shows that perhaps its time for the folk of Bolton to dig a bit deeper into their pockets and start coming down to the Reebok and filling it regularly. As much as people find these kind of statements annoying, folk that moan about the club but don't turn up for games are the ones who really harm it more than anyone else.

It also puts into perspective the longer term future, we're doing well now because we have a potentially brilliant manager in Coyle, but there won't always be someone like him around and so we're likely in the future to end up back in a similar position as when Megson was in charge, treading water and doing just enough to stay in the division, because ultimately you can't really blame the board if they had to settle for 17th place each season.

Well put. Hopefully this sell-out at weekend will be the start of an upturn in attendances as the first step on the road to producing better figures this time in a year.

I hope so too. The real test would be if we could fill it if we weren't doing so well or if they decided to raise ticket prices.

Given our "pitiful" gate receipts I wonder what the club can do because obviously even filling the ground is only going to make a small difference.

I suppose the £100 match tickets at Arsenal put things into perspective.

[bristol_Wanderer3]

It sounds grim, but from a positive perspective:

Our turnover will increase significantly due to the approx £8m increase from the new TV deal.
We may finish higher than last year at £800,000 per place.
Our new attractive image may mean we get more than 10 live games at £700,000 per game.
Our wage bill will hopefully decrease slightly. Megson, Hunt and Shittu will have gone from the wage bill by next summer. Riga, Cohen, Samuel will prob go as well.
As we haven't been spending much in the last 12 months, player amortisations should reduce.

If all these come to fruition then we could get back to something like break even in a year or two, with reduced losses in the meantime.

On the negative side, ED isn't that rich, and he is charging interest on his huge loans. We will only make a profit if we sell, or make the Champions League, so hard to see where the long term solution is. There is no obvious sign of a successful youth policy either.

Guess we should enjoy the moment, because as the report suggests, there is little foundation to suggest it can continue over a long period.

[Lofthouse Lower]

Not to mention the discounts already on offer for the corporate tickets. Hard to see how we can improve that side of things without further investment.

We've been enjoying 'the moment' for ten years now, and it has been a pretty good moment.

[hisroyalgingerness]

A word on corporate

They started them off with 10 year deals, which started to expire and there were empty boxes I believe at one point
The cheap deals for the “big 3” type games are for a pants meal in the Premier Suite where the FanZone is – and they have never filled this room on these games previously
Lastly, the hotel might not be producing the revenue it was even 2, 3 seasons ago

[William the White]

A word on corporate

They started them off with 10 year deals, which started to expire and there were empty boxes I believe at one point
The cheap deals for the “big 3” type games are for a pants meal in the Premier Suite where the FanZone is – and they have never filled this room on these games previously
Lastly, the hotel might not be producing the revenue it was even 2, 3 seasons ago

Yep - the hotel makes a loss!

[Lofthouse Lower]

Seems pretty clear.

What is very sad to read is the section on how the move to Horwich nearly sent us out of business altogether - doesn't bear thinking about.

[bristol_Wanderer3]

A word on corporate

They started them off with 10 year deals, which started to expire and there were empty boxes I believe at one point
The cheap deals for the “big 3” type games are for a pants meal in the Premier Suite where the FanZone is – and they have never filled this room on these games previously
Lastly, the hotel might not be producing the revenue it was even 2, 3 seasons ago

Yep - the hotel makes a loss!

The hotel must be considered a mistake. IIRC it cost £11m to build, and put is in a dire financial position when it was built in the pre ED era. It has never made a profit, and has now started to make significant losses. It is hard to see how it can ever do anything but make losses in the future too.

[Lofthouse Lower]

The hotel was always meant to provide us with an income, but obviously if this isn't happening then it becomes redundant, but what would you do with the space?

[Gary the Enfield]

The hotel was always meant to provide us with an income, but obviously if this isn't happening then it becomes redundant, but what would you do with the space?

Put a supermarket on the site?

[Lofthouse Lower]

The hotel was always meant to provide us with an income, but obviously if this isn't happening then it becomes redundant, but what would you do with the space?

Put a supermarket on the site?

Good call, especially if we're not going to be using that top tier much this season we could shove the away fans into monkey corner and then demolish that stand and hey presto - Europe's largest Aldi

[William the White]

The hotel was always meant to provide us with an income, but obviously if this isn't happening then it becomes redundant, but what would you do with the space?

Put a supermarket on the site?

NOT EVEN IN JEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TKIZ!]

I'm more surprised that when Middlebrook was built that we didn't own the land and rent it to the shops and megachains that are there now. Would have provided a huge revenue stream and ceratinly more than the Hotel

[Lofthouse Lower]

The land cost was prohibitive - we could barely afford that on which the stadium is built.

[Gary the Enfield]

The hotel was always meant to provide us with an income, but obviously if this isn't happening then it becomes redundant, but what would you do with the space?

Put a supermarket on the site?

NOT EVEN IN JEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[H. Pedersen]

You would have to believe that the board directors were capable of addressing the financial issue, given that they are very comfortably rewarded for their efforts. Last year, the highest paid director (most likely Gartside) trousered a hefty £584,000, including a £156,000 bonus, while the other director (presumably Duckworth) received £483,000, including a £178,000 bonus. If they make this much money, when the company reports a record loss of £35 million, heaven knows how much they would be paid if the club actually made a profit. Nice work if you can get it.

You have GOT to be kidding me.