social club

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

Originally posted by Bas
Wasn't there a peiod of time when there was the connection to the Aussie Rules Football Club (I think that was it's name) up at Kings Cross for many years. I remember going in there in 96 and they had RL showing on all the TV screens.

I still watch the Grand Final every year at the Kings Cross Aussie Rules Club and find the place OK. I can't see why the Swans couldn't take the place over.It would be nice to have a serious place to go that is OURS.

Still, I'm more than happy to go back to Easts League in Bondi Junction. Sure to a degrees it is selling your soul to the devil (aka rugby league), but it is a pleasant place to be. A nice cafe, good bars, a nightclub, a sports facility. Even about 10 table tennis tables!!!

What we have now is a total embarrassment. Hopefully if people indicate their vehemence on this issue enough, the club will start to @@@@@ up its ears. As they have in relation to many other issues we have raised on RWO. Had we opted to even build a Swans League club back in the early 90s or whenever, we could have generated the cashflow to pay for new training facilities rather than going into debt (or even worse, crying to the AFL for the money).

Even Brisbane have an excellent Social Club situated right at the Gabba.

We are maturing as a club all the time. I strongly feel that having a place of our own would be excellent. Not just for members. But for the club in general. The MA Noble Stand and Fox & Lion are completely inadequate facilities, as neither is a real home at all.

JF

[Charlie]

You guys who grew up in Sydney seem to think we need one of these clubs... is it because rugby league is viable only because of pokies?

Lescygnes - you've missed my point entirely. WE DON'T NEED POKIES!!! It's not about how we can have them or how they can be viable... to me that's irrelevent because we can function without them. We don't need to be like Essendon, with their 3 pokie venues and their $6million in liquid assets which they can't even use. What good is all that money doing them? Their own CEO has said that with the current rules in place, they can't possibly spend it all. And yet, there's still 40 pokie machines down at the local RSL club in my suburb, which incidentally is owned by the Essendon Football Club.

We are a FOOTBALL CLUB. We should be able to operate on FOOTBALL REVENUE! In sport, we have learned to tolerate the business side of things, to allow us to continue to enjoy our sport. But we lose perspective when grabbing money in any possible way becomes more important than the sport itself. If Collingwood can become Australia's richest sporting club in a saturated market without pokies, and we can survive for 20 years in Sydney without pokies, why do we suddenly need them?

Julian - just tell me, why are we at such a big disadvantage without a suburban casino?

[lescygnes]

actually Charlie, I grew up in Melbourne! never judge a book............

thanks for proving my point using Essendon. yes, they can't spend all their money due to the salary cap, but their future is guaranteed. can't say the same for the Sydney Swans, can we?

and you cannot entirely rely on "football" income. not in this city. especially seeing how saturated the Sydney sporting scene is with professional teams. so what ideas do you have about bringing in other types of income? so far on that front you're silent.

oh, and we nearly didnt make 20 years in Sydney, a couple of times. nothing short of a miracle actually.

just as Julian previously wrote, we would be alot more secure now if the people who brought the club up here in 1982 actually had some forthought on income.

oh, and by the way, NO NEED TO SHOUT!!!!

cheers
John

ps-the club could never own a casino. get your terms correct!

[barry]

Originally posted by JF_Bay22_SCG

Even Brisbane have an excellent Social Club situated right at the Gabba.

JF

Hasnt that closed down, or is only open on match days as a service for members ?

[robbieando]

Originally posted by Charlie
You guys who grew up in Sydney seem to think we need one of these clubs... is it because rugby league is viable only because of pokies?

Funny enough Charlie, yes most NRL clubs rely on Leagues club funding to stay afloat. When I was up in Sydney for the Hawks games there was a full page ad in the papers about the Carr governments propose club tax, which the clubs association said that if brought in it would directly result in the deaths of 11 NRL Clubs. Don't be a fool to think the NRL is able to fund itself away from pokies.

We don't need to be like Essendon, with their 3 pokie venues and their $6million in liquid assets which they can't even use. What good is all that money doing them? Their own CEO has said that with the current rules in place, they can't possibly spend it all.

Wouldn't the Swans just love to have money sitting around that they can't spend, maybe it could result in something we can only truelly dream of - certainanty that we will be around for every,

If Collingwood can become Australia's richest sporting club in a saturated market without pokies, and we can survive for 20 years in Sydney without pokies, why do we suddenly need them?

Collingwood has pokies and certainly benifit from them, heck next year they will have 3 pokie venues to help them out. Charlie, don't fool yourself we only survived in Sydney for 20 years by pure luck and the passion of the people involved in the club. If we got the leagues club we were promised when we moved to Sydney, things would of been much better much earlier.

[Charlie]

Robbie - wasn't aware C'wood had pokies.

Whilst it would be nice to have Essendon's financial security... I'm not anxious to see the Swans taking some of the responsibility for the countless poverty-stricken grandparents, broken homes, kids left in cars and other ills that come as a direct result of having pokies in suburban areas. I think its disgusting, and I don't want my footy club to get involved. I think its unethical. Simple as that.

[Charlie]

Originally posted by lescygnes
actually Charlie, I grew up in Melbourne! never judge a book............

thanks for proving my point using Essendon. yes, they can't spend all their money due to the salary cap, but their future is guaranteed. can't say the same for the Sydney Swans, can we?

and you cannot entirely rely on "football" income. not in this city. especially seeing how saturated the Sydney sporting scene is with professional teams. so what ideas do you have about bringing in other types of income? so far on that front you're silent.

oh, and we nearly didnt make 20 years in Sydney, a couple of times. nothing short of a miracle actually.

just as Julian previously wrote, we would be alot more secure now if the people who brought the club up here in 1982 actually had some forthought on income.

oh, and by the way, NO NEED TO SHOUT!!!!

cheers
John

ps-the club could never own a casino. get your terms correct!

Re: other revenue streams. I'm not against a clubhouse type establishment with bistros, gym, bars, hall for live concerts/aftermatches etc. Just against one with pokies. Unviable? Funny... that sort of thing made money for a LONG time before pokies came in. I know we'd be more secure with them... but we'd be secure at the expense of the community, and in an industry where SUPPORT is essential, that's not a great way to go.

Sound silly? Well, sometimes things are more important than money. To me, keeping our noses clean is more important than the money pokies could provide.

[lescygnes]

Charlie,

ever heard to "agree to disagree" amicably???

and, we read your opinion the first time about gaming machines the first time you posted. we're not all blind and forgetful you know. if you have nothing new to say, then resist hitting that "reply" button.

the reality is, in Sydney, poker machines are inextricably linked to funding sports. im quite hapopy and proud that gaming revenue in NSW goes to fund the NSWIS, aswell as many other sporting groups. and we arent even talking about the revenue for other community groups get, which would never have received if it wasnt for gaming revenue.

if you fail to see where gaming revenue is actually used to for betterment of the wider community, as registered clubs in NSW do, then its a pity.

and the vast, vast majority of people who play poker machines, of which I am not one of, are not gambling addicts at all, and participate by choice.

not everything that happens in society is "ideal", but things happen Charlie that you just have no control over.

afterall, we all have to take on our own responsibilities in life at some stage, and not to be treated like uncontrollable children by the government.

also, many hotels in NSW were going broke prior to them having access to poker machines during the Carr Corporation coming to power in 1995 (sad day that one).

poker machines have been part of life in NSW since the 1950's in registered clubs. clubs that subsidise other aspects of their venues for their members with gaming revenue. so your argument that places were making money prior to poker machines coming in may work in Victoria, but doesnt wash up here in NSW.

now how about this for a question Charlie. how do you feel about the merchandise sold by the Swans and other AFL clubs that are proudly made in Asian Sweatshops? are you going to stop buying merchandise because of the disgraceful treatment workers are put through in these places? are we truly always keeping our noses clean?

seriously, the world just doesnt work that way!

can we move on now??

cheers
John

[anne]

What happened to the Swans agreement with Easts? One minute all their stuff was there and the next it was gone. I actually used to like watching away games there on the big screen - you could cheer and not feel alone when they were hopeless. I always visit Easts for a cooffee when we visit Sydney. It is pleasant and well located - certainly better than having nothing.

[Damien]

I am also one that regrets the Swans not taking up the Club option. I work with John (Lescygnes) as a Team Leader, and see first hand what was available to our club. Not only would we be secure no matter how many 1993's came along, but we would also contribute so much to the community without jeopordising the football team by doing so.

Clubs - and pokies are part of the Sydney way of life and while I agree they can be destructive to some people, it is a free society and people have to think for themselves.

Pokies have been in Sydney clubs since the early 60's - simply a club or hotel in Sydney without Pokies isn't going work - has anyone seen lease, rent or otherwise prices in the Eastern Suburbs lately? It makes this Tasmanian boy want to faint believe me!

The industry is heavily regulated in this state and not only does it deliver 1 billion dollars straight to the NSW Government in the way of taxes, clubs are also made to spend money on community development (which can not include football teams) and Gambling Help Lines.

I noticed a comment on broke grandmothers or something earlier, let me assure you that most senior citizens in NSW have a life thanks to registered clubs. Subsidised meals, gyms, outings etc are all available thanks to them and in most cases the club becomes the fabric of the local community.

I have a friend who is a huge Tigers fan in the NRL, and everytime he goes to Tigers, he knows, that when he buys a beer, or a meal, or puts $10 bucks in the pokies, it goes to his team. I am a bit jelous I can't say I am going to "swans" for a meal tonight, and the sad thing is, I can't seem to go anywhere to directly support my team.

[Damien]

Originally posted by lescygnes

also, many hotels in NSW were going broke prior to them having access to poker machines during the Carr Corporation coming to power in 1995 (sad day that one).

Now John, you are lucky that you are off to become a froggy Canadian at the end of the month, or I would have organised the boss to give you a first and final after that comment!!!!

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

Shane "fooking" Harrrrrrrmon

Originally posted by Ruckman

"we have got "marketing guru's" making decisions on behalf of the paying supporters in this respect, and they have absolutely NO IDEA!!!!!!!! none whatsoever.

replace these morons with people who actually care about the club, and them some correct decisions may actually be made in respect to reserve seating, etc."

Agree with you 100% there mate. I reckon they've hopped into bed with Fox in a vague attempt to appease Murdoch etc. There is nothing "official looking" about it. Say what you liked about the feral old Moore Park Bowling Club. but at least the real supporters got to have a chat and even a bit of a kick-to-kick on the grass outside (often with Adam Heuskes ).

Sadly we DID have a guy who is a genuine and passionate supporter working in the club noffice; Shane Harmon. And we let him go, only for the Rugby World Cup to snap him us as manager of ticketing operating. Now he works for the ARU who always seem happy to snap up members of Swans' admin teams of the past (Anne Woodman amongst several others...).

Myle Baron-Haye MUST do his darndest to poach the guy back. Because not only did he tremendous business accumen, using great research to back up what he was doing, but he was actually a supporter of the club since moving to Australia from Ireland. He knew what it was like in the outer, because he sat in the outer himself. Even whilst he was working for the club!!!! I recall with great fondness

Shane always called a spade a "fooking shoovel". We used to have quite heated arguments from time to time. But I respected him that he cared enough about this club to take umbrage at something I've said; more please!!!! He even took on my suggestion of bringing individual junior footy clubs into the Cheer Squad area at matches. Proof of his work can be seen below!

I fear that under Colless' near hegemony at Driver Ave at the time that his outspoken candour would not have been seen upon positively.

Shaun Welsh was good at his job, but became somewhat aloof towards supporters when you saw him. On the other hand I used to get phone calls from Shane asking how I was going. And telling me how his pregnant wife was getting on etc. One classic SMS I got was when the Swans had been beaten by 8 goals over in Adelaide. Knowing I was there, and had near killed myself getting everything over there, his advise was classic (and typically Irish). "Just goo owt end git pissed, will yer. Git pissed foer me, ok."

We ARE making inroads in terms of having a more member-savvy office, both in Sydney and Melbourne. I can only say that for the first time in close to 10 years I had a club official introduce himself and say he was going to sit with the Cheer Squad at matches rather than tell me off for singing "Today is Monday, Monday is a finger day." etc etc.

That's a start. But there is a long long way to go.

I empathise with your concerns Ruckman. Believe me, I do.

JF

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

Re: Shane "fooking" Harrrrrrrmon

Originally posted by JF_Bay22_SCG
He even took on my suggestion of bringing individual junior footy clubs into the Cheer Squad area at matches. Proof of his work can be seen below!

Here is that proof!

JF http://redandwhiteonline.com/images/...20505Me-10.jpg

[lescygnes]

Damien wrote:

Now John, you are lucky that you are off to become a froggy Canadian at the end of the month, or I would have organised the boss to give you a first and final after that comment!!!!

he he he

now now Damien, dob me in for being on here and you'll be dobbing yourself in too!!!

20 days until the non-froggy part of Canada actually!!!

good to see some humour around here!

cheers
John

[Damien]

It's all about the 'yumour' Johnny.

So does that mean 21 days until you are deported for being a terror suspect then?? hehe