Geelong have raised $14M towards their $60M target to build a new training and events centre at Kardinia Park. This further calls out Essendon’s lethargy in strategic planning of its future and bullet proofing its business plan to secure its future when we look at what our piers are doing to proactively secure their futures.
Collingwood recently talked about their $50M Future Fund.
Essendon continue to dither on whatever plan it hasn’t got, it has no money and is financially vulnerable.
There’s been lots of talk from the Board. Yet no plans to actively put things in place. It’s time Essendon act to secure its future and build a broader plan for the Tulla precinct and Windy Hill.
It’s a fair call. We don’t seem to be as cashed up as we’d like considering our member base etc. unfortunately I don’t think our facilities are likely to attract state government funding (unlike Geelong).
I really do think something is fishy about the surface of the Tula facility. I’d love for the club to redevelop Windy Hill if possible but it is in a pretty dense area so seems unlikely.
The issue is it has been distracted and lost focus on broader strategic planning as it’s been preoccupied with footy issues and supplements scandals. At same time, its competitors are actively going hard building strategic non football businesses that are not related to footy fortunes. Geelong is building an empire down there and Essendon is quickly losing ground financially and its business plan is not getting necessary focus.
Essendon has nearly no cash reserves. It’s actually becoming one of the weaker clubs in the AFL financially, falling well behind most clubs off field. Its membership is shocking for a club of its size.
It’s not about winning games to insulate itself. Its plan should be to grow and be strong irrespective of footy fortunes. That’s what other clubs are working towards. Geelong is entertaining and hosting 1,000 people at functions and dinner in a week that has nothing to do with winning footy games. It’s building businesses that are 365 days a year revenue earners whilst Essendon sits on its backside and just talks up intent.
It’s time Essendon got serious about this stuff because if another Covid comes along, or a supplements saga that depletes its financial resources it will be badly exposed.
The Board needs to start delivering. What happened to Windy Hill redevelopment? What happened to using land behind the Hangar? What’s happening with anything in terms of strategic planning for non football business?
I doubt the Tulla facility will ever be anything other than a football facility. It’s all about location. Windy Hill would need to be the ‘precinct’ for off field events etc.
If they get the on field stuff right the membership base would probably increase extraordinarily and then help fund other initiatives to keep the club financially stable. I think that’s of key importance at the moment.
Arguably the club should be building a financial pathway around this, with certain initiatives/off field goals. If they don’t get the on field right then the club will probably shrink as we won’t retain the next generation of fans to the fullest extent if we continue to be a laughing stock on field.
It’s not like dmapes is going to leave sunny Qld where he can get an abundance of glorious natural vitamin D to the industrial wasteland of tulla to ever visit.
So our state of the art high tech training base that we claimed all clubs should be envious about is now just a tin shed with a couple of cold showers and a dimmy canteen the envy of only North?
No, I think we need the Board to be accountable for being on record of saying they’re bringing in people to the Club to focus on this project and start showing actions and demonstrable results.
It’s the Boards responsibility and it also comes down to the CEO to drive it. But it’s the Board and executive who need to start delivering.
