This topic has probably been brought up in the past few years, but l was just wondering as to why we don't all get together as members and do this.

We are therefore looking at 30,000 members say at $100 = $3,000,000.
Perhaps this amount may be somewhat lower as we could not possibly expect kids and students accoss the board to contribute this sort of money.

Is it the technicalities of enforcing this to members that makes this impractical and possibly impossible, or does this actually make sense?

My attitude would be - be done with it, let's just do it for the love of our club, be proud how we have bound together as members to help our club out of financial difficulty, and move forward in a positive fashion.

What's everyones thoughts on the matter?

Isn't that what a membership is for?

but if the amount to be payed was a minimum of $100, im sure there'd be hundreds of people willing to give significantly more than the $100 minimium.

maybe if the club sent out badges or something of the sort acknowledging that you have made the donation it would be more appealing.

whether the club have enough pride to send out such a plea to all their members is another issue.

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Last edited by true_blue3 on Mon Sep 26, 1981 5:07 pm; edited 92 times in total

I like your enthusiasm Man U but can someone confirm of deny that the BRW has Smorgon listed with a personal wealth of $107 million ?????

BRW may have over estimated........say he is only worth $60 million. Where would that leave your post Man U. Sorry but it just doesn't cut it as far as I can see.

CFC needs about $3 million upfront..........1.5 to POQ the AFL and 1.5 as working capital to keep the club running right now and to keep the wolfs from the door while they sort out all the Board issues.

What is $3 mil as a % of $60 mil let alone $107 Mil ????

I simply cannot understand why all these 'well healed' CFC supporters who apparently bleed blue blood, cannot find some small change to save this club we/they love.

It is all BS no-matter how you cut it. They are all comparing the size of their respective genitalia while the club lives on the smell of an oily rag.

It really is a disgrace.

CFC shouldn't be a charity but please don't sit there and tell me that multi millionaires who supposedly love the club since they were 'knee high' can't find a way to help the club climb onward and upward in its time of need.

Regards Cazzesman

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Ricky Gervais - “Everyone has the right to hold whatever beliefs they want. And everyone else has the right to find those beliefs f***ing ridiculous.”

Obviously they have their own personal agenda as their #1 priority and NOT the clubs best interests.
Those on the board who are guilty of that must be voted out.

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There's so much I could say...

I've thought the same things myself many a time in the last few years Cazzesman.

Why should anyone on the board be FORCED to clear our debt?

What happened to all you donkey's who after black Friday were saying how much 'stronger' this would make us as a club, and we had to get out of debt without a white knight saving us and it would be the best thing to ever happen to us???

Nothing more than a case of mind numbing sheep thinking they know what is best.

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"Davies could eventually become a player of Judd's ability" - Paganite03 Click here to see for yourself!

The problem is that even if we find another $3 million it doesn't solve the real problem - lack of annually recurring revenue. A million here or there is nice and stems the bleeding temporarily but the real issue is finding revenue streams that are ongoing.

I want a board that is capable of finding those revenue streams rather than having to beg and borrow and spend the rest of its life on the breadline.

The debt is not what's crippling us - it's the annual cost of running a football club that's hurting. That cost is going up year on year and our revenue isn't increasing to cover it. In a few years time it's going to cost over $30 million a year just to run a club and break even - where's the plan to build the revenue base to be able to compete in that environment?

Other clubs are doing it while we're running around appointing bad haircuts who promise to "bring in $1 million revenue". If that revenue's going to come every year then great but I suspect, if it exists at all, it's the one-off purchase price of a seat on a failing board. Pretty expensive way to put 3 months as a board member" on your CV.

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“When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn't become a king. The palace turns into a circus.”
Turkish Proverb

CG

It's not about being forced! Its about capacity and wherewithall.

It just doesn't add up that those with the ability to give generously (because they have it) have done so, when you look at the lack of funds coming inbto the club. Maybe some have held back because they don't approve of the current leadership. But what of those who are already there?

I wouldn't give the current board an extra $100 (I have already paid for my 2007 membership). All it would do is buy them more time and they'd just piss it away. Given that perception, is it surprising that other people won't put in more?

I don't know if I'm insane or senile (probably both), but I seem to recall that in the early 80's it used to be a requisite of membership (possibly social club membership) that if the club got into trouble, each member had to stump up $50 in order to help us out of it. It may well have been as a side-effect of the messy end of the Harris regime, but I can distinctly remember chatting with my late father about it.

As I've been ill for quite a while I haven't been able to attend a live game for about three years or so, so through my Social Club membership I've basically been making a $400-odd donation to the club in its time of greatest need. Even though it would be a genuine financial strain I wouldn't be adverse to coughing up $100-$200 to escape the chains of our oppressors (both financial institutions and the AFL!).

As to whether all our rich supporters should stump up the seven figure sums that their bank accounts would suggest that they are capable of: As long as we aren't exchanging one dictator for another.

There must be no strings attached to their contribution. The only return they should expect from their investment is a successful Carlton team, not some cock-extending display of power. Let them have their superboxes and the like, but keep their noses out of the everyday running of the club, unless they are able to attract the votes of the general membership.

By steering ourselves into the hands of 'society's elite' rather than the 'little people' (a.k.a. hoi polloi, plebs, MacDonalds workers or whomever), we have not future-proofed our club by actively seeking out new generations of bluebagger-supporting kids during our periods of on-field prominence.

On the positive side (despite the relentlessly negative PR we have been subjected to over the summer) it is still not too late to recover from the disasters of recent years.

What we do know though is that whoever is elected in March (and I'm certainly not smart enough to know who that should be), must focus the club so that we don't fall into the same malaise that befell Collingwood and Melbourne after the 50's. No club deserves success simply because they have been successful.

What inspires me of late is seeing all these young, talented players walking in off Royal Parade. It's they who make me confident that these Dark Times will pass.

The $50 is each member's maximum legal liability if the club goes out of business owing creditors. That $50 goes to paying them AFTER we're bust.

Again - it doesn't solve our lack of ANNUAL revenue and stinks of institutionalized pauperism AFAIC.

We need a board that can provide ongoing future revenue streams that grow annually - not some bunch of goons with their hands out to supporters, coteries, board members and the AFL.

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“When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn't become a king. The palace turns into a circus.”
Turkish Proverb

Ahhh. Thanks for the clarification.

Early-onset senility it is then!

Gawd, for Christ sake... This is sounding more and more like a charity!
The only way members should have to pay any money if the club folds is if in buying a membership you also buy a permanent asset in the club. ie. shares and earn dividends.
Shares mature, memberships don't.

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Why are the Blues such a frustrating side!??!?!

didn't we already do this in the 1960's?

Forced!? Did I hear the words forced mentioned anywhere? Gee, you just love convoluting things - don't you CarltonGod? That said, Smorgo may love the club - but he's probably thinking *at a guess* that he doesn't want to contribute a large wad of cash towards the club if he isn't going to be there in the next 3-5 years to see us climb back into positive territory...

As for the $100 donation idea, great in theory - but I'd think that the club would be much too proud to suggest this to the members... that said I'd throw in a couple of hundred to help the club... but I'd be hesitant to do so udner the current board. They are hardly transparent and how do we know where the money would be going? If the club *like some other clubs ATM* had the guts to dish up the financial reports for this year for the members to see - good or bad - I'd feel much more inclined.

The Flying Beermat, just continuing on what you were saying - people like Richard Pratt have a great amount of respect from me... has never felt inclined or 'FORCED' into making contributions, but has - as an individual - probably poured more money into this club in the last 20 years than any single other person... and his motives or agendas? None, apart from his desire to see the Carlton Football Club succeed. Seeking no recognition, but receiving a lot of admiration...

There have been fundraising efforts (raffle tickets etc) recently. I chipped in $100 to the club to help out (bought tickets) but don't really care if I win or not. I'd be just as happy to sell whatever was given and give it back to the club in funds If I actually won.

The club does also accept donations anytime of the year. How about this, get yourself a Credit Co-Op account (no fees) and chip in $2 a week for a year, then donate to the club. There's your $100.

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The great are great to us only because we are on our knees. Let us arise.
--Robert Collier

Look this is all bullshit.
If Smorgon wants an extended board of people.. which is what he is creating .. so people dont run against him.....and he cant bring the money in himself...

why dont we go with this idea and have an extended extended board.. at least we found the money ourselves .. and if the board is a bit bigger than smorgons so what???


Look i had friends that went along to a Fitzro fightback meeting .
The crux was Hoare Lacy urged their supporters to buy a slab each... "if you all buy a slab each were saved... just a slab"

Well all the supporters were all wound into a frenzy.. straight to their pub to buy their one slab of freedom.....

My mates looked at each other shook their heads and said... "theyre [REDACTED]!!"

100 dollars each never works because there are NO CORNERSTONES holding up the business....

It needs cornerstones to stand up.... this gaggle of board members have createn no cornerstones businesswise...

They have to @#$%&! off ... quick!!!

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