bondiblue wrote:
No problem thinking outside the square keogh, and your heart is in the right spot.
But we must consider what's going in our favour before we consider your strategy.
Firstly, let me say that we are in a bad situation atm. The moment that is. It's a moment in time, and there are a few reasons for this. To admit there is no hope is rather defeatist, and too simple to swallow. You just need to see where some other teams have been in the last decade and how they turned it around to see that it can happen; and it wasn't due to selling games; that's a cash flow matter, not a debt erosion strategy.
Our debt is not due to lack of sponsors and gate takings, although they haven't helped our situation. Our $25M foray in building a stand we no longer use put us in this mess in the main. It's now $7M. Something tells me the debt is heading in the right direction. It was a mistake, sure, but the AFL is also partly responsible for this too. Yeah, that doesn't change a thing, because we're still in debt, but our position is improving. That's a good start and trend imo...and really $7M today is not a death sentence.
Branding is an important part in the marketing mix. I can understand how some believe the brand is tarnished with the penalties and tag on Carlton as 'cheats', as well as our on field performance, which hasn't helped. What you must consider is the positive position we are in as well. We have a brand and a national exposure that has travelled well over 100 years. Given we are recognised, just a few wins and rise up the ladder will not take too mush time to associate the brand with success again. People, including media and supporters are a fickle thing. I can go on for pages on this, but in summary, we have a brand, we have success associated with the brand, and we have reach. What we haven't done successfully in the last 10 years is conversion to memberships. That's the role of marketing; and that can change in a year.
We had something like 600,000 national supporters, which has fallen to about 450,000 in 5 years. 450,000 supporters in a period of darkness is not something you sneeze at. There's a good reason for the drop; it's to do with ficleness. Marketing can sort that out. Just remember that perception is reality, and the challenge is to change perception, and this comes from action.
We do not have our hands tied, just our imagination. Shit happens, but things do turn around in such a small period of time. I can write pages on Brands that have hit all time lows, only to change their fate from one master stroke. Marketing.
16 Premierships
150 year old history
We're still alive
The AFL is committed to us for the next 5 years
We have a 5 year window; that's a long time.
Carlton doesn't mean just a footy club, it's a beer too.
And what else?....Think about all the positives we can embrace in our bald move to change perception. I'll start you off:
1991-1997 "Too old, too slow, and we won and lost a flag. Noone was right in predicting that lot, as I don't believe keogh's prediction is on the money. Keogh has an opinion; it could be wrong; it certainly is weak in looking for positives, and it's defeatist, or an act of desperation (half glass empty), by not looking at how to fix what we've got.
Today what have we got (half full glass)
2007 we have 30 under 23 yo kids on the list
Delisted the duds.
We have some future stars that have impressed the football world
We have the current Coleman medallist.
We have many kids getting around the 50 game mark...more muscle, better skills...
The problem some have is that they believe everything they read on TC and forums; they're only people having a stab, and that doesn't mean they're right. What they're right about is that they have no idea what the plan is; how do we get the list right, when are we going to play finals, how do we erode the debt, when will we start to travel in the black again....and they're fair enough questions. I don't know the answers, but it's only been this year that we read that Carlton is adopting a youth policy, after a period ehen Elliot stated that Carlton don't rebuild, and Pagan was brought in the rebuild with whatever he thought would work; recycling. That's a change in mindset if ever I heard one.
Think about the positives; then you'll see trees for wood....your turn...
Great post Bondi.
As per usual you are right on the money.
In my honest opinion our "kids" will be the equal of any other club in the competition following this years draft. As you stated above, we still have a lot of things going for us in particular a strong supporter base all around Australia.
The next couple of years are crucial however and we need strong leadership and stability in the club. Hopefully the Brown ticket will form a strong united board and Michael Voss joins the club in an assistant coach.