Quote Red John="Red John"The reliability or otherwise of the grapevine isn't really the issue. Isn't the fact that the club aren't happy with the stadium managment a good thing?'"
I'd say it's a yes and no situation. Yes because it's good they acknowledge this, no because we seem unable to do anything about it, for whatever reason.
Quote Red John="Red John"It's not just 5%. It's 5% for every one pound taken off the admission price. You suggested (I think) £15, which would require an increase in attendance of around 1400 adults paying full price in order for the club to not lose money. Personally, I doubt we could get that at the moment. That said, I do think prices are too high, and maybe £18 would be better, but, as I said, the club have to be careful.'"
I am aware of that and I probably worded the initial post incorrectly. I still think an increase like that is possible, albeit not overnight. Continued ticket offers along with scrapping the free ticket nonsense with that radio station will eventually take hold - but they don't need to be run every week. Of course, the bad luck with the weather doesn't help but if we keep persisting then one day I see no reason why we cannot build the crowds up. A lower admission price will go a long way to solving that issue.
Quote Red John="Red John"It does appear the SMC and Ticketline are making a balls of things. When looking for organisations that are badly run, there's two right there. But if they're not willing to listen, how does that make [iSalford[/i badly run?'"
I'm starting to think you're drifting from the initial intention of these posts. The question I was responding to was "what would you do differently?" not "what points to Salford being poorly run for 30 years?" The SMC, Ticketline and G4S are all a complete shower (I've had dealings with G4S elsewhere. It's no coincidence that Lancashire's stewarding is now regarded as the worst and rudest on the County circuit) but as tenants of the stadium who are directly affected by the way in which things are run, we need to be liaising with them in order to help things run more smoothly.
Quote Red John="Red John"True, but if the club have got limited resources, you have to look where those resources are best spent. They seem to have improved on-line communication with Facebook, etc., but it looks like the web shop has suffered. But then how important is the web shop? How much merchandise does the club sell in general?'"
I don't know exact figures, but I'm sure merchandise sales are hampered by the lack of an online presence. You'd be surprised how many supporters we have that are outside Salford, by quite a distance in some cases. I've heard a number of people say they'd buy stuff if a) it was easier to do so and b) if certain things were added to the range of merchandise. As I've said, a webshop can be run on a shoestring budget. Easily.
Quote Red John="Red John"There are two comments you make here which sum up why I asked the question about what actual evidence there is that the club are badly run: you're [isure[/i there must be someone.....; you'd [iimagine[/i the club chose to close the East Stand..... These are both conjecture, not hard evidence. And it's not difficult to come up with a different view of things. Having worked for an organisation that ended up operating on a shoestring budget (and it really was a badly run organisation) I'm less sure that people could be made available to cover for others on breaks.'"
Strangely enough I currently work for an organisation, a sporting one no less, that operates on shoestring budget. A shoestring budget doesn't mean having to compromise on quality, nor does it mean you'd be unable to provide cover for people. Let's be honest, to my mind being able to have the shop open constantly, particularly as dinner time is when most people would be able to pop down there, is just good practice.
Quote Red John="Red John"With regards the East Stand, we know that the SMC are keen to close stands to cut down on stewarding costs. Could this not have been the case here? Could they not have sprung this on the club at the last minute? Could this be one of the reasons why the club aren't happy?'"
That could be down to a lack of communication between club and SMC, I'll agree - but it would have made more sense to me to sell STs in two stands at first just to be on the safe side. Someone somewhere must've had an inkling that stands may require shutting if crowds don't go as planned.
Quote Red John="Red John"No doubt some things could be done better, but I still don't see evidence that Salford are badly run rather than operating on a very limited budget. There are some understandable quibbles, particularly about ticketing, but, for me, it's not always clear that it's the club's fault. And it doesn't shout 'badly run club' to me. Being forced to sell the lease on your stadium without checking what effect it would have on credit streams from the bank, leading to you having to put out a begging bowl to help get you through the rest of the season is a sign of a badly run club. I'm just not seeing that at Salford (yet!).'"
Again, you asked for what people would do differently, not "what is a sign of a poorly run club." There is a number of examples of that over the years mind, the email address story I've told you on this very thread is one which you seem to brush over a bit. Someone somewhere does have a list of these things, if I'm able to I'll get a few examples off it.
