I think sports clubs are in a category of their own in terms of customer loyalty and funding models. Probably directors loans but unlike traditional financial creditors the directors are first and foremost fans of the club and very unlikely to cash in the chips.

Almost impossible because there is no cash to ' cash in ' with , so HKR are losing £ 500 K per year , dont try to pretend otherwise

No they aren't, they are breaking even on the P&L statement. Just that 500k of their income last year came from two directors pockets not sales. At the end of the day if the well dries up then the club will need to cut its expenditure accordingly.

Why is everybody trying to be ' smokey ' these days

It really is sad

Does anyone know the detail of the meeting at Cas last night ?

[url=http://www.castigers.com/article.php?id=2554Season ticket and Membership launch[/url

Interesting comment from Ferres:
"As a result, licensing requirements are being relaxed to enable clubs to explore different routes to ensure they achieve Super League status;"

As I read it they're 'temporally' relaxing ground standards, which would seem sensible if we hadn't had a basin full of the RFL shifting the goalposts on SL qualification in the past.

As I've said before, this 'make it up as you go along' approach by the RFL does the game's credibility no good at all.

All the RFL has to do is scrap licensing, introduce 1 up 1 down promotion/relegation between the leagues, scrap the salary cap, fixed penalties for going into Administration & going bust - and then just step back and let the clubs get on with it.

BTW, I seem to remember the Chancellor saying in 1992 that the UK's exit from the European ERM was 'temporary'. Turned out to be permanent in fact.

They've relaxed financial standards too by the looks of things. Can't lose those "iconic" clubs now can we?

I respect the rfl for adjusting there rules to fit the financial climate. Getting funding for new stadia must be almost impossible at the moment. Not something they could have foreseen. But hey lets just slag them off anyway.

Has the financial climate become worse since the last round of licences last year when the RFL discribed the facilities as "inadequate"?

16 years they've been seeing this.....now they have an excuse

I think the situation at Bradford will have changed how clubs are treated in the future.
A double deccker bus was driven through the franchise criteria when things went pear shaped at Odsal.

Exactly! The new terms of “fit for purpose” is more sensible and it should off always been that. The Bulls “iconic ground” fiasco made the RFLs insistence that other clubs get a new ground look ludicrous!

but where does that leave clubs who have taken the hit to move eg Salfords income will be reduced, Leigh's certainly was. Leigh might as well of stayed at HP if the RFL had said the gates were shut and securely locked.

Just seen Man City's losses they posted the last financial year, and we think we have problems!

HKR seem to be managing to significantly improve their stadium even in tough financial times? Where there is a will and all that.

Don't be silly. 'Speculative' financial figures will still be rejected.

All financial forecasts are "speculative", it's just a case of seeing through the fog.
I dont think that Bradford were the first company in history to fail to hit their targets and they wont be the last.
Has/ should anyone have been held accountable for their failiure ?
After all we were only just a few months into a 3 year agreement.

indeed



Held to account by whom, and in what way?

Assuming the RFL appointed their independent body to scrutinise the financial side of things and that body assured the RFL that the "Bulls" were ok, should there be any penalty for the poor judgement, indeed, will the same/similar criteria be used next time around and will the RFL employ the same company.
Of course it is possible that the problems on the horizon were pointed out but not acted upon, who knows ?

Or the independent body just allowed its name to be used but didn't actually do anything

It's too late this time.

For the future, the RFL should simply set a rule:-

- Go into Administration = 6 league points deducted
- Go bust = relegation to the bottom league (Championship 1)

then Licensing and the Salary Cap can be scrapped.

What, have a rule that is both simple and unambiguous !

You are absolutely bang on !

and screw what's good for the game! We have rules! They must be followed!

Are HKR financing it?