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Poole 2020


DC2

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Surely Ford has made good money over the previous 10 years or so ?  We have had certain fans on here telling us about the bumper gates the club has enjoyed.  So one bad year in X number of good ones shouldn’t hurt that much. 

If not it begs the question where has the money gone.  I always thought Poole was the blueprint of how to run a modern day Speedway promotion.

Edited by semion
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4 minutes ago, semion said:

 

Surely the best way Forward is to get the oracle that is Steve Shovlar to step up the mark and invest in the project and bring his many ideas to the fore.  No one knows more about Poole and Speedway in general than him.

Knight in shining armour time Steveo

Edited by semion
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11 minutes ago, semion said:

Surely the best way Forward is to get the oracle that is Steve Shovlar to step up the mark and invest in the project and bring his many ideas to the fore.  No one knows more about Poole and Speedway in general than him.

Knight in shining armour time Steveo

I am a far too busy to waste time and effort in a sport. No proper money in it. Why waste time and effort in a sport where what you do is scrutinised by idiotic people who would never dream of putting their hands in their own pockets. 

Matt runs his business to be self sufficient. Cloth is cut accordingly. Possibly the worse thing to happen to the sport is Sky TV. The money allowed for the best riders but as soon as Sky left the crowds vacated as team strengths plummeted.  In the long term it did the sport no favours at all. BT costs clubs big time as they pay nothing and empty the terraces when in town.  

Best bet is streaming where the clubs benefit directly. Tenner a meeting, geo blocking local areas. Money there to be made.

Edited by Steve Shovlar
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1 hour ago, Steve Shovlar said:

I am a far too busy to waste time and effort in a sport. No proper money in it. Why waste time and effort in a sport where what you do is scrutinised by idiotic people who would never dream of putting their hands in their own pockets. 

 

Oh....the irony! Chapeau, Sir. :rofl:

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Seems like in the pursuit of glory Matt Ford has run Poole into the ground.

Seeking success and paying wages and demands of the top riders has left Poole in a financial mess

Reminds me of Peter Ridsdale the Leeds football chairman, who literally destroyed the club trying to win trophies

Poole speedway get the biggest crowds so we are told.................so what has Ford done with all the money?

Not how a club should be run

Glad you all enjoyed the trophy winning years.......but at what price

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42 minutes ago, Gavan said:

Seems like in the pursuit of glory Matt Ford has run Poole into the ground.

Seeking success and paying wages and demands of the top riders has left Poole in a financial mess

Absolute B.S. except for the 'seeking success' comment.

This year, in addition to the end of the previous main team sponsor's 2-year deal, the club also lost a further 2 of its long-standing 'senior' sponsors due to important changes to their own business development and priorities and nothing to do directly with speedway in general or Poole in particular - the club is hopeful that at some future point they may return.

As today's article explains, this year's replacement Main Sponsor's business has gone bust - in simple terms - and has not 100% fullfilled its promised financial commitment to the club.   I'm not sure any promoter least of all Matt Ford would not be financially affected in such circumstances.

It'll be very interesting to see what options the club is asking for fan feedback on this evening as well as any further info from the press conference after the meeting featuring all seven Pirates and the Management!!??

Edited by Skidder1
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As far as I am aware Matt Ford has had good sponsors which has allowed him to ensure quality riders enabling him to have much success.

No problem with that from me.

Until Speedway as a whole is prepared to budget within their means I fear for the future of theSport

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Can only be 2 options surely?

Premier or Championship?

Cant see Poole in NDL or dropping out.

Ford would build powerful CL team using assets.

BSPA don't want a big league that's as clear as it can be.

If Poole were to drop out and 6 Clubs in PL then obvious move would be to try to get Sheffield up and one other (Kent being widely suggested).

Poole would be big boost to Championship and if regardless if Plymouth were accepted (doubtful with their past record) or not; would balance the CL more equally North and South.

 

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25 minutes ago, Skidder1 said:

Absolute B.S. except for the 'seeking success' comment.

This year, in addition to the end of the previous main team sponsor's 2-year deal, the club also lost a further 2 of its long-standing 'senior' sponsors due to important changes to their own business development and priorities and nothing to do directly with speedway in general or Poole in particular - the club is hopeful that at some future point they may return.

As today's article explains, this year's replacement Main Sponsor's business has gone bust - in simple terms - and has not 100% fullfilled its promised financial commitment to the club.   I'm not sure any promoter least of all Matt Ford would not be financially affected in such circumstances.

It'll be very interesting to see what options the club is asking for fan feedback on this evening as well as any further info from the press conference after the meeting featuring all seven Pirates and the Management!!??

I  can imagine the loss is fairly substantial.

If you look at the loss as per the Administrators Statement on 9th Aug that in in Itself showed £21k owed to Poole. Factor in no money for Aug/Sept/Oct from them plus the loss of a possible bumper final crowd loss against maybe Swindon that would have at least maybe offset a part of those losses then in Financial terms it has been a not great one. The falling crowds compared to years gone by also contributed.

However let's also not lose sight of the fact that some years ago Matt sold his other biz interests and his main income I assume was from the successful years of SKY sponsorship and the likes of good money from the Readypower deal. I assume the club was profitable to enable that to happen.

These are worrying times for a team which was on many occasions compared to the Man U of the Speedway World.

Going to be interesting how this plays out considering Buster made the comment not that long ago regarding exciting plans for next season to be discussed/agreed at the next AGM.

Fingers crossed something will happen to allow the club to continue in either or a combined league.

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5 minutes ago, STEVEHOLS54 said:

I  can imagine the loss is fairly substantial.

If you look at the loss as per the Administrators Statement on 9th Aug that in in Itself showed £21k owed to Poole. Factor in no money for Aug/Sept/Oct from them plus the loss of a possible bumper final crowd loss against maybe Swindon that would have at least maybe offset a part of those losses then in Financial terms it has been a not great one. The falling crowds compared to years gone by also contributed.

However let's also not lose sight of the fact that some years ago Matt sold his other biz interests and his main income I assume was from the successful years of SKY sponsorship and the likes of good money from the Readypower deal. I assume the club was profitable to enable that to happen.

These are worrying times for a team which was on many occasions compared to the Man U of the Speedway World.

Going to be interesting how this plays out considering Buster made the comment not that long ago regarding exciting plans for next season to be discussed/agreed at the next AGM.

Fingers crossed something will happen to allow the club to continue in either or a combined league.

I don't recall seeing or reading anything that suggests the club won't continue?  Alternatively it may all just be a ploy to tempt Buster into buying?! lol:rofl:

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3 minutes ago, Skidder1 said:

I don't recall seeing or reading anything that suggests the club won't continue?  Alternatively it may all just be a ploy to tempt Buster into buying?! lol:rofl:

Skidder - We all know that Matt is a past master of playing the media to seek attention to the club. Today is no different.

He commented in the last close season that due to at lack of a main team sponsor (at that time before the Carpet Cleaners signed up) that having embarked on his new career and in the absence of such sponsors he could not guarantee what the future held for the club if maybe a new buyer could not be found.

This is a different spin on the same theme. Having said that I in no way want to distract from what must have been a very tense and financially difficult time for Poole.

The release of this press release could also be viewed partly as an attempt to help swell the crowd on the basis that your vorte may well make a difference to where the club heads in respect of 2020.

Personally I wish him all the best in trying to secure decent main sponsors in his quest to try and keep them in the Prem for the future. However at worse I would accept Champ rather than not running and as mentioned he has plenty of poss club asset options to perhaps put out a decent team in worse case scenario which would not break the Bank.

Of course the other side of this is perhaps a well in advance let down notice to those amongst us who like playing the name next seasons team game. I can't see either Team Kevlars or some of the established foreigner riders or exciting young talent being considered if the club is on the rack somewhat financially. Maybe more of the same to come to keep costs down with MAYBE Holder Sr in the mix ?? Having said that would he not cost a packet if he still considers himself World Class and has to commute in if he no longer lives UK ??

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I’m pretty sure in his mind Matt Ford has moved on from speedway and wants to get out of Poole.

It therefore puts Poole in the same bracket as most clubs or even a bit below in the financial clout of clubs.

It gives me no pleasure in seeing a great club now struggle but the sport is on knife edge that a wrong decision here and there could push it over.

A questionnaire is a good idea but realistically will they get sensible reply’s. 

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17 minutes ago, Baldyman said:

Buster was looking into buying some holes wasn't he, and branching out into motox

I wouldn't want him to buy it. Lynn will suffer again I fear. Matt who previously banged his chest against one league for years, might well want it now.

I don't think he could bear it if he wasn't in the top league, hence the need for one big one now, in the interests of  the sport Poole of course. Just imho.

If like people say, he runs it as a business, he must of been raking in it in for years with all that Sky money and the great sponsors Poole have been lucky enough to have had over the years.. 

Now might be a time to put a little back for all the loyal fans that have supported them/him so well in the good years, and still do today ?

 

Edited by Bald Bloke
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31 minutes ago, Bald Bloke said:

I wouldn't want him to buy it. Lynn will suffer again I fear. Matt who previously banged his chest against one league for years, might well want it now.

I don't think he could bear it if he wasn't in the top league, hence the need for one big one now, in the interests of  the sport Poole of course. Just imho.

If like people say, he runs it as a business, he must of been raking in it in for years with all that Sky money and the great sponsors Poole have been lucky enough to have had over the years.. 

Now might be a time to put a little back for all the loyal fans that have supported them/him so well in the good years, and still do today ?

 

We have been told time and time again that Poole speedway has been the best business model in the sport.

Poole had the best sponsors and the biggest crowds and raking the money in..

Questions need to be asked what Ford has done with it all................

Avarice is a word that springs to mind........

I used to think Ford was good for Poole but bad for the sport...............seems he has not exactly been good for Poole either.

 

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2 minutes ago, Gavan said:

We have been told time and time again that Poole speedway has been the best business model in the sport.

Poole had the best sponsors and the biggest crowds and raking the money in..

Questions need to be asked what Ford has done with it all................

Avarice is a word that springs to mind........

I used to think Ford was good for Poole but bad for the sport...............seems he has not exactly been good for Poole either.

 

Spent it/ invested it, who knows. But up to him at the end of the day, I guess.

I think Matt has been good for Poole as long as he was making money out of the club, which is fine, but  maybe don't bleed Poole like some thought ? No ££, no Matt maybe.

Oh and I had to Google avarice :D

 

 

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