Grant's goal

[DVS Matt]

Grant's goal

Grant's goal
Jason Avedissian

15Aug07


MANLY'S long-term financial stability could lay away from Brookvale Oval following a record-breaking night in Gosford.


The Manly Daily can reveal the Sea Eagles match against Newcastle at Bluetongue Stadium last Friday night generated $250,000 - Manly's largest gate-taking yet for a regular season game.

The Sea Eagles thumped the Knights 50-16 but also kicked some serious monetary goals, selling more than $20,000 worth of merchandise, the best figures in five years. Casual corporate sales were six times higher than a typical afternoon at a dilapidated Brookvale Oval.

The figures have convinced Manly CEO Grant Mayer the experiment up north is worth pursuing beyond the two-game NRL agreement next year.

``We will not rule out further ventures north if Brookie does not get the money needed to bring us into the 21st century,'' Mr Mayer said yesterday.

``Bluetongue offer very attractive rental rates and offer a much bigger corporate hospitality portfolio. There are more undercover seats than Brookvale and better signage options.

``I will not commit one way or the other regarding 2009 and beyond.

``No matter what happens, fans can be guaranteed that the decision will be for the financial betterment of the club.''

Mr Mayer stressed that under the privatisation deal voted on by Manly-Warringah Football Club members, a minimum of 10 games must be played at Brookvale Oval each season.

Mr Mayer sent a letter to Premier Morris Iemma on March 19 requesting an immediate $5 million state grant following the loss of power from the eastern light towers at Brookvale Oval during a game.

However it appears certain no state funding is forthcoming.

``We don't have any money to help Brookvale Oval,'' a State Government staff member said.

``Our budget doesn't have the funding for anything in that scale.

``The money that came for OKI (St George's home ground at Kogarah) and Newcastle, were one-off grants from Treasury.''

The Sea Eagles urgently want an upgrade of the lights, seating, amenities blocks and toilet facilities.

Mr Mayer said a revamped venue would ensure Manly's financial future.

``A club that has lost $3.5 million in '04, '05 and '06 has to be financially responsible to ensure a long-term future,'' he said.

``It goes to show that a modern venue would allow the club to prosper while at the same time sharing the benefit with partners such as the council.''

 

[byso]

Grant's goal

His letter to members stated that the club was held back due to previous year’s arrangements by admin and they virtually stated that they regret that they're bound to play 2 games there next year.

This bloke is a politician!

 

[Matabele]

Grant's goal

He is in the process of lobbying to get the funding required for the Brookvale upgrade.

It's a smart article.

 

[Fro]

Grant's goal

Dear Mr Politician,

Please give us money to upgrade it, if you dont we will threaten to move all these games and blame it on you lot thus keeping the fans on side by blaming politicians.

He might as well have addressed it to the govt it is that obvious, but that may involve some thought on what was actually there, which explains the original reply.

Of course he is a politician, just not one elected to office.

 

[Guest]

Grant's goal

He is certainly not a labour politician because he is way to smart. lol

The biggest problem is that we are a liberal area and we have a labour state government. No votes for upgrading brookie oval.

We would have a better chance of winning lotto to upgrade the oval.

I will be meeting with Mr Howard in a couple of weeks so I will ask him to give us a nice big cheque so that we can use that to get the state govt to match it. !pray:

 

[Duff]

Grant's goal

A Liberal govt would be no use either because those private school twats all love the Union & want the Eagles out of the North of Sydney.

All Manly fans need to boycott any further games at Bluetounge.
Let's see how financially viable the place is when three thousand people show up.

 

[byso]

Grant's goal

The Gov't could simply say.

"due to those statistics, your business would be better served operating out of the CC if thats more viable for you"

Didn't North sydney pay 12 million for blue tounge. Surely the club will be expected to add a few mill to the upgrade.

And has anyone thought of were the games will be played while this upgrade is happening? Such a project would surely take a 8 months - 1 year in construction.

 

[Fro]

Grant's goal

hey scoop, the SCG is in the middle of a lot bigger reconstruction than that right now and they are still playing.

 

[Ryan]

Grant's goal

The information released to the Manly Daily was simply to demonstrate our current financial position with Brookvale Oval and an attempt to gain funding to improve it.

Our owners have injected 12 million dollars into this club over the last six years. Brookvale Oval is a community asset that our club hires from the Warringah Council for only 11 games a year. Our hope is to gain funding from the federal and state governments to improve an asset that the entire community will benefit from 365 days a year.

The story in today’s Manly Daily is not a threat by the club to move to the Central Coast, it simply helps highlight the issues we face at Brookvale.

Anyone who wants to discredit this information on the forum will be deleted and repeated posts will result in bans. We do not need such ill informed rumours from our own fans.

Grant Mayer
Chief Executive Officer
Manly Sea Eagles


Fair calls by Mayer....
Think of it like a game of chess people.
Smart man.

 

[PEPSI]

Grant's goal

mayby the Club should also start Lobbying for other clubs to share Brooky, therefore increasing usage , therefore better value to do up.

Teams like Manly United- or do Belrose get a good crowd for Jim BEam cup games ? ? or even the Rah Rahs from Manly Oval, that is a great ground but a crap one to watch a game of footy at.

 

[byso]

Grant's goal

hey scoop, the SCG is in the middle of a lot bigger reconstruction than that right now and they are still playing.

Its also a much larger ground so its easier to push people to other areas of the stadium. :roll:

If the hill is to be redeveloped there is a fair chance the eastern side will be off limits.

 

[Fro]

Grant's goal

D'ya think Byso???

I thought they would build while people were sitting there.

Hmm, did the thought that they might do the majority of it in an offseason ever enter that tiny little brain of yours?

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Grant's goal

[quote author=Fro]
hey scoop, the SCG is in the middle of a lot bigger reconstruction than that right now and they are still playing.

Its also a much larger ground so its easier to push people to other areas of the stadium. :roll:

If the hill is to be redeveloped there is a fair chance the eastern side will be off limits.
[/quote]

We could just do the same as what Newcastle did Byso

Start immediately after the season, and then request the 1st 5-6 rounds away from home til it is ready for use.

 

[Corso_Pete]

Grant's goal

With the proposed stand being built behind the hill I would imagine that a section of the hill would be still be available for use.

As Kiwi said if the first sod of soil is turned in September and we play out first games away the bulk of the dirty work will have been completed by that time.

 

[DVS Matt]

Grant's goal

Hasler wants Brookvale improved
15/08/2007 Adam Lucius - Sportal

Manly coach Des Hasler has taken time out from his team's mounting premiership campaign to implore the NSW State Government to save Brookvale Oval as a rugby league venue.

The Sea Eagles' spiritual home is badly in need of an upgrade amid concerns it will struggle to handle a capacity crowd when the club hosts it first-ever finals match in three weeks' time.

Manly shifted last Friday's home match against Newcastle to the Central Coast's Bluetongue Stadium - earning a record $250,000 in gate takings - and have not ruled out taking future games away from the ageing Brookvale Oval.

The club has written to the State Government requesting funds for an urgent upgrade of Brookvale Oval's lights, seating, amenities blocks and toilet facilities.

"I think from the people's point of view and the supporters' point of view, we need a stadium that's up to date…a marquee stadium that the people and the community can use," Hasler said on Wednesday.

"Brookvale in its current state falls a long way short."

"For the players it's just a great footy ground - it will always be a great footy ground - but for the beancounters and the people that run the business there's a great opportunity to capitalise on it but unfortunately the facilities aren't there for us to capitalise on it."

"It would be great for the state government to toss some money our way."

Looking ahead at next month's home final, Hasler added: "It'll be interesting on how it all copes come a home semi-final."

"I think they're going to have to turn people away."

"It's well documented… we desperately need some funds."

On the player front, the Manly boss is also contemplating some repair work on a number of his walking wounded before the play-offs.

"We're in a fortunate spot; we've got second spot and a home semi in the bag and we don't have to take any unnecessary risks," he pointed out.

"If a player needs a rest - if a player is injured - we certainly won't risk it."

"Sometimes players don't like being rested so we'll gauge that as we go."

The Sea Eagles have injury concerns over half-back and captain Matt Orford heading into Monday night's match against South Sydney at Telstra Stadium.

"We've got till Monday and it's only Wednesday so we're not going to risk Matty," Hasler said.

"We've got five days so he will be a day-to-day proposition."

 

[Corso_Pete]

Grant's goal

Why do we need an upgrade to the lighting? They are only just over 12 months old.

 

[Spuds Bodyguard]

Grant's goal

Its not so much about the lights themself but the busted arse generators etc that power them. a lot of what you can't see and plenty that you can is falling apart in that oval

 

[Jatz Crackers]

Grant's goal

The numbskulls have come out of the woodwork for this topic at MSE

 

[Matabele]

Grant's goal

The numbskulls have come out of the woodwork for this topic at MSE

Surprise!

 

[byso]

Grant's goal

With the proposed stand being built behind the hill I would imagine that a section of the hill would be still be available for use.

As Kiwi said if the first sod of soil is turned in September and we play out first games away the bulk of the dirty work will have been completed by that time.

I think a stand behind the hill will leave people too far away from the action, unless its cantilevered over the grass or something similar to the southern stand. I would expect the concrete strip around the ground will be ok. I would be surprised if such a structure was complete during the off season.

But I'll concede they could still play at Brookie just at a reduced capacity.