Tim Bostock on Sky’s County Chanpionship preview vodcast

Sillypoint said:
im slightly Torn, ive been going to Durham games since the move to the Riverside as Junior member, where i live is split 50/50, my best mate is a Mag and weve gone to Durham games together since 92/93

Yes i go to Sunderland games when i can, to be honest my love of Cricket and Durham outweighs my love of Sunderland and football, might stick in the throat a little, but if the investment makes Durham stronger i might just have to get on with it,

i could be wrong but id doubt very much Newcastle or Black and White would be used to identify the club in any way
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I'm critical of the Saudi coin up at Newcastle and everything else wrong with it and the country, so I'd be a tad hypocritical if I still went and they invested in Durham, hence I'd have to withdraw my membership as the values I hold with regards to Durham very much being a community club would in my view no longer exist should Saudi money be pumped it. I packed in my Sunderland season ticket about 8 years ago because of the greed of football/premier league/sky so I've done it before and I'd walk away again if I had to.
 


GordonMuchallNo1Fan said:
I'm critical of the Saudi coin up at Newcastle and everything else wrong with it and the country, so I'd be a tad hypocritical if I still went and they invested in Durham, hence I'd have to withdraw my membership as the values I hold with regards to Durham very much being a community club would in my view no longer exist should Saudi money be pumped it. I packed in my Sunderland season ticket about 8 years ago because of the greed of football/premier league/sky so I've done it before and I'd walk away again if I had to.
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admire your integrity, id feel like im cutting my nose off to spite my face, like watching cricket at that standard, i live 20 mins on the bus from the ground, i doubt id put the effort into going to watch northumberland play

part of me also wants to see what would happen, would they expand the ground improve facilities, would we attract the worlds best players, would we see test cricket back at the ground, 5 days of test cricket on my doorstep would be welcomed, the travel and hotel cost has put me off going more than a day at any other grounds
 
Parkside said:
Could critical of Bostock's Luddite reference.

www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2024/04/02/richard-gould-ecb-luddite-members-county-cricket-durham-ceo/?WT.mc_id=e_DM302857&WT.tsrc=email&etype=Edi_PrS_New&utmsource=email&utm_medium=Edi_PrS_New20240403&utm_campaign
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Having watched the podcast, I think even Bostock seemed to accept that his use of the word ‘Luddite’ was ill advised. Which perhaps puts this slightly more into context, but doesn’t excuse it. As the CEO of a cricket club which has a small but very loyal group of members, he should put his brain in gear before he opens his mouth.
 
From my listening he seemed to be suggesting that if he had major investors I.e. the Saudis lined up for a hundred team he’d then go to the ECB requesting they add a franchise to that I.e the Geordie Headchoppers or whatever

No interest in watching the Hundred at the Riverside regardless so not really bothered if it’s limited to that but if it leads to the Saudis getting into Durham CCC as an extension of that I’ll be done with Durham too
 
Look who the owners of Durham are. The biggest part is Durham County Council. Then a couple of Indians I think.

It might be an idea for those with strong feeling and living in Durham County to speak to their local councillors - to say, it's all well and good looking for cash, but if the money is taited then it shouldn't be touched with a bargepole. Otoh, the County council might just want to sell up and get their money back!
 
mosi said:
Having watched the podcast, I think even Bostock seemed to accept that his use of the word ‘Luddite’ was ill advised. Which perhaps puts this slightly more into context, but doesn’t excuse it. As the CEO of a cricket club which has a small but very loyal group of members, he should put his brain in gear before he opens his mouth.
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He should but he’s also done an outstanding job at Durham which has delivered a profitable business with a winning team

That’s what fans on here should judge him on. He’s a big asset to us
 
Bri said:
Look who the owners of Durham are. The biggest part is Durham County Council. Then a couple of Indians I think.

It might be an idea for those with strong feeling and living in Durham County to speak to their local councillors - to say, it's all well and good looking for cash, but if the money is taited then it shouldn't be touched with a bargepole. Otoh, the County council might just want to sell up and get their money back!
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I was thinking along the same lines. I think the Council are heavily committed to the club, having also assisted in financing the hotel development. They obviously believe it is a decent investment on behalf of their council tax payers. I suppose it depends on how much any external investors are prepared to put in, Saudis or otherwise.
MustardAndOnions said:
He should but he’s also done an outstanding job at Durham which has delivered a profitable business with a winning team

That’s what fans on here should judge him on. He’s a big asset to us
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I don’t disagree with his achievements. We were a financial disaster before he came, and he has assisted in turning it round. But alienating and insulting your loyal customers isn’t great business sense.
 
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mosi said:
I was thinking along the same lines. I think the Council are heavily committed to the club, having also assisted in financing the hotel development. They obviously believe it is a decent investment on behalf of their council tax payers. I suppose it depends on how much any external investors are prepared to put in, Saudis or otherwise.


I don’t disagree with his achievements. We were a financial disaster before he came, and he has assisted in turning it round. But alienating and insulting your loyal customers isn’t great business sense.
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Council are absolutley skint, they keep funding us as its good for the area, if they can pass the burdon onto someone but still reap the benefits they willl
Scotty 1978 said:
Is there anything in this Saudi link or people just guessing
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Bostock made comments pertaining to it when asked about Durham wanting a Hundred franchise, and take it how you will, but a mate of mine of who i trust implicitly, said we was told by North Himself that he had a meeting with Ashworth and Staveley around xmas time
 
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Parkside said:
Could critical of Bostock's Luddite reference.

www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2024/04/02/richard-gould-ecb-luddite-members-county-cricket-durham-ceo/?WT.mc_id=e_DM302857&WT.tsrc=email&etype=Edi_PrS_New&utmsource=email&utm_medium=Edi_PrS_New20240403&utm_campaign
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Pi$$ing off County Cricket members and the ECB at the same time is quite an achievement. No wonder he looked a bit sheepish when Luddites were mentioned in the podcast.
Sillypoint said:
admire your integrity, id feel like im cutting my nose off to spite my face, like watching cricket at that standard, i live 20 mins on the bus from the ground, i doubt id put the effort into going to watch northumberland play

part of me also wants to see what would happen, would they expand the ground improve facilities, would we attract the worlds best players, would we see test cricket back at the ground, 5 days of test cricket on my doorstep would be welcomed, the travel and hotel cost has put me off going more than a day at any other grounds
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Remember John Hall's Sporting Club Newcastle United and the Durham Wasps? I think we need to be careful what we wish for.
 
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mosi said:
Having watched the podcast, I think even Bostock seemed to accept that his use of the word ‘Luddite’ was ill advised. Which perhaps puts this slightly more into context, but doesn’t excuse it. As the CEO of a cricket club which has a small but very loyal group of members, he should put his brain in gear before he opens his mouth.
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I think the worst part about Bostock even hinting at a reduction in numbers in any conversation is that as the most recent addition to the county structure I see it as highly offensive to the other counties for a durham representative to be even going there.

Without the other 17 counties we’d be nothing, it’s well worth remembering that.
 
mosi said:
I was thinking along the same lines. I think the Council are heavily committed to the club, having also assisted in financing the hotel development. They obviously believe it is a decent investment on behalf of their council tax payers. I suppose it depends on how much any external investors are prepared to put in, Saudis or otherwise.


I don’t disagree with his achievements. We were a financial disaster before he came, and he has assisted in turning it round. But alienating and insulting your loyal customers isn’t great business sense.
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The County Council's involvement was a reluctant one and once involved can't afford for it to fail. It's not core council business and they would pass on their shareholding to get their money back at the drop of a hat.
 
brandon said:
I think the worst part about Bostock even hinting at a reduction in numbers in any conversation is that as the most recent addition to the county structure I see it as highly offensive to the other counties for a durham representative to be even going there.

Without the other 17 counties we’d be nothing, it’s well worth remembering that.
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And where all deathly silent when Durham where in dire straits with most of them hovering around and only interested in which if our players they could get to sign. Warwickshire under Ashley Giles being not even subtle about it.
 
wayne entwhistle no9 said:
And where all deathly silent when Durham where in dire straits with most of them hovering around and only interested in which if our players they could get to sign. Warwickshire under Ashley Giles being not even subtle about it.
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Aye, I get that like, but a number of them had their own financial issues and probably felt at the time happy that it wasn’t them.

Ultimately, it wasn’t up to the other counties to help us, but FTECB could and SHOULD have done more.
 
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brandon said:
Without the other 17 counties we’d be nothing, it’s well worth remembering that.
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would we really though going forward, arguments sake, they get rid of Div 2, theres only 10 professional counties, assume were one of the 10, any money then gets split 10 ways not 18, that competition between the 10 i think will be stonger,

sadly comes with the fact that 8 squads are all out of work, but the talent pool is still the same just the teams will be stronger, Australia only a handfull of teams play the sheffield shield and they dont need 18 teams
wayne entwhistle no9 said:
Not commenting specifically on the Hundred ut i just don't see a franchise team working up here no matter what the competition is or who is backing it.
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any particular reason why? the blast games do well for kids and families, then add the hundred media machine behind it would more not come?
 
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brandon said:
Aye, I get that like, but a number of them had their own financial issues and probably felt happy that it wasn’t them.

Ultimately up to the other counties to help us, but FTECB could and SHOULD have done more.
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The ECB punishment was disgraceful and far to stringent but plenty of the counties would have been quite happy if Durham had gone to the wall. Some of them who have contributed less to English cricket in the last 50 years than Durham had achieved in its first 20.
Sillypoint said:
would we really though going forward, arguments sake, they get rid of Div 2, theres only 10 professional counties, assume were one of the 10, any money then gets split 10 ways not 18, that competition between the 10 i think will be stonger,

sadly comes with the fact that 8 squads are all out of work, but the talent pool is still the same just the teams will be stronger, Australia only a handfull of teams play the sheffield shield and they dont need 18 teams

any particular reason why? the blast games do well for kids and families, then add the hundred media machine behind it would more not come?
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The blast games don't do well. We have one of the lower average attendences. Essex who have the smallest capacity sell out over 6,000 for every home game.
Also lots of counties you do not get t20 as oart if your membership package.
 
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brandon said:
I think the worst part about Bostock even hinting at a reduction in numbers in any conversation is that as the most recent addition to the county structure I see it as highly offensive to the other counties for a durham representative to be even going there.

Without the other 17 counties we’d be nothing, it’s well worth remembering that.
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He hasnt be hinting, he wants 18 counties, he thinks the 100 can guarantee their future, you may disagree but he doesnt want the county game shortened.
 

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