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Tom Burwell - Interim CEO Podcast


I'm going to listen tonight. Will be interesting.

The club seem serious about becoming a top 10 PL operator, but that inevitably going to piss some fans off with how thats achieved in revenue terms.

I'm really torn on it all
thats the way we're going like. if its to be sustainable.
but how that impacts our core fan base............:neutral:
 
Been flicking through listening to the odd few min segments. Mentioned growing the international fan base (America and Africa mentioned).
Membership system coming in, of which example was ST would be top tier etc.
If they had a blank cheque, expand the SOL by another 10k, but he mentions they know another 10k general admission wont bring in a big swing (in capital growth).
mentions the SOL needs to become a 365 day a year product type thing.

probs loads of other stuff but as i say, was flicking through.

lots of business terms i had nee idea about like :lol:
Feels like a matter of time until theres an extension and predominantly boxes.
 
Very interesting - tbh it turns my stomach a bit hearing the club spoke about in such hard-nosed business terms, but that level of professionalism and commercialism has been sorely missing for a long time. It's clear from that video that he's in a completely league entirely to the Bains and Methvens of this world.

Looking from the outside in, I'd have loved to see Burwell balanced out with someone like Bruce who truly gets the culture and history. And I'd worry that we're not going to like a lot of what Burwell has to do in order to dramatically increase revenue - a greater focus on overseas fans, a greater share of seats given over to corporates etc. But that's what it takes to really cement yourself in this league, and we've found out the hard way what happens when you stop taking this league seriously.

Though his comment about a potential expansion was interesting - if we were to expand by 10,000, 3,000 of those seats would be corporate. That might be the best way to gauge if we're ready for an expansion - if we can't fill an additional 3k seats with high-spending business customers than it's probably not a sound investment. And I'd worry that there's a pretty fixed ceiling in terms of how much corporate interest they'll ever be in this club - we're not based in or near a major business hub, after all. I used to work for a company in Manchester that had a box in Old Trafford, on the basis that most clients would be keen on a Man U game regardless of who they support. I think there's a very short list of teams for whom that's the case.
 
Very interesting - tbh it turns my stomach a bit hearing the club spoke about in such hard-nosed business terms, but that level of professionalism and commercialism has been sorely missing for a long time. It's clear from that video that he's in a completely league entirely to the Bains and Methvens of this world.

Looking from the outside in, I'd have loved to see Burwell balanced out with someone like Bruce who truly gets the culture and history. And I'd worry that we're not going to like a lot of what Burwell has to do in order to dramatically increase revenue - a greater focus on overseas fans, a greater share of seats given over to corporates etc. But that's what it takes to really cement yourself in this league, and we've found out the hard way what happens when you stop taking this league seriously.

Though his comment about a potential expansion was interesting - if we were to expand by 10,000, 3,000 of those seats would be corporate. That might be the best way to gauge if we're ready for an expansion - if we can't fill an additional 3k seats with high-spending business customers than it's probably not a sound investment. And I'd worry that there's a pretty fixed ceiling in terms of how much corporate interest they'll ever be in this club - we're not based in or near a major business hub, after all. I used to work for a company in Manchester that had a box in Old Trafford, on the basis that most clients would be keen on a Man U game regardless of who they support. I think there's a very short list of teams for whom that's the case.
I'm sure he said to the echo last week we had 60 boxes, all sold and 35 on a waiting list. Seems like there is definitely an appetite for boxes.
 
Can't believe that 90% of ticket transactions are done online like! Surely not (although he says it)

Sounds like the end of any none digital/online ticket interaction is the end game
 
1 hour 15 of my leisure time listening to business speak, even if it is about SAFC I couldn't manage it

Wish they'd transcribe these things. Am good at skim reading
 
Its pretty much an industry wide thing now. Unfortunately I think it will come and at least we might be able to manage a waiting list etc properly.
If football's going down that route fans should have the option to be full members like in Germany. 50+1 is non-negotiable
Also. I got as far as "1 in 10 people in the city have a season ticket" and decided the rest may be as ridiculously bolloxy
In fairness he may be including people in the wider area as being in the city
 
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If football's going down that route fans should have the option to be full members like in Germany. 50+1 is non-negotiable
There is movements in Germany who want to move away from 50+1 as it stifles investment into clubs.

There are also teams who are pretty much exempt from 50+1. Its a better model but not implemented as well as people think.
 
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