Our current situation , journey back .

[pete 2,499]

As much as I hate to say it and I know many(including myself really) are totally against but I would look at a sponsors name for Ibrox and Murray Park. Ibrox will always be Ibrox to me but if we can get a couple of million in the kitty then I think it has to be looked at.

[Gribz 743]

As much as I hate to say it and I know many(including myself really) are totally against but I would look at a sponsors name for Ibrox and Murray Park. Ibrox will always be Ibrox to me but if we can get a couple of million in the kitty then I think it has to be looked at.

 

We should be asking apple to sponsor and make it I-brox. An absolute win win for all.

[BrahimHemdani 1]

Football is big business, but the clubs are not the big businesses. In fact most clubs in the world could barely be classed as medium sized companies. The only businesses that really make the money from football are the sponsors and TV companies.

 

If you're trying to make money from football, investing in clubs is the last place you'd place your bets. At the time of writing I think I'm right in saying that there isn't a single club in the world where there is a return on investment from the club. There are deals where strip manufacturers or other sponsors will make money indirectly from money going into the club but this would not be possible in Scotland, given the limited market for our game.

 

It's for this reason that I really want fan ownership. If fans paid up to 30 pounds per month (a huge if) we would have the 20m a year to spend on players. That money would not be expected to return a profit other than league titles and cup wins.

 

I just hope the fan scheme takes off, because we need it to. For me, that's our best bet.

 

So you are looking at 55,000 people paying £30 per month which is 12,000 more than have season tickets, paying the equivalent of a second season ticket or more, or let's just say doubling the price of a season ticket because that would be easier.

 

Or let's just take 40,000 folk paying an extra £500 per year, which is more than a typical ST, to achieve this £20 million.

 

Do you really think that is realistic?

 

I did the work on the figures when the RST was promoting the the Share Capital Acquisition Partnership Proposal to be underwritten by Jim McColl in 2010. Our plan then was to repay his £30 million by raising 20,000 x £600 + £15 per month over 5 years from 20,000 fans (equivalent to 20,000 x £25 per month for 5 years); and there were those who thought that was hugely optimisitic, despite the fact that those figures were in line with figures extrapolated from the Rangers Debenture Scheme and the 2004/05 Rights Issue, and with what Celtic achieved under Fergus McCann in 1994, having regard to the differences in shareholder base etc etc.

 

To this day, I remain of the view that we could have achieved that; but the circumstances are different now, the Club is no longer for sale; and whilst RF/Buy Rangers/Club 1872 have achieved a 6.25% shareholding, the fact that there are now only around 8,000 fans paying an average £5 per month (and I stand to be corrected on those figures) tells it's own story.

 

As far as an out and out membership scheme is concerned, I don't think you would get fans to pay a monthly contribution at anything like the level you suggest. I believe you could add £25/£30 to a ST, to be a member of the Club; but that would only raise £1 million a season and then you would have the cost of all the benefits. The principle benefit fans generally want is a discount in the shop and that is not within our gift at the moment. So it would be largely symbolic, though as I have suggested elsewhere it would allow a meaningful election to a Fans Board from a much wider constituency than elects the Board of Club 1872 at the moment (but that is another story!).

 

It might be possible to combine such a scheme with a scheme for high net worth individuals, which has been successful elsewhere; but this was considered and rejected in the past both by the RST and RF; principally because HNWI generally want something in return for their investment and generally what they want is not available in a one member one vote situation.

Edited April 30, 2017 by BrahimHemdani

[cooponthewing 1,139]

As much as I hate to say it and I know many(including myself really) are totally against but I would look at a sponsors name for Ibrox and Murray Park. Ibrox will always be Ibrox to me but if we can get a couple of million in the kitty then I think it has to be looked at.

 

I was thinking about this earlier today Pete. I completely agree. I'm sure we are due a new sponsorship deal too next year as 32red is finished.

[pete 2,499]

We should be asking apple to sponsor and make it I-brox. An absolute win win for all.

 

They already sponsor my wife with her I-RON.

[Gaffer 1,665]

So you are looking at 55,000 people paying £30 per month which is 12,000 more than have season tickets, paying the equivalent of a second season ticket or more, or let's just say doubling the price of a season ticket because that would be easier.

 

Or let's just take 40,000 folk paying an extra £500 per year, which is more than a typical ST, to achieve this £20 million.

 

Do you really think that is realistic?

 

I did the work on the figures when the RST was promoting the the Share Capital Acquisition Partnership Proposal to be underwritten by Jim McColl in 2010. Our plan then was to repay his £30 million by raising 20,000 x £600 + £15 per month over 5 years from 20,000 fans (equivalent to 20,000 x £25 per month for 5 years); and there were those who thought that was hugely optimisitic, despite the fact that those figures were in line with figures extrapolated from the Rangers Debenture Scheme and the 2004/05 Rights Issue, and with what Celtic achieved under Fergus McCann in 1994, having regard to the differences in shareholder base etc etc.

 

To this day, I remain of the view that we could have achieved that; but the circumstances are different now, the Club is no longer for sale; and whilst RF/Buy Rangers/Club 1872 have achieved a 6.25% shareholding, the fact that there are now only around 8,000 fans paying an average £5 per month (and I stand to be corrected on those figures) tells it's own story.

 

As far as an out and out membership scheme is concerned, I don't think you would get fans to pay a monthly contribution at anything like the level you suggest. I believe you could add £25/£30 to a ST, to be a member of the Club; but that would only raise £1 million a season and then you would have the cost of all the benefits. The principle benefit fans generally want is a discount in the shop and that is not within our gift at the moment. So it would be largely symbolic, though as I have suggested elsewhere it would allow a meaningful election to a Fans Board from a much wider constituency than elects the Board of Club 1872 at the moment (but that is another story!).

 

It might be possible to combine such a scheme with a scheme for high net worth individuals, which has been successful elsewhere; but this was considered and rejected in the past both by the RST and RF; principally because HNWI generally want something in return for their investment and generally what they want is not available in a one member one vote situation.

 

I think you're right BH. It's not realistic, but it was more to demonstrate what level of commitment it would take from the fans to get us that level of Investment. I'm hopeful that there is a model that can work for us though.

[der Berliner 3,302]

I would hazard a guess that the "problem" with Rangers First / Club1872 and the remaining "Just" 8k people paying is the constant public troubles they have faced over the years, as well as the factions that remain divided.

 

A club membership scheme would essentially be run by the club itself (you would assume with a well-known and all-round trusted and independent figurehead). Once the whole organisation stuff is made up and set into motion, the admin stuff should be overseeable. All money generated would e.g. go into the transfer kitty.

 

If it is made clear to the fans what the purpose for all this is, the demand for benefits might be toned down, at least in the first few years. A share (like we got when joining up with the RST), meet up with the players once every half year, autographed photos of the players and the like. Things that would initially do not cost of fortune or draws too deep on the money paid.

 

Payment should be structured with an annual, half-annual or monthly payment option.

[der Berliner 3,302]

Motherwell have a rather toned down low key membership scheme running, something one could build upon:

 

http://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/the-club/the-well-society/membership-levels

[pete 2,499]

I think many would be willing t pay 10-15 pound a month but 30 pound is a lot for some people especially if they are already forking out for a season ticket.

[ian1964 10,465]

Rangers lotto is available!, rising stars is available!, Rangers TV is available!

Edited May 1, 2017 by ian1964