New owners at dundalk

[Cosmo]

One sentence that sums up what is wrong with your club and supporters.

I’d be more concerned about an American equity firm taking over your club and undoing all the work done over last few years if I were you. Honestly, does anyone really think this is going to end well?

[Longfordian]

At least they have a history of involvement with football clubs not like Arkaga back in the day.

[El-Pietro]

I’d be more concerned about an American equity firm taking over your club and undoing all the work done over last few years if I were you. Honestly, does anyone really think this is going to end well?

I think theres about a 50% chance it ends well for them, but that other 50% would have me worried given the history of the league. I hope Dundalk fans are mobilising to pick up the pieces if it all falls apart in the next 18 months or so.

[White Horse]

I think theres about a 50% chance it ends well for them, but that other 50% would have me worried given the history of the league. I hope Dundalk fans are mobilising to pick up the pieces if it all falls apart in the next 18 months or so.


I'd snap your hand off for a 50% chance of this working out. The difficulty with all these deals is the long term impact. They can work in the short term, but success in this league has always been cyclical. Will foreign investors be patient though unsuccessful periods? Fat chance.

Setting up a supporters group is essential. As is fund raising to be able to step into ownership in the future.

The biggest obstacle will be complacency, particularly if the takeover is initially successful.

[El-Pietro]

Setting up a supporters group is essential. As is fund raising to be able to step into ownership in the future.

Cork City and Dundalk may not be the best of friends but if you get even a small group together I'm 100% sure FORAS will be happy to assist you in anyway you need to get a Trust set up. Representatives have been to clubs all over the country to help them out in the past, including Shels.

[oriel]

For me the key to any hope of positivity on this takeover rests on ground redevelopment. If this starts soon after the deal is done, maybe there will be a better than 50% chance of success, if nothing happens next year I`d be worried.

[EatYerGreens]

For me the key to any hope of positivity on this takeover rests on ground redevelopment. If this starts soon after the deal is done, maybe there will be a better than 50% chance of success, if nothing happens next year I`d be worried.

That all depends on what this 'investors' motivations are.

A ground development does little or nothing to deliver success on the pitch. It does help you retain more of your income if you progress in Europe - which is surely their objective - but in reality, the costs of delivering a stadium in Dundalk that would see the club through European group stages is so huge versus the income from it and the risk of not getting there that I'd be surprised if they did much major investment. So why wouldn't they just focus their money on the team, and then use the Aviva or Tallaght again if they had to for European fixtures ?

Again - this all depends on their motivations. Are they in this to build a club and the value and business around it ? Or have they spied a way to make 'easy money' through Europe ?

[gufcfan]

Offering players greater incentives to sign up on longer term deals under a young and ambitious manager.

Kenny seems to have been around forever. I wondered who you were talking about for a second.

[Nesta99]

One sentence that sums up what is wrong with your club and supporters.

Its one thing flagging up warnings of future woe, its another wishing ill will on a club. There is no shortage of sniping here between fans but rarely has there been an explicit desire to see a club go to the wall, be it Shamrock Rover, Cork, et al. Many of us pointed out the risks of vulture fund types getting the foot in the door at Tallaght and that was for a 50% stake, that this seems to be a complete takeover is absolutely a concern for Dundalk fans.

Good day for the Drogs...Cosmo surely you see that a comment like that reeks of guaging everything about your club including your support on the fortunes of another club!

[Nesta99]

Kenny seems to have been around forever. I wondered who you were talking about for a second.

It was a little tongue in cheek but he was 42 when he took over. Now days I would still see that as young and ambitious or im due out to pasture soon.

[vinnie]

It was a little tongue in cheek but he was 42 when he took over. Now days I would still see that as young and ambitious or im due out to pasture soon.

Young me arse, how many younglads go round losing that many Jumpers !!

[mcgonigle]

Wake up - what the hell else could this be about?

Do you think this is some sort of philanthropic exercise?

This being a profit making venture obviously makes sense but how much profit can you make from European prize money? I'd have thought it would be peanuts to these guys. The real money in football comes from tv rights which are non existent in Ireland and always will be. So I'm struggling to see where they think they'll make these big profits from!

[gufcfan]

I'm struggling to see where they think they'll make these big profits from!

Merchandise sales in the US.

[Cosmo]

Good day for the Drogs...Cosmo surely you see that a comment like that reeks of guaging everything about your club including your support on the fortunes of another club!

Couldn’t care less what ye think. I’ve been having sleepless nights wondering when your run will finally end. Honestly couldn’t see it end. Good manager, good attendances, didn’t seem to be running into debt, good sponsorships, etc. seemed to be doing things right tbf. You had something really good to be up there for years.

But i can see you battling out with us in the first division in a couple of years now (at best). Your time will soon be up!

[EatYerGreens]

This being a profit making venture obviously makes sense but how much profit can you make from European prize money? I'd have thought it would be peanuts to these guys. The real money in football comes from tv rights which are non existent in Ireland and always will be. So I'm struggling to see where they think they'll make these big profits from!

There may not be mega bucks in the LOI, but you can see why it would still offer a good potential return on investment.

You wouldn't have to invest a lot to have a team that won the league most years, and to build from there towards European groups stages. The money once you get there starts to get good - including the TV rights if you land a club from a Top 5 TV market in your group.

The money needed vs potential earnings must look like a good punt for someone who fancies playing with a football club without getting into oligarch and emiri levels of cash.

[mcgonigle]

There may not be mega bucks in the LOI, but you can see why it would still offer a good potential return on investment.

You wouldn't have to invest a lot to have a team that won the league most years, and to build from there towards European groups stages. The money once you get there starts to get good - including the TV rights if you land a club from a Top 5 TV market in your group.

The money needed vs potential earnings must look like a good punt for someone who fancies playing with a football club without getting into oligarch and emiri levels of cash.

Winning the league here barely covers a months wages! And there is no guarantee of European football or getting a big team. The real money comes from the sky and BT deals which we'll never have. Making a million or so profit in a good year is still peanuts to a billionaire

[mcgonigle]

But i can see you battling out with us in the first division in a couple of years now (at best). Your time will soon be up!

So your hopes for your club in the next 3 years is that you're local rivals drop down to your level, not that your own club improves? I knew it was tough to be a Drogs fan but that's depressing

[Olander]

Couldn’t care less what ye think. I’ve been having sleepless nights wondering when your run will finally end. Honestly couldn’t see it end. Good manager, good attendances, didn’t seem to be running into debt, good sponsorships, etc. seemed to be doing things right tbf. You had something really good to be up there for years.

But i can see you battling out with us in the first division in a couple of years now (at best). Your time will soon be up!
Jesus, talk about small time. Are things really that bad as a Drogheda fan? Grim reading that.

[Cosmo]

Jesus, talk about small time. Are things really that bad as a Drogheda fan? Grim reading that.

Going off topic, there's not much optimism here considering our attendances last season. From what I can see, it's a miracle the lads behind the scenes are managing to keep the show on the road when you consider our attendances. Hopefully we'll turn the corner. Maybe get an American private equity firm inv...-oh wait....

[jinxy lilywhite]

Going off topic, there's not much optimism here considering our attendances last season. From what I can see, it's a miracle the lads behind the scenes are managing to keep the show on the road when you consider our attendances. Hopefully we'll turn the corner. Maybe get an American private equity firm inv...-oh wait....

Or build a retail park and a 10k stadium in Bryanstown

[Kingdom]

Going off topic, there's not much optimism here considering our attendances last season. From what I can see, it's a miracle the lads behind the scenes are managing to keep the show on the road when you consider our attendances. Hopefully we'll turn the corner. Maybe get an American private equity firm inv...-oh wait....

Thanks for bringing that up. At what point does it become impractical to keep the show on the road?

[Lim till i die]

At what point does it become impractical to keep the show on the road?

In LoI?

The couple of weeks between Xmas and pre season.

Same at all clubs.

We all still do it though.

[Kingdom]

In LoI?

The couple of weeks between Xmas and pre season.

Same at all clubs.

We all still do it though.

Well obviously not, looking at Monaghan, Kilkenny and Kildare County.
I was being snide or sarcastic either. I'm genuinely curious at what point does not-enough-feet-through-the-turnstile become unsupportable from a financial ownership perspective.

There was a citizen on one of the radio shows a few weeks ago, and referenced Drogheda as the largest non-city town in the country. I hadn't realised that, and he made reference to the LoI side in a tangent sort of way.

[sbgawa]

Heard from a Pats connection (I really have no personal standards) that Peak 6 approached Pats but walked away because Pats had no money in the bank.
Happy to buy the club but didn't want to start from scratch.
Makes sense I suppose from a business perspective and whatever about developing Oriel , Richmond park is so landlocked hard to do anything

[oriel]

If I was a huge investor like them, I think I would have looked at a Dublin club first, much bigger market, easier to sell the brand, airport on door step etc.

[Nesta99]

If I was a huge investor like them, I think I would have looked at a Dublin club first, much bigger market, easier to sell the brand, airport on door step etc.

ST PATRICKS Athletic....branding is already done there!

[Longfordian]

ST PATRICKS Athletic....branding is already done there!

Someone should form a club and call it Dublin City. Imagine the amount of merchandise you could sell. Couldn’t go wrong.

[Nesta99]

Carrolls still making a few bob off the old Dublin City shirts, at least up until last year. Anybody want to have a go at what Dundalk could be rebranded as for a bunch of American soccer fans.......fill yer boots lads, bar Cosmo as Bankrupt FC, Borrowed Time United or Even worse than us FC et al dont count!

[sbgawa]

Dundalk dynamos playing in green and white hoops for the Americans and buttimer

[Longfordian]

Red Bull Louth

[Nesta99]

Red Bull Louth

Jaysus do you want Drogheda to entirely move to Meath in protest...that would be good!!

[colonelwest]

Red Bull Louth

Pfft it'd have to be Harp Lager Harriers!

[Cosmo]

Or build a retail park and a 10k stadium in Bryanstown


Going off topic, there's not much optimism here considering our attendances last season. From what I can see, it's a miracle the lads behind the scenes are managing to keep the show on the road when you consider our attendances. Hopefully we'll turn the corner. Maybe get an American private equity firm inv...-oh wait....

exactly jinxy, what have we become since then?

im not joking about in an earlier post. I genuinely feared youd be up at the top for years. Best manager in loi, pkayed good ball, good crowds, seemed to be doing ok off the park, etc. i could see no end to it, was depressing.

but an american private equity firm taking over? happy days! I predict 2/3 good years, then well see you in division one - at best!

[KianD]

re-use of the bar within there

The club sold a publicans licence in 2017; I would assume that was from the YDC so that's not coming back.

[Nesta99]

Private club licence will do the job.

[KianD]

Private club licence will do the job.

A new licence of any type is not meant to be issued for a premises which had a licence extinguished. May not be possible to use a club licence.

[CorribsideSteve]

“ plans to invest money in stocks of minerals and crisps” I assume?

I see this popping up every once in a while. Was there some sort of massive diplomatic incident involving these items in LOI lore, or am I missing something?

[Longfordian]

Just a running gag on here stemming from our visit to Dundalk a couple of years back. One particular Town fan
was very unhappy at their shop selection and decided to call them out on it on here. Others would get exercised about the away facilities generally such as toilets etc but crisps and minerals were all this man wanted and he didn’t get them.

[White Horse]

Just a running gag on here stemming from our visit to Dundalk a couple of years back. One particular Town fan
was very unhappy at their shop selection and decided to call them out on it on here. Others would get exercised about the away facilities generally such as toilets etc but crisps and minerals were all this man wanted and he didn’t get them.

It'll be nachos from now on.

[colonelwest]

I vaguely remember the licence the YDC had was transferred up from a pub that went belly up in the town, then I think that was transferred again down to Kennedys at the train station then when that opened up and the YDC bar closed? This would have been pre the Fastfix lads taking over when Gerry Matthews was feeling the squeeze so he made a few bob off that at the time.

Dan McD did a piece in today's Indo on the possible takeover, nothing new in it that's not already out there but a good overview of Peak6 and the clubs setup currently since the lads took over.

https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/league-of-ireland/winter-of-change-beckons-for-dundalk-as-big-questions-hover-over-the-proposed-us-takeover-36375578.html

[EatYerGreens]

Winning the league here barely covers a months wages! And there is no guarantee of European football or getting a big team. The real money comes from the sky and BT deals which we'll never have. Making a million or so profit in a good year is still peanuts to a billionaire

If people bought football club surely as a business initiative then you'd be right. But if people were looking to buy something as a sensible business venture, then a football club would and should be near the bottom of their shopping list.

So for a wealthy person looking to own a football club for the sh!ts and giggles of owning a football club, whilst not losing their shirt and potentially even making a relatively decent return, Irish football has to offer some potential.

Plus - billionaires will have their money invested in a whole wide range of things. Any one of those smaller investments making a million or so return in a single financial year, off the back of a total investment of similar size, is actually not a bad bit of business at all. A number of the things they invest in will deliver little or nothing for them, and won't deliver the additional fun of owning your own senior football club competing on a European stage regularly.

[CorribsideSteve]

Just a running gag on here stemming from our visit to Dundalk a couple of years back. One particular Town fan was very unhappy at their shop selection and decided to call them out on it on here. Others would get exercised about the away facilities generally such as toilets etc but crisps and minerals were all this man wanted and he didn’t get them. I see! Well if that isn't a "Greatest League in the World" moment, I don't know what is.

On a more relevant note, I'm delighted that Dundalk are in a position to have their immediate and mid-term future seemingly sorted out, I just really hope it doesn't end in tears for them.

[sbgawa]

If people bought football club surely as a business initiative then you'd be right. But if people were looking to buy something as a sensible business venture, then a football club would and should be near the bottom of their shopping list.

So for a wealthy person looking to own a football club for the sh!ts and giggles of owning a football club, whilst not losing their shirt and potentially even making a relatively decent return, Irish football has to offer some potential.

Plus - billionaires will have their money invested in a whole wide range of things. Any one of those smaller investments making a million or so return in a single financial year, off the back of a total investment of similar size, is actually not a bad bit of business at all. A number of the things they invest in will deliver little or nothing for them, and won't deliver the additional fun of owning your own senior football club competing on a European stage regularly.

These are not "people" buying a club for anything other then making a return. It is an investment fund, they don't have a "fun" section. If you invested money in a fund and then the fund said we have invested a bit of your money into a football club for a bit of craic ...how would you feel?

[EatYerGreens]

These are not "people" buying a club for anything other then making a return. It is an investment fund, they don't have a "fun" section. If you invested money in a fund and then the fund said we have invested a bit of your money into a football club for a bit of craic ...how would you feel?

Good man - that answers McGonigle's post for me in significantly fewer words.... :D

[Nesta99]

I have to look at the positives just cause the worrying stuff is too bad to even contemplate before the deal is actually announced. There is general growth potential in Irish football. Yes people will say that any investment fund will look for immediate return and that is all about European money. But that there is no TV deal at the moment is an example of where there is revenue growth potential. Summer football, on TV, a decent product and hopefully growing credibility through European progressiion...well ye never know! These guys may have the clout and expertise to sway tv execs or even make Delaney salivate at the investment potential that Peak6 have and he sees the pay wedge grow as the domestic game grows. One fly in the ointment is the initial cost of making the likes of Oriel Park presentible as part of a sowcase for a proper tv deal to happen and increasing gates steadily to the sort of level Cork had this season to create the atmosphere that grabs a tv audience interest. I get that this all requires a whole mindset change from lst of people starting with the FAI and print media, but maybe this is a breakthrough type investment that we will look back on one day and think that was the moment LoI move properly and fully in to the mainstream. I doubt the like of these guys will sit back and take all the spoofing or piecemeal efforts from the powers that be in the game if it erodes return on investment, like the issue on what the league generates in revenue itself. If a joint body between clubs and FAI take over the running of the league things might improve anyway.....

[sbgawa]

I kind of agree with looking at the positives, Dundalk don't have a lot to lose , no ground etc etc so its not an asset stripping exercise.

[jinxy lilywhite]

I kind of agree with looking at the positives, Dundalk don't have a lot to lose , no ground etc etc so its not an asset stripping exercise.

Nothing to lose??? We have a club to lose if this goes tits up at the whim of some desk clerk in Chicago.

I can see both sides of the argument and I have worked with and for these types of companies but my gut feeling says we should stay well away from it Irregardless of what promises are being made because they talk a great talk but once they own dfc they do not have to deliver on any supposed promise made or what as their lawyers would of inserted every conceivable contingency possible. It's a win win situation for peak6 with dfc having everything to lose

[osarusan]

LOI needs charity, not 'investment'.

A company that actually expects to make a profit? Genuinely, I'd be very wary of them, because they won't make one, and they'll look for ways to recoup their losses. The 'Sure Dundalk have nothing to lose' line is one I'd be careful with too.

[sbgawa]

Nothing to lose??? We have a club to lose if this goes tits up at the whim of some desk clerk in Chicago.

I can see both sides of the argument and I have worked with and for these types of companies but my gut feeling says we should stay well away from it Irregardless of what promises are being made because they talk a great talk but once they own dfc they do not have to deliver on any supposed promise made or what as their lawyers would of inserted every conceivable contingency possible. It's a win win situation for peak6 with dfc having everything to lose


ok I don't mean "nothing" to lose , my point is that without any assets the motivation is not asset stripping, which is a good start.
There is a possibility that this could turn Dundalk into a Malmo type club in the Irish context, there is also a possibility that there will be a Dundalk 2019 FC limited after the current club go's bust,

[mcgonigle]

Good man - that answers McGonigle's post for me in significantly fewer words.... :D

Neither of your posts answers my question! The general consensus is that they are in it for profit and that's hard to argue against. However these people are not stupid and must see that there is no profit to be made in this league, any profit is made through progression in Europe but as I said before even that is peanuts to these guys. So is there another angle? I don't see it but I'm not a billionaire investor.