Dont we at Dundalk know it, Not that we could do much about it!!
Printable View
FORAS membership would generally be very wary of outside investment. It would be very difficult to convince a majority of the membership to trust someone coming in from the outside. There has been rumblings in recent months that we may need to find ways to get more investment but I'm not even sure its legally possible under our current structure, due to the one person one vote nature of co-ops, it would be a massive change.
https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2019...amrock-rovers/Quote:
Dermot Desmond set to take 25% stake in Shamrock Rovers
Dermot Desmond could be set to become a 25% stakeholder in Shamrock Rovers if proposals are passed at a general meeting in the coming weeks.
Desmond is one of the richest people in Ireland and is the largest individual shareholder in Scottish champions Celtic.
Shamrock Rovers were reconstituted as a members club owned by fans in 2005, though they changed to a hybrid model when Ray Wilson took a one-quarter stake in the club in 2016.
In a statement release by Rovers, it is explained that proposals have been developed in recent months between the board and Wilson to bring Desmond on board.
"This proposal is the latest potential evolution in the hybrid model of fan ownership combined with private ownership and is a structure that the board of directors of the Members Club feel is a long term sustainable model that will propel Shamrock Rovers forward on and off the pitch," said the statement.
In a note to club members, Desmond said that should he become a shareholder in the club his intention is not in pursuit of monetary gain and there is no financial or asset play.
Rovers are currently second in the Premier Division, though they can't catch Dundalk, who have already been crowned champions this season.
Rovers play their home games at Tallaght Stadium in DublinThe statement said: "His sole motivation in considering this investment is to advance the cause of Shamrock Rovers.
"Mr Desmond is especially interested in supporting Shamrock Rovers' ambitious plans to further develop the club's Academy and building on the very strong foundations laid by the club in recent years.
"Mr Desmond sees any involvement with Shamrock Rovers as being more akin to a trustee than a shareholder.
"He believes that the proposed investment would put the club on a sound financial footing, providing stability to allow the long term benefits of the club’s Academy plan to bear fruit and to afford Shamrock Rovers the continued opportunity to credibly pursue success on the pitch."
The group of fans who own 75% the club have been provided with the information on the proposed deal and will shortly convene a general meeting to formally vote on accepting or rejecting the proposals.
The statement concluded: "Should the proposals be accepted by the membership, the new ownership structure of Shamrock Rovers will be made up of the Members Club (50%), Mr Ray Wilson (25%) and Mr Dermot Desmond (25%).
"There will be no further comment by any party involved in the discussions until after the general meeting."
Interesting proposal from DD. He claims he will be acting as a 'trustee' of the club although legally he will be a 25% shareholder. Still nothing on how much he will pay to be 25% shareholder, and will the ordinary member have their membership fee reduced seeing as their shareholding will be reduced.?
"In a note to club members, Mr. Desmond confirmed that should he become a shareholder in Shamrock Rovers his intention is not in pursuit of monetary gain and there is no financial or asset play. Mr. Desmond noted that he would expect any positive future cash flow generated to be reinvested in the club such that all stakeholders (including supporters, players, coaching staff, management and sponsors etc.) will benefit. Mr. Desmond stated that his sole motivation in considering this investment is to advance the cause of Shamrock Rovers."
I'm always wary of businessmen making an investment sound like a donation. Forgive my skepticism.
Any chance of the members voting against it?
If he wanted to become a shareholder could he not just have joined like any ordinary supporter?
Dermot Desmond is probably Ireland’s most successful investor but nonsense to say he is not in it for profit. What’s the alternative? His “love of Tallaght” ? His (todate) well hidden love of LOI ?
I can see some financial potential in developing the academy side (farming kids to UK) and if he said that I’d understand but investing his own money for no return ? Sounds out of character.
First dibs on our good young lads, this is a very similar model to the German leagues and so i would not like anything less than 50 % shareholding for the ordinary members, might be something that needs putting in the clubs constitution if its not there already as i am not a member i do not know. One thing that this might do is to encourage investment in other clubs. Dermot might help us get within 10 next season
"His sole motivation in considering this investment is to advance the cause of Shamrock Rovers.
Is this an FAI statement? How many games has Desmond attended?
Dermot Desmond is well known for his philanthropy. Altrusim is his reason for being.
Even the most gullible Hoopers won't believe this guff, but may still dilute their shareholding
Sole motivation is " to advance the cause of Shamrock Rovers"? Maybe Desmond, suddenly has developed a gra for the Hoops? maybe it is hard headed business decision and he does get dibs/ return on all academy players sold? Apart from the dwindling number of Rovers members who remember the consequences of not having full control of their club, and who oppose this, I would think that the money and the known and unknown strings attached will be accepted by a large majority.
Should be careful of what is said here given that he and his Siamese twin Denis O`Brien and fellow INM shareholder, have initiated over 50 separate legal actions , not including countless threats of actions for defamation, following the adverse findings against them both in the Moriarty Report.
Anyway, its Rover`s business, but I would have thought that they were steadily gaining ground on Dundalk with their existing model , without having to sell out to the self-styled " Kaiser".
I think it's fair and completely reasonable to be skeptical of Desmond's stated motivations, but are you seriously suggesting that the Rovers board are openly lying to members about the terms of an investment they are asking them to approve? That is absolute fantasy stuff.
I don't necessarily buy the altruism angle, but to me there is little risk in giving up a minority stake at a generous valuation while the members and Ray Wilson retain 75%. Rovers get a cash injection, an injection of expertise at Board level, and the commercial benefits that will accrue from partnering with Desmond.
I'd imagine the reality is that Desmond sees large growth potential in a historically successful Dublin club that wear green and white hoops, play in a modern stadium and have a large latent/passive/lapsed fan base across the city. The European games and the Bohs games in Tallaght this season (some of which Desmond attended) felt like something different to your standard LOI experience and showed a bit of the potential there. There is a long, long, long way to go for any of that to be realised, but I can see why Desmond could be interested.
He has given his explanation of his motivation and it is up to members to decide if its satisfactory or not. Regardless though it still comes down to risk from my perspective. The club has no real physical assets to strip, there are no problematic conditions attached to the investment, and significant majority control remains with the members and Ray Wilson (who is as committed to Rovers as any member).
I'm honestly not having a go, but if you compare this situation to Peak 6 obtaining 100% control of Dundalk for a fraction of the valuation and gaining complete control of substantial cash reserves in the process, the Desmond proposition seems a no-brainer. There is virtually no conceivable way he could financially benefit from the investment in a manner that is detrimental to the football club.
I'd say it's probably naïve to believe this though ?
Celtic themselves can't buy shares in Rovers, without being ineligible for Europe. If only there was someone very closely associated with Celtic who could help them get round that by buying a share in Rovers under his own name...
Presumign that company law in the republic means that a 75% +1 holding gives majority control, then suely Rovers should be selling only a 24.99% share to Desmond ? Otherwise he'd have the ability to bock certain key deciisons.