Cook at the Crossroads: Today's Champion

[sligoman]

Surely now is the time to bring in someone on a full-time basis to try move the club forward

We have, her name is Sinead Fraher. It's her job to make Rovers more part of the community and imo, she clearly hasn't done that.

[akearins]

We are probably the only ground in the League who
1.Own their ground and
2.Actually have space to develop it.

At present the club will not even entertain the idea of a club/social area for fans, which is a definite revenue stream to exploit not only on match days but durung the week.
Why there is not one is mindboggling to all except the powers that be.
If they are afraid of taking a loss or too much work to man then draw up a lease and open to tender to local publicans.
One stipulation may be a set season rental cost therefore not dependent on gate size and still returning maximum income to the club.
No more renting facilities for meetings, hold after match receptions, fund raisers,AGM.s etc.

How much do we spend on hiring buses each season?
Why not buy our own?

By owning a club coach it would not eradicate match day traveling costs which exceed €15000 per anum.During the week the bus may be used for school runs.Also a lot of local sporting clubs are also struggling financially so wouldnt it be great if Sligo Rovers F.C would provide a cheaper option for travel for them.This would inevetibly have a positive knock on effect for the club as it helps the local community.
Which is after all what we should be looking to do as an established entity in Sligo.

Handle our own merchandise?
Club really needs to go to tender on merchandise each season and handle it directly.Now this is no sligght on Jako who have been good to us and vice versa but by going to tender teh CLUB will get the best deal and therefore the club will increase revenue.
Case in point- Derry deal direct with UMBRO.Buy a jersey for £20.Sell to local shops for £40(100% profit)

Promote games better!
Seriously needs to be looked at.Trust are at present working to help in this area and hopefully next season will come to fruition.

All weather pitch coffee dock!

What do parents do when drop kids off for an hour, more than likely head to town maybe grab a coffee.Why not let them wait on kids in grounds and get a coffee, sandwitch etc. instead of having to head to town try and get parking, stuck in traffic and leave again with little or no time to do anything.
Loads of time to chill if refreshment available at hand once kids dropped off.

many more ideas but hand getting tired now.......

[biscuit]

great idea for the bus in fair ness alan...they could get one at a great price from someone like colm burns etcc which in turn the company (burns etc) can look on as sponsership. I'm sure youd also get a driver who supports the club to drive to away games, or at least get one at a good rate.
I also like the 1000 names on the jersey idea too merville, that is a really feasible thing to do, and 100k or a figuyre like it would be a massive bonus. Youd get 1000 signatures easy i'm sure....

[Rovers fan]

somebody should get a list of these ideas and give them to somebody who can do something about it because at the moment very little is being done

[MervilleUnited]

All weather pitch coffee dock!

What do parents do when drop kids off for an hour, more than likely head to town maybe grab a coffee.Why not let them wait on kids in grounds and get a coffee, sandwitch etc. instead of having to head to town try and get parking, stuck in traffic and leave again with little or no time to do anything.
Loads of time to chill if refreshment available at hand once kids dropped off.

many more ideas but hand getting tired now.......

As a person who brings in 90 Kids every friday night, that is indeed an idea. A lot of parents would stay to watch the little darlings from the comfort of a warm spot! Or at the very least with a coffee in thier hand!

And I have said it before, why dont the club lease one of these pubs that are lying idle, such as Cavanaghs, and run it as the OFFICIAL Rovers Bar, with a few bob per ale going directly to Rovers! (Although I cannot see myself drinking that red ale beer stuff) With footie on seven nights a week, and a bit of thought with regard to Placing plasmas in different zones so you can watch AND listen to the game in different areas of the pub, it could become a decent sports bar (And serving grub/coffee during the day) which Sligo really needs. Close to the bookies as well!

End of rant!

[Terry]

Well actually he did contact you lot to give in some sposorship after, nothing major or anything. But what i am saying he was willing but you know yourself most fellas don't come forward themselves they need a little push from somebody and that is the sad reality, some require a greater push and this is why i think if we could come up with a package it may entice local firms out.

Not having a go or anything RT, but why didnt you bring this to the attention of someone at the time rather than bringing it up now? Or even, why didnt you get something out of him yourself since ye know each other and donate it in his name?

This is Sligos major problem in my eyes, a lot of talk and not enough hands for the job. Ye have to get up and go rather than sitting at the drawing board constantly. I have talked a few times to Alan Kerins over the past few years and they (BORST) always had the plans but not enough volunteers to get them in motion. Maybe posters here could help them out if they arent in the trust already?

One last thing RT, why do you call Sligo Rovers members/volunteers "you Lot"? Very strange?

[redrov2005]

As a person who brings in 90 Kids every friday night, that is indeed an idea. A lot of parents would stay to watch the little darlings from the comfort of a warm spot! Or at the very least with a coffee in thier hand!

And I have said it before, why dont the club lease one of these pubs that are lying idle, such as Cavanaghs, and run it as the OFFICIAL Rovers Bar, with a few bob per ale going directly to Rovers! (Although I cannot see myself drinking that red ale beer stuff) With footie on seven nights a week, and a bit of thought with regard to Placing plasmas in different zones so you can watch AND listen to the game in different areas of the pub, it could become a decent sports bar (And serving grub/coffee during the day) which Sligo really needs. Close to the bookies as well!

End of rant!

Agree totally. There is revenue there which is been just being ignored. I said it before that with the astro turf pitch etc there should be a decent bar so that lads can go and sit down and have a drink and a chat afterwards.

A coffeee bar should also be part of it with a shop available particualrly for nights when Rovers are playing rather than having a mill around a wooden shed. The merchandise shop could also be in this clubhouse along with meeting rooms etc.

How much do Galway/Drogheda/ Bohs make from their bars on match nights ?

It would be interesting to know.

[Terry]

Terry have you been drinking heavily ? If read that again and you will see i did !

DOnt know what your are saying there RT but I have re-read the post and I am sticking to the questions you didnt answer !!

[Terry]

How much do Galway/Drogheda/ Bohs make from their bars on match nights ?

It would be interesting to know.

We dont have a bar in terryland so €0,000 !!!!

[Knappagh Red]

Bars are closing all over the country. There are a few bars in Sligo that are vacant because there is no business anymore. The time for a club bar was 30 years ago, Irish society has changed dramatically in the last ten years, people are more likely to be going to the lesiure center than the pub.

[clubman]

Bars are closing all over the country. There are a few bars in Sligo that are vacant because there is no business anymore. The time for a club bar was 30 years ago, Irish society has changed dramatically in the last ten years, people are more likely to be going to the lesiure center than the pub.

Well said Knappagh Red.
Anyone that knows anything about the drinks industry knows it's gone down the pan like the last bad pint. A clubhouse might be good on match nights but there are 13 more nights until the next game. It's not a runner as simple as that.

The bus idea too imo is a non-runner. The cost alone would be a huge anchor round the clubs already tightly squeezed neck. Talk of using it for school runs during the week is daft as well, what happens when Rovers are playing away on Fridays which is every second week, do you suggest the kids walk to and from school that particular day?

[Kivlehan]

I would think, based on talking to some of the members of Chamber of Commerce, that if anything, the MC have haunted the local area looking for Sponsorship.

Perhaps their sales pitch needs work then? If you have something of value to sell (sponsorship) to people who could use it (businesses) but you can't convince them to go ahead and do it, your sales pitch could be the problem.

What do businesses want that they can get from sponsoring Sligo Rovers?

[avvenalaf]

Gustavo, when you're finished can you come round and tidy up our gaff?

[akearins]

The bus idea too imo is a non-runner. The cost alone would be a huge anchor round the clubs already tightly squeezed neck

The idea behind the bus would that maybe the supporters involved with North,South Sligo.Dublin supporters club and Trust would actually assist with the payment of a bus.If each donated €5000 per anum thats €20,000.
Over say 5 years thats €100,000.This would exclude whatever money would come in from bus rental.The €20,000 each year donated by supporters bodies would cover cost so no anchor on club.

[sligoman]

Trust would actually assist with the payment of a bus

Trust might wanna get money for a website first before paying for buses This domain name expired on Oct 12, 2007.

[Rory H]

how dare we give money to the club before ourselves....have to stop being so selfish! the new website is on the way

[redrov2005]

Bars are closing all over the country. There are a few bars in Sligo that are vacant because there is no business anymore. The time for a club bar was 30 years ago, Irish society has changed dramatically in the last ten years, people are more likely to be going to the lesiure center than the pub.

Even if the bar only made money on match nights wouldn't that help ?

And again i am not talking about just a bar. You would include in it a gym (which the players could use) and a leisure centre with indoor 5 aside, meeting rooms etc.

Have to start coming up with ways of the club generating money. Anyone from Drogheda,Dundalk,Kildare County or Bohs got any idea how much their bar makes on match nights alone ?

[neutrino]

We have, her name is Sinead Fraher. It's her job to make Rovers more part of the community and imo, she clearly hasn't done that.

I meant at a higher level - a full-time General Manager type.

[Ronnie]

The bus idea too imo is a non-runner. The cost alone would be a huge anchor round the clubs already tightly squeezed neck

The idea behind the bus would that maybe the supporters involved with North,South Sligo.Dublin supporters club and Trust would actually assist with the payment of a bus.If each donated €5000 per anum thats €20,000.
Over say 5 years thats €100,000.This would exclude whatever money would come in from bus rental.The €20,000 each year donated by supporters bodies would cover cost so no anchor on club.

As regards bus, don't be mental - drivers, insurance etc etc. On the other hand if you could sponsor the costs of away trips, eg 20 games at 1500, now your making a difference

[Redzer]

[B]
The idea behind the bus would that maybe the supporters involved with North,South Sligo.Dublin supporters club and Trust would actually assist with the payment of a bus.If each donated €5000 per anum thats €20,000.
Over say 5 years thats €100,000.This would exclude whatever money would come in from bus rental.The €20,000 each year donated by supporters bodies would cover cost so no anchor on club.

I dont know Alan, but I would guess that with the insurance cost for public liability etc, the bus would need to be on the road every day.
Most bus companies have a fleet so I dont think one bus would be viable. You would need 2 drivers, one for days and one for nights. I cant see the benifit of Rovers owning their own bus. Insurance, repairs, maintenance, drivers costs, fuel etc could cost a small fortune.
I dont know of any club who owns their own bus.