Balmain Tigers Face Voluntary Administration

Just heard the NRL CEO saying no more West Tigers games at Leichhardt oval.
Does this also mean no more Balmain??.
Its been a hard road to follow all the goings on down there.
Where will this leave the JV.
Sad to see this happen.
I'm not a Balmain supporter either.

:sign: :supporter:
 
Councils response, seems to answer a few questions:

STATEMENT BY MAYOR ROCHELLE PORTEOUS ON LEICHHARDT OVAL NO 1
Listen
Thursday, 26 March, 2015

I wish to reaffirm Leichhardt Council’s position to maximise the number of West Tigers home games at Leichhardt Oval No 1\. There are four games confirmed for this season and we want to see at least four games at Leichhardt Oval No 1 next season.

Leichhardt Council confirms that Leichhardt Oval No 1 will continue to be the home of Balmain Tigers Rugby League Club.

Balmain Tigers currently hold a lease to run Leichhardt Oval, which is at zero rent, but does require them to meet the operational costs of the oval. They receive income from ground hire fees and catering revenue.

Balmain Tigers use the oval as a base for their junior rugby league representative teams and also make the venue available for four West Tigers home games per year. In addition, the Oval has been hired by other clubs and codes as a training venue and for games.

In May 2014, Balmain Tigers requested assistance from Leichhardt Council for the running of Leichhardt Oval. Council has therefore been covering some of the running and maintenance costs since then to ensure a good outcome.

Balmain Tigers more recently approached Council with a request to surrender the lease as of 30 March 2015\. Council this year resolved to commence as interim venue manager of Leichhardt Oval from 1 April 2015 with a report back to Council in October, 2015 to detail arrangements for ongoing venue management for the 2016 season. Council wants to see Balmain Tigers take on a new lease for Leichhardt Oval No 1 as soon as they are able to.

From 1 April 2015, it is still business as usual for the Balmain Junior Rugby League representative teams and the West Tigers. Balmain Tigers Junior Rugby League will still reside at Leichhardt Oval and West Tigers home games will still be played at Leichhardt Oval - however all hiring and expenses for Leichhardt Oval will be the responsibility of Leichhardt Council.

Since 2006, Council has undertaken approximately $6.2M worth of work to upgrade the facilities at Leichhardt Oval with approximately $4.839M provided by State and Federal funding, $500,000 from Tigers and $896,000 from Council.

Council acknowledges the importance that Leichhardt Oval plays in the rich history of the Balmain Tigers and the wider rugby league community and call on the NRL, State and Federal Government to work with Council and Balmain Tigers to ensure that ongoing funding of this great ground continues into the future.

Council is committed to ensure the highest possible standards for Leichhardt Oval and it is estimated that Council will spend in excess of $300,000 over the current season and a total of $400,000 this year to ensure that rugby league fans will continue to enjoy Leichhardt Oval and the grounds are maintained at the highest level.
 
What I don't get is the threats by Mayer that he will leave Leichhardt. I know it needs work but its a pretty popular venue when Wests play there. Does Mayer really think all of these supporters will travel to Campbelltown, ANZ etc? I love Leichhardt for the history, the hill and because I can now walk to the ground :slight_smile:
I am a Leichhardt Oval member only and will have no need for ticketed membership should they leave Leichhardt as I already hold ANZ membership. How many others are in my position? Doesnt Mayer realise there would be a significant hit in revenue and a further dwindling in the supporter base.
 
@angry ant said:
Councils response, seems to answer a few questions:

STATEMENT BY MAYOR ROCHELLE PORTEOUS ON LEICHHARDT OVAL NO 1
Listen
Thursday, 26 March, 2015

I wish to reaffirm Leichhardt Council’s position to maximise the number of West Tigers home games at Leichhardt Oval No 1\. There are four games confirmed for this season and we want to see at least four games at Leichhardt Oval No 1 next season.

Leichhardt Council confirms that Leichhardt Oval No 1 will continue to be the home of Balmain Tigers Rugby League Club.

Balmain Tigers currently hold a lease to run Leichhardt Oval, which is at zero rent, but does require them to meet the operational costs of the oval. They receive income from ground hire fees and catering revenue.

Balmain Tigers use the oval as a base for their junior rugby league representative teams and also make the venue available for four West Tigers home games per year. In addition, the Oval has been hired by other clubs and codes as a training venue and for games.

In May 2014, Balmain Tigers requested assistance from Leichhardt Council for the running of Leichhardt Oval. Council has therefore been covering some of the running and maintenance costs since then to ensure a good outcome.

Balmain Tigers more recently approached Council with a request to surrender the lease as of 30 March 2015\. Council this year resolved to commence as interim venue manager of Leichhardt Oval from 1 April 2015 with a report back to Council in October, 2015 to detail arrangements for ongoing venue management for the 2016 season. Council wants to see Balmain Tigers take on a new lease for Leichhardt Oval No 1 as soon as they are able to.

From 1 April 2015, it is still business as usual for the Balmain Junior Rugby League representative teams and the West Tigers. Balmain Tigers Junior Rugby League will still reside at Leichhardt Oval and West Tigers home games will still be played at Leichhardt Oval - however all hiring and expenses for Leichhardt Oval will be the responsibility of Leichhardt Council.

Since 2006, Council has undertaken approximately $6.2M worth of work to upgrade the facilities at Leichhardt Oval with approximately $4.839M provided by State and Federal funding, $500,000 from Tigers and $896,000 from Council.

Council acknowledges the importance that Leichhardt Oval plays in the rich history of the Balmain Tigers and the wider rugby league community and call on the NRL, State and Federal Government to work with Council and Balmain Tigers to ensure that ongoing funding of this great ground continues into the future.

Council is committed to ensure the highest possible standards for Leichhardt Oval and it is estimated that Council will spend in excess of $300,000 over the current season and a total of $400,000 this year to ensure that rugby league fans will continue to enjoy Leichhardt Oval and the grounds are maintained at the highest level.

I bet council didn't think it would get to this stage

You reap what you sow Leichhardt Council

Stick that in your pipe and smoke it
 
So this could actually work out to be a good thing?
More money will be spent on Leichhardt (Or at least they are saying) plus it means Balmain have less expenses?
Someone tell me if I have completely misunderstood Leichhardt's response…
 
Typical of councils everywhere.

Do people think that councils really care about their concerns? If you live in the area you are a source of income. Period.

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@cqtiger said:
Typical of councils everywhere.

Do people think that councils really care about their concerns? If you live in the area you are a source of income. Period.

_Posted using RoarFEED 4.2.0_

So very true , got my evaluations for my property about a month ago and has dropped by 25% 😢

I'm betting my rates won't drop 25%
 
@angry ant said:
What I don't get is the threats by Mayer that he will leave Leichhardt. I know it needs work but its a pretty popular venue when Wests play there. Does Mayer really think all of these supporters will travel to Campbelltown, ANZ etc? I love Leichhardt for the history, the hill and because I can now walk to the ground :slight_smile:
I am a Leichhardt Oval member only and will have no need for ticketed membership should they leave Leichhardt as I already hold ANZ membership. How many others are in my position? Doesnt Mayer realise there would be a significant hit in revenue and a further dwindling in the supporter base.

A hit in revenue from leaving LO? Even in your case, they would lose your LO membership but make up well more from Homebush money. LO and CS are massive financial weights around our neck.
 
@gallagher said:
@angry ant said:
What I don't get is the threats by Mayer that he will leave Leichhardt. I know it needs work but its a pretty popular venue when Wests play there. Does Mayer really think all of these supporters will travel to Campbelltown, ANZ etc? I love Leichhardt for the history, the hill and because I can now walk to the ground :slight_smile:
I am a Leichhardt Oval member only and will have no need for ticketed membership should they leave Leichhardt as I already hold ANZ membership. How many others are in my position? Doesnt Mayer realise there would be a significant hit in revenue and a further dwindling in the supporter base.

A hit in revenue from leaving LO? Even in your case, they would lose your LO membership but make up well more from Homebush money. LO and CS are massive financial weights around our neck.

Thats not true gallagher… they are not assured financially as Homebush is, though packed houses at either Campbelltown or Leichhardt put the Homebush money to bed.

Homebush is a lazy alternative... I get the facilities crap on the others, though its souless, and you give up the fortress mentality due to having other teams feeling at home there.

A competitive team, and marketing towards tribalism, and we could reap rewards from LO and CS.

I love watching footy a Leichhardt, just as long as I dont have to go to the toilets, lol.
 
@jirskyr said:
One other thing… I reckon plenty of residents of Balmain and Rozelle don't give a toss if Tigers go under. It's not like it used to be, there are so many nouveau-riche who buy expensive terraces down at Birchgrove, or who snap up pokey redevelopment on Lilyfield Rd.

These people are not old-school Balmain supporters, they aren't really interested in a local club to have a pint, a punt and a $18 chicken schnitzel. They want cafes, organic fruit shops, fair-trade coffee distributors and artisan bakeries.

It's not like Wests Ashfield's local area, the demographic has totally changed.

There the Chardonnay set now. Sit on their verandah and sip away.
Basically follow the swans if anyone.

When I was growing up in Balmain and people asked where you were from and you said Balmain - the reply was "oh! your from the slums".

Now these dopes are paying a couple of million to live in the slums.

When I was there everyone knew everyone and if you were in trouble - people would come from everywhere to help. Now they'd watch you get your throat cut from their verandah.

Hated to leave there 45 years ago - now you couldn't give me a house to live there.

They don't care about the Tigers - care about no one but themselves.
 
@Black'n'White said:
Thats not true gallagher… they are not assured financially as Homebush is, though packed houses at either Campbelltown or Leichhardt put the Homebush money to bed.

Homebush is a lazy alternative... I get the facilities crap on the others, though its souless, and you give up the fortress mentality due to having other teams feeling at home there.

A competitive team, and marketing towards tribalism, and we could reap rewards from LO and CS.

I love watching footy a Leichhardt, just as long as I dont have to go to the toilets, lol.

I get all that, but the thing for me is that when we're losing we have small crowds there and lose money. When were on fire we're turning people away.(20k last night) With a 17k capacity we'll never grow our membership.
 
From smh-

Wests Tigers have the opportunity to play at Leichhardt Oval at practically no cost if they are prepared to provide a long-term commitment to the venue.

The future of Leichhardt Oval is uncertain beyond this season after cash constraints forced Balmain to forfeit their lease of the ground. The joint-venture club is yet to agree to council's new lease, raising uncertainty over games beyond those scheduled at the historic ground against Canberra on April 19 and the Titans on June 5.

Leichhardt councillor Darcy Byrne said the Tigers could secure a permanent home for the club if they were in for the long haul.

"Council has voted unanimously that the new arrangement should involve Wests Tigers playing a minimum of four games a year there with unfettered access for training and lower grades too," Byrne said.

"I will be formally proposing at Council that Wests Tigers be offered a 10-year agreement to play at Leichhardt Oval, with very limited or no hiring fee at all.

"With improved management of the ground, including maximising revenue from catering and additional events, there is no reason Wests Tigers cannot commit to making a permanent home base at Leichhardt.

"It is also impossible to attract and justify government investment in Leichhardt Oval while Wests Tiger prevaricate over their future there.

"Wests Tigers fans want to see a minimum of four games a year at Leichhardt and Campbelltown and it is time for [Tigers chief executive officer] Grant Mayer and the Wests Tigers board to give the fans what they want."

Wests Tigers are tentatively scheduled to host Penrith at Leichhardt Oval on June 28, but the latest developments mean there is no guarantee the fixture won't be shifted. The marquee clash may be of interest to ANZ Stadium, one of the club's other home grounds.

Wayne Pearce, who, as a child, lived a torpedo pass away from the ground where he become a Balmain Tigers legend, said it would be disappointing if rugby league was no longer played there.

"Leichhardt is such a wonderful suburban venue with a unique atmosphere," said Pearce. "From my experience, it's a great place to go to watch rugby league, especially with a full house and they've been getting full houses there in recent years.

"People like the Leichhardt Oval experience because it has genuine atmosphere."

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@TrueTiger said:
Could LO replace Concord as a training facility…would it be viable to the WTs...

In that regard it would be a step backwards for us imo….there is nowhere for the gym set up, no where for the admin, nowhere for the retail
 
@innsaneink said:
@TrueTiger said:
Could LO replace Concord as a training facility…would it be viable to the WTs...

In that regard it would be a step backwards for us imo….there is nowhere for the gym set up, no where for the admin, nowhere for the retail

Actually there is - from what I understand, if it was seen as an option for WT to have a base there, Council would be looking at is a kind of Centre of Excellence, which would include redoing the main stand to include all required facilities, and using the carpark and small park area across the road for admin set up, community facilities (ala Belmore) and parking underneath. This would take away the small amount of parking behind the stand as it is, and turn this into the training facility for WT and for use by other people that hire the ground.
 
I would absolutely love for it to happen but I can't see WT wanting to commit to 10 years at this stage.
Hopefully they do, I would be very happy if they did.
 
Wouldn't this put Leichhardt in the same category as ANZ in terms of financial returns for the club if this proposal goes ahead?

A saving of $70,000 on ground rental, plus gate takings and merchandise (I understand council will do food and beverages themselves) should surely make the ground extremely profitable to play out of. I don't know all the game day expenditure, but it would be fair to say the club would turn a dollar each time they play at Leichhardt under this proposed arrangement.

Might even make he Campbeltown Council turds rethink heir exorbitant ground rental fees in the future.

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@Abraham said:
Wouldn't this put Leichhardt in the same category as ANZ in terms of financial returns for the club if this proposal goes ahead?

A saving of $70,000 on ground rental, plus gate takings and merchandise (I understand council will do food and beverages themselves) should surely make the ground extremely profitable to play out of. I don't know all the game day expenditure, but it would be fair to say the club would turn a dollar each time they play at Leichhardt under this proposed arrangement.

Might even make he Campbeltown Council turds rethink heir exorbitant ground rental fees in the future.

_Posted using RoarFEED 4.2.0_

This.
 
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