Tigerlily
Well-known member
**Wests Tigers plan to get back in black and make top four by 2017**
The Wests Tigers have publicly set themselves the ambitious goals of getting back into the black financially and becoming entrenched in the top four within just three years.
The joint-venture club has released its strategic plan, which covers the period until 2017, with a raft of targets for performance on and off the field. Underpinned by the mantra "United team, one dream", the 16-page document provides the Tigers with a clear direction during its rebuilding phase.
The main goals to be achieved by 2017 include:
- Becoming financially sustainable;
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- Making the top four;
- Having 12 local juniors in the full-time squad;
- Increasing membership by 18 per cent;
- Increasing game attendance by 33 per cent;
- An 80 per cent increase in social media followers;
- Boosting merchandise sales by 28 per cent.
The strategic plan is the first big initiative undertaken by the new Tigers board and was compiled with the input of all senior staffers. By going public with the plan, it signals a new era of accountability to all of the club's stakeholders.
"The reality in Sydney is that if you're successful on the field, you're successful off the field," said Tigers chief executive Grant Mayer.
"We are in a very competitive marketplace where we are competing against eight other NRL teams and a host of other competitors in the sponsorship and membership space.
"Success on the football field is paramount, we need to make sure we're strong. We are the least successful football team in the last 15 years, having made the top eight on just three occasions. That is clearly unacceptable and unsustainable as a business. All of us as a group - the coaching department, the administration and the board - know we need to perform more consistently on the field. For us, top four in 2017 is realistic, but it's also something we can hopefully surpass."
The Tigers have struggled financially, to the point where the Balmain side of the venture had to relinquish their rights after failing to stump up their share of the funding. The NRL had to make up the shortfall and appointed three independent directors to ensure improved governance structures.
After struggling to compete with rival clubs on an even financial footing for most of their history, the Tigers aim to break even by 2017.
"We need to be smarter how we do business," Mayer said.
"We have one of the smallest administration, sales, football and marketing teams in the competition. But we have a very strong brand with a lot of fans who want to support this club. We've got to give them reason to. That's by being more competitive on the football field and that will help our off-field financials to grow.
"It's not just about on-field success, it's about letting our members and fans know that we've got our act together as a club. The first step was reforming the board and then injecting much-needed funds."
The club is barely recognisable to the one that lurched from one crisis to the next in recent seasons. There is a new board, a new coaching staff headed by Jason Taylor and a commitment to promoting the Wests Tigers brand after years of feuding between the Western Suburbs and Balmain joint-venture partners.
"The reality is we are now 16 years as an organisation and from top to bottom we need to ensure everyone talks about us as the Wests Tigers," Mayer said.
"We need to respect our heritage and that we have been formed from two foundation clubs, but the only way we can move forward is by everyone embracing the Wests Tigers. That is paramount. We can't be squabbling about colours or where we play games, we need to go forward as the Wests Tigers. We are a tri-colour club - orange, black and white."
The strategic plan acknowledges the Concord Oval training base is not up to standard at present and that a longer-term stadium strategy must be initiated. While the goal is to ensure a dozen local juniors are part of the full-time squad, powerbrokers will attempt to attract big-name recruits as well.
"[General manager of football] Phil Moss, Jason Taylor and the board recognise we need to bring in some talent from outside to bolster our kids," Mayer said.
The Wests Tigers have publicly set themselves the ambitious goals of getting back into the black financially and becoming entrenched in the top four within just three years.
The joint-venture club has released its strategic plan, which covers the period until 2017, with a raft of targets for performance on and off the field. Underpinned by the mantra "United team, one dream", the 16-page document provides the Tigers with a clear direction during its rebuilding phase.
The main goals to be achieved by 2017 include:
- Becoming financially sustainable;
Advertisement
- Making the top four;
- Having 12 local juniors in the full-time squad;
- Increasing membership by 18 per cent;
- Increasing game attendance by 33 per cent;
- An 80 per cent increase in social media followers;
- Boosting merchandise sales by 28 per cent.
The strategic plan is the first big initiative undertaken by the new Tigers board and was compiled with the input of all senior staffers. By going public with the plan, it signals a new era of accountability to all of the club's stakeholders.
"The reality in Sydney is that if you're successful on the field, you're successful off the field," said Tigers chief executive Grant Mayer.
"We are in a very competitive marketplace where we are competing against eight other NRL teams and a host of other competitors in the sponsorship and membership space.
"Success on the football field is paramount, we need to make sure we're strong. We are the least successful football team in the last 15 years, having made the top eight on just three occasions. That is clearly unacceptable and unsustainable as a business. All of us as a group - the coaching department, the administration and the board - know we need to perform more consistently on the field. For us, top four in 2017 is realistic, but it's also something we can hopefully surpass."
The Tigers have struggled financially, to the point where the Balmain side of the venture had to relinquish their rights after failing to stump up their share of the funding. The NRL had to make up the shortfall and appointed three independent directors to ensure improved governance structures.
After struggling to compete with rival clubs on an even financial footing for most of their history, the Tigers aim to break even by 2017.
"We need to be smarter how we do business," Mayer said.
"We have one of the smallest administration, sales, football and marketing teams in the competition. But we have a very strong brand with a lot of fans who want to support this club. We've got to give them reason to. That's by being more competitive on the football field and that will help our off-field financials to grow.
"It's not just about on-field success, it's about letting our members and fans know that we've got our act together as a club. The first step was reforming the board and then injecting much-needed funds."
The club is barely recognisable to the one that lurched from one crisis to the next in recent seasons. There is a new board, a new coaching staff headed by Jason Taylor and a commitment to promoting the Wests Tigers brand after years of feuding between the Western Suburbs and Balmain joint-venture partners.
"The reality is we are now 16 years as an organisation and from top to bottom we need to ensure everyone talks about us as the Wests Tigers," Mayer said.
"We need to respect our heritage and that we have been formed from two foundation clubs, but the only way we can move forward is by everyone embracing the Wests Tigers. That is paramount. We can't be squabbling about colours or where we play games, we need to go forward as the Wests Tigers. We are a tri-colour club - orange, black and white."
The strategic plan acknowledges the Concord Oval training base is not up to standard at present and that a longer-term stadium strategy must be initiated. While the goal is to ensure a dozen local juniors are part of the full-time squad, powerbrokers will attempt to attract big-name recruits as well.
"[General manager of football] Phil Moss, Jason Taylor and the board recognise we need to bring in some talent from outside to bolster our kids," Mayer said.
