Wests Tigers could call Campbelltown home due to Balmain’s financial woes

I was born and bred Balmain as my entire family supported them. When they became WT was around the time I started my junior footy and really got into it and they were my team since 2000\. I think the hardest part is thinking about how my family would feel if Balmain was out of the picture, they'd be devastated and that history is what makes us great. It may sound selfish but god I wish Harry would leave us a parting gift. If I had as much money as he did, as old as he is, I wouldn't give a rats what I did with it. I know he has invested so much and saved us many a time, but he would quite literally be leaving a legacy as the one who saved Balmain. Balmain got screwed left, right and centre. Sure they made mistakes, but what business doesn't. I just wish there was a way to get Balmain up and running again, because just the thought of knowing that Balmain won't be there honestly does make me feel like my teams not the same, because we built this great club from two, not one.
 
With the constant talk that there are too many teams in Sydney I have thought for a long time that we need to align ourselves more with Campbelltown. The NRL want a presence in this growth area and it's under attack from other codes. The NRL are more likely to support a team there then teams in the city where it's market saturated. Sure the demographic might not currently be rugby league people but a big population equals growth potential to the NRL.
I understand how the old Balmain people feel about this because I've lived through it. I spent my youth cheering on the Magpies at Lidcombe. But you quickly learn what's really important about your team when you get kicked out of the comp like happened to us in the early 80's. So while I would have liked things to stay as they were, I was ecstatic to go and cheer on my Magpies at Orana Park when we won our court cases and got reinstated. So my advice to old Balmain ppl (and old Western Surburbs ppl), our team is the Wests Tigers and our energy should be put into what's best for the Wests Tigers and not preserving history for the sack of it. Respect yes! Celebrate it yes! But don't let it hold us back!
If Wests Ashfield were self-serving then surely they'd play every game out of Homebush due to locality so let's give them credit for looking at the bigger picture.
BTW I'm one old Magpie fan that is happy we are staying as the Wests Tigers - that the only team my kids have known. If West Ashfield do become the sole owner of the Wests Tigers than I would love to see them change their logo also from the Magpie to the West Tiger. I think that would make the old Balmain ppl feel more comfortable plus I think it will make more marketing sense so all Wests Tigers fans see Wests Ashfield as their club.
 
I really think that the basis of this conversation is mainly heading toward juniors,a large area to find and develope talented players from….I could be wrong,however as far as playing all games out of CSS would be reckless...I travel to CSS at every possible chance to watch the WTs play,I don't travel to LO anymore as I live in the Southern Highlands,CSS is way closer and easier to get to..LO is a hassle for me,ANZ is Ok and only go there rarely...the point I'm making is that I don't care where we base ourselves it must be viable for fans,members,players and have future benefits..as long as we remain Wests Tigers I will support the club wholeheartedly...I will say that games at CSS can have a fantastic atmosphere as does LO,ANZ pay us big money to play there,but when you get 10/15k people there it has a dull atmosphere because of the huge size of the place..anyway everyone has an opinion in one way or another,let's hope the people in charge of our great club make the correct decisions for us...
 
@goldcoast tiger said:
@hammertime said:
@GNR4LIFE said:
@hammertime said:
How about alienating half the supporter base? dumb, dumb, dumb. Just when the club was on the up, the lunatics are let out of the asylum.

Well, you'll find that a large number of the supporter base have already felt alienated for yrs and halve walked away from the club. I suppose that's different though.

All this is just rediculously dumb. Timing, rationale, thought process. It's so childish, it's like a kid who doesn't want to share. The club was doing so well! The tigers have a bright future, we're winning games and for once there is stability and some vision. These amature hour nutjobs better not get control of the club.

Is that the same amateur hour nut jobs who have ran the Balmain club into the ground over years.
From what I have read on here from time to time, I thought that Liverpool was the direction that we were heading in anyway.
Anyway Wests seem to have done a reasonable job since they've had control, and I'd expect that if we were to move anywhere, it would be pretty well researched before. We seem to be the nomads of the league,at the moments, and whatever happens down the track, I'd rather see us in the one decent ground with decent facilities for the team and the supporters
A bit of stability would be good for the team.
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GT, I'm not going to write a large response to that because I don't think you understand what's going to change. Dot points.

1) my statement would equally apply to Balmain. It's not a Wests v balmain thing. It's a unskilled business person thing. when decisions are based on the whim and emotion of some hack who's decided a leagues club is a good place for a career.

2) Wests do not currently have control. The skilled independents do. That's why the club is doing so well.

Liverpool was the direction. A thoughtful and measured direction from the board. However, if Wests get in control. Blokes like the guy providing the quotes. Then they'll probably just say screw this logic, the fans and financial projections, let's do what I feel like today.

It's akin to democracy vs a dictatorship.

People need to be upset about this and voice out that our board has the right balance.
 
@foreveratiger said:
This is the Thread you thought you would start and direct a thread to me , your Childish demeanour never seems to amaze me . Then you want to play the poor child :bawling :bawling :bawling

http://www.weststigersforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=23146&p=557775&hilit=foreveratiger#p557775
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Fair enough, I apologise. Like I was trying to say last night, all I did was post the article and people get their backs up and accuse me of being anti Balmain because I like the idea. It has nothing to do with Balmain and everything to do with the area I live in. Fair enough if people don't agree, I'm not going to call them trolls for not seeing it how I do. I know people have an attachment to Leichhardt and the inner west in general and I respect that. It's a forum after all. Hopefully now we put the petty crap to bed.
 
@Geo. said:
Keep winning and you will pack all WT home grounds….

Our Bandwagon is the Pride of the League...Happened in '05/'10 and '11..

The important info from the Article is the direct quotes from Simon Cook...you would think that would allay the fears of fossils re Wests Tigers brand and dash the hopes fanatics that want the Magpies back...not what Marsden thinks should happen re home games...but alas reading the posts it appears not...

Wests Ashfield CEO Simon Cook said a decision about where the club played its games would be up to the re-formed board.
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“It’s a decision for the Wests Tigers board,” he said.
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“I wouldn’t want to speculate on that at this point.
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“Campbelltown is and always will play a huge role for the Wests Tigers club.
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“The whole south west of Sydney, including Campbelltown is extremely important to Wests Tigers.’’
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While there is the possibility of an increased on-field presence in Campbelltown, Mr Cook was quick to pour water on the possibility of a return to the Magpies brand or black and white colours returning.
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He said there were no circumstances under which the Wests Tigers brand would or could be changed.
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“The club won’t revert to the magpies,” he said.
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“There is a heritage deed in place protecting the club’s name and colours which doesn’t cease to exist regardless of who is in control of the club.
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“The ability of the club to rebrand is not commercially viable.”
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“Wests Tigers is a brand and a successful brand and it should remain in place whoever ends up with the licence.”
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“Whatever happens, the Wests Tigers brand won’t change,” said Mr Cook.
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“We’re having constructive conversations with Balmain and the NRL right now to try to find a solution.”

None the less..carry on...
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Geo, Simon cook will only be around for so long. A marsden type could easily grab the reins with a faction.

You aren't concerned if a leagues club grab power again?

You only need to look as far as the front page of the telegraph today to see why that cannot happen.

A good thing is that Simon cook seems to be a reasonable guy. He might foresee issues and want try to avoid taking on balmains share.
 
Hammer, you're sounding like one of the people Geo is talking about. A few months ago you were demanding Wests sell their share to Harry. It sounds like you just don't want Wests to have it. If Balmain can't be involved, neither can Wests.
 
I am not from and have never lived in the Macarthur region. Has any study actually been done into the amount of people born and raised in the region and 1) Their views on Rugby League, and 2) Whether they see Wests (Magpies or Tigers) as their 'own'.

The reason I ask is that of all the people I know that either live there or are from the region (granted it is a small sample size) none of them supported the Magpies and only one now has a passing interest in the Tigers. They all, bar one who is a diehard Sydney Swans fan, love league but support Canterbury, St George, Parramatta, and even a Manly fan. All of the former Magpies fans I know (again a small sample size) are from a 5km radius of Ashfield and they have stuck solid with the JV. I just think there should not be the assumption that because an area has population growth that it will automatically mean fans of the local team. The Gold Coast is a great example of this. Large population growth and a lot of league followers but not that many support the local side.

This is not a suggestion of moving one way or another. It is not a criticism of a region. Just looking for some metrics to be comforted that the future direction is based on something other than assumptions.
 
@GNR4LIFE said:
Hammer, you're sounding like one of the people Geo is talking about. A few months ago you demanding Wests sell their share to Harry. It sounds like you just don't want Wests to have it. If Balmain can't be involved, neither can Wests.
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It's a balance of the board thing or full privatisation.

It's why we went to all that effort to get the indepenandts in! Now we don't care if we go backwards and create the same issues as before?? I do.

It's the perfect balance right now. I would be happy to drop balmains share and have the 2, 3 split. But we need people making decisions on what's best for the club, not what is best for them. It's a monumental difference.
 
@hammertime said:
@GNR4LIFE said:
Hammer, you're sounding like one of the people Geo is talking about. A few months ago you demanding Wests sell their share to Harry. It sounds like you just don't want Wests to have it. If Balmain can't be involved, neither can Wests.

It's a balance of the board thing or full privatisation.

It's why we went to all that effort to get the indepenandts in! Now we don't care if we go backwards and create the same issues as before?? I do.

It's the perfect balance right now. I would be happy to drop balmains share and have the 2, 3 split. But we need people making decisions on what's best for the club, not what is best for them. It's a monumental difference.
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Well there's been no indication that anything that you're getting worked up over will ever happen. You're jumping at shadows that aren't there. I'd wait for something substantial before shouting that Wests are incompetent and trying to create divisions.
 
@GNR4LIFE said:
@hammertime said:
@GNR4LIFE said:
Hammer, you're sounding like one of the people Geo is talking about. A few months ago you demanding Wests sell their share to Harry. It sounds like you just don't want Wests to have it. If Balmain can't be involved, neither can Wests.

It's a balance of the board thing or full privatisation.

It's why we went to all that effort to get the indepenandts in! Now we don't care if we go backwards and create the same issues as before?? I do.

It's the perfect balance right now. I would be happy to drop balmains share and have the 2, 3 split. But we need people making decisions on what's best for the club, not what is best for them. It's a monumental difference.

Well there's been no indication that anything that you're getting worked up over will ever happen. You're jumping at shadows that aren't there. I'd wait for something substantial before shouting that Wests are incompetent and trying to create divisions.
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Not Wests are incompetent. Leagues clubs are incompetent and have proven they can't run a club. Both Balmain and Wests. Judging by the quotes, it seems the Wests buyout is a strong option. It sounds like marsden knows something. It's why I'm fired up.

I'm so surprised , people get fired up more about buchannan on the bench rather than what will be a massive decision for our future…
 
Fair enough Hammer, but the direction that the club would go in and the outcome of it is up in the air at this stage.
 
@Geo. said:
Keep winning and you will pack all WT home grounds….

Our Bandwagon is the Pride of the League...Happened in '05/'10 and '11..

The important info from the Article is the direct quotes from Simon Cook...you would think that would allay the fears of fossils re Wests Tigers brand and dash the hopes fanatics that want the Magpies back...not what Marsden thinks should happen re home games...but alas reading the posts it appears not...
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Further, many on here asking, "where are the commercials?" is a bit premature. As Cook said, it's something for the new board to assess.

In any case, say they did move more games to Campbelltown and the club consistently lost money, Ashfield will soon get sick of writing cheques and games will move to more profitable venues.
 
this is all a bit disturbing…

just when things were looking up, instability has risen again!

i'm so over the magpie, balmain crap, i got a facebook post, a joke, about magpies coming back this morning.

If this issue is not treated with the correct wisdom, the wests tigers will lose a large percentage of their supporters.

we need to understand and respect where our support and membership comes from, this will determine our future.
 
A Terror article and now 5 pages of comments based on some quotes from Jim Marsden. Is even involved at all these days? A quick read of the actual article would tell you the people actually running the joint are saying nada. Rubbish article that says nothing. I understand home ground allocations are important but this article is a waste of column inches
 
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