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BarrygoestoBolton wrote:A very thoughtful response. A couple more considerations
Firstly, of course, one might consider the whole professional football model broken in the sense that most clubs lose money and need cash injections to keep them going. Player wages are the main component of that. Until something is done about that the merry-go-round will continue. You may recall a few years ago the EFL tried to impose salary caps in L1 & L2 of £3m & £1.5m respectively, which the PFA challenged successfully. I’ll bet the wage bills of the top-spending clubs in L1 in particular are considerably more than double that now. I think I’m right in saying that Sheffield Wednesday lost around £25m three running (albeit they did escape L1 by the skin of their teeth).
Secondly, the Swiss are not bound to lose money. The club could feasibly be worth what they invested, especially if we get promoted. Consequently, I acknowledge, while they are risking the whole amount they put in, in fact it’s very unlikely they’ll lose all, if indeed any, of it.
The football model is broken - but only in our eyes - there's plenty - owners, players, broadcasters, media, advertisers, and indeed most fans, who see nothing wrong with it - and life values such as mine and yours, simply don't count.
And the value of the Swiss shares in FV are of course only worth whatever someone will pay for them.
They might turn out to be quid's in for all I know but I simply can't see the value of BWFC in terms of it's location (United and City on the doorstep) stadium capacity (ample for our needs even in the PL but half the capacity of the 'big' clubs who fill their stadiums every week) or media/broadcasting/advertising revenue (the world won't be tuning in to watch Bolton when they can watch the big four (or six or whatever it is these days) or the likes of Real and Barcelona, or even Harry in Germany!
Our biggest sponsors name (deliberately) sounds like 'Tough Shit' and our next biggest sells toilets to actually shit in - ffs!!!
Is that the best we are able to attract if the future plan is from the international streaming and advertising revenue on BWFC TV, rather than gate receipts on freezing, rainy, midweek games in the middle of winter?
Let's be honest, we are a club that hasn't even got around to treating women equally yet, in that we haven't got a ladies team - and we are already nearly a quarter way through the 21st century!!!
How cutting edge are we, eh, what's our USP even - we are still just a small time, parochial little town club, when all said and done, even with the top bosses of a no doubt extremely rich multinational are having a little flutter on us because someone's brother is one of the owners of the club - that's the true reality isn't it?
Anyway it's their money, they can do what they like with it - nothing to do with me.
I just think the world has taken a wrong turn somewhere, where it clearly values someone skilful at kicking a ball vastly more than people who save and protect lives.
It is what it is though.
And it isn't going to change for the better.
