Originally Posted by
hausmann
Alright, I'm going to put it out there. This is what I would like to see as an ownership model.
A single owner or consortium who have been vetted by the FFA as having a heart for football and community engagement and are deemed unlikely to go on power trips or lose their heads.
combined with
A community ownership base in sellable (doesn't have to be a stock exchange), profit sharing, vote carrying shares. Given the state of the Jets, its probably best if these shares be introduced in stages as people get more and more confidence in the direction of the club.
The reasons I think this will work are:
1. Only a community minded owner would be happy to share governance with the club's supporter base. Someone who wants all the power and control to themselves are not community minded.
2. The Hunter has a proven, deeply passionate supporter base who, I am sure, would see value in capitalising their club if they weren't throwing money down a drain.
3. A main owner helps to be decisive
4. Community owners help to enforce proper governance.
5. Community owners are an untapped resource to fully capitalise the club, unlike "members" who, like I said, pour money down the drain each year for meaningless voting rights.
6. Ownership locks in capitalisation, whereas "membership" is a risky, year on year thing. You will likely get more money from people if they have a tangible interest in the club.
7. Newcastle does not have enough rich individuals or rich industries to fund a club by themselves. We need broad based community ownership. Yet community ownership by itself is also fraught with danger, such as poor governance, undercapitalisation, lack of ambition. You need both together.
I'm putting this out now because, if the FFA does have the Dundee United owner lined up, it would be great to put the ownership model proposition to him/his family. From all reports, he is wealthy but not billionaire wealthy.