City Football Group | Secure $650m loan facility for infrastructure projects (p 54)

[waspish]

I find it a little concerning that threads like this exist, because when fans of a football team are feeling the need to become deeply acquainted with the club's financial management then that club has become a business and the team is merely the shop window.

Sadly we are long past the time when everything and everyone directly involved within the team were known, visible and accountable, and frankly Manchester City F.C. are nothing more than the current largest outlet in the City chain store group.

Some may love the idea of CFG and assume it shows some longevity of love and security for our Manchester City team, but this is simply not the case. Yes our team has prospered in the last 12 years, but likewise commercial markets are cyclical and who is to say that one of the other teams within the CFG store are not the biggest and most profitable in the coming years! The decision to borrow money to invest in a stadium for New York City does absolutely nothing for our team Manchester City and more worryingly shows CFG are now looking for more revenue and eventual profit and not looking for how they can improve Manchester City F.C.

I think the fact that our North Stand expansion never happened can be seen as a sign that CFG believe there is only limited, if any, further profitability in the Manchester based operation, yet the New York plan shows they are clearly thinking there are profits to be made elsewhere. I suppose what the jist of my post is, and I know I'll get loads of incoming for sure, is that the success of CFG is measured on the balance sheet and has long since moved from being measured by the footballing results attained by Manchester City F.C and although they are connected to some extent there are many examples throughout business of expansion plans steering businesses to new markets and older more familiar names being left behind.

Good post but all this started with the media when city got took over pointing the finger at our spending then ffp came in! It’s sad we get caught up in the financials of our club!

 

[The Future’s Blue!]

I find it a little concerning that threads like this exist, because when fans of a football team are feeling the need to become deeply acquainted with the club's financial management then that club has become a business and the team is merely the shop window.

Sadly we are long past the time when everything and everyone directly involved within the team were known, visible and accountable, and frankly Manchester City F.C. are nothing more than the current largest outlet in the City chain store group.

Some may love the idea of CFG and assume it shows some longevity of love and security for our Manchester City team, but this is simply not the case. Yes our team has prospered in the last 12 years, but likewise commercial markets are cyclical and who is to say that one of the other teams within the CFG store are not the biggest and most profitable in the coming years! The decision to borrow money to invest in a stadium for New York City does absolutely nothing for our team Manchester City and more worryingly shows CFG are now looking for more revenue and eventual profit and not looking for how they can improve Manchester City F.C.

I think the fact that our North Stand expansion never happened can be seen as a sign that CFG believe there is only limited, if any, further profitability in the Manchester based operation, yet the New York plan shows they are clearly thinking there are profits to be made elsewhere. I suppose what the jist of my post is, and I know I'll get loads of incoming for sure, is that the success of CFG is measured on the balance sheet and has long since moved from being measured by the footballing results attained by Manchester City F.C and although they are connected to some extent there are many examples throughout business of expansion plans steering businesses to new markets and older more familiar names being left behind.

Ah well, it was good while it lasted. Back to Chelsea it is then.

 

[The Light Was Yellow Sir]

Ah well, it was good while it lasted. Back to Chelsea it is then.

At least you won’t have to change your user name…….

 

[StillBluessinceHydeRoad]

When Sheikh Mansour bought the club he outlined a ten year plan to make City a self-sustaining elite club and he foresaw a period of heavy investment to achieve that. This was seen by fans of other clubs as no more than throwing money at transfers to build a team of mercenaries but, in fact, it has seen investment in every aspect of the club, and in the creation of CFG. CFG is growing and developing and it is still in its early days - in that phase which requires heavy investment while the returns will not be seen for some time. This is the difference between the loan raised by CFG and the debt most other football clubs struggle with and we can look forward to estimates of the value of CFG in years to come.

 

[bobbyowenquiff]

I find it a little concerning that threads like this exist, because when fans of a football team are feeling the need to become deeply acquainted with the club's financial management then that club has become a business and the team is merely the shop window.

Sadly we are long past the time when everything and everyone directly involved within the team were known, visible and accountable, and frankly Manchester City F.C. are nothing more than the current largest outlet in the City chain store group.

Some may love the idea of CFG and assume it shows some longevity of love and security for our Manchester City team, but this is simply not the case. Yes our team has prospered in the last 12 years, but likewise commercial markets are cyclical and who is to say that one of the other teams within the CFG store are not the biggest and most profitable in the coming years! The decision to borrow money to invest in a stadium for New York City does absolutely nothing for our team Manchester City and more worryingly shows CFG are now looking for more revenue and eventual profit and not looking for how they can improve Manchester City F.C.

I think the fact that our North Stand expansion never happened can be seen as a sign that CFG believe there is only limited, if any, further profitability in the Manchester based operation, yet the New York plan shows they are clearly thinking there are profits to be made elsewhere. I suppose what the jist of my post is, and I know I'll get loads of incoming for sure, is that the success of CFG is measured on the balance sheet and has long since moved from being measured by the footballing results attained by Manchester City F.C and although they are connected to some extent there are many examples throughout business of expansion plans steering businesses to new markets and older more familiar names being left behind.

You can't seriously say there was ever a time that "everything and everyone directly involved within the team were known, visible, and accountable." I have supported City since 1968 and that has rarely been the case on or off the field. Have you forgotten the succession of chancers and crooks who manipulated the finances at our club for decades?
Over the years I have met many people connected to the club from Directors to players and staff and I have seen their behaviour up close. Apart from the brief Makin/Boler regime (where they tried their best) the club has been disastrously run and managed. During the 80s and 90s we had scores of players who regarded City as a "meal ticket" and took the piss out us fans. They were not glory days.
The club has never been as professionally run on and off the field as it has been since 2008. They are not perfect but I would not swap the current regime for any other one in world football. If there is only limited potential in the Manchester operation then why are we investing hundreds of millions in building Europe's biggest indoor arena? I believe that the New York project may eventually become more important to CFG. It is also possible that the MLS may eventually become a threat to the European leagues (unlikely as it seems) But until then Greater Manchester will remain the centre of the football universe as the home to two of the world's biggest clubs.

 

[kun]

I find it a little concerning that threads like this exist, because when fans of a football team are feeling the need to become deeply acquainted with the club's financial management then that club has become a business and the team is merely the shop window.

Football Clubs have been businesses for over 20 years. If you have only just realised this then you are blind as a bat.
I don't know what you are pretending to cling on to, ALL football clubs are businesses, there is no real way of getting away from that.

Sadly we are long past the time when everything and everyone directly involved within the team were known, visible and accountable, and frankly Manchester City F.C. are nothing more than the current largest outlet in the City chain store group.

Do you genuinely believe that the club staff were entirely "known, visible and accountable" under Thaskin or Swales or Lee?? Ludicrous.

 

[Centurions]

I find it a little concerning that threads like this exist, because when fans of a football team are feeling the need to become deeply acquainted with the club's financial management then that club has become a business and the team is merely the shop window.

Sadly we are long past the time when everything and everyone directly involved within the team were known, visible and accountable, and frankly Manchester City F.C. are nothing more than the current largest outlet in the City chain store group.

Some may love the idea of CFG and assume it shows some longevity of love and security for our Manchester City team, but this is simply not the case. Yes our team has prospered in the last 12 years, but likewise commercial markets are cyclical and who is to say that one of the other teams within the CFG store are not the biggest and most profitable in the coming years! The decision to borrow money to invest in a stadium for New York City does absolutely nothing for our team Manchester City and more worryingly shows CFG are now looking for more revenue and eventual profit and not looking for how they can improve Manchester City F.C.

I think the fact that our North Stand expansion never happened can be seen as a sign that CFG believe there is only limited, if any, further profitability in the Manchester based operation, yet the New York plan shows they are clearly thinking there are profits to be made elsewhere. I suppose what the jist of my post is, and I know I'll get loads of incoming for sure, is that the success of CFG is measured on the balance sheet and has long since moved from being measured by the footballing results attained by Manchester City F.C and although they are connected to some extent there are many examples throughout business of expansion plans steering businesses to new markets and older more familiar names being left behind.

The CFG has never been about the football results and NYFC don't have a ground, so the fact that they're trying to build one can't surely be a surprise?

Oh, and the North Stand expansion hasn't happened yet.

 

[chris8910]

The CFG has never been about the football results and NYFC don't have a ground, so the fact that they're trying to build one can't surely be a surprise?

Oh, and the North Stand expansion hasn't happened yet.

This.

The North Stand has simply been put on hold, for well, obvious reasons.
It would be bad investment to build a new stand during a period where no fans have been in and we are all still uncertain when we are going to be full again, where is the return going to be on that? We know how quick these guys operate and how fast a stand goes up.
I'm sure the wheels will be in motion, somewhere, in some office, or in many homes across the world.

 

[decmancity]

ADO Den Haag onderhandelt met steenrijke eigenaar van Manchester City

City Football Group heeft interesse getoond in de aandelen van ADO Den Haag. Namens de investeringsmaatschappij voert Nederlander Roel de Vries sinds vorige week gesprekken met de ADO-directie. Tegelijkertijd is het Japanse ACA Investments een serieuze overnamekandidaat.

www.ad.nl

City Football Group has shown interest in the shares of ADO Den Haag. On behalf of the investment company, Dutchman Roel de Vries has been in talks with the ADO management since last week.

 

[Corky]

ADO Den Haag onderhandelt met steenrijke eigenaar van Manchester City

City Football Group heeft interesse getoond in de aandelen van ADO Den Haag. Namens de investeringsmaatschappij voert Nederlander Roel de Vries sinds vorige week gesprekken met de ADO-directie. Tegelijkertijd is het Japanse ACA Investments een serieuze overnamekandidaat.

www.ad.nl

City Football Group has shown interest in the shares of ADO Den Haag. On behalf of the investment company, Dutchman Roel de Vries has been in talks with the ADO management since last week.

I feel sorry for the fans, but it is a nice little city to visit if you are not a war criminal.