Manchester City...More Than A Football Club?

[Why Always Ste]

I'd fucking love City to build up an ice hockey club. I used to go to watch Manchester Storm a lot when they were at the Nynex. Organise their fixtures, as far as possible, to alternate with City's home matches and that would be brilliant. As long as they don't the same mistake that happened to Storm originally; thinking they could charge football prices for a game which hasn't got a strong foothold in this country. If they charge cinema prices, they will get big crowds again. I can remember over 17,000 one match which is pretty staggering.

Forgive my ignorance here, I was only around 10yrs old when we used to go and watch The Storm, but how did it all collapse? they just went greedy and priced people out?

I tried getting back into Hockey recently and watched a game at Manchester Phoenix, just didn't enjoy it asmuch, no atmosphere and sense of occasion.

Would love it if City had their own Ice Hockey team.

I do however think City should tap into the sponsorship side of things, possibly sponsoring a BMX team which may come from the new BMX arena:
<a class="postlink" href="http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1137780_cyclists_on_track_at_20m_arena?rss=yes" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://menmedia.co.uk/manchesterevening ... na?rss=yes</a>
other related sports such as skateboarding, snowboarding (chill factore) would welcome city's involvement and increase the clubs profile in different areas.

 

[Falastur]

I was discussing this with a friend. I reckon we should buy a SuperLeague Formula (F1 downgraded) team. I mean, check out the list of teams who already compete:

<a class="postlink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Superleague_Formula_football_clubs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Su ... ball_clubs</a>

The Sheik already owns a large portion of ferrari, why would he need a downgraded team?

Because the thread was talking about City buying into franchises, and it's pretty obvious the Sheikh isn't going to give us Ferrari as a subsidiary...

 

[Skashion]

Forgive my ignorance here, I was only around 10yrs old when we used to go and watch The Storm, but how did it all collapse? they just went greedy and priced people out?

I tried getting back into Hockey recently and watched a game at Manchester Phoenix, just didn't enjoy it asmuch, no atmosphere and sense of occasion.

Would love it if City had their own Ice Hockey team.

I likely don't know any more about it than you do - I was a similar age, but I know these facts:

1. They started putting up ticket prices to levels not much less than City's prices.
2. Attendances dropped very steeply around the same time.
3. Storm then couldn't afford the M.E.N.

To me, those factors feel strongly related. My reasoning being that ice hockey became not a successful sport but a great family night out costing about the same as a trip to the cinema (I know which I prefer). They put up ticket prices so it's no longer so attractive as the 'alternative' family night out. Attendances dwindled and then Storm couldn't afford the M.E.N. I might be completely wrong and someone more familiar with the club's circumstances might come in and give better reasoning but for now that's my opinion on what happened to Storm; in the hope of raising revenue by increasing prices, they actually reduced the fanbase more severely and, consequently, revenue more severely.

 

[levets]

Forgive my ignorance here, I was only around 10yrs old when we used to go and watch The Storm, but how did it all collapse? they just went greedy and priced people out?

I tried getting back into Hockey recently and watched a game at Manchester Phoenix, just didn't enjoy it asmuch, no atmosphere and sense of occasion.

Would love it if City had their own Ice Hockey team.

I likely don't know any more about it than you do - I was a similar age, but I know these facts:

1. They started putting up ticket prices to levels not much less than City's prices.
2. Attendances dropped very steeply around the same time.
3. Storm then couldn't afford the M.E.N.

To me, those factors feel strongly related. My reasoning being that ice hockey became not a successful sport but a great family night out costing about the same as a trip to the cinema (I know which I prefer). They put up ticket prices so it's no longer so attractive as the 'alternative' family night out. Attendances dwindled and then Storm couldn't afford the M.E.N. I might be completely wrong and someone more familiar with the club's circumstances might come in and give better reasoning but for now that's my opinion on what happened to Storm; in the hope of raising revenue by increasing prices, they actually reduced the fanbase more severely and, consequently, revenue more severely.

If I remember right... all games were played at weekends. Sat/Sun evening. Then the EHL changed to midweek... which affected attendances. Storm went from playing in front of 17,245 to 1,920 for their last game at MEN arena...


Info here....
http://www.manchesterstorm.co.uk/

 

[whp.blue]

I'd fucking love City to build up an ice hockey club. I used to go to watch Manchester Storm a lot when they were at the Nynex. Organise their fixtures, as far as possible, to alternate with City's home matches and that would be brilliant. As long as they don't the same mistake that happened to Storm originally; thinking they could charge football prices for a game which hasn't got a strong foothold in this country. If they charge cinema prices, they will get big crowds again. I can remember over 17,000 one match which is pretty staggering.

I was at the storm when they set the European attendance record... 17,245 at Nynex

looks like a game where the old orange ball is needed imho

 

[S04]

Give me three reasons why Abu Dhabi would let City branch out from football...from an Abu Dhabi point of view that is.

 

[Damocles]

1. We are told that one of the biggest points of the takeover is to make City into a worldwide brand with various streams of revenue. This means expanding beyond our core business with entertainment facilities most likely, but branching into different sports could have an effect on this.

2. If we made rugby/cycling/athletics teams in our local area, it would further associate the club with the City of Manchester, which is a stated goal in our PR campaign.

3. It's not up to Abu Dhabi, it's up to City's management team - Khaldoon and Cook. I know the Sheikh would have to sign off on everything, but I imagine that he'd trust the people he's employed to do a job.

 

[S04]

1. We are told that one of the biggest points of the takeover is to make City into a worldwide brand with various streams of revenue. This means expanding beyond our core business with entertainment facilities most likely, but branching into different sports could have an effect on this.

Hmm..If it benefits our sports/leisure enterprises it might be something to consider perhaps.

2. If we made rugby/cycling/athletics teams in our local area, it would further associate the club with the City of Manchester, which is a stated goal in our PR campaign.

But it would drain revenue from football, and thus make it harder to achieve our goals under the Uefa financial regulations. Because ADUG would most likely not be interested in an "also ran" team in any sport. But it might enhance the picture of City as representing Manchester. I´ll give you that.

3. It's not up to Abu Dhabi, it's up to City's management team - Khaldoon and Cook. I know the Sheikh would have to sign off on everything, but I imagine that he'd trust the people he's employed to do a job.

Erm, Khaldoon and even Sheikh Mansour will take their cues from Sheikh Mo bin Zayed Al-Nahyan but arab management is very much that they trust the people in charge. That said Khaldoon is with City to implement the vision of the Bani Fatima while Cook is entrusted to handle the daily business.
I´m not really sure how you mean that it´s a reason to branch out though.

 

[80s Shorts]

Manchester City Kick Boxing Team for me. Dejong as Captain of course.

In the blue corner we have the awesome Nigel DEJong and in the red corner
we have chuckle no1 Gary Neville.

With a sellout crowd at Comms, merchandising and PPview we would meet the Fair play rule criteria with this one match.

O how I would love to see this match. I would reeaally reeaally love it.

 

[Deleted member 14625]

FC Barcelona are looking at introducing a rugby league team into our country - like the Catalan Dragons and Toulouse have done. They would have to apply for a Super League lisence like everyone else so wouldn't just automatically come into the top league because of their name, they'd have to meet at least 90% of the criteria. But if Warrington and Saints, or Oldham and Swinton, are going to be playing a team from Barcelona why the hell shouldn't they have the opportunity to play a Manchester team?

There isn't a rugby league club in Manchester and rugby league at times is the best sport in the world (in my opinion). I've enjoyed watching this summer's Super League and NRL games more than I did the Footy World Cup - most of it was annoying to fuck with the Vuvu-hell-as and wankers like Robben stepping on four landmines each and every game.

I am more of a footy fan when it's good and when watching City, but I am liking footy less and less year on year, which is a massive fuckin shame and something I'm pretty gutted about!

But I'd love it if there was a rugby league team in the name if City. I am sort of a Warrington fan, I lived there for three years and worked for them coaching for a bit, but I'm not a Warringtonian so I don't really feel like I should be a fan if theirs, it doesn't feel right. So I just go and watch them a few times a season and look out for their results, rather than get a season ticket and buy their replica jerseys every year (I don't feel right having Warrington on my chest when I'm not from there!).

So a City team would be great!