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London Broncos Moving Update


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5 hours ago, nadera78 said:

We have this discussion on here when the Broncos move, every few years. The repetition is wearisome.

When the Broncos do finally get around to telling us what they're planning, I can guarantee the statement will sound almost identical to Man of Kent's posts on here: "lovely stadium" "chance to grow" "wonderful opportunity" "increased crowds" "SL club" "ambition" blah blah blah. It's the same thing they say every time we move, but there's never a single word about how they actually plan to bring improvements beyond the ridiculous notion of "people will come". I've seen this so many times now and it's always the same thing. I've had enough of it. It's BS.

You know, if the club could show even some semblance of having a functioning front office:

- decent communications (not even great, just decent would suffice) with their fanbase. By the way, this doesn't include a loud-mouthed employee going onto the fans' forum and trolling people

- a marketing approach that consisted of more than putting up a 6x2 poster outside a church in Ealing Broadway at the end (!) of their first season and handing out flyers outside Richmond train station (5miles from Ealing and not on the same train line) during the Super 8s

- a merchandising operation that wasn't used to prop up the business of one of the club's employees

- a commercial effort that even touched upon the thousands of businesses on their doorstep. 30 seconds online takes you to West London Business, which represents 7 Boroughs and over 100,000 businesses - every RL club in the country would kill for access to that sort of resource and yet the club hasn't even begun tapping into it

Perhaps then, and only then, I might listen to what they have to say about another relocation. But no, we get more guff about averaging 3,000 once we've moved. It's nonsense. There is no point moving whatsoever whilst they continue to operate as a shell of a club. It's a joke to even consider it. Three years from now we'll all be sat here discussing another move. 

Much to agree with. Do the Broncos not have a bank of volunteers that works with the club on things like promotion (flyers etc) and comms?

Particularly when resources are scarce, sometimes you just have to do some of this stuff yourselves.

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22 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Much to agree with. Do the Broncos not have a bank of volunteers that works with the club on things like promotion (flyers etc) and comms?

Particularly when resources are scarce, sometimes you just have to do some of this stuff yourselves.

The supporters trust has spent years attempting to build a relationship with the club, with limited success. They're happy to take money off the trust to sponsor the Academy team but aren't keen on anything more than that. That relationship hasn't been helped by the club recently setting up a new 'official' supporters club with promises of being part of the inner circle. It's a negative tactic, being driven by the commercial manager to sideline the trust.

There are lots of fans who would gladly help out - but that doesn't excuse the club's appalling mismanagement, none of which will change if/when this relocation occurs. Get the basics right, then come and speak to me about making such a fundamental change.

"Just as we had been Cathars, we were treizistes, men apart."

Jean Roque, Calendrier-revue du Racing-Club Albigeois, 1958-1959

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5 hours ago, nadera78 said:

We have this discussion on here when the Broncos move, every few years. The repetition is wearisome.

When the Broncos do finally get around to telling us what they're planning, I can guarantee the statement will sound almost identical to Man of Kent's posts on here: "lovely stadium" "chance to grow" "wonderful opportunity" "increased crowds" "SL club" "ambition" blah blah blah. It's the same thing they say every time we move, but there's never a single word about how they actually plan to bring improvements beyond the ridiculous notion of "people will come". I've seen this so many times now and it's always the same thing. I've had enough of it. It's BS.

You know, if the club could show even some semblance of having a functioning front office:

- decent communications (not even great, just decent would suffice) with their fanbase. By the way, this doesn't include a loud-mouthed employee going onto the fans' forum and trolling people

- a marketing approach that consisted of more than putting up a 6x2 poster outside a church in Ealing Broadway at the end (!) of their first season and handing out flyers outside Richmond train station (5miles from Ealing and not on the same train line) during the Super 8s

- a merchandising operation that wasn't used to prop up the business of one of the club's employees

- a commercial effort that even touched upon the thousands of businesses on their doorstep. 30 seconds online takes you to West London Business, which represents 7 Boroughs and over 100,000 businesses - every RL club in the country would kill for access to that sort of resource and yet the club hasn't even begun tapping into it

Perhaps then, and only then, I might listen to what they have to say about another relocation. But no, we get more guff about averaging 3,000 once we've moved. It's nonsense. There is no point moving whatsoever whilst they continue to operate as a shell of a club. It's a joke to even consider it. Three years from now we'll all be sat here discussing another move. 

See my post above 

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36 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Much to agree with. Do the Broncos not have a bank of volunteers that works with the club on things like promotion (flyers etc) and comms?

Particularly when resources are scarce, sometimes you just have to do some of this stuff yourselves.

The Broncos have quite consistently managed to undermine the vast majority of people who have volunteered to help over the years. It's quite special how they've managed to make some of the most committed fans walk away.

Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)

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5 minutes ago, Hopping Mad said:

According to the Womble Underground Press forum, AFC Wimbledon's accounts show a £650,000 loss for the year ending June 2020, with turnover down from £5.8m to £4.7m. Perhaps explains why a reported 79 per cent of fans are in favour of Broncos sharing Plough Lane.

They're massively in debt, I don't think there's any secret about that.

Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)

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9 minutes ago, nadera78 said:

The supporters trust has spent years attempting to build a relationship with the club, with limited success. They're happy to take money off the trust to sponsor the Academy team but aren't keen on anything more than that. That relationship hasn't been helped by the club recently setting up a new 'official' supporters club with promises of being part of the inner circle. It's a negative tactic, being driven by the commercial manager to sideline the trust.

There are lots of fans who would gladly help out - but that doesn't excuse the club's appalling mismanagement, none of which will change if/when this relocation occurs. Get the basics right, then come and speak to me about making such a fundamental change.

 

3 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

The Broncos have quite consistently managed to undermine the vast majority of people who have volunteered to help over the years. It's quite special how they've managed to make some of the most committed fans walk away.

Don’t give up. Volunteerism is the rock AFCW is built out of. It’s quite inspirational.

I know the ownership model is different but there’s no reason why Broncos fans can’t ‘work’ for the club, even it’s unpaid work. Perhaps the new official supporters club could be a volunteering arm. Who is the liaison officer who would deal with the SC?

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Just now, Man of Kent said:

 

Don’t give up. Volunteerism is the rock AFCW is built out of. It’s quite inspirational.

I know the ownership model is different but there’s no reason why Broncos fans can’t ‘work’ for the club, even it’s unpaid work. Perhaps the new official supporters club could be a volunteering arm. Who is the liaison officer who would deal with the SC?

Yeah, mate. I think you're telling us what we already know.

And the issue about the supporters club is as good a place to start understanding why the Broncos aren't changing any time soon in terms of defecating all over the efforts of volunteers.

But I'll leave that to others to explain.

Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)

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20 hours ago, THE RED ROOSTER said:

From The Evening Standard

https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/afc-wimbledon-plough-lane-ground-share-london-broncos-b353445.html

Totally against this move which as the article makes clear acts as a soccer clubs revenue stream and yet again uproots the club.

 

It says in the report, that Wimbledon "are considering the possibility" of sharing the ground.   So it's a bit previous to say that this is an update.  It's just the rehash of what's previously been said.  So the whole thread has been set up on a false premise.

There is nothing to report now, and Broncos fans are not being told something that someone else is telling them. 

The other thing is that the Evening Standard is just a free sheet.  It probably has a couple of so called journalist, working in their pyjamas, cuting and pasting things from other sources.

Do the Broncos not now rent their current ground of another club?  What's wrong with renting from Wimbledon?

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47 minutes ago, Rupert Prince said:

The other thing is that the Evening Standard is just a free sheet.  It probably has a couple of so called journalist, working in their pyjamas, cuting and pasting things from other sources.

You're suggesting George Osborne edited the Standard in his pyjamas?

Maybe Emily Sheffield, SamCam's sister, the present editor, goes to work in a nightie.

With a circulation ticking on for 800,000 (double what it had as a paid-for title), the Standard is a bit different to the average free sheet.

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1 hour ago, Rupert Prince said:

It says in the report, that Wimbledon "are considering the possibility" of sharing the ground.   So it's a bit previous to say that this is an update.  It's just the rehash of what's previously been said.  So the whole thread has been set up on a false premise.

There is nothing to report now, and Broncos fans are not being told something that someone else is telling them. 

What's new since the initial story is that it will have to go to a vote of Dons Trust members (who own AFCW) to approve the heads of terms agreement between Broncos and Wimbledon for a groundshare. From last night's Dons Trust AGM, it seems it will go through.    

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2 hours ago, Rupert Prince said:

It says in the report, that Wimbledon "are considering the possibility" of sharing the ground.   So it's a bit previous to say that this is an update.  It's just the rehash of what's previously been said.  So the whole thread has been set up on a false premise.

There is nothing to report now, and Broncos fans are not being told something that someone else is telling them. 

The other thing is that the Evening Standard is just a free sheet.  It probably has a couple of so called journalist, working in their pyjamas, cuting and pasting things from other sources.

Do the Broncos not now rent their current ground of another club?  What's wrong with renting from Wimbledon?

Literally the 4th highest newspaper in circulation in the UK - but yeah....pyjamas.....

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12 hours ago, M j M said:

The Stoop is 7 miles away from Trailfinders, 9 miles from Plough Lane

Trailfinders is 12 miles from Plough Lane.

New Craven Park is 67 miles from Headingley.

 

Great comparison.

New Caravan Park is a million miles away from Headingley

- Adepto Successu Per Tributum Fuga -

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1 hour ago, hunsletgreenandgold said:

Literally the 4th highest newspaper in circulation in the UK - but yeah....pyjamas.....

Free, handed out, pushed into your hands, as you rush down the steps of the Underground.

In all respects, circulations are not what they used to be.

Having said that my own circulation is not what it used to be either!

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6 hours ago, gingerjon said:

The Broncos have quite consistently managed to undermine the vast majority of people who have volunteered to help over the years. It's quite special how they've managed to make some of the most committed fans walk away.

And how ! Why I now go to Skolars and only to Broncos when Skolars play there or my SL side does.

My wife complains I selfishly stop her fulfilling her true ambition -

she really wants to be a rich widow

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6 hours ago, gingerjon said:

The Broncos have quite consistently managed to undermine the vast majority of people who have volunteered to help over the years. It's quite special how they've managed to make some of the most committed fans walk away.

I wouldn't class myself as one of the 'most committed' but I've been a seaso a few times and Broncos really do make it easy for fans to drift away. I do still go to a few games a season, but it is nothing to do with them marketing to me.

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These stories of fans being driven away from the game are just tragic.

Can you give some examples, of the kind of things the club are doing (or not doing) to make some fans  so disenchanted? 

 

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An easy example for me is the clashing with Skolars home games in 2019. I live in London and try to go to as much as possible when not busy with the Bears (or family!). I was really disappointed last year that Skolars were hosting the Greece/Norway game, followed by Skolars Vs Donny and at the same time Broncos were playing a SL game on the other side of the capital. It seems madness that the two clubs don't try and synchronise so those that do want to go to both can. 

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Among other things Broncos have done 

Telling Sky it was fine to push back kick off away to Catalans as "we won't have many fans there." Kick off occurred shortly before many of the travelling support's flight home occurred so they missed the match.

Advertising the wrong date for St Helens away in our first relegation season. Failing to correct this when notified by a fan. People ended up with useless train tickets.

Permitting a club employee to troll fans on another site.

Turning down offers of free meetings with fans who have a track record in driving massive fan growth at other sports clubs, to set out possible fan engagement strategies.

Said club emloyee saying he could see no point in the meeting as one of them, an award winner at driving community engagement at his sports club, was "just a librarian."

Setting up a Supporters Club seemingly to spite the Trust.

A club employee allegedly referred to Broncos fans as "a bunch of drunks".

Employing Gus Mackay.

Sending an e-mail the in early lockdown apologising for previous poor correspondence and promising regular contact. It's not happened.

And above all, repeatedly failing to realise you need to market the club and sport. There have been too many wasted opportunities, it gets heartbreaking after a while.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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25 minutes ago, Ivarr the Boneless said:

Among other things Broncos have done 

Telling Sky it was fine to push back kick off away to Catalans as "we won't have many fans there." Kick off occurred shortly before many of the travelling support's flight home occurred so they missed the match.

Advertising the wrong date for St Helens away in our first relegation season. Failing to correct this when notified by a fan. People ended up with useless train tickets.

Permitting a club employee to troll fans on another site.

Turning down offers of free meetings with fans who have a track record in driving massive fan growth at other sports clubs, to set out possible fan engagement strategies.

Said club emloyee saying he could see no point in the meeting as one of them, an award winner at driving community engagement at his sports club, was "just a librarian."

Setting up a Supporters Club seemingly to spite the Trust.

A club employee allegedly referred to Broncos fans as "a bunch of drunks".

Employing Gus Mackay.

Sending an e-mail the in early lockdown apologising for previous poor correspondence and promising regular contact. It's not happened.

And above all, repeatedly failing to realise you need to market the club and sport. There have been too many wasted opportunities, it gets heartbreaking after a while.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do they have a CEO nowadays?

Is Tony Rea still living in London?

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