Paul Barber speaks out on bus price increase etc

[Lord Bracknell]

Err- when was this "described" to you? We had all that speculation and you knew all along? Cards chest close

Some weeks before the end of the season. It wouldn't have been helpful to have said much while the internal disciplinary process was underway. And I don't think it will be helpful to reveal my source, even now.

 

[martyn20]

Oh come on! In every football club in the country the wages are too high. That is the problem that needs to be solved to stop the huge losses not the ticket prices and assorted other little bits. If clubs are loosing money, yes they need to be run more efficiently but also the wages and transfer fees will be too high.

Ok so what do you suggest a 50% cut in players wages, how would you make that work?

 

[martyn20]

Well isn't tha average Championship yearly wage about £200,000. I am sure being paid £100,000 instead wont kill them.
But I think a better way would be to link their wages to the profit of the club. They get a certain % of the clubs profit. Then the best players will be attracted to the best run clubs.
If you were to go further there could even be a price cap for tickets which would rise slightly for each division.

So you think Mr Barber should do this at Brighton, you think we could still keep good players or attract new ones. We are talking about Brighton now and reducing our loss, Mr Barber is tackling that not a pie in the sky plan to sort out rising players wages.
I agree with you, their salaries are insane but that's not going to be sorted in time to help Brighton and an 8 million loss is it?

 

[Rugrat]

Oh come on! In every football club in the country the wages are too high. That is the problem that needs to be solved to stop the huge losses not the ticket prices and assorted other little bits. If clubs are loosing money, yes they need to be run more efficiently but also the wages and transfer fees will be too high.

Agree the economics of football is obscene .. it works and/or can work for clubs fortunate enough to get TV money but for those aspiring to get to the Prem then they will have to run at a loss ... and bar the occasional "Southamptonesque" lucky transfer then clubs will always operate with a need for investment from the owners. That's their decision and they make it either as a long standing supporter or in the knowledge that they can recoup their investment and more if they achieve success ... or both

"Nickel and diming" supporters in this way is below the belt. Sure, put the prices of beer and programmes up and I can make a decision, even ticket prices, but jamming something in that leaves many with no (reasonable) choice isn't cricket

 

[martyn20]

ALL of football should do it. There is no point in one doing it as they will just fall down the leagues as the greedy players go elsewhere.
Not buying any players this year could save a few million too.

But no buying any players for a year could also send us falling through the leagues. Certainly if we go up into the PL some people will be priced out of following the team but 2 years in League 2 will see far more people stopping buying tickets.

 

[martyn20]

ALL of football. It will only work if ALL clubs do it.
But they wont because, like in the real world, there is always a greedy ****er who thinks they can abuse the system and make a quick bit of cash and be the best. It stinks.

You are right, so isn't Mr Barbers job to reduce the losses by the means he has available. Changing the culture of English Football is not part of his remit, is it?
He has to reduce costs and increase income this season at The Amex does he not?

 

[martyn20]

Yes. I think he is doing it well, just that the mindset is wrong. I have not seen anything to show he has reduced player wages at all. It would be easier to take if we were being squeezed financially but then so were all the staff and players at the club. But this only seems to be a one way thing. This is not directly Barbers fault it is society wise mindset problem.

Did we not just agree player wages are something he cannot control, if we pay players less than Reading or Palace they will go to Reading or Place or anyone. If we pay League 2 wages we will get league 2 players won't we?
How can Mr Barber reduce the player wage bill without chasing all our players away?

 

[martyn20]

Oh dear. ALL wages at ALL clubs need to be reduced. Then paying what is now league 2 wages would attract championship wages. Barber can not do this on his own.

But in the previous post you said Mr Barber has not done enough to reduce wages and now you say it can only be done if all teams are involved, which is it? What mindset should he have at Brighton?

 

[Simster]

But in the previous post you said Mr Barber has not done enough to reduce wages and now you say it can only be done if all teams are involved, which is it? What mindset should he have at Brighton?

I think this is the crux of the matter. Right now, I'd imagine most switched on clubs are in the business of picking the low hanging fruit to ensure they are competitive. That means fleecing fans where clubs can get away with it, as well as getting rid of unneccessary costs.

 

[Rugrat]

I think this is the crux of the matter. Right now, I'd imagine most switched on clubs are in the business of picking the low hanging fruit to ensure they are competitive. That means fleecing fans where clubs can get away with it

There's a tipping point though ... the straw that breaks the camels back

Without any inside info whatsoever I'm fast beginning to think that this important point is being ignored. As I said earlier I think I might have just reached the point of Season Ticket to selected matches ... OK it's only 1 but there will be others.

It's no big deal for clubs that can guarantee selling out every match (The likes of the top Prem outfits) or that have less of a dependency on bums on seats (the entire Prem!) but it's high risk for others and the likes of us. What's going on now and what I think will increasingly emerge will definitely alienate many and may have a negative impact on the bottom line

 

[Acker79]

How does making salary caps a percent of takings or profit stop fans being squeezed for every last penny? The more money they make the more they can spend on players, meaning they will squeeze us to get as much money as they can so that they can pay as much as they can.

 

[Acker79]

Would FFP be more effective if it took a different approach, for example (and I've not thought this all through, am just spitballing, go easy on this idea) limiting ticket prices to no more than, say, £10 per seat over the cost of running the stadium. With FFP the finances will have to be open anyway, so making clubs publicise their utility bills and stadium staff costs, so average it out per seat, and £10, and there's your average season ticket price. Any other costs have to be met from that £10, plus sponsorships, corporate deals (including renting out the stadium, etc) and owner investment*. By limiting income, it limits what can be spent and puts the focus on other areas of income and off the fans.

I would also say owner investment should come with a guarantee account - enough money to cover the wages of any players bought by the owner for the duration of those players' current contracts so that if he walks away, the bills can still be paid if the club can't sell the player or the player refuses to go elsewhere as he can't get a good deal there.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Would FFP be more effective if it took a different approach, for example (and I've not thought this all through, am just spitballing, go easy on this idea) limiting ticket prices to no more than, say, £10 per seat over the cost of running the stadium. With FFP the finances will have to be open anyway, so making clubs publicise their utility bills and stadium staff costs, so average it out per seat, and £10, and there's your average season ticket price. Any other costs have to be met from that £10, plus sponsorships, corporate deals (including renting out the stadium, etc) and owner investment*. By limiting income, it limits what can be spent and puts the focus on other areas of income and off the fans.

I would also say owner investment should come with a guarantee account - enough money to cover the wages of any players bought by the owner for the duration of those players' current contracts so that if he walks away, the bills can still be paid if the club can't sell the player or the player refuses to go elsewhere as he can't get a good deal there.

That is a great idea, but FFP is not concerned with what the clubs charge.

It was brought in to prevent rich owners distorting the competition.

It's flawed and there is no reason to believe we are stuck with it forever, or if it will survive a legal challenge.

 

[dougdeep]

Perhaps this will help.
http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/1056...built_at_Brighton_station_but_traders_object/

 

[Brighton Breezy]

More from Mr Barber coming shortly.

 

[Working class pride]

Not Worth That is a great title !

Arsenal, Spurs, Man U and no other clubs pay for their fans travel to a game and nor should Brighton. I just wish someone would start building some multi storey car parks near the ground because wit extra parking and Falmer station being upgraded, then transport will be on the way to being solved.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

That is a great idea, but FFP is not concerned with what the clubs charge.

It was brought in to prevent rich owners distorting the competition.

It's flawed and there is no reason to believe we are stuck with it forever, or if it will survive a legal challenge.

If, as you say, "it was brought in to prevent rich owners distorting the competition", is it not the case that FFP conditions are going to be particularly challenging for a Club like the Albion, where the business model has a rich owner at the heart of all key decisions?

 

[Working class pride]

If, as you say, "it was brought in to prevent rich owners distorting the competition", is it not the case that FFP conditions are going to be particularly challenging for a Club like the Albion, where the business model has a rich owner at the heart of all key decisions?

True BHA do, but BHA are not a club getting 14000 fans and relying on a rich owner to spend Millions on players. BHA have the gates to support a great side, its a matter of sorting out the fat at the Amex and reducing the clubs costs.

 

[Beach Hut]

True BHA do, but BHA are not a club getting 14000 fans and relying on a rich owner to spend Millions on players. BHA have the gates to support a great side, its a matter of sorting out the fat at the Amex and reducing the clubs costs.

Really ?

What about the milking fans for every penny and false representation of travel costs when selling season tickets this year ?

 

[Brighton Breezy]

I genuinely, and this is nothing to do with the Albion price debate, think FFP is flawed and essentially self-serving for clubs already dining out at the top table of football.

You are basically restricting the chances of clubs moving up to the top flight based on their potential support base. Gone are the days when Wigan can go from the bottom division to the highest. Sleeping giants, or sides with reasonable potential support bases still have a small chance, but starting from the introduction of FFP in its current state the door is being closed. And slammed shut at that.

Clubs like us, with aspirations of top flight football but without recent parachute payments to help fund it, are probably going to find ourselves, as a supporters, the worst hit.