Do we, or don’t we?
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That’s the question the Bendigo Gold wants answered by the Bendigo community once and for all.
Since joining the VFL in 1998, Bendigo’s VFL side – the Diggers, Bombers and now Gold – has run on the smell of an oily rag.
The Gold could go on next year, make another financial loss and be largely uncompetitive on field.
However, Gold chairman Tim Dickson has had enough – it’s now or never – Bendigo can dig deep for the Gold or lose VFL football for good.
“For the past few years, everyone connected with the club has worked tirelessly to try and build a sustainable, successful, competitive organisation which would make a major contribution to local football and also to the community,” Dickson said.
“However, without far greater support from these key stakeholders the club simply will not survive because our business model, which is still well below that of other VFL level clubs, is not sustainable on current revenue levels.
“Everyone knew that as a stand-alone club, 2013 would pose a wide range of challenges and throughout 2012 and during this season the club has made every effort to address them in a positive and proactive manner. In going stand-alone there has been significant costs incurred by the club that were not present within an aligned model.
“Wherever possible, cost-savings have been made without hindering our core business which is providing a pathway for young talented footballers to gain experience in Victoria’s premier football competition and to give them the best possible chance to excel at the highest level as elite athletes.
“Early in the season we were cautiously optimistic that we would meet our projected forecast, but like every business we have suffered from the current economic climate and a lack of commitment from potential sponsors, low membership sales and, with one or two well publicised exceptions, disappointing home game attendances that will result in an adverse financial result.
“The club has been in a similar position numerous times in the past, and relied on various stakeholders to bail it out, but the current board do not accept this is a sustainable way to move forward.
“If we don’t begin to change the model to a sustainable one, it means the club may only just survive, rather than prosper and develop.
“That is in everyone’s interest and, most importantly, keeps Bendigo on the map at the highest level of football and the resultant exposure and business benefits that flow from this for the town and region.”
From inception the Gold hasn’t had a home base to generate income. For example, this year the club held its ball in the South Bendigo social rooms.
The Bloods made more money out of the night than the Gold did.
While increased sponsorship and membership would help fill the financial void, a facility to generate on-going revenue is a “must”, according to Dickson.
“The Bendigo Football Club is the only VFL club, and one of very few in regional Victoria, which does not have its own clubrooms and social facilities from which it can derive an off-the-ground commercial revenue stream to support its on-field activities,” Dickson said.
“Consequently we rely almost exclusively on support from sponsors, membership sales and gate receipts for our continued existence.
“The support we have received from our current sponsors, led by our major sponsor, the Bendigo Bank who has stuck with us, has been outstanding and immensely appreciated, but we cannot continue to rely on a small number of commercial organisations for a major part of our revenue stream.”
The lack of success on the field this year is no major surprise.
The Gold is playing in the second best competition in Australia against clubs stacked with AFL talent.
For Dickson and the Gold, success isn’t just measured by the win-loss ratio.
The pathway the club provides for young footballers and the quality of football it brings to Bendigo is just as important.
“Our team provides footballers from Bendigo and surrounding areas the opportunity to ply their trade against AFL listed players in the best football competition outside of the AFL, and put their names in front of AFL recruiters,’’ Dickson said.
“The benefits our playing list and the broader community is receiving from head coach Aussie Jones is immeasurable and we don’t want to lose this and the momentum it has created.
“Our early season Friday night games against Essendon and Collingwood drew huge crowds and gave every football fan in this city the opportunity to watch football of the best possible standard on the QEO. This is what the club and VFL football is all about.
“The atmosphere at those games was electric and no-one could possibly have said they were disappointed at the standard of play.
“Where else would kids and other supporters have the opportunity to actually go onto the ground at quarter and three-quarter time and stand virtually next to AFL listed players and listen to top-line coaches?
“If the Bendigo Football Club ceases to exist, then so does VFL football in the town and the benefits which it brings to the communities of Bendigo and central Victoria.”
The bottom line is Bendigo has two months to decide if it wants the Gold to be part of the sporting landscape.
Anything short of expectations will result in the club pulling the pin, but Dickson is confident it won’t come to that.
“In essence, the solution to the problem is a simple one,” he said.
“If support from the key stakeholders increases to the required level and is maintained, then our business model will be sustainable and VFL football will stabilise and grow in this area.
“If we can gain access to a dedicated facility from which we can generate a commercial revenue stream, we will be well on the way to achieving our objective of keeping VFL football in Bendigo.
“That would increase our revenue streams and enable us to start to build a much more competitive VFL club, which then makes the club both competitive, sustainable and successful both on and off the field in the long term.”