Latest rink update

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Ocko

Well-Known Member
#1,821
#1,821
Sheincar said:
I just can't work people out. Fans have said they'd rather we finish season in BBT but are also moaning at delays in getting into IAW!
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Maybe it's not the same people? Some are happy were in the tent longer some obviously arent.

Some care it's delayed some don't.

Worked out for you!

Personally I'm somewhere in the middle, it will help our league campaign for sure. But on a moral level we are only where we are because the owners have funded this team on the basis that we would be taking an extra 800 fans through the doors after Christmas, roughly £8k per game has been lost. That income lost is huge, in fact we were meant to be in at the start of the season at the latest initially until Greenbank run out of money and put houses at the priority instead of the rink. The owners have funded this, no one else.

The owners and club have been repeatedly let down during the build, and are considerably out of pocket. What if they packed up and had enough months ago, you wouldn't blame them. Their apparent good nature and love of the club have been taken advantage of. And despite never speaking a word with any of the owners I feel a debt of gratitude towards them and them being let down, repeatedly too, irks me a lot.
 
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bluedevil

Member
#1,823
#1,823
Ocko, Steve King confirmed on here that the club has turned a small profit this season. The loss of income will obviously have an impact, probably on next year's roster, but unless we doubt his word then the owners haven't been left out of pocket due to the delays.
 
Chris

Chris

Administrator
#1,824
#1,824
You've said something similar to this before Ocko, I did query what you'd said compared to comments from Steve King but didn't get a reply, so here we go again:
Chris said:
Ocko said:
Sliput said:
So !!! There have been delays !!! The SORAC guys and girls worked their arses off to get the Devils and other rink users somewhere to go after the council took money/greed over their people. We have a new arena and yet some of you are still bitching !!

It is what it is........
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No one has blamed SORAC.

Greenbank/IAW are however and have cost the club £300,000 this year. For this league that figure is astronomical and I'm sure if it effects the playing budget next year we will see an awful lot more moaning. Any other year/ownership and it would've put the club out of business with the team we have or we would be right at the bottom with awful crowds like Coventry.

This is the personal money of people who have saved the club and gave us more memories and success than the previous 10 years. They've been completely mugged off in this repeatedly since they took over with all the empty promises, used there own personal money to keep the club going and successful yet for all that 'it is what it is' apparently...
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Whilst I agree it's annoying for everyone involved that we seem to be delayed from moving into the venue we've all been waiting on for the last however many years, but Steve King said only a few weeks back that the club are due to make a profit this season, allbeit a small one.

So has that suddenly been wiped out? Going from what you've posted it would seem that way? Otherwise maybe the owners have accounted for the move possibly not going ahead this season and actually next years playing budget is fine, even if we do see out this season in the BBT?
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The actual quote from Steve was:
SteveKing said:
Just to chime in from my point of view, we absolutely want the university crowd out at games. Hockey is a unique experience in that there's a great, noisy atmosphere but rarely is there the tension between fans that you can get at other sports venues.

So while we want to have a building that is welcoming to families, make no mistake that we want that arena jumping and singing and chanting and making as much noise as possible. So bring your university friends out. I don't think they'll be disappointed!

And to answer one of your other questions, the Devils are very strong financially. Not a penny of debt in the club, we expect to make a small profit this year which will be donated back into the community at the end of the season and four hockey mad owners that would like to own the team when we're old and grey!

Thanks for coming and learning about our great sport and our great team.

Steve
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Bearing in mind that was made less than 3 weeks ago, I can't see where all these losses have suddenly come from? I have no knowledge of the ins and outs of the club, but we've got an owner saying a small profit is going to be made, and then you Ocko are saying that we're hemorrhaging money because we haven't yet moved into IAW...

I agree the club seems to have been let down at almost every turn, but there didn't seem to be a rake of people lining up willing to build an arena down there in the bay, or with the money to start groundworks on site, although obviously I might be wrong there. I'm surprised you think the arena would have priority over housing where the profit margins are so much higher?

Anyway, maybe seeing out the season in the BBT will be for the best, at least we know (or should that be hope) that there aren't any sudden issues to crop up that we haven't experienced before, we can just get on and play to our strengths as we've been doing so far this season.

*edit* Looks like bluedevil beat me to it *edit*
 
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Ocko

Well-Known Member
#1,825
#1,825
We may be particularly flush, we might post a profit every game for all I know. But what I mean is that the Devils should've and would've expected that extra income. I'm not saying they are in trouble, far from it I would imagine. If you based it what they would've expected to bring in at the start of the year it would surely be less. Todd Kelman said on walesonline the delays have cost the club £300,000.
 
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pjj365

Well-Known Member
#1,827
#1,827
Ocko said:
We may be particularly flush, we might post a profit every game for all I know. But what I mean is that the Devils should've and would've expected that extra income. I'm not saying they are in trouble, far from it I would imagine. If you based it what they would've expected to bring in at the start of the year it would surely be less. Todd Kelman said on walesonline the delays have cost the club £300,000.
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This seems fair in a corporate context. There will be a loss of profits which is not the same as saying there has been a loss. It is all in the expectation and planning.

Not being a public corperation no present or future trading statement is required so it is an irrelevant discussion.

The owners are happy, a small profit has been made which will be poughed into the community which action suggests that the loss of anticipated profit may not have the cataclysmic impact some have envisaged.

You could make the case on this basis that it is the community that has suffered not the Devils. Or is the suggestion that the profit is so small as not to be worth re-investing which is not a corporate stance I have ever come accross
 
Electro

Electro

Active Member
#1,831
#1,831
Actually found the Arena smaller than the photos, I'd wouldn't be surprised if the atmosphere is gonna be as loud if not more than the bbt.

The team were training there on Friday am, I'm sure that'll pay off tonight.

I found the public pad to feel uninviting, its too inclosed, lacked surrounding space and secluded from the rest, the padded floor of the entrance would suggest skaters will be wearing skates from the hire section through to the rink. If l had novice skaters I'd be concerned for their safety. An area next to the barriers would make more sense. I did not see that as an option, maybe l missed it.

As a family venue it lacks any other attractions, as in places to eat, drink or spend time pre-post game/skate etc. Hopefully that'll change with the development around the Arena, l hope the land is used for that purpose and not more flats or undeveloped waste land.
 
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kingmo19.2

New Member
#1,832
#1,832
Anyone know what's going to go in the space between reception and the main arena ? Looks like it may be a foot outlet from the counter area and shutters ?

Anyone know where the shop is going to be ?
 
Diafol

Diafol

Well-Known Member
#1,833
#1,833
kingmo19.2 said:
Anyone know what's going to go in the space between reception and the main arena ? Looks like it may be a foot outlet from the counter area and shutters ?

Anyone know where the shop is going to be ?
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They're allowed to sell feet these days ? Useful for skating I suppose ;)
 
K

kingmo19.2

New Member
#1,834
#1,834
Diafol said:
kingmo19.2 said:
Anyone know what's going to go in the space between reception and the main arena ? Looks like it may be a foot outlet from the counter area and shutters ?

Anyone know where the shop is going to be ?
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They're allowed to sell feet these days ? Useful for skating I suppose ;)
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Oops - meant to say food outlet :D
 
Electro

Electro

Active Member
#1,836
#1,836
Hope so. Otherwise Morrisons cafe is gonna get busy.

Building a dual purpose venue should have included amenities aimed at visitors not using the rinks, at least somewhere for parents to sit and eat, drink whilst the kids are training or having fun. The pool managed it, the white water centre got it. Is it not missing a commercial opportunity to not have.

Not like there wasn't time to plan.

I did notice that there was very little evidence yesterday of any works needed to be done. This made me think why the delay, is there an issue with hand over, funds or does Greenbank have the keys to the property already but no cash left to complete.

It's a bit odd.
 
Tad-cu

Tad-cu

Active Member
#1,837
#1,837
The delay in moving in to IAW might have made a dent in the budget, but I get the impression that the owners can live with it. Steve King made it quite clear in his question and answer session on the Red Army bus to Coventry that Todd Kelman is very good at spending their money!
I can't see the delay affecting the playing budget, the arrival of two new players after Christmas suggests that points are more important than pounds!
 
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