Munster 2017 -2018

[janeymac08]

Munster have a Commercial Board, most of them who know a hell of a lot more about commerce than the entire Leinster fan base put together. (See list of who they below).

....

MUNSTER RUGBY COMMERCIAL BOARD MEMBERS:
Niall FitzGerald: Chairman, Leverhulme Trust (retired chairman of Unilever UK). https://www.irishtimes.com/business/fri ... -1.2137093
Patrick Coveney: CEO, Greencore
David Cronin: CEO, UL Foundation
Leslie Buckley: Chairman, Independent News and Media.
Tony Keohane: Chairman, Ervia and Repak
Ken Murphy: Executive Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer, Walgreens Boots Alliance
Dee Forbes: Director General, RTE
Gilbert Little: Director, Ammeon Ltd
Keith Wood: Director, W2 Consulting
Killian Hurley: CEO, Mount Anvil
Gerry O'Shea: President, Munster Rugby
Garrett Fitzgerald: CEO, Munster Rugby
Gerry O'Loughlin: Independent Chairman, Management Committee, Munster Rugby
John Hartery: Professional Game Board Representative
Tom Kinirons: Independent Chair, Finance Committee, Munster Rugby
Enda Lynch: Commercial and Marketing Manager, Munster Rugby
Doug Howlett: Corporate Ambassador, Munster Rugby

I think that we can comprehensively and objectively say that they don't. I don't know many Leinster supporters, on this board at least, that have turned a revenue neutral development into a €15m debt that can't be repaid, losing ownership of their half of the stadium company and losing their option on the other half and on the freehold for 70 years. Indeed had any of those Board members run their employers companies as poorly as they've run Munster Rugby there'd probably have to be a tribunal.

You better really worry then - Niall FitzGerald is Chairman of the Smurfit Business School as well as Munster Rugby.

PS - the only mistake Munster have made is actually trying to repay a loan with interest from the IRFU, while the IRFU gives out free loans to the FAI for the Aviva stadium. The Commercial Board have obviously told the IRFU to p1$$ off. There is no advantage to Munster Rugby in owning its own Stadium outright. Let the IRFU carry the risk as well as the benefits.

[paddyor]

I said the stand was a white elephant. Cart before the horse - money spent on a stand looking onto a quadmire of an unusable pitch. Of course the IRFU helped Leinster out by moving all U20s and women's games there so that Leinster could get sponsorship for it. Meanwhile, the rest of the Provinces don't get any international games.

white elephant
noun
noun: white elephant; plural noun: white elephants

a possession that is useless or troublesome, especially one that is expensive to maintain or difficult to dispose of.

The Womens games were moved to Donnybrook because the facilites they were using weren't really up to scratch. The women were using Ashbourne RFCs ground up until the power went on the flood lights. Upgrading the facilites with a UPS or buying a generator would have been a white elephant given that the floodlights are mostly only used by the club for training. Plus building a stand when attendance numbers were growing would have been....well a white elephant too.

I'm guessing the same logic re upgrading the facilites applied to the U20s.

Meanwhile, there's more money to invest in bailing out Munster who are reduced to throwing out the begging bowl.

[Dave Cahill]

It was a cr@p pitch that was put in in 2005 & 2006. It was a dustbowl for AIL final a few years ago (Belvo v Cork Con I think). I also recall a Ireland A v Saxons game being called off because the Saxons refused to play on it. All is well now - a new 3G pitch was installed for the start of the 14-15 season, compliments of a 750K Grant from the Sports Council & a sponsorship deal that ensures that all U20s and Women's games have to be played there. ''Donnybrook's Synthetic Field of Dreams'' Franno dubbed it!

The Saxons refused to play on it because the pitch was frozen, they couldn't even fly into Dublin from London because the weather was so bad and they ended up being diverted to Belfast.

One former denizen of this board managed to get his tongue stuck to a barrier on the terrace that evening.

[Dave Cahill]

You better really worry then - Niall FitzGerald is Chairman of the Smurfit Business School as well as Munster Rugby.

The Smurfit Business School is not a paragon of not hiring duffers.

[ronk]

...).

....

MUNSTER RUGBY COMMERCIAL BOARD MEMBERS:
Niall FitzGerald: Chairman, Leverhulme Trust (retired chairman of Unilever UK). https://www.irishtimes.com/business/fri ... -1.2137093
Patrick Coveney: CEO, Greencore
David Cronin: CEO, UL Foundation
Leslie Buckley: Chairman, Independent News and Media.
Tony Keohane: Chairman, Ervia and Repak
Ken Murphy: Executive Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer, Walgreens Boots Alliance
Dee Forbes: Director General, RTE
Gilbert Little: Director, Ammeon Ltd
Keith Wood: Director, W2 Consulting
Killian Hurley: CEO, Mount Anvil
Gerry O'Shea: President, Munster Rugby
Garrett Fitzgerald: CEO, Munster Rugby
Gerry O'Loughlin: Independent Chairman, Management Committee, Munster Rugby
John Hartery: Professional Game Board Representative
Tom Kinirons: Independent Chair, Finance Committee, Munster Rugby
Enda Lynch: Commercial and Marketing Manager, Munster Rugby
Doug Howlett: Corporate Ambassador, Munster Rugby

I think that we can comprehensively and objectively say that they don't. I don't know many Leinster supporters, on this board at least, that have turned a revenue neutral development into a €15m debt that can't be repaid, losing ownership of their half of the stadium company and losing their option on the other half and on the freehold for 70 years. Indeed had any of those Board members run their employers companies as poorly as they've run Munster Rugby there'd probably have to be a tribunal.

The game went professional in 1995. There were plenty of captains of industry involved back in the day too. It's moved on. These guys have delivered in their own ways.

Munster have been losing (most years) money in spite of the fund raising dinners for pitches, and the Irish Independent Park and the Greencore Academy etc.

Munster built an amazing brand but weren't able to capitalize on it, because when it came to it the commercials were thrown out the window over internal politics.

They have a huge stadium with executive boxes that they're not paying the mortgage on. They have commercial clout, they have loyal fans, they have IRFU grants, they have a board of captains of industry who are helping them. How are they struggling to break even?

The naming rights are one thing. The ticket packaging another. Season tickets still haven't been fully fixed. There's a discount that's cancelled out by the membership fee. It used to be possible (still?) to spend more on a season ticket (in payments) than individual games cost.

An intake year of the Greencore Academy was sacked because Munster changed their mind about expanding. They have 5 outhalves, 4 of whom were recruited to win HCs and Irish caps. They have a huge squad and have still recruited heavily this year/every year, even though they are not budgeted to be especially hard hit by Schminutes.

[Hornet]

You haven't a clue what the financial model is (for example, do you know that Munster have a Patron's Scheme whereby wealthy individuals guarantee to provide up to 30K a year for 3 years?, or that it organises a dinner in London every year where some of the proceeds of last year's dinner are paying for a new All Weather pitch in Musgrave Park this year?

A begging bowl?

An awards ceremony in a posh London hotel with entertainment laid on. Whats not to like.

Why London?

[janeymac08]

It was a cr@p pitch that was put in in 2005 & 2006. It was a dustbowl for AIL final a few years ago (Belvo v Cork Con I think). I also recall a Ireland A v Saxons game being called off because the Saxons refused to play on it. All is well now - a new 3G pitch was installed for the start of the 14-15 season, compliments of a 750K Grant from the Sports Council & a sponsorship deal that ensures that all U20s and Women's games have to be played there. ''Donnybrook's Synthetic Field of Dreams'' Franno dubbed it!

The Saxons refused to play on it because the pitch was frozen, they couldn't even fly into Dublin from London because the weather was so bad and they ended up being diverted to Belfast.

One former denizen of this board managed to get his tongue stuck to a barrier on the terrace that evening.

Of course they refused to play on it because it was dangerous. You'd think Leinster Rugby would have sorted out the pitch before they sorted out the blazer's comfort in the stands .

[Dave Cahill]

It was a cr@p pitch that was put in in 2005 & 2006. It was a dustbowl for AIL final a few years ago (Belvo v Cork Con I think). I also recall a Ireland A v Saxons game being called off because the Saxons refused to play on it. All is well now - a new 3G pitch was installed for the start of the 14-15 season, compliments of a 750K Grant from the Sports Council & a sponsorship deal that ensures that all U20s and Women's games have to be played there. ''Donnybrook's Synthetic Field of Dreams'' Franno dubbed it!

The Saxons refused to play on it because the pitch was frozen, they couldn't even fly into Dublin from London because the weather was so bad and they ended up being diverted to Belfast.

One former denizen of this board managed to get his tongue stuck to a barrier on the terrace that evening.

Of course they refused to play on it because it was dangerous. You'd think Leinster Rugby would have sorted out the pitch before they sorted out the blazer's comfort in the stands .

And how do you recommend a frozen pitch be "sorted"? Is there some technique for thawing pitches during a major cold snap that perhaps we've missed. Could we could have used the same technique on the runways on Dublin Airport and Belfast City Airport that weekend?

Perhaps you should acquaint yourself with the facts

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/farcic ... f-1.694766

[janeymac08]

The Saxons refused to play on it because the pitch was frozen, they couldn't even fly into Dublin from London because the weather was so bad and they ended up being diverted to Belfast.

One former denizen of this board managed to get his tongue stuck to a barrier on the terrace that evening.

Of course they refused to play on it because it was dangerous. You'd think Leinster Rugby would have sorted out the pitch before they sorted out the blazer's comfort in the stands .

And how do you recommend a frozen pitch be "sorted"? Is there some technique for thawing pitches during a major cold snap that perhaps we've missed. Could we could have used the same technique on the runways on Dublin Airport and Belfast City Airport that weekend?

Perhaps you should acquaint yourself with the facts

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/farcic ... f-1.694766

The new pitch can take frosts up to -20 degrees. My point still remains, why didn't Leinster sort out the pitch first of all rather than wasting money on comfort for the blazers?

[janeymac08]

You haven't a clue what the financial model is (for example, do you know that Munster have a Patron's Scheme whereby wealthy individuals guarantee to provide up to 30K a year for 3 years?, or that it organises a dinner in London every year where some of the proceeds of last year's dinner are paying for a new All Weather pitch in Musgrave Park this year?

A begging bowl?

An awards ceremony in a posh London hotel with entertainment laid on. Whats not to like.[/quote]

Why London?[/quote]

Lots of Munster supporters living over there, some of them doing very well for themselves and can afford 5 or 6K for a table of 10 and participate in the auction.

[janeymac08]

You better really worry then - Niall FitzGerald is Chairman of the Smurfit Business School as well as Munster Rugby.

The Smurfit Business School is not a paragon of not hiring duffers.

I don't think you 'hire' chairmen of the board!

[Hornet]

Lots of Munster supporters living over there.

Really? Can't say I've bumped into many myself.

[janeymac08]

Meanwhile, there's more money to invest in bailing out Munster who are reduced to throwing out the begging bowl.

A least Munster Rugby are not getting dodgy donations from characters caught up in the Moriarty & Mahon Tribunals.

[Dave Cahill]

Probably because they didn't have a TARDIS to hand, what with artificial surfaces not receiving clearance for International use until 2012.

[paddyor]

Meanwhile, there's more money to invest in bailing out Munster who are reduced to throwing out the begging bowl.

A least Munster Rugby are not getting dodgy donations from characters caught up in the Moriarty & Mahon Tribunals.

This the guy who controls independent Newspapers of Independent park fame? Yes you sure have no connection to that guy!

[janeymac08]

Meanwhile, there's more money to invest in bailing out Munster who are reduced to throwing out the begging bowl.

A least Munster Rugby are not getting dodgy donations from characters caught up in the Moriarty & Mahon Tribunals.

This the guy who controls independent Newspapers of Independent park fame? Yes you sure have no connection to that guy!

No, David Shubotham who paid for the Leinster training centre and who was named in the Moriarty and Mahon Tribunals.

[paddyor]

No, David Shubotham who paid for the Leinster training centre and who was named in the Moriarty and Mahon Tribunals.

Adn DOB?

Tell me, when you self own with that kind of unrivaled passion, does it leave a mark?

[janeymac08]

No, David Shubotham who paid for the Leinster training centre and who was named in the Moriarty and Mahon Tribunals.

Adn DOB?

Tell me, when you self own with that kind of unrivaled passion, does it leave a mark?

Isn't DOB covering Sexton's wedge?

[paddyor]

No, David Shubotham who paid for the Leinster training centre and who was named in the Moriarty and Mahon Tribunals.

Adn DOB?

Tell me, when you self own with that kind of unrivaled passion, does it leave a mark?

Isn't DOB covering Sexton's wedge?

AFAIK, it's a sponsorship deal with Independent.

[janeymac08]

Tell me, when you self own with that kind of unrivaled passion, does it leave a mark?

Isn't DOB covering Sexton's wedge?

AFAIK, it's a sponsorship deal with Independent.

No, it was some ambassadorial role for filling stations which DOB has since flogged.