https://www.foundationofhearts.org/

I d like to run this idea past you all and gather thoughts.

Back in June 2013 another one of the Scottish stalwart clubs went into administration. Hearts went over the edge and were only saved by Ann Budge and brought back to life . After that the Foundation of Hearts was founded and since then it has grown and provided their club with a steady substantial income derived from their fans.  This looks like sustaining Hearts for the future, as long as the governance remains as it is at present. 

My question is what is the reaction to a similar Foundation being set up ICT and being funded in a similar manner.  eg by fans on a regular monthly basis.

Any cursory glance at out accounts would confirm that to remain in the way we are, and have been, we have lost money over the majority of years we have been in existence, and what we require is a way to have financial security in a similar way to what Hearts have now, but have it in place before the brown stuff hits the fan . unlike Hearts did.

Rather than re invent the wheel , take the basis of what Hearts have done and copy their best bits.

This is a business that at present does not attract enough dosh and cannot continue for ever to incur losses, so we either find a wandering Abramovich with an open cheque book or prepare for the future with a sustainable model, in a similar manner to our Edinburgh cousins.

Thoughts ?

 

 

 

 

I might be interested if the cash went to youth development, specific stadium project and/or gave some supporter control.

Rough estimate this season on what I've spent at ICT (not counting away games) between season tickets, food/drink, strips and merch, daughter's birthday party and mascot package must be over a grand. There's no way I'd put cash into the player budget to help pay for someone who likely works less hours a week than I do and who is better paid than I am. 

On 2/24/2019 at 8:05 PM, old caley girl said:

Thats a point! Who would be our Ann Budge? 

Wasn't he called Blair? 

2 hours ago, Fraz said:

I might be interested if the cash went to youth development, specific stadium project and/or gave some supporter control.

Rough estimate this season on what I've spent at ICT (not counting away games) between season tickets, food/drink, strips and merch, daughter's birthday party and mascot package must be over a grand. There's no way I'd put cash into the player budget to help pay for someone who likely works less hours a week than I do and who is better paid than I am. 

Was there not someone doing stuff to the stadium/car park etc...

Gates getting painted. Roof cleaned as was the walls. Toilets/food worked on. Looking at getting lights outside the main stand to light up Red and Blue?

Whatever happened to that?

18 minutes ago, WYNESS101 said:

Was there not someone doing stuff to the stadium/car park etc...

Gates getting painted. Roof cleaned as was the walls. Toilets/food worked on. Looking at getting lights outside the main stand to light up Red and Blue?

Whatever happened to that?

I believe that was the guy who had the car wash on site. He's not there anymore.

Rumour was that he was allegedly a bit behind on his rent and this was a way to engraciate himself to the club. That's just a rumour though. 

4 hours ago, bdu98196 said:

Football clubs are a business and not a charity, we have a board of directors who need to see that there are several factors that need addressed for long term stability and development

- reduce playing budget, get rid of high earners and jobbers then introduce youth

- develop a plan for long term success and stability, even if it means relegation to League 1 and P/T team - invest more into youth teams and building a you squad with marketable assests

- increase footfall - establish why with a marketing & communications director we are worse than ever

- clear out boardroom dross and get fresh ideas and people instead of those looking to ego boost and maintain an old boys/girls network

Sort out some of these points and have the club put together a business plan outlining what as fans we would be investing in and there may be some interest - right now its just throwing cash into a bottomless hole to help bridge the mismanagement & financial gaps that the directors need to address.

So you'd be happy to lose the youth?. Go part time ? 

Please also if you could quantify and clarify your boardroom points I'd be all ears. Along with the long term plan.  

Personally I don't have an ego that needs boosted and I m pretty sure none of the others do either but if you think you can do a better job by all means get in touch . My email.is [email protected]

I do this for nothing.  I've put a bloody fortune into our club to keep it going so glib remarks like that **** me right off. 

 

23 minutes ago, sheepslagger said:

So you'd be happy to lose the youth?. Go part time ? 

Please also if you could quantify and clarify your boardroom points I'd be all ears. Along with the long term plan.  

Personally I don't have an ego that needs boosted and I m pretty sure none of the others do either but if you think you can do a better job by all means get in touch . My email.is [email protected]

I do this for nothing.  I've put a bloody fortune into our club to keep it going so glib remarks like that **** me right off. 

 

Its not for me to tell you how to fix running your business. I'm not the one begging the public to fund the holes and plug the gaps due to financial mismanagement.

Demonstrate what has been achieved with the current youth programs - we have had little to no break through into the first team historically. Right now removing some full time (experienced if you call them that) players to use that money back into youth development might be a better longer term strategy. This chasing a dream of getting back to the Premiership and everything will be rosy is a falsity and not all fans buy into it.

Go search and look for posts and threads, even mine if you like as there is plenty said about footfall, lack of communication and the lack of marketing strategy. For a club that announced it has a dedicated resource in charge of this - then why has there been no improvement and if by general consensus its gotten worse?

I'm sorry you come on a public platform announcing your position and get upset with opinions, but the reality is that not everyone on here will cream themselves because they can access a board member. Statement coming out of the club constantly cause concerns and  suggest that its all been smoke and mirrors for years (especially the finances) - while you may be all trying your best and whether the investments are pennies or pounds its a choice that you make so don't bite the hand that feeds you or start criticising fans or you may find footfall drops further.

When Mr Rae took over as Chair and introduced Danny M as COO (a position which disappeared without any announcement) there was a meeting at the stadium which was very well attended. At this meeting with the board if I recall there were PowerPoints with plenty of bullet points of plans and ideas and pictures etc. Whatever happened to all that? 

I just feel its really bad timing to come out and request more money from the fans.

Just now there is a feeling (rightly or wrongly) with a lot of fans that money is being squandered and money spent in the wrong areas. 

By this I mean not dealing with simple day to day stuff, filling hospitality (most have been half empty this season), selling naming rights for the club, advertising boards, even not being able to purchase a scarf in the club shop on match day!   We have a new so called marketing expert but this far in the season I can see no improvement.

So before I part with even more of my hard earned money, I would really like to see what the club are doing to maximise their revenue streams. 

Maybe this is happening and we are just not seeing it, but this is what I would need to know before I start donating money into the club. 

To try and compare us to Hearts is absolutely ludicrous we are not even remotely similar in terms of fan base and local involvement within the club.

My concern is that we are on the brink of entering administration let’s be honest these rumours and we have all heard them have been circulating in Inverness since we were relegated.

Worrying times regardless.

Dougal

 

 

 

8 hours ago, bdu98196 said:

Football clubs are a business and not a charity, we have a board of directors who need to see that there are several factors that need addressed for long term stability and development

- reduce playing budget, get rid of high earners and jobbers then introduce youth

- develop a plan for long term success and stability, even if it means relegation to League 1 and P/T team - invest more into youth teams and building a you squad with marketable assests

- increase footfall - establish why with a marketing & communications director we are worse than ever

- clear out boardroom dross and get fresh ideas and people instead of those looking to ego boost and maintain an old boys/girls network

Sort out some of these points and have the club put together a business plan outlining what as fans we would be investing in and there may be some interest - right now its just throwing cash into a bottomless hole to help bridge the mismanagement & financial gaps that the directors need to address.

Taking paragraphs 2 and 3, you may have a point but that would almost certainly mean the end of full time football for ICT for many years and we would become a bit of a yo yo club like the Forfars and Arbroaths. Nothing wrong with that but is it what the fans really want, if so they need to come out and say that as that is the reality of what you suggest. As for paragraph 4, that to me is the major problem, we cannot seem to attract increased interest from the public in Inverness. Even when the club has been doing well, attendances have not increased and we even struggled to sell our allocation of tickets for the Scottish Cup Final. If we couldn't do that, it highlights a major problem that nobody can solve. Don't disagree with your point about the marketing and communications director.

Disagree entirely with your comments in paragraph 5. The current board inherited multiple issues from previous boards, they did not know about the rental issues with the stands for example as far as I know and various other issues of a smaller nature also surfaced. It is easy to blame the board (or the manager/payers) but some of the blame rests with us as fans who don't turn out in the numbers they should. Statements like the one you make may well appeal to some fans but do not generate any real answers. I am not a cheer leader for the board but genuinely think they are trying to do the best they can for the club and are every bit as much of a supporter as the rest of us.

In reality, our financial situation is nothing new as we have been in deep financial troubles previously, the major difference is that previously we had a white knight who rescued us and we were heading upwards, in football terms compared to where we are now. We have always struggled to break even or make a profit and, more often than not, made a loss. Just think of the situation Ross County would be in if Roy MacGregor did not pump money intyo it annually. Didn't he write off a million pound debt recently for them?

In essence, the club is at a crossroads and cannot continue as it is without some  sort of financial injection or becoming something radically different from what we have now. To suggest something different is, in my opinion, not facing up to reality.

I would support this. Think it is a great idea.

1 hour ago, Huisdean said:

Taking paragraphs 2 and 3, you may have a point but that would almost certainly mean the end of full time football for ICT for many years and we would become a bit of a yo yo club like the Forfars and Arbroaths. Nothing wrong with that but is it what the fans really want, if so they need to come out and say that as that is the reality of what you suggest. As for paragraph 4, that to me is the major problem, we cannot seem to attract increased interest from the public in Inverness. Even when the club has been doing well, attendances have not increased and we even struggled to sell our allocation of tickets for the Scottish Cup Final. If we couldn't do that, it highlights a major problem that nobody can solve. Don't disagree with your point about the marketing and communications director.

Disagree entirely with your comments in paragraph 5. The current board inherited multiple issues from previous boards, they did not know about the rental issues with the stands for example as far as I know and various other issues of a smaller nature also surfaced. It is easy to blame the board (or the manager/payers) but some of the blame rests with us as fans who don't turn out in the numbers they should. Statements like the one you make may well appeal to some fans but do not generate any real answers. I am not a cheer leader for the board but genuinely think they are trying to do the best they can for the club and are every bit as much of a supporter as the rest of us.

In reality, our financial situation is nothing new as we have been in deep financial troubles previously, the major difference is that previously we had a white knight who rescued us and we were heading upwards, in football terms compared to where we are now. We have always struggled to break even or make a profit and, more often than not, made a loss. Just think of the situation Ross County would be in if Roy MacGregor did not pump money intyo it annually. Didn't he write off a million pound debt recently for them?

In essence, the club is at a crossroads and cannot continue as it is without some  sort of financial injection or becoming something radically different from what we have now. To suggest something different is, in my opinion, not facing up to reality.

Bravo.  Eloquent and factual.  We can bitch and moan about the past and who is doing what but is this not a call to arms which, if not answered, will see us facing the reality of no club at ICT?

Survival is the objective. We can all enjoy living in the past but a future without ICT is unthinkable. I would still be supporting whatever the status we were at.

Ross

As someone for who Hearts was their big team before league football came to Inverness, and still spends some time on the Hearts boards here are a few observations:

The fan supported model is hostage to the massive throwing the toys out o& the pam when results, or a result, goes the wrong way. Imagine a number of pledges being cancelled if the penalty shootout had gone the other way last week. Look on Jambos kickback for the number of people threatening to cancel their pledge after eithe a bad result or an indifferent run to see that that income stream may be hard to predict  

For the fan ownership thing to work, I feel it has to be in partnership with some more stable money. As with anything, it really helps if you have an idea of your income. If a large amount of this income can change on a whim, or equally a change in circumstances (we currently live in uncertain times). 

Both St Mirren & Motherwelll have tried something similar - to what level of success I genuinely don’t know. It would be worth canvassing both sides of those situations to see how it might work for us. 

My ultimste fear is whether we could raise enough from our fans to make this work. Hearts have a much larger fan base, and I don’t know these things scale. 

But any and everything is worth exploring in these financially challenging times. 

12 minutes ago, HawkeyeTheGnu said:

Ross

As someone for who Hearts was their big team before league football came to Inverness, and still spends some time on the Hearts boards here are a few observations:

The fan supported model is hostage to the massive throwing the toys out o& the pam when results, or a result, goes the wrong way. Imagine a number of pledges being cancelled if the penalty shootout had gone the other way last week. Look on Jambos kickback for the number of people threatening to cancel their pledge after eithe a bad result or an indifferent run to see that that income stream may be hard to predict  

For the fan ownership thing to work, I feel it has to be in partnership with some more stable money. As with anything, it really helps if you have an idea of your income. If a large amount of this income can change on a whim, or equally a change in circumstances (we currently live in uncertain times). 

Both St Mirren & Motherwelll have tried something similar - to what level of success I genuinely don’t know. It would be worth canvassing both sides of those situations to see how it might work for us. 

My ultimste fear is whether we could raise enough from our fans to make this work. Hearts have a much larger fan base, and I don’t know these things scale. 

But any and everything is worth exploring in these financially challenging times. 

Interesting points and prudent advice. ????????

14 hours ago, Huisdean said:

In essence, the club is at a crossroads and cannot continue as it is without some  sort of financial injection or becoming something radically different from what we have now. To suggest something different is, in my opinion, not facing up to reality.

I have replied on the AGM thread to most of the points you made already, but will agree fully with your final statement and that whatever is done needs to be sustainable and as part of a long term strategy and not just short term fire fighting. Bringing out the begging bowl to fill the cash hole regardless of which administration is at fault wont rectify the underlying issues which any investor whether bringing pennies or pounds should have full visibility of. If the club want help then they have to demonstrate to fans why we are in this mess and lessons learned to avoid this becoming a reoccuring issue which may mean hard and unpopular choices but if presented as a plan to fans most will understand and see the long game.

On 3/7/2018 at 2:45 PM, Buster said:

Previous board made mistakes, but always carried the cost of that. Current board making mistakes and expecting everyone else to carry the costs.

Talk is meaningless. It's time for them to 5hit or get off the pot.

 

I have to admit having lived in Aberdeen and now Angus for past two years this is similar to the aberDNA idea Aberdeen fc introduced at the start of this season. Over 11000 AFC fans signed up to a 2 year commitment and got certain benefits like season ticket discount, merchandise discount entered into a draw for hospitality chance for juniors to win a mascot package discounts to cup games and they were given different levels they could donate monthly from £10 to I believe £50 a month those on the higher donations were also given a free home shirt. 

 

Yes we are smaller, we are not going to get the 100,000 + quid this generates for Aberdeen but it has been ring fenced for the Aberdeen playing budget. If you could ask the fans what they would like the money to be contributing towards, what they would like to get back from the scheme and what level of contributions could be made, then devise a plan and present that to the fan base, hopefully It would invigorate many among the not only regular attendees but folk like myself who live large distances way to help contribute regularly towards the success of the club in the future?

Edited February 27, 20197 yr by MorayJaggie

On 2/25/2019 at 7:17 PM, Shorty said:

maybe the travel club could rattle buckets outside the stadium to raise money for the club and then pay for their own travel to games which might help

For your information the Supporters Travel Club already pays for their own travel to the games. We take nothing financial from ICTFC, in fact by organising Supporters buses we are actually adding to the overall club experience. 

I haven't had a season ticket for some years as I very seldom make it up to home matches from the wrong side of Edinburgh, and I'm retired now so can't really afford just to buy one for show. However I'd be willing to donate to the club but I doubt you'd get anything like 500 members.

So following on from that, it would probably need to be some sort of prize draw as already mentioned. Which brings us back to the Centenary Club, which I don't hear much of these days, as I get 99% of my ICT news from this site alone.

On 2/26/2019 at 5:21 PM, Huisdean said:

Just think of the situation Ross County would be in if Roy MacGregor did not pump money intyo it annually. Didn't he write off a million pound debt recently for them?

If I mind right MacGregor has written off something like £2 million of soft loans for Ross County in the last two seasons.

"The Ross County Way".

Very easy to be in touch with your community when finances are of little concern.

On 25 February 2019 at 7:17 PM, Shorty said:

maybe the travel club could rattle buckets outside the stadium to raise money for the club and then pay for their own travel to games which might help

Shorty , you quite obviously have no idea what the Travel Club is about If you would like to pop into the Sports Bar at any home game we will be more than happy to explain how it's run . You can't miss us our table is right opposite the main entrance to the bar.We look forward to meeting you . 

2 hours ago, RiG said:

If I mind right MacGregor has written off something like £2 million of soft loans for Ross County in the last two seasons.

"The Ross County Way".

They are very fortunate to have someone who really cares for his club but unfortunately we don't and will probably never have someone with the same deep pockets.