[Archived] Rovers Might Have Been Sold?

[Paul]

Paul you have got to look at objectives and achievements. The objective was to raise commercial revenue which was achieved as far as I understand it. Not to promote the clubs as competitors to Man U and Real Madrid globally.

I can appreciate this point and thinking about Rovers marketing, we have players sponsored by a chippy and florist, understand it's importance. I can't find any evidence of JCD's succes in achieving htese objectives. We shouldn't overestimate JCD's current influence. I've only spent 15 minutes searching, and then only English language results, but this what I find:

Sportfive

Darmon leaves Sportfive in 2004

It's being widely reported, and welcomed on the MB, the Syed bid is supported / advised by JCD with 40 years experience in French sports promotion. From what I can see much of this occurred more than 9 years ago and he is no longer involved with the company people are linking to. So I'm asking questions on the validity / importance of this man. It's similar to the "India has billions of people we only need a few to buy a shirt" theory. i.e don't get over-excited because a few weblinks suggest the man is a guru, equally of course he shouldn't be dismissed for lack of information.

Can anyone provide more information as this aspect appears to be a key feature to Syed's longer term plans

[patrickvalery]

Although this news is obviously what most people have been waiting for, i just can't help being more than a little wary. I hope this guy has all the right intentions, but i am certain cracking the football world (or atleast making significant in roads) will prove extremely difficult. All this talk of £300m being invested and allowing us to be title challengers seems pretty far fetched even for the most optimistic fan.

The talk about season ticket price changes which has been speculated on previous pages seems odd. I think anyone looking to turn Rovers into a profitable business would need to look well beyond tinkering with this sort of thing. I'm not even a novice when it comes to marketing, let alone an expert. However, it would seem the only way for us to grow is to look beyond the boundaries of our local area and match day prices.

However, despite my negativity, i truly hope this chap comes in and gives us some good times at Ewood. I am glad the plan is not to follow the Man City blueprint. I would be devastated to see us paying football mercenaries obscene amounts of money each week. The 'drip drip' approach to progression seems far better and allows fans to have an affinity to the playing staff. For us to be comparable to the likes of Everton would make me a happy man. A £6-7m signing each summer or as required would give the whole place a new lease of life.

[Eddie]

I can give you a brief summary of some of the things that Darmon has done:

In the 1970s he was the first to get French clubs to look for shirt sponsorship and to sell space on the billboards around the pitch.

He was really responsible for French football's original TV contracts, which still form the basis for their deals today.

He was heavily involved in the marketing of the French national team during the 1980's.

Interestingly for us, he's always been noted for the kindness with which he deals with the clubs and officials with whom he works. He often gives incredibly favourable contractual terms for the purpose of aiding clubs, rather than seeing them as a cash-cow for his business.

In 2001 his company merged with the Bertelsmann Group (my employers) and Vivendi, which basically formed a super company. The company represents over 300 clubs and 40 football federations worldwide. Duront himself made more than 100 million euros from the deal. He then sold his 5% stake in the company for around 50 million (the company had annual turnover of over 600 million euros).

He was rather controversially forced out of his role as President, basically because of a long-standing rivalry with some of the other major players in the company. At this point he is in many respects retired, but is still involved in various deals.

The one major concern would be that what he was brilliant at was modernising French football and exploiting the full potential of TV deals and sponsorship. I'm not sure if the "next step" for a club like us is quite as simple. He's incredibly intelligent and would be a great person to have on board though.

[nicko]

I thought Jean-Claude Dorman was a French bouncer at first...

But I would have to say that very good information is about the most encouraging thing I have heard about the Syed bid so far.

I was concenred they had no football knowledge. But now they clearly have.

Fair enough.

[Bobby G]

One of the first things that comes to mind is that French clubs have multiple sponsors (on their shirts and elsewhere), and maybe we will see "proper" sponsorship opportunities for the club including our shirt having many sponsors on it all over.

[ada2020]

Although this news is obviously what most people have been waiting for, i just can't help being more than a little wary. I hope this guy has all the right intentions, but i am certain cracking the football world (or atleast making significant in roads) will prove extremely difficult. All this talk of £300m being invested and allowing us to be title challengers seems pretty far fetched even for the most optimistic fan.

The talk about season ticket price changes which has been speculated on previous pages seems odd. I think anyone looking to turn Rovers into a profitable business would need to look well beyond tinkering with this sort of thing. I'm not even a novice when it comes to marketing, let alone an expect. However, it would seem the only way for us to grow is to look beyond the boundaries of our local area and match day prices.

However, despite my negativity, i truly hope this chap comes in and gives us some good times at Ewood. I am glad the plan is not to follow the Man City blueprint. I would be devastated to see us paying football mercenaries obscene amounts of money each week. The 'drip drip' approach to progression seems far better and allows fans to have an affinity to the playing staff. For us to be comparable to the likes of Everton would make me a happy man. A £6-7m signing each summer or as required would give the whole place a new lease of life.

Good post.

I too agree that this ticket price hike suggestion is utter nonsense, as a club we have acknowledged that ticket income is secondary to bums on seats for atmosphere. I dont see the new owners looking at that any differently in the foreseable future.

The line in th LT about making us title contenders again is a ballsy statement and realisticly beyond us,even with investment, but its nice to hear that sort of talk for a change.

One of the first things that comes to mind is that French clubs have multiple sponsors (on their shirts and elsewhere), and maybe we will see "proper" sponsorship opportunities for the club including our shirt having many sponsors on it all over.

I hope that doesn't mean multiple black boxes all over the shirt to then

[Paul]

I can give you a brief summary of some of the things that Darmon has done:

Thanks Eddie.

[Earlydoors]

I think anyone looking to turn Rovers into a profitable business .................... it would seem the only way for us to grow is to look beyond the boundaries of our local area

Lets hope that this is the reason behind the takeover. That there is an opportunity to create a fanbase in India or elsewhere in Asia, with all the revenue that comes along with that.

[ewoodpo]

A bit more to add from the LT site.

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/blackburnrovers/news/8332234.Indian_tycoon_pledges_transfer_funds_for_Blackburn_Rovers/

[Bobby G]

Well, the LT says its not possible, and personally too I doubt its going to happen. So looks like we will have to do with the current squad, minus Roberts plus Benjani for the first few months of the season at least.

Historically speaking not many transfers occur in January either way as well.

[patrickvalery]

Didn't know where to post this, but i guess this topic will be brought up. Neil McDonald is on talksport this morning. Not sure what time i'm afraid.

[Silencio]

I am most encouraged by the idea that the new owners will be focusing on the youth side of the club. We are currently producing decent players, especially in defence but, if we were to invest further into this area we, could really reap rewards. I was reading about Watford's approach to youth development which has seen them build a school at the youth training ground. this means that the kids can get their schooling but are more looked after in terms of diet and, most importantly, in terms of getting the 10,000 hours of training time considered necessary to make a technically good player.

I hope we are looking in that direction and that we would look at getting someone better than Phil Cannon in to head the academy.

[47er]

I wrote it rather quickly and probably didn't express myself particularly well. I have two or three extraordinarily wealthy friends and I have been convincing them that they this might be a worthwhile venture, at the same time making sure that if we decided to go with it that their intentions would be correct and that they would be seriously committed and in the last few weeks I've made a huge amount of progress.

Commiserations. That would have been fun!

[Brfcrule1]

Kamy if you can get an interview with the lady behind the Syed offer again could you ask her if this takeover goes through what are his plans for the club? Like Mr Shah does he plan to try and get more Asian people into the ground?. What about merchandising will there be more linesin the club shop and does he plan to market the club in terms of attracting fans & merchandising abroad?. Does he think like Mr Shah we could tap into the Indian market and make us successful over there?. I know he plans to take a cautious appraoch to the acquisition of players but he has not said much else?. Also reading that LET article I know the club would be doing their checks but could the EPL checks likely scupper the deal because so far as I know the people in charge of us and seem very level headed and would not let a takeover go through unless the buyer was probably checked out so far as I know that is what Rothschild are there for?. Right?. Thanks as ever for your input.

[Bobby G]

Still no 4-page special in the LT?

[Guest Wen Y Hu]

Still no 4-page special in the LT?

Yes. It's in today's paper - pages 1-3 and 44 (& 43).

[thenodrog]

Still no 4-page special in the LT?

I wonder if anyone there still remembers the embarrassment over the 'special' features about Geoff Thomas and Roy Keane.

Or even more pertinently this....

http://archive.theboltonnews.co.uk/1998/4/23/802785.html

[bob fleming]

Now, I'm not saying either owner had some grand plan that made it all work, but those are two people who made money and didn't ruin their clubs. That's all you asked for...

By the way Bob, any chance of one of your famous comedic breakdowns of the summer? Might lift the doom and gloom that has abounded.

I'd rather these guys didn't come in and then bale out with only hours to spare before we go bust. Maybe that's just me though!

As for a "comedic breakdown", sorry brucey, I just don't have the time these days. Have a look in the Transfer thread at some of the hissy fits that take place though; cause we're not buying the player they wanted, "it's not fair, I hate you" - that sort of thing - better than anything i could write!

Theno - I still remember the Saturday edition of the LET - the back page was simply a colour picture of Roy "Keano" Keane. Oh dear.

[thenodrog]

Theno - I still remember the Saturday edition of the LET - the back page was simply a colour picture of Roy "Keano" Keane. Oh dear.

I have a mental image of John Howarth spending Sat alone in the office desperately wiping off all phone messages the 'faulty' ansaphone and altering the time settings on the office fax machine.

[bob fleming]

I have a mental image of John Howarth spending Sat alone in the office desperately wiping off all phone messages the 'faulty' ansaphone and altering the time settings on the office fax machine.

After RFW had tapped Keane up Roy probably threatened John with one of his world famous "hard stares" if he didn't destroy the evidence.

[Bobby G]

Anything of note from the prospective new owners? Their plans, etc...?

[thenodrog]

After RFW had tapped Keane up Roy probably threatened John with one of his world famous "hard stares" if he didn't destroy the evidence.

Only Wiki but by the sound of it I'd rather have faced Keane playing in clogs with irons on than Kenny......

" In his autobiography, Keane revealed details of his conversation with a swearing and furious Kenny Dalglish, when he informed him the Blackburn signing was off."

I'll bet JH and the office staff copped for that big time! And so they should. Amateurish performance reminiscent of paenuts and monkeys.

BUT Kenny was quite right to rant at Keane... He and Keane had shaken hands on the deal and Roy Keane turned out to be a man who went back on his own handshake. Not an acceptable trait amongst proper men of character and one that never will be.

[tony gale's mic]

Thing is with Keane, yes he was a better player than Batty or Sherwood by miles, but our title winning side was more built on the balance of our side and the lack of egos rather than individual talents (apart from Shearer). You do wonder whether he might have just upset the balance of the team or our dressing room and tipped the scales a little towards the other side so we dropped a point or two...

Personally I don't feel bad about not signing any player pre title win. It's the ones we missed out on after we won the thing which get me.

[Silencio]

Thing is with Keane, yes he was a better player than Batty or Sherwood by miles, but our title winning side was more built on the balance of our side and the lack of egos rather than individual talents (apart from Shearer). You do wonder whether he might have just upset the balance of the team or our dressing room and tipped the scales a little towards the other side so we dropped a point or two...

Personally I don't feel bad about not signing any player pre title win. It's the ones we missed out on after we won the thing which get me.

Good post, I think Roy Keane was meant to play for Man Utd and might not have been the same for us. It was after we won the league that we started messing up.

[Exiled in Toronto]

I can give you a brief summary of some of the things that Darmon has done:

In the 1970s he was the first to get French clubs to look for shirt sponsorship and to sell space on the billboards around the pitch.

He was really responsible for French football's original TV contracts, which still form the basis for their deals today.

He was heavily involved in the marketing of the French national team during the 1980's.

Interestingly for us, he's always been noted for the kindness with which he deals with the clubs and officials with whom he works. He often gives incredibly favourable contractual terms for the purpose of aiding clubs, rather than seeing them as a cash-cow for his business.

In 2001 his company merged with the Bertelsmann Group (my employers) and Vivendi, which basically formed a super company. The company represents over 300 clubs and 40 football federations worldwide. Duront himself made more than 100 million euros from the deal. He then sold his 5% stake in the company for around 50 million (the company had annual turnover of over 600 million euros).

He was rather controversially forced out of his role as President, basically because of a long-standing rivalry with some of the other major players in the company. At this point he is in many respects retired, but is still involved in various deals.

The one major concern would be that what he was brilliant at was modernising French football and exploiting the full potential of TV deals and sponsorship. I'm not sure if the "next step" for a club like us is quite as simple. He's incredibly intelligent and would be a great person to have on board though.

Young Williams and Beamo should start polishing up their CV's ASAP!