[Archived] Rovers Might Have Been Sold?

[imy9]

I dont know about nicko, as he probably has his own stuff to do, but at the risk of fueling anything, Ill say the following, cause Ive heard some more stuff to give me a stronger all round sense of it all'.

The link is very very real and happening. By happening it does not necessarily mean that our club will be bought. It just means very interested people with decent money are exploring the purchase of the club. They are doing so ahead of a number of other potential PL clubs too. They will at the very least meet with the decision makers at our end soon. Whether that heads towards an offer, I wouldnt know and neither would any of the two sides.

I know some people might be thinking whats the point of posting this in the first place if not too much is being told, but just like Ive been on the receiving end of reading "gossip" or "rumors" or "news" on this board, I know Id like to be aware of things rather than not. People who know me on here know that I dont usually post things like this either. So there must be a little "catch" .

Cheers for the update, are we talking about millionaire investors or billionaire investors? I only hope the people are genuine and not like Al Firaj and co!

[Bobby G]

They're genuine in the sense that they HAVE MONEY and they WANT to own a Premier League club.

They also know how much it will cost to buy the club, and they know how much investment is "necessary" as part of the deal too.

There is one draw-back, which may end up being a deal-breaker. We have a "very small fan base", I am told. Obviously this isnt news to any of us.

[ada2020]

Any idea which other clubs they are interested in?

I know our fan base isnt huge, but they would surely be aware of this already?

If it was me I would have done all the homework before getting in touch with the current owners (I know this hasnt happened yet, but from what you say it does look likely).

I also think there's something to be said for how well we finish in the league on our current budget, with decent investment, and I'm not talking 70-80 million either, and we could be pushing higher and be in for a cup final or two.

Lets face it, unless you are mega wealthy you realise you are not buying a club that will challenge for the league or champions league places. So, a club like ours would be a nice viable option.

Am I being naieve? I probably am I spose......

Give Sam 10 million to bring in a decent striker and midfielder, then watch the ground fill out a bit more.

A good marketing strategy could improve our worldwide fanbase, although obviuosly this does not put many extra bums on seats in the ground. However cheap football and some good players may sway more of the locals to turn up?

[Bobby G]

Well, anyone would notice the fact that the cheapest PL tickets in the land by a mile are not enough to ensure sell-out crowds!

[ada2020]

But it has provided our best average attendance since we won the league ;-)

[PAFELL]

Well, anyone would notice the fact that the cheapest PL tickets in the land by a mile are not enough to ensure sell-out crowds!

Yes but lets be honest, if Rovers were to go on a very successful run in the top half of the table, with decent football - supporters would come back to Rovers. There will be many on here who will remember the time before Jack Walker, where the attendences were extremely low. They increased when Jack started spending. What we do not know is what would have happened after the title winning year, if Rovers had continued to be club that was challenging for the prem title season after season, in Europe etc etc.

Would this have generated more interest locally, and further a field. I believe it would have done. I believe that the Riverside would have been rebuilt which would have increased the capacity. Blackburn itself would have benefited by the clubs success. Sadly it never happened and we can only speculate on the what if's etc. But success on the field brings other sucsessful developments to any club. Which in itself would eventually effect the local area.

The Blackpool area will benefit by the club being in the prem - how long they are there for is another matter. Blackpool. like Rovers did, will have glory hunters attending matches as long as they are in the prem. The challenge for any club is to fully win over the glory supporter to remain with the club. that can only be done with what happens on the field and how the club looks after its supporters.

Until it happens, it is hard to speculate to what would happen. But!!! Would be nice to find out.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Surely they must know that the best and probably only way to increase our fan base dramatically isn't by attracting fans from other towns near Blackburn but by increasing the profile of the club abroad and make Blackburn more of a brand in foreign countries.

[Blue n White Rover]

They're genuine in the sense that they HAVE MONEY and they WANT to own a Premier League club.

They also know how much it will cost to buy the club, and they know how much investment is "necessary" as part of the deal too.

There is one draw-back, which may end up being a deal-breaker. We have a "very small fan base", I am told. Obviously this isnt news to any of us.

IF the club was to be bought by these potential investors, as a Rovers fan, would you be happy with it?

[Stuart]

All of this talk about foreign investment is scaring the carp out of me. Rovers aren't really an investment for anything other than the emotions of a fan of the club. If we were, the Walkers would be cashing in themselves.

I guess the terms of the Trust haven't sold us out yet so here's hoping that continues to be the case.

Despite being reluctant owners, it could be better the devil...

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

I'll believe it all when/if it happens..talk is cheap.

[Muddboy]

All of this talk about foreign investment is scaring the carp out of me. Rovers aren't really an investment for anything other than the emotions of a fan of the club. If we were, the Walkers would be cashing in themselves.

I guess the terms of the Trust haven't sold us out yet so here's hoping that continues to be the case.

Despite being reluctant owners, it could be better the devil...

I'm with you on that one, Jisty.

For me, there are too many tales of clubs that have been shafted by their owners and are now having to face the consequences – some with the threat of extinction hanging over their heads.

It's romantic to dream of a billionaire owner stepping in and turning us around, but the reality is there isn't a single potential owner in the land that could compare to what Uncle Jack did for us, in terms of the way he went about it and his motivations for doing so.

For that very reason, anyone that comes in will always be viewed as second best and I don't think it could ever work.

[deryck guyler's spoon]

Well, anyone would notice the fact that the cheapest PL tickets in the land by a mile are not enough to ensure sell-out crowds!

Not having a go at you Bobby, like others I'm gratefull to you for sharing your info, but would these would be investors be more impressed if Ewood had a 25k capacity?

[Majiball]

I'll believe it all when/if it happens..talk is cheap.

And so are Rovers!!

[Mandrake]

However scary-a takeover of blackburn rovers is the only way to ensure the longer term future of the club. By having owners that dont want to invest-blackburn are only one major mistake away from being relegated(paul ince f.ex). The club is overachieving by staying in the premier league year after year on the current budget. The year they dont make it, and get relegated, the window of opportunity for selling the club to wealthy people are gone.

For one thing-blackburn do NOT have the finances to come back up to the premiership from the championship, and i fear that then, our premier league days are over. The ONLY selling point a club like blackburn have to potential rich foreign-domestic investors, are that they are a premier league club. If they were in the championship-there are a bucketload of other clubs more interesting to buy than rovers due to fan base, location etc.

So, blackburn have their chance now to be sold as a very cheap,stable premiership club with good infrastructure, but the moment that premiership word is gone-we can forget blackburn rovers as a contender in the premier league longer term. It is a risk-but it is a necassary one! A sale will show ambition, and would be the only way forward.

[Bobby G]

Not having a go at you Bobby, like others I'm gratefull to you for sharing your info, but would these would be investors be more impressed if Ewood had a 25k capacity?

I dont think that would change anything. Fact remains there is a limit as to how many more "fans" the club can attract even with a signing like lets say Kaka. Would we fill the ground? Would we have a capacity attendance game after game, and what about after that? Could we conceivably expand the stadium due to demand in the future?

[Guest Kamy100]

I think that the worry with this particular bid is that the people interested are part of a consortium, that will raise questions for the trustees, they will want background information on all of the people involved before even contemplating selling to them, these people are foreign investors so getting accurate information on them is more difficult, then there are certain terms and conditions that these people will have to meet in order to comply with the terms of sale laid down in Jack's will. From what I have heard that there are two groups interested and as well as Rovers they are looking at other clubs as well.

Over the last few months there has been an increased interest in Rovers, these people have all failed to get past the background check part of the sales process, rest assured that the club will not be sold to anyone who does not meet the very high standards that the club has laid down in the terms of sale, this the main reason why I think that consortium's involving a number of people is likely to be rejected should they decide to formalise their interest.

[Bobby G]

I think that the worry with this particular bid is that the people interested are part of a consortium, that will raise questions for the trustees, they will want background information on all of the people involved before even contemplating selling to them, these people are foreign investors so getting accurate information on them is more difficult, then there are certain terms and conditions that these people will have to meet in order to comply with the terms of sale laid down in Jack's will. From what I have heard that there are two groups interested and as well as Rovers they are looking at other clubs as well.

Over the last few months there has been an increased interest in Rovers, these people have all failed to get past the background check part of the sales process, rest assured that the club will not be sold to anyone who does not meet the very high standards that the club has laid down in the terms of sale, this the main reason why I think that consortium's involving a number of people is likely to be rejected should they decide to formalise their interest.

I somehow put the same sentiment across, to which I received the comment "money talks" with a smile, which made me feel rather naive.

[Guest Kamy100]

I somehow put the same sentiment across, to which I received the comment "money talks" with a smile, which made me feel rather naive.

Don't worry Bobby, if these people go into with that attitude then they will be shown the door very quickly.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Problem is Kamy that the longer the club is for sale the likelihood of the owners changing the criteria for suitable ownership is pretty high. Prospective owners who were once deemed unsuitable under the previous criteria might now be seen as suitable, especially if the owners are desperate to sell.

The way i see it is in the short term we can continue with our current owners, longer term the lack of investment is going to hit us hard at some point and we will suffer the consequences.

[Bobby G]

Problem is Kamy that the longer the club is for sale the likelihood of the owners changing the criteria for suitable ownership is pretty high. Prospective owners who were once deemed unsuitable under the previous criteria might now be seen as suitable, especially if the owners are desperate to sell.

The way i see it is in the short term we can continue with our current owners, longer term the lack of investment is going to hit us hard at some point and we will suffer the consequences.

This is moreso the point I am making. We are not suggesting we will sell our club to swindlers, crooks or con-men, but some of the criteria may be subject to be bent. As long as, the Trustees price is met, the debts are taken over, and the specified money is invested into the club with a certain period commitment from the new owners, what else could possibly be part of the criteria to rule out people? I cant see much.

[Guest Kamy100]

The thing is the criteria cannot change massively because the trustees have to comply with the terms set down by Jack in his will.

Trustees are NOT desperate to sell, they are desperate to find a suitable perspective owner. There is a huge difference in that, if they were desperate to sell then they would have done so over the last few months.

[Bobby G]

Well they cant really have the best of both worlds can they? If they arent selling, then they should be investing a little at least.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

I'm a bit wary of change at this point in time. Financially and professionally as a club we've played our cards right.

I agree with that 100%.Our club appears to be on a VERY stable footing both on and off the pitch,I believe we do have the right people in charge at Ewood.One false appointment and the whole club can come tumbling down like a pack of cards...we came dangerously close with the Ince tenure.Can we even afford to consider that risk again?

Lets be frankly honest here.....what the hell would a wealthy investor looking to MAKE money want with Rovers?

I firmly believe there will only ever be 'one Jack Walker',we wont get two of those in our lifetime.

[joey_big_nose]

I agree with that 100%.Our club appears to be on a VERY stable footing both on and off the pitch,we do have the right people in charge at Ewood.

Lets be frankly honest here.....what the hell would a wealthy investor looking to MAKE

I agree with that 100%.Our club appears to be on a VERY stable footing both on and off the pitch,I believe we do have the right people in charge at Ewood.One false appointment and the whole club can come tumbling down like a pack of cards...we came danderously close with the Ince tenure.Can we even afford to consider that risk again?

Lets be frankly honest here.....what the hell would a wealthy investor looking to MAKE money want with Rovers?

I firmly believe there will only ever be 'one Jack Walker'.

I agree with this. I think our greatest assets are our stability and long term management as a club. That is primarily what has allowed us to outperform other teams who have invested more money than us over extensive periods. We can offer managers full backing, players a comfortable environment and a secure future, and allow the team to steadily build over time. Few other clubs can offer those sort of conditions to their staff and it breeds better performances on the pitch.

Quite remarkable when you consider just how comparatively little we have spent over the past six years or so.

I would hate to see this crucial stability and foresight sacrificed for extra investment which, no matter how wealthy the investor, is not going to make us financially competitive against half the clubs in the division.

It would be a disaster to upset the balance across the playing and the backroom staff imo.

The silver lining however is that JW knows what he is doing - and puts stability at the top of the agenda - so hopefully if we do change hands we can do so with minimum impact to the culture of the club.

[Fife Rover]

To all those who are concerned that the JW Trustees are likely to alter their "new owner acceptance criteria" because they are desparate to "escape" I can tell you to forget that scenario; it is simply NOT going to happen. And the reason that I am so sure is that some time ago I was persuaded to look into the rules applying to Trusts made in Jersey, and I can assure you all that Jersey Trusts are virtually unchangable however much the Trustees may want change.

The ONLY way that any aspect of a Jersey Trust can be changed in any way at all is by applying to the court in Jersey, and the court that was involved in drawing up the trust in the first place has a bounden duty to act as if it (the Court) is actually the originator of the Trust Deed (i.e. in this case Jack Walker). In other words it interprets every single clause in the same way as if Jack was sitting there listening to the request for change, but also with a pre-set view that there would have to be a VERY good and overriding reason for allowing any change at all, and certainly NOT allowing it if suspects that Jack would not whole heartedly agree.

Jersey Trusts are different to English Tusts in as well as being VERY tax efficient, they are also set up and controlled in a different way. The first and major difference is the way I have described above, but the other difference is that the person making the Trust has to appear in court themselves and explain to a judge ALL the clauses in the Trust and fully clarify what he means and what criteria (if any) have to met for any change to be allowed. It is also tied in with the persons Will which will also refer to the Trust and what has to done with the Trust, who the Trustees are to be and how the whole thing is to be administered. ALL of this is sealed by the court and becomes set in Jersey Law.

That is it as briefly as I can put it; obviously there is a lot more to it but that is the essence of it.