ALK Capital or Farnell/Elkashashy takeover

[conyoviejo]

"Boss Hogg refers to the Cricket Field needing maintenance, it needs more than that and I am lead to believe that Burnley CC have been approached as the work required would potentially mean them losing ground space for a lengthy period."

Burnley have wanted to buy the cricket ground for years, so as to develop the football ground and maybe build hotel and conference facilities there. If this American company can make them a big offer, an offer they can't refuse, it might happen quicker than people think.

Burnley CC could groundshare with Lowerhouse CC .

[Stockbrokerbelt]

We are all guessing but I’d plump for US investors before investment from the Far East, there are several reports around the dodgy money brigade from the Far East one of which was done by the guy who’s name has slipped my mind from Liverpool university & one from Deloitte which are damming & very worrying. As for US investors who someone has already pointed out work with franchise systems & know how to make clubs more valuable is a plus as long as they understand the market they have bought in. If you look at the clubs the guy Checketts owns or owned have increased in value & seemed to have been run well with investment in leagues & sport that have seen massive rises in investment. With Checketts, ties with Real Madrid & individual investors it would be hoped that they would have enough knowledge about the premier league, BFC & Football to be a great combination with their obvious knowledge of the finance world. Lets hope in a positive manner that we can start moving forward in the premier league world that only new large investment can bring.

[Chester Perry]

So from a fan's POV, there may be little difference on the outside?

not necessarily - there are plenty of areas to work on for increased revenues, but that requires financing to bring them into play - and that could include:
- redeveloping parts of Turf Moor - particularly the corporate side of things (which brings significant matchday uplift)
- a retail rethink including the oft complained about online store. The club has a long way to progress digitally, though this should be part of an everyday onmi-channel user experience not an add on
- Sponsorship strategy has been ok and we know it has been worked on over the summer but there is still a wide range of opportunities out there for a creative and connected organisation.

the thing I am interested in at the moment is will communications change - and I am talking at all levels. Those from the board/Business side have been complained about for a long time now, but I believe that our social media could be a lot more innovative and help grow the brand.

[Chester Perry]

Burnley CC could groundshare with Lowerhouse CC .

That would be interesting

[joey13]

How much has been yearly in bonuses to the board ?

Promotion bonus

[Gordaleman]

Burnley CC could groundshare with Lowerhouse CC .

They could, but would they want to? We can't dictate what they should do, but if an offer for the existing ground was lucrative enough, I'm sure they would be prepared to consider it and look for another site.

I suppose it's a bit like us selling Tarky, Pope or McNeil. If the price is right, it will happen.

[Bordeauxclaret]

Burnley CC could groundshare with Lowerhouse CC .

Just move Burnley into Lowerhouse while the work is done. There is only one real club anyway.

We can put a picture up somewhere detailing ‘houses’ 15 year history.

[BigF]

My concern in general would be that if someone does invest and take over the club that they realise that relegation and promotion exist in English football. I don't think relegation features at all it American sports.

[Myk]

Also love how nobody had heard of the word Skynet this time yesterday, now it’s being quoted as the future!!

To be fair anyone who’s ever watched Terminator knows what Skynet is

[aggi]

There is little chance that a sensible investor would sanction that level of spend - we would have to seriously ramp up our income to generate such funds - at current cost levels that would require an income of around £190m a year - only 6 clubs manage that currently. Then there is the fact that those spending levels would add significantly to the wage bill, and from a financial results perspective that would send amortisation soaring.

The comment you're referring to doesn't make it clear what they mean by "spend". Realistically though it wouldn't be a surprise to see a significantly increased transfer spend with the hope that, although it may be debt financed to start with, it would become self-financing, i.e. the later players are paid for by selling the earlier players at a profit and so on.

As you rightly point out though, the issue comes in balancing the increased transfer spend with increased wages. Increasing your player assets, so long as it's done sensibly (limits on old players, decent length contracts, etc) probably isn't going to be too damaging to a club. However, as I'm sure you're aware, bumping up your wage bill is where it becomes dangerous. You're tied in and it generally only goes up and up.

[Gordaleman]

My concern in general would be that if someone does invest and take over the club that they realise that relegation and promotion exist in English football. I don't think relegation features at all it American sports.

If they were that stupid as to not know, then we really would be in trouble. Of course they know.

[martin_p]

If they were that stupid as to not know, then we really would be in trouble. Of course they know.

You’d have to have the brain of a chicken not to know about relegation!

[ClaretMov]

I’d ask the AKL people what they can bring to BUrnley what we don’t already have. And second, what are their ambitions and expectations for the club.

Ring them and ask them

ALK Investers (London office)
Level 1, One Mayfair Place,
Devonshire House,
Mayfair W1J 8AJ,
United Kingdom
020 7268 4859

[Steddyman]

Earlier on Talksport with Jim White

You can watch the video interview here about it. He says £150 million.

https://twitter.com/talkSPORT/status/13 ... 07745?s=20

[Gordaleman]

You’d have to have the brain of a chicken not to know about relegation!

Precisely!

[NewClaret]

You’d have to have the brain of a chicken not to know about relegation!

This is the Yanks we are talking about mate... they voted Trump in to office...

[claptrappers_union]

My concern in general would be that if someone does invest and take over the club that they realise that relegation and promotion exist in English football. I don't think relegation features at all it American sports.

I've watched a few American YouTubers reacting to videos explaining the basics of the football league pyramid structure - when it comes to describing relegation - its a bizarre concept to them - then they are won round with the promotion. They also think it's boring that there's no playoff for the title either. The FA Cup blows their mind while the Champions League is the most amazing, most brilliant thing ever.

[Gordaleman]

This is the Yanks we are talking about mate... they voted Trump in to office...

No, they didn't. The Electoral college did. More people voted Democrat than Republican.

[The Enclosure]

What we need to do is double the attendance to 40,000.So the investors need to look at ways how this can be achieved for a start.,not easy if not impossible...
To be quite honest I cant see what an investor would find attractive in buying Burnley FC as profit making concern unless we increase our fan base.

[Gordaleman]

What we need to do is double the attendance to 40,000.So the investors need to look at ways how this can be achieved for a start.,not easy if not impossible...
To be quite honest I cant see what an investor would find attractive in buying Burnley FC as profit making concern unless we increase our fan base.

C'mon, it's not fans that make money these days, it's TV rights.

Anyway, how are you going to persuade an extra 20,000 fans to attend?

[BigF]

If they were that stupid as to not know, then we really would be in trouble. Of course they know.

I agree that I hope they would but I did hear the "rumours" that Venkys didn't seem to realise this. The rumour, like all of them, could be wrong of course.

[Gordaleman]

I agree that I hope they would but I did hear the "rumours" that Venkys didn't seem to realise this. The rumour, like all of them, could be wrong of course.

Then stop listening to rumours and wait for facts.

[Chester Perry]

What we need to do is double the attendance to 40,000.So the investors need to look at ways how this can be achieved for a start.,not easy if not impossible...
To be quite honest I cant see what an investor would find attractive in buying Burnley FC as profit making concern unless we increase our fan base.

Italian and Spanish football has quite clearly proven that if capacity is greater than average demand then matchday income will fall - it is why Juventus built their own stadium with a a capacity reduction of over 20k and saw it's matchday receipts double - the only matchday demand Burnley FC has that is cannot it cannot satisfy on a regular basis is in the corporate seating - most punters would do well to remember that it is corporate seating which has helped to keep down the prices of normal tickets

[Dark Cloud]

"Boss Hogg refers to the Cricket Field needing maintenance, it needs more than that and I am lead to believe that Burnley CC have been approached as the work required would potentially mean them losing ground space for a lengthy period."

Burnley have wanted to buy the cricket ground for years, so as to develop the football ground and maybe build hotel and conference facilities there. If this American company can make them a big offer, an offer they can't refuse, it might happen quicker than people think.

Yes BFC did try to buy out the CC for a hefty wack a number of years ago and the then waste ground over at Fulledge was proposed as a new cricket ground with BFC footing the development bills. But I BELIEVE local residents over there objected and it never went anywhere. Ultimately the CC will not even think about selling up at any price imo unless they are found somewhere more than acceptable, and very close to Turf Moor, to move into.

[The Enclosure]

C'mon, it's not fans that make money these days, it's TV rights.

Anyway, how are you going to persuade an extra 20,000 fans to attend?

I know you are correct Gordaleman, so for the life in me i cant see what the attraction would be to an investor who wanted to make a profit on his investment in Burnley FC.

[Gordaleman]

Yes BFC did try to buy out the CC for a hefty wack a number of years ago and the then waste ground over at Fulledge was proposed as a new cricket ground with BFC footing the development bills. But I BELIEVE local residents over there objected and it never went anywhere. Ultimately the CC will not even think about selling up at any price imo unless they are found somewhere more than acceptable, and very close to Turf Moor, to move into.

Which is what I said earlier. We can't evict them and it's entirely their choice on whether or not to sell. People suggesting we can just move them to Lowerhouse while work on the Cricket field stand takes place, just don't seem to understand this.

Anyway, BFC wanted to buy the whole cricket club area, not just move them temporarily and that's why I mentioned 'An offer they can't refuse'.

Whoever takes BFC over may have totally different ideas though, such as a new football ground somewhere else. Who knows?

[Gordaleman]

I know you are correct Gordaleman, so for the life in me i cant see what the attraction would be to an investor who wanted to make a profit on his investment in Burnley FC.

Simple. TV rights and the chance to invest in the area. Takeovers these days are not just about football. They are about influence.

[ChorltonCharlie]

A few points.

A takeover is exciting, but is something that’s wide open to risk. People are right to be wary. Most takeovers are not along the lines of Abramovic/Sheikh Mansour and the promise of an open cheque-book. Many new owners fail with their grand ambitions.

A takeover by this kind of investment group who are big on analytics is about the best we can hope for. There’s no guarantees they will get it right, so the most important thing is that their heart is in the right place and they’ll stick around. The one thing we need from a group like this is the security that there’s money to cover a disastrous relegation. This is the conundrum Garlick faces every transfer window, spend your profits on players and one bad season leaves Burnley facing lower league football for the foreseeable future. If your owners have the money to cover potential losses the club can look to a more break-even financial position rather than seeking profits.

If these guys are the moneyball analytics types, then it may be the beginning of the end of Dyche at Burnley. Dyche seems to have a fairly limited view on which players suit his team and it may well be that he doesn’t fit with a new model. I doubt ALK are going to allow us to spend much more on individual players, more that they’ll have a more risk based approach to buying in younger (possibly foreign) players. I’d expect hidden gems rather than established players. Will Dyche want to stick around if his hands are tied in a different way and he finds signings are forced upon him?

[Dark Cloud]

Anyone who proposed moving us from The Turf would be making their first, probably biggest and possibly terminal mistake. An out of town, concrete bowl just off the motorway seating 30,000, but with 19,000 seats filled, with nobody drinking in local pubs or using the town centre facilities would be totally alien to what we are all about and a recipe for disaster.

[Gordaleman]

A few points.

A takeover is exciting, but is something that’s wide open to risk. People are right to be wary. Most takeovers are not along the lines of Abramovic/Sheikh Mansour and the promise of an open cheque-book. Many new owners fail with their grand ambitions.

A takeover by this kind of investment group who are big on analytics is about the best we can hope for. There’s no guarantees they will get it right, so the most important thing is that their heart is in the right place and they’ll stick around. The one thing we need from a group like this is the security that there’s money to cover a disastrous relegation. This is the conundrum Garlick faces every transfer window, spend your profits on players and one bad season leaves Burnley facing lower league football for the foreseeable future. If your owners have the money to cover potential losses the club can look to a more break-even financial position rather than seeking profits.

If these guys are the moneyball analytics types, then it may be the beginning of the end of Dyche at Burnley. Dyche seems to have a fairly limited view on which players suit his team and it may well be that he doesn’t fit with a new model. I doubt ALK are going to allow us to spend much more on individual players, more that they’ll have a more risk based approach to buying in younger (possibly foreign) players. I’d expect hidden gems rather than established players. Will Dyche want to stick around if his hands are tied in a different way and he finds signings are forced upon him?

Everyone will have concerns of some sort, but until a takeover actually happens, we won't know what might occur. All we can do is sit on our hands and hope that Mike Garlick has found investors with the club at heart.

Of course, that might appear to be the case at the moment, but once the new owners are in place, they can do whatever they want.

[MACCA]

Burnley CC could groundshare with Lowerhouse CC .

They could ground share with Belvedere, it would certainly help increase the attendances, theres a couple dozen or so up there every saturday watching the various sports on offer.

[summitclaret]

The price doesn't really matter to us as fans. (It will to the board of course.) It's what they are prepared to spend, once they buy the club.

Agreed, so unless a fan has shares, it's best for fans that the investors pay as little as possible for the Club, so they have more to reinvest in the team etc., isn't it?

There's the rub. Can they be trusted to make that reinvestment rather than asset strip?

Edit. Also, the lower the asking price now, presumably the less a fans' consortium would have to find if we are in trouble.

[KateR]

not necessarily - there are plenty of areas to work on for increased revenues, but that requires financing to bring them into play - and that could include:
- redeveloping parts of Turf Moor - particularly the corporate side of things (which brings significant matchday uplift)
- a retail rethink including the oft complained about online store. The club has a long way to progress digitally, though this should be part of an everyday onmi-channel user experience not an add on
- Sponsorship strategy has been ok and we know it has been worked on over the summer but there is still a wide range of opportunities out there for a creative and connected organisation.

the thing I am interested in at the moment is will communications change - and I am talking at all levels. Those from the board/Business side have been complained about for a long time now, but I believe that our social media could be a lot more innovative and help grow the brand.

If it should happen, expect the re-naming of Turn Moor to be one the first things, Walmart Field anyone?

[Gordaleman]

They could ground share with Belvedere, it would certainly help increase the attendances, theres a couple dozen or so up there every saturday watching the various sports on offer.

Why would they want to? They seem perfectly happy where they are. It's their land and until they decide they want to sell, there's nothing BFC can do about it.

Too many people on here thinking it's just as simple as asking them to groundshare somewhere else. Why should they, just because BFC might like them to?

[summitclaret]

If it should happen, expect the re-naming of Turn Moor to be one the first things, Walmart Field anyone?

Hope they are not thinking of moving the ground to a hillside in Edenfield.

[AlargeClaret]

Anyone who proposed moving us from The Turf would be making their first, probably biggest and possibly terminal mistake. An out of town, concrete bowl just off the motorway seating 30,000, but with 19,000 seats filled, with nobody drinking in local pubs or using the town centre facilities would be totally alien to what we are all about and a recipe for disaster.

While you’re pretty much right ,there’s few clubs who haven’t been taken over and havent had the dreaded “ new build “ stadium . Then again Turf Moor ain’t prime real estate and we could surely easily get extra 10k seats via CFS and Demolising the BL

[summitclaret]

Much as I would hate to lose that wonderful view of the moors from the JHU, and for it to not be on the tv to remind the world of our beautiful location, a second tier on the BLS makes sense. It's the right place for extra corporates.

Take the roof off the CFS and the away fans can have it all.

[CrosspoolClarets]

The irony is, if we had agreed the ground redevelopment that many of us wanted as a legacy of this stay in the PL, 2020 and early 2021 would have been the perfect time to do it. Anything happens in the future, it is going to cause disruption at a time we all want to get back to normal.

Hindsight being a wonderful thing of course.

[MACCA]

Why would they want to? They seem perfectly happy where they are. It's their land and until they decide they want to sell, there's nothing BFC can do about it.

Too many people on here thinking it's just as simple as asking them to groundshare somewhere else. Why should they, just because BFC might like them to?

Because 99% of people on this board support Burnley and want the best for Burnley, so if the cricket club relocating helps that then I'm all for it.

Why anyone who would feel differently is more concerning.

Burnley football club comes a considerable distance infront of the cricket club regards my priority, and I'd hope 99% of the towns too.

[joey13]

Hope they are not thinking of moving the ground to a hillside in Edenfield.

Isn’t it going to be on the old Padiham Power Station site ?

[Gordaleman]

Because 99% of people on this board support Burnley and want the best for Burnley, so if the cricket club relocating helps that then I'm all for it.

Why anyone who would feel differently is more concerning.

Burnley football club comes a considerable distance infront of the cricket club regards my priority, and I'd hope 99% of the towns too.

You've completely missed my point. It's not up to your 99% or BFC what the cricket club does, it's up to them. They seem perfectly happy where they are and no matter how much you, I or BFC might like them to move, they don't have to if they don't want to.

[MACCA]

You've completely missed my point. It's not up to your 99% or BFC what the cricket club does, it's up to them. They seem perfectly happy where they are and no matter how much you, I or BFC might like them to move, they don't have to if they don't want to.

You're right, they don't, no one HAS to do anything in life, that's stating the absolute obvious, however it remains the fact that it'd be in Burnleys best interest if they could acquire the land, it would open up a whole new set of opportunities and revenue for the club.

[Vegas Claret]

If I looked dispassionately at what was on offer to Blackburn Rovers at the time of the Venky approach, and this nebulous package of maybes and ifs, I'd plump for the Venky package all day long.

And that's worked out well hasn't it.

Our house is built on solid rock atm.... Why shift it into the swamp to become another plaything?

I've said this earlier in the thread. Venky's bought Rovers, put Shebby Singh in charge and got rid of the knowledge base that existed - they literally knew nothing about football. It's the opposite in terms of experience with the people rumored to be interested in us. Not saying they will be good or bad, just that nobody in their right mind can use Venkys as a yard stick for football takeovers.

It would be like Dyche suddenly buying a chicken farm !

[Gordaleman]

You're right, they don't, no one HAS to do anything in life, that's stating the absolute obvious, however it remains the fact that it'd be in Burnleys best interest if they could acquire the land, it would open up a whole new set of opportunities and revenue for the club.

We all know that. When Burnley last tried to buy the cricket club land it was with the idea of building hotel, conferencing and corporate box facilities. It fell through because the people in the Lower Townely area objected to the cricket club moving there.

As I said earlier, if whoever takes Burnley over still wants to do that sort of thing, then if the cheque is persuasive enough, it will happen. It's the same as us selling Tarky, Pope or McNeil. Money talks.

I guess we'll have to wait and see what these 'Investors' want first though.

[Vegas Claret]

I’d ask the AKL people what they can bring to BUrnley what we don’t already have. And second, what are their ambitions and expectations for the club.

i can almost guarantee that that was the first question that was asked

[kendaldave]

i can almost guarantee that that was the first question that was asked

Can you almost guarantee they told the truth?

[Vegas Claret]

Simon Jordan seems to think they will be very good so I will take his view over the views of the negative bunch on here

that's great to read, Jordan is absolutely superb and knows his onions

[TsarBomba]

MACCA makes a fair point.

If there is going to be investment in the area, then the infrastructure to support that will need a huge uplift. There’s a ridiculous shortage of hotels/beds in and around Burnley. This has been well discussed on here before.

Redeveloping the CFS, and bolting on say a 120 bed hotel, with restaurants, bars etc is potentially the way forward. This would also entice new fans who want a modern match day experience, and also be somewhere for businessman Monday-Friday for work.

There’ll be some grumpy old timers who think a pie and pint is perfectly acceptable, but if we’re serious about increasing all revenue streams then we need to get with the times. You only have to look at Spurs’ new ground, it’s unbelievable.

[Vegas Claret]

Can you almost guarantee they told the truth?

I can guarantee that proof of funds, business plans will have all been presented. I can't guarantee anything else though, it's 2020 after all !

[Vegas Claret]

MACCA makes a fair point.

If there is going to be investment in the area, then the infrastructure to support that will need a huge uplift. There’s a ridiculous shortage of hotels/beds in and around Burnley. This has been well discussed on here before.

Redeveloping the CFS, and bolting on say a 120 bed hotel, with restaurants, bars etc is potentially the way forward. This would also entice new fans who want a modern match day experience, and also be somewhere for businessman Monday-Friday for work.

There’ll be some grumpy old timers who think a pie and pint is perfectly acceptable, but if we’re serious about increasing all revenue streams then we need to get with the times. You only have to look at Spurs’ new ground, it’s unbelievable.

whilst it's not a huge revenue stream (every penny counts to us) I'd love to know the reasons why a PL club only released their away strip the day before the season started - it's this kind of shambolic stuff that I hope whoever comes in fixes. That's not to say our current board are crap, the training ground looks amazing........I'm pointing the finger at the marketing and business development departments specifically