Keith Jackson: Another Rangers war doesn't make sense..

[SteveC 150]

Yes, SBS, me too. I absolutely want FO and agree with Hildy above completely....but I have such little hope for it that it is a negligible hope - on a good day.

[Mountain Bear 0]

Yes, SBS, me too. I absolutely want FO and agree with Hildy above completely....but I have such little hope for it that it is a negligible hope - on a good day.

 

I'd be happy with genuine fan influence rather than full ownership - the ability to call an EGM, block asset sales etc. That is profoundly achievable.

[der Berliner 3,744]

Neither is Borrussia Dortmund.

 

Or Hamburger SV, to give you a sample where it ain't works as smoothly. While it is always good to take a look at good running fan-ownership clubs, one should not lose perspective here. Barca or Borussia play in a different stratosphere altogether and their massive support is but one part of their success. And when it comes to Dortmund, you obviously have to look at the pre-Klopp era too, where they have been perennial pretenders rather than real challengers for ages (after 2002 there were 10 years of stagnation). Aside from Klopp came significant changes to BL and CL money deals, which set them and others on a rather safe financial footing, if done correctly. If success does not happen by though, as is the case with Hamburg, things do not go as smoothly that. Hence, they created an incorporated company to run the football club, with the "incorporated society" which runs everything HSV (they do various sports) always owns 50% plus 1 shares and thus remains "majority shareholder". (Or something to that extend.)

 

Which gets us back to Scotland and Rangers. There ain't any bumper TV deals about, there ain't massive and almost guaranteed European income in sight either. Whereas the top 3 or 4 teams in Spain and Germany get straight CL placings, we would still have to go through perilous qualifiers for years to come - not least given to the weakness not just of us (at times), but also the rest of the Scottish teams. Thus, fan ownership - if done correctly - would probably sit on one good leg to stand upon: our great fanbase. The other leg, provided by commercial and TV deals, income through football success, and investors is rather weak though - compared to those clubs and/or countries flung in for good measure.

 

For the time being, rich people with Rangers at heart would by a must if fan-ownership is being thought of. People able and willing to provide a sound financial footing until we get to a stage where the income spoken about above are at least in sight, if not steadily flowing. What comes after that is up in the air.