Melbourne Heart FC buy out - Man City, Melbourne City FC, etc.

[jw1739]

This is not new, but I dug this out concerning Matthew Tripp. It's from The Border Mail. I thought the highlighted paragraph might be of interest. I'm not quite sure of the extent of the "back office function" in an A-League franchise, but I find it interesting in that Tripp says that the 20% owners are going to "control" that part of Heart.

 

Former Yarrawonga bookie part of Melbourne Heart takeover

By DAVID JOHNSTON Jan. 24, 2014, midnight

 

• 

 

 

FORMER Yarrawonga bookie Matt Tripp has a stake in the landmark deal that has resulted in English Premier League powerhouse Manchester City taking control of battling A-League outfit Melbourne Heart.

Manchester City’s United Arab Emirates backers, who have transformed the club into a European soccer force, have sealed an 80 per cent stake in Melbourne Heart, which is due to play at Lavington Oval on February 10.

One of the most significant takeovers in A-League history, believed to be worth about $11 million, also involves Mr Tripp and his fellow directors of Melbourne Storm rugby league team.

They will have the remaining 20 per cent share in the Heart.

“It is something I never thought in my wildest dreams I would be jumping into,” Mr Tripp said yesterday.

“Basically we are going to control the back office of the Melbourne Heart and have a commercial arrangement in place with Manchester City.

“To align ourselves with someone like Manchester City is not only a huge feather in our cap, but a huge endorsement for Australian soccer in general.

“They believe in the young players in Australia and want to see Melbourne Heart become a powerhouse.

“Hopefully they won’t be at the bottom for too much longer as they are about to get a huge injection of talent and expertise.”

Mr Tripp was one of the driving forces behind the rise of online bookmaker Sportsbet in the mid-2000s.

He transformed the business from a $250,000 Darwin-based operation into a $338 million juggernaut that was eventually purchased by Irish boomaker, Paddy Power.

Mr Tripp is about to make another foray into online bookmaking when his “non-compete” period expires in March.

He said he and his fellow Melbourne Storm directors were attracted to Manchester City’s expansion plans including the creation of a major league soccer team in New York.

“We want to build the club up similar to what we have done with the Storm,” he said.

Mr Tripp and his father Alan also played a key role in recruiting former AFL star Brendan Fevola to the Yarrawonga Pigeons.

[Tommykins]

I presume it means the local, small scale stuff?

[Jovan]

May mean Fevola as Australian marquee?

[HEARTinator]

Back office being run by bookmakers. Seems fair

[Kiro Kompiro]

 

“We want to build the club up similar to what we have done with the Storm,” he said.

 

 

 

 

Yep in another 12 years time we too could have a 16k average crowd, only if we like the Storm were the ONLY club in Melbourne and were multiple Grand Finalists.

 

Sick to death of people who have NFI about football getting involved.

[marn11]

 

 

“We want to build the club up similar to what we have done with the Storm,” he said.

 

 

 

 

Yep in another 12 years time we too could have a 16k average crowd, only if we like the Storm were the ONLY club in Melbourne and were multiple Grand Finalists.

 

Sick to death of people who have NFI about football getting involved.

 

 

I'd be pretty chuffed if they built us to anything close to Storm's level tbh.

[M13]

NY Yankees provide political clout, a sports credibility in New York and loads of media connections being a multi-billion brand in their own rights.
Nissan can get whatever they want in their hometown of Yokohama and are a $100bn giant employing 250k workers.

These Storm guys are here for a reason I´m sure.. No idea what reason yet, they have been totally invisible so far eh?

 

[Tommykins]

 

 

“We want to build the club up similar to what we have done with the Storm,” he said.

 

 

 

 

Yep in another 12 years time we too could have a 16k average crowd, only if we like the Storm were the ONLY club in Melbourne and were multiple Grand Finalists.

 

Sick to death of people who have NFI about football getting involved.

 

 

You mean the team with the best winning percentage in NRL history?

 

The team that has missed the finals once in the past 10 years?

 

As far as non-football people go, I really can't think of any mob which I could be happier being involved.

[Dylan]

“We want to build the club up similar to what we have done with the Storm,” he said.

 

 

Yep in another 12 years time we too could have a 16k average crowd, only if we like the Storm were the ONLY club in Melbourne and were multiple Grand Finalists.

 

Sick to death of people who have NFI about football getting involved.

 

You mean the team with the best winning percentage in NRL history?

 

The team that has missed the finals once in the past 10 years?

 

As far as non-football people go, I really can't think of any mob which I could be happier being involved.

How many of those years were they cheating the salary cap?

[M13]

There´s a salary cap for Rugby in the U.K as well.. It´s constant rumours about it being circumvented in all kinds of ways by the clubs that can afford it.

A "cap" in whatever way it´s constructed invites clubs to look for loopholes, it´s very much like taxes in that way..

[Falastur]

Falastur, you wouldn't really be Vizzini from The Princess Bride by any chance?

 

Oops. Meant to answer this before...

 

Eh, I couldn't be Vizzini, because if I was, I would never have let you work that out.

 

BUT WAIT perhaps I am Vizzini, and in fact my previous line was a bluff aimed at throwing you off the scent?

 

BUT THEN what if actually I wasn't Vizzini after all, and that last line was nothing more than an elaborate ruse to confuse you so that I could continue to masquerade as him?

 

BUT WOULD I WANT TO? For surely if I did, he would hear about it and come to meat out some Sicilian-style death for my so much as daring that I might be him.

 

OR WOULD HE for if I were he, could I truly kill the world's greatest intellect? So surely I am?

 

BUT WHAT IF I WASN'T and actually I happened to know that Vizzini was nothing more than an illusion, thus allowing me to assume the character, with no threat to myself?

 

So you tell me. Am I Vizzini, or have I dragged this joke out too long?

[belaguttman]

Watch out Falastur, iocane comes from Australia!

[Dylan]

So training starts next week and thats when some players are going to be avaliable for interview

Brown, Chapman and Melling will be available for interview once they commence training with the Club in the first week of June.

You would think they wouldnt allow interviews until after all the name and colour issues have been announced so they dont just get asked about that. Although probably all the journalists who cover football are going to be in brazil, its going to me a very low key announcement if it happens

[Deeming]

So training starts next week and thats when some players are going to be avaliable for interview

Brown, Chapman and Melling will be available for interview once they commence training with the Club in the first week of June.

You would think they wouldnt allow interviews until after all the name and colour issues have been announced so they dont just get asked about that. Although probably all the journalists who cover football are going to be in brazil, its going to me a very low key announcement if it happens My thinking was they would actually try tapping into the WC. It's the one time the media actually pays attention. Whole their attention is held 'Melbourne Heart relaunches as Melbourne City with the Socceroos very own Josh Kennedy as their latest signing'

I think the only reason they might not do it this way however is if the Socceroos get flogged early on they might not want to associate with that.

[hakz7]

So training starts next week and thats when some players are going to be avaliable for interview

Brown, Chapman and Melling will be available for interview once they commence training with the Club in the first week of June.

You would think they wouldnt allow interviews until after all the name and colour issues have been announced so they dont just get asked about that. Although probably all the journalists who cover football are going to be in brazil, its going to me a very low key announcement if it happensThey'll probably announce our colour change after the Socceroos qualify from the group so it doesn't upset us too much

[moops]

May mean Fevola as Australian marquee?

What the?

[Dylan]

I have been trying to find where it was posted on the forum, but where is the location at latrobe where they train?

[malloy]

I have been trying to find where it was posted on the forum, but where is the location at latrobe where they train?

Locate car park 2A and it is on the lower sportsfield near there.

[Dylan]

cheers

[jw1739]

Melbourne City FC was registered as a business name by ASIC on 2nd April 2014. The holder of the name is MHFC Holdings Pty Limited. 

 

https://connectonline.asic.gov.au/RegistrySearch/faces/landing/bn/SearchBnRegisters.jspx?_adf.ctrl-state=14omr0emh5_19

 

 

The trademark application is still under examination.

Edited May 28, 2014 by jw1739

[Dylan]

When are they going to have a fire sale of all the old heart merch they have left over?

[M13]

If I was you I would collect some choice merchandise as collectors item..

[Dylan]

I am just after an away kit from this season but Im not going to pay 100 bucks for it.

[BlueWolf]

David Villa is reported to be signing for NYCFC on a 3 year deal. That is the kind of player Melbourne should be getting (should they get their collective shit together)

[Dylan]

David Villa is reported to be signing for NYCFC on a 3 year deal. That is the kind of player Melbourne should be getting (should they get their collective shit together)

Tbh I doubt Melbourne would have much to do with the discussions and dealings with the marquee. They probably say this is the type of player we want and the manchester bosses go out and get them

Edited May 29, 2014 by Dylan

[M13]

Txiki goes out and get him you mean.. The hiring and firing of players and coaches is on his table really.

[kingofhearts]

David Villa is reported to be signing for NYCFC on a 3 year deal. That is the kind of player Melbourne should be getting (should they get their collective shit together)

These blokes don't fuck around. I like that.

[LR9]

Just putting it out there. Gillon McLachlan takes over from Demitriou next week...

[Heart of Melbourne]

Agree with LR9. Big announcement next week ?

[Dylan]

Going from CEO of the AFL to CEO of our club would be as big as a step down as if he went back to work at his mum and dad's fish and chip shop in pascoevale

[M13]

Demitriou is a involved with the Victory owners it seems.. ?

[Nate]

Demetriou becoming our CEO would be a fucking difficult pill to swallow.

[M13]

Why on earth do you believe it´s likely to happen?

[hedaik]

Demetriou becoming our CEO would be a fucking difficult pill to swallow.

Why? Hes the most qualified sports CEO in the land.

And before you say something like 'he comes from the GayFL', board members constantly jump ship and share their knowledge learnt from the other side.

Cant see him doing the gig though, especially after being linked to the top job for world governing body for tennis

[jw1739]

M13, it's just that he's stepping down and will be out of a job. It was suggested a few weeks ago that he might be a better option than Scott Munn because of the contacts he has. I doubt that there's any concrete evidence that he would be interested. In fact I doubt that there's any evidence that our new owners plan to dump Munn. Except perhaps that there does seem to be some sort of media lock-down.

 

John O'Neill was mentioned in the same context (former head of FFA and the Australian Rugby Union).

Edited May 29, 2014 by jw1739

[Heart of Melbourne]

He said no to long ago that it's time that he drops off and pick up his kid from school. Don't think that a high profile job will allow hi to do that so I think that Melbourne Heart role fits that hill. Welcome AD.

[Nate]

 

Demetriou becoming our CEO would be a fucking difficult pill to swallow.

Why? Hes the most qualified sports CEO in the land.

And before you say something like 'he comes from the GayFL', board members constantly jump ship and share their knowledge learnt from the other side.

Cant see him doing the gig though, especially after being linked to the top job for world governing body for tennis

 

I love footy so the 'GayFL' argument is redundant, I just hate what the AFL is turning into from a business perspective ever since Demetriou has been in charge.

[M13]

@w1739... The same John O´Neill that was hanging out with the CFG chairman a couple of years ago? That was a candidate to become CEO according to the media..

[jw1739]

@w1739... The same John O´Neill that was hanging out with the CFG chairman a couple of years ago? That was a candidate to become CEO according to the media..

Pretty sure that would be one and the same JO'N.

[Melbourne]

Just putting it out there. Gillon McLachlan takes over from Demitriou next week...

Demetriou was on sen this morning and said that he had options going forward but none were with any sporting organisations and was more likely to join a couple of boards and remain out of the spotlight.

He might be a good admistrator but I wouldn't want that prick joining us. Would rather John O'Neill than the man who did everything to undermine our World Cup bid.