Chairman tiger on HMRC -OM report

[Oufcrealist]

I think this is whats happening in a nutshell!
Thohir and the others will become more involved(in all ways) once there is a green light for a new stadium plus commercial outlets etc, something similar to MK. Everything has to knit together with the OCC and FK.
I see no other reason for a very wealthy man/men to be on board.

 

[Marked Ox]

My finance director at work was heavily involved with Reading during Tigers tenure there and as SOON as Tiger came to Oxford, I was told to be wary because what he was trying to achieve at Reading was a property play but because Reading, as a place, wasn't commercially attractive enough, this project never got off of the ground due to lack of investment. If he has the money to sustain a football club, why couldn't he pay Eales up front? If he has the money to sustain a football club, why can't we pay our taxes?

I have also been told that one of his main objectives was to acquire the global rights for the University Of Oxford merchandise and in order to do this, he needed a foothold in the city and Oxford United provided him with exactly that.

The more this goes on, the more worried I am that this is actually the case. I am more of a glass half full guy but having spoken to someone with a lot of experience in football and finance in general, it appears Tiger is here for more than just our football club.

I believe he is sticking with us in a hope that investors get on board to finance his 'plan' and until that time comes, we are going to be hung out to dry. Feel free to change my mind because I don't like where this is heading.

Genuine question, are the global rights for the University of Oxford merchandise really worth that much?

 

[Marked Ox]

If im en employee in a competitive market, i dont jump ship to join a company with winding up orders, profit warnings, running at losses. You just dont.

Football is the same.

How do Southend manage it or Blackpool in their current situation?

 

[LeftSideBoy]

Genuine question, are the global rights for the University of Oxford merchandise really worth that much?

Good question and one I have asked myself. I suppose when you tie other revenue streams and business interests into it, it may well be profitable. I am trying to find out how much it is worth but so far, I haven't been able to. I am interested to know it's value though so if you can find anything, please do let me/us know.

 

[Paul Cannell]

Sounds like B*****s to me.

 

[LeftSideBoy]

Sounds like B*****s to me.

I see no reason for a man of his age and stature to randomly come up to me at work and give me B*****s for the fun of it? I trust his word more than Tigers.

 

[Paul Cannell]

Fair enough. It still sounds like B*****s to me.

 

[Scotchegg]

Oxford University has an estimated wealth of some £9bn and an additional £3.5bn in property. The marketing value is far more than just a few baseball caps or hoodies and I can't see anyone being able to buy into this. Tiger however has implied that they could latch on to the global branding of the university to make Oxford (and therefore Oxford United) a global brand too. This is like Liverpool being marketed as the home of the Beatles rather than trying to take control of the global brand itself.

 

[LeftSideBoy]

Fair enough. It still sounds like B*****s to me.

Fair enough and I hope it is but have we been given any indication that it's not the case? Truth be told, I don't think anyone understands what is going on.

 

[myles]

Genuine question, are the global rights for the University of Oxford merchandise really worth that much?

The company which covers University of Oxford merch has a turnover of around £18.5m and a pre-tax profit of £5.4m, according to their most recent accounts.

 

[LeftSideBoy]

Oxford University has an estimated wealth of some £9bn and an additional £3.5bn in property. The marketing value is far more than just a few baseball caps or hoodies and I can't see anyone being able to buy into this. Tiger however has implied that they could latch on to the global branding of the university to make Oxford (and therefore Oxford United) a global brand too. This is like Liverpool being marketed as the home of the Beatles rather than trying to take control of the global brand itself.

Thanks for clarifying that @Scotchegg! I was sure he mentioned it at some point but didn't want to misquote anything.

 

[myles]

Oxford University has an estimated wealth of some £9bn and an additional £3.5bn in property. The marketing value is far more than just a few baseball caps or hoodies and I can't see anyone being able to buy into this. Tiger however has implied that they could latch on to the global branding of the university to make Oxford (and therefore Oxford United) a global brand too. This is like Liverpool being marketed as the home of the Beatles rather than trying to take control of the global brand itself.

This is what TAG was doing at City - using the global cachet of the brand to con investors.

 

[Paul Cannell]

Well, I couldn't be arsed, but a bit of common sense is adequate to deduce that your friends' statement is a losf of B*****s, in my opinion.

 

[radicalox]

Fair enough and I hope it is but have we been given any indication that it's not the case? Truth be told, I don't think anyone understands what is going on.

The plan just doesn't really make any sense. Presumably oxford uni owns those rights? Arnt they exploiting them already? If they do sell them why does the acquisition party need a "foothold" in oxford.

 

[Paul Cannell]

This is what TAG was doing at City - using the global cachet of the brand to con investors.

In a bunch of transparent scams and boiler room operations. Small-town crooks.

 

[LeftSideBoy]

The plan just doesn't really make any sense. Presumably oxford uni owns those rights? Arnt they exploiting them already? If they do sell them why does the acquisition party need a "foothold" in oxford.

Well I would assume a random Thai businessman would appear more credible and 'local' if he has business interests already in the city. I am unsure as to what his plans would be with them, it was just something else that was mentioned.

 

[Scotchegg]

This is what TAG was doing at City - using the global cachet of the brand to con investors.

Conning investors is obviously not a good thing, but that doesn't mean that we couldn't build on an already established branding. But the idea that we will take over the Uni's brand is beyond even the fantasies of TAG!!

 

[Navegante]

https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/sport/...was-a-lot-of-underestimating-of-the-expenses/

https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/sport/...-have-good-relationship-with-stadium-company/

https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/sport/...pared-to-take-financial-hit-to-secure-safety/

Right, the million dollar question:

Now that Tiger has finally started to open up a little bit, can ANYONE say they feel more comfortable with anything that’s going on??

Reading the first article is frankly depressing. Business financial planning is not rocket science - hell, even I've managed to make a career out of it.

• "we never had an under 23 team (before) and when you form a team, that is another huge expense – the players, the coaches.” Don't Reading have an U23 team? How can Tiger not understand what a professional team's cost base is after his time there?
• The training ground: as I posted before, we're supposed to be renting this facility? What are we spending this unforeseen cash on exactly? Tiger signed off on the deal, were there not any additional costings at the outlay?
• Arbitration case: be prudent, assume the worst and budget for the worst-case scenario. Surely the potential financial risks would have been uncovered during due diligence?
• "Part of the cashflow trouble has been attributed to tighter financial controls on moving funds internationally" - didn't he think of this earlier? Didn't he make a chunk of money out of Reading in the UK? Why, if investing in a loss-making company in a foreign country would you not have cash reserves on standby locally?!?!

Alarm bells rang in my mind after the initial presser and it's only been down hill since. I dread to see what carnage will be reported in our next set of financial accounts, I really do.

 

[greatunclekip]

The Under 23 thing is a smokescreen too as i suspect it was a key part of Tigers (ahem) "business plan" ie sign a lot of players cheaply and develop and they will negate the need for funding first teamers in the future and/or sell on.

I suspect in fact the funding was tight in the summer due to some being put into the under 23 team

 

[LondonRoader]

The Under 23 thing is a smokescreen too as i suspect it was a key part of Tigers (ahem) "business plan" ie sign a lot of players cheaply and develop and they will negate the need for funding first teamers in the future and/or sell on.

I suspect in fact the funding was tight in the summer due to some being put into the under 23 team

A lot of time and money has been put into the U23 to try and make them a success that is a fact, what you wrote is your take on things in your normal pessimistic outlook.