So how do we reduce the debt by reducing what we can spend on players, when we are incapable of generating the income just to break even without buying and selling? Outside of match tickets it’s pretty much our only source of income due to our circumstances. We would be in a world where our owner is the only person who can keep offsetting the debt singlehandedly - especially since covid has meant we don’t even get a big chunk of the revenue we normally would - and they also can’t choose to try to move us forward because there’s a spending cap in place that would reduce our wage bill to what it used to be in L2. Why would the owner keep offsetting all of our (growing) losses? He / they might not be so keen on floating around achieving L1 mediocrity because at least it’s not too hot and it’s not too cold. That there’s already been a hint today of one of our backers being put off at the thought of not being able to invest should be somewhat of a concern. Where is the return on investment?
It’s a very complex issue, of course, but I don’t think this blanket, black and white approach is going to be the saviour. For some clubs potentially including us, it could actually affect us for the worse.
To play devils advocate:
How are we going to reduce the debt? By making a profit. How are we going to make a profit? By reducing our spending to less than our turnover. Why do we spend more than we make? Because everyone else does.
How are we going to generate a big pay off for our owner? By outmanaging the other teams. If we can't outmanage the other teams then why does our owner deserve to have a big pay off? Because he was rich already and had a lot of money to throw about? That stinks.
I agree that absolutely no approach is just going to be a homerun success. I'm not even sure I favour the salary cap - certainly I don't if not implemented with care and thought - but I favour a more detailed consideration of any proposal before I make my mind up, and always will do until someone answers that question of mine: what happens to OUFC if Tiger gets bored?