Mike Ashley, boycotts, Newcastle & Rangers
Yesterday afternoon saw a very
strange phenomenon at the normally-packed St James’ Park; thousands of empty
seats.
strange phenomenon at the normally-packed St James’ Park; thousands of empty
seats.
Indeed, the visit of Tottenham
had been hyped more about the impending boycott of the match as a protest
against owner Mike Ashley than the game itself, and Geordies did not back down
from their word as anywhere between 10,000 and 30,000 of them voted with their
feet and did not attend.
had been hyped more about the impending boycott of the match as a protest
against owner Mike Ashley than the game itself, and Geordies did not back down
from their word as anywhere between 10,000 and 30,000 of them voted with their
feet and did not attend.
Now, obviously the links to
Rangers are stark; Ashley also owns a major stake in our Club, and Rangers fans
also boycotted at length this season as a protest against him and the board he
had essentially appointed.
Rangers are stark; Ashley also owns a major stake in our Club, and Rangers fans
also boycotted at length this season as a protest against him and the board he
had essentially appointed.
The one difference between the
two cases are Newcastle
are firmly in the black, with no financial peril hanging over them, while
Rangers were hanging over the precipice. Technically they still are.
two cases are Newcastle
are firmly in the black, with no financial peril hanging over them, while
Rangers were hanging over the precipice. Technically they still are.
Regardless though, this boycott
on Tyneside was the first time the world has ever seen just how much Geordies
despise Ashley, and how badly they want him out of their club.
on Tyneside was the first time the world has ever seen just how much Geordies
despise Ashley, and how badly they want him out of their club.
Former Liverpool
defender Jamie Carragher put it rather appositely:
defender Jamie Carragher put it rather appositely:
“He’s balanced the books, he’s made money
because he’s a businessman and that’s what he wants to do. These people come in
and they want to make money, we know that, but don’t you want to be excited
yourself? Is he not bored watching Newcastle?
I’m getting bored by it. Now it’s boring. Why does Mike Ashley want the club if
nothing’s going to happen? He’s not interested in a cup run. I just don’t get
it – I don’t understand why he wants to own a football club.”
because he’s a businessman and that’s what he wants to do. These people come in
and they want to make money, we know that, but don’t you want to be excited
yourself? Is he not bored watching Newcastle?
I’m getting bored by it. Now it’s boring. Why does Mike Ashley want the club if
nothing’s going to happen? He’s not interested in a cup run. I just don’t get
it – I don’t understand why he wants to own a football club.”
Two mitigating factors:
Ashley wants Sports Direct to
thrive. Both St James’ and Ibrox have Sports Direct branding strewn all over
the place. In Newcastle’s
case the global exposure the EPL gets allows maximum airtime to his company
logos, and he wants to use Old Firm matches and future CL exposure to achieve
the same with Rangers.
thrive. Both St James’ and Ibrox have Sports Direct branding strewn all over
the place. In Newcastle’s
case the global exposure the EPL gets allows maximum airtime to his company
logos, and he wants to use Old Firm matches and future CL exposure to achieve
the same with Rangers.
The second is technically Newcastle have been on
the market for 3+ years. Ashley just cannot sell them, and that £140M debt is a
major reason. They are in the black, yes, but that previous debt was merely
shifted from Newcastle’s
holding company to MASH and Ashley instead loaned them his own cash. Interest
free. So they still have debt, just not on their own accounts. Soon as he
sells, they are riddled with debt again.
the market for 3+ years. Ashley just cannot sell them, and that £140M debt is a
major reason. They are in the black, yes, but that previous debt was merely
shifted from Newcastle’s
holding company to MASH and Ashley instead loaned them his own cash. Interest
free. So they still have debt, just not on their own accounts. Soon as he
sells, they are riddled with debt again.
But Carragher makes a fair point;
Ashley may have invested a few quid in Newcastle
(his transfer payments are roughly £250M since he took over in 2007) but he has
never put in sustained interest to a Club that, truthfully speaking, has the
gravity, size, and supporter base to be a top 7+ team. That it languishes in 14th
sums up the mediocrity it has become.
Ashley may have invested a few quid in Newcastle
(his transfer payments are roughly £250M since he took over in 2007) but he has
never put in sustained interest to a Club that, truthfully speaking, has the
gravity, size, and supporter base to be a top 7+ team. That it languishes in 14th
sums up the mediocrity it has become.
Rangers fans boycotted Ibrox over
Ashley and his board – they did not want Rangers to become Newcastle. Regarding boycotts, Carragher
added:
Ashley and his board – they did not want Rangers to become Newcastle. Regarding boycotts, Carragher
added:
“Some people may say you’re not helping the
situation [by boycotting] – I can understand that argument – but it’s getting
to the stage now where football is so big. There’s that much money coming into
the game with the new TV deal, and I’m sick of owners coming in, who are
successful businesspeople wherever they’ve been, and they think ‘where else can
I make money, oh I’ll buy a football club’. I had it at Liverpool with George
Gillette, Tom Hicks, and I think it’s the same at Newcastle. It’s the same further down – look
at Blackpool, owners taking money out of a
club. People will tell the supporters they’ve got to come back, support the
club, they’re not helping. But what are the owners doing for the
supporters?”
situation [by boycotting] – I can understand that argument – but it’s getting
to the stage now where football is so big. There’s that much money coming into
the game with the new TV deal, and I’m sick of owners coming in, who are
successful businesspeople wherever they’ve been, and they think ‘where else can
I make money, oh I’ll buy a football club’. I had it at Liverpool with George
Gillette, Tom Hicks, and I think it’s the same at Newcastle. It’s the same further down – look
at Blackpool, owners taking money out of a
club. People will tell the supporters they’ve got to come back, support the
club, they’re not helping. But what are the owners doing for the
supporters?”
Were the fans right to boycott
(both Newcastle
and Rangers)? I did not personally support boycotts, and ultimately what forced
regime change at Ibrox was King buying 15.5% from Laxey and forcing the EGM,
but ultimately it led to grand financial losses, losses in Rangers’ case we
cannot afford, but which in Newcastle’s they most certainly can.
(both Newcastle
and Rangers)? I did not personally support boycotts, and ultimately what forced
regime change at Ibrox was King buying 15.5% from Laxey and forcing the EGM,
but ultimately it led to grand financial losses, losses in Rangers’ case we
cannot afford, but which in Newcastle’s they most certainly can.
But Carragher does make a very
valid point here; you can whine about supporters ‘not helping the club’ by
boycotting, but owners and boards are equally responsible for giving to the ‘customer’,
to the supporter. Supporters have to believe the regime appreciates them, and
clearly Newcastle
fans do not have that privilege.
valid point here; you can whine about supporters ‘not helping the club’ by
boycotting, but owners and boards are equally responsible for giving to the ‘customer’,
to the supporter. Supporters have to believe the regime appreciates them, and
clearly Newcastle
fans do not have that privilege.
Ashley uses football clubs to
promote Sports Direct, and to make money. His methods are incredibly ruthless,
and borderline illegal, and he does not care about abusing those clubs – as long
as Sports Direct thrives (which it is).
promote Sports Direct, and to make money. His methods are incredibly ruthless,
and borderline illegal, and he does not care about abusing those clubs – as long
as Sports Direct thrives (which it is).
Unfortunately getting him out of
Ibrox (and Tyneside) is far from easy.
Ibrox (and Tyneside) is far from easy.