Arena it is

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quakersfan
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Re: Arena it is

Post by quakersfan » Mon Sep 07, 2020 1:19 pm

It’s the right decision for these current times well done DJ.

LoidLucan
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Re: Arena it is

Post by LoidLucan » Mon Sep 07, 2020 1:50 pm

Does anyone know if this has any implications (financial or otherwise) for our agreement to play at BM? Darlington Rugby Club don't seem to have made any comment. I'm sure they will have a view on it.

eek
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Re: Arena it is

Post by eek » Mon Sep 07, 2020 1:57 pm

LoidLucan wrote:
Mon Sep 07, 2020 1:50 pm
Does anyone know if this has any implications (financial or otherwise) for our agreement to play at BM? Darlington Rugby Club don't seem to have made any comment. I'm sure they will have a view on it.
What exactly can the rugby club say - we are happy that our tenant has found another home while ours isn't usable?

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theoriginalfatcat
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Re: Arena it is

Post by theoriginalfatcat » Mon Sep 07, 2020 2:09 pm

LoidLucan wrote:
Mon Sep 07, 2020 1:50 pm
Does anyone know if this has any implications (financial or otherwise) for our agreement to play at BM? Darlington Rugby Club don't seem to have made any comment. I'm sure they will have a view on it.

I'm sure there has to be some kind of payment made to them. Whether or not it's the full amount is anyones guess.
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AndyPark
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Re: Arena it is

Post by AndyPark » Mon Sep 07, 2020 2:19 pm

Sure I seen on Twitter that still have to pay them the annual fee, supposedly 60k... But the rest was effectively pay as you go.

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HarrytheQuaker
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Re: Arena it is

Post by HarrytheQuaker » Mon Sep 07, 2020 2:21 pm

And hopefully tempt a few Boro, Newcastle, Sunderland fans that can't go and watch there teams might pop along to watch some decent standard football and hopefully make a few extra quid to help the club..Win win I'd say

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lo36789
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Re: Arena it is

Post by lo36789 » Mon Sep 07, 2020 2:42 pm

AndyPark wrote:
Mon Sep 07, 2020 2:19 pm
Sure I seen on Twitter that still have to pay them the annual fee, supposedly 60k... But the rest was effectively pay as you go.
Our license to play effectively with primacy of tenure.

Tbf it's anyone's guess we could be back there in 3-4 months time depending how things pan out.

We have only moved on safety grounds after all.

JE93
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Re: Arena it is

Post by JE93 » Mon Sep 07, 2020 2:50 pm

AndyPark wrote:
Mon Sep 07, 2020 2:19 pm
Sure I seen on Twitter that still have to pay them the annual fee, supposedly 60k... But the rest was effectively pay as you go.
I think the rental/license cost is closer to £30k per annum. But we then pay for other services (car parking, staffing etc) at £1k on a per match basis and then there are things like, hospitality, which we pay them a per head cost for and advertising boards they get a 20% split of etc. Obviously we don't know what the agreement is with either DRFC or DMP regarding what will be paid/owed for playing or not playing at their respective grounds.

One think I am pleased with though, is how proactive the board were in securing the opportunity. Giving us the option to use the Arena under Covid circumstance was a really sensible move and they acted weeks ago to make sure we were in the best position possible. So credit to those involved.

Emdubya
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Re: Arena it is

Post by Emdubya » Mon Sep 07, 2020 2:51 pm

AndyPark wrote:
Mon Sep 07, 2020 2:19 pm
Sure I seen on Twitter that still have to pay them the annual fee, supposedly 60k... But the rest was effectively pay as you go.
Jesus,surely that cant be right :o .Thats nearly 3 grand per home game plus any cup games or friendlies,

biccynana
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Re: Arena it is

Post by biccynana » Mon Sep 07, 2020 2:58 pm

Fat josh wrote:
Mon Sep 07, 2020 11:21 am
Not a surprise
Sad sad day
Arena worshippers paying back handers were always gonna win.
As they will when we conviently never leave the Arena.
Darlington fc ceased to exist today
Oh we'll stagger on for a couple of years but in the end
it's gonna kill us again.
Watch this space fools
Thought you said you were doing one.

wizardofos
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Re: Arena it is

Post by wizardofos » Mon Sep 07, 2020 3:01 pm

Emdubya wrote:
Mon Sep 07, 2020 2:51 pm
AndyPark wrote:
Mon Sep 07, 2020 2:19 pm
Sure I seen on Twitter that still have to pay them the annual fee, supposedly 60k... But the rest was effectively pay as you go.
Jesus,surely that cant be right :o .Thats nearly 3 grand per home game plus any cup games or friendlies,
18-19 accounts state "rent and rates" £68,913

bigdavethemaddog
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Re: Arena it is

Post by bigdavethemaddog » Mon Sep 07, 2020 3:01 pm

Mister e wrote:
Mon Sep 07, 2020 12:21 pm
Fat Josh without giving your identity away what is your grudge are you a former employee of DFC ? Have you connections to Darlington rugby club ? Are you a former board member or if you hold a grudge against the club which you seemingly do why won't you at least have the decency to tell us what the grudge is.
or a Hartlepool or Spendy fan?

H1987
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Re: Arena it is

Post by H1987 » Mon Sep 07, 2020 3:16 pm

I can't say I'm enthused by it at all. As long as it is only temporary.

I'll be quite honest, I'll not be traveling back to go and watch us play there. Hopefully, it's a short enough stay and it doesn't affect me. I'm not convinced traveling three hours for a football match is terribly advisable under current circumstances (I'm surprised to see some places talking about away fans attending, surely that is highly unadvisable given the way hot spots seem to be popping up?). I'll ride it out and hopefully be back when the world returns to normal and we're playing in a sensible stadium again. The pandemic is depressing enough without the prospect of a trip to the arena.

Mister e
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Re: Arena it is

Post by Mister e » Mon Sep 07, 2020 3:18 pm

bigdavethemaddog wrote:
Mon Sep 07, 2020 3:01 pm
Mister e wrote:
Mon Sep 07, 2020 12:21 pm
Fat Josh without giving your identity away what is your grudge are you a former employee of DFC ? Have you connections to Darlington rugby club ? Are you a former board member or if you hold a grudge against the club which you seemingly do why won't you at least have the decency to tell us what the grudge is.
or a Hartlepool or Spendy fan?
..........I'm also beginning to wonder if he's a former manager of ours

super_les_mcjannet
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Re: Arena it is

Post by super_les_mcjannet » Mon Sep 07, 2020 3:20 pm

wizardofos wrote:
Mon Sep 07, 2020 3:01 pm
Emdubya wrote:
Mon Sep 07, 2020 2:51 pm
AndyPark wrote:
Mon Sep 07, 2020 2:19 pm
Sure I seen on Twitter that still have to pay them the annual fee, supposedly 60k... But the rest was effectively pay as you go.
Jesus,surely that cant be right :o .Thats nearly 3 grand per home game plus any cup games or friendlies,
18-19 accounts state "rent and rates" £68,913
Rent as of a year ago was as below

Rent at the Rugby club is £32.5k pa.

Mister e
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Re: Arena it is

Post by Mister e » Mon Sep 07, 2020 3:22 pm

H1987 wrote:
Mon Sep 07, 2020 3:16 pm
I can't say I'm enthused by it at all. As long as it is only temporary.

I'll be quite honest, I'll not be traveling back to go and watch us play there. Hopefully, it's a short enough stay and it doesn't affect me. I'm not convinced traveling three hours for a football match is terribly advisable under current circumstances (I'm surprised to see some places talking about away fans attending, surely that is highly unadvisable given the way hot spots seem to be popping up?). I'll ride it out and hopefully be back when the world returns to normal and we're playing in a sensible stadium again. The pandemic is depressing enough without the prospect of a trip to the arena.
I think it is fair that a minority of visitors are accommodated as long as it is the loyal and committed fan who is welcomed.

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theoriginalfatcat
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Re: Arena it is

Post by theoriginalfatcat » Mon Sep 07, 2020 3:25 pm

Mister e wrote:
Mon Sep 07, 2020 3:18 pm
bigdavethemaddog wrote:
Mon Sep 07, 2020 3:01 pm
Mister e wrote:
Mon Sep 07, 2020 12:21 pm
Fat Josh without giving your identity away what is your grudge are you a former employee of DFC ? Have you connections to Darlington rugby club ? Are you a former board member or if you hold a grudge against the club which you seemingly do why won't you at least have the decency to tell us what the grudge is.
or a Hartlepool or Spendy fan?
..........I'm also beginning to wonder if he's a former manager of ours
;) Or maybe Phil Collins? Drummer/actor/songwriter/Arena hater.
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super_les_mcjannet
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Re: Arena it is

Post by super_les_mcjannet » Mon Sep 07, 2020 3:32 pm

So rent is just short of £1,550 per league game at DRFC, so we will need to clear that and the cost we have at the Arena also.

However no matter which stadium we played we had at least one cost, so if the arena cost match the above then we need to find that in extra income.

Playing at BM gave us no other income except season ticket (say 600 allowed), at average cost of say £10 per person then we need 155 paying customers to cover the extra costs and put us back to neutral of where we would be at the arena. With 650 approx. ST holders/500 club then attendance to make us level financially is 805.

If those are the circs. then anything above 805 per match means it's the best decision for the club financially and for fans to see the games.

Obviously the numbers are just illustrative and Mowden could be charging us £5k a game but I don't think they will be.

Today's decision will take a lot of financial pressure from the board and therefore from the owners/fans also.

H1987
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Re: Arena it is

Post by H1987 » Mon Sep 07, 2020 3:33 pm

Mister e wrote:
Mon Sep 07, 2020 3:22 pm
H1987 wrote:
Mon Sep 07, 2020 3:16 pm
I can't say I'm enthused by it at all. As long as it is only temporary.

I'll be quite honest, I'll not be traveling back to go and watch us play there. Hopefully, it's a short enough stay and it doesn't affect me. I'm not convinced traveling three hours for a football match is terribly advisable under current circumstances (I'm surprised to see some places talking about away fans attending, surely that is highly unadvisable given the way hot spots seem to be popping up?). I'll ride it out and hopefully be back when the world returns to normal and we're playing in a sensible stadium again. The pandemic is depressing enough without the prospect of a trip to the arena.
I think it is fair that a minority of visitors are accommodated as long as it is the loyal and committed fan who is welcomed.
I'm not sure it's so much an issue of fairness but rather public health. The last thing we need is it spreading around the country.

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Norm_D_Ploom
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Re: Arena it is

Post by Norm_D_Ploom » Mon Sep 07, 2020 4:01 pm

StevieMardenboro wrote:
Mon Sep 07, 2020 12:43 pm
Darlogramps wrote:
Mon Sep 07, 2020 12:12 pm
The foresight from George Reynolds to predict a global pandemic nearly two decades in advance is astonishing.
:clap:

Exactly this. Darlington football club. Home of social distancing since 2003. I actually cannot wait.

(Will make it easier for exiles to come to games too I think.)
Brilliant :lol:

Footifanreturns
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Re: Arena it is

Post by Footifanreturns » Mon Sep 07, 2020 4:24 pm

Just think any one saying they will not watch Darlo at the Arena are a little pathetic.
Get behind the team for gods sake...Surely it's the team you support not the friggin stadium.
The move has been forced on the club by the pandemic...
Get over yourselves & support the team.

You are either Darlo fans or not...

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theoriginalfatcat
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Re: Arena it is

Post by theoriginalfatcat » Mon Sep 07, 2020 4:42 pm

Footifanreturns wrote:
Mon Sep 07, 2020 4:24 pm
Just think any one saying they will not watch Darlo at the Arena are a little pathetic.
Get behind the team for gods sake...Surely it's the team you support not the friggin stadium.
The move has been forced on the club by the pandemic...
Get over yourselves & support the team.

You are either Darlo fans or not...
Yep, an enforced stay at this time at Blackwell Meadows would be to condemn the club to financial losses and deny a lot of fans the chance to watch live football. I would question the motives of anyone who would wish that situation upon us,
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HarrytheQuaker
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Re: Arena it is

Post by HarrytheQuaker » Mon Sep 07, 2020 4:53 pm

Footifanreturns wrote:Just think any one saying they will not watch Darlo at the Arena are a little pathetic.
Get behind the team for gods sake...Surely it's the team you support not the friggin stadium.
The move has been forced on the club by the pandemic...
Get over yourselves & support the team.

You are either Darlo fans or not...
Exactly that's how I feel about BM I hate the place with a passion as I've said before but like you say SUPPORT the club

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quakersfan
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Re: Arena it is

Post by quakersfan » Mon Sep 07, 2020 6:01 pm

Hopefully the Academy can play at BM it would make sense.

Old Git
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Re: Arena it is

Post by Old Git » Mon Sep 07, 2020 6:55 pm

Footifanreturns wrote:
Mon Sep 07, 2020 4:24 pm
Just think any one saying they will not watch Darlo at the Arena are a little pathetic.
Get behind the team for gods sake...Surely it's the team you support not the friggin stadium.
The move has been forced on the club by the pandemic...
Get over yourselves & support the team.

You are either Darlo fans or not...
Here Here true fans will come if they possibly can. There are always excuses if you are looking for them.

LoidLucan
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Re: Arena it is

Post by LoidLucan » Mon Sep 07, 2020 7:06 pm

The big fear is that this may all be academic if we don't manage to halt this surge in the virus. Looks like it's coming back big time now people have dropped their guard.

Darlo_lad
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Re: Arena it is

Post by Darlo_lad » Mon Sep 07, 2020 7:23 pm

Good decision. Common sense has prevailed and should give us an advantage over most of the rest of the division with larger crowds.

H1987
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Re: Arena it is

Post by H1987 » Mon Sep 07, 2020 7:34 pm

I think a little less name-calling all around would be welcome tbh. No one should be sneering at anyone for not going to games during a national health crisis. Similarly, Josh should wind his neck in.

In ordinary times, I'd be more than keen on making a trip up for this Scarborough friendly they've announced. I fancy visiting their new ground. The photos I've seen of it look great. I won't be doing that either. Just about most leisure activities now require some kind of calculated risk right now, and that includes going to the football. If the Arena makes more people feel comfortable with that, I begrudgingly support it as a temporary measure for them. Personally I won't be doing it. I loathe the place anyway, so I won't be traveling 250 miles (plus tube rides) to go somewhere I don't like. I realise risks are different for those living nearby, but I couldn't care less if it upsets the fan police.

On the subject of travel and the extra risk it might pose, the idea of away fans attending doesn't sit terribly well with me either. Darlington is doing pretty well, covid wise, so it seems unwise to be encouraging away fans to travel, given the current climate, for the sake of a quick buck as we might be the only stadium who can accommodate a decent-sized away following in the division. Let's face it, away fans, in particular on a day out on the beer... recipe for disaster imo. It isn't just those away fans, you're putting our volunteers are risk stewarding them, people working the matchday outlets at risk serving them...

hodgie1
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Re: Arena it is

Post by hodgie1 » Mon Sep 07, 2020 8:43 pm

quakersfan wrote:
Mon Sep 07, 2020 6:01 pm
Hopefully the Academy can play at BM it would make sense.
I think they will be tbf

Old Git
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Re: Arena it is

Post by Old Git » Mon Sep 07, 2020 9:17 pm

H1987 wrote:
Mon Sep 07, 2020 7:34 pm
I think a little less name-calling all around would be welcome tbh. No one should be sneering at anyone for not going to games during a national health crisis. Similarly, Josh should wind his neck in.

In ordinary times, I'd be more than keen on making a trip up for this Scarborough friendly they've announced. I fancy visiting their new ground. The photos I've seen of it look great. I won't be doing that either. Just about most leisure activities now require some kind of calculated risk right now, and that includes going to the football. If the Arena makes more people feel comfortable with that, I begrudgingly support it as a temporary measure for them. Personally I won't be doing it. I loathe the place anyway, so I won't be traveling 250 miles (plus tube rides) to go somewhere I don't like. I realise risks are different for those living nearby, but I couldn't care less if it upsets the fan police.

On the subject of travel and the extra risk it might pose, the idea of away fans attending doesn't sit terribly well with me either. Darlington is doing pretty well, covid wise, so it seems unwise to be encouraging away fans to travel, given the current climate, for the sake of a quick buck as we might be the only stadium who can accommodate a decent-sized away following in the division. Let's face it, away fans, in particular on a day out on the beer... recipe for disaster imo. It isn't just those away fans, you're putting our volunteers are risk stewarding them, people working the matchday outlets at risk serving them...
Not name calling or sneering as far as I am concerned. Totally get why our long distance fans may find it difficult to attend matches at this time. In fact I greatly respect the commitment shown by our fans who are not local. It is people who simply say they will not come because of a hatred of the Arena. They are entitled to do what they want but for me they are not supporting their club at a time when the club needs the fans more than ever.

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