The 3 Monthly Spend

[Cookie Monster]

Dear Cookie Monster,

Over the past month the SMiSA board have asked our members to vote on 3 items that required a substantial investment from our “club pot” and we’d like to take this opportunity to thank all our members who took the time to vote and for giving overwhelming approval for all 3 items.

The final voting results are as follows :

£15,000 for Medical Recovery Equipment: YES-519 NO-27

£5,000 for Kids pre-match Entertainment: YES-515 NO-31

£3,500 for 20 Community Season Tickets: YES-388 NO-3

Thank you all for your continued support.

The SMiSA board

[munoz]

49 minutes ago, Cookie Monster said:

Dear Cookie Monster,

Over the past month the SMiSA board have asked our members to vote on 3 items that required a substantial investment from our “club pot” and we’d like to take this opportunity to thank all our members who took the time to vote and for giving overwhelming approval for all 3 items.

The final voting results are as follows :

£15,000 for Medical Recovery Equipment: YES-519 NO-27

£5,000 for Kids pre-match Entertainment: YES-515 NO-31

£3,500 for 20 Community Season Tickets: YES-388 NO-3

Thank you all for your continued support.

The SMiSA board

I want them to name the 3 miserable bastards that voted against the Community Season Tickets. 

[bazil85]

The latest - definite yes for me. Tbh though, I think I’d prefer SMISA to just gift the money if it’s there from our reserves over the monthly contributions  

Recently, the club has been exploring several new commercial opportunities. One opportunity which the club have decided to progress is the introduction of 3 new executive boxes on the site of the current media room in the main stand and incorporating a small area of the 1877 Club space. As part of the works, the media room will be relocated to the Main Stand Southeast concourse.

Each box will have a capacity of 10 persons, and in addition to being used on match-days it is hoped that these new facilities will bring a range of other opportunities going forward such as use by local companies during the week.

The club believes that the introduction of these Executive Boxes will bring a good return on investment going forward as we aim to maximise revenue across all areas. This is essential to the long-term sustainability of the club.

The SMiSA Board recognise the importance of developing new revenue streams, and fully support the club in this development. We believe the introduction of these Executive Boxes will be mutually beneficial to both SMiSA, its members and the club as a whole.

As such, we would like to offer the club a loan to cover the cost of construction. This would allow the club to spread the cost of the works over a number of years, enabling further investment in developing other areas of the Club. The loan would of course be interest-free, providing better terms than any bank.

SMiSA's proposal would be an £80,000 loan, re-paid over a period of 4 years. Repayment arrangements are outlined below:

2024/25 season - £20,000 repayment
2025/26 season - £20,000 repayment
2026/27 season - £20,000 repayment
2027/28 season - £20,000 repayment

We have also agreed with the club that there would be a clause added for immediate repayment, should certain terms be triggered.

We would therefore ask all SMiSA members to vote on the above loan proposal. You can do so by clicking on the below link. Voting closes at 6pm on Thursday 12th October.

[Albanian Buddy]

1 hour ago, bazil85 said:

The latest - definite yes for me. Tbh though, I think I’d prefer SMISA to just gift the money if it’s there from our reserves over the monthly contributions  

 

Why should SMISA gift the money for some business people to benefit? Get that idea in the bin. 

The club is a limited company and should be able to source the funds for this initiative. 

If it was something that the whole support would benefit from I’d agree. 

[bazil85]

1 hour ago, Albanian Buddy said:

Why should SMISA gift the money for some business people to benefit? Get that idea in the bin. 

The club is a limited company and should be able to source the funds for this initiative. 

If it was something that the whole support would benefit from I’d agree. 

Because it would benefit St Mirren and that’s literally the main purpose for SMISA existing now. It isn’t just ‘some business’ it’s the reason SMISA exists. 
 

But if SMISA gift the funds, the money can go back into the football club we all support. 🤷‍♂️

A proposal that results in a stronger St Mirren which would come from less financial burden & retaining all that income to invest back in the team is probably the only thing that would benefit all St Mirren fans. 

[Albanian Buddy]

59 minutes ago, bazil85 said:

Because it would benefit St Mirren and that’s literally the main purpose for SMISA existing now. It isn’t just ‘some business’ it’s the reason SMISA exists. 
 

But if SMISA gift the funds, the money can go back into the football club we all support. 🤷‍♂️

A proposal that results in a stronger St Mirren which would come from less financial burden & retaining all that income to invest back in the team is probably the only thing that would benefit all St Mirren fans. 

Fcuk off Baz. It is not a fan or community initiative. 
I’m happy to support the interest free loan which supports the club from a cash flow perspective but there is not any direct fan or community benefit here. 
If the “suits” require executive boxes then let them provide the financial support. 
It’s ok for them to drink pre and post match and munch on prawn sandwiches but they also want the peasants to subsidise them. Fcuk that. 

[Cookie Monster]

The latest - definite yes for me. Tbh though, I think I’d prefer SMISA to just gift the money if it’s there from our reserves over the monthly contributions  

This isn't a 3 month option.

The club would obviously prefer to repay the money and keep it in SMISA'S reserves for the benefit of the club in the future.

If you want to donate £80,000 independently carry on, the club would appreciate it but don't go spending money that's not just yours. [emoji14]

[Albanian Buddy]

27 minutes ago, Cookie Monster said:

 

 

This isn't a 3 month option.

The club would obviously prefer to repay the money and keep it in SMISA'S reserves for the benefit of the club in the future.

If you want to donate £80,000 independently carry on, the club would appreciate it but don't go spending money that's not just yours.

OPM - that’s the model the “rich” use. 

Other people’s money. 

Why doesn’t Baz ask his “employer” for a soft loan? Or maybe they can’t get a government grant approved. 😂 

 

[Cookie Monster]

OPM - that’s the model the “rich” use. 
Other people’s money. 
Why doesn’t Baz ask his “employer” for a soft loan? Or maybe they can’t get a government grant approved. [emoji23] 
 

Baz isn't an employee of the Kibble.


Yeah I know how surprising that news sounds. [emoji6]

[antrin]

4 hours ago, Albanian Buddy said:

Fcuk off Baz. It is not a fan or community initiative. 
I’m happy to support the interest free loan which supports the club from a cash flow perspective but there is not any direct fan or community benefit here. 
If the “suits” require executive boxes then let them provide the financial support. 
It’s ok for them to drink pre and post match and munch on prawn sandwiches but they also want the peasants to subsidise them. Fcuk that. 

Have to agree…

 Though I think I can understand a “commercial/business” reason for doing this, it disnae add anything to a punter’s experience or enjoyment of watching the Buddies.

Nor will it help the product on the park.

 

So for me, it’s not an idea in which I’d be keen to invest.  Meh.

[bazil85]

5 hours ago, Albanian Buddy said:

Fcuk off Baz. It is not a fan or community initiative. 
I’m happy to support the interest free loan which supports the club from a cash flow perspective but there is not any direct fan or community benefit here. 
If the “suits” require executive boxes then let them provide the financial support. 
It’s ok for them to drink pre and post match and munch on prawn sandwiches but they also want the peasants to subsidise them. Fcuk that. 

That’s your view. I don’t think there’s a better use of funds than providing a facility that will provide income for St Mirren without a financial outlet.

for me, benefit & progress stops with my football club. 👍 

3 hours ago, Cookie Monster said:

 

 

This isn't a 3 month option.

The club would obviously prefer to repay the money and keep it in SMISA'S reserves for the benefit of the club in the future.

If you want to donate £80,000 independently carry on, the club would appreciate it but don't go spending money that's not just yours.

 

I know, I was just giving my view. 

[W6er]

1 hour ago, antrin said:

Have to agree…

 Though I think I can understand a “commercial/business” reason for doing this, it disnae add anything to a punter’s experience or enjoyment of watching the Buddies.

Nor will it help the product on the park.

 

So for me, it’s not an idea in which I’d be keen to invest.  Meh.

If it generates additional funds it will surely increase the playing budget?

[Cookie Monster]

Why should SMISA gift the money for some business people to benefit? Get that idea in the bin. 

The club is a limited company and should be able to source the funds for this initiative. 

If it was something that the whole support would benefit from I’d agree. 

The club could but it would affect other outgoings, ie 2 players wages.

We will benefit, after it's repaid then the budget for players will increase so we can either keep hold of players or entice better players to the club.

As a comparison to what you wrote, the funding for the raised platform for less able bodied supporters didn't benefit the whole support. I don't know of any supporter that thinks that was a bad idea even though it reduced the capacity.

[Albanian Buddy]

8 hours ago, Cookie Monster said:

Baz isn't an employee of the Kibble.
 

 

‘Twas a wee joke on my part. 

[Albanian Buddy]

4 hours ago, Cookie Monster said:

 

 

The club could but it would affect other outgoings, ie 2 players wages.

We will benefit, after it's repaid then the budget for players will increase so we can either keep hold of players or entice better players to the club.

As a comparison to what you wrote, the funding for the raised platform for less able bodied supporters didn't benefit the whole support. I don't know of any supporter that thinks that was a bad idea even though it reduced the capacity.

 

Surely there is a different moral position to supporters directly funding the raised platform to asking the same supporters to completely gift an “exclusive” hospitality area which is what is being suggested by one (or two?) individuals. 
 

[StanleySaint]

If companies were going to he charged 17k for the portakabin exec boxes I'd expect they'll pay at least the same for in stadium boxes so that would be at least 51k per season less the 20k loan so a profit of 31k to add to the club budget, morally do I agree with it probably not, financially for the club, which SMISA is the majority owner, as long as they can sell them it is a no brainer.

[beyond our ken]

On 10/8/2023 at 8:40 AM, StanleySaint said:

If companies were going to he charged 17k for the portakabin exec boxes I'd expect they'll pay at least the same for in stadium boxes so that would be at least 51k per season less the 20k loan so a profit of 31k to add to the club budget, morally do I agree with it probably not, financially for the club, which SMISA is the majority owner, as long as they can sell them it is a no brainer.

the usual overheads would eat into that £31k quite substantially as you have to cover all of the taxes, food, drink, staff, energy and other costs. such as wear & tear and any impact on rateable value or licensing costs.  It might provide around 10-15k a year until the loan is repaid and then maybe another 10k after that

Every little helps and it would be a good %age  return on a 80k investment that would trickle into a variety of budgets in the club without in itself changing any part of the game when it comes to squad budgets.  There is probably a greater need to rebuild the support functions at the club after cost-cutting took us to the bone last year than there is to add a tenth of a good player's salary.