Message from IL

[Wiganer Ted]

A good letter from IL outlining the club's financial situation.

As for how IL and the club proceed will depend on how and when the season starts also if and when supporters will be allowed to see a game. Only walk up fans will be paying at the turnstile and providing revenue. There will be retail, maybe new sponsorship.

Being the ever optimist I do think that we will see a vaccine sooner rather than later. Oxford Uni and Astra Zeneka are running what appear to be final trials and are already producing doses by the hundred million.
If this is available by Sept/Oct then the whole Covid virus problem could be suddenly changed for the better. Whatever the date a vaccine will be produced so our current problems won't last too long.

Current difficulties by reducing costs are could be weakening the squad. I'm sure that with releasing players other than first team or immediately fringe players might help.

[wall_of_voodoo]

Current difficulties by reducing costs are could be weakening the squad. I'm sure that with releasing players other than first team or immediately fringe players might help.

There's an interesting article on the beeb (from 2 days ago) concerning exactly the same regarding footballers titled
"Smaller squads, lower wages and shorter deals - is this the worst time to be out of contract?"

With no reserves for the foreseeable future you can see most clubs will have to trim squads down to the bones.

Out of contract could be seen as out of work for many players real soon

[Mike]

A good letter from IL outlining the club's financial situation.

As for how IL and the club proceed will depend on how and when the season starts also if and when supporters will be allowed to see a game. Only walk up fans will be paying at the turnstile and providing revenue. There will be retail, maybe new sponsorship.

Being the ever optimist I do think that we will see a vaccine sooner rather than later. Oxford Uni and Astra Zeneka are running what appear to be final trials and are already producing doses by the hundred million.
If this is available by Sept/Oct then the whole Covid virus problem could be suddenly changed for the better. Whatever the date a vaccine will be produced so our current problems won't last too long.

Current difficulties by reducing costs are could be weakening the squad. I'm sure that with releasing players other than first team or immediately fringe players might help.

I afraid minimum timelines on those vaccines are 12months+. You have to wait that long to be able to tell if the vaccine worked, unless you infect thousands of people intentionally (with their permission). You also need to evaluate side effects.

[Wiganer Ted]

Yeah, we've always been told that. Just that Oxford Uni and AZ say they have been trialing and now producing in bulk. It's interesting that the USA and ordered the vaccine and paid over$1bn up front. Last week four European countries ordered and paid up front.

This is unknown but who knows where we are going with this, hopefully it will all end and very soon.

[Wintergreen]

I'm not sure I've ever said it before and I probably won't say it again but that is very impressive from the Chairman and he's gone up a mile in my estimation.
Very well said and very well done.

I agree. I've never had a lot of time for IL but that was a very honest piece. Yes he did milk the emotions a bit and there were a few "leading" points in there, but that is what he needed to do in all honesty.

Ultimately he is telling the truth and that is all that he could do.

[superleague]

No way I'm having an rushed untested vaccine

[fozzieskem]

Do we want to save our club?
Been a supporter for 65 years its in my blood.
Personally I would not want a refund on my Season ticket but understand that a lot of supporters would.
Could a Just giving site for Wigan RL be set up?
Would Wigan Supporters cough up even if its only a pound ?
Would the supporters come back to Wigan like we did in 2006 to support the team.
What we need is to unite behind the Wigan RL and not let it go into admin.
IL has pumped his own money into the club lets get behind him without him taking over from DW we would not have a club at all.

I think your position is admirable Jaws and I too would not be against donating my season ticket money to the club. However, I think every supporter needs more information from the club. I have no reason to doubt that IFL has put £500k in to the coffers to keep the club going through these difficult times but other options were/are available. He could decide not to replace the players that are coming off contract in order to cover his outlay but he may have seen this as a gamble in the short to medium term especially if fans vote with their feet and stay away due to the lack of quality on the pitch. Such a strategy also doesn't fit with his previous comment about the salary cap, when he supported the status quo. If my memory serves me right he said something along the lines of, Wigan has plans in place and therefore could not support a reduction in the salary cap. He could finance the shortfall through loans, I am sure banks be willing to lend if the loan was secured against the companies assets. He could ask individuals or companies for a loan or consider a share issue.

Personally, I would like IFL to spell out the financial difficulties that the club face in the form of a budgeted profit and loss account. We need to know the details around the clubs financial plight. Let's not forget that the players have taken a cut in salaries and the vast majority of staff have been furloughed, so the club's outgoings should have reduced. The season ticket income has been paid upfront and can therefore be used to prop the club up. Obviously, due to the suspension of the Reserves competition the number of employees will be reduced and this will present itself as a saving over the next 18 months. The club has paid no rent to the owners of the DW Stadium which is another saving.

I will be interested to read what IFL has got to say and the options available, hopefully I will be contacted (I have not yet received his initial letter). But more than anything, I want the club to recognize those individuals who are willing to put their hand in their pocket (season ticket holders - the lifeblood of the club).

Good point all,

The club has in effect bar 10 people or so been mothballed now more or less for 3 months so outgoing will have been nothing like they would have been but for the furlough scheme to ask the season ticket base to kiss goodbye to their tickets is more than sharing the burden,we do share the burden by buying the merchandise,the lotto, the yes,the pints and of course the season tickets we as fans do shoulder the burden a hell of a lot.

I go to the match with my wife and as the email came the subject was obviously brought up and she quite simply looked at me and "I have worked all through this, there have been days I have felt like not coming home things have been that bad in work, (she works in the care sector and it was hit hard with covid),im sorry but no I dont mind losing a few games but to kiss the cost of the ticket goodbye is just too much..".

There you have it what she says goes (im no fool),so we will continue to support the club via the lotto and merchandise but draw the line at a total season ticket loss, thats how it stands with us and as she says until such time as they reveal when options are available its all up in the airs no need to get rankled about it just yet.

[lucky 13]

I have been off work through most of this (dental) . My wife working from home(banking) son also off( college and lifeguard) daughter (school)
We have four season tickets. I'm lucky enough to be able to let the club have the season ticket. I understand not everyone's in the same position.
We also all have oppinions some formed through this horrible time and our experiences.
No right or wrong.
I will do the little I can to ensure the club is there going forward. Unpresedented times and much uncertainty about the future in many ways, while sport is not life and death it's a massive part our society and culture. The thought of not having my team though would be very very sad
and while I see the points made and reasons for me I will do what I imagine helps my team.

[wall_of_voodoo]

Very commendable to say that the club can keep fans season ticket money in order to survive this season

The problem is - how does the club sell season tickets in the future?

Four home games in, at an outlay of £69 per game (as it stands) does NOT represent value.

If there is never any precedent like this again then fine but how can any club guarantee this?

Will this pandemic be over the worst by next season?

Might as well pay cash on the day and decide at the time which fixtures to go to (if they are on and at home)

I can foresee the end of season ticket sales as the club (and others clubs too) know it.

Some "return" or goodwill gesture has to be made to those fans who were begged to indulge in season tickets in order to help the club and then at the first sign of financial trouble are cast aside like the club's poor relations (note the club was injected £500k so they are paying someone to keep cashflow liquidity)

How the club can do that I have no idea. Offering deals on season tickets for next year is like offering takeaways from a Wuhan seafood market.

[pedro]

Very commendable to say that the club can keep fans season ticket money in order to survive this season

The problem is - how does the club sell season tickets in the future?

Four home games in, at an outlay of £69 per game (as it stands) does NOT represent value.

If there is never any precedent like this again then fine but how can any club guarantee this?

Will this pandemic be over the worst by next season?

Might as well pay cash on the day and decide at the time which fixtures to go to (if they are on and at home)

I can foresee the end of season ticket sales as the club (and others clubs too) know it.

Some "return" or goodwill gesture has to be made to those fans who were begged to indulge in season tickets in order to help the club and then at the first sign of financial trouble are cast aside like the club's poor relations (note the club was injected £500k so they are paying someone to keep cashflow liquidity)

How the club can do that I have no idea. Offering deals on season tickets for next year is like offering takeaways from a Wuhan seafood market.

no one has said it was good value, as everyone knows its not, how can the club guarantee it will not happen again? not buying a season ticket again is your choice and no one can say anything about it but this cannot be blamed on the club