Villa company good,but...
Nov 05, 2006
THE winds of change are blowing at Villa Park. After over three decades of affairs being dictated by individuals at SC Villa, an idea that could result in more involvement of fans has been mooted.
I SAY SO - James Bakama
THE winds of change are blowing at Villa Park. After over three decades of affairs being dictated by individuals at SC Villa, an idea that could result in more involvement of fans has been mooted.
Club patron Balamaze Lwanga recently announced that the ground is being prepared for an SC Villa public limited company.
A company provides the fans a chance of legitimate ownership of the club through purchase of shares.
Share-holding entitles the owners an active role in the decision making and ultimately in the shaping of the club’s vision. Shareholders’ assemblies and a board of directors are also a check on the executive.
Ownership also means enhancement of collective responsibility while the business set-up is driven by the profit motive.
It will therefore be every shareholder’s responsibility to ensure that Villa as a product does well not only on the pitch, but also in dividends.
This calls for aggressive marketing, competent management and a good football side.
The fans base has also to be boosted through countrywide and international club branches.
Registration of an SC Villa company will also mean patenting the club’s name. Benefits here include exclusive rights in money spinning ventures like merchandising.
Under the present set up, it’s crafty individuals who make fortune from the club’s name by sale of jerseys, calendars and caps.
A more organised Villa company should take merchandising to new levels by borrowing a leaf from the European giants. Liverpool for instance, makes over 4million pounds from merchandising annually.
It’s a global trend. Soccer is no longer merely a luxury. It’s a business. It’s actually a multi-million dollar business in countries like England, Spain and Italy
But while a Villa company might sound so sweet, care should be take not to make it suppressive.
Manchester United where American Malcolm Glazer has an 80% majority share holding, and has his own designs, is a classic example.Likewise, a team of say five people with the financial muscle could buy majority shares at Villa and call the shots.
Villa Ltd actually looks like a subtle way of locking out what the Villa leadership has consistently described as “noisy detractorsâ€.
jbakama@newvision.co.ug
THE winds of change are blowing at Villa Park. After over three decades of affairs being dictated by individuals at SC Villa, an idea that could result in more involvement of fans has been mooted.
Club patron Balamaze Lwanga recently announced that the ground is being prepared for an SC Villa public limited company.
A company provides the fans a chance of legitimate ownership of the club through purchase of shares.
Share-holding entitles the owners an active role in the decision making and ultimately in the shaping of the club’s vision. Shareholders’ assemblies and a board of directors are also a check on the executive.
Ownership also means enhancement of collective responsibility while the business set-up is driven by the profit motive.
It will therefore be every shareholder’s responsibility to ensure that Villa as a product does well not only on the pitch, but also in dividends.
This calls for aggressive marketing, competent management and a good football side.
The fans base has also to be boosted through countrywide and international club branches.
Registration of an SC Villa company will also mean patenting the club’s name. Benefits here include exclusive rights in money spinning ventures like merchandising.
Under the present set up, it’s crafty individuals who make fortune from the club’s name by sale of jerseys, calendars and caps.
A more organised Villa company should take merchandising to new levels by borrowing a leaf from the European giants. Liverpool for instance, makes over 4million pounds from merchandising annually.
It’s a global trend. Soccer is no longer merely a luxury. It’s a business. It’s actually a multi-million dollar business in countries like England, Spain and Italy
But while a Villa company might sound so sweet, care should be take not to make it suppressive.
Manchester United where American Malcolm Glazer has an 80% majority share holding, and has his own designs, is a classic example.Likewise, a team of say five people with the financial muscle could buy majority shares at Villa and call the shots.
Villa Ltd actually looks like a subtle way of locking out what the Villa leadership has consistently described as “noisy detractorsâ€.
jbakama@newvision.co.ug