National League Board

[leedsbull]

Safe to say it's been a terrible week for the National League board and those who claim to represent it. First the FA Cup replays embarrassment, then the National League playoffs embarrassment.

After reading the rather baffling statement from Mark Ives on BN that everything in non-league football is absolutely rosey and there's no need for any regulation, how can the National League and it's representatives claim to represent it's members and their interests?

When people like the chancers who destroyed the original HUFC can pass the tests to own a football club, I just don't see how you can argue that we don't need closer scrutiny of football clubs.

Does the NL board understand that for many clubs at our level and at times in our history, FA Cup replays have been absolute lifelines for cashflow.

Speaking of cashflow, I seem to remember the way the NL dispersed emergency funds to their clubs during COVID was absolutely absurd and left larger NLN/NLS clubs like ourselves high and dry.

Does the NL board understand their own rules? The NL misapplied their own rules regarding the playoffs, then had to offer a rather embarrassing correction, in the process screwing Solihull (again, see BN).

If the NL as an entity doesn't understand and advocate for it's members, what purpose does it serve? How can lower league football thrive with this lot in charge?

I don't know the mechanism for it but I hope they're all replaced whenever it's next possible.

[onlooker]

It does strike me that Mark Ives, the General Manager of the National League is inclined to publicly give the "National League's view" on various topics with little or no consultation with the League's member clubs. I doubt that the National League's support for scrapping FA Cup replays would be the view of the majority of the member clubs.
Another example is the operation of the National League TV screening of matches. At a recent Fans meeting of Maidenhead United I asked the Chairman and Chief Executive how the service works particularly on the financial side. They told me it was a very unfair method which the Clubs had challenged at the last AGM but the League Board had refused to consider any changes. The home team of a streamed match receive little or no benefit and lose out on a reduced attendance at the match. instead the overall profit from the service, if there is one, is distributed to clubs in proportion to the number of National League TV account holders' nominations of their clubs, so presumably the lion's share would go to Chesterfield, Oldham and York etc. The service is not expected to show a profit this season, however.

[organic]

National League TV - we heard much the same view at a recent Hereford FC meeting

[psychedelictony]

I presumed all the matches I watched that at least a reasonable proportion was going to the club out of the £9.50? For a nominated club?
Not like going to the game obviously. I enjoyed the footage overall, worked well IMO. If its not helping the club then, Feck it, wont bother next season

Pro-rata on fanbase. Poor that

[onlooker]

I think a fairer method would be to award the home team a fee of say £1,000 for a streamed match to compensate for lost gate revenue. The balance could then go into a general kitty and distributed as per the present method. I'm not sure how an overall loss for the service would be dealt with at the end of the season if this were the result.

[psychedelictony]

I think a fairer method would be you paid and signed up via own clubs website.
Then sort it out.

[jack]

It would be interesting to know what the club knows. Isn’t one of the directors on the NL board?

[A Bull]

Apr 23, 2024 21:56:20 GMT jack said:

It would be interesting to know what the club knows. Isn’t one of the directors on the NL board?

You’re correct. There’s a HUST/HFC/HFA board member who is also on the NL board.

[bringbackelmo]

Apr 23, 2024 21:56:20 GMT jack said:

It would be interesting to know what the club knows. Isn’t one of the directors on the NL board?

Good luck with that!

[White Lightning]

I need that Ros Atkins to do a summary of what is going on giving his take on all the stakeholders positions.