05-09-2011, 10:16 PM
Andy Howie Wrote:Only thing I can find is numbers. As we have never done this before in Scotland I could not even begin to guess.
If you have the numbers, couldn’t you post them? Or do you mean that SRB’s only unanswered question is the one about the numbers?
In the industry in which I used to work it was standard practice not to take things at face value, but rather to challenge by asking questions. That was not seen as insulting or confrontational but merely as an attempt to elicit understanding and a test on any advice given.
In that vein, I think if I were a potential sponsor, I’d be looking for some concrete answers – how many people are going to see my company name, what socio-economic group are they in etc, what return can I get from my investment, could I get to open the congress ;P or present the prizes....Perhaps one for our Marketing Director (I think we have one now?) to answer...
Similarly, I don’t think it would be that unusual for a board of a company to ask questions of additional capital expenditure equivalent to 15% of the 2010/11 budget (particularly when there is doubt over a quarter of the regular income). I’d be wanting to see that the numbers add up.
I appreciate that the initial costs here are more or less covered, ongoing costs may be relatively low (anyone got any figures here for insurance, maintenance etc.?), we have some time to get some answers and that if Alex were to say that such boards are essential for the type of championship he envisages, then I wouldn’t quibble.
However, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to ask the questions.