[Archived] Preseasons - UK Ones

[bob]

Why ? Which of the club's outgoings (players wages, staff wages, heating, lighting, concourse stock etc) are reduced because it's a friendly ?

I've been wondering about the whole point of doing a "international" pre-season home friendly, it's obvious that the majority of the fans don't care enough to turn up (or don't think they are value for money, perhaps "care" is unfair), so the club enevitably has to drop the price to get some punters in, massively reducing the income (which being a pre-season isn't going to have TV revenue or away fans  to prop it up). I'd imagine that the club must be losing money hosting these games, a cost which has to be made up elsewhere (be it a rise in match prices, or insufficient funds to get McCarthy). Surely we'd be better off not doing them ?

Whilst I expect to be at both, Grimsby is more important to me than Espanyol, regardless of the ticket prices.

PS. Don't get me wrong, if people are on a limited budget, £15 for a friendly or £17 for a home game, it's a no brainer which you'd go for. But if people don't feel £15 is value, should the club persist in organising them ?

335396[/snapback]

I just think season ticket holders should get a discount off the home pre-season games a more sensible figure would be £8 or £9 for season ticket holders, £12 for non STH etc this would have covered costs I presume due to the extra people that might come for cheaper prices.

[Glenn]

I just think season ticket holders should get a discount off the home pre-season games a more sensible figure would be £8 or £9 for season ticket holders, £12 for non STH etc this would have covered costs I presume due to the extra people that might come for cheaper prices.

335429[/snapback]

Even Morecambe charged £8 to stand up ! Granted it all comes down to players wages, if we payed them less, Rovers wouldn't have to charge as much, but I don't see why a pre-season should be run as a loss-leader (i.e. lose money just to get punters in) when it's hardly going to be an exciting game that will turn the "I've only come 'cos it's cheap" crowd into regulars. In fact, I can't see the benefit of the game at all.

And yes, they COULD have reduced it further for ST holders, but the extra COSTS for the event have to be made up somewhere, next years ST prices perhaps ? It's not like it costs Rovers nowt to do such a gesture and it's not like were so flush with cash that the money isn't important.

(I wish it was term time so Vinjay could now respond that the lack of cash for such gestures is down to the Walker family ).

[bellamy11]

I think it has to be worth noting that JW and the rest will all have business plans far superior to anything anybody on here could have. It's all well and good saying the extra tickets sold at £9 for season ticket holders etc will make up for the loss of revenue but if that was the case then the tickets would be priced accordingly.

Nobody at Rovers will be pricing tickets with the primary intention of annoying people. Yes, £15 is a lot of money for a game which isn't competitive, but we've just ousted a host of bigger clubs to the signing of Craig Bellamy after trying to sign South African international and European Cup winner Benni McCarthy.

I'm sure the players would love to play in front of more people and it would be sound for more people to see our product before deciding whether to get a season ticket/attend a few more home games this season. This must have been considered when naming the ticket price. Also, the attendances when ticket prices have been heavily reduced will have been duly noted. Rovers fans have a strong history of not turning up to games they don't want to come to regardless of ticket prices. Bournmouth, Gencler etc are evidence of this.

[Presty On Tour]

£15 is alright, if thats too expensive swansea away is 10 bucks but then there is the travelling costs!!

[Lee]

just 200 tickets bought by our fans for Saturday's game.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Cant see more than a 5-6,000 gate for the Espanyol game.

[S15]

Glenn, how can it possibly cost Rovers anywhere near the same amount to host a friendly than it would to host a normal Premierleague home game....

Half the ground is shut, and only a small crowd will be expected, so that means half the stewards, half the police, half the catering staff, half the food, half the programme sellers and half the programs, no ticket office staff in the Darwin end etc etc....

£15 is a disgrace, considering we would expect more for a first round league cup game against a lower league team, and charge less for that particular match.

If it was £10 a ticket, I'm sure alot more people would turn up, especially considering some league games will be that price this season.

Edited July 28, 2005 by shillito15

[Manchester Blue]

I certainly won't go and haven't gone to a home friendly in about 8 years. I think they are a waste of time to be honest but they must serve some purpose otherwise the clubs wouldn't have them. I know we never used to have them at home but I think it seems to have happened more since the Championship & Premier League kick off on different weekends so we can't play a lower league team.

[bob fleming]

£15? It's not so bad. I'd have liked it cheaper of course but then again what did I expect? Please, someone find me another Premier League club (other than Fulham ) that is playing a pre-season friendly at home and charging £15 or below to watch.

What purpose do these friendlies have? Well, there's match fitness of course - that's quite important. Also it gives the fans a chance to see the new players and the team again before the season starts. Some of these games have been very entertaining (Barca, Sporting) and in some instances give the fans the chance to see the new over weight and well past it Spanish left winger (you may never get the chance again, especially if you blink).

I'd imagine they'd be even more people moaning if they played all pre-season games away from home to be honest, then again I may be wrong.

Edited July 29, 2005 by bob fleming

[stuwilky]

£15? It's not so bad. I'd have liked it cheaper of course but then again what did I expect? Please, someone find me another Premier League club that is playing a pre-season friendly at home and charging £15 or below to watch.

335566[/snapback]

Sorry Bob but fulham are charging a tenner (or a fiver for STH) for their friendly on 6th against Panionios.

[bob fleming]

Who are Panionions?! Granted, I wouldn't pay more than a fiver to watch some team that sounds like a dodgy Greek stir fry ingredient either. But that's yer Londoners init mate? They'll watch anythin that lot. At least Espanyol are half decent - aren't they?

[Lee]

Glenn, how can it possibly cost Rovers anywhere near the same amount to host a friendly than it would to host a normal Premierleague home game....

Half the ground is shut, and only a small crowd will be expected, so that means half the stewards, half the police, half the catering staff, half the food, half the programme sellers and half the programs, no ticket office staff in the Darwin end etc etc....

£15 is a disgrace, considering we would expect more for a first round league cup game against a lower league team, and charge less for that particular match.

If it was £10 a ticket, I'm sure alot more people would turn up, especially considering some league games will be that price this season.

335475[/snapback]

Pre-season friendlies are all about money, Rovers earned money going to Germany/Austria, they'll earn money playing Morecambe, Swansea and Grimsby.

We pay Espanyol (and their agents) for them to play us. Thats how it all works.

Like Bob says, would you prefer it if we played no pre-season games at home?

Also, no-one has noted that kids can get in for just £1.

[S15]

kids for £1 is great...

But come on, I'm not a kid and be honest £15 quid for an adult is pretty steep..

Perhaps we are paying the price for current low attendences but it still takes the biscuit a bit... I'd love to see the game but why should I when the club is charging more than for (even) Tony Parkes; testimonial?

[MCMC1875]

Pre season games should be a better standard than testimonials - there is more to play for with starting places up for grabs. Rovers seem to have settled on a formula of a foreign tour followed by a home game against a 'high profile' European outfit. Rovers would probably get bigger pre season gates if they re-entered the Lancs Cup! Experience has shown that dropping the ticket cost from £15 to £10 would make little difference to the gate.

[FourLaneBlue]

Like Bob says, would you prefer it if we played no pre-season games at home?

335576[/snapback]

Let's be honest...most people wouldn't care. Season ticket holders are likely to be going to at the very least nineteen home games in any one season so they aren't likely to be too bothered about a home game against a foreign team that very few of them will know much more than the basics about.

If Rovers are getting paid to play away from home in pre-season then why bother with a home game which could actually lose them money. How many people do they need to attend such a game at Ewood to break even? The games against the likes of Everton, PSV and Lazio didn't bring out large crowds so far as I remember so Espanyol won't have much chance. A team that is dwarfed by its neighbours at the Nou Camp. When we played them at Ewood and our manager scored the winner with an overhead kick (IIRC) then it wasn't that big a crowd either. If the fans don't come out for Barcelona's world famous giants of a team they won't bother for their lesser known neighbours.

So...why bother with a home friendly? The fans aren't that bothered if the crowds are anything to go by and the money doesn't seem to be pouring in either. Added to that is diluting the anticipation of the first home league game slightly, it'd be more of a build-up to have people away from the ground until that first match when they'd be chomping at the bit to return.

The pre-season games at Preston, Blackpool and, this year, Grimsby seem much more of interest to the fans than a half-deserted Ewood. So, other than having a trial run of staff and ground for the first Premiership game, then why have the home friendlies at all?

Edited July 30, 2005 by FourLaneBlue

[MCMC1875]

I think you've hit the nail on the head FLB - staff training. Bolton Road is adorned every July with huge banners for stewards and catering staff and they will all need a bit of practise.

[Manchester Blue]

Rovers 1-0 against Swansea apparently, Pedersen with the goal.

[pick32]

when that last post was posted the game hadnt even kicked of anyone no were i can get commentary or a live update cant find it anywere not even on SSN on the tele

[mjs]

when that last post was posted the game hadnt even kicked of anyone no were i can get commentary or a live update cant find it anywere not even on SSN on the tele

335714[/snapback]

Take a look at the time on your post!!

[Manchester Blue]

There was a thread on ask admin about people seeing the time an hour out due to their settings. It's fine for me and I posted at 15.42 before and the update was from the official site.

[pick32]

http://www.swanseacity.premiumtv.co.uk/pag...~692672,00.html

[Bobby G]

Bellamy missing another game and there is only the Espanyol friendly to come before we start the season, I think.

He will be short of match fitness for the first game I am sure.

[Manchester Blue]

Grimsby on Tuesday.

[brfcshabba]

2-0 Steven Reid

[den]

2 - 0 Reid

Damn you, Cookiemonster