[Archived] Oh My Dear Lord! (ewood)

[doctorryan]

.......there are times when the Premier League really seems to be following the "Big 4" sports in the US (NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB) right down the toilet.

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[Exiled in Toronto]

Have to disagree with your perspective there. I think it's about time too, and that sort of thing is absolutely essential if we are to hope to be in the top flight long term.

However, I'd have much preferred it if the first we heard was that a deal had been signed rather then the "we're getting desperate" sounding quote from the Great Leader.

The one thing that everyone notices about Ewood matchday is the family orientation and friendly atmosphere. This should be very marketable to the right sort of company who also espouse those values, and I can envisage many family-orientated activities from a committed sponsor which would be to the benefit of both sponsor and club.

Going back 40 years, Jimmy Hill was extremely innovative when he was in charge at Coventry with the result that they punched above their weight decades longer than they should have done, and I feel that we need to be the 21st century version. We have the lowest crowds so we need to be the most innovative.

However, this is not a word that can be readily applied to us over the last few years.

[Blueboy Downunder]

it's a catch 22 situation - all rovers fans would want to keep the stadium name as it is, but in our heart of hearts we would all know that if somebody wanted to pump millions into the club then it would be with great reluctance.

further to that i think a lot of people would hope that if this did happen, then it would be to someone/company who actually knows or follows football and better still somebody who is actually a rovers fan.

[FourLaneBlue]

EIT - I'd agree with your reasoning if there was actually any point in renaming the stadium. Could we actually attract any company to pay decent money for it? There is no point getting a sponsor just for the hell of it, we need money.

If we can attract the right kind of high-profile sponsor willing to be "committed" as you say then all well and good but it's getting, assessing and then attracting the right willing and generous enough sponsor that is the problem. You say there must be many family-oriented companies that would be interested but I can't think of any that would necessarily wish to be associated with us in particular. Mind you, it's not our job to make Rovers a respectable investment proposition I guess, it's that of the new 'slimline' board.

No way should we be rebranding a ground known as Ewood Park since 1882 as 'The Ginsters Cheese & Onion Slice' Stadium or whatever for half of one week of Craig Bellamy's (or whoever's) wages. The sponsor has to be both right and they have to want to invest plenty in the club. An example of a perfect combination of sponsor and club are Bolton Wanderers and Reebok. A local company (or at least one which did have local roots) and the two have been connected for well over a decade now if I recall correctly.

Surely the board have been searching for this kind of sponsor for years? Can't see them just suddenly having success in finding one now.

So I'd expect it all be as 'as you were' for at least the near future.

Edited June 29, 2005 by FourLaneBlue

[skiporovers]

No being disrespectful here or anything but ive noticed how none of you guys live in england!! Nothing gets me more pumped up for a game and ready to support rovers than when I see that first sign - Junction 4, M65( Ewood Park).........I'm sorry but i don't think that Burger King Stadium or whatever has quite the same ring.......

SOLUTION- maybe we could do what the Denver Broncos did in America the just added a sponsership to the stadium name! (from mile high stadium to Invesco field at mile high stadium) but im stil very sceptical!!!!!!!

[Blueboy Downunder]

No being disrespectful here or anything but ive noticed how none of you guys live in england!! Nothing gets me more pumped up for a game and ready to support rovers than when I see that first sign - Junction 4, M65( Ewood Park).........I'm sorry but i don't think that Burger King Stadium or whatever   has quite the same ring.......

SOLUTION- maybe we could do what the Denver Broncos did in America the just added a sponsership to the stadium name! (from mile high stadium to Invesco field at mile high stadium) but im stil very sceptical!!!!!!!

327902[/snapback]

none of us live in england, so explain what that has to do with the price of corned beef??

I love that sign, ewood park follow junction 4

[doctorryan]

It's all nonsense. What if the board announced a deal that sold Ewood to developers because of some outlandish offer and saw Rovers build a new, smaller stadium up at Brockhall. And let's say that this deal would, in the short term (say the next ten years), allow Rovers to buy a "Benni" comfortably every 3 years or so. Would you support that?!? Would any Rovers supporter be for that? Choosing a club to support in any sport is done with the heart. It is an irrational decision. No one makes a rational decision to spend the amounts of money we spend to worry about whether or not a bunch of guys most of us have never met win a football match. It's all about emotional connection. No connection = no care = no support for the club. Ewood is the soul and "ancestral ground" of Blackburn Rovers. It is a BIG part of the attachment that every supporter feels towards the club. This attachment equates to what I would describe as a form of free, permanent advertising that is handed down by supporters from generation to generation. As in "my daddy took me and his daddy took him and his daddy took him, etc..." This attachment is permanently damaged when you go selling names and destroying structures (are you listening Arsenal) that are touchstones of people's lives. Call me old-fashioned, but to me it's short sighted, short term thinking.

[FourLaneBlue]

No being disrespectful here or anything but ive noticed how none of you guys live in england!!

327902[/snapback]

Nothing disrespectful about noticing we don't live in England so you're ok there!

Doesn't really matter though...I'd personally rather the ground wasn't renamed. Unless we were offered shedloads of money that is...

Besides we could just say that we still play at Ewood Park in the 'Air Jordan' Stadium or whatever. It's not ideal obviously but...money talks, especially in this league.

[Exiled in Toronto]

It was no big deal when the Riverside was renamed the Walkersteel stand. I don't see the difference, it's just what we have to do.

[LeChuck]

It was no big deal when the Riverside was renamed the Walkersteel stand. I don't see the difference, it's just what we have to do.

327908[/snapback]

Have to? Why? I can't see how we could possibly earn more than a couple of million for doing, we're certainly not going to get the kind of money that will make any long term impact.

What will make a long term impact is getting attendences back up...and re-naming the stadium is hardly a way of doing that, is it?

[doctorryan]

It was no big deal when the Riverside was renamed the Walkersteel stand. I don't see the difference, it's just what we have to do.

There's a huge difference between selling the name to stands or gates and screwing around with 114 years of club history and tradition. And no, we don't have to do it.

Edited June 29, 2005 by doctorryan

[BMan]

I have never been accused of trying to attain a degree in English from a reputable university but from the quote John Williams makes "Changing the name is definitely something I'd consider if it helped our ambitions."

I don't think it's done and dusted. Maybe just a possibility

[Paul]

From the Mirror:

BLACKBURN Rovers, desperate for funds, are ready to sell the name of Ewood Park to a rich sponsor.

The days when late Jack Walker's millions took the club to the title and Europe are gone and new chairman John Williams said: "Changing the name is definitely something I'd consider if it helped our ambitions."

You can't dignify that with words like journalism and newspaper article. It's nothing but inaccurate speculation and out of context quotes. Just read the first line............it's pure rubbish, when did the Mirror last publish anything with any foundation

If the name changes? The Riverside is still the Riverside regardless of it's official name and for me Ewood will always be Ewood regardless of what the club decide to call it.

[Bobby G]

Im thinking the name will remain the same to people. IF we can raise millions by renting out an advertisement space for the name then why not?

BUT, if there are other ways to raise money, then Id suggest we go through those things first.

Whats next? Selling our trophy cabinet to raise money!?

[Sydney Rovers]

From the Mirror:

You can't dignify that with words like journalism and newspaper article. It's nothing but inaccurate speculation and out of context quotes. Just read the first line............it's pure rubbish, when did the Mirror last publish anything with any foundation

If the name changes?  The Riverside is still the Riverside regardless of it's official name and for me Ewood will always be Ewood regardless of what the club decide to call it.

327915[/snapback]

Exactly, the Sydney Football Stadium changed it's name to Aussie Stadium after the Sydney Cricket & Sports Ground Trust signed away ground naming rights to Aussie Home Loans, but no one calls the ground by it's new name.

[Alan75]

It's a shame Leicester got the crisps sponsorship.

The Walker Stadium, Ewood, Blackburn would have sounded pretty good to me.

[Fife Rover]

Alan 75: Absolutely! Said with feeling.

[Flopsy]

Dear lord its in the MIRROR that well renowned organ of the truth and nothing but the truth.

everyone needs to take a chill pill or help me god im going to find you and smack you around with a dead haddock

[Alan75]

everyone needs to take a chill pill or help me god im going to find you and smack you around with a dead haddock

327930[/snapback]

Bully, what next the comphy chair

[bob fleming]

Not the comfy chair!!

Put the haddock down Flopsy, they've actually quoted Chairman Williams, a dangerous thing to do if he hasn't actually said it. I fully expect Andy Nield, as I understand it, to report this tomorrow in the LET. It won't be in tonight as they'll be on about the new Chef.

As for the name change. Inevitable I suppose (that's not the new name "inevitable"). If it means getting "silly" money in - for nothing - then fair enough, it's the way things ae going. It'll alway's be Ewood to me though (just as the Riverside will always be the Riverside).

[Flopsy]

comphy?

a new style from DFS?

[Alan75]

Oh! I didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition

Comphy, no different to...saft cooshins. Interest free dont pay till December Hurry last days, clearance sale

Sorry off topic and silly..........dont blame me.......the Mirror started it.

[Flopsy]

nobody expects the spanish inquisition

Montypython strikes again, thats 2 today and its not even 9.00am

[Duff's Minder]

I wouldn't worry about it. The chances of anyone offering enough money to make it worthwhile are very, very slim. These things only work when it is a newbuild stadium like The Reebok.

It wouldn't matter if they called Ewood 'The Lonsdale Stadium' because we would all still call it Ewood.

We can't even get a decent shirt sponsor FFS...

[Alan75]

Alan75: Trouble at Rovers

Flopsy: Oh no - what kind of trouble?

Alan75: Their skint and need to rebrand stadium

Flopsy: Pardon?

Alan75: Their skint and need to rebrand stadium

Flopsy: I don't understand what you're saying.

Alan75: [slightly irritatedly] Their skint and need to rebrand stadium

Flopsy: Well what on earth does that mean?

Alan75: *I* don't know – The Mirror just told me to come in here and say that there was trouble at Rovers, that's all - I didn't expect a kind of Spanish Inquisition.