[Archived] The Old Gate Debate

[blue phil]

Just think if we'd have had thousands of kids on for the Man U game. it would be a bold move and require someone to have the courage to look beyong the short term loss in revenue & upsetting a few season tkt holders......so don't hold your breath.

390187[/snapback]

Young Frosty is correct - for a change Considering we have no chance of filling the ground against anyone it would have been a better move to get kids in against Man U or the Ar£e . Slightly more attractive than the Villa ....and more chance of them returning . The bloke reporting in the Sunday Times commented that some of the kids may have felt shortchanged on Saturday...

[DanLad]

Young Frosty is correct - for a change    Considering we have no chance of filling the ground against anyone it would have been a better move to get kids in against Man U or the Ar£e . Slightly more attractive than the Villa ....and more chance of them returning . The bloke reporting in the Sunday Times commented that some of the kids may have felt shortchanged on Saturday...

390412[/snapback]

Trouble is that you've got a reasonable chance of creating an Ar£e or Man u fan by doing that, maybe...

[thenodrog]

to watch a game at Rovers now is just to expensive

if me and my partner or mate were going to watch rovers now this is what it would cost us for the day.

2 ticktets £60.00

1 program £ 3.50

travel £10.00

plus any food etc

u looking at spending around £80.00 just to watch a game of football i rather be at home in a warm surrounding and watch a match on the telly ok its not the same atmosphere but it dosn't empty my wallett.

390373[/snapback]

And there's the rub! We cannot blame people for staying away if they simply cannot afford to go (lots could afford to go in 94-95 though ....and to the final in the millenium stadium ).

The fact is that

1. through mainly geographical factors more fans support their team from Blackburn than anywhere else.

and

2. Blackburn is a depressed, run-down northern town with a small population most of whom are on below average incomes.

The result assisted by Sky, Canal+ et al is that we can never hope to fill Ewood never mind extend it!

Now all we need is the solution. Forget piffling circular arguments about attendances for a bit, what we must discuss is income.

Lateral thinking maybe .....but has anybody considered doubling the cost of a ST and settling to cater for just 10,000 fans? Just 2 stands open means less staff, less insurance and less up keep. Discuss that cos I'm bloody sick to death of people chattering on about tickets for a tenner and kids for a quid. It's demeaning and embarrassing to the club. This is the Premier League not the piggin DearDora!!!

[Jan]

Forget piffling circular arguments about attendances for a bit, what we must discuss is income. 

Lateral thinking maybe .....but has anybody considered doubling the cost of a ST and settling to cater for just 10,000 fans?  Just 2 stands open means less staff, less insurance and less up keep.  Discuss that cos I'm bloody sick to death of people chattering on about tickets for a tenner and kids for a quid.  It's demeaning and embarrassing to the club.  This is the Premier League not the piggin DearDora!!!

390435[/snapback]

That isn't the world's worst thought. I suspect there's a core that would pay double.

I think too much is made of "it costs too much". Gaz says "it costs £80 for 2 to come to a match". Not to most matches it doesn't- even to the best matches (A+) there are tickets for adults at £24 (for less attractive matches it's £15 each).

How much does he spend on a night out? I suspect not much shy of £60 for 2. It's just a question of priorities.

I'd lay HEAVY odds that if we got to another final, or next season when we're much closer to winning the league because we believe from day 1 it's possible, suddenly the "i can't afford it" crowd will turn up. Just as long as they don't get tickets to the final in front of me!!!

[Hughesy]

I think if the government put a ban on foreign channels then it would see our gates increase by up to 2000 on an average game.

Th european channel stops so many fans from going and instead they spend their money in the pub, rather than into Blackburn Rovers

[Paul]

to watch a game at Rovers now is just to expensive

if me and my partner or mate were going to watch rovers now this is what it would cost us for the day.

2 ticktets £60.00

1 program £ 3.50

travel £10.00

plus any food etc

u looking at spending around £80.00 just to watch a game of football i rather be at home in a warm surrounding and watch a match on the telly ok its not the same atmosphere but it dosn't empty my wallett.

390373[/snapback]

Gaz this is not a dig at you but on Saturday you could have watched the Villa game for £15 a ticket. You don't have to buy a programme, food etc - well we eat at home and take a flask. So you could get in £30 + £10 travel.

As a general remark £30 is a lot of money to watch a football match. On the other hand I know youg people who think it quite normal to go out of a weekend and:

- buy booze to drink beforehand

- pay £10/20 or so to get into a night club

- spend I don't know how much in a pub/club during the evening

- pay £20 or so to get a taxi home

So IMV these costs have to be put into perspective. When I pay £30 to watch football I feel ripped off as it is too much, but in the context of what people are prepared to spend on getting a hangover it is relatively cheap.

[thenodrog]

So IMV these costs have to be put into perspective. When I pay £30 to watch football I feel ripped off as it is too much, but in the context of what people are prepared to spend on getting a hangover it is relatively cheap.

390479[/snapback]

Yes Paul but in gav's defence.....there's no chance of gettong a sh*g at the Rovers.

[AggyBlue]

I agree with gaz.

A lot of fans have already expressed their feelings by staying away. Another price hike this summer will see even more stay away next season.

The simple fact is, the cost of attending matches has exceeded a lot of fans disposable income or come close enough not to warrant spending it all on a football match.

There is nothing the club can do about this if it wants to maintain it's premier league status.

[gazsimm]

Most matches these days are watched by up themselves buisness men who know nothing about football, who are keeping the real football fans away.

[juggalo_rover]

Yes Paul but in gav's defence.....there's no chance of gettong a sh*g at the Rovers. 

390480[/snapback]

HAHAHAHAHAHA

As for the club with the best average at the end of the year, i think this weeks game will be the difference. If we pull a higher crowd thats bigger than our current average ours will be better, if not Wigans will be better.

[dave birch]

Most matches these days are watched by up themselves buisness men who know nothing about football, who are keeping the real football fans away.

390492[/snapback]

Given that the Rovers have close on 10000 empty seats, how do you justify your comment?

To my mind, the only thing that's keeping the "real football fan" away is their own apathy.

[AggyBlue]

To my mind, the only thing that's keeping the "real football fan" away is their own apathy.

390498[/snapback]

That's @#/?

Edited March 14, 2006 by AggyBlue

[Ste B]

That's @#/?

390503[/snapback]

A very intelligent and reasoned argument which answers all the points in Daves post above.

Is missing from that post.

[AggyBlue]

A very intelligent and reasoned argument which answers all the points in Daves post above.

Is missing from that post.

390504[/snapback]

How can someone from the other side of the world pass comment on the social climate of this country with such a flippant throwaway comment.

@#/? was all it deserved.

[bellamy11]

How can someone from the other side of the world pass comment on the social climate of this country with such a flippant throwaway comment.

@#/? was all it deserved.

390506[/snapback]

Dave's point was a rebuttal to the point that businessman were the ones watching football and this was the reason that the "real" football fan couldn't. With 10,000 spare seats in the ground per game, this can hardly be the case. Granted price can be a factor, but the point was that football fans who don't go to matches can't blame the men in suits who turn up if they have the chance to turn up too. Now, if we were at a ground that sold out every fortnight and a significant proportion was executive seats and the like, the point would be far more valid.

[ihateburnley]

Dave's point was a rebuttal to the point that businessman were the ones watching football and this was the reason that the "real" football fan couldn't. With 10,000 spare seats in the ground per game, this can hardly be the case. Granted price can be a factor, but the point was that football fans who don't go to matches can't blame the men in suits who turn up if they have the chance to turn up too. Now, if we were at a ground that sold out every fortnight and a significant proportion was executive seats and the like, the point would be far more valid.

390507[/snapback]

Yeah but if the clubs start pricing the fixtures to meet the needs of an average executive fan, surely they are just going to alienate the real fans and eventually price them out the game. In the end, the only people attending football matches will be executive supporters, who will stop coming because there is no atmosphere - because the only people who create that atmosphere is the real fans!!!!

[bellamy11]

Yeah but if the clubs start pricing the fixtures to meet the needs of an average executive fan, surely they are just going to alienate the real fans and eventually price them out the game. In the end, the only people attending football matches will be executive supporters, who will stop coming because there is no atmosphere - because the only people who create that atmosphere is the real fans!!!!

390508[/snapback]

No doubt if that became the case then we would have problems. But, as has been discussed very recently, the average income the club gets from each seat is £13. The prices are NOT set to milk the average executive fan. I think that it is a slightly naive view that Blackburns attendences are down to "businessmen supporters" (for some reason portrayed as some kind of liability). This is clearly not the case.

[American]

Let's put it this way - not factoring in the exchange rate, the top league in England's top sport would still cost less to go see in person than the 4 major pro sports (and college football) over here.

And the same as MLS.

[thenodrog]

Most matches these days are watched by up themselves buisness men who know nothing about football, who are keeping the real football fans away.

390492[/snapback]

Oh dear. You should have quit whilst you were ahead gazsimm.

[thenodrog]

That's I think that is more than reasonable

390503[/snapback]

No thats I think that is more than reasonable.........!

Dave's right. There are too many 'I've got that particular 'T' Shirt ex fans around. I've said before that it is the 60's revisted but you kids wont accept it.

BTW Are there any economists out there with facts, who can relate the cost of a ticket in 92-96 to the cost of living and taking into account the average wage, with the equivalent ratios in 2006?

Might be helpful and probably very revealing

[stuwilky]

I think if the government put a ban on foreign channels then it would see our gates increase by up to 2000 on an average game.

Th european channel stops so many fans from going and instead they spend their money in the pub, rather than into Blackburn Rovers

390450[/snapback]

Hughesy,

That ban already exists, it is ILLEGAL to show for public broadcast any match which kicks off at 3pm on a Saturday, yet if I want to know I know of at least 20 places I could go and watch virtually all matches.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Lateral thinking maybe .....but has anybody considered doubling the cost of a ST and settling to cater for just 10,000 fans?  Just 2 stands open means less staff, less insurance and less up keep. 

390435[/snapback]

Please tell us you were taking the P1SS with the above theno!

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Most matches these days are watched by up themselves buisness men who know nothing about football, who are keeping the real football fans away.

390492[/snapback]

Utter Claptrap....Its gone from tickets being too dear ( 1 adult +2 kids on Sat =£17) to now the fault of Mr 'business man'.

Football IS a business now,Rovers have to do their best to try to compete off the field of play with the big boys...Jack Walker wanted the club to be able to 'wash its own face' at some stage.We now have a good product on the field of play that in my opinion can justify the present ticket cost.....you either back the club with hard cash and support their efforts or loose it.

FOR A CLUB LIKE ROVERS TO BE 6TH IN THE PREM IS A TREMENDOUS STATE OF AFFAIRS

You either back the club financially and continue to see the likes of Utd,Chelsea and Liverpool at Ewood or walk away,moan like spoiled brats, free load with your £1 tickets and as sure as night follows day it'll be Rovers v Crewe on a wet Wednesday night in the not too distant future.

STOP MOANING AND BACK THE CLUB FFS!!!!!

[RevidgeBlue]

To my mind, the only thing that's keeping the "real football fan" away is their own apathy.

390498[/snapback]

You may be right but the word "apathy" surely also extends to someone who has made a conscious decision to move to a location from where they will no longer be able to attend future games.

Not a criticism per se, just a fact.

It's odd how the most vociferous critics of the attendances / Blackburn Public(apart from SG ) are generally the ones who are not actually in the position where they have to make a choice as to whether to shell out season ticket money and/or make the effort to attend a game which is invariably televised anyway.

It's the easiest thing in the world to sit back and criticise when it doesn't directly concern you.

[RevidgeBlue]

Lateral thinking maybe .....but has anybody considered doubling the cost of a ST and settling to cater for just 10,000 fans?  Just 2 stands open means less staff, less insurance and less up keep.  Discuss that cos I'm bloody sick to death of people chattering on about tickets for a tenner and kids for a quid.  It's demeaning and embarrassing to the club.   This is the Premier League not the piggin DearDora!!!

390435[/snapback]

Interesting concept - but it would expose the Club to far more ridicule than you were worried about through the introduction of cheap ticket offers.

Doubt it would work in practice, we may have a hard core of support but how many people would as a matter of principle agree to a 100% rise in price?

Plus it would make the current pricing structure in JW upper central obsolete.

Doubt I could justify over a grand for a seat up there every close season.

Edited March 14, 2006 by RevidgeBlue