[Archived] Fans Forum Minutes

[Glenn]

Meeting of the 25th June are now available here

The main body of the meeting was a presentation and Q&A session with the catering department.

[Cocker]

6. Club Shop & Merchandising Issues

MH stated that fans were very disillusioned with the club shop run by SWI , which was now little more than a normal high street sports shop and offered very little in terms of Rovers merchandise. JB also had a number of specific complaints from fans. The club were also dissatisfied with the current situation. They had a lucrative long term contract which they would not be able to replicate managing the store themselves. The contract contained a commitment to Rovers merchandise and percentage of floor space. They were working with SWI to resolve the various issues but were unable to give any more information or commit to a timetable for a resolution.

Hmm, I was under the illusion that we were taking this back. Unfortunately, I have misunderstood and it looks like we are going to have to put up with our rubbish shop - rubbish online shop - rubbish merchandise in general for years to come

EDIT: My comments were from the meeting - Monday 5th February 2007 – 7.15pm

[OscarRaven]

Can't see anything from 25th June.

[Glenn]

Stupid blog system. I pasted up a draft (which I can see) but forgot to hit publish (so everyone else can)

[Sparky Marky]

What's the point of a fans forum if the only information gathered is readily available in the tabloids anyway.

I can't imagine that catering is high on the list of the average fan anyway. What about budgets for new players? What about the number of games we're on TV live? (Which is abysmal considering that this works out at around £80 per Rovers game on Sky) What about young up and coming players...? Hows the Academy doing..?

Seems like everything is put off for further meetings...The club shop was brought up at the beginning of the year.....What have the Rovers done about it....Nowt!!!!

[Glenn]

What's the point of a fans forum if the only information gathered is readily available in the tabloids anyway.

The FF is more about giving the club feedback from fans, rather the the other way around. It is only a fairly recent change that allowed to FF discussions to be made public at all.

I can't imagine that catering is high on the list of the average fan anyway. What about budgets for new players? What about the number of games we're on TV live? (Which is abysmal considering that this works out at around £80 per Rovers game on Sky) What about young up and coming players...? Hows the Academy doing..?

As far as I know, anyone can suggest topics for inclusion on the agenda (and often the hot topic from forums such as this have been brought up. However, there has always been a rule on the FF imposed by the club that on the field activity is not a subject for discussion.

Seems like everything is put off for further meetings...The club shop was brought up at the beginning of the year.....What have the Rovers done about it....Nowt!!!!

The club has done a hell of a lot about it, but they obviously can't comment on the state of ongoing discussions/negotiations in the public domain until they have been completed.

[Sparky Marky]

The club have done a hell of a lot with the shop?

Can you expand on this for me please?

Thanks

[Cocker]

The club have done a hell of a lot with the shop?

Can you expand on this for me please?

Thanks

Read Glenn's post mate. can't comment on the state of ongoing discussions/negotiations in the public domain until they have been completed.

[rebelmswar]

The club have done a hell of a lot with the shop?

Can you expand on this for me please?

Thanks

I am thinking that he can not mention anything about on going contractual disputes in regards to the shop in a public forum. This is most likely due to the fact that they are in the stage where all the nit picky things are being tossed around and don’t want anything to rock the boat.

[Tris]

I can't imagine that catering is high on the list of the average fan anyway. What about budgets for new players? What about the number of games we're on TV live? (Which is abysmal considering that this works out at around £80 per Rovers game on Sky)

If you weren't so concerned about your Sky subscription - which is of little direct benefit to Rovers - it might have occurred to you that people who actually use the catering facilities at Ewood - the people who miss the last 10 mins of the 1st half or the opening 10 mins of the 2nd half in order to be able to buy anything at the break - have "catering issues" right of the top of their lists.

Maybe those people aren't average fans, and we should all be encouraging more Sky kick off times to suit your TV watching budget.

[Claytons Left Boot]

".......the contract contained a commitment to Rovers merchandise........."

Lying bar stewards (SWI not Rovers) - propaganda speak for badly run companies. If they say it enough (some) people will start to believe it.

Thanks for the info Glenn.

[Cocker]

the people who miss the last 10 mins of the 1st half or the opening 10 mins of the 2nd half in order to be able to buy anything at the break - have "catering issues" right of the top of their lists.

I remember that a few years ago they used to have this beer machine that would pull about 10 pints in one go. That thing was awsome - no problems at all. Now, its awful with that 1 giant bloke who just stands there pulling one pint at a time - takes ages to wet the old whistle.

[Sparky Marky]

So, you deduce that among the issues about transfer budgets, academy progression, the club shop, TV exposure (which would in turn bring in extra revenues through advertising, image rights and general worldwide recognition).....the fact that you can't buy a pie within 10 minutes is a high prority? If it's such a problem, fill yer belly before you get to the ground.

I don't subscribe to Sky and my concern is that whilst we are an equal member of the Premiership, our exposure is virtually non-existant throughout the season compared to other clubs.

Hmm...yep...I must be an idiot.

[stuwilky]

We could always opt of our the collective bargaining arrangement and sell all our matches individually.

I reckon that would get us more than the £35m+ we'll get from Sky this season...... or maybe not.

[Claytons Left Boot]

".......the contract contained a commitment to Rovers merchandise........."

Lying bar stewards (SWI not Rovers) - propaganda speak for badly run companies. If they say it enough (some) people will start to believe it.

Thanks for the info Glenn.

Forgot to mention that, within their redevelopment plans, even the knuckle draggers 10 miles to the east are looking to double the size of their club shop. This should make it (in terms of selling club products) about 10 times better than ours.

[Cocker]

So, you deduce that among the issues about transfer budgets, academy progression, the club shop, TV exposure (which would in turn bring in extra revenues through advertising, image rights and general worldwide recognition).....the fact that you can't buy a pie within 10 minutes is a high prority? If it's such a problem, fill yer belly before you get to the ground.

I don't subscribe to Sky and my concern is that whilst we are an equal member of the Premiership, our exposure is virtually non-existant throughout the season compared to other clubs.

Hmm...yep...I must be an idiot.

Once again mate, read what has already been written As far as I know, anyone can suggest topics for inclusion on the agenda

Therefore, anything that anyone wants to have a say on will be discussed.

[Sparky Marky]

Yep fair enough, but surely these topics should be on the agenda at meeting like this. Not whether you can buy a pie in 10 minutes or not....every club has these problems and mostly fans will expect them like they always have.

I was merely pointing out that there must be more pressing issues to discuss at meetings than pie availability.

Does that make me an idiot?

[rebelmswar]

I was merely pointing out that there must be more pressing issues to discuss at meetings than pie availability.

I dont know why but I almost wet myself

[Kiwiwannabe]

For Sparky Marky, and anyone else who is interested, there is an agenda setting meeting on Monday 6 August ahead of the Fans Forum meeting the following week. If you have any particular issues you would like the Fans Forum to raise with the club, you can contact the chairman or any of the members before that date.

(Contact details were on the rovers official website, but I haven't checked if they are still on the new look site)

[rover_groo]

Yep fair enough, but surely these topics should be on the agenda at meeting like this. Not whether you can buy a pie in 10 minutes or not....every club has these problems and mostly fans will expect them like they always have.

It's called a fans forum and the issue has been brought up to ease any a bit more stress on matchdays. If people find it difficult in getting to a kiosk and have to leave the match early to ensure they aren't in a huge back log in the queue. Then it's an issue that affects fans.

Personally it doesn't affect me as I don't find the need to eat during the game (even an hour before/after the 90 minutes) but I'm sure there are adults, families and young children who are affected by this. In return if this situation can be partially resolved, then it will lead to an increse on revenue on matchdays and then with at least 19 home fixtures a season, it can be a huge benefit to the football club.

I was merely pointing out that there must be more pressing issues to discuss at meetings than pie availability.

What, like getting Alan Shearer in as manager before Hughes ups and leaves???

You have referred to Mark Hughes leaving on several occasions and good to see that you aren't calling the shots as you're more obsessed with the manger upping his sticks and moving to United instead of looking what he is doing/could do further with the squad and how far they have come over the last few seasons.

[FourLaneBlue]

What's happened to BRISA? Is it still going?

If so what is the point in having a separate Fans Forum and BRISA now that the minutes of Fans Forum meetings are avaiable to read?

[Exiled in Toronto]

[They had a lucrative long term contract which they would not be able to replicate managing the store themselves.

This to me sums up the problem with football today, where 'lucrative' is judged purely in terms of cash in hand rather than customer satisfaction and long-term loyalty. Any idiot running a shop can make it more lucrative in the short term, but will soon go out of business. In football however, customers are seen as cattle who will continue to show their loyalty regardless.

Did anyone at BRFC wonder why it was going to be so much more lucrative that running it themselves? While I have no doubt that a professional retailer can shave a few costs here and there on staffing and sourcing, it is not a huge leap of imagination to see that the big savings would come from getting rid of the short production run Rovers stuff and filling the store with the mass produced tat they sell in all their other stores.

And if guarantees were in place and not being followed, it must have been very difficult for Rovers to keep tabs on them and clamp down early, after all, it is a full 20 feet from the BRFC head office.

Not good enough

[Blakey]

Well the fans forum has done us proud, quicker pies next season for everyone! A big pat on the back must go to everyone involved, well done!

[Blakey]

What's happened to BRISA? Is it still going?

SSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHH Your not aloud to mention BRISA, it is a secret squirel organisation that the normal fans aren't aloud to know about!

[Sparky Marky]

What, like getting Alan Shearer in as manager before Hughes ups and leaves???

You have referred to Mark Hughes leaving on several occasions and good to see that you aren't calling the shots as you're more obsessed with the manger upping his sticks and moving to United instead of looking what he is doing/could do further with the squad and how far they have come over the last few seasons.

What has a comment about the fans forum meeting got to do with Mark Hughes's position as manager?