[Archived] Maximising Revenue On Match Days

[cletus]

It was half-time in the riverside at the Fulham game, i was cold, a bit damp & bursting for a p1ss .... so i legged it to the bogs. I don`t usually buy food or drink when at Ewood but today i was cold, so i thought i`d get a bovril (£1.60) & a balti pie (£2.20) from the kiosk near the darwen end side of the stand. When i came out of the toilets the queue (or crush) for the kiosk totally put me off. I couldn`t be ar5ed getting pushed, shoved & crushed for 15minutes in a vain attempt to spend my hard-earned cash.......so i thought i wouldn`t bother & went back to my seat.

When back at my seat i was looking around & chatting to my neighbours & mentioned the queues for food. My neighbour agreed & said they 'never bothered either' for the same reasons.

That got me thinking.....are Rovers maximising their revenue? They only have a short while before a game & 15mins during half-time to sell refreshments. Most of the time fans have to queue for ages. Many don`t bother cos of this.

My idea is simple.......before a game & during half-time, why don`t the club have people selling food & drinks all along the front perimeter wall like they used to do in cinemas? A recent trip to the MEN & also Wembley for concerts had people walking amongst the crowd with signs on poles above their heads saying BEER. They had a sort of drinks dispenser-type rucksack & a tube full of paper cups. This method could easily be converted to sell tea, coffee, bovril, coke etc at Ewood. Also some sort of heated trolleys with pies, chips etc along the perimeter could be used.

The perimeter wall going around the pitch could/should be used to it`s full potential. Imagine somebody selling tea/coffee/bovril, then 20feet down the line somebody selling pies & pasties, then 20ft further down soft drinks & another 20ft crisps/marsbars etc. I bet more stuff would be sold, the queues would be halved & Rovers would be making more money!

What do people think?

[Tim Southampton Rover]

They do that at Southampton.

At half time they have a food & drink trolley which come out at half time at various places around the ground next to the pitch which makes it easily accessible for people as there is quite a bit of room at the front to form a short queue. Having these are useful as they only sell hot drinks and little snacks like chocolate bars etc. I've got a feeling that some might sell different things like hot dogs, burgers pre-made.

It's also pretty good because kids can be sent down and queue whilst in view of their parents and also means we don't have to queue ourselves!

[Florida Rover]

This is done in the States here at most sporting events and it goes off without any issue.I think it would be a great idea for Rovers to maximize matchday income:make it easier for the fan to spend money.In addition a kiosk to sell Rovers memoriabilia on match day would work well once we out of the encumberences that the SWI deal holds over the club.

[LeChuck]

Isn't food etc. outsourced? I'm pretty sure Rovers earn a flat rate. i.e. we'll make the same money if one pie is sold as we would if ten-thousand were sold. Happy to be corrected on that though.

[Paul]

What do people think?

Would there be a ladder down from the upper tier?

Like you I rarely bother to buy any food or drink at Ewood. If I do it means I'm cold, tired or fed up - Saturday I bought two of those giant Kit Kats!

For me the problem is this:

the queues mean you have to miss the end of the first half or the start of the second

the tea and coffee is awful

the chips are good but apart from these there is nothing else I would want to eat

Basically it's simpler, cheaper and tastier to take a flask. With only 15 minutes to serve people it is very hard to see how this can be improved. Full marks for your ideas, I remember seeing the drinks in the crowd think more than 30 years ago at a NY Yankees game.

[cletus]

Would there be a ladder down from the upper tier?

No. You`d have butlers serve you & spoon it in

Seriously though, my point is you probably have a dozen people in the kiosks in the riverside serving up to a possible 5000 people in a 15min period at half time......it simply cannot be done.

Isn't food etc. outsourced? I'm pretty sure Rovers earn a flat rate. i.e. we'll make the same money if one pie is sold as we would if ten-thousand were sold.

I honestly don`t know if it`s outsourced?? Do the club actually get involved in anything 'fan related' then? Outsourced food, outsourced merchandise....what next?? lol!

[Jan]

Arsenal serve food as you suggest, Cletus. But I think food at Rovers is outsourced.

[thenodrog]

No. You`d have butlers serve you & spoon it in

Seriously though, my point is you probably have a dozen people in the kiosks in the riverside serving up to a possible 5000 people in a 15min period at half time......it simply cannot be done.

I honestly don`t know if it`s outsourced?? Do the club actually get involved in anything 'fan related' then? Outsourced food, outsourced merchandise....what next?? lol!

'Northcote offsite' I think. I realise that BRFC has relinquished control but surely if the franchise makes lots of money then the cost of it will rise also. The only solution to the caterers appears to be to put in place ridiculously steep prices for junk food that would never work anywhere else other than MWay services and airports.

On Sat for the first time this season I queued for a pie and 2 bovril in the JWS. The queue moved at absolute snails pace. Mainly imo cos

1. The staff are useless cheap rate kids / students who have no shift in them whatsoever...... commision based wages would serve best here.

2. There is too big a selection of food to pratt about with. Stick to pies and cones of chips accompanied by coffee, bovril or cans.

3. The bovril dispenser worked at a trickle..... (prob H&S at work here).

4. Taking cash and giving change in todays world seems to take an age.

Basically the ground rules to this business is that there is 20 mins MAX to serve all they have to. They really need to adapt to the situation better.

Oh and as usual I went in the pub before the match for pint or two and it was heaving. How come BRFC cannot tempt us all to have our pre-match pint inside Ewood rather than outside? Crap ale and steep prices will not tempt many to go down at 1.30 on matchdays will it?

[Biddy]

Back in the bad old days Rovers did used to have trolleys with tea, coffee and pies etc that came round the pitch side. Problem was that a crowd of people would instantly gather and the melee was just as bad as at the kiosks.

[Paul]

'Northcote offsite' I think.

I think that is the posher stuff. Went to a sportsman's dinner once which was catered by Northcote's at Ewood Park. £30 a ticket and the food was very poor. It's about expectation! With the Northcote's name I expected very high quality but was very disappointed with the meal. For the £60, plus drinks, it cost for myself and good lady I know plenty of places where we could have eaten better and had some change.

I realise that BRFC has relinquished control but surely if the franchise makes lots of money then the cost of it will rise also. The only solution to the caterers appears to be to put in place ridiculously steep prices for junk food that would never work anywhere else other than MWay services and airports.

On Sat for the first time this season I queued for a pie and 2 bovril in the JWS. The queue moved at absolute snails pace. Mainly imo cos

1. The staff are useless cheap rate kids / students who have no shift in them whatsoever...... commision based wages would serve best here.

2. There is too big a selection of food to pratt about with. Stick to pies and cones of chips accompanied by coffee, bovril or cans.

3. The bovril dispenser worked at a trickle..... (prob H&S at work here).

4. Taking cash and giving change in todays world seems to take an age.

Basically the ground rules to this business is that there is 20 mins MAX to serve all they have to. They really need to adapt to the situation better.

I recall talking to the new catering manager about a year back and these were all things she was very aware of. Two changes I understood would happen this season were to reduce the range on offer (I think this has happened) and improve staff motivation. The second is very tough when you are offering 3-4 hours work every fortnight at very irregular hours.

Oh and as usual I went in the pub before the match for pint or two and it was heaving. How come BRFC cannot tempt us all to have our pre-match pint inside Ewood rather than outside? Crap ale and steep prices will not tempt many to go down at 1.30 on matchdays will it?

I'd guess comfort is also an issue. Who would want to stand around on a concourse for 90 minutes when the alternative is a warm pub? Plus there are those who don't want to drink beer but might well enjoy a lunch.

[CAPT KAYOS]

Oh and as usual I went in the pub before the match for pint or two and it was heaving. How come BRFC cannot tempt us all to have our pre-match pint inside Ewood rather than outside? Crap ale and steep prices will not tempt many to go down at 1.30 on matchdays will it?

Something I have touched on before and the possibility of having 'themed' (Indian/Chinese food etc) days and possibility of drawing in the asian population also.

As for me not really interested at what's on offer as its cheaper for better fare outside the ground and can't be bothered with the hassle.

[dannydisco]

A simple scientific way to improve the speed of service would look at the amount of footsteps a barman needs to talk in order to complete an order. If they need to walk to one end to get a bottle of coke, down the other to get a pie, back to the other for a kit kat then to the middle to get a glass, over to the pumps to pull a pint. Once this is done its a few more steps back to the till to add it all up, then more steps back to the customer to collect payment, then more steps back to the till to issue change and finally back to the customer to give change. A way to resolve this would be to improve they layout of the whole kiosk by using speed rails and dump fridges below the counter. Everthing a barman needs is within arms length or at worst one pivot step away. The barman works more like a statinary octopus rather than a headless chicken.

Round off the prices to either whole pounds of 50's. the most efficient price would be £2.50 per item. not only does this make it much easier for the staff to work the tally up in their heads, it dramatically cuts the time taken faffing around with small change, by both staff and customers.

Vending machines could be installed along the concourse, either for confectionary or bottled drinks.

More bottle only kiosks.

These backpacks HERE are used at Newcastle and Arsenal. Get them at ewood. Beer on the concourse and others doing confectionary out on the perimiter and maybe in the stands throughout the game.

Another way to increse match day revinue would be to purchase the now empty church next to the darwen end and convert it into a huge home fans sports bar. It's anoying how, possibly the best pub is dedicated to away fans! It really gets the atmosphere going for them when they are all gathered outside the marque on the fernhurst. Surely what rovers fans need is a decent, large pub, next to the ground. Blues bar is simply too small and exclusive on matchdays.

[cletus]

These backpacks HERE are used at Newcastle and Arsenal.

They look like the one`s i`ve seen at the MEN & Wembley

Ideal for the perimeter wall before the game & during half-time.

[roversmum]

the issue has been under discussion at the Fans Forum - minutes here

[Ben-2000]

As for me not really interested at what's on offer as its cheaper for better fare outside the ground and can't be bothered with the hassle.

My thoughts exactly. For example 10 chips for £2.00 inside the ground... or a much bigger, better tasting bagful outside the ground for half the price?! No contest and that is just 1 example... Pies, Chocolate, drinks etc - like every ground in the country are extortionate prices.

[Ben-2000]

the issue has been under discussion at the Fans Forum - minutes here

She presented a paper (attached), which was discussed in detail

I can't find the attachment... is there anything on it it that is not on the main minutes page? Thanks.

[vintageadidas]

Get Gordon Ramsay in - local produce, smaller menu and robert is your dad's brother.

I agree with the post by dannydisco, some very good points there. However, one major problem is the fact that the people working behind the counters are complete and utter morons. I think i have had one person who can speak english, count past 4 and get my order correct in the 17 years i have had a season ticket.

I usually go and get something 5 mins into a game: fresher food, no queue and just easier. However, i have give up having a pint at the rovers since the introduction of the smoking ban; they complement eachother so well.

[only2garners]

the issue has been under discussion at the Fans Forum - minutes here

Thanks mum - was about to post that myself. We have had Mel Lewis (Catering Manager) at the Fans' Forum twice to talk about improving catering on matchdays, once last Summer and at the last Forum 2 weeks ago. Anyone looking at the minutes should see Mel's report attached, which goes into some detail about the problems. Fundamentally the challenge is to serve as many people as possible in a 15 minute period - virtually impossible to avoid some queues in that scenario.

Matchday catering for fans is not outsourced - Mel's team manage it. There are significant problems with staff, most of whom are agency. Many only come once and often don't turn up at all. The club have recognised this and have started taking on staff directly and have also increased wages to improve staff quality. One particular area of difficulty is the lack of EPOS (Electronic Point Of Sale) tills. These will greatly speed up service and should be installed for next season.

Cletus' idea about portable "stalls" sounds like it might be workable, especially on the Riverside. I will make sure Mel gets the idea.

The other idea about a sports bar for Rovers fans - that's Blues Bar isn't it? The club recognise that this is a success - they can charge entry and have it full over an hour before kick-off. The club are looking to see if they can find another site within the ground to open another one along the same lines.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

They should do a matchday meal which includes - Sandwich, crisps & drink. All the food can be pre-packaged so the staff don't need to actually make any on the spot and all they've got to do is serve, serve & serve!

The club could also promote healthier eating at the same time.

[roversmum]

I don't think that paper was attached John. It wasn't in the emailed minutes I printed out for Mr Roversmum.

[only2garners]

I don't think that paper was attached John. It wasn't in the emailed minutes I printed out for Mr Roversmum.

Sorry folks - my mistake. I've asked Lee to add it to the minutes on the website.

[colin]

I'm pretty sure that the "food" at Ewood is outsourced to a catering company. BRFC is in the business of running a football club and not a frenzied burger, chips & fizzy lager bar which operates for a few minutes every couple of weeks. BRFC probably has sold the right to sell food & drink to a company who do this sort of thing.

Apart from Norwich City where Delia has waved her magic spoon, anyone who buys food in a football stadium is either desperate or extremely stupid. How much brain does it take to eat something before you go? Take a bottle of water or a bar of chocolate. Have a pint in a pub before, take a couple of samosas.

This thread reminds me of the furore over the £4.50 pies at the New Wembley at the last FA Cup Final.

Don't buy them. You're there to watch a game of football, not for a gourmet experience at a price you can afford.

[American]

Knowledge is knowing that a lot of places outsource catering.

Intelligence is reading O2G's post on the prior page that says Rovers don't.

[cletus]

Colin...."This thread reminds me of the furore over the £4.50 pies at the New Wembley at the last FA Cup Final.

Don't buy them. You're there to watch a game of football, not for a gourmet experience at a price you can afford."

You`re missing the point Colin...

The thread is about Rovers maximising the potential of 20,000+ people walking through their gates roughly 20-odd times a season. I agree cost is a big factor, so is quality but also availability of the product in a short space of time. This is a chance for people to discuss, swap & thrash out ideas.

Maybe the 'outsourced' food & merchandise isn`t working as it could be (there`s a whole thread complaining about the club shop alone!)

Yes, it might be easier for the club to pass on (outsource) the responsibility to somebody else......BUT at the end of the day, if the supporters aren`t happy they won`t use (which is what i witnessed on Saturday)

At the end of the day the club loses out on potential revenue.

[Dunnfc]

They should sell like a packed lunch where you buy one and open up the bag and inside is a sarnie,drink,kit-kat w/e.

Another thing which has crossed my mind is that West Brom and Barnsley have 2/3 sponsors on the shorts and shirts and so can we not get 2 sponsors instead of just having bet 24 on a shirt.

We could have bet24 on the shirt and some other sponsor on our shorts?

The balti pies we sell are heaven though.