[Archived] Revamped Riverside Stand ?

[mhead]

This talk gets nowhere. Its important to have a 5 year plan and do something about the Riverside and its fit with the rest of Ewood. Of course you would spend money on the team first but with Investment you can think about different scenarios.

My suggestion of a 'flexible' RiverSyed that can increase no of seats easily allows for Rock Concerts,other Events,the Big 6 coming to Town and a move up the League by Rovers.This means 35,000 capacity but able to move to 40,000(its just about design). Remember we missed a big opportunity last time cos the Ground was not ready pre-Championship season.

I want us to be the team of choice for everyone North of the Liverpool to Manchester 'plimsoll' line. Just like we lost all our fans to Man U and 'Pool in the 70s/80s.

Its not about us...its about cementing the legacy of Rovers to our 150th anniversary in 2025.

And if that sounds like"Hughesy" all to the good cos real Marketing is built on realistic optimism.

[Mattyblue]

This talk gets nowhere. Its important to have a 5 year plan and do something about the Riverside and its fit with the rest of Ewood. Of course you would spend money on the team first but with Investment you can think about different scenarios.

My suggestion of a 'flexible' RiverSyed that can increase no of seats easily allows for Rock Concerts,other Events,the Big 6 coming to Town and a move up the League by Rovers.This means 35,000 capacity but able to move to 40,000(its just about design). Remember we missed a big opportunity last time cos the Ground was not ready pre-Championship season.

I want us to be the team of choice for everyone North of the Liverpool to Manchester 'plimsoll' line. Just like we lost all our fans to Man U and 'Pool in the 70s/80s.

Its not about us...its about cementing the legacy of Rovers to our 150th anniversary in 2025.

And if that sounds like"Hughesy" all to the good cos real Marketing is built on realistic optimism.

I'm with you 100% Rovers will only grow gates two ways- and these are linked.

1) Marketing the club aggresively outside the heartlands of east lancs and other local areas.

2) A successfull team

always makes me laugh when fellow Rovers fans state how good it is to see so many Lancashire teams doing well. We need Blackpool, Bolton and Wigan relegated and PNE and the Dingles never to come up.

We need to be the ONLY club doing well in the region outside the Liverpool and Manchester clubs.

We need to press home to al the north west that affordable and avaliable seats are here for you and your family. Loss leading coach travel etc.

Otherwise we will NEVER see Ewood full to 30000 nevermind 40k+!

[Hughesy]

Start putting more subsidised travel on from areas like Lancaster, Lakes, Morecambe, Preston, Bolton, Accy, Chorley etc.

[philipl]

Back in the 1980's when we were getting the occasional League crowd in the 4,000s, I remember thinking I'd never be in another crowd of over 20,000 at Ewood and even a crowd of 10,000 was looking to be a great rarity dependent upon drawing a really big name in the Cup. We did eventually get a home tie against Man U in the 4th round and drew a massive 16,000 to Ewood.

When Jack was rebuilding Ewood, the original drawings were for a bowl holding 24,000 but when the gates started moving up from about 8,000 average when he first got involved to five figures and then filling the then maximum of 18,000, Jack thought big and built the 31,000+ stadium we have today and indeed it was his dream to rebuild the Roverside as well.

The lesson is that on crowd sizes, never to say never.

[Iceman]

but what that does, is it brings people who are not whole heartedly Rovers fans into the stadium. You can buy fans over, but the ones who are genuine Rovers supporters, are the ones who we want to see fill the stadium. We cannot bring in Bolton or Wigan fans, just because they got relegated. If that is the case, then i would rather have the 20k of genuine Rovers fans, instead of an additional 25k of fans who we bought off Ebay.

[philipl]

but what that does, is it brings people who are not whole heartedly Rovers fans into the stadium. You can buy fans over, but the ones who are genuine Rovers supporters, are the ones who we want to see fill the stadium. We cannot bring in Bolton or Wigan fans, just because they got relegated. If that is the case, then i would rather have the 20k of genuine Rovers fans, instead of an additional 25k of fans who we bought off Ebay.

And this is a debate between someone normally resident in Malta and a fan in Cape Town!

[67splitscreen]

The principle is fine the logistics is another matter currently.

20 coaches for every 1000 fans.

I'm aware that some of the bigger clubs bus fans in from many areas around the country but the demand is already there.

In the long term it may work but it would be a financial gamble in the first couple of seasons, building the support just to fill the coaches.

Many current fans would just use the facility sort of negates the original idea.

[OscarRaven]

And if that sounds like"Hughesy" all to the good cos real Marketing is built on realistic optimism.

I think you will find real marketing is built on a sound product, solid fact-base and good understanding of the consumer/market.

Putting in extra capacity without knowing where and how growth will come will result in one thing and one thing only - additional cost.

[Iceman]

And this is a debate between someone normally resident in Malta and a fan in Cape Town!

im not quite understanding you Philip? excuse me for being stupid I know i was responding to MattyBlue's post, but forgot to quote him.

[Mattyblue]

It is a long term plan, it has to be.

I take your point phil, however there was always potential in east lancs to grow Rovers fanbase from an all time low of the 8000 or so in the 1980s. Now it is different, the gates we get are superb when you look at the demographics and size of the area, plus the multitude of clubs in a 40 mile radius. However, is there scope for much more growth locally?

We HAVE to look further afield.

[Hughesy]

Many current fans would just use the facility sort of negates the original idea.

Depends on Syed and his plans but if he's willing to a loss on it for a few seasons then it could work.

I know quite a few far away fans and one of the reasons they can never get anyone to go with them is because they cannot get their easy/ cheap enough. Also if other fans can tempt one or two mates then if the price us right then why would they not get hooked?

It might even be worth putting on a national express style one - one that starts in London & stops in the midlands & then up to Ewood...might not work, but surely worth a try?

My main arguement to increase fans and iv been saying it for years is FREE entry for kids under the age of say 12.

[philipl]

The principle is fine the logistics is another matter currently.

20 coaches for every 1000 fans.

I'm aware that some of the bigger clubs bus fans in from many areas around the country but the demand is already there.

In the long term it may work but it would be a financial gamble in the first couple of seasons, building the support just to fill the coaches.

Many current fans would just use the facility sort of negates the original idea.

In 95/6, 30 coaches from all round the country parked at the Darwen End after bringing in Rovers fans. Driving up the M6 I regularly passed coaches on their way to Ewood from points south of Birmingham. There was one from Stroud in Gloucestershire I saw quite often.

[Iceman]

this is interesting, because by the sounds of it, majority of the crowd are from Blackburn or from its surrounding areas. However, im not familiar with the Geographics of England, but knowing that there are lots more Rovers fans who are quite a distance away from Ewood.

Money plays an important role i suppose, and many fans south of the border cannot afford to make trips to Ewood for every home game. If the club were to provide some sort of transport to fans across the country, to and from the stadium, then surely Ewood would gain from it.

However, the cost involved would be crazy, and unless Syed gets involved, that idea will not happen. I can also see, why Syed wants more sponsorships happening at Rovers.

[sparky12]

all syeds plans are long term!! people saying we will never get 40,000 in ewood but 10-15 years is a long way off, its obvious for every rovers fan to see what can change in 15 years, so hopefully under syed things can change again

[Hughesy]

Alternatively, invest on the pitch first? Then we don't have to come up with elaborate schemes to get an extra 300 people into Ewood only to lose 2000 the following season when we realise the schemes don't make financial sense.

He is going to invest on the pitch too....

[67splitscreen]

In 95/6, 30 coaches from all round the country parked at the Darwen End after bringing in Rovers fans. Driving up the M6 I regularly passed coaches on their way to Ewood from points south of Birmingham. There was one from Stroud in Gloucestershire I saw quite often.

Not disputing the fact philipl.

On occasions I have seen the current parking behind the DE looking quite full with away coaches, adding another 40 (2000 fans) will nedd some considerations, segregation Etc.

Don't get me wrong I'm all for anything that puts bums on seats.

Why bother with a train station when you can have an airport.

[Majiball]

The principle is fine the logistics is another matter currently.

20 coaches for every 1000 fans.

I'm aware that some of the bigger clubs bus fans in from many areas around the country but the demand is already there.

In the long term it may work but it would be a financial gamble in the first couple of seasons, building the support just to fill the coaches.

Many current fans would just use the facility sort of negates the original idea.

Use double deckers and it would only take 10.

[67splitscreen]

Use double deckers and it would only take 10.

The front seats are pre-booked.

[ABBEY]

He is going to invest on the pitch too....

and a snow blower !

[waggy]

revamping ewood should be the last project any new owners take on,we cannot sell out now with a 30k capacity,unless they are going to pay fans to go

[Stuart]

like ive said before a RING OF FAME around the ground like they do in the NFL ,we could vote say 11 players in and then say 2 a season and have it going all round the ground.

That's not a bad idea. And doesn't require a takeover or revamped Riverside stand to do so.

On a simliar note, maybe we could have head shots of former players on the seat uprights (and Rovers shirts painted on the bottom of the seats) so when they are glaringly empty (like last night), it will look like a crowd full of fans - and won't seem as empty.

[Gav]

like ive said before a RING OF FAME around the ground like they do in the NFL ,we could vote say 11 players in and then say 2 a season and have it going all round the ground.

Great idea, think you stole it from me though

Abbey makes a great point, you need to follow the NFL model in my opinion, Ewood should be a hive of activity from 9am on Saturday match days, like the tailgate parties in the states. Its not just about the 90 minutes these days, its about the whole experience and the NFL do it just right, $100 tickets for a whole days entertainment that starts at 8am and finishes at 2am the following morning.

The Ewood area needs to be totally revamped with the club buying up the land and making the whole place Roverville.

Large Outdoor screens showing games and interviews, bars serving decent food and drink and that’s before you get into the ground, all run by the club.

Look at the areas before you enter Universal studios or Disney, over the top maybe, but you can spend ½ a day going through those areas before you pay your ticket money and get to the theme parks.

Local business and pubs will suffer, but progress is progress.

Just a thought........

[Darth Paul]

Great idea, think you stole it from me though

You nicking my ideas AGAIN Gav?!

Seriously though, this was another one of my suggestions that I wrote about in the LT blog a couple of years back, except I called it the "Walker-fame". (Geddit ).

Mentioned this to JW and not long after the club came up with the sponsored brick initiative behind the BBE. Must not have made myself clear!

Players footprints, (or hand prints in the case of keepers), in a star a la Hollyowood or wherevwer it is .. with their goals and appearance stats etc...nice.

[Gav]

You nicking my ideas AGAIN Gav?!

[mogster]

Great idea, think you stole it from me though

Abbey makes a great point, you need to follow the NFL model in my opinion, Ewood should be a hive of activity from 9am on Saturday match days, like the tailgate parties in the states. Its not just about the 90 minutes these days, its about the whole experience and the NFL do it just right, $100 tickets for a whole days entertainment that starts at 8am and finishes at 2am the following morning.

The Ewood area needs to be totally revamped with the club buying up the land and making the whole place Roverville.

Large Outdoor screens showing games and interviews, bars serving decent food and drink and that’s before you get into the ground, all run by the club.

Look at the areas before you enter Universal studios or Disney, over the top maybe, but you can spend ½ a day going through those areas before you pay your ticket money and get to the theme parks.

Local business and pubs will suffer, but progress is progress.

Just a thought........

I live in Ewood. Whilst I don't want to have my house knocked down I DO want to live in the middle of an all day party.

Swings and Roundabouts