[Archived] Rovers Hit The Headlines

[PAFELL]

Or launch a PR offensive after all the attacks on the club and Venky’s in the media.

I deal with PR companies all the time and have to say that it is embarrassing the way that PR has been handled at Rovers over the last few months, the current incumbents need to realise that they are now working in a completely different environment and they can’t simply sit on their hands and do nothing, good PR is about being proactive or if you have to act then do so decisively. The vast majority of other Premier League clubs handle PR much more effectively, for example it is clear that there is a media agenda against Venky’s (much of it caused by Venky’s themselves) so why not be proactive and get the media to talk to the owners, try and change perceptions or give the owners an opportunity to explain the rationale behind the decisions that were made, there was an ideal opportunity when Venky’s were over here in January but instead nothing was done and journalists formed their own opinions.

PR is also about networking, so a negative story comes out like the one at the weekend, what you do is to make sure that you have networked and build relationship with journalists and media organisations and get them to run articles which counteract the negative story, this kind of things happens all of the time. I can guarantee that if there is a negative story about Man Utd that within hours or at the latest the next day there will be another story which counteracts the negative story.

Like they have with KPMG, maybe it is time that Venky’s appoint one of the bigger national companies who are more used to handling high profile clients.

Just a thought, I wonder if this negative media stuff is even getting aired in India? If not it could explain lack of action. Sky really had ago at the club on saturday. But we do not know if venkys saw it or even heard about it. Maybe agnew is not permitted to act without venkys say so. I do get the impression that venkys stay in contact with the LET, as they soon give responces to things via them.

Maybe time to collect all the bad stuff and email it to venkys.

[cletus]

What the journo has written is probably right. Who cares if Rovers get relegated? ....sadly only Rovers fans & the people of Blackburn

We`ve punched well above our weight for donkeys years.

We`re seen as a small club with a small passionless fan-base.

The premier league & SKY tv would much prefer the Blackburns & Wigans of the world not be in their league.....cos they consistantly fail to fill their stadiums or attract large tv audiences. We aren`t as marketable as big city clubs. They would much rather have a so-called BIG club like Leeds in there instead of us. Infact they`d probably prefer Celtic & Rangers to Blackburn & Wigan....but haven`t found a way of doing it yet.

Rovers have never been a popular club with the media. Now we have owners who don`t know their 4rses from their elbows.....& the media are rubbing their hands in anticipation of a spectacular downfall.

[Mattyblue]

But West Brom never fill their ground, but are seen as a 'proper club'.

Birmingham are from the UK's second biggest city and get smaller crowds than us. We are one of English football's success stories, but we get bugger all credit for it- failure of PR at every level.

[cletus]

But West Brom never fill their ground, but are seen as a 'proper club'.

Birmingham are from the UK's second biggest city and get smaller crowds than us. We are one of English football's success stories, but we get bugger all credit for it- failure of PR at every level.

the 7 lowest average attendances in the prem....

Brum....25,046 average (30,079 ground cap)= 5k empty seats (including segregation)

Fulham...25,035 aveerage (25,700 ground cap)= 700 empty seats (incl seg)

WBA......24,392 average (26,500 ground cap)= 2k empty seats (incl seg)

Rovers...24,279 average (31,367 ground cap)= 7k empty seats (incl seg)

Bolton...22,193 average (28,723 ground cap)= 6.5k empty seats (incl seg)

Wigan....16,359 average (25,138 ground cap)= 8k empty seats (incl seg)

Blackpool...15,697 average (16,220 ground cap)= 500 empty seats (incl seg)

Empty seats look bad on telly. They make the product look less attractive.

I don`t think many tears would be shed by the Premier League or SKY if 3 Lancashire teams got relegated.

I`m not being negative, merely looking at it from a non-Rovers point of view.

[Mattyblue]

Oh I agree, if our ground was say 27/28k capacity like Bolton's or West Brom's it would look a hell of a lot better.

Saying that, you have rarely seen swathes of empty seats at Ewood in the last couple of years.

[yeti-dog]

I didn't laugh at the fans. At the time I said that the club deserved everything it got but the fans didn't deserve it.

This guy isn't laughing at the fans either.

No..he isn't laughing at us.He's treating us with contempt.

Pathetic article as I said earlier...I'd be ashamed to have my name attached to it tbh.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Or launch a PR offensive after all the attacks on the club and Venky’s in the media.

I deal with PR companies all the time and have to say that it is embarrassing the way that PR has been handled at Rovers over the last few months, the current incumbents need to realise that they are now working in a completely different environment and they can’t simply sit on their hands and do nothing, good PR is about being proactive or if you have to act then do so decisively. The vast majority of other Premier League clubs handle PR much more effectively, for example it is clear that there is a media agenda against Venky’s (much of it caused by Venky’s themselves) so why not be proactive and get the media to talk to the owners, try and change perceptions or give the owners an opportunity to explain the rationale behind the decisions that were made, there was an ideal opportunity when Venky’s were over here in January but instead nothing was done and journalists formed their own opinions.

PR is also about networking, so a negative story comes out like the one at the weekend, what you do is to make sure that you have networked and build relationship with journalists and media organisations and get them to run articles which counteract the negative story, this kind of things happens all of the time. I can guarantee that if there is a negative story about Man Utd that within hours or at the latest the next day there will be another story which counteracts the negative story.

Like they have with KPMG, maybe it is time that Venky’s appoint one of the bigger national companies who are more used to handling high profile clients.

Though we will always be fighting a losing battle against the media darlings from London, Manchester and Liverpool - I think the PR at the club has been poor for a number of years.

When we won the Premiership it could have been portrayed as a victory for the underdog - but was always seen as us buying the title (though we spent no more than United, Liverpool, Newcastle in the same period). Even though we averaged around 3 goals a game at home - our football was always portrayed as long ball - with an over reliance on Shearer (totally forgetting the contributions of the rest of the team).

Since the glory days - we have managed on an absolute pittance - but had very little praise (though there has been some from the Northern media) - for fighting above our weight. Compare this to the London media fawning all over Charlton when they did similar.

As you say - without a media offensive - we will always be portrayed in the same way. Just as Tottingham are always reported as being an attractive football team (didn't see much of that at Ewood) - as are West Ham (given the disgraceful way they managed to avoid relegation following the Teves affair - surely there is a team that deserve to be relegated ?). Whereas Rovers are still seen in the same light as we were when Sam was in charge. It would be an interesting media battle - but Venky's (IMO) have to highlight the football played under Sam - and continue to highlight their plans for more open and attractive football as the reason they disposed of his services.

[Athlete]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1371102/Venkys-vow-stick-Blackburn-despite-threat-relegation.html

[Ferrit]

The owners and Kean don't do themselves any favours in fairness. Ultimately, rightly or wrongly it reflects on the entire club and the fans.

Since day 1 they've constantly spoken drivel to the media, and been ribbed for it, rightly so in my opinion. Let's have it right, if Blackpool got taken over and suddenly started talking about top 4 finishes with a £5million budget, we'd be laughing too.

The owners need to keep themselves out of the spotlight as they clearly don't have a clue what they're talking about. Every time I see a new headline with them involved I cringe.

[LeChuck]

There won't be a shred of sympathy outside Blackburn if we go down. In fact more than that, I think most people will want us to go down because of the actions in recent months.

It's completely understandable, if it was another club we'd all be in the "well it serves them right" boat.

Fortunately it's not too late for Venky's turn this around. Football fans are notoriously fickle. If we can scrape to survival and appoint a proper manager in the summer, get a few decent players and have a good start to next season, all of this season's troubles would be forgotten.

The absolute key to all of it is appointing a well-respected manager. Well, after the formality of beating the drop that is...

Kean doesn't have to leave the club, he can stay on as coach (we desperately need at least one regardless).

[CAPT KAYOS]

The owners and Kean don't do themselves any favours in fairness. Ultimately, rightly or wrongly it reflects on the entire club and the fans.

Indeed Ferrit - further compounded by Athletes post above and the links to the reports of our ridiculous interest in RVN - WE DO NOT NEED HIM OR ANY STUPID MARQUEE SIGNING!!

WAGGY - be careful of who you label the 'Fools' tag to, as it could easily comeback to reflect on your good self. It was quite obvious investment was required to a degree - unfortunately we appear to have got the up to date 'Laurel and Hardy' show in full color.

Unfortuantely, what I see now is what I predicted when the mention of the '49 game scenario' rose its ugly head and the way the P/L was going in a PRIVATE MEMBER'S way (ie City clubs only unless you are rich)and I questioned then whether Rovers should/really needed to be part of it as I felt it could lead to alot of problems(not just for Rovers) as we are just not that type of club (or didn't use to be)

Cletus - please don't bring the whole 'punching above our weight' up - we have deserved to be where we where/are simply because we have been better than other clubs and not just on the field but off it as well - something that quite obviously we are not anymore.

[Mercer]

The owners and Kean don't do themselves any favours in fairness. Ultimately, rightly or wrongly it reflects on the entire club and the fans.

Absolutely right.

We are treated with such contempt because almost every decision the owners have made has, IMO, made us even more an open object for ridicule.

From the sacking of a proven PL manager to be replaced by a rookie, to dispensing with a hugely respected chairman and replacing with an empty seat (apparently we are no nearer to getting a new chairman), to the signing of Myles Anderson (who, arguably, has done nothing to secure a contract anywhere in the Football League, never mind the PL). You can go on and on.

We are a complete laughing stock and, apart from the fans, we are deserving everything we get and, IMO, that includes, possibly, the players whose silence about Sam and Kean has, allegedly, been 'bought' with a flood of new contracts.

[onlyonejackwalker]

Absolutely right.

We are treated with such contempt because almost every decision the owners have made has, IMO, made us even more an open object for ridicule.

From the sacking of a proven PL manager to be replaced by a rookie, to dispensing with a hugely respected chairman and replacing with an empty seat (apparently we are no nearer to getting a new chairman), to the signing of Myles Anderson (who, arguably, has done nothing to secure a contract anywhere in the Football League, never mind the PL). You can go on and on.

We are a complete laughing stock and, apart from the fans, we are deserving everything we get and, IMO, that includes, possibly, the players whose silence about Sam and Kean has, allegedly, been 'bought' with a flood of new contracts.

Yes it is a sorry state of affairs. We have gone from being one of the most widely respected clubs to a laughing stock.

[chocky]

Since when have Rovers been widely respected Our style of play and rough tackling has been criticized by most pundits for years.

[Roversider]

This whole episode underlines the fact the Rovers need professional and influential PR and have not had anything remotely adequate for donkey's years.

Paul Agnew PR has manifestly failed- a good PR company stops most stuff like this from ever being printed in the first place.

I'm not always in agreement with you but on this one I totally endorse your view of Paul Agnew. Where has he been of help to Rovers?

[Wilky]

its publicity... it gets us headlines... columns in national papers and people talking down the pub... so its not all bad

[JAL]

its publicity... it gets us headlines... columns in national papers and people talking down the pub... so its not all bad

It will be when the she..ight on the pitch stops us from going on the ground.

[Guest roverspogges]

From someone who has posted complete garbage on here.........what are you talking about Wilky??

[Athlete]

its publicity... it gets us headlines... columns in national papers and people talking down the pub... so its not all bad

not all bad what planet are you on............we are a complete joke at the moment I haven't heard anything good either in the press or down the pub !

[Wilky]

even if its bad press.. bad press is good press..

before venkys came along how much press did we get? how much wartime other than soccer Saturday did we get on sky sports news?

people might dislike rovers even more now but we are.in the media... that's all that matters surely, not weather other teams fans like us or not...?

[Mattyblue]

Well that's all that matters to Venky's, but as a fan, it should make you cringe.

[cloggyjimmybrfc]

Wilky...

Well if thats good or bad press id rather us be in the dark then because quite frankly its been embaressing to say the least reading about this episode for the last 4 months..........

[Wilky]

not really... I.don't care if burnley, Preston, man u.. arsenal, spurs, chelsea, west ham, sunderland.. or whoever don't like rovers... why would I care...? I'm a rovers fan.. I care about rovers... co you like every team on the planet?

[Guest linganzi]

Front of telegraph reads -

Wilky on sex offenders register

Good press ?

[Ferrit]

Wilky.... the philosophy of "Any media is good media" works for professional fighters, not professional football teams.