[Archived] Season Tickets 2012/13

[Stuart]

Brilliant post Parsonblue.

[glen9mullan]

The last time I looked mum it was Desai and her clan who owned the club and thus directly or indirectly any money which the club receives belongs to Desai. The club does not exist as a separate entity. It is part of the Venky brand. Unfortunately, Desai and her clan have shown no real inclination to invest in Blackburn Rovers or become involved with the local community in the same way that Jack did. The fact that they are more interested in developing football in India is perfectly understandable. Jack was Blackburn born and bred and hence had an interest in the town and its welfare. Desai has no interest in either the club or the town. As you quite rightly point out, Blackburn Rovers is a useful tool for expanding the Venky brand in India. Unfortunately, it is at that point where we differ as I don't believe that expanding Indian football in Gao will have any positive impact on Blackburn Rovers.

John Williams understood the simple fact that for the Rovers to prosper Premier League football is essential. I really don't believe that Desai fully grasps this simple concept. Once the Rovers are consigned to the wilderness of the Championship or, dare I say it, League One, all the plans for development of the Indian market will vanish overnight. New markets might be attracted to United, City, Chelsea, Liverpool etc. but they are unlikely to be interested in buying into a clash between the Rovers and Peterborough United.

The cost cutting that has gone on in recent months has clearly been detrimental to the team, a fact acknowledged by the manager when he states that we need to buy some experienced players. The fact is that the experienced players that we have allowed to leave or refused to utilise in recent months may very well have kept us up. However, the balance sheet clearly came before Premier League survival. By saving on the wages of the likes of Salgado, Nelsen, Roberts etc Desai has shown that she is prepared to risk the money that comes with Premier League membership.

While I might agree that they are committed to the Academy as an ideal; from what I'm pickup up I'm not convinced that they are prepared to invest the type of money into it to make it thrive. The original concept was for the Academy to be self-financing by either producing players for the first team or providing the club with a revenue stream via the sale of players to other clubs if they failed to make the grade at Ewood. Of course, the collapse of the ITV deal with the Football League has meant that the second part of that concept has collapsed and now sell-on clauses are the best we can hope for. As a result the Academy, like the rest of the club, will have to be supported financially by the owners.

I suspect, getting back to the original point, that like many people it will be at the end of April before I make a decision with regard to a season ticket. That is not because I have lost my love of the club – far from it. It's more a case of the fact that watching Desai and her clan destroy something that has been part of my life and something that I have loved for over half a century is becoming too much to take.

super post

[Al]

Personally I am not affected by an increase in the price of a season ticket, within reason. I see this as a game of bluff between the Venkys and the supporters. I may well be wrong but if enough supporters hold back on renewals the Venkys may, just may, be tempted to sack Kean in order to persuade the supporters to renew.

I personally am going to hold out until the last day before somebody else can take my seat. It's a good seat and I don't want to lose it.

Can I persuade the ones who are going to renew to hold out as long as possible in the hope of something positive happening? Either Kean with a boot up his backside or the Venkys selling.

PS Anybody know when the last day is to claim your seat?

[Kendalrover]

Personally I am not affected by an increase in the price of a season ticket, within reason. I see this as a game of bluff between the Venkys and the supporters. I may well be wrong but if enough supporters hold back on renewals the Venkys may, just may, be tempted to sack Kean in order to persuade the supporters to renew.

I personally am going to hold out until the last day before somebody else can take my seat. It's a good seat and I don't want to lose it.

Can I persuade the ones who are going to renew to hold out as long as possible in the hope of something positive happening? Either Kean with a boot up his backside or the Venkys selling.

PS Anybody know when the last day is to claim your seat?

I will not be renewing before the end of April which means I will lose the seat that I have had since the Jack Wlaker Stand was completed. It is a very good seat near the half way line in the upper tier. So come May I will have no incentive or inclination to even think about what I will do until August.

[Mike Graham]

Roversmum.....the Venky's have destroyed MY team. The only thing left of BRFC is the badge and the occasional game that we play in the famous blue and white halves.

Please do not try and be an apologist for these morons anymore.

[Al]

I will not be renewing before the end of April which means I will lose the seat that I have had since the Jack Wlaker Stand was completed. It is a very good seat near the half way line in the upper tier. So come May I will have no incentive or inclination to even think about what I will do until August.

I don't think that the end of April will be the last day to reclaim your seat. It's just the end of the earlybird prices. It's just blackmail to find out how many are likely to renew under Kean and the Venkys.

[DE.]

The last time I looked mum it was Desai and her clan who owned the club and thus directly or indirectly any money which the club receives belongs to Desai. The club does not exist as a separate entity. It is part of the Venky brand. Unfortunately, Desai and her clan have shown no real inclination to invest in Blackburn Rovers or become involved with the local community in the same way that Jack did. The fact that they are more interested in developing football in India is perfectly understandable. Jack was Blackburn born and bred and hence had an interest in the town and its welfare. Desai has no interest in either the club or the town. As you quite rightly point out, Blackburn Rovers is a useful tool for expanding the Venky brand in India. Unfortunately, it is at that point where we differ as I don’t believe that expanding Indian football in Gao will have any positive impact on Blackburn Rovers.

John Williams understood the simple fact that for the Rovers to prosper Premier League football is essential. I really don’t believe that Desai fully grasps this simple concept. Once the Rovers are consigned to the wilderness of the Championship or, dare I say it, League One, all the plans for development of the Indian market will vanish overnight. New markets might be attracted to United, City, Chelsea, Liverpool etc. but they are unlikely to be interested in buying into a clash between the Rovers and Peterborough United.

The cost cutting that has gone on in recent months has clearly been detrimental to the team, a fact acknowledged by the manager when he states that we need to buy some experienced players. The fact is that the experienced players that we have allowed to leave or refused to utilise in recent months may very well have kept us up. However, the balance sheet clearly came before Premier League survival. By saving on the wages of the likes of Salgado, Nelsen, Roberts etc Desai has shown that she is prepared to risk the money that comes with Premier League membership.

While I might agree that they are committed to the Academy as an ideal; from what I’m pickup up I’m not convinced that they are prepared to invest the type of money into it to make it thrive. The original concept was for the Academy to be self-financing by either producing players for the first team or providing the club with a revenue stream via the sale of players to other clubs if they failed to make the grade at Ewood. Of course, the collapse of the ITV deal with the Football League has meant that the second part of that concept has collapsed and now sell-on clauses are the best we can hope for. As a result the Academy, like the rest of the club, will have to be supported financially by the owners.

I suspect, getting back to the original point, that like many people it will be at the end of April before I make a decision with regard to a season ticket. That is not because I have lost my love of the club – far from it. It’s more a case of the fact that watching Desai and her clan destroy something that has been part of my life and something that I have loved for over half a century is becoming too much to take.

Great post PB, spot on.

[roversmum]

So they are running the club like Jack would have wanted?

I said that Jack wanted the club to be self-sufficient. I believe the aim is the same.

i cant believe that you are defending the owners or at least trying to put a positive spin on it. they are driving fans away. we are turning into the worst team i have witnessed at ewood in a long time. you say that they were advised badly at the beginning. does this mean you feel they are being run well now.

Obviously things are not going well. Money needs to be invested in the squad and the infrastructure which is well documented

everyone is entitled to their own opinion and i respect that roversmum but im confussed as to why you seem positive. i would have no problem being relegated, it has to happen to 3 teams but im disgusted at the way it is happening. i also do not want to be there in the championship with kean in charge again and i cant see them letting him go.

I'd prefer not to be relegated.

you also state that football in goa has been made their official sport and that is down to the owners. im sorry but that means nothing to me or blackburn rovers. i dont care that they may have had influence in that. they should be running our club the way it should be. they got a bit of grief at the wigan game and they ran away feeling hard done by and have done nothing at our club since then except sell or let go a lot of players.

I obviously didn't put that very well. I have no idea whether the Raos have any influence in the decision to make Football Goa's official sport - I merely meant that they are well known in the area.

The last time I looked mum it was Desai and her clan who owned the club and thus directly or indirectly any money which the club receives belongs to Desai. The club does not exist as a separate entity. It is part of the Venky brand. Unfortunately, Desai and her clan have shown no real inclination to invest in Blackburn Rovers or become involved with the local community in the same way that Jack did. The fact that they are more interested in developing football in India is perfectly understandable. Jack was Blackburn born and bred and hence had an interest in the town and its welfare. Desai has no interest in either the club or the town. As you quite rightly point out, Blackburn Rovers is a useful tool for expanding the Venky brand in India. Unfortunately, it is at that point where we differ as I don’t believe that expanding Indian football in Gao will have any positive impact on Blackburn Rovers.

They had every intention of investing in the community. Mrs Desai personally asked me for a list of books about Blackburn and Lancashire as she was anxious to learn as much about it as she could. Unfortunately I assume subsequent events caused this plan to stutter - and I don't blame them for that. However, I don't blame fans for being upset - I am upset too - but name calling and abuse is not the way to go. It achieves nothing.

John Williams understood the simple fact that for the Rovers to prosper Premier League football is essential. I really don’t believe that Desai fully grasps this simple concept. Once the Rovers are consigned to the wilderness of the Championship or, dare I say it, League One, all the plans for development of the Indian market will vanish overnight. New markets might be attracted to United, City, Chelsea, Liverpool etc. but they are unlikely to be interested in buying into a clash between the Rovers and Peterborough United.

We can only wait and hope. Personally I would rather not go down the road of relegation, but I do say it seems almost a certainty at the moment. However I can assure you that the owners are fully aware of what relegation might bring.

The cost cutting that has gone on in recent months has clearly been detrimental to the team, a fact acknowledged by the manager when he states that we need to buy some experienced players. The fact is that the experienced players that we have allowed to leave or refused to utilise in recent months may very well have kept us up. However, the balance sheet clearly came before Premier League survival. By saving on the wages of the likes of Salgado, Nelsen, Roberts etc Desai has shown that she is prepared to risk the money that comes with Premier League membership.

It does indeed look that way. However, you may recall that Salgado's form earlier in the season was not good, indeed, he was directly responsible for the opposition scoring on more than occasion and there was much grumbling about his legs being 'gone'. I say this as a committed admirer of Salgado. Roberts is another, people could not moan about him enough. Nelsen - well I'm still very upset about that issue. You have to wonder who gave them unsustainable contracts...

While I might agree that they are committed to the Academy as an ideal; from what I’m pickup up I’m not convinced that they are prepared to invest the type of money into it to make it thrive. The original concept was for the Academy to be self-financing by either producing players for the first team or providing the club with a revenue stream via the sale of players to other clubs if they failed to make the grade at Ewood. Of course, the collapse of the ITV deal with the Football League has meant that the second part of that concept has collapsed and now sell-on clauses are the best we can hope for. As a result the Academy, like the rest of the club, will have to be supported financially by the owners.

If we can continue to produce good players then there is no reason why they can't go into the squad and propsper. Indeed it is essential unless the owners are prepared to shell out millions of pounds on established players. I believe there is a certain amount of general funding for Academies. The Academy/Senior Training Centre need investment - it is now some time since those facilities were built and they now need upgrading, as does the infrastructure and pitches. I was told - I don't know if it applies currently - that the Academy was costing £3million a year (this was a few years ago).

I suspect, getting back to the original point, that like many people it will be at the end of April before I make a decision with regard to a season ticket. That is not because I have lost my love of the club – far from it. It’s more a case of the fact that watching Desai and her clan destroy something that has been part of my life and something that I have loved for over half a century is becoming too much to take.

Indeed. I quite understand. I would point out, though, Parson, having been through fire and water as it were with the club, I am surprised that you feel undecided about your further commitment to the club despite your love for it. I can also understand your current feelings. I still have hope, though.

[Mattyblue]

Who gave them unsutainable contracts? Venky's did, last January.

[roversmum]

Exactly. I'm not convinced that they would have made a difference though.

Nelsen on the other hand, is an entirely different matter.

[Mattyblue]

Exactly.

So... they can't/won't honour the contracts they themselves provided?

[roversmum]

Which is bizarre, to say the least.

However, on whose questionable advice were the contracts issued? Hmmmmmm.

[Parsonblue]

Which is bizarre, to say the least.

However, on whose questionable advice were the contracts issued? Hmmmmmm.

That's part of the problem though isn't it mum. Any successful businessman or businesswoman does their homework properly for themselves. Going into a business that you know nothing about and then relying on agents for advice suggests to me that the business acumen of Desai and co, outside of their comfort zone, is questionable at best. Bringing in some plant manager from Brazil to advise on transfers was bizzare to say the least while the signings of Bruno and Anderson show just how ill equipped these people are to deal with those who inhabit the world of modern day football.

I honestly don't believe Desai and co have the slightest inkling of what will happen to this club if we are relegated. They have been found wanting at Premier League level, which presumably they had some knowledge about. I suspect it will be a repeat of 1965-66 in that it will be a long downhill road which will see the club lose support in the thousands while the coverage of Championship football in India is such that relegation will thwart their plans to enhance their brand through the Rovers in their own country.

Relegation will just about finish them in terms of trying to win over the public of Blackburn. Let's be honest they are unlikely to visit Blackburn anytime soon and if they did the reception they would get would be hostile to say the least.

The Trust, for all its faults, provided the town with the club's longest spell in the top flight since 1936. Venky's look likely to end that record after just eighteen months of ownership. With incompetence on that scale is it any wonder that supporters have little confidence in Desai and her clan to turn things around. Yes, we have been through hard times before but we always had people at the top - Bill Bancroft and Bill Fox, to name but two - who bled 'blue and white' and it always felt like "our" club. To many it simply doesn't feel like that anymore.

[Wiggy]

The elephant in the room is the fact that the Rao family are not financial big hitters. In Premier League club owning circles they are paupers.

They might swagger about in a provincial Indian city but the truth is, in wealth terms, they are far behind the Walker trust.

One of them was sold the impossible dream by a well known cockney spiv and they were all dumb enough to fall for it.

Barclay's know the truth and have acted accordingly.

[rovers11]

That's part of the problem though isn't it mum. Any successful businessman or businesswoman does their homework properly for themselves. Going into a business that you know nothing about and then relying on agents for advice suggests to me that the business acumen of Desai and co, outside of their comfort zone, is questionable at best. Bringing in some plant manager from Brazil to advise on transfers was bizzare to say the least while the signings of Bruno and Anderson show just how ill equipped these people are to deal with those who inhabit the world of modern day football.

I honestly don't believe Desai and co have the slightest inkling of what will happen to this club if we are relegated. They have been found wanting at Premier League level, which presumably they had some knowledge about. I suspect it will be a repeat of 1965-66 in that it will be a long downhill road which will see the club lose support in the thousands while the coverage of Championship football in India is such that relegation will thwart their plans to enhance their brand through the Rovers in their own country.

Relegation will just about finish them in terms of trying to win over the public of Blackburn. Let's be honest they are unlikely to visit Blackburn anytime soon and if they did the reception they would get would be hostile to say the least.

The Trust, for all its faults, provided the town with the club's longest spell in the top flight since 1936. Venky's look likely to end that record after just eighteen months of ownership. With incompetence on that scale is it any wonder that supporters have little confidence in Desai and her clan to turn things around. Yes, we have been through hard times before but we always had people at the top - Bill Bancroft and Bill Fox, to name but two - who bled 'blue and white' and it always felt like "our" club. To many it simply doesn't feel like that anymore.

That's a really good post. You're right that Mrs D won't have a clue what to do if we go down. She will have a massive decision to make. There will be no value to their business in owning the club if we go down. The reason they bought the club was to use us as a publicity vehicle and promote football in India. That cannot be achieved as a championship club.

If we stay up then no chance she will sell. They can continue to cut costs, bankroll the club from premiership money and promote football in India. Premier League survival is obviously something we all want but I fear it delays the inevitable for one more year.

Short term future looks bleak and championship football will come at some point under Venky's. However, long term things aren't as bleak as some think. There are genuine buyers out there who would put us back on track, we have one of the best youth academies in the country, great training facilities and stadium. The foundations are there but we need new owners before things can move forward.

The elephant in the room is the fact that the Rao family are not financial big hitters. In Premier League club owning circles they are paupers.

They might swagger about in a provincial Indian city but the truth is, in wealth terms, they are far behind the Walker trust.

One of them was sold the impossible dream by a well known cockney spiv and they were all dumb enough to fall for it.

Barclay's know the truth and have acted accordingly.

The new QPR owner is only worth 300m which is not a lot in football terms but he has put his money where his mouth is (or it appears as though he has). Could all be on credit, of course.

[Steve Moss]

Personally I am not affected by an increase in the price of a season ticket, within reason. I see this as a game of bluff between the Venkys and the supporters. I may well be wrong but if enough supporters hold back on renewals the Venkys may, just may, be tempted to sack Kean in order to persuade the supporters to renew.

I personally am going to hold out until the last day before somebody else can take my seat. It's a good seat and I don't want to lose it.

Can I persuade the ones who are going to renew to hold out as long as possible in the hope of something positive happening? Either Kean with a boot up his backside or the Venkys selling.

+1

[Amo]

I don't see how anyone could want to renew their season ticket when the club has treated its own customers with nothing but contempt in the last year. I'll get in trouble for saying this, but if you're renewing next season, then you have more money than sense. Whether it's a competitive price or not is immaterial. Can you really put a price on watching more of the same next season? And that's the best-case scenario I'm talking about, as relegation will be unthinkable. If that's your escapism, then what's your escapism for the escapism?

You're nothing but bums on seats. The club doesn't care about its fans. That was made abundantly clear when Venky's renewed the chumpstain's contract regardless of results on the pitch and supporter unrest. The rabble didn't "tow the line", so Venky's decided to show them who's boss. And that's now the MO for everyone working at the club, with the likes of Agnew & Newsham feathering their own nests whilst denigrating the good character of Rovers fans. Slander spread through the media on a daily basis, fans being frisked like common criminals, and all in the interests of protecting Steve Kean's media profile and detracting from the real issues that have befallen the club.

And you're happy to support that? Oh and please spare me the clichés ("Rovers are bigger than Venky's" etc.) I've heard them all and none of them are worth a dime. Right now, the club is nothing but a rotten core. Looks the same on the outside but inside you can't identify with anything. There's no one to look to for leadership in these dark times. Just Kean and his PR machine.

[roversfan99]

Have you ever had a season ticket? Just curious.

[Mercer]

Can't believe some of the, IMO, crap that I've just read in today's posts.

FFS, some people just do not learn.

My gran used to tell me that only a fool and their money part easily. She was spot on.

Personally, don't trust owners nor management as far as I could spit and a penny invested with them would, IMO, be too big a risk.

[roversfan99]

I can understand anger towards Venkys and I'd agree with you.

What I don't get is why you seem so enraged that people are happy to renew their season tickets, and why that matters so much to you.

[TBTF]

Hes enraged because its the only realistic personal stand that you can take as a supporter that actually feels like you are making your own statement against this rabble.We would all love to be happily getting stuck in and renewing at these unbelievable prices. But the point is that in doing so , you are really just giving your blessing to the status quo.

All these guys are saying is that by renewing you are effectively giving away your vote to oust these goons.If thats ok with you then fine and nobody should be on your case for doing it but do us all a favour and just do it without subjecting us to the justification.

To be clear, the vast majority who say they aren't renewing want to with all their hearts but can't get past feeling they are supporting a bunch of charlatans who are killing our club and its the most important card you have to play in rebelling against that.And i am in that camp and i hate myself for it!!

[Mattyblue]

I agree with you on most points Toppers, but on STickets, I just can't.

I'll be going next season, I will not be sitting in my Lancashire home watching Soccer Saturday when there is a match on at Ewood Park, it's as simple as that.

I shall stop buying anything else provided by BRFC, but not my ST.

I have sat in my seat in the BBEnd surrounded by friends and family since it was built, it doesn't make me a superfan or mean I have an issue with anyone that decided to boycott, but it's my choice and I am not going to slagged off for it from folk, many of who don't go anyway.

[MarkBRFC]

Well said Matty, i'm in exactly the same position (apart from lancashire home) and shall be renewing over the next couple of days.

[den]

Hes enraged because its the only realistic personal stand that you can take as a supporter that actually feels like you are making your own statement against this rabble.We would all love to be happily getting stuck in and renewing at these unbelievable prices. But the point is that in doing so , you are really just giving your blessing to the status quo.

All these guys are saying is that by renewing you are effectively giving away your vote to oust these goons.If thats ok with you then fine and nobody should be on your case for doing it but do us all a favour and just do it without subjecting us to the justification.

To be clear, the vast majority who say they aren't renewing want to with all their hearts but can't get past feeling they are supporting a bunch of charlatans who are killing our club and its the most important card you have to play in rebelling against that.And i am in that camp and i hate myself for it!!

That's pretty much the bottom line TBTF.

The "I'll always support Rovers" view is commendable and exactly the way I've approached the club since day one. However, the fact is that if I were to renew now, I would be giving my support for Kean and the Raos to continue doing what they have done since they've been here. I might not intend it to be that way, but these people would see it as that, so there would be no pressure for them to change.

I'll wait and watch before giving them my blessing to carry on as they are.

.

[MarkBRFC]

Well said Matty, i'm in exactly the same position (apart from lancashire home) and feel exactly the same, and shall be renewing over the next couple of days.