[Archived] A mass boycott - Is it possible?

[Blackpool_Rover]

We don't know what's happening with regards to Kean but it seems clear now that he will be here for the next few games at least. This man is ruining our lives. It has been said by various board members that the ONLY way to hurt Venky's is in the pocket. The fact they 'sacked' kean on Sunday before 'changing their minds' was clearly down to the attendance on Friday. They were obviously concered pre-season with ST sales and gave him a points target to make it easy for them to sack him, which they failed to do.

The reason for this post....is there a way to have a mass boycott? Is it plausable? We know that some people will still go to the game but if there are less than 5000 in the stadium I'm sure Kean would be gone within an hour of the game ending. That is a hell of a lot of lost revenue.

We know that sitting at home behind the keyboard is going to do nothing. The protest marches last season were ok but, well, as Kean said...it was about 2% of the Ewood attendance. We all know that doesn't represent the true feeling of our fan base.

My idea....

I am a season ticket holder at Sparta Prague and this season we were banned from the first two league games due to crowd trouble in the final home game of last season. The matches were played behind closed doors. Now, ok, it's a little different because it was forced and we weren't exactly boycotting BUT what happened was quite interesting and could be applied to Ewood. We simply went to the ground, and stood outside, for the entire 90 mins. We had radio feeds, we knew what was happening, we were chanting and supporting the team. Five Sparta players came out afterwards and gave interviews saying the cheering from the thousands of fans OUTSIDE the stadium HELPED the team massively. They said they could feel the support and won both games, 4-1 and 3-1.

Imagine if we PLEADED with fans, through all internet outlets, to stand outside the ground against WOlves and not buy a ticket. Fans who turn up at the stadium with the intention of buying a ticket might even change their minds and join the boycott. We can get commenary streams set up and spend the 90 mins chanting POSITIVE chants. No Kean out chants, our chants, supporting the team from outside and giving Venky's absolutely NOTHING.

[Gav]

Simply a mass boycott will not happen, but clearly we have thousands who have protested in the ways you suggest and haven't been at all this season.

What this would require to work, would be the supporters groups, press and media to be brought on board and unite, but with I'll feeling between supporters groups means this sadly won't happen.

Boycotting is working, if we stay away hell be sacked I'm sure of that. Let's hope a few more think after the past few days events at the circus they'll too have had enough until he goes.

[Lurid Coat]

Judging by the "Kean set to be sacked" thread, a considerable number of fans who previously did not boycott are now going to join the boycott. Hoping for a record low attendance v Wolves.

[philipl]

There is already a mass boycott:

- official gate figures are showing a 50% decline

- we have got hold of the actual head count at Ewood last Friday of 10,400 which shows that 3,000 season ticket holders who got counted into the official gate had decided to stay away

- even if we accept Agnew's 9,500 season ticket holders, that number is down by 5,000

- including the ST stay aways, only 40% of last season's Season Ticket holders were at Ewood on Friday

- according to published figures in that infamous Guardian article, the number of outside corporate clients has declined from 250 to 8

- not even a charity is willing to support the Rovers shirt. I shudder to think what the reaction on here will be when the new sponsor is announced.

So there is ALREADY a very effective boycott. The question is how much bigger will it become.

[Blackpool_Rover]

Ok, true. BUT at least bz doing it this waz we are still supporting the team, taking that ammo from the press. We mwould be heard loud and clear from outside the stadium AND it would pursuade people who had the intention of buzing a ticket to join the boy¨cott last minute

[Gav]

There is already a mass boycott:

- official gate figures are showing a 50% decline

- we have got hold of the actual head count at Ewood last Friday of 10,400 which shows that 3,000 season ticket holders who got counted into the official gate had decided to stay away

- even if we accept Agnew's 9,500 season ticket holders, that number is down by 5,000

- including the ST stay aways, only 40% of last season's Season Ticket holders were at Ewood on Friday

- according to published figures in that infamous Guardian article, the number of outside corporate clients has declined from 250 to 8

- not even a charity is willing to support the Rovers shirt. I shudder to think what the reaction on here will be when the new sponsor is announced.

So there is ALREADY a very effective boycott. The question is how much bigger will it become.

Great points philipl.

[Ben-2000]

I shudder to think what the reaction on here will be when the new sponsor is announced.

Does that mean you know who the next sponsor will be? Sorry if i've read that wrong.

[philipl]

Does that mean you know who the next sponsor will be? Sorry if i've read that wrong.

Yes but based on the inability to stick with the decision to fire Kean, why would they stick with the decision to appoint a new sponsor taken at the same time?

[K-Hod]

I doubt I can attend the next home game anyway as I'm in plaster, and it caused me to miss the last home game. Not sure I even want to if I could anyway. Sickening.

[Ben-2000]

Yes but based on the inability to stick with the decision to fire Kean, why would they stick with the decision to appoint a new sponsor taken at the same time?

I'm with you on that one!

I take it for some reason you are unable to say who it is supposed to be sponsoring us?

[Mattyblue]

The problem is there isn't much lower the 'official' attendance can go.

Lets take Agnew at face value and say we do have 9/10000 ST holders, they will get counted as being in attendance even if every single ST holder doesn't turn up. And as Wolves will probably bring the biggest following we've seen this season, we'll still see a published gate of 10000+.

Of course, an empty ground still speaks volumes on the TV pictures.

[majorstyre]

I agree that time has come for a mass protest outside ewood..

i have attended 5 of the 7 league games this season, and have purchased a season ticket

but now is the time for everybody to unite, and boycott the Wolves game and show the owners enough is enough

an empty stadium will say a thousand words..

personally, i think as many people as possible should go down to the ground but not enter it.

protest - chant - shout whatever

this idea should be advertised in whatever medium is possible in advance of the game by all the various action & protest goups - show a united front. this means adverts in the LET, blogs, twitter, forums etc etc

even leaflets outside of the ground

however, what i would stress, is that if anybody wanted to enter the ground to watch, then let them do so with no fuss, or action.

whatever protest must be peacefull

we have enough enemies at the moment without creating more

[DE.]

I think if we got it down to sub 5k it would be enough to cause a huge stir.

It's possible... but would require a lot of work to achieve as a hefty amount of matchgoers do not visit forums or indulge in social media.

[Mattyblue]

It isn't possible though DE, they will never publish a gate figure that low.

[majorstyre]

mattyblue

i agree the figures they publish are purely fiction

...

but pictures tell a thousand words..

they cannot hide an empty stadium with any PR bull figures

[trueblueroversiloveu]

It isn't possible though DE, they will never publish a gate figure that low.

Doesnt matter whats published. Its all about the media and the message it sends. They can publish what they like. Everyone will see an empty stadium and thats all thats needed for kean to go

[DE.]

It isn't possible though DE, they will never publish a gate figure that low.

If it's as low as 5k then there will be no hiding, the press and public will pick up on it I'm sure. 5k would be an abysmally low crowd, Ewood would basically look empty.

[Ralfinho]

Judging by the "Kean set to be sacked" thread, a considerable number of fans who previously did not boycott are now going to join the boycott. Hoping for a record low attendance v Wolves.

I am one of them mate. I suggested getting a full page ad in the LT to get the boycott message across east lancashire. Add in this idea of attending Ewood but not actually entering will one support the team and 2 cause a massive upset for policing this and hopefully 3 lead to the clowns dissmissal

[Mattyblue]

Oh I agree with you all, just making the point that we willl never see a 5,000 crowd published.

[mhead]

The photographers will love the picture of more people outside the Ground than inside!

If we are not on BRFC land there is nothing they can do about it....got to be on Road near the Club Shop and shouting thru the gap between Blackburn End and Main Stand. With banners!

[the original david brent]

I've posted in the 'steve kean to be sacked' topic, but I will reiterate here, a mass boycott of the wolves game is the only way forward. Clearly low gates are hurting venkys; well let's make it even lower.

As it stands, I am a season ticket holder who has been to every home game thus far, i went to ipswich and i am going to charlton. I have had debates with people who are boycotting and previously argued against their way of thinking. Well i concede that they are right and I was wrong. A boycott of the wolves game is the only way that kean will go. For one game only, boycott wolves.

[bypass06]

We don't know what's happening with regards to Kean but it seems clear now that he will be here for the next few games at least. This man is ruining our lives. It has been said by various board members that the ONLY way to hurt Venky's is in the pocket. The fact they 'sacked' kean on Sunday before 'changing their minds' was clearly down to the attendance on Friday. They were obviously concered pre-season with ST sales and gave him a points target to make it easy for them to sack him, which they failed to do.

The reason for this post....is there a way to have a mass boycott? Is it plausable? We know that some people will still go to the game but if there are less than 5000 in the stadium I'm sure Kean would be gone within an hour of the game ending. That is a hell of a lot of lost revenue.

We know that sitting at home behind the keyboard is going to do nothing. The protest marches last season were ok but, well, as Kean said...it was about 2% of the Ewood attendance. We all know that doesn't represent the true feeling of our fan base.

My idea....

I am a season ticket holder at Sparta Prague and this season we were banned from the first two league games due to crowd trouble in the final home game of last season. The matches were played behind closed doors. Now, ok, it's a little different because it was forced and we weren't exactly boycotting BUT what happened was quite interesting and could be applied to Ewood. We simply went to the ground, and stood outside, for the entire 90 mins. We had radio feeds, we knew what was happening, we were chanting and supporting the team. Five Sparta players came out afterwards and gave interviews saying the cheering from the thousands of fans OUTSIDE the stadium HELPED the team massively. They said they could feel the support and won both games, 4-1 and 3-1.

Imagine if we PLEADED with fans, through all internet outlets, to stand outside the ground against WOlves and not buy a ticket. Fans who turn up at the stadium with the intention of buying a ticket might even change their minds and join the boycott. We can get commenary streams set up and spend the 90 mins chanting POSITIVE chants. No Kean out chants, our chants, supporting the team from outside and giving Venky's absolutely NOTHING.

Standing outside the ground is a protest.

Staying away, is a boycott.

[Blackpool_Rover]

Well, I said nothing negative. No negative chants. The message would be loud and clear. We would be supporting the team without spending a penny.

[Ralfinho]

I have just spoken to the LT department about printing a full page ad for a full week. First off they said they would print it as they do not discriminate etc etc and for a full page it would be 1295 for the full week. The nice lady is kindly collating a variation of sizes and prices and will email them to me at some point today. Now, I think we can raise this money and get a message out right accross east lancashire to politly ask Rovers fans to stay away from Ewood for 1 match. The effect/impact it will have I dont know, but we should give it a try. I am sure national journos would pick up on it as well and write up about it so the message gets further afield

[snatchymcsnatch]

What I'd also like to throw into the hat is those that do choose to go the game, would you consider spending NOTHING on merchandise, food, drinks etc on match day?

We all want the same thing, we ultimately have the same common goal and going to cheer on the team is personal choice as is choosing to stay away, but perhaps hitting them in the pocket in terms of match day revenue is worth a shot. Everybody can make their stand in some way.

I hate that I even have to suggest hurting the club I love financially but there really seems little alternative now does there?

Good luck with the ad, personally I think it has the potential to backfire equally as much as it could succeed - watch the wording as there are still a large number of supporters that have made up there mind to cheer on the team, we cannot afford to be more divided than we already are. Also the press could easily use this as another stick to beat us with (they are second in the championship what are they playing at etc.).

Shame on Venkys for what they've done to this club.