[Archived] Ask Your Questions To Shaw, Myers, Bowyer

[AndyNeil]

Paragraph 1 good point. A way forward perhaps - although tbh I'm not sure whether kids really get into and can watch a football match under the age of 7 anyway. That's been my experience - their attention wanders.

£60 for a lot of families can be classed as a lot, although kids phones, trainers etc. probably all cost as much so it's not much of an argument. Probably more relevant is that £60 is a lot for something not considered essential, or that is considered frivolous by parents. If they don't see the value of it they may be reluctant to spend that much. Plus most primary aged kids need to be taken, so that's an additional expense, which especially if the adult isn't keen may be prohibative.

Sorry, I didn't explain myself properly. I was more referring to adults who already have a season ticket and want to take their kids. If they are under 8 they have two options - 1. take up a free season ticket and move to the family stand or 2. pay £60 over 10 months plus some nominal interest - maybe £7.50 per month - and remain where they are. If they (the adult with the season ticket) are that keen for them to go, then is £7.50 per month really that much of a barrier, or is it just another stick to beat the club with?

[Blue blood]

Sorry, I didn't explain myself properly. I was more referring to adults who already have a season ticket and want to take their kids. If they are under 8 they have two options - 1. take up a free season ticket and move to the family stand or 2. pay £60 over 10 months plus some nominal interest - maybe £7.50 per month - and remain where they are. If they (the adult with the season ticket) are that keen for them to go, then is £7.50 per month really that much of a barrier, or is it just another stick to beat the club with?

Absolutely agree with you. Problems arise when the adult isn't interested, or interested to the same degree. Without a ST adult holder the kid is going to struggle to support/see the team. Which makes getting the less regular adult fans going is vital if we want the next generation of Rovers fans. That was my whole point if we're only relying on current ST holders to bring in the next generation - we're stuffed.

[Tom]

The way I see it they don't have to offer free child tickets at all but mine is great in the top tier, he's only been twice this season so wouldn't have wanted to pay for it.

I do think they could do with offering a discounted one off Ticket to lapsed season ticket holders to try and lure them back in unless they aren't confident they would remain

[pk1875]

Free U8s dont always work long term. Ive had season tkts for five different U8s over the years, none of them still go :-(

[scotty_beam_me_up]

I asked the question of what's in it for the owners. Didn't get an answer. I wasn't really expecting one but still think it's a fair question.

[TeamGB-11]

Really young kids, say around 8yo, get bored at football. Taking them at that age can put them off if they feel forced to attend and then 'sit still, behave' sort of thing.. I think around early teens is what we need to be attracting..

[perthblue02]

The way I see it they don't have to offer free child tickets at all but mine is great in the top tier, he's only been twice this season so wouldn't have wanted to pay for it.

I do think they could do with offering a discounted one off Ticket to lapsed season ticket holders to try and lure them back in unless they aren't confident they would remain

Something that Perth Glory tried over here a few seasons ago was give two vouchers to each season ticket holder with the new membership packs that could be given away and used by anybody to swop for a ticket on match day and attend the game, if the person that used them registered with the club after using it they could purchase a number of discounted tickets for subsequent games (not sure how many it was) .

Seemed to work quite well and def added numbers to the attendance and obvious knock on effects food , beer sales etc. Following season, season ticket (memberships) increased by about 20% and that number also increased subsequent seasons, unfortunately off field events last season may see a decline this season..

I gave mine to a neighbour (kids went free with the adult free ticket) and the kid loved it, the following season they became members.

Also a big push with involvement in Junior sides and free tickets for schools etc is noticeable with parents being dragged along and educated by the kids about proper football rather than the men in vests and 1970's shorts.

Very very active on social media and emails to members (at least two a week) etc and seem to be not afraid of going head to head with the bigger supported football codes over here trying to tempt their supporter base to give Soccer (Yuk!) a try.

Soon as season tickets are announced they are on the phone asking if you are going to renew and offer early bird pricing etc, and follow up calls thanks for renewing etc, considering the club lose money season in season out can't fault their sales/ membership team.

Obviously a different scenario over here to whats going on back home but some family members who were Rovers season ticket holders since at least the 60's probably longer who jacked in when Venky's project partner's manager of the decade became untouchable, and the contact from the club (well up until I last spoke to them in September) is Zero, was pretty surprised that they never went back after Desai's untouchable left but they found better things to do mainly weekend breaks and holidays not arranged around the football season ,during the glory years of avoiding relegation and then the pinnacle of Desai , Rao's and partners reign - relegation..

So obviously the desire to attempt to bring supporters back as not been there for the last few seasons, perhaps they don't need people in to reach the magical match day attendance figure of 13,000 ? maybe Desai is happy that her crack management team has not lost (according to official figures) anymore than the 8-10,000 her project partners cost her?

.

[Gav]

Really young kids, say around 8yo, get bored at football. Taking them at that age can put them off if they feel forced to attend and then 'sit still, behave' sort of thing.. I think around early teens is what we need to be attracting..

Bunkum.

Our support in 90's was made up by the club bussing in 5-15yr olds several times a season, that's the reason why our gates are as good as they are today.

[TBTF]

Paragraph 1 good point. A way forward perhaps - although tbh I'm not sure whether kids really get into and can watch a football match under the age of 7 anyway. That's been my experience - their attention wanders.

£60 for a lot of families can be classed as a lot, although kids phones, trainers etc. probably all cost as much so it's not much of an argument. Probably more relevant is that £60 is a lot for something not considered essential, or that is considered frivolous by parents. If they don't see the value of it they may be reluctant to spend that much. Plus most primary aged kids need to be taken, so that's an additional expense, which especially if the adult isn't keen may be prohibative.

The £60 is probably less of an issue than the commitment to get them there every game (night games at that age??) and perhaps even the costs of getting them there)

In my mind kids that young are ''brought up'' as fans of the Club and would be royally ''bullocked'' if they even mentioned supporting somebody else!!!

[Baz]

You want to get the seats filled, then give people the product they want.....a winning team.

Promotions are all well and good, but if you offered 18,000 free tickets to the Derby game, how many would take you up on the offer.

I understand Alan Myers point about devaluing the product on price, but I don't think many rovers fans really criticise the prices. It's important to get as many people on the ground as possible for the Burnley game, but I think the club needed to try and maximise revenue for the game but also use it as an opportunity. Why not offer a £50 3 game bundle which keeps the price high, but also may get people back into the routine of attending a game.

Under 8s should be £1 per game for all non category A games, and a max of £5 for the cat A's.

[Paul]

You want to get the seats filled, then give people the product they want.....a winning team.

This was always John Willisms' mantra and he was right. Get the football right and the rest will follow.

As things are today no initiatives are going to have any significant effect unless the team is performing. We do well to maintain the crowds we do get.

On the kids thing. I've always felt the community involvement, soccer schools etc. work very well. My children went whenever possible during holidays and on Saturdays. My next door neighbour is an armchair United fan and his son was heading diwn the same road. His lad recently started the Rovers soccer schools and now Dad has to take him to Ewood for games and there was a Rovers shirt on the washing line last week!!!!

Under 8s? Mine all started, and wanted to, between 5-6 years old. Early teens? They'll be lost to another club by then.

[USABlue]

So in essence then the owners aren't really interested and those 3 run the show (with a token lackey Pune spy allegedly doing whatever).

A relatively small sum of £5 million will get us out of FFP but what's the point.

Shaw is a f-wit nobody and Bowyer is still in denial.

All is well as we sail South.

The same 5 mil that was going to get us Champions League footy?

[yoda]

The same 5 mil that was going to get us Champions League footy?

More like the 5 Million we used to pay off the ex "managers"

[Dunnfc]

Personally I like the "grades for games" strategy Burnley are currently employing.

http://www.burnleyfootballclub.com/news/article/grades-for-games-matches-confirmed-2560512.aspx

[AllRoverAsia]

Personally I like the "grades for games" strategy Burnley are currently employing.

http://www.burnleyfootballclub.com/news/article/grades-for-games-matches-confirmed-2560512.aspx

Cheap Charlies - they won't have to give many away alternatively they could be accused of being anti-stupid kids.

Being serious for a moment I don't actually like this sort of thing as it does disadvantage those who are perhaps already disadvantaged.

I like the MK Dons approach where it's Under-18s: £7 and Under-12s: FREE

[had.e.nuff]

The way I see it they don't have to offer free child tickets at all but mine is great in the top tier, he's only been twice this season so wouldn't have wanted to pay for it.

I do think they could do with offering a discounted one off Ticket to lapsed season ticket holders to try and lure them back in unless they aren't confident they would remain

It looks loike they have to choose which matches they can give discount tickets for

34.2.11 Discounts or special promotions (in each case for one match only) made available to supporters of the Home Club must also be made available on a similar basis to visiting supporters provided always that each Club shall be permitted to designate four (4) Matches per Season as ‘local promotion’ Matches where this Regulation shall be deemed not to apply. Clubs shall notify The League of the Matches so designated as and when they are designated.

[TeamGB-11]

Bunkum.

Our support in 90's was made up by the club bussing in 5-15yr olds several times a season, that's the reason why our gates are as good as they are today.

'I disagree' would have been more polite..

[yoda]

'I disagree' would have been more polite..

Wrong MB mate

[mark1875]

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