Attendances

[Proudtobeblue&white]

Christmas is an ideal time to fill the ground in advance. Family know who are coming home. As a fan who has lost the urge, because of reasons already mentioned, I am looking to treat my son to this game. Make it worthwhile and get 25,000 in. Waggott over to you.

[blueboy3333]

Just now, roversfan99 said:

The fact that 800 are clearly unaffected by paying the surcharge as an isolated statistic

 For all we know they are all in @Oldgregg86 position. They have to pay it because they have no choice. That's why it's an unfair Attendance Tax on loyal supporters.

[blueboy3333]

Just now, Biz said:

It’s possible to pre-order and cancel tickets too

How convenient that would be to both club and customer. What a terrific idea. Maybe we could get hundreds of fans doing it  What about the pies ordered on the back of it? They would go to waste. 

Just now, Biz said:

I’m not sure if that comes with a cost but both yours and @gumboots experiences don’t change my opinion that this has been turned into a mountain from a molehill.

There's a shock. You've backed yourself into a corner Donald and now there's no way out. 

[JBiz]

Just now, blueboy3333 said:

How convenient that would be to both club and customer. What a terrific idea. Maybe we could get hundreds of fans doing it  What about the pies ordered on the back of it? They would go to waste. 

There's a shock. You've backed yourself into a corner Donald and now there's no way out. 

To add - the fifteen quid OG spent on surcharges is the same price as a none ST reward scheme... 

Which funnily has a benefit that means you can order tickets late without paying the cost surcharge!

If the club was “ripping people off” they wouldn’t be offering ways round the cost Boris. 

[blueboy3333]

Just now, Biz said:

To add - the fifteen quid OG spent on surcharges is the same price as a none ST reward scheme... 

Which funnily has a benefit that means you can order tickets late without paying the cost surcharge!

If the club was “ripping people off” they wouldn’t be offering ways round the cost Boris. 

Either way he's paying more than someone who can commit early and doesn't need or have the reward scheme. 

#RipOffRovers

[roversfan99]

2 minutes ago, Biz said:

To add - the fifteen quid OG spent on surcharges is the same price as a none ST reward scheme... 

Which funnily has a benefit that means you can order tickets late without paying the cost surcharge!

If the club was “ripping people off” they wouldn’t be offering ways round the cost Boris. 

Surely the fact that there are ways around the surcharge suggests that the reasoning that Cheston gave (to aid predictability in terms of knowing roughly the attendance in advance) is somewhat compromised?

[Stuart]

46 minutes ago, Biz said:

No - your mate Boris the Blueboy Johnson is suggesting the “waggot” influence at Ewood is creating the moniker “rip off rovers”. I asked you if you felt the pricing for Rotherham was a rip off and you couldn’t answer the question. Matty Blue managed to answer it.

More avoidance. You go first.

[OldEwoodBlue]

1 hour ago, Biz said:

 

You know as well as I do. The only way these attendances will return is success on the pitch. When are we going to stop pretending anything else is as important?

So your big idea to increase attendances is getting to the PL and everything else is a waste of time, effort and oxymoronic.

Until then you prefer attendances to stay the same.

Truely inspirational.

 

[K-Hod]

Biz lad- you’re answering a question nobody has asked. 

I’m saying- there’s no need for the surcharge. 

You think I’m saying ‘the surcharge is why thousands of fans don’t attend’.

For clarity!

[blueboy3333]

Just now, K-Hod said:

Biz lad- you’re answering a question nobody has asked. 

I’m saying- there’s no need for the surcharge. 

You think I’m saying ‘the surcharge is why thousands of fans don’t attend’.

For clarity!

He hasn't got an answer so he's trying to change the narrative. Classic Donald. 

I hope he doesn't make you dress as Melania when you boys hit the town

[JBiz]

Just now, roversfan99 said:

Surely the fact that there are ways around the surcharge suggests that the reasoning that Cheston gave (to aid predictability in terms of knowing roughly the attendance in advance) is somewhat compromised?

I thought they also wanted to boost the computer system for targeted advertising - something you don’t get from cash last minute sales?

 

Just now, K-Hod said:

Biz lad- you’re answering a question nobody has asked. 

I’m saying- there’s no need for the surcharge. 

You think I’m saying ‘the surcharge is why thousands of fans don’t attend’.

For clarity!

How many is it putting off then? We both agree it would be better scrapped but the argument you and others are trotting is its of-putting

 

 

[toooldforthis]

After 42 years as a ST holder Zebra turned me down this year.  A family member lent me the money to buy my ST otherwise I simply could not attend. My working hours prohibit me going to Ewood to buy a match ticket during the week or getting there before 2.30pm on a Saturday and I do not posses a credit or bank card.  I would not pay the £3 surcharge and would end up listening on the radio.  Therefore I am a living example of a long-term loyal fan who is disadvantaged by the club's various ticketing policies.  I know that I am not the only one.  My son had his first ST aged 3 and continued until he started work.  He no longer lives in Lancashire and his work shifts include most weekends.  He has been to more away games than home simply because of the Ewood ticketing policy. The club needs to make itself easy to deal with but it's failing on this specific point.  All businesses who make themselves difficult to do business with eventualy fail and go bust.

[roversfan99]

Just now, toooldforthis said:

After 42 years as a ST holder Zebra turned me down this year.  A family member lent me the money to buy my ST otherwise I simply could not attend. My working hours prohibit me going to Ewood to buy a match ticket during the week or getting there before 2.30pm on a Saturday and I do not posses a credit or bank card.  I would not pay the £3 surcharge and would end up listening on the radio.  Therefore I am a living example of a long-term loyal fan who is disadvantaged by the club's various ticketing policies.  I know that I am not the only one.  My son had his first ST aged 3 and continued until he started work.  He no longer lives in Lancashire and his work shifts include most weekends.  He has been to more away games than home simply because of the Ewood ticketing policy. The club needs to make itself easy to deal with but it's failing on this specific point.  All businesses who make themselves difficult to do business with eventualy fail and go bust.

Excellent post, further proof that people are put off by the additional, needless barriers that the club are putting up that have the potential to curb attendances. 2 loyal fans, in 2 totally different situations, but both equally affected and either put off/almost put off attending home games by the club that professes to be desperate to get attendances as high as possible.

[K-Hod]

3 minutes ago, Biz said:

I thought they also wanted to boost the computer system for targeted advertising - something you don’t get from cash last minute sales?

 

How many is it putting off then? We both agree it would be better scrapped but the argument you and others are trotting is its of-putting

 

 

I don’t know, I don’t care! I’m saying there’s no need for it, that’s as far as I’m intending to go with it! 

Clearly I don’t know what argument I’m putting forward, could you tell me what that argument is?

Edited November 18, 2018 by K-Hod

[blueboy3333]

There'll be adverts on TV in years to come asking 'Have you been affected by the Surcharge scandal'

It's the new PPI. 

Edited November 18, 2018 by blueboy3333

[roversfan99]

2 minutes ago, Biz said:

I thought they also wanted to boost the computer system for targeted advertising - something you don’t get from cash last minute sales?

 

How many is it putting off then? We both agree it would be better scrapped but the argument you and others are trotting is its of-putting

 

 

That is a reason that makes a little more sense but if it is offset by anyone choosing not to go because of the principle of it, then it is having a negative effect. 

If fans come knowing they wont be penalised for being unable to buy a ticket prior to the day of the game then id suggest they are more likely to get into the habit of doing that more often if possible.

[Stuart]

19 minutes ago, Biz said:

How many is it putting off then? We both agree it would be better scrapped but the argument you and others are trotting is its of-putting

Finally. It wasn’t that painful I hope.

But to get a true answer to that question, you need to ask Waggott, since has been initiated by the club as a deterrent so as to avoid problems with late arrivals.

If that is only a handful of people then do we really need to put them off or could we just charge the normal price? If it’s several hundred then it’s definitely a daft idea.

As it turns out, we have 800 people (on average) at each home game who are paying the surcharge anyway. So that must mean it’s a great idea and we’ll take the extra easy 2 grand. Seems a bit churlish though.

However, playing devils advocate, if we are seeing the number of early buyers increase and the number of late arrivals fall then it’s a sign that it is working as intended. Even better, if we sell rakes of half season tickets as people sign-up to avoid these issues altogether then great. Mission accomplished, Waggott will have won through punishing non-ST holders. Let’s see though. My guess is we’ll see exactly the same additions as in recent times as the Christmas present season comes along.

[JBiz]

26 minutes ago, toooldforthis said:

After 42 years as a ST holder Zebra turned me down this year.  A family member lent me the money to buy my ST otherwise I simply could not attend. My working hours prohibit me going to Ewood to buy a match ticket during the week or getting there before 2.30pm on a Saturday and I do not posses a credit or bank card.  I would not pay the £3 surcharge and would end up listening on the radio.  Therefore I am a living example of a long-term loyal fan who is disadvantaged by the club's various ticketing policies.  I know that I am not the only one.  My son had his first ST aged 3 and continued until he started work.  He no longer lives in Lancashire and his work shifts include most weekends.  He has been to more away games than home simply because of the Ewood ticketing policy. The club needs to make itself easy to deal with but it's failing on this specific point.  All businesses who make themselves difficult to do business with eventualy fail and go bust.

Firstly why do you need a bank card when you can phone up, pre order and then pay cash?

Secondly - your entire argument about being difficult to do business with is ironically punctuated by your lack of ability to pay via bank? Come on, its 2018 for christ sake.

Thirdly - if your son had a problem with the cost of the tickets at home... How on earth is he justifying going to away Games? They are generally the same or more expensive.

No offence intended, but your argument as rationale is flawed. I have some opinions about improving sales at Ewood but I don't think anyone can turn around and say the sole reason for not being involved or support is the customer relationship - its not second to none anymore, but its certainly not the joke people are suggesting.

[JBiz]

21 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

That is a reason that makes a little more sense but if it is offset by anyone choosing not to go because of the principle of it, then it is having a negative effect. 

If fans come knowing they wont be penalised for being unable to buy a ticket prior to the day of the game then id suggest they are more likely to get into the habit of doing that more often if possible.

The simple fact is the habit will return when they are engaged by the product, not some "imaginative" marketing scheme. I'm not suggesting this is the best solution, I am saying it is not a valid excuse for none-attendance. It is merely being jumped on as such. 

The perfect excuse now the owners are actually holding up their side of the bargain!

[Proudtobeblue&white]

Just now, Biz said:

The simple fact is the habit will return when they are engaged by the product, not some "imaginative" marketing scheme. I'm not suggesting this is the best solution, I am saying it is not a valid excuse for none-attendance. It is merely being jumped on as such. 

The perfect excuse now the owners are actually holding up their side of the bargain!

In the words of John McEnroe, "Are you being serious"! What feckin bargain.....to uphold Jack's legacy? To keep his baby? To take us to the CL title? Keep us in the PL? 

I don't get your point. Again, I have supported our club for forty years. I am not impressed by their treatment of me and many others (Gumboots), I very rarely disagree with an opinion, but you have made me.

[roversfan99]

Just now, Biz said:

The simple fact is the habit will return when they are engaged by the product, not some "imaginative" marketing scheme. I'm not suggesting this is the best solution, I am saying it is not a valid excuse for none-attendance. It is merely being jumped on as such. 

The perfect excuse now the owners are actually holding up their side of the bargain!

The one aspect of your posts which perhaps makes them seem more defensive of the clubs pricing strategies etc is the constant urge to criticise fans who dont attend.

Anyone choosing not to attend for example based on the surcharge are likely to be not doing so out of principle more so than affordability, but as weve seen on this thread, that is through some people who genuinely are unable to commit to attending prior to match day, who feel like they are being punished for being in such a position, even though it is out of their control. The 2 reasons that the club have used to justify it but dont hold water, and to be fair you have even said yourself that you dont agree with the surcharge.

I still dont get why you are viewing going to watch Rovers almost as some sort of obligation though.

[JHRover]

The argument that Rovers want it this way to ensure they know what supplies to get in and what staff they need for the ticket office doesn't stack up. 

Even if they managed to convince 99% of people to buy in advance there will ALWAYS be some people who buy just before the game, and the club will always have to provide for those people by opening the ticket office and putting staff on (unless they go one step further and simply stop selling tickets on the day of the game, which wouldn't surprise me)

As i've said before, the club shop is busier on matchdays than it is during the week and they have to have extra staff on at the tills. Do prices of merchandise go up by £3 to cover this cost? No, the costs of extra staff are absorbed by the increased receipts. 

If they need extra staff on for the ticket office on matchdays the costs of those staff should be covered by people buying tickets and coming and spending their money on other things whilst there. It's absolute nonsense to try and deter people from coming along at the last minute so you can save a few quid on ticket office staff. If the surcharge puts 20 adults off buying at £25 a person that's at least £500 in lost income, which itself will comfortably cover the staffing costs of an extra 2-3 people on the ticket office for the day.

It's ultimately done because the club want everyone on the database and everything to be tied up in advance, but that is being done on the assumption that the 'incentive' to buy in advance or pay £3 more isn't becoming a 'deterrent'.

 

 

Edited November 18, 2018 by JHRover

[Claytons Left Boot]

39 minutes ago, toooldforthis said:

All businesses who make themselves difficult to do business with eventualy fail and go bust.

Good point and something the club should take on board. It’s not totally applicable to football clubs as they have an element of their fan bases that will turn up, come what may. 

I am one who is fully p!ssed off with the surcharge. I face a one hundred mile round trip when I attend. I am also a season ticket holder at Wigan Warriors. I have a variety of hobbies, interests and commitments and sometimes make a last minute decision to make the trip to Ewood. 

I can afford the £3 surcharge and do sometimes pay it but it annoys me no end that someone who has bought a ticket a few hours before me gets in £3 cheaper.

Get your act together Rovers.

[JBiz]

10 minutes ago, Proudtobeblue&white said:

In the words of John McEnroe, "Are you being serious"! What feckin bargain.....to uphold Jack's legacy? To keep his baby? To take us to the CL title? Keep us in the PL? 

I don't get your point. Again, I have supported our club for forty years. I am not impressed by their treatment of me and many others (Gumboots), I very rarely disagree with an opinion, but you have made me.

It’s hard to argue with majority of key decisions taken in the last twelve months. That doesn’t mean they’ve fixed their cock ups. Whilst they continue to hire decent people and invest in the team - it becomes less of deterrent to lapsed fans or more casual to return.

The price and surcharge are taking up that mantle.

[Proudtobeblue&white]

6 minutes ago, JHRover said:

The argument that Rovers want it this way to ensure they know what supplies to get in and what staff they need for the ticket office doesn't stack up. 

Even if they managed to convince 99% of people to buy in advance there will ALWAYS be some people who buy just before the game, and the club will always have to provide for those people by opening the ticket office and putting staff on (unless they go one step further and simply stop selling tickets on the day of the game, which wouldn't surprise me)

As i've said before, the club shop is busier on matchdays than it is during the week and they have to have extra staff on at the tills. Do prices of merchandise go up by £3 to cover this cost? No, the costs of extra staff are absorbed by the increased receipts. 

If they need extra staff on for the ticket office on matchdays the costs of those staff should be covered by people buying tickets and coming and spending their money on other things whilst there. It's absolute nonsense to try and deter people from coming along at the last minute so you can save a few quid on ticket office staff. If the surcharge puts 20 adults off buying at £25 a person that's at least £500 in lost income, which itself will comfortably cover the staffing costs of an extra 2-3 people on the ticket office for the day.

It's ultimately done because the club want everyone on the database and everything to be tied up in advance, but that is being done on the assumption that the 'incentive' to buy in advance or pay £3 more isn't becoming a 'deterrent'.

 

 

I am with you on the point, yet "in the good old days", if the pies ran out, they did! So what, we are there for the game? Is Waggott working for our pie suppliers? Agree, bums on seats!!