Attendances

[blueboy3333]

2 hours ago, Paul said:

The point I was making, which I'm surprised needs explaining to you, is for years anyone who made positive remarks about the was dismissed for being a Venky lover or similar

No you weren't, and no-one has said Venky-lover for quite a while on here thankfully. So row back with the patronising comments.

 

2 hours ago, Paul said:

You asked me to give reasons as to why the surcharge could be justified by the club. I gave you a proper and reasoned response, I feel sure if you read it again you'll be able to see the connection and understand the logic. The main point though from the club's aspect the more accurate the estimate of likely attendance the better everywhere can be staffed accordingly. It's not about detering fans.

Nope, you just said other businesses do it. There is no logic. 800 people still turn up and pay it so it's obviously not doing what it's intended to do i.e. stop queues. It's a tax on people who can't avoid paying for work/family reasons, as a few first-hand experiences on here have described. You have supplied absolutely no justification for it whatsoever. Again though, nice patronising comments about reading your 'logic' again. Once was too many.

[Mattyblue]

Largely agree Paul. I think you have a great point about the non Blackburn based support. With the demographic changes that the town has seen, our support base is stretching further and further out - we don’t keep them in the tent and the club will slowly wither on the vine.

I imagine a much higher percentage of the database contains addresses with non BB1/BB2 postcodes then it did 20 years ago.

I will now bang my drum again. The £3 and general match by match pricing are not the main issue (as unnecessary and expensive I think they are for second division football), we are attracting the same amount of walk ons as we always have.

The issue is we are not selling enough season tickets, the backbone of our support for years. We increase them, we increase crowds

Over you to you Steve...

Edited November 20, 2018 by Mattyblue

[gumboots]

1 hour ago, Paul said:

Just as an aside it is now very rare for Bolton Vue** to offer a discount to Seniors. It's one of the reasons we now go to Cineworld which does discount and is approximately £3 cheaper.

Vue recently were charging £20 for Allelujah when all other local offers were £10-12.

** I don't know about the Blackburn one.

We tend to go to Reel at Burnley who sell cheap tickets on Groupon.  Nice cinema and never crowded. 

[Paul]

@blueboy3333 every post you make in response to me indicates you simply do not want to engage in the discussion, which was a complaint you made some days back. There is no point in quoting people out of context to suit your view of the poster. If you think I haven't provided justification, I wouldn't call it that, then I can only refer you back to the response I gave when you asked me for reasons. I gave reasons, you might disagree but to argue I gave none is simply incorrect. What you continue to demonstrate is the desire amongst some to continually criticise and kick out at those who hold different or opposing views. 

I've given you many good reasons and views on attendances and backed them up as much as anyone else can because it is all anecdotal. You though continue to cherrypick a few lines out of context. Nothing will move forward when people simply keep hammering the same point.

Edited November 20, 2018 by Paul

[Paul]

7 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

Largely agree Paul. I think you have a great point about the non Blackburn based support. With the demographic changes that the town has seen, our support base is stretching further and further out - we don’t keep them in the tent and the club will slowly wither on the vine.

I imagine a much higher percentage of the database contains addresses with non BB1/BB2 postcodes then it did 20 years ago.

I will now bang my drum again. The £3 and general match by match pricing are not the main issue (as unnecessary and expensive I think they are for second division football), we are attracting the same amount of walk ons as we always have.

The issue is we are not selling enough season tickets, the backbone of our support for years. We increase them, we increase crowds

Over you to you Steve...

Exactly as I've also said. STs are the answer. Everyone I know who used to go had an ST. It was and is great value but there still is a huge communication problem. One thing the club has to address is the bulk of potential supporters don't want to queue at a ticket office or pay cash. I know how this sounds but it is simply inconvenient to them. Decent online booking, easy telephone sales (the TO are outstanding at this) are really important. A bar code in an email etc. I don't go anywhere without a ticket these days. I never carry enough cash to buy a ticket even for the cinema and I just cannot be bothered with queuing when there is no need to. The last thing I would do is drive to Ewood, stand in a queue and perhaps miss the KO.

Communication and making life simple is the answer.

Edited November 20, 2018 by Paul

[gumboots]

You don't need cash for purchases under 30, just contact less cards which are faster than cash. And sometimes you just can't commit to going without other people's lives meshing with your timings so you have to take your chance and just turn up

[JHRover]

I agree that our fanbase has expanded outside of Blackburn over the last 20 years. Partly because our success in the 90s and 00s enticed people from beyond the town boundaries and significantly because in recent years more and more people have left Blackburn and have migrated out to areas such as the Ribble Valley and South Ribble.

In itself those things shouldn't in theory be a major problem, provided the club understands what has happened and puts measures in place to overcome it. This is where things like convenient parking come in, as a large number will travel in by car for the game rather than wander down from the town centre as they might have once done.

The club also needs to market itself in those areas, along with Hyndburn. Adverts in the paper, on bus shelters, on the back of buses. I live in Ossy and other than the Lancashire Telegraph and online I see no Rovers promotional material anywhere in Ossy/Accy despite a huge number of our support base living in those areas. I firmly believe that the attitude is that Hyndburn is Stanley territory and the club are worried about or under the impression that they shouldn't be promoting themselves in these areas through fear of upsetting Stanley.

School visits - the club seem to do plenty of these through the community trust but they are all in Blackburn or Darwen - why not Ossy, Accy, Leyland, Chorley etc.?

[rigger]

Is there a surcharge?

[MCMC1875]

3 hours ago, Paul said:

You asked me to give reasons as to why the surcharge could be justified by the club. I gave you a proper and reasoned response, I feel sure if you read it again you'll be able to see the connection and understand the logic. The main point though from the club's aspect the more accurate the estimate of likely attendance the better everywhere can be staffed accordingly. It's not about detering fans.

Waggott: a lot of clubs have a surcharge, the idea is to reduce late ticket sales.

Edited November 20, 2018 by MCMC1875

[gumboots]

I'd understand wanting to deter late ticket sales if they were going to be 3-4000. I don't understand when it's likely they wouldn't need any extra staff over what they have now. Currently if they're running at 800 they could probably take double that without extra ticket office staffing as that's not 800 single requests and money processing they go through. Most people go with someone and one of them gets the tickets, whilst the other goes in the shop, buys a programme or whatever. Extra staffing is not that expensive anyway on the short hours they'd need.

[gumboots]

Thing is, and I know the volume of fans is not the same, that at Sale we get free transport for all fans from the Trafford Centre and buses going back there get priority, thus avoiding queues and high parking costs. . It's imaginative ideas from the owners who recognised that traffic access to the ground was not easy and carparks were poor, especially when the M60 was at its worst and did something to take away that  excuse from fans. I'm not advocating Rovers run free buses although it is an idea Charlton tried with some success several years ago but match day specials from certain places with designated pick up points as we used to get when I was young might be worth trying. 

We can turn up ages before or when we can and get tickets from the ticket office. Sometimes we have to queue for a while but we don't mind that and we don't pay any extra for chosing to buy last minute. Takes us a bit longer to get there than it would to get to Ewood but nowadays the journey is easier as some of the M60 is complete, and to be honest the worst part of any journey is getting out of or back into Clitheroe. 

Edited November 20, 2018 by gumboots

[JHRover]

Accrington Stanley today are repeating last season's trick of handing out free Stanley shirts to all Primary school kids in Hyndburn. Among them being primary schools in Rishton.

Proactive. Rishton is a Rovers area (similar distance to BBurn as it is to Accrington) yet I'd like to know when the last time Rovers did anything with primary school children in Rishton.

Without wanting to appear 'threatened' by Accrington Stanley they are clearly making sustained efforts to lure in young children from across Hyndburn who would traditionally have been Rovers or Burnley supporters. It might not work much but then again it might.

Edited November 20, 2018 by JHRover

[Mattyblue]

Hyndburn is just a local government construct that happens to have its HQ in Accy, many towns and villages of that borough have been Rovers heartlands since day dot. Rovers shouldn’t simply recognise it as Stanley territory and should be in those schools just as much as any that happen to fall in Blackburn with Darwen.

However, fair play to them, the powers that be at Ewood needs to take a look at the job Andy Holt’s done at Stanley. 

Edited November 20, 2018 by Mattyblue

[JHRover]

22 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

Hyndburn is just a local government construct that happens to have its HQ in Accy, many towns and villages of that borough have been Rovers heartlands since day dot. Rovers shouldn’t simply recognise it as Stanley territory and should be in those schools just as much as any that happen to fall in Blackburn with Darwen.

However, fair play to them, the powers that be at Ewood needs to take a look at the job Andy Holt’s done at Stanley. 

I was once told by someone who worked in the Community Trust that there were rules in place about where you could market/promote your club to avoid Football League members clashing or trampling on each other's toes. Apparently he was told that Rovers weren't allowed or were under the impression that they weren't allowed to promote themselves in certain towns/schools etc. because it was too close to other clubs.

I can kind of understand the logic behind it but in the case of Rovers and also Burnley a huge part of their catchment areas has always been in Hyndburn, which as you say is an artificial creation which just so happens to be based in Accrington. No reason whatsoever why places like Harwood, Rishton or Ossy are any more Accy than they are Blackburn except they report to the same town hall and have their bins collected by different people.

Also fairly sure it isn't true though because I can remember buses between Blackburn and Preston carrying PNE season ticket adverts and I'm also sure Fleetwood and Fylde do a fair bit of encroaching into Blackpool to pick up the Oyston drifters.

Edited November 20, 2018 by JHRover

[old darwen blue]

Foreign territory for them means outside London ?

[gumboots]

Or outside Ireland. 

[Hasta]

6 hours ago, Paul said:

That's absolutely correct BUT if, for example, you want to watch Peterloo, which I do, at present it's no longer being shown by Odeon. Vue are only offering tickets at full price coupled with very restrictive viewing times. 

Not sure what point you are making there in relevance to the thread but it's £9.75 if you book it online to watch at Bolton. This includes a £0.75 online booking fee.

If you turn up and pay one the day it will cost you £8.99 without the booking fee.

So it's actually CHEAPER to turn up and pay on the day at Vue.

 

[Hasta]

17 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

Tuesday and Wednesday are a no for some people due to working. And its hardly romantic on a Tuesday is it??

Eh? Not sure what relevance that has to the original point that Vue are actually doing special offers to encourage people to attend. Besides, me and the missus have been together long enough to go to the cinema to actually watch a film and not to try and cop a feel on the back row. 

Tuesday and Wednesday nights are a no for some people at Ewood due to working. And it's hardly an ideal game to take your kids to when they are at School in the morning. But we don't do any special offers and still charge a £3 surcharge.

 

Edited November 20, 2018 by Hasta

[Tom]

What is everyone’s favourite Tesco?

Mine is the one at Accrington although I used to be partial to the homestore at the Capitol Centre

My favourite Asda however is over at Wigan Robin Retail park 

I don’t have a favourite post office - used to be Rishton back in the day

Edited November 20, 2018 by Tom

[tomphil]

Tesco = Middlebrook

Asda = Wigan

Post Office = Any one you can actually find these days !

[gumboots]

7 minutes ago, Tom said:

What is everyone’s favourite Tesco?

Mine is the one at Accrington although I used to be partial to the homestore at the Capitol Centre

My favourite Asda however is over at Wigan Robin Retail park 

I don’t have a favourite post office - used to be Rishton back in the day

That Wigan Asda is massive. We bought our Christmas tree there a few years back when at a Rovers away game

[chaddyrovers]

1 hour ago, Hasta said:

Eh? Not sure what relevance that has to the original point that Vue are actually doing special offers to encourage people to attend. Besides, me and the missus have been together long enough to go to the cinema to actually watch a film and not to try and cop a feel on the back row. 

Tuesday and Wednesday nights are a no for some people at Ewood due to working. And it's hardly an ideal game to take your kids to when they are at School in the morning. But we don't do any special offers and still charge a £3 surcharge.

 

never said that they don't do special offers tho. so firstly gets your facts right and read what I posted. 

I posted the price it would cost on the nights I would go. THAT IS WHAT I POSTED!!!

I don't see the problem taking kids to night games as most kids are awake to past kick off and full time whistle.

@Biz posted the special offers we offer and different schemes the other day so I am not going over old ground again 

[Mattyblue]

Did he? For actual matches, not 20% off a pie?

Thought he just posted half season tickets (that are more expensive than last season) and a standard match ticket for Rotherham? They aren’t special offers.

Edited November 20, 2018 by Mattyblue

[Hasta]

20 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

never said that they don't do special offers tho. so firstly gets your facts right and read what I posted. 

I posted the price it would cost on the nights I would go. THAT IS WHAT I POSTED!!!

I don't see the problem taking kids to night games as most kids are awake to past kick off and full time whistle.

@Biz posted the special offers we offer and different schemes the other day so I am not going over old ground again 

We were all talking civilly about Tesco and Asda and then this appears. 

Firstly, I never said you did say that did that, so check your facts right and read what I posted before you start losing it and posting in CAPS.

Gumboots posted the standard Vue prices (which is just £8.99 at Bolton cinema out of interest) and I just said that I never paid that as I got special offers from Vue through various sources. The point being that Vue want to get more people attending so have a standard price and actually REDUCE it rather than increase it on the day. But for some reason you then replied to me started telling me people work midweek and also about how you don't like putting love into your life on Tuesdays and Wednesdays !!

So, please, lose the attitude you unnecessarily have in the first two lines of your post as it just drags the board down. 

As for taking kids to night games, on of our party has taken his 6 year old lad to the QPR and Rotherham games. Do you think on a school night he should take him to Ewood and get home after 10.30 ?

 

Edited November 20, 2018 by Hasta

[the original david brent]

I’ve read today about Accy Stanley distributing over a 1000 shirts to Hyndburn school children. That’s what happens when you have a canny local man in Andy Holt running their club. As much as I admire how he runs Stanley I share the same concerns as the posters above - Stanley are a threat to our dwindling catchment area. 

Rovers should be ruthless about this and should be targeting these traditional blue and white places. Hyndburn is a load of administrative cr@p anyway - Knuzden is Blackburn and yet falls under Hyndburn. Rishton and Ossy are still just about Rovers supporting towns but the club need to do more to protect this given the rise of Burnley and Stanley.

Someone mentioned above there is an EFL gentleman’s rule that a club shouldn’t encroach into another borough. If that’s true it’s ridiculous. Again the borough boundaries should be ignored. Rovers wouldn’t target schools in Edgworth and Belmont as they are Bolton Wanderers supporting villages despite being in Blackburn borough.

Unfortunately this is what happens when you get somebody running the show who doesn’t understand the town, the fanbase, the traditional catchment area etc. John Williams did.