The State of Ewood Park!

[tomphil]

I reckon Jack would've made sure the best steel was used our 3 stands are pretty solid looking. Just lack of basics in terms of cleaning etc although cracking concrete is a worry.

To upgrade the riverside would cost millions but i suppose it could be kept going with basic maintanence for now. As said though it's all the little things that add up over time and i was thinking in terms of the future. They won't do much unless we get Prem income and that is about as likely as life on mars being found in the next 5 years.

So yes including the pitch - which at some point will become a priority - then 10 million is a fair estimate. And that is now not 5 or 10 years it's a scary prospect.

Yet when you think besides buying the club and the initial overdraft these lot have thrown around 200 million into the abyss. Transfers out and in fee wise probably more or less balance out but everything else is in the 'needs urgent big investment' column.

It's  ridiculous and it's scandalous some start looking at selling fixed assets as nothing more than a short term quick fix.

Edited August 25, 2021 by tomphil

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Sodexho took over our works canteen a few years ago,prices went up,quality through the floor....they didn't last long as I remember!

[tomphil]

They'll just have been the easiest option and probably the highest bidder for the food franchise. Now they have to not only make their money back but try and turn a profit from whoever buys stuff.

The sometimes high match prices and sub 10k home sections won't help that at all.  So their prices have to be high and no doubt the staff levels have to be cheap. Vicious circle and not unique to Rovers i wouldn't have thought.

Still lazy and typical of the football industry like everything else outsourcing and passing the buck. As the crowds get smaller you'd think it might actually open up opportunities for some things a bit more local and more in tune with the surroundings.

[Wheelton Blue]

I can't see why the club don't try 'pop-up club shops' on the concourses.

Sell a few scarves pre-match or at half time, that sort of thing.

You see this type of thing at other stadiums. 

[Mattyblue]

Absolutely all sorts they could do, a captive audience of thousands of people every other week… there’s just no drive or direction down there to actually do something.

[roverblue]

3 hours ago, Wheelton Blue said:

I can't see why the club don't try 'pop-up club shops' on the concourses.

Sell a few scarves pre-match or at half time, that sort of thing.

You see this type of thing at other stadiums. 

This would be a great idea. I would like to see the same for those that want a pint at half time, just have one of those vendors with backpacks on the concourse and a card machine walking around.

They have lost out on loads of revenue in the riverside from having such abysmal service its been like that for years and never gets any better.

[broadsword]

On 25/08/2021 at 08:12, tomphil said:

I reckon Jack would've made sure the best steel was used our 3 stands are pretty solid looking. Just lack of basics in terms of cleaning etc although cracking concrete is a worry.

To upgrade the riverside would cost millions but i suppose it could be kept going with basic maintanence for now. As said though it's all the little things that add up over time and i was thinking in terms of the future. They won't do much unless we get Prem income and that is about as likely as life on mars being found in the next 5 years.

So yes including the pitch - which at some point will become a priority - then 10 million is a fair estimate. And that is now not 5 or 10 years it's a scary prospect.

Yet when you think besides buying the club and the initial overdraft these lot have thrown around 200 million into the abyss. Transfers out and in fee wise probably more or less balance out but everything else is in the 'needs urgent big investment' column.

It's  ridiculous and it's scandalous some start looking at selling fixed assets as nothing more than a short term quick fix.

Where does this strategy get you in the end? Right up the khyber. 

We've had over ten years of these people already, where are we going to be in another ten years time? 

[tomphil]

5 hours ago, broadsword said:

Where does this strategy get you in the end? Right up the khyber. 

We've had over ten years of these people already, where are we going to be in another ten years time? 

Well we know where we won't be.

[AshleyClifford]

On 24/08/2021 at 23:00, phili said:

To sort out all the issues at the stadium, relay the pitch etc is probably close to £10m now with the amount of work which has been delayed.

Then you have the Riverside to sort out and decide what to do with it, probably £15-20m to sort that out.

At this rate it would probably be cheaper to knock down Ewood and rebuild it. 

So if you were buying you'd know you had probably £30m to spend on the club infrastructure pretty soon after you have purchased, probably £5m on training ground improvements and equipment that has not been replaced (Training Ground frost covers for instance). 

You'd expect Venky's probably want £60-70m to sell, you'd be at £100-110m spend before you even sign a player. We'd need £20m spent on players and 2 years to build a squad to get promotion and running costs during that time would be close to £35m. New owners would be able to boost revenues pretty easily but you'd need someone to sink close to £170m within 2 seasons to sort the club out and set us up to fight for promotion.

I think looking at it as an investor when I am buying companies, there are other clubs better placed to get that sort of investment than ourselves sadly. You'd expect probably MK Dons as a likely candidate for a wealthy investor than ourselves at the current time mainly because the money they invest would go straight to getting promotion and improving things. Here you would spend a fortune to stand still (money being sunk to rectify all of Venky's mistakes and delays since owning us). 

I personally would advise no body to follow through with this madness of a business plan. Absolute crap so many issues. The wage bill does not go away in fact most likely increases if it fails their would be literally no club left. The venkys seems to have bottomless pockets are potential new owners who knows. 

[Roving Mick]

21 minutes ago, MCMC1875 said:

They're putting artwork up around Stanley about the history of the club, much like we had in Blues Bar from Bob Crompton to the present until the club whitewashed it.

Won't need much historical artwork.  They were only formed in 1968.

[Bad Boy]

23 minutes ago, MCMC1875 said:

They're putting artwork up around Stanley about the history of the club, much like we had in Blues Bar from Bob Crompton to the present until the club whitewashed it.

The new historical displays in Jack’s Kitchen and JW stand corporate corridors are very impressive.  The club should be applauded for these.

[arbitro]

13 hours ago, Bad Boy said:

The new historical displays in Jack’s Kitchen and JW stand corporate corridors are very impressive.  The club should be applauded for these.

But how many see them or are even aware of them? The displays in the corner of the JW and DE have gone. They were seen by lots of Rovers supporters and visitors. Now there is just a sign reading Away Ticket Sales. Also many of the bricks that people paid for behind the BE are in such a state of disrepair that soon they will be damaged irreparably. I will applaud the club when they really start to consider the lifeblood of this club, the fans.

[Mattyblue]

The murals at the corners of the stands were great, the one at the Darwen End side was just painted over with an ‘Away Ticket Sales’ sign… though there was already a sign just behind it saying the same thing!

Still annoys me every time I walk past it.

Edited September 5, 2021 by Mattyblue

[chaddyrovers]

i went down to Ewood Park yesterday to buy tickets for the Barnsley away game and some items from the club shop. Was surprised how quiet it was around Ewood Park. 

Surprised Rovers didn't try kid fun day on or player's shirt signing day. The club should be looking to get fans interested at any opportunity and get kids and parents involved. 

[chaddyrovers]

13 hours ago, MCMC1875 said:

You must be the only person surprised by that. No one proactive at Ewood 

Sadly not, We talking to couple of other fans in the club shop who was surprised that Rovers hasn't done something during the international break. one of those people have just spent over £200 on his son for his birthday. 

[rigger]

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

Sadly not, We talking to couple of other fans in the club shop who was surprised that Rovers hasn't done something during the international break. one of those people have just spent over £200 on his son for his birthday. 

I think MCMC1875 was being ironic/sarcastic.

[chaddyrovers]

3 minutes ago, rigger said:

I think MCMC1875 was being ironic/sarcastic.

Not really interested in what he was being like. I posted what Rovers fans who was there in club shop thought

[rigger]

22 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Not really interested in what he was being like. I posted what Rovers fans who was there in club shop thought

That doesn't surprise me.

[Riversider28]

6 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

Sadly not, We talking to couple of other fans in the club shop who was surprised that Rovers hasn't done something during the international break. one of those people have just spent over £200 on his son for his birthday. 

Which player did he buy?

[ewoody]

 

I've been banging on to the club for years to display our club honours inside the stadium like other clubs do.

The club has finally listened, honours now displayed full length of Blackburn End, under executive boxes.

See photo 4.

https://twitter.com/Rovers/status/1435600100680740864/photo/4

 

 

Edited September 9, 2021 by ewoody

[JWU-Andy]

4 hours ago, ewoody said:

 

I've been banging on to the club for years to display our club honours inside the stadium like other clubs do.

The club has finally listened, honours now displayed full length of Blackburn End, under executive boxes.

See photo 4.

https://twitter.com/Rovers/status/1435600100680740864/photo/4

 

 

even when they do something good, they just don't quite nail it.  Leaving half the space, presumably for advertising.  Why couldn't they have just done it properly?!?!

[JHRover]

4 hours ago, ewoody said:

 

I've been banging on to the club for years to display our club honours inside the stadium like other clubs do.

The club has finally listened, honours now displayed full length of Blackburn End, under executive boxes.

See photo 4.

https://twitter.com/Rovers/status/1435600100680740864/photo/4

 

 

Pleased they have done it, wanted something like this for a while, though I would have preferred a more prominent spot either along the top of the Riverside or between tiers on the Jack Walker. 

As it is visiting fans will barely be able to see it, especially as people at the back of the BBE stand up during the game.

[Mattyblue]

Will dovetail well with the murals outside the grou… oh

Edited September 9, 2021 by Mattyblue

[MarkBRFC]

Suprised "League one runners up" isn't in bold at the end with a picture of Mowbray's face on it.

[Mattyblue]

6 hours ago, ewoody said:

 

I've been banging on to the club for years to display our club honours inside the stadium like other clubs do.

The club has finally listened, honours now displayed full length of Blackburn End, under executive boxes.

See photo 4.

https://twitter.com/Rovers/status/1435600100680740864/photo/4

 

 

Groundsman with the old Umbro gear on there… shortages must be bad!