Safe Standing at Ewood - Consultation

[Mattyblue]

If the club is left to the likes of Swag it will continue to wither on the vine, slowly sink into the lower leagues and even more of the support base will drift away.

Despite limited resources JDT is showing on the pitch what drive and ambition can do, fans groups are doing the same off it.

These owners are obviously going nowhere (why do they stay? What do they get out of it? Fecked if I know after 12 long years). But one thing we do need to happen is this long awaited CEO retirement and an actual proactive replacement to grab this club by its bootstraps and realise that this club can achieve far more than just managed decline.

[only2garners]

1 hour ago, roversfan99 said:

A club run by wealthy owners seeing if the supporters will fund stadium renovations is disgusting and indefensible.

I would be amazed if the club's owners even know we have asked a question about crowdfunding. The question was put in by Mike with the full agreement of the working group, not by the club. There are examples of other clubs crowdfunding for safe standing so it seemed a sensible question to ask. If a majority of fans think even the vague possibility is disgusting and indefensible we will soon find out.

[Mike E]

An idea. A bad one, but an idea nonetheless…

Next year’s STs prices at a reasonable level (say £300), BUT pay £400 (still cheaper than last season) and that £100 goes towards safe-standing crowdfund, with your name engraved into the concrete behind the seat you funded?

[rigger]

16 minutes ago, Mike E said:

An idea. A bad one, but an idea nonetheless…

Next year’s STs prices at a reasonable level (say £300), BUT pay £400 (still cheaper than last season) and that £100 goes towards safe-standing crowdfund, with your name engraved into the concrete behind the seat you funded?

Isn't safe standing unreserved ?

[only2garners]

7 minutes ago, rigger said:

Isn't safe standing unreserved ?

I presume it doesn't have to be. Even if it was you could still have your name on a seat even if you don't sit/stand there. Or collectively somewhere else.

[MarkBRFC]

2 hours ago, Mike E said:

An idea. A bad one, but an idea nonetheless…

Next year’s STs prices at a reasonable level (say £300), BUT pay £400 (still cheaper than last season) and that £100 goes towards safe-standing crowdfund, with your name engraved into the concrete behind the seat you funded?

More likely they will be £400 but pay £500 for that privilege.

[Mike Graham]

3 hours ago, rigger said:

Isn't safe standing unreserved ?

No, it is an allocated and ticketed space.

[roversfan99]

5 hours ago, only2garners said:

I would be amazed if the club's owners even know we have asked a question about crowdfunding. The question was put in by Mike with the full agreement of the working group, not by the club. There are examples of other clubs crowdfunding for safe standing so it seemed a sensible question to ask. If a majority of fans think even the vague possibility is disgusting and indefensible we will soon find out.

It doesnt sit right that we have millionaire/billionaire owners yet fans who already struggle to pay inflated ticket prices are being asked to fund stadium developments in a less than average affluent area of the UK.

Being unaware would fit in with the general disinterest they have towards the club but they wouldnt fund it anyway, especially amidst the budget cuts.

[only2garners]

1 hour ago, roversfan99 said:

It doesnt sit right that we have millionaire/billionaire owners yet fans who already struggle to pay inflated ticket prices are being asked to fund stadium developments in a less than average affluent area of the UK.

Being unaware would fit in with the general disinterest they have towards the club but they wouldnt fund it anyway, especially amidst the budget cuts.

Being unaware is nothing to do with disinterest - I doubt they have been told yet.

And right now no one is asking any fan to find anything. All we have done is ask a question. I’m guessing your response is no and that’s fine.

[RevidgeBlue]

On 28/11/2023 at 14:08, only2garners said:

I was surprised to find when we met them that the club are pretty keen to do this but I think in the current financial situation they can't prioritise the cost. But their hand may be forced if the local SAG (Safety Advisory Group) decide that the consistent standing at Ewood justifies a reduction in capacity. They have been making noises to that effect.

Why are we potentially in trouble for fans standing when a far greater proportion of supporters do it at every ground and in far greater numbers?

[RevidgeBlue]

On 01/12/2023 at 14:14, Mike Graham said:

Thanks 1995.  There is definitely a change of approach by the Club and the Trust are determined to work with them for the benefit of supporters and our Club.  We cannot afford to screw this up.  
 

No doubt a small minority of fans do not want us to engage and do not trust the Club representatives; the vast majority I believe are supportive of constructive engagement and us giving constructive criticism where due.  I talk with non message board supporters everyday and they want the Trust to have a hands on relationship with the Club.

Just out of interest, what areas have you "constructively criticised" the Club on in say the last 12 months?

Have to echo the feelings of a few others, I'm not sure why the supporters should be asked to fund this initiative.

[ABBEY]

On 01/12/2023 at 16:53, Mike E said:

An idea. A bad one, but an idea nonetheless…

Next year’s STs prices at a reasonable level (say £300), BUT pay £400 (still cheaper than last season) and that £100 goes towards safe-standing crowdfund, with your name engraved into the concrete behind the seat you funded?

Nah ... it should be cheaper to stand . 

Never sat in years where we are and I won't be paying another 100 for a bar to stop me falling . 

Them pricks in India need to get get there hand in the pocket. Not up to fans to sub them arseholes. 

[Mike E]

7 minutes ago, ABBEY said:

Nah ... it should be cheaper to stand . 

Never sat in years where we are and I won't be paying another 100 for a bar to stop me falling . 

Them pricks in India need to get get there hand in the pocket. Not up to fans to sub them arseholes. 

I agree, I’m thinking more about how the club should (not that any billionaires should) use crowdfunding.

As a general ST after being built, I’d say standing should be 2/3 or half the price of a seat.

[Miller11]

4 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Just out of interest, what areas have you "constructively criticised" the Club on in say the last 12 months?

Have to echo the feelings of a few others, I'm not sure why the supporters should be asked to fund this initiative.

On the first point, ticket pricing and communications from the club to the fan base are probably the big two. The financial situation and transfer window failings (which in January was more outright criticism than constructive in all honesty) were definitely another. Both touch on the communication issue again and a lot of this comes back to the disconnect between the club and the fans, which we have spoken about it at length for the last couple of years since I’ve been back on the trust board. Rather than keep talking we’ve tried to be more proactive, and things like this consultation and the fans takeover day are actually happening.

On the second point, I agree personally and will continue to make that point. We will have to see what the majority of respondents say.

[Mike Graham]

3 hours ago, Mike E said:

I agree, I’m thinking more about how the club should (not that any billionaires should) use crowdfunding.

As a general ST after being built, I’d say standing should be 2/3 or half the price of a seat.

That is not the case in any of the 18 clubs who already have safe standing.  Given the investment why would any club make it cheaper?

[rigger]

26 minutes ago, Mike Graham said:

That is not the case in any of the 18 clubs who already have safe standing.  Given the investment why would any club make it cheaper?

Does that make it right ?

[only2garners]

6 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Why are we potentially in trouble for fans standing when a far greater proportion of supporters do it at every ground and in far greater numbers?

All clubs are potentially in trouble for allowing fans to stand, which is still currently against the law. Which clubs are in more trouble than others is down to to the approach of the various local Safety Advisory Groups. Rovers’ local SAG has just had a new Chair which might signal a new approach. There is I think no immediate issue but it certainly could happen.

[Mike E]

4 hours ago, Mike Graham said:

That is not the case in any of the 18 clubs who already have safe standing.  Given the investment why would any club make it cheaper?

That’s what I mean though, if the fans have to invest in this instead of the club, it’s the fans that should benefit.

If our billionaire owners want to stump up the required money, then prices can be the same for seating/standing imo.