Blackburn End: Waggott Out

[rigger]

2 hours ago, Miller11 said:

Sorry, I should’ve been clearer on a few points…

The crowds in previous  rounds of around 6k were a driver behind the decision. It’s a figure that can be accommodated purely in the Jack Walker stand. The 2,000 is based on current sales which have evidently gone terribly as you can see if you go on the map to buy a ticket right now.

We highlighted how the decision will annoy those who always sit in the Blackburn End, and the influx of Blackburn Enders into the JW might annoy the regulars in there (although any influx looks unlikely). We certainly suggested that the decision to close the Blackburn End will likely be contributing to the dismal sales.

The 6000 figure can be accomodated in the Jack Walker stand, but it will not be catered for, except for the executive areas.

Edited September 22, 2023 by rigger

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Surprisingly more leg room between the seats in JW.

[Mercer]

It's time those who meet Waggott put some serious challenge in.

Prior to the meeting earlier this week, I would have asked Waggott for the cost analysis behind the decision.

I've no intimate knowledge of operational costs at Rovers but some 'back of fag packet' stuff shows, IMO, what a ludicrous decision it is not to open the BE.

• Suppose 300 adults who usually sit in the BE decide not to attend the match - loss of ticket revenue net of vat £2.5k
• Saving on operational staff (stewards, caterers, cleaners etc) in BE - say 30 @ £50 = £1.5k
• Saving on utilities - say £0.5k
• Extra resource in JW (stewards, caterers, cleaners etc) given increased number of fans - say 15 @ £50 = £0.75k

So, if 300 adults decide to miss the match because the BE is closed, it will actually cost the club £1.25k!!!

I know this is 'back of fag packet' stuff but its unlikely to be too far adrift and if Waggott reads this MB, I challenge him to correct these financials if wrong.

IMO, it's a feckin ludicrous financial decision - add into the mix the further alienation of fans and loss of goodwill and future revenues and it confirms, IMO, Ewood is a nous free zone.

Overall, the financials are chicken sh1t in the general scheme of things and it just adds to the bewilderment.

Edited September 22, 2023 by Mercer

[Rogerb]

No problems spending £3k on bin liners for the upper Darwen end though.

[simongarnerisgod]

be interesting to see what swag does if we win and draw man utd/liverpool  or similar,personally i think he`ll hang the rovers fans out to dry by keeping the riverside and blackburn end upper tier shut while opening the whole darwen end for the opposition,far to much organisation to try and get a 25+ crowd

[tomphil]

I suspect he has been waiting for an opportunity to shut it for these games for a long time and now one has presented itself.

[Hasta]

5 hours ago, Miller11 said:

We certainly suggested that the decision to close the Blackburn End will likely be contributing to the dismal sales.

And does he accept this is a possibility? Does he even acknowledge all it will do is annoy existing customers?

[chaddyrovers]

8 hours ago, Miller11 said:

We Are The Rovers met with Steve Waggott yesterday. Obviously the issue of closing the Blackburn End for the Cardiff game was high on the agenda.

Firstly we conveyed our disappointment with the decision and the strength of feeling within the fanbase.

The response was that uptake for the game was expected to be extremely low. At present it looks like a crowd of around 2,000 with less than 1,500 tickets sold. Whether this is a cause or a symptom of the closure of the Blackburn End is another question, but it’s pretty horrifying.

It’s a financial decision based on numbers. We asked if it would’ve been possible to house the visiting supporters in an area of the Jack Walker stand and open the Blackburn End instead of the Darwen End. This would’ve meant that a police presence would be required which would have had an additional cost higher than opening an extra stand.

There was an acknowledgement that the communication needed to be better around the whole decision.

 

 

7 hours ago, Miller11 said:

Sorry, I should’ve been clearer on a few points…

The crowds in previous  rounds of around 6k were a driver behind the decision. It’s a figure that can be accommodated purely in the Jack Walker stand. The 2,000 is based on current sales which have evidently gone terribly as you can see if you go on the map to buy a ticket right now.

We highlighted how the decision will annoy those who always sit in the Blackburn End, and the influx of Blackburn Enders into the JW might annoy the regulars in there (although any influx looks unlikely). We certainly suggested that the decision to close the Blackburn End will likely be contributing to the dismal sales.

Thanks for posting what you said to Waggott about this. 

What was his response to you points you made about annoying the Blackburn End fans and JW fans? 

I would have gone to this game but after finding out that the Blackburn End is being closed for this cup game I have decided not to attend. I don't like being force to sit in one stand and surely it should be my choice to decide where to sit as stakeholder of Rovers. Also I agreed with @jim mk2that these are the sort of games where Waggott should be looking to grow the fan base and looking at parents and children attending these game due to low cost. Saving cost in this manner is unacceptable for me and the cost saving will be very low and tbh pointless 

[Mattyblue]

Chaddy choosing not to attend a Rovers home game, not a lot more to be said to how this decision has landed.

[Andy]

Sticking with fag packet numbers.

Rather than having an empty stand, sell seats for £2/£3 each. Kids for a quid.

Adds thousands onto the gate, better atmosphere (which helps the team), footfall spend, etc, etc.

I’ll say it til I’m blue in the face. A full stadium is always, always, always better than a third/half full stadium.

If I ran the club, this would be my absolute number 1 priority.

[simongarnerisgod]

1 hour ago, Andy said:

Sticking with fag packet numbers.

Rather than having an empty stand, sell seats for £2/£3 each. Kids for a quid.

Adds thousands onto the gate, better atmosphere (which helps the team), footfall spend, etc, etc.

I’ll say it til I’m blue in the face. A full stadium is always, always, always better than a third/half full stadium.

If I ran the club, this would be my absolute number 1 priority.

any decently run club would doing it,but rovers ar`nt and hav`nt been for 13 years,swag and that useless marketing cretin  fraser reid have never heard of loss leaders either,we`ll be lucky to break 4000 on wednesday,shameful

[jim mk2]

Maggott has the mindset of an accountant who think he can manage a football club using a spreadsheet.

He knows the price of everything, but the value of nothing. The only policy tool known to him is to cut. So long as his figures balance, nothing else matters to him.

People like Maggott have been the curse of British industry for decades. They don't know how to innovate, or how to invest, or how to grow, and all they can deliver is austerity, in Maggott's case by selling training grounds, closing stands, failing to maintain the Ewood infrastructure.  Cut, cut cut. 

Maggott is dangerous to the long-term survival of BRFC. 

.

 

[Crimpshrine]

13 hours ago, Andy said:

Sticking with fag packet numbers.

Rather than having an empty stand, sell seats for £2/£3 each. Kids for a quid.

Adds thousands onto the gate, better atmosphere (which helps the team), footfall spend, etc, etc.

I’ll say it til I’m blue in the face. A full stadium is always, always, always better than a third/half full stadium.

If I ran the club, this would be my absolute number 1 priority.

Bradford v Boro in Carabao cup all tickets £5.

They would get a big crowd even at full price ( they have 15,000 STs ).

A club that operates with the fans in mind

[Miller11]

14 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

 

Thanks for posting what you said to Waggott about this. 

What was his response to you points you made about annoying the Blackburn End fans and JW fans? 

I would have gone to this game but after finding out that the Blackburn End is being closed for this cup game I have decided not to attend. I don't like being force to sit in one stand and surely it should be my choice to decide where to sit as stakeholder of Rovers. Also I agreed with @jim mk2that these are the sort of games where Waggott should be looking to grow the fan base and looking at parents and children attending these game due to low cost. Saving cost in this manner is unacceptable for me and the cost saving will be very low and tbh pointless 

We had quite a big discussion around how different people prefer a different experience of going to Ewood, and this “solution” pleases no one. He acknowledged everything we said and I’m certain he knows how unpopular the decision is. He’s received a lot of emails about it as well as us making it clear. Evidently though the short term savings won out.

We were never going to get him to change his mind at this stage, particularly with the sales as they are, but it gives us something to base a very strong case around with our upcoming wider discussions around ticketing and attendances.

[Wheelton Blue]

The guy just cares about one thing, and that is defnitely not what the supporters think or want. 

[Mercer]

1 hour ago, Miller11 said:

We had quite a big discussion around how different people prefer a different experience of going to Ewood, and this “solution” pleases no one. He acknowledged everything we said and I’m certain he knows how unpopular the decision is. He’s received a lot of emails about it as well as us making it clear. Evidently though the short term savings won out.

We were never going to get him to change his mind at this stage, particularly with the sales as they are, but it gives us something to base a very strong case around with our upcoming wider discussions around ticketing and attendances.

Ask him for the financial analysis behind the decision and what the projected savings are.

My 'back of fag packet' numbers show we will actually lose money on the decision!  Challenge Waggott hard to prove me wrong.

[K-Hod]

19 hours ago, Mercer said:

It's time those who meet Waggott put some serious challenge in.

Prior to the meeting earlier this week, I would have asked Waggott for the cost analysis behind the decision.

I've no intimate knowledge of operational costs at Rovers but some 'back of fag packet' stuff shows, IMO, what a ludicrous decision it is not to open the BE.

• Suppose 300 adults who usually sit in the BE decide not to attend the match - loss of ticket revenue net of vat £2.5k
• Saving on operational staff (stewards, caterers, cleaners etc) in BE - say 30 @ £50 = £1.5k
• Saving on utilities - say £0.5k
• Extra resource in JW (stewards, caterers, cleaners etc) given increased number of fans - say 15 @ £50 = £0.75k

So, if 300 adults decide to miss the match because the BE is closed, it will actually cost the club £1.25k!!!

I know this is 'back of fag packet' stuff but its unlikely to be too far adrift and if Waggott reads this MB, I challenge him to correct these financials if wrong.

IMO, it's a feckin ludicrous financial decision - add into the mix the further alienation of fans and loss of goodwill and future revenues and it confirms, IMO, Ewood is a nous free zone.

Overall, the financials are chicken sh1t in the general scheme of things and it just adds to the bewilderment.

Can’t speak for other meetings, but at the FF, there was plenty of push back on the BBE closure. It’s bullshit and I vehemently disagree with it and I’m obviously not on my own.
But ultimately, if SW wants to close a stand, he’ll do it. I’m probably crossing the line here as a member of the FF, but he’s previously shown he’s out to feather his own nest and to hell with anyone else, tbh.

[AllRoverAsia]

8 minutes ago, K-Hod said:

Can’t speak for other meetings, but at the FF, there was plenty of push back on the BBE closure. It’s bullshit and I vehemently disagree with it and I’m obviously not on my own.
But ultimately, if SW wants to close a stand, he’ll do it. I’m probably crossing the line here as a member of the FF, but he’s previously shown he’s out to feather his own nest and to hell with anyone else, tbh.

Well said.

[lraC]

It’s such a massive own goal this.

Even something as simple as buy one get one free would have worked a treat here. Maybe we can’t offer  cheap tickets for the Leicester game, but what about, buy a £10 ticket and we will offer free/reduced tickets to anyone buying one, for the next cup game we host at Ewood. 

[Mashed Potatoes]

5 minutes ago, lraC said:

It’s such a massive own goal this.

Even something as simple as buy one get one free would have worked a treat here. Maybe we can’t offer  cheap tickets for the Leicester game, but what about, buy a £10 ticket and we will offer free/reduced tickets to anyone buying one, for the next cup game we host at Ewood. 

I think discounts on prices for cup games require the agreement of the club we are playing in the cup.

[Mercer]

9 minutes ago, K-Hod said:

Can’t speak for other meetings, but at the FF, there was plenty of push back on the BBE closure. It’s bullshit and I vehemently disagree with it and I’m obviously not on my own.
But ultimately, if SW wants to close a stand, he’ll do it. I’m probably crossing the line here as a member of the FF, but he’s previously shown he’s out to feather his own nest and to hell with anyone else, tbh.

IMO, the decison makes no financial/commercial sense.  The financials are chicken sh1t in the general scheme of things.  The only thing the decision will do / has done is to irritate and alienate fans - I really wonder if Waggott has an ulterior motive?  I really hope those Blackburn Enders in the JW for the Cardiff match vocally make their feelings known to Waggott and hugely embarrass him so much that he sits there squirming in his seat for the entire match.

[simongarnerisgod]

1 minute ago, Mercer said:

I really hope those Blackburn Enders in the JW for the Cardiff match vocally make their feelings known to Waggott and hugely embarrass him so much that he sits there squirming in his seat for the entire match.

that would be fun to hear,those corse  blackburn enders shouting obscenities at the fat controller in the usually serene jack walker stand😂

[rigger]

42 minutes ago, K-Hod said:

Can’t speak for other meetings, but at the FF, there was plenty of push back on the BBE closure. It’s bullshit and I vehemently disagree with it and I’m obviously not on my own.
But ultimately, if SW wants to close a stand, he’ll do it. I’m probably crossing the line here as a member of the FF, but he’s previously shown he’s out to feather his own nest and to hell with anyone else, tbh.

You would only be crossing a line, if it was untrue ! 

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Nothing fun about it,how the hell can one man cause so much disruption and animosity.

He's some Brass neck to close the Home fans most popular Stand...first class chunt!

 

Edited September 23, 2023 by SIMON GARNERS 194

[Mike E]

On 22/09/2023 at 11:11, Miller11 said:

We Are The Rovers met with Steve Waggott yesterday. Obviously the issue of closing the Blackburn End for the Cardiff game was high on the agenda.

Firstly we conveyed our disappointment with the decision and the strength of feeling within the fanbase.

The response was that uptake for the game was expected to be extremely low. At present it looks like a crowd of around 2,000 with less than 1,500 tickets sold. Whether this is a cause or a symptom of the closure of the Blackburn End is another question, but it’s pretty horrifying.

It’s a financial decision based on numbers. We asked if it would’ve been possible to house the visiting supporters in an area of the Jack Walker stand and open the Blackburn End instead of the Darwen End. This would’ve meant that a police presence would be required which would have had an additional cost higher than opening an extra stand.

There was an acknowledgement that the communication needed to be better around the whole decision.

 

Personally feel it would’ve made more sense to open the ends and close the JW.