Boycott Or Not?

[47er]

If we have a good set of results leading up to boycott day then the protest will fizzle. too many fans can't see beyond thenext 90 minutes.

But there is a  de facto boycott  of sorts going on all the time. Crowds are shrinking, many saying they won't be renewing next season so those who are organising the boycott---take heart, we'll get there in the end, just don't know when and what the end will look like and what follows. 

Edited 18 hours ago by 47er

[J*B]

We seem to still be overlooking the biggest argument to be made to anyone not willing to miss one home game.

”Name one thing that has improved in the 15 years of Venky’s ownership?”

They can’t answer. Because there isn’t an improvement. Think about that. For 15 years things have either got worse or not improved - which given advancements over the 15 years - is actually a net negative.

If you can’t miss one home game after 15 years of no improvement then unfortunately you will never see the light.

This does end, eventually. It’s simply a case of the speed of the demise now. There’s 10,000 people missing. The standards are dropping. The results are trending down. We either force their hands, or let them do it themselves. 

If you want it to be quick and painful then don’t spend a penny. No season tickets, no merchandise, no TV match passes. 

If you want it to be long and excruciating continue going and spending your money. 

[Upside Down]

1 hour ago, J*B said:

We seem to still be overlooking the biggest argument to be made to anyone not willing to miss one home game.

”Name one thing that has improved in the 15 years of Venky’s ownership?”

They can’t answer. Because there isn’t an improvement. Think about that. For 15 years things have either got worse or not improved - which given advancements over the 15 years - is actually a net negative.

If you can’t miss one home game after 15 years of no improvement then unfortunately you will never see the light.

This does end, eventually. It’s simply a case of the speed of the demise now. There’s 10,000 people missing. The standards are dropping. The results are trending down. We either force their hands, or let them do it themselves. 

If you want it to be quick and painful then don’t spend a penny. No season tickets, no merchandise, no TV match passes. 

If you want it to be long and excruciating continue going and spending your money. 

You should put this post up on the front page of BRFCS as it perfectly sums up the whole situation.

[Crimpshrine]

4 hours ago, Mattyblue said:

No corners here, total open mind.

I’ve already said, I expect c6,000, no different than Oxford. If it’s c3/4k then definitely a success.

Oxford was a Tuesday night, Watford is a Saturday so if we get the same attendance ( 6,000 ) as you expect then  I would say that the boycott has definitely had an effect

[Herbie6590]

25 minutes ago, Upside Down said:

You should put this post up on the front page of BRFCS as it perfectly sums up the whole situation.

I’ve just learned that there is a recommended post feature…😉

[Upside Down]

8 minutes ago, Herbie6590 said:

I’ve just learned that there is a recommended post feature…😉

You know what to do.

[Herbie6590]

2 minutes ago, Upside Down said:

You know what to do.

Top of the Thread…

[...]

4 hours ago, Ossydave said:

I've been meandering towards what I suppose is a 'natural boycott' for a while now. My home attendance gets less each season (haven't been once this season). I may go to the Wrexham game in fairness to catch up with a few lads.

The latest call to protest hasn't  altered my perspective at all really, but I dare say it will nudge a few others to my way of thinking.

To put things in context, I was a ST holder for over 20 years (I'm a 44 year old bastard now), I still had one for a number of season under the Venky rats. Within that time I came to hate home games, it started as a chore, particularly night games, but came to a point where I was questioning why the fuck I was doing it. Life also progressed, the kids grew up, work got busier (sometimes work 7 days straight), priorities changed. Previously I've missed weddings, birthdays and other things to attend, ive nearly lost a job queing for Celtic away tickets and doing a sickie on the day of the game after being declined AL, now? Not a bloody chance.

I've missed watching 1 game all season (last week), I was near Penrith miles from civilisation though, my hand was forced! I'm going on Boxing Day as it's tradition and looking forward to it if I'm honest. Had it been at home it would have been a reluctant trudge to the ground.

Would my perspective change if our owners changed? 100% yes. I don't demand glory, I ain't a glory hunter, I've stood on a crumbling Blackburn End step, I've watched on the Riverside hill with my dad when times were hard. All i want is owners that care and a fan base pulling collectively in 1 direction. I would buy a season ticket no questions asked, even if I inevitably missed half the games through other commitments.

Until then, I continue as is I guess. Will still fit a few more away games in this season, in the new year I won't attend Ewood again I don't think, barring a big cup tie against them twats up the road......

Superb post

[...]

2 hours ago, J*B said:

 

If you want it to be quick and painful then don’t spend a penny. No season tickets, no merchandise, no TV match passes. 

If you want it to be long and excruciating continue going and wasting your money. 

 

[Exiled_Rover]

6 hours ago, Hasta said:

The number of people who didn’t take their seats until the 18th minute in the Blackburn End against Wolves years ago gives me hope this will get some traction. I expected the concourse for that game just to be a hundred or so once the game started, but there were far more people there after kick off than I expected. The problem is that even if a couple of thousand don’t go, being a Saturday it will still only look like the crowds attending for the recent midweek games.

The word is out though. People I know who are very casual Rovers fans have mentioned the boycott to me.

Personally, I still think the key is getting rid of Pasha. I don’t believe Venkys would have the inclination, or trust, to put a direct replacement in. It would just become a bigger nuisance than it already is.

I couldn't imagine entrusting that prick with £20, never mind £20m a year.

Baffling, baffling family. 

[Mattyblue]

6,000 people is not a success when there wasn’t much more that in the ground on Saturday. 

[DeeCee]

Does anyone know what's happening with the garnering of actual crowd numbers and publishing them against the figures the club produce?

[Vinjay]

There's a lingering resentment from certain people in the media towards Jack Walker to this day. It's also the same with certain high profile fanbases such as the Salford red devil scum who have been instrumental in creating the current environment where ambition is to be punished. Of course this hasn't done them much good recently largely through their own incompetence and customary arrogance.

How can you resent someone so committed that he apologises for being unable to attend while fighting cancer? This question needs to be asked with relentless frequency and vitriol until they are forced to acknowledge it. Of course what needs to be done is never done. You would think after 20 years I had learned my lesson (and for the most part I have which is why you rarely hear from me) but stubbornness is both a positive and a negative. Of course with Venkys it's very much the latter. 

There is of course the other question...what next? In my opinion you need to capitalise on what could be a growing trend. High profile celebrity ownership which brings with it unique revenue streams. There are people out there who make Reynolds and Mcelhenny look like d-listers. Some of them might be interested in following them into football at a club with vastly superior historical success. There's also the question of Venkys saving face and a big part of that could be who they sell to. 

Edited 5 hours ago by Vinjay

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

18 minutes ago, DeeCee said:

Does anyone know what's happening with the garnering of actual crowd numbers and publishing them against the figures the club produce?

They will always include Season Ticket holders in the attendance whether they attend or not.

No protest here,nothing to see...Con Job.

[J*B]

32 minutes ago, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

They will always include Season Ticket holders in the attendance whether they attend or not.

No protest here,nothing to see...Con Job.

Which is why a boycott won’t work. They’ll release numbers similar to any other game. 

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

12 minutes ago, J*B said:

Which is why a boycott won’t work. They’ll release numbers similar to any other game. 

It will work..a Photograph of the Stands on a Mobile Phone will speak louder than any official BS attendance given.

 

Edited 4 hours ago by SIMON GARNERS 194

[Gav]

The boycotts at Hillsborough worked a treat, it was that effective the club couldn't deny it happening. Grimsby and Boro had more fans in the ground than Wednesday did, it made national news. 

Our game against Millwall on SKY mentioned the dwindling crowds in commentry, its plan to see, nobody needs offical figures. 

Edited 4 hours ago by Gav

[chaddyrovers]

30 minutes ago, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

It will work..a Photograph of the Stands on a Mobile Phone will speak louder than any official BS attendance given.

But every attendance figures always including ST numbers even on teams like Man United. 

16 minutes ago, Gav said:

The boycotts at Hillsborough worked a treat, it was that effective the club couldn't deny it happening. Grimsby and Boro had more fans in the ground than Wednesday did, it made national news. 

Our game against Millwall on SKY mentioned the dwindling crowds in commentry, its plan to see, nobody needs offical figures. 

But the biggest blow at Sheffield Wednesday was HMRC bill. Is that not correct? 

Crowds are low at the minute but 12.30 kick offs are always lower attended. Lets see how the next 2 games are attend and the Watford game?.

[J*B]

36 minutes ago, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

It will work..a Photograph of the Stands on a Mobile Phone will speak louder than any official BS attendance given.

 

It’ll be forgotten about within 24 hours. It has to cost them as much money as possible. When every home game starts costing them money to play they’ll pull the plug. 

[rigger]

1 hour ago, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

They will always include Season Ticket holders in the attendance whether they attend or not.

No protest here,nothing to see...Con Job.

But the actual attendance can be found I believe, via the police, and a freedom of information request.

[RevidgeBlue]

1 hour ago, J*B said:

It’ll be forgotten about within 24 hours. It has to cost them as much money as possible. When every home game starts costing them money to play they’ll pull the plug. 

Yes, but calling for an official boycott is hopefully the first stage of that process.

[Penwortham Blue]

19 hours ago, levi said:

I've been saying for a while that the only way to get them out is to do what shef wed did

Thing is i now live an hour and half away,my lad plays on a saturday so we only get to a handful of home games a year when he's not playing

 

Unfortunately the watford game falls on my lads birthday...i've already booked 2 none refundable hotel rooms,plus tickets and jacks kitchen us all

 

So we'll be attending and also spending in the ground😬

Best birthday present for your lad would be to take part in the boycott, knowing he played a part in saving his club.

[Herbie6590]

1 hour ago, rigger said:

But the actual attendance can be found I believe, via the police, and a freedom of information request.

@KidderStreetNoise has been on the case…

[RevidgeBlue]

7 hours ago, Mattyblue said:

6,000 people is not a success when there wasn’t much more that in the ground on Saturday. 

The "real" crowds are 6-7k because of the situation that's been pertaining at the Club for the last 15 years in general and (at the current levels) the last 12 months in particular.

The boycott will bring attention to the cause, put a focus on the overall situation, and as long as there's not a noticeable increase in attendance in protest against the call for a boycott I don'  see how anyone can see it as a bad thing or why anyone needs to obsess over bare numbers.

There are also organic factors to take into consideration as well. If we lose every game between now and Watford, crowds could get even worse than they are now. If we win every game between now and then they'll undoubtedly perk up a bit.

The fairest test on numbers is the difference in attendance between the Watford game and the home game immediately before.

 

[Mattyblue]

Yes, a comparison to the games either side of it seems a fair enough barometer.