On 18/10/2018 at 07:59, meadows said:

There’s also instances of local amateur games getting called off on Saturdays. Waterlogged/frozen pitches. Once of a day half of Pleasy or Highams would decamp to Ewood, the other half to the pub. At £30 a throw to sit in the Blackburn End I suspect the pub wins most times now. 

On the post-noon surcharge: no extra staff are employed for the hours 12-3 who wouldn’t be there anyway. I’m unaware of many more clubs, some with far greater footfall, who apply a huge £3. If we are talking an average of 11-1400 non ST holders in the home section at every game must be a pathetically low number handful who do come late without pre-booking. Ten? Twenty? Thirty? 

A lot of teams charge more on the day of the match. I know from attending away games that paying on the day is often more. Similarly a lot of away fans turn up at Ewood without tickets, planing to pay on arrival. Home fans who decide on the day they want to go to the game will be in a minority, I agree.  The decision would have to be related to whether or not more or less tickets would be sold at the already relativly exspensive price of £3 lower. 

3 hours ago, JHRover said:

Is putting season tickets on sale in February or October rather than June or December going to reduce the number buying them? Almost certainly not. I can't think of one single reason why anyone would not get one with a wider window than we currently have.

Is putting them on sale in June or December going to reduce the number buying them? possibly. Why? Well, in the summer months once the season has ended people go away and do other things. They get out of 'football mode' and find other things to occupy themselves, other things to spend their disposable cash on, holidays, don't have football on their mind. Contrast with Feb/March and if you're playing well, winning games and people are going down to Ewood enjoying themselves every fortnight the chances are one or two might push the boat out and get a season ticket whilst they're enjoying themselves.

Yes a lot of those who turned up vs Oxford were morons and were out for a day on the drink and to act stupid and wouldn't have a season ticket if they were given away. I'm not suggesting that 15000 more people would have signed up just because they went to that one-off game. But a few might. If 20 of those 15000 extra fans went into the shop before/after that game, perhaps after a few pints, perhaps in the heat of the moment having just had a brilliant day out, and signed up for a ST then an early release was justified. But we'll never know. Those people went home, slept on it, sobered up, then we had a month with no games before finally releasing increased prices.

I agree entirely. It is very easy to predict the cost of season ticket , so is easy to plan/budget for. However I don’t think I wider window would improve anything either. Maybe a better way would be a monthly ongoing membership that costs say £25 30 per month , but is payable even during the close season. This could help spread the cost over a longer period. This could also be cancelled at any time. Like Netflix .

34 minutes ago, Paul said:

I'm only picking out your posts because they include what I feel are common misconceptions which regularly pop up here.

You're right some of us are fortunate enough for £3 not to make a financial difference. However in an area like Blackburn I'd suggest £3 is irrelevant. This is a low wage town with many facing financial hardships. Its not a question of £27 or £30 but can one afford it or not - for many households that £27/30 represents a significant chunk of income, even £10 is a big number.

As for the surcharge I agree it's irritating but is now part of life. Your cinema/theatre examples are selective. From my experience London theatre sells cheaper tickets on the day but prices are already far higher than watching Rovers. Most cinemas have offers at quiet periods not peak times. I don't think we've ever had a cheap offer from The Lowry, Octagon or Exchange theatres to consider some local quality ones.

Trains, planes, hotels, virtually all ticket agencies apply surcharges, theatres and cinenas do so online, car parks are cheaper booked in advance. It's how the market economy works these days and is primarily about getting people to commit early and upfront to attending. The longer the potential customer wants to make a decision on purchase the less likely they are to do so.

Yesterday I took part in a charity cycle event, entry was £15 online or £20 on the day. Last May we joined a local charity walk £7.50 in advance, £15 on the day. Even charities act this way 

To suggest Rovers are disuadding walk ons through this surcharge ignores what happens in most other retail sectors.

The real issue surrounding attendances is affordability for the local fans and the harsh reality is for many local people £27/30 is out of reach surcharged or not. While I remain to be convinced £10 tickets are the answer, either commercially or in terms of attracting people, I think this is the level at which many need it to be pitched to be seen as within reach for many families.

Since relegation from the premier league, match day prices have not really risen. Our season ticket prices have, i think my ticket this year was £50 more than last year, but this is £15 per game.

i totally understand people feel they can’t commit to a season ticket, personally I have only attended 2 games so far... so actually on average have paid over £30 per game. A season ticket is the cheap option, if walk on price was a £10 I would not have a season ticket. I would also have stayed at home for the reading match. Ewood would not be full if the gates were open and no charge.

6 hours ago, rigger said:

You are not a good keeper if you cannot deal with a ball lobbed into your box when you are faced with static attackers and you have the  advantage of extra reach with your hands. I cannot see it being anymore suicidal than giving a player a free punt at goal. 

True.  But the ball does not need to be lobbed in. Players could and would make earlier runs. Dacks disallowed header in the first half would have been in no doubt had villa had a man on the post. Although I must admit I’m not sure if this was a direct free kick or if the free kick is too wide to shoot. 9/10 free kicks go high and wide, 

Does anyone know what the percentage split is for :

season ticket renewals (people that had a ticket last year)

reterning season ticket holders (had a ticket in the past, but not last year)

brand new season ticket holder.

To me it seems strange, that attendances are up, we are discussing the negatives of the price increase. At the moment I believe we have between 2 and 3000 more home fans in the ground each match. Compared to 2016/17.

are we saying it out of new season tickets or stopped people renewing ?

as an aside I have a season ticket but so far have only managed to get to one game, I had to leave at half time because of the train being cancelled. The line between Manchester and Blackburn and Preston and Blackburn is also closed on a Saturday until November. Has transport effected attendances ? 

While a man in the post may have prevented the shot, it would have played everybody onside. 

Charlie Mulgrew, actually seems to turn to watch the ball go by. Not sure why he did not move. 

We have quite a few national and multinational partners. I won’t name them all but most are booze and gambling related but there are a small amount of tools manufacturers etc. A lot of the big clubs have the Chinese connections and tire manufacturers some I’d never heard of. 

Thanks. When are the permanent ones arriving ?

Why is there a tent in the darwen end ?

Regarding the darwen end, it was never that busy. I’m sure someone could provide figures. If the club made a promise to advertise a potential relocation to the w01 w02 they should have done it of explained why they can’t. If it was an announcement at a fans forum then strictly speaking it’s been done. I know about it because it’s been mentioned on here , and on the rovers face book group, I expect people will also talk about it with friends and colleagues - so I think the awareness is there.

in fact w01 is available this season, last year it was used as segregation. 

This sort of thing has to be organic. I have sat in the jack walker lower for the past 3 seasons, and I for one would not be happy if someone either stood up in front of me all game/or decided they liked my seat better.  I do enjoy standing at football but I would not want to be in someone else’s way. 

3 hours ago, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

OH MY LORD....THE SHEER CHEEK AND INCONVENIENCE OF IT!!!!

Personally I would rather have to pay extra than to have big ques. But maybe it’s actually a discount for purchasing early. I realise people have their own opinion, but how many people make such a late decision really. It can’t be many. Away fans however often travel without tickets, And be the biggest victims of the increase.

7 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

No but by that same token many of the team dont play in the same formation as they do for their clubs.

The tattoo is to do with his dad I believe being shot when he was little. It has a meaning to him and to be quite frank has nothing to do with anyone else and is no reason to give him any stick. The laughing gas wasnt a recent thing was it?

Did he play any worse than Alli and Lingard? I dont believe so but theres no strong continued argument about their inclusion.

Hes an incredibly talented player whose posted some really impressive numbers in terms of goals and assists for City this year. I dont understand the constant hounding he gets. Take your point about him being a professional but to be fair I do think he needs a goal badly to boost his confidence.

I think Raheem sterling occupies the opposition and he played well in the first half against Columbia. Regarding his  tattoo - it is his own business to a point. Footballers/people in the spot light need to be good role models , with current issues surrounding guns I think it fair to say it may have been unwise. 

I take it the tattoo is new ? If not why has he only just had it done now.

was the gun used an Ak 47? 

Why have the tatoo in such such a prominent place ?

On 01/07/2018 at 10:28, Stuart said:

Random? That’s the cost per match at £60.

Stuart I do not believe this to be a dig at you. 

More the realisation you can still pay £1 on the door and that to increase the standard entry to 2.60would have been random. 

10 hours ago, Butty said:

If this is true then we are fooked. If frigging Bolton can afford to offer a player more than we can then I'm lowering my expectations for this summer greatly.  

I see what you are saying, but not necessarily. I suspect with can afford what Danny graham is asking for however maybe the club want to offer to some one who can add more value to the squad. While graham had a great campaign last season , this was league 1 - his last stint in the championship was less impressive.

ultimatley - it depends what he is asking for .

I personally stoped buying programmes along time ago.... up until that point I alway bought one,going out of my way to try to get hold of a one even if I did not go to the game.

I believe a number of things happened: I decided it was expensive, we had got to a point where it was information saturation i.e it not new news and with tv, news papers,internet, rovers player. You basically already knew what was going to be in it.

before internet you would get exclusive content that would have not been mentioned elsewhere. This is what it needs. But this would involve "holding back" some news.

Going back the programmes where very similar with weekly features. It was a template which then had articles placed in the correct spots ,basically updating last weeks.

they had some good features. If I recall rightly, managers pre game notes/welcome the away team. Couple of pages on the opposition , player diary (I think Kevin Gallagher used to do this) ,getting to know...(different player each week,what's your favourite food, boots, who do you room with on away games etc.

Then the standard fixtures results and squads.

i can only really now see a space for a programme that would literally be a souvenir of the match, as mentioned the actual profit margin is tight any how, and I'm not sure how many we currently sell. I don't see many people with them on match day any more.

Away programmes I have always liked to read what they have to say about us , maybe our programmes still appeal to away followings ?

Interesting parsons saying that Conor doesn't put a tackle which is a fair assessment.

Does Liam Feeney put a tackle in though ?

No, he is rarely in position when we do not have the ball. But you could not drop feeney at this moment in time. He caused Birmingham alsorts of problems. His pace and skill is something I did not expect and we have not had a winger like this for a while.

What redundancies ? I think the brew room staff were redeployed at Ewood ? If we are talking match day catering and stewards they have a high turnover of staff here and I guess any cut back would be from recruiting replacements.

Ticket office and hospitality may have had more full timers but as the above post suggested .lower addendances mean less job to do.

But i have not heard of any redundancies ?

Ewood attendances went poor in 2005 and did not pick up again until 2008 with the big reduction in season ticket costs... It's been a problem area for years.

The club specifically stated at the Fans Forum last week that it was going ahead.

Will they have it set ready for home friendly ?

Does anybody know what they are planning to do with this.? Is it likely to be a crap tempory solution ?