4 hours ago, pk1875 said:

More disappointing that so many this year have been turned down for credit.

That's purely a commercial decision. Why would a company advance cash to someone deemed a bad risk? I'm certain I wouldn't and see no reason why the club or finance company should.

It's just so refreshing to watch footballers play for the joy of playing. None of the total bollocks associated with the men's game.

From what I've seen every player deserves great praise for their ability and attitude.

1 hour ago, Mattyblue said:

I received a season ticket leaflet in the post yesterday .

Any non/lapsed  ST holders had one?

One arrived for my eldest son. He's renewing anyway just hasn't got round to it. My guess is this is just a shotgun mail shot and not targeted at all.

4 hours ago, JHRover said:

Possibly if the club treated sales with more urgency and got them on sale at the same time as most other clubs more people would have bought by now? e.g. whilst people are going to Ewood during the season rather than saving up for their summer holidays with other things to think about than Rovers.

I'll buy when I'm ready to. No question I'll renew and I'll need to do it at some point this month to secure my seats. Not the same for other people though.[\B]

Perhaps the rest of the support feels the same way. In which case when STs go on sale makes no difference.

4 hours ago, JHRover said:

 

On 10/06/2019 at 09:47, JHRover said:

More massaging of the figures to suit the agenda. Last season it suited him to claim the higher figure whereas now with a pitiful 2500 sold it suits to set the bar lower and achieve higher.

Possibly if people got on with renewing their STs the figures would look a touch better?

Did ours weeks ago.

9 hours ago, Stuart said:

I don’t believe the hype either but, unless you were Blackburn Rovers, the first 12 years of the Premier League were a lot more dull than the last 12.

Very true.

On 02/06/2019 at 13:12, Sparks Rover said:

This makes no sense.

An average premier league game tends to be exciting, it's the most exciting league in the world I believe. 

Was the game crap because neither team won their respective league last season?

 

You believe the PL to be the most exciting league in the world? That's fine, I don't. The outcome of a PL season is very predictable which, for me, is boring. The "most exciting league in the world" is marketing hype the PL and Sky would like it's consumers to belive. It's not even the English PL with only 113 English players taking part last season. With squads of, I think 25, that's just over 20% of the potential.

ManchesterUnited have won 13/27 (50%) of titles with only two clubs outside of the big 4/5 winning it in 27 years. There is little that is exciting about a competition that is so predictable. Next season's champions will be City, possibly Liverpool.

If the PL is so exciting how is it two of the top four teams produced a final so widely criticised for its quality?

7 hours ago, USABlue said:

Thought Spurs were hard done by with the penalty, chest first for sure. But, it saddens me to say what a poor advertisement for English football.  I was expecting a better game.  Is 3 weeks too long of a lay off till the final?  Just expected a lot more excitement, more so with Spurs going down so early.  I wanted Liverpool to win and the immediately switched my Allegiance after the penalty.  Was so looking forward to the game too.

The day after the semis I was saying this was nothing more than an average PL game. I haven't seen the match but all the reports I've read suggest it was poor. What else would one expect without a Champion club in sight. The "Champions" League is total nonsense.

As it happens I'm in Porto at present. Not a single sports bar in sight, not one advert for the game, and this in a passionate football country. Possibly the Porto -Liverpool result influenced this?

Lots of publicity for the Nations League this week.

This morning is the first time I've come to the site on a laptop since the changes. Looks really good.

26 minutes ago, Stuart said:

Which is why we need to do the right things as a club to get us there. Certainly while Venkys are propping up their mistakes.

But in the meantime, it doesn’t mean the club shouldn’t try to do something different. We could be another decade or more out of the top flight. We will still need to attract fans - possibly even more so.

The big problem is that what ever short term offer they make, you won’t get a stadium full of people all paying £400+ so they also need to get smarter at getting bums on seats while subsidising it through sponsorship.

I very much agree with you except on price as it's currently possible to get an ST at £319-£349, £14-15/match in round figures. Matchday comparable prices are £22-27 so an ST is, for me, outstanding value offering savings of £7-12. Just how much do people expect? I don't understand or know Stuart, do you? I really cannot understand why at £15 price is an issue. It's £10 at Chorley stood on an open terrace watching through the back of someone's head! I like going to Chorley on a warm, sunny Saturday when Rovers are away and I have , literally, nothing else to do - twice last season. Re matchday prices, yes, I would think twice about paying £27 which is why I've had an ST for 35 years - price just doesn't come in to it.

We need to do all we can to get more people in to Ewood but I cannot understand how buses and beer will have a significant impact.

One idea I've never heard explored is this - credit union loans. When I was active with Rovers Trust this was a topic we explored but never really managed to progress. I don't know if it has potential but it might be easier for those with a poor credit history, suspicion of major banks etc.

On the busing issue I would make another point. The No.24 Chorley-Blackburn service leaves the town centre and passes through east Chorley, Lower Wheelton, Higher Wheelton, Brinscall, Withnell, Abbey Village, Feniscowles so covering virtually all the villages between Chorley and Ewood - it stops at Ewood and takes 45 minutes from Chorley bus station. In all my time of going to Ewood I have, without a word of exaggeration, heard ONE person mention this ONCE ** - that's in 35 years. When a public service appears to be underused would the club really be able to offer a viable alternative? Perhaps a free journey for those showing the driver an ST?

** I do know the route changed some years ago but don't know when, today it stops at Ewood.

18 hours ago, HowieFive0 said:

Cmon Paul lets not get silly. People just saying there are ways n means of getting the attendances up. 

Youre talking like you don't know the demographics of who and where Rovers fans come from ..something aimed at Waggott on many occasions ..im sure youre more switched on than that …?

 

Yes it was a tongue in cheek, somewhat silly remark. My response was to a post regarding PNE busing fans in and there had been, at that point, no examples of what Stanley do. Now I understand there is an ultras section, live music, real ale marquees and cheap beer after a win. This is a different proposition.

I have some understanding of our demographic in that the town has a wide ethnic mix, low income base and small population. I don't know more but given this I'd argue attracting more fans from the town will be difficult and achieving the 20,000 often cited here needs 40-50% of those fans to come from outside Blackburn.

I live halfway between Chorley and Blackburn. At our peak around 30-35 fans left my village from 2.00pm onwards. With one exception these were families - I took four kids, another family was six in total. That's eleven from two households. Today I'm aware of four, yes 4, who go to every match. Three are me and two sons.

I'm still in touch with the majority of parents and know their children have moved and are spread across the UK. As an aside this is why free child tickets etc. have an immediate effect but low long-term impact.

Going back to demographics the Stanley initiative addresses, for me, a very narrow demographic. At 64 I don't want to stand in a tent, drinking beer listening to a local band. I enjoy each of those things but not at Ewood on matchday. I'd suggest the supporter this is aimed at would be 18-25, possibly 30 at a push.

Thinking about the out of town fan and people I know with an interest in football. None go to football to drink, many will not, including myself, drink and drive at all.  I may well be wrong but I think this would be commonplace amongst many of the target fans.

Taking this deeper. I started watching Rovers in I think '82 possibly '83 when we moved to the area. It's a long story but I wandered in to Ewood one Saturday and immediately was hooked. I had 3-4 seasons alone and then took children for around 13-14 seasons. A beer tent and rock music is the last thing I needed with up to four kids in tow. By the end of this I'd hit early 40s and life had changed.

My argument would be the majority who regularly question the club's commitment to or understanding of where the support would come from and how to attract them don't consider much of this. Those making this criticism look only at a narrow demographic, ignore out of town support and believe free child tickets build the future fan base, it doesn't.

In the era of 20,000+ home fans the crowd could be split in to core support, floating Rovers fans and those who simply wanted PL football. The only solution to returning to those levels of support is PL football. Everything else is window dressing.

3 hours ago, Sparks Rover said:

I've been going for years and you can park anywhere on moorgate street and walk down.  I dont understand.  Ok if there are disabled then that's different but if you cant be arsed walking for 10 minutes each way then I don't know. 

Yep. Never had a problem parking near the ground for £3 just off LBR. Currently we chose to use the DE car park which is £200.

Parking is only an issue if you chose to make it one. Some sections of on steet parking for matchday have been relaxed. I don't know how widespread this is as I only notice the area I drive through.

6 hours ago, blueboy3333 said:

Nope. Matchday experience is what happens on matchday and is connected to the match. The clue is in MatchDAY. 

 

Nope.  PNE put on coaches for home fans and advertise them on their website. They want to help with the matchday experience for their fans.

I don't agree with this. To my mind what the club do in and around the ground is the matchday experience. This the club can influence directly.

Transport to the ground is a different issue. Yes buses from various areas is a good idea but only impacts matchday for an extremely limited number of fans. As an exampke this might benefit 50 Chorley based supporters.

Would busing fans to the ground help attendance? It's impossible to know without trying it. People are wedded to their cars and persuading them to use public transport, park and ride etc. is extremely difficult. A trial which carefully monitored users - existing ST holders against "others" - would be interesting.

The original post I responded to stated clearly the experience at Ewood is inferior to that of the Crown Ground. The point being made is the matchday experience at Ewood needs improving for the 12,000 or so people in the ground.

Just now, K-Hod said:

It doesn’t sound like you like to have a drink at the match, but for those that do, things could be a lot better.

Never. Possibly 2-3 cups of coffee per season when I'm very bored by a performance!!

Just now, blueboy3333 said:

There you go then, you've answered your own question. That's one way things could improve. 

Nope. Matchday experience is what happens inside the ground. Getting there is different, that is a transport issue. Customer experience is a big thing in retail and entertainment but very, very few places extend this beyond their premises. That would mean Rovers going above and beyond, which would be a good thing.

The bus thing is very, very difficult. There is zero traffic on LBR prior to a game and I can drive straight in to a car park. The traffic issue is twofold; stopping the traffic while pedestrians clear the area - entirely understandable - and locking cars in after the match - probably a police issue.

As this discussion initially compared Stanley and Rovers I presume Stanley bus fans in from all over Lancashire?

Just now, Mattyblue said:

I’ve been at Ewood every step of our decline, like 10,000 or so others. I’m enjoying our recovery (of sorts), and wish there were more there to see it. But I’m aware that there is also the floating fan that isn’t as committed as me, chaddy, JH, Paul etc, so they need enticing in.

As ‘well, they should just turn up, I do’ isn’t a solution

I agree but that is, for me, a different thing to matchday experience. I think matchday experience is directly related to what happens inside the ground. Possibly I'm misinterpreting this.

Other than winning every match there is nothing to change inside the ground 

Just now, arbitro said:

I pay £3.50 fare from Darwen and I think the double decker bus is around £180 to hire. We are dropped off at Ewood WMC and picked up behind the old Albion pub. It does seem we given priority over traffic afterwards and quite often are back at the Craven Heifer pub before 5.20.

Sounds very good. We live approximately 6 miles from Ewood and often don't get out of the car parks till 5.15 or later.

If I'm home by 6.00 it's good.

Just now, JHRover said:

Why do Preston as a club have multiple bus shuttle services designed to help football supporters get to their ground on matchday and we don't?

Are we so good that we don't need to and can just rest on our laurels?

I've no idea, best to ask the club. Read my earlier post and the one above making it clear I would enjoy and use the service.

Just now, blueboy3333 said:

There's a post directly above yours that answers that. 

My post directly before the PNE post gives my opinion on buses. I'd use it provided there is enroute pick up. I'm not driving 5-6 miles in the opposite direction to catch a bus.

20 minutes ago, K-Hod said:

You’re missing the point. If we could be doing things better, we should be aiming to. 

I don't think so. I'm watching a decent team, managed by a fundamentally decent person, possible top six campaign in 2019/20 in a PL standard ground (yes it needs some attention), parking is OK, good seats, reasonable coffee on the odd occasion I drink it.

What's not to like? What else could the club offer? Better atmosphere? Yes, but that's the fans not the club. The one thing I'd like changed is holding the car parks after the game, which is probably a police and not club issue.

All for £15/match

Just now, darrenrover said:

The independent buses from pubs in Darwen illustrate the point in question. I know for a fact that if the facility wasn’t there, a number of people wouldn’t bother going to Ewood. It would be worthwhile trialling something similar from Chorley, Clitheroe, Accrington etc to see how it went. 

If a bus from Chorley picked up en route and received the same priority as away support coaches I would catch that as opposed to driving. Parking is £200 per season. So from my perspective only something around £5/person would be acceptable -we have 2/3 in the car.

Priority over cars leaving the car parks would be essential as without this there is no tangible benefit.

8 hours ago, K-Hod said:

Fundamentally, that’s true. But it still wouldn’t kill the powers that be to improve the match day experience.

When this is inferior to that at Accy Stanley, questions need to be asked.

Surely winning more games is the best, and probably only, way to improve the matchday experience. Success on the pitch is the only way forward.

I've never been to Stanley but I'm struggling to understand how the matchday experience at the Crown with an average gate of 2827, 24th in League One, watching the team which finished 14th is better than a visit to Ewood Park???

If it's so good why would less than 3,000 bother to go?? If people want a better matchday experience the answer is simple..........

28 minutes ago, old darwen blue said:

Uh, venkys selling up would. 

Utter rubbish, you don’t know what you are talking about. It worked just fine for such low numbers. 

You may feel this is true if you were in that area. My view is it was generally very hard to hear and did nothing to get the rest of the crowd going. 

How many were in there actually singing? I'd say 2-300 possibly 400 at best. You have to be outside looking in to judge this not in the middle of it.

2 hours ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Is this not something that fans groups should be leading as opposed to the club though? Same with "being scattered" is that not up to fans to choose where they sit?

I just see a lot of blaming of the club re attendances, when the reality is the prices are decent and fans know the tickets are available. You can bring a horse to water.....

You're quite correct with this. Our lack of attendance, poor atmosphere, difficulty in selling more tickets is far more complex than whether or not there is a singing section. I've highlighted all this before with a lot of detail on my thoughts but what it really boils down to is when crowds were 20-25,000 many of those fans were not from the town. At 10-12,000 Rovers have probably got the core local support, beyond that the club has to look way beyond the town boundaries.

As for those who go away but don't go to Ewood because the atmosphere is, as I think mattyblue put it, shit? My philosophy in life has always been if you don't like it or don't agree get involved and do something constructive to change things. My father taught me that when I was 15. So for the fans who go away but not home the answer is simple. Get down to Ewood and help improve the atmosphere or stop moaning about it. Put up or shut up.

1 hour ago, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

What potential problems Gumboots?

Why not open up the BBE upper as a singing section,3,000 fans with flags,banners etc...not getting in the view of anyone else within the Stadium.

Just needs a bit of imagination and planning with supporters and the club working together to improve an awful match day atmosphere.

Not holding my breath though. 

3,000? I think a success might be counted as 500.