I ain't happy with games on the red button option

[Bristol Rob]

2 hours ago, handsofclay said:

This is being looked at in the wrong way. People watching live AT the game has fallen but the viewing audience has massively increased.

We think of the church as behind the times, but they have embraced this new technology. A local vicar told me that attendances have fallen at his Sunday Service since it was available on the red button on The God Channel, he used to get average gates of 320 but this has decreased to 175 since the option to watch at home came to pass. However, he now knows that about 6,500 souls are viewing his efforts and thus he is spreading the word of God to a bigger congregation which means he can also increase sponsorship packages for the font, front pews and his personal Bible etc.

Surely, the object of any entertainment is to perform before the biggest audience it can possibly generate.

Do you have to get that on a contract, or is available as a Pray-As-You-Go?

[phantom]

7 minutes ago, gl1 said:

Only works if you’re not In the Uk

Yeah right !

Simple use of VPN and it is sorted

[1stCityExile]

4 hours ago, ExiledAjax said:

I'd probably get one of those. Living in London I get to maybe one home game a season. Normally the boxing day game. Then of course I go to QPR, Brentford, Millwall, Watford, Brighton, Reading if possible. 

I've paid the tenner a couple of times this season. It's not been bad, the commentary is a bit amateurish, not a patch on what you get from BBC or Sky, but I've had no issues with the stream itself.

Definitely would prefer buying a specific Bristol City online package over a generic sky package. Money to the club is always good, perhaps it could give you one home match ticket as well? Would be a good sign of the in at least thinking a little of its non-bristol based fans.

I get to a few more home games (maybe 4) but otherwise this is exactly my situation, and I suspect, a lot of others. I was actually thinking of cancelling my Sky sports subscription, until the Red Button came along...

[Meh]

2 hours ago, archie andrews said:

Is going to the match gonna be going the way of internet shopping?

Eg empty grounds......

Well done sky..........

Yawn. You are kinda right though as every time I watch a game on sky there is no crowd - just stewards and ball boys.

The truth is football fans love games but finances play a part so if clubs could survive with zero attendance anyway then why not slash prices in half now - today - and you will guarantee 23k minimum at AG at every game from now on irrespective of what games are on tele.

People love to knock sky but clubs take the piss equally if not more IMO.

[ExiledAjax]

1 hour ago, gl1 said:

You’re exactly the kind of supporter who I would aim an online season ticket at. Exiled, can only get to one or two games, but would be willing to stump up for an online season pass.  Dropping prices at AG isn’t going to get you there more often, but the club could tap into hundreds of exiled, work away, family tied, or physically unable. My brother suffers from agoraphobia but I’m sure would jump at the chance of an online season ticket.

out of interest what would you consider a fair price for a full online season ticket? 



Given the current package for full on foreign exiles is £110 then I'd say that's about fair.  It's slightly less than £5 a game and about a third of the cheapest "real" ST (I think...tbh I don't pay much attention to ST prices as it's not something I'll be getting in the near future).

29 minutes ago, phantom said:

Yeah right !

Simple use of VPN and it is sorted

I know this is an option but tbh it's just not something I am keen on.

 

Finally, just an idea but if it is atmosphere that you worry about why not send a cheap microphone to every "virtual" ST holder. They then wear this microphone whilst watching the game and the club plays the resulting shouts and screams live into the stadium via speakers which are positioned under the seats.  All the sounds of frustrated fans piped into an empty bowl. Beautiful. Dystopian.

[Robbored]

2 hours ago, RedLionLad said:

What do you drive? A bloody tractor?

Up and back takes around 7 hours.

The last time I drove up to Bridlington it took me 5 hours in a car, not a coach....

[iamalagerdrinker]

49 minutes ago, Robbored said:

The last time I drove up to Bridlington it took me 5 hours in a car, not a coach....

I live about 20 minutes from Hull.. South of the river Humber it's roughly about 4 hours each way

 

[RedLionLad]

10 minutes ago, iamalagerdrinker said:

I live about 20 minutes from Hull.. South of the river Humber it's roughly about 4 hours each way

 

Sticking to 70 mph?

[Robbored]

8 minutes ago, iamalagerdrinker said:

I live about 20 minutes from Hull.. South of the river Humber it's roughly about 4 hours each way

 

Traffic problems along the motorway systems. At least an hour from Howden to Bridlington........I could get to Hull quicker I’m sure using a slightly different route.

[Davefevs]

5 hours ago, HIGHRIDGE BCFC said:

I'm sure The Football League a year or so ago made it their aim to make the midweek games the ones that were further in distance to try and make the weekend games closer so more fans would attend.

Yes here's the link https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/efl-chief-admits-conscious-scheduling-11284376

Thanks. Saved me finding it. It’s not random. 

4 hours ago, handsofclay said:

This is being looked at in the wrong way. People watching live AT the game has fallen but the viewing audience has massively increased.

We think of the church as behind the times, but they have embraced this new technology. A local vicar told me that attendances have fallen at his Sunday Service since it was available on the red button on The God Channel, he used to get average gates of 320 but this has decreased to 175 since the option to watch at home came to pass. However, he now knows that about 6,500 souls are viewing his efforts and thus he is spreading the word of God to a bigger congregation which means he can also increase sponsorship packages for the font, front pews and his personal Bible etc.

Surely, the object of any entertainment is to perform before the biggest audience it can possibly generate.

Get him to do a Billy Graham at AG!!!

back to OP. I’m a bit mixed. The tv deal supplements the club, but for how long. If Sky were to pull out or reduce what they pay the EFL in future, you may have lost the casual attender for good by then. 

I’m sure the clubs voted for it!!!

[ChippenhamRed]

7 hours ago, reformed_red said:

It’s not the fault of Sky.

It’s the fault of the “random fixture generator”, the evidence as requested me Lord;

City v Hull

Millwall v Wigan

QPR v Sheff Weds

Preston v Brentford

Leeds v Ipswich

 

Not being funny but even without the evil Sky red button of doom, those fixtures for midweek games are pretty poor. The EFL should be looking at that and trying to take it into account when scheduling.

 

Then again, even by switching those kind of games to weekend there’s no guarantee more would travel I guess? 

There’s nothing random about it and the schedulers already take everything into account when scheduling. It’s a thankless task with thousands of variables, and it would be impossible for every fixture to work out in the ideal way.

[iamalagerdrinker]

17 hours ago, RedLionLad said:

Sticking to 70 mph?

To be fair I’ve only done it twice in car, usually get the train which is quicker and you can have a few beers 

[Gifford]

 

On 25/10/2018 at 09:28, HIGHRIDGE BCFC said:

I'm sure The Football League a year or so ago made it their aim to make the midweek games the ones that were further in distance to try and make the weekend games closer so more fans would attend.

Yes here's the link https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/efl-chief-admits-conscious-scheduling-11284376

Swap them around. I'd rather take annual leave for a local derby midweek, less travel than a 12 hour round trip. A 12 hour round trip that I'm more likely to do on a 3pm Saturday kick off.

[ScottishRed]

On 25/10/2018 at 13:16, Neo said:

Yawn. You are kinda right though as every time I watch a game on sky there is no crowd - just stewards and ball boys.

The truth is football fans love games but finances play a part so if clubs could survive with zero attendance anyway then why not slash prices in half now - today - and you will guarantee 23k minimum at AG at every game from now on irrespective of what games are on tele.

People love to knock sky but clubs take the piss equally if not more IMO.

I think it was last season, maybe Football Finance, suggested that the income from attendances for some PL clubs was negligible in comparison to their total revenue stream.

I read an article this week on the 'red button' factor and an interesting point was made that in England we are one of the few leagues left in Europe that don't allow 3pm Saturday games to be shown live, for all of the obvious reasons.

There is pressure from the PL - surprise - to change this to allow games that KO at 3pm broadcast live in the UK -  legally.

What that would do to attendances is interesting, particularly in the depth of winter with the away team supporters having to travel significant distances. 

It is also interesting what that might do to attendances at 'smaller' clubs as time passes and the current attendees pass on.

There is little doubt that there are big changes coming and it may be that clubs do have to eventually let supporters in for free - an empty stadium is no good to a broadcaster.

[ScottishRed]

On 25/10/2018 at 14:51, Davefevs said:

Thanks. Saved me finding it. It’s not random. 

Get him to do a Billy Graham at AG!!!

back to OP. I’m a bit mixed. The tv deal supplements the club, but for how long. If Sky were to pull out or reduce what they pay the EFL in future, you may have lost the casual attender for good by then. 

I’m sure the clubs voted for it!!!

That, apparently, is likely to happen the season after next !

[Super]

Maybe clubs should lower prices. Didnt we charge Hull fans 30 pound?

[Pezo]

34 minutes ago, ScottishRed said:

I think it was last season, maybe Football Finance, suggested that the income from attendances for some PL clubs was negligible in comparison to their total revenue stream.

I read an article this week on the 'red button' factor and an interesting point was made that in England we are one of the few leagues left in Europe that don't allow 3pm Saturday games to be shown live, for all of the obvious reasons.

There is pressure from the PL - surprise - to change this to allow games that KO at 3pm broadcast live in the UK -  legally.

What that would do to attendances is interesting, particularly in the depth of winter with the away team supporters having to travel significant distances. 

It is also interesting what that might do to attendances at 'smaller' clubs as time passes and the current attendees pass on.

 There is little doubt that there are big changes coming and it may be that clubs do have to eventually let supporters in for free - an empty stadium is no good to a broadcaster.

Isn’t that what they did in Italy and the attendance crashed except for the hooligans that still needed to turn up to kick crap out of each other causing an increase in far right nationalism within their support as there was no other voice.

[poland_exile]

As an expat living on the other side of Europe it's great to be able to watch City so frequently, but looking at it beyond my own immediate pleasure, the saturation coverage of football is dreadful. Sky (and of course other factors) have reshaped and repackaged football into something unrecognizable from the game I fell in love with as a kid, and it's only going to get worse. AMF.

[BTRFTG]

On 25/10/2018 at 07:25, Never to the dark side said:

Shorter distance to travel would be a good option

that would not cost anything

reduce ticket prices might be an option

free transport

I better not say increase the subscription although it's still free if you have Sky.

Clearly you haven't thought this through.

Shorten travel distances - how does that work? I move house or AG gets relocated to London? 

Reduce ticket prices? I'd already paid for my empty seat, as had many who stayed away.

Free transport - being a man of rail you might start with ticketing options that don't require a mortgage application or services that actually run at times people would like and connect to infrastructure that's still running through the night.

Free if you have Sky - doh! In case you hadn't realised Sky and Sky Sports in particular are subscription services. Next time you visit Sainsburys take two BOGOF items and at the till hand one back saying you no longer want the paid one but will keep the free item it came with.

Of course the actual solution is to get football off our screens, but then all clubs would go bust now wholly dependant on the shekels on which they rely.

[Never to the dark side]

Maybe you would like to come along to the fans EFL forum on Monday 29 October.

I'll pay your transport costs to central London from Blackheath,

and you can express your views to the football fans assembled.

[1960maaan]

With the amount of money Sky pay, there should be a more even split with the Championship and Prem, at least a better split. With the new non 3pm Saturday rule , there must be more Championship games shown live than Prem, it is inevitable that crowds are effected.  
If you think that anyone that lives over 2 hours away will struggle midweek, why would you bother? It took me an hour from Fishponds Wednesday, by the time I parked and got to the pub an hour and 25 mins door to door. You add bad weather and getting stung nearly £7 parking I will be tempted to stay at home in the warm to watch it.  It would be interesting to know the actual gate for Wednesday.

[xerox6060]

I love the red button concept it was great to chose whatever game i wanted to watch on Tuesday night, i also agree it will hit attendances especially in the winter,  i would have gone to Ipswich but not now, Can't justify a £100 + outlay on travel, stay and ticket when i can just park myself on my sofa, while 3 or 4 would have gone to Rotherham all watched on TV.

In some cases like WBA away its still a relatively easy choice to go ...though even that in time as maybe the red button coverage improves could turn, hopefully the clubs and the EFL will compensate accordingly both for pay on the day home fans and away fans ..they probably need to...(personally I'd restructure all the league's and play less games and no midweek winter games anyway - but that's another story)

[Davefevs]

30 minutes ago, 1960maaan said:

With the amount of money Sky pay, there should be a more even split with the Championship and Prem, at least a better split. With the new non 3pm Saturday rule , there must be more Championship games shown live than Prem, it is inevitable that crowds are effected.  
If you think that anyone that lives over 2 hours away will struggle midweek, why would you bother? It took me an hour from Fishponds Wednesday, by the time I parked and got to the pub an hour and 25 mins door to door. You add bad weather and getting stung nearly £7 parking I will be tempted to stay at home in the warm to watch it.  It would be interesting to know the actual gate for Wednesday.

I travelled from Downend.  Left at 18:30 and was parked up in Wickes at 19:05.  Was the best evening game travel I’ve ever done.  Is Wednesday traffic different to Tuesday?

[eardun]

21 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

I travelled from Downend.  Left at 18:30 and was parked up in Wickes at 19:05.  Was the best evening game travel I’ve ever done.  Is Wednesday traffic different to Tuesday?

Wonder if half term holidays helped; people away. Must admit I red buttoned mainly because the SWR train strike removed the last train home option but also because the mid week matches are always a challenge to get to in time. So my seat was empty and I do think the red button will impact attendances. 

I think I finally worked out why we are switching some home matches to Weds. If we are home on the Sat before we are playing Tues; if we are home on the Sat after (and so away on the Sat before) we are playing Weds. Small margins I guess (!) but I don’t recall us playing home matches on Weds before.

[Never to the dark side]

Not sure if the Tuesday night/Wednesday night thing might be more to do with not enough having EPG's on the Sky box.

Talking from the point of not being a sky subscriber.

[1960maaan]

1 hour ago, Davefevs said:

I travelled from Downend.  Left at 18:30 and was parked up in Wickes at 19:05.  Was the best evening game travel I’ve ever done.  Is Wednesday traffic different to Tuesday?

For me it seems to be timing Dave, The Man U game I left a little early expecting to take ages and was parked up in under 25 minutes , my best. Wednesday I left at five past five and got caught. Plus residents parking extension has nicked my 'free spot'  I was thinking of trying the new £200million bus service, but then I'd have to drive to Frenchay and change at the centre , or walk from there. The normal bus has taken an hour to Old Market. 

[Port Said Red]

Playing devils advocate for a minute, we have another thread on here urging the club to go green with it's plastic policy, yet on this thread we are encouraging greater travel, presumably mostly using petrol and diesel vehicles.

If the compensation for the home club was better, isn't the red button the future for reducing football's carbon footprint? Until we all go electric of course.

[Never to the dark side]

I think the championship clubs decided that THEY wanted long distance games in midweek.

That okay for the central area teams

BUT, that does not suit teams like  us Middlesbrough and Swansea

This season we normally play five home and five away fixtures in midweek

Swansea Reading  Millwall QPR Brentford Vile WBA and Birmingham COULD have been midweek games.

I don't wanna  go to Ipswich for a midweek game,but I will be.

[22A]

On 25/10/2018 at 07:46, reformed_red said:

Not being funny but even without the evil Sky red button of doom, those fixtures for midweek games are pretty poor. The EFL should be looking at that and trying to take it into account when scheduling.

 

A national fans forum requested that all long distance games be played on a Saturday and the longest journeys at the start & end of the season when the weather is better. That would by default force the local games into the Christmas period.

The suggestion was also made that clubs could perhaps be away to Ipswich on Saturday and Norwich on the Tuesday  so the players at least could stay in the area and with reduced travel, perform better on the pitch.

At the start of this season the EFL did issue a statement (I don't agree with it though) explaining why long distance journeys are now midweek. It's to ensure large crowds on Saturdays when more are able to attend instead of average crowds at both weekend and midweek games.

The red button does mean that we exiles are able to watch City still. The downside is there's no replays in red button games.

 

[reformed_red]

13 minutes ago, 22A said:

A national fans forum requested that all long distance games be played on a Saturday and the longest journeys at the start & end of the season when the weather is better. That would by default force the local games into the Christmas period.

The suggestion was also made that clubs could perhaps be away to Ipswich on Saturday and Norwich on the Tuesday  so the players at least could stay in the area and with reduced travel, perform better on the pitch.

At the start of this season the EFL did issue a statement (I don't agree with it though) explaining why long distance journeys are now midweek. It's to ensure large crowds on Saturdays when more are able to attend instead of average crowds at both weekend and midweek games.

The red button does mean that we exiles are able to watch City still. The downside is there's no replays in red button games.

 

It makes sense about closer games on weekends and I’m sure (or should I say I presume) that it has been looked into properly. However, in such cases schemes like free travel should be laid on and subsidised against the income from Sky for the EFL games. 

I personally benefit massively from the red button, however if I lived closer to AG then I would go live rather than watch on TV. 

Would be interesting to see the away attendances from games last season vs this, but can’t seem to find that info anywhere.