Season tickets

[OldlandReddies]

6 hours ago, Cov 77 said:

Here’s hoping that the new manager is someone that excites the fans and gives everyone a massive boost . 

As a season ticket holder of 20 years plus I did not renew like several thousand others , sounds like about 12000 out of 15000 did so quite a few of us held back , to be honest two reasons , definitely LJ and the terrible football , mainly that as they were pushing us to renew or lose the seat Covid emerged and in my case and many others the uncertainty meant could not commit at that time .

Seems like that is not the case now and would now renew in the very near future, my one hope not because it would hit my pocket but because it would be a massive PR own goal that they then  increase prices just when hopefully a feel good feeling is at last there, the marketing geniuses that make up our PR dept make one of their usual stupid decisions to cash in

Maybe two weeks where prices remain would be fair , I am sure many would snap tickets up , not sure if powers that be read this but if so do the clever and do the fan friendly thing this once , we will see 

 

 

 

With spectators returning to Horse Racing soon, fans will be back when the new season starts so the 12000 who have renewed will most likely be the only fans allowed into the Stadium.

[OldlandReddies]

11 minutes ago, bcfcfinker said:

Does anyone know when the season will be starting? September or October?

Football will survive, but you've hit the nail on the head that some clubs will not. This is why the TV people and the Premiership need to be helping out more than they are. Someone on another thread said, words to the affect, 'fat chance of that happening'. My view, this can happen if a divorce is threatened between Premiership and the remaining leagues, namely TV rights are given back to terrestrial TV/free TV for lower divisions, the Premiership is kicked out of FA cup etc. They can play their own games in their own bubble and the remainder will do the same. It's a pipe dream but unless someone starts to look at the inequality of football at the moment, shit will continue to happen. BTW, I'm no left wing, power to the people type of person, I just recognise there is an issue and if it's not sorted, people will have less choice when it comes to watching football.

September without doubt.

[OldlandReddies]

1 hour ago, Rich said:

I think it'll be every other seat and opposite for rows in front and behind, with everyone wearing a mask. You could conceivably get 13.5k in the ground.

We'll also have the people from same households, or bubble groups that can sit together. That's if as expected, there's a further relaxation of the distancing guidance. Or, we could pretend it's a BLM protest or rave, then we can go in as normal and throw bottles just like we did in the 70's. 

Great point re same households. At least 50% of season ticket holders form part of a family group so the current 12k would comfortably be allowed in, probably a few thousand more. 

[eardun]

I’d expect reduced capacity when grounds open. Season ticket holders first choice. I suspect some season ticket holders may not risk it due to personal choice (be that health, age, fact they normally travel on public transport, or just personal risk decision etc). So that may free up some space for non season ticket holders (perhaps members first). I could also see the initial opening beIng limited to home fans only (to reduce travel cross country) - again more space for home fans. 

[OldlandReddies]

2 minutes ago, eardun said:

I’d expect reduced capacity when grounds open. Season ticket holders first choice. I suspect some season ticket holders may not risk it due to personal choice (be that health, age, fact they normally travel on public transport, or just personal risk decision etc). So that may free up some space for non season ticket holders (perhaps members first). I could also see the initial opening beIng limited to home fans only (to reduce travel cross country) - again more space for home fans. 

I would hope the club will refund those that are still shielding or are simply worried about returning 

[lager loud]

5 minutes ago, OldlandReddies said:

Great point re same households. At least 50% of season ticket holders form part of a family group so the current 12k would comfortably be allowed in, probably a few thousand more. 

In practice this could be difficult to organise. If every other seat is “out of bounds” it’s easy to prepare the ground. But it becomes much more complicated if, say, there’s a group of three here, four there etc, and arranging for the right seats to be closed off would require much more detailed planning. Not saying it would be impossible: as long as the same people go to each game you only have to work out the “pattern” once, but I’m not sure it’s practical if changes have to be made from game to game.

[eardun]

5 minutes ago, OldlandReddies said:

I would hope the club will refund those that are still shielding or are simply worried about returning 

Agree, or a partial refund to watch online. 

[Rich]

1 hour ago, RedorDead BCFC said:

That’s what I was thinking as well. Families will all be able to sit together. However unless they separate rows that would mean more empty seats behind and in front. 
On another point how will they go about getting people into the ground? Also you have people going past others to get to seats and people like me with dodgy bladder going to the toilet each half as well. 

Free Tena men/lady with every entry.

[YGBjammy]

As others have highlighted, the issue isn't how to arrange seating in the stands, that's relatively easy.

The issue is movement in and out of the ground, through turnstiles, up and down the stairs on the stands etc. Social distancing is easy when you have a dedicated spot to sit in, but very hard when people are just freely moving. 

Also wouldn't be surprised if we have another full lockdown in October, 2nd wave and flu season.

[OldlandReddies]

10 minutes ago, YGBjammy said:

As others have highlighted, the issue isn't how to arrange seating in the stands, that's relatively easy.

The issue is movement in and out of the ground, through turnstiles, up and down the stairs on the stands etc. Social distancing is easy when you have a dedicated spot to sit in, but very hard when people are just freely moving. 

Also wouldn't be surprised if we have another full lockdown in October, 2nd wave and flu season.

The concourses are easily big enough and there are multiple entrance and exit points that can be used. Remember it's only 3 feet now and that is easily manageable . There will be no issues. 

[Mrdc]

4 hours ago, Davefevs said:

I’ll do home games, you do away games

If you use a general principle that there has to be one seat spare to your left, your right, in front and behind, you could make an argument that 50% could be achieved. Basically you sit in staggered rows.

If that is extended / restricted to a one seat gap all around that it changes again.

Personally, assuming covid is still around, I will hope there is a reduced season card to watch on Robinstv.  Need to minimise risk for Joe.

I haven’t renewed my s.t after 22 years as i really don’t know what I am buying.

Whilst the risk is around am happy to pay and watch on BCFCTV.

Am happy to work, send kids to school  and do my essential stuff but being in a bunch of strangers isn’t one of them.

This is how l feel at the moment and might change my mind as time goes on.

[Meh]

I think temperature check on entry - you can get the relatively low cost walkthrough ones (just before Covid really started me any my son had to go through one in a coffee shop in Amsterdam and there can’t be that much money in space cakes !!).

Anyway, get people to advise their possible family groups (even if that means family in current separate areas) are put together then you should he able to accommodate all S/T holders at a minimum with decent social distancing.  All in masks and possible transmission rates (particularly after temp check has to be low) !!

[winsaw]

Saw a thing on line about how many would be allowed back in the ground in September based on the current guidelines and it worked out that Ashton gate would be able to hold about 5600 per match, so unless by September there is less social distance needed then that would mean season ticket holders getting to go to every other game and no one else getting in at all, not ideal but better than nothing, 

[shelts]

I opted not to renew . Seriously thinking about renewing depending on  the next manager and how Covid turns out . Sadly my youngest has lost all interest , shame that . 

[DT The Optimist]

Some good points made all round.  It is hard to imagine fans in  any stadia  for any sports in 2020, unless some magic vaccine is found.

 Food out lets in the  concourse ?   drinks ?   pies ?  The whole BCFC afternoon out will not be back for a long time.  12K season ticket holders.  Perhaps might let them in, must sit at least a seat apart. 

It is, to be honest  'F*****d up beyond repair'   I even struggle to watch City on Robins TV and really 'get in to it'.   It just seems so sterile.  

If it looks like no humans attending for the foreseeable then a decision will be made, refund or Robins TV ?   Choice time  

[Mr Popodopolous]

6 hours ago, OldlandReddies said:

September without doubt.

Sounds about right. Mid September I believe is the aim. (Saw September 12th mentioned other week). 

5 hours ago, eardun said:

I’d expect reduced capacity when grounds open. Season ticket holders first choice. I suspect some season ticket holders may not risk it due to personal choice (be that health, age, fact they normally travel on public transport, or just personal risk decision etc). So that may free up some space for non season ticket holders (perhaps members first). I could also see the initial opening beIng limited to home fans only (to reduce travel cross country) - again more space for home fans. 

Certainly wouldn't disagree. Maybe could be done on a rota basis, or health checks at turnstile. 

3 hours ago, YGBjammy said:

As others have highlighted, the issue isn't how to arrange seating in the stands, that's relatively easy.

The issue is movement in and out of the ground, through turnstiles, up and down the stairs on the stands etc. Social distancing is easy when you have a dedicated spot to sit in, but very hard when people are just freely moving. 

Also wouldn't be surprised if we have another full lockdown in October, 2nd wave and flu season.

Let us hope 2nd wave is not a factor!

You're right, movement in ground itself etc is/can be a big issue.

Also worth pointing out on a general note that the match day experience, not just in the stadium itself, would change markedly for the foreseeable.

Pub before game? Forget it IMO. Especially if you want to rock up 5 mind before kickoff or the last half hour as reasonable numbers do now! 

Fanzones? Surely not! 

Read that gates would open 3 hours before kickoff...presumably a part of that would be to facilitate search procedures in time of social distancing. 

5,600 is a very specific number. I've read in the range of 30-50% in recent weeks.

[MarcusX]

11 hours ago, Red Exile said:

...the question I ask myself - having bought 2 and paid the club around £1000 - is what exactly have I purchased? Unless I've missed something (which is perfectly possible) the silence on that is pretty deafening. 

What do you expect them to do? Seems pretty logical that they’ll wait to see what decisions are made about next season from the FA before making any announcement 

They could do an announcement saying this but tbh it’s common sense!

[MarcusX]

7 hours ago, Davefevs said:

I’ll do home games, you do away games

If you use a general principle that there has to be one seat spare to your left, your right, in front and behind, you could make an argument that 50% could be achieved. Basically you sit in staggered rows.

If that is extended / restricted to a one seat gap all around that it changes again.

Personally, assuming covid is still around, I will hope there is a reduced season card to watch on Robinstv.  Need to minimise risk for Joe.

This doesn’t consider the number of exits available, toilets, concourse access etc though. Sitting in your seat is only a small piece of the puzzle, and arguably the easiest to manage. It would take hours to get in and out of the ground if even 1 metre apart in queues and then there’s the very obvious fact that people are going to congregate in groups, meet their friends etc. 

I’d think there’d need to be a much bigger shift in relaxing social distance measures before it’s possible to have 10k plus people in one location.

 

[HomerRed]

I did renew our two seats in the Dolman, which I reckon is more cramped than the new stands so more difficult to manage in this situation. 

If someone in your row needs to go out, we all have to move and I can think of two regulars who like to arrive less than a minute before kick-off. It is hard to imagine a return to that kind of normal for some time. 

[Mr Popodopolous]

6 minutes ago, MarcusX said:

This doesn’t consider the number of exits available, toilets, concourse access etc though. Sitting in your seat is only a small piece of the puzzle, and arguably the easiest to manage. It would take hours to get in and out of the ground if even 1 metre apart in queues and then there’s the very obvious fact that people are going to congregate in groups, meet their friends etc. 

I’d think there’d need to be a much bigger shift in relaxing social distance measures before it’s possible to have 10k plus people in one location.

 

Grounds would open at 12 (for a 3pm), fans would have to have a complete switch of mindset for the foreseeable.

Forget pub, forget fanzone, if one likes to congregate with mates, if they like to rock up 10 mins before kickoff, if they like to try and dodge the searchline forget it...those days feel a way away now.

Any reopening would be under strict conditions IMO. Would/could be rather austere I'd have thought.

[winsaw]

56 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

 

5,600 is a very specific number. I've read in the range of 30-50% in recent weeks.

I saw that in a interview on line with someone who works at the stadium, he said that every person in the stadium will have to have 2 empty rows in front and 2 empty rows behind and 3 empty seats ever side of them, families would not be allowed to sit next to each other as it would mess up the seating plan for everyone else, everyone in the stadium would be sitting on there own , it really doesn't sound very fun, he said the seating plan is worked out and ready to go once they are told some fans can come back, 

[Nogbad the Bad]

13 hours ago, Cov 77 said:

As a season ticket holder of 20 years plus I did not renew like several thousand others , sounds like about 12000 out of 15000 did so quite a few of us held back , to be honest two reasons , definitely LJ and the terrible football , mainly that as they were pushing us to renew or lose the seat Covid emerged and in my case and many others the uncertainty meant could not commit at that time .

Same 2 reasons for me but other way round - almost entirely LJ and the terrible football, and the other 10% being with everything else that was going on the deadline passed almost unnoticed so the moment I would usually have had a last minute change of heart, and renewed, just never came.

 

[Red Exile]

7 hours ago, MarcusX said:

What do you expect them to do? Seems pretty logical that they’ll wait to see what decisions are made about next season from the FA before making any announcement 

They could do an announcement saying this but tbh it’s common sense!

I understand the uncertainty, but this says something to me about the relationship between the club and supporters. If I'd taken huge sums of money from people who are valuable to my business I'd like to think I'd be keeping up some sort of communication with them about what was going on. It's a bit like the complete failure of the 'Robins TV' element of Saturday's coverage...just failed to appear. They've got my email address. I'd have expected some sort of communication to explain why they'd not provided something they'd advertised and we'd paid for.

[Port Said Red]

Difficult for the club to make a decision or even to communicate anything with the fans when the government can’t decide on aspects of this situation themselves.

[MarcusX]

1 hour ago, Red Exile said:

I understand the uncertainty, but this says something to me about the relationship between the club and supporters. If I'd taken huge sums of money from people who are valuable to my business I'd like to think I'd be keeping up some sort of communication with them about what was going on. It's a bit like the complete failure of the 'Robins TV' element of Saturday's coverage...just failed to appear. They've got my email address. I'd have expected some sort of communication to explain why they'd not provided something they'd advertised and we'd paid for.

Not the same in my opinion. Robins TV breaking was unexpected and you're right there should be some explanation or communication (dont know if there was, I was out on Saturday). This situation is unique to us and that moment.

However the ST situation is quite self explanatory. Almost every understands there's a pandemic, the club aren't allowed fans in and just like every other club in the land are waiting for more guidance. They could release a statement saying they still don't know anything but it just seems pointless to say anything until they have some certainty. We don't even have a start date for next season yet.

[City Rocker]

11 hours ago, boatman said:

I haven’t renewed my s.t after 22 years as i really don’t know what I am buying.

Whilst the risk is around am happy to pay and watch on BCFCTV.

Am happy to work, send kids to school  and do my essential stuff but being in a bunch of strangers isn’t one of them.

This is how l feel at the moment and might change my mind as time goes on.

Well I have renewed, but like you I don't feel comfortable going back to football in the near future, much as I am missing it.

It seems more than likely there will be a second wave of infection coming this Autumn/Winter and I will be just as likely to catch the virus, pass it onto my elderly mum, or indeed die from it then as I was in March/April/May.

So until we have a vaccine or a cure, or the virus naturally dies off, the idea of spending a couple of hours in a football crowd doesn't really appeal.

Then again I don't particularly want to give up my season ticket seat or ongoing entitlement, so I guess I make my choice and take the financial hit.

[Red Exile]

7 minutes ago, MarcusX said:

Not the same in my opinion. Robins TV breaking was unexpected and you're right there should be some explanation or communication (dont know if there was, I was out on Saturday). This situation is unique to us and that moment.

However the ST situation is quite self explanatory. Almost every understands there's a pandemic, the club aren't allowed fans in and just like every other club in the land are waiting for more guidance. They could release a statement saying they still don't know anything but it just seems pointless to say anything until they have some certainty. We don't even have a start date for next season yet.

We'll have to agree to differ then.

It's all part of the same thing in my opinion. The club, for whatever reason, simply don't appear to value dialogue with supporters.

The Robins TV thing is pretty inexcusable, trivial but inexcusable...season ticket holders have been sold a package in return for not claiming refunds - an hour of build-up, live commentary - which the club is advertising for the Stoke match on Wednesday but which on Saturday they've not delivered. How can anyone in the comms team start work on Monday and not think that needs an apology, or explanation?

The club has dynamic supporters groups. It will have many supporters fearful of returning to watch matches in person for health reasons. It's banked millions of pounds of City supporters cash ahead of next season. I'd expect some sort of dialogue, even when definite answers are unknown. 

[Floatn Over]

I’ve renewed along with my son to support my club but it’s one heck of a lot £££’s.

The whole match day experience (banter with old mates, drinks, moaning after a loss, walking on air after a win even if it was a lucky 1-0) we miss and want back ASAP, although it’ll never be the same, as with City Rocker though it worries the he’ll out of me.

[MarcusX]

43 minutes ago, Red Exile said:

We'll have to agree to differ then.

It's all part of the same thing in my opinion. The club, for whatever reason, simply don't appear to value dialogue with supporters.

The Robins TV thing is pretty inexcusable, trivial but inexcusable...season ticket holders have been sold a package in return for not claiming refunds - an hour of build-up, live commentary - which the club is advertising for the Stoke match on Wednesday but which on Saturday they've not delivered. How can anyone in the comms team start work on Monday and not think that needs an apology, or explanation?

The club has dynamic supporters groups. It will have many supporters fearful of returning to watch matches in person for health reasons. It's banked millions of pounds of City supporters cash ahead of next season. I'd expect some sort of dialogue, even when definite answers are unknown. 

Fair enough. Agree about the Robins TV situation, especially as you say ST holders turned down a refund for a promised service.

Appreciate the amount of money ST holders have paid out for next season, so they are entitled to an opinion that differs from mine 

[Leveller]

All these plans for limited numbers may well be irrelevant. The way things are going, I suspect social distancing will be practically over in three months time - ie October.