SC&T Meeting with BCFC 13/09/23

[exAtyeoMax]

Just now, frenchred said:

The tap?

what tap? Do you mean asking behind the bar in the concourse?

I'm sure they had a dedicated area for tap water before, at the end of the counter

[frenchred]

Just now, exAtyeoMax said:

what tap? Do you mean asking behind the bar in the concourse?

I'm sure they had a dedicated area for tap water before, at the end of the counter

Yes mate, behind the bar, they are legally required to provide it free I believe

[exAtyeoMax]

Just now, frenchred said:

Yes mate, behind the bar, they are legally required to provide it free I believe

Yes I thought that was the case. 

[View from the Dolman]

3 hours ago, headhunter said:

Has he attended any other SC&T meetings in the 8 months he's been here?

If no, that's not a good look IMHO.

Yes he has - this meeting is linked to from this latest meeting report. 

https://www.bristolcitysupporters.org/representing-fans-concerns/

3 hours ago, headhunter said:

Has he attended any other SC&T meetings in the 8 months he's been here?

If no, that's not a good look IMHO.

Yes he has - this meeting is linked to from this latest meeting report. 

https://www.bristolcitysupporters.org/representing-fans-concerns/

[Hello Dave]

6 hours ago, phantom said:

I was actually surprised how much to do with the stadium etc is now out of Bristol Citys control and ran by Bristol Sport 

We're just tenants hiring the stadium like anyone else holding an event there

We have requested to bring people from Bristol Sport not only to future meetings but they've also got action points from this meeting to respond to 

Aren’t they basically owned by one person? Surely all these companies are made up as a tax fiddle? Slag Lansdown off as much as you want, but the bloke ain’t stupid where finances are concerned!

[Hello Dave]

4 hours ago, frenchred said:

Other clubs don't appear to have had a problem coming to an arrangement, is it because as BCFC supporters we are being fleeced at home as well!

Quite telling that the invisible man was absent again

In all fairness, if you can afford to go away, you can find another £20 on top for entrance? Not a problem for you retired people!!

[phantom]

7 hours ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

I think it would make sense for Bristol Sport to attend meetings as otherwise you're essentially having two meetings for things that could be sorted in one meeting.

 

7 hours ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Erm not sure I'd buy that. Bristol Sport are part of the wider organisation that ultimately leads back to one man/family. If that particular part of the organisation are responsible for a lot of the issues, then they absolutely need to be at these meetings and given feedback directly from supporters, who are ultimately their customers.

It's still very early days in terms of working out who needs to attend 

We're certainly not going to expect to have everyone in the food chain attending 

Like any meetings action points will get raised 

But like I've already said the wheels are in motion about meeting with a wider audience 

Who honestly knew that we're basically tenants just as anyone that's hires the ground for a concert? 

[phantom]

7 hours ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

I dunno whether they are the full minutes or just a summary but I note that the CEO couldn't make it. Yes he spoke on Radio Bristol at last.

Notice no police update too- again would be good but probably messenger rather than message, would be good if they were pressed sometime on the Safety Advisory Group secrecy as the Police form a notable part of this.

That's everything 

Yeah Phil was absent, this is only the second meeting in this format, he was at the first 

The police only attend the full SC&T meeting, I can't find it right now but you answered your own question about this already about it not being within his remit 

 

[Wedontplayinblue]

9 minutes ago, phantom said:

 

It's still very early days in terms of working out who needs to attend 

We're certainly not going to expect to have everyone in the food chain attending 

Like any meetings action points will get raised 

But like I've already said the wheels are in motion about meeting with a wider audience 

Who honestly knew that we're basically tenants just as anyone that's hires the ground for a concert? 

On your last point phantom, the football club haven’t actually owned the ground for a long time, long before Bristol Sport came around.

The idea behind it was that if the club went bust then the ground couldn’t be taken, a lot (I imagine most/all) do this.

The actual football club have Been paying rent again for a long time before Bristol sport, but imagine since the refurb and the rugby it has changed a lot more.

For example, if you buy a burger in the ground you’d expect money to be going to the club but there hasn’t ever been an explanation on the split of costs between the different sports and Bristol sport etc.

That would actually be a good point to raise. 

Edited September 15, 2023 by Wedontplayinblue

[phantom]

6 hours ago, frenchred said:

Other clubs don't appear to have had a problem coming to an arrangement, is it because as BCFC supporters we are being fleeced at home as well!

Quite telling that the invisible man was absent again

Do you mean with Leeds? 

I'm only aware of Cardiff so far, and they're desperate to get people in the ground at any cost 

But I completely understand what you mean 

[phantom]

5 hours ago, One Team said:

Thanks for sharing this.

It’s right to raise the Bristol Sport point which feels like avoidance; they should be represented at the meet if the club need to defer to them so much. Kind of feels like it’s not our stadium at times.

The most shocking thing I read there was the price for a bottle of water! Suspending my disbelief for a moment people actually buy food and drink at the ground (there are loads better value and quality places around the ground, especially on North Street) that’s an outrageous price for water. That’s the sort of price you pay at Disney World! Quite literally Mickey Mouse…

 

My personal opinion is that I believe they will be represented at future meetings 

As for the pricing it's unclear who signed this off as Bristol City are also unhappy about the costs Bristol Sport charge 

[phantom]

5 hours ago, headhunter said:

Has he attended any other SC&T meetings in the 8 months he's been here?

If no, that's not a good look IMHO.

The "monthly" SC&T meetings are separate. 

Of the two new format meetings Phil attended the first, I believe it was short notice absence last week, but we arrange meetings initially with his secretary to ensure that he can attend 

It was discussed about postponing but the decision was taken to proceed as the SC&T knew the away kit was a time important outcome 

In addition the first meeting with BCWFC has also taken place so it made more sense to proceed, but also may go someway to why some questions were not answered 

I understand the criticism but for these meetings, personally I think it's a bit early to be too critical but believe me the three of us that meet with the club are very thorough in ensuring that the club are on board with all this 

[phantom]

3 hours ago, Rocky said:

Overriding feeling after reading this is 'fobbed off', perhaps being there was different!?

I just hear "it's not us, it is Bristol Sport" - I bet feedback to BS will disappear down a black hole or you'll be strung along for months/until someone stops asking.

 

I can appreciate your feelings, and those in attendance felt it similarly too 

But the questions we asked this month were genuinely out of Bristol Citys control, it's easy for me to say but I am confident "we" will keep gnawing away until we have either met with the correct people or others liaise and find the answers for us 

As a side note the guy in charge of the rewards etc is being invited to the next monthly SC&T meeting that is open to any supporters 

I know it's been mentioned elsewhere that meetings of this kind happened in the past, but this is a new set up and we're all kind of finding our feet with how to make it work best for everyone - supporters and club 

[Kid in the Riot]

26 minutes ago, phantom said:

Who honestly knew that we're basically tenants just as anyone that's hires the ground for a concert? 

Who said this @phantom?

It doesn't sound right to me. Thoughts? @ExiledAjax

[phantom]

19 minutes ago, Wedontplayinblue said:

On your last point phantom, the football club haven’t actually owned the ground for a long time, long before Bristol Sport came around.

The idea behind it was that if the club went bust then the ground couldn’t be taken, a lot (I imagine most/all) do this.

The actual football club have Been paying rent again for a long time before Bristol sport, but imagine since the refurb and the rugby it has changed a lot more.

For example, if you buy a burger in the ground you’d expect money to be going to the club but there hasn’t ever been an explanation on the split of costs between the different sports and Bristol sport etc.

That would actually be a good point to raise. 

Certainly one I will ask for you in the future 

I make a list during the month so I won't forget

[phantom]

1 minute ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Who said this @phantom?

It doesn't sound right to me. Thoughts? @ExiledAjax

It was certainly the point put across by Dave Barton and he mentioned the line about a concert, maybe @thatcham redcould confirm what he thought?

A small example, when we played away at Hull recently, because the ground was being used by someone else that night Bristol City were not allowed to park the two CATS coaches wthin the car park to pick up supporters, one was adjacent to KFC the other was the opposite side of the road 

At present this is also going to happen for the 11 coaches going to Leicester. Jerry (SLO) has raised his concerns about people being all over the main road but time will tell if Bristol Sport listen 

Out of interest how do you feel it differs? 

I personally came away from the meeting surprised at how little Bristol City seem to have a say IN everything 

[sticks 1969]

4 minutes ago, phantom said:

It was certainly the point put across by Dave Barton and he mentioned the line about a concert, maybe @thatcham redcould confirm what he thought?

A small example, when we played away at Hull recently, because the ground was being used by someone else that night Bristol City were not allowed to park the two CATS coaches wthin the car park to pick up supporters, one was adjacent to KFC the other was the opposite side of the road 

At present this is also going to happen for the 11 coaches going to Leicester. Jerry (SLO) has raised his concerns about people being all over the main road but time will tell if Bristol Sport listen 

Out of interest how do you feel it differs? 

I personally came away from the meeting surprised at how little Bristol City seem to have a say IN everything 

Your last sentence I find quite worrying 

[phantom]

1 minute ago, sticks 1969 said:

Your last sentence I find quite worrying

It's certainly opened my eyes to things 

I try to keep my finger on the pulse with City related things but I have been surprised recently 

[phantom]

8 hours ago, exAtyeoMax said:

Ahh, I know that route well, will be doing that tomorrow morning and back again on Sunday. It's lovely and sunny here in London today, have a nice day! 

Just to share my pain the coach has only just passed Brentford on the way home 

It's going to be a late night back to Weston 

 

[exAtyeoMax]

Just now, phantom said:

Just to share my pain the coach has only just passed Brentford on the way home 

It's going to be a late night back to Weston 

 

hopefully when you finally get on the M4 you can make up the time

 

[ExiledAjax]

41 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Who said this @phantom?

It doesn't sound right to me. Thoughts? @ExiledAjax

I don't know to be honest. When I talk on here about Bristol Sport not owning the club I'm talking from a purely corporate, legal ownership point.

I am not privy to the other agreements that might exist between the different companies, and it's possible that the way those are structured mean that Bristol Sport has the power and the Club don't have a say - because the idea is the Club don't have to worry about it.

Kind of how in a stereotypical old marriage the wife wouldn't have a say in the money because who'd want to worry her little head about it.*

But yeh, we are technically, legally, tenants of Ashton Gate Limited. What the terms of that tenancy are I don't know, they could feasibly mean were treated the same as or even inferior to a concert, but they equally night not. But AG Limited isn't owned by BS, although it could have appointed BS as a management company...I'm guessing here though.

That's a bit of a ramble and I'm well into the woods of conjecture!

I'm not really worried by any of it though. It's all ultimately owned by the same company and the same ultimate beneficial owner, so long as that continues its all largely fine really. Maybe the odd practical hiccup like coaches being somewhere else, but that's something pretty easily fixed.

*I am at pains to say that I use this as an analogy to illustrate the point. I love my wife and often let her have money to get herself some nice things.

Edited September 15, 2023 by ExiledAjax

[Henry]

1 hour ago, phantom said:

 

 

Who honestly knew that we're basically tenants just as anyone that's hires the ground for a concert? 

The football club is absolutely nothing like when a promoter hires the stadium for a concert. You’re being fobbed off.

 I appreciate you only have so much clout and you can’t make them give you the answers you want. But you don’t have to accept the spin. 

[Wedontplayinblue]

43 minutes ago, phantom said:

Certainly one I will ask for you in the future 

I make a list during the month so I won't forget

Thanks Phantom, there must be some split as obviously it appears in the accounts as fevs has stated before.

Youd hope it would go to the football club but then wages need to be paid for staff etc, they used to all be employed by Bristol sport but didn’t someone say all the concourse and outside the ground has been contracted out and no longer Bristol sport ran.

So who is paying who, and what money people get is anyone’s guess really. 

[Wedontplayinblue]

10 minutes ago, Henry said:

The football club is absolutely nothing like when a promoter hires the stadium for a concert. You’re being fobbed off.

 I appreciate you only have so much clout and you can’t make them give you the answers you want. But you don’t have to accept the spin. 

Henry, they are though, the football club pay rent for each game they play at Ashton gate.

It’s all ran by Bristol sport, yes the club would have some input but they certainly don’t have any control over it (in theory)

I know it’s different as we view it as our home, but it is for the women, the rugby, women’s rugby if they play there? 

[thatcham red]

6 hours ago, headhunter said:

Has he attended any other SC&T meetings in the 8 months he's been here?

If no, that's not a good look IMHO.

Yes. To be fair, he has attended others

[Kid in the Riot]

Thanks both @phantom and @ExiledAjax

I understand the situation like the Hull away coaches having to park off-site. If a client is hiring the Lansdown suite, for example, for a big 1,000 person event, then clearly thay event is going to "pull rank" for use of the car park, if a couple of coaches can be accomodated off-site with limited inconvenience. 

That's part of the reality of Ashton Gate now being a multi-purpose venue, which in turn keeps the turnover of the football club high. 

I don't think we have too much to worry about in the sense that Bristol City are still the big draw onsite. Nothing else, bar the odd rugby game and concert comes close to attracting 20k+.

[BarnzFM]

4 hours ago, Rocky said:

Overriding feeling after reading this is 'fobbed off', perhaps being there was different!?

I just hear "it's not us, it is Bristol Sport" - I bet feedback to BS will disappear down a black hole or you'll be strung along for months/until someone stops asking.

 

It’s either a fob off or we have well and truely lost part of our identity, the best stadium experiences are when they adjust what they cater to the supporters attending

[thatcham red]

50 minutes ago, phantom said:

It was certainly the point put across by Dave Barton and he mentioned the line about a concert, maybe @thatcham redcould confirm what he thought?

A small example, when we played away at Hull recently, because the ground was being used by someone else that night Bristol City were not allowed to park the two CATS coaches wthin the car park to pick up supporters, one was adjacent to KFC the other was the opposite side of the road 

At present this is also going to happen for the 11 coaches going to Leicester. Jerry (SLO) has raised his concerns about people being all over the main road but time will tell if Bristol Sport listen 

Out of interest how do you feel it differs? 

I personally came away from the meeting surprised at how little Bristol City seem to have a say IN everything 

There are definitely competing priorities for Bristol Sport as they have to commercially maximise the use of the stadium.

[Mr Popodopolous]

Ground is owned by Bristol City Holdings I thought?

The rent is the rent but will all compute out at Bristol City Holdings so the net cost hmm.

However yes we don't own the ground. AGL or Bristol City Holdings surely.. or maybe even ultimately Pula.

Edited September 15, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[ExiledAjax]

10 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Ground is owned by Bristol City Holdings I thought?

The rent is the rent but will all compute out at Bristol City Holdings so the net cost hmm.

However yes we don't own the ground. AGL or Bristol City Holdings surely.. or maybe even ultimately Pula.

Bristol City Holdings owns Ashton Gate Limited. 

Ashton Gate Limited owns Ashton Gate.