PA system - especially Downsey's microphone

[Bristol Rob]

They could have fixed this before it became a problem when they redeveloped the stadium. They put nice new PA equipment in the new stands and didn't do the same in the existing.

The fact there are probably 3 or 4 different systems of varying ages being used would explain a lot of the issues.

Get that idea that installing it can't have been cheap and it was one way to save a few quid, but it was a corner that they should never have cut. 

[42nite]

This has been ongoing for years.

They're not going to do anything about it. Just pay lip service.

I hope there's never a serious emergency at the Gate and people can't hear important instructions!

 

[Tim S]

Just to clarify a few things.... the issues with the sound are nothing to do with Downsy. I know he has worked hard at trying to find a fix for it and while some issues can be sorted by just changing certain levels on a mixer - there is only so much that can be done from the people in the PA booth and Downsy with the mic. The guy talks into microphones for a living - has a great voice and I know WHAT he says might not be to everyone's liking... but he should still come across loud and clear. He doesnt. And thats not down to him.

When they installed the new PA system for the updated Ashton Gate, I was still there as DJ and announcer and put across some thoughts and suggestions that might help make the system sound how it should as I have over 20 years of experience working in this field. For whatever reason, my opinions and ideas didnt seem to end up in the final set up. Im not saying what I suggested would have been any better than how it currently sounds, as the people who installed the system were behind the Wembley PA system among many others - so they should have been able to get it right regardless. 
But I have a feeling they were working within a budget that was non-negotiable - so the stadium got the system the budget allowed.

I find it funny how the club will throw money at some things that aren't necessarily needed (for example - putting a scarf on every seat in the stadium for a cup match - which probably would have cost as much as upgrading the PA system to sounding how it should) - and yet tighten the purse-strings on things that are actually quite important! 

I guess thats just the crazy world of business!

[Davefevs]

38 minutes ago, Tim S said:

for example - putting a scarf on every seat in the stadium for a cup match - which probably would have cost as much as upgrading the PA system to sounding how it should

Don’t get me started!

Would’ve paid for a contract upgrade of a senior player, or a few Academy players…or whatever, e.g. the sound system.

An unnecessary cost imho, as well as lost revenue for scarf sales.

I’m sure plenty will disagree.

[Tim S]

8 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Don’t get me started!

Would’ve paid for a contract upgrade of a senior player, or a few Academy players…or whatever, e.g. the sound system.

An unnecessary cost imho, as well as lost revenue for scarf sales.

I’m sure plenty will disagree.

Absolutely! Its a great gesture from the club - and if it was paid for by a sponsor or out of someones own personal pocket - then fair enough. But as far as Im aware - the scarfs were at a cost to the club. If Im wrong, then I stand corrected. But money to do something like that could surely be better spent elsewhere and wouldnt have been missed if it didnt happen. 

[Street red]

1 hour ago, Tim S said:

Just to clarify a few things.... the issues with the sound are nothing to do with Downsy. I know he has worked hard at trying to find a fix for it and while some issues can be sorted by just changing certain levels on a mixer - there is only so much that can be done from the people in the PA booth and Downsy with the mic. The guy talks into microphones for a living - has a great voice and I know WHAT he says might not be to everyone's liking... but he should still come across loud and clear. He doesnt. And thats not down to him.

When they installed the new PA system for the updated Ashton Gate, I was still there as DJ and announcer and put across some thoughts and suggestions that might help make the system sound how it should as I have over 20 years of experience working in this field. For whatever reason, my opinions and ideas didnt seem to end up in the final set up. Im not saying what I suggested would have been any better than how it currently sounds, as the people who installed the system were behind the Wembley PA system among many others - so they should have been able to get it right regardless. 
But I have a feeling they were working within a budget that was non-negotiable - so the stadium got the system the budget allowed.

I find it funny how the club will throw money at some things that aren't necessarily needed (for example - putting a scarf on every seat in the stadium for a cup match - which probably would have cost as much as upgrading the PA system to sounding how it should) - and yet tighten the purse-strings on things that are actually quite important! 

I guess thats just the crazy world of business!

Then we just keep throwing in complaints and emailing the club. It's no excuse to be honest. A top stadium in the south west of England has a budget sound system? Honestly the powers to be baffle me.

By looking at the system only the Lansdown and south stand had new installs the south stand they've installed and positioned it badly but again speakers to small for clarity and output needed,The dolman has speakers from back in the day again that stand creates its own problems included in that Ashton gate also has problems with the elements that effects sound travel. Overall the stadiums design is a challenge but any professional sound engineers shouldn't find it an issue like you say given peanuts to work with and having seen installs in stadiums over 15 years ago ours is simply way behind to the standard that should be set now. 

[W-S-M Seagull]

2 hours ago, Tim S said:

I know WHAT he says might not be to everyone's liking... but he should still come across loud and clear. He doesnt. And thats not down to him.

Announcing the correct subs isn't a personal preference of us the fans. It's an absolute basic of the job he is employed to do which he fails massively at almost every single game. I remember he once called us Bristol Rovers.

My 9 year old son would do a better job at announcing the subs yet a professional like Downsy can't get it right? 

The worst thing is obviously he's seen all the comments about him messing up and still he continues to mess up. 

But this club often settles for mediocrity so I'm not surprised he's still employed. 

Edited September 29, 2023 by W-S-M Seagull

[Mr Popodopolous]

He wasn't great again today.

Got at least one half-time score wrong and had to correct himself, a poor delay between HT scores of the PL and Championship.

Plus quite sure he called Daniel Johnson Daniel Jensen or something incorrect. He surely has this info in front of him, to hand??

[KevP]

And when Stoke made a substitution he said " And substitution for Norw....Stoke City.....".........( Norwich...??? )

[Mr Popodopolous]

Genuine q, why is he still there and in situ.

Cheap or?

Granted maybe Rugby or Women's Football which has no segregation and is quite different, but for League Football he really isn't suitable.

The increasing number of basic errors creeping in though are just not good enough.

Edited September 30, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[Bobby girl]

Please can someone tell the club that those of us in SS don’t need the music bursting our ear drums, just lower the sound a bit. Then we might be able to understand half of what Downsy is actually saying.

[Mr Popodopolous]

Sometimes they do in fairness they do play music simultaneously with him speaking...weirdly!

A mixed blessing on occasion  however in general more poor planning.

[W-S-M Seagull]

3 hours ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Genuine q, why is he still there and in situ.

Cheap or?

Granted maybe Rugby or Women's Football which has no segregation and is quite different, but for League Football he really isn't suitable.

The increasing number of basic errors creeping in though are just not good enough.

Did you watch that video of the Brighton CEO? 

Do you think they'd settle for these constant mistakes? I certainly don't think they would. And thats just another reason why we are Championship and not premier league. 

 

[Lewisdabaron]

9 hours ago, Bobby girl said:

Please can someone tell the club that those of us in SS don’t need the music bursting our ear drums, just lower the sound a bit. Then we might be able to understand half of what Downsy is actually saying.

Cant you tell the club yourself? 

[exAtyeoMax]

On 22/09/2023 at 18:26, phantom said:

I don't arrive until the teams are entering the field, but I'm confused as you are saying that he's too loud, but I got the impression others are saying they can't hear him? 

The tannoy speakers in the south stand are far too loud. Downsy’s mic is muffled and the sound is distorted, but still very loud. It’s just noise, mumbled words a lot of the time.

I was trying to talk to the guy directly behind me, basically having to shout in his ear because of the loud waffling from Downsy.

It feels like he’s trying to make it like a radio broadcast, he is a DJ after all, the crowd doesn’t need to know that KO is next…

have you broached the concerns about Downsy, directly at your meetings?

[exAtyeoMax]

10 hours ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Genuine q, why is he still there and in situ.

Cheap or?

Granted maybe Rugby or Women's Football which has no segregation and is quite different, but for League Football he really isn't suitable.

The increasing number of basic errors creeping in though are just not good enough.

Yes, why is it so bad?

I do think we need a proper announcer. There’s definitely too much talk. Too many announcements. Keep it clear and concise, the crowd doesn’t need telling about every single thing. it’s too Americanised 

-the team coming out to warm up

“Ashton Gate, welcome your boys in red and white…”   **** off!! Shut the **** up!!

“blah blah…Kick off is next…”   yes we know, my love… good grief

 

31 minutes ago, Lewisdabaron said:

Cant you tell the club yourself? 

Who do I tell?

Edited October 1, 2023 by exAtyeoMax

[W-S-M Seagull]

20 minutes ago, exAtyeoMax said:

have you broached the concerns about Downsy, directly at your meetings?

However uncomfortable it is, these concerns about his performance as an announcer need to be broached. 

There has been far too many repeated basic errors which shows that unfortunately he doesn't have the ability to do the required job. 

[Lewisdabaron]

34 minutes ago, exAtyeoMax said:

The tannoy speakers in the south stand are far too loud. Downsy’s mic is muffled and the sound is distorted, but still very loud. It’s just noise, mumbled words a lot of the time.

I was trying to talk to the guy directly behind me, basically having to shout in his ear because of the loud waffling from Downsy.

It feels like he’s trying to make it like a radio broadcast, he is a DJ after all, the crowd doesn’t need to know that KO is next…

have you broached the concerns about Downsy, directly at your meetings?

The official site has a few options, took 30 seconds to look it up all by myself….

https://www.bcfc.co.uk/contact-us/

 

[exAtyeoMax]

4 minutes ago, Lewisdabaron said:

The official site has a few options, took 30 seconds to look it up all by myself….

https://www.bcfc.co.uk/contact-us/

 

Thank you for your sarcastic reply!

[Davefevs]

On 29/09/2023 at 21:41, Davefevs said:

Don’t get me started!

Would’ve paid for a contract upgrade of a senior player, or a few Academy players…or whatever, e.g. the sound system.

An unnecessary cost imho, as well as lost revenue for scarf sales.

I’m sure plenty will disagree.

What is so confusing @Lewisdabaron?

Care to enlighten us?

[Mr Popodopolous]

1 hour ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

However uncomfortable it is, these concerns about his performance as an announcer need to be broached. 

There has been far too many repeated basic errors which shows that unfortunately he doesn't have the ability to do the required job. 

I suppose that he could be working to instructions or a plan to some extent ie the pre Match build-up but the basic errors are far harder to understand.

His role could be changed I suppose but..his output seems to be lacking something.

Edited October 1, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[Lewisdabaron]

2 hours ago, Davefevs said:

What is so confusing @Lewisdabaron?

Care to enlighten us?

Sure, scarves were a great gesture by the club, probably cost less than 2 weeks wages of a player. A drop in the Ocean & hardly worth whinging about being an expense for the club. 

[Davefevs]

2 hours ago, Lewisdabaron said:

Sure, scarves were a great gesture by the club, probably cost less than 2 weeks wages of a player. A drop in the Ocean & hardly worth whinging about being an expense for the club. 

£100k cost!!!!

Plus lost sales of club scarves.

Not a drop in the ocean at all, not least when you’ve spent months working with the EFL re FFP.

Not a drop in the ocean when your manager has to tell fans he’s near the stingy budget his owner has set.

[exAtyeoMax]

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

However uncomfortable it is, these concerns about his performance as an announcer need to be broached. 

There has been far too many repeated basic errors which shows that unfortunately he doesn't have the ability to do the required job. 

 

6 hours ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

I suppose that he could be working to instructions or a plan to some extent ie the pre Match build-up but the basic errors are far harder to understand.

His role could be changed I suppose but..his output seems to be lacking something.

I did email supporter services as advised a posts above. Even if I don't get a response, I did air my views directly to the club.