The club that i love

[stupers]

Paul,how many extra fans do you think we'd get through the gates at VP if there was NO Sky TV?Ive got Sky,wouldn't dream of missing a Vale home game to watch a game on TV.Football fans ,all over the world,pay to watch Sky matches.I'm not advocating scrapping it as it serves it's purpose but it's the fans who provide the funds.

 

That's just it though. You're only seeing things through your eyes. I've got mates who'd rather spend their afternoon in the pub or at home watching a 3pm game on an illegal feed than go to a local game and actually get involved. I'd prefer to watch a live game every single time but it does not mean it's not a problem countrywide, which it is. The cost of football puts people off, but the alternatives to going to watch a live football game are having a massive impact, one of which is the amount of football on TV and online. If you don't realise this is a problem, then you have your head in the sand.

[Bert Llewellyn]

As opposed to slagging the owner off.Got it!

 

I don't think that I'm slagging him off - I'm stating an obvious fact that the club is in a mess and that there appears to be no long term planning. Throwing his money at the club is not the solution it has to be used carefully.

 

I think it's called stating my opinion so if you don't agree that's fine with me. Please feel welcome to tell me where you think I am wrong. I can take it!

[Family Stand Terrier]

That's just it though. You're only seeing things through your eyes. I've got mates who'd rather spend their afternoon in the pub or at home watching a 3pm game on an illegal feed than go to a local game and actually get involved. I'd prefer to watch a live game every single time but it does not mean it's not a problem countrywide, which it is. The cost of football puts people off, but the alternatives to going to watch a live football game are having a massive impact, one of which is the amount of football on TV and online. If you don't realise this is a problem, then you have your head in the sand.

 

I wouldn't say I disagree with you, it's certainly an issue to consider. But I wouldn't say it's the main problem. It's also something out of our control to an extent, so it encourages a lazy attitude from the club, as though they've tried all they can but their hands are tied, which clearly isn't true.

 

I'd argue though that overall, attendances are increasing within the football league. We see evidence every year that attendances are increasing as an average, so football fans are attending matches in increasing numbers in England and Wales. I think the overall increase from 2010 to 2015 was 4%, and that doesn't include the Premiership.

 

Blaming Sky, or illegal foreign channels is easy. The truth is, some clubs are seeing their averages increase. Clubs like Chesterfield and Shrewsbury, traditionally smaller clubs than us, have seen their fanbases increase from 2/3,000 less than 10 years ago, to 5/6000 now. Obviously their new stadiums have helped, but it's also what goes on behind the scenes. Their whole approach to encouraging fans to attend, new and existing, is light years ahead of ours.

 

Unfortunately our approach is, fans should attend, otherwise they're not real fans. I keep seeing comments such as, we have a hardcore of 3,000 fans that come rain or shine. Is that it then? Can that never change? Is it not worth the effort? The club still appears lazy and unprofessional. Fans simply aren't valued, the product on the pitch and off it is poor, so fans (as they are entitled to do) can't justify the expense anymore.

 

Even when the product on the pitch is poor, the atmosphere in the stands is appalling, so that isn't an attraction either. There used to be a time you'd go to see Vale at home when there was a good chance we'd lose, but you'd have had a great afternoon singing for 90 minutes at the back of the bycars, with songs being traded with the paddock back and forth. Those days feel so far away now, and I can't foresee them returning any time soon unfortunately.

[bycarspete]

Just a thought, do most football fans have tunnel vision, not many West Ham supporters in the ground at full time last night, So only see the bad in the

team they support. M.City played some great football, (Arsenal lost to Watford)w/h had a bad day at the office that's football.we at vale have had a poor start to our season,but have seen some good performances by opposing teams. I like most very disappointed when we lose.but I try and pick a few positives out of our game, and some times give praise to opposition if warranted. That's what keeps me going. U.t.Vale. Will Saturday be our day, Who knows that's what makes football interesting no guarantee, all we want is plenty of effort from our team, a run of the ball and a bit of luck wins foot matches, keep the faith and be at V.P. Saturday to cheer the lads on.

[fairportnick]

That's just it though. You're only seeing things through your eyes. I've got mates who'd rather spend their afternoon in the pub or at home watching a 3pm game on an illegal feed than go to a local game and actually get involved. I'd prefer to watch a live game every single time but it does not mean it's not a problem countrywide, which it is. The cost of football puts people off, but the alternatives to going to watch a live football game are having a massive impact, one of which is the amount of football on TV and online. If you don't realise this is a problem, then you have your head in the sand.

 

There are exactly 4 weeks in February , the costs of a full Sky Q package with one extra box are £92 per month . That's £23 per week. Seen that figure before somewhere.

[smithie]

There are exactly 4 weeks in February , the costs of a full Sky Q package with one extra box are £92 per month . That's £23 per week. Seen that figure before somewhere.

 

Two different propositions, surely?

 

One offers the chance to get out of the house, get some fresh air, maybe meet up with people at the game, see the action in the flesh.

 

The other offers the action through a TV screen, and puts your money into Sky's bulging pockets rather than the club's.

 

I know which I prefer.

 

That said, I'm a season ticket holder so pay about £13 a game. £23 is too much as a weekly hobby. In my opinion, no game should be more than a tenner purely because there is so much football played....but that's another story.

[Howjy04]

That's just it though. You're only seeing things through your eyes. I've got mates who'd rather spend their afternoon in the pub or at home watching a 3pm game on an illegal feed than go to a local game and actually get involved. I'd prefer to watch a live game every single time but it does not mean it's not a problem countrywide, which it is. The cost of football puts people off, but the alternatives to going to watch a live football game are having a massive impact, one of which is the amount of football on TV and online. If you don't realise this is a problem, then you have your head in the sand.

 

Me and my mates (4) go to all home games(ST holders)irrespective of who is on TV or Stream.What is your solution Stupers?

[stupers]

There are exactly 4 weeks in February , the costs of a full Sky Q package with one extra box are £92 per month . That's £23 per week. Seen that figure before somewhere.

 

Or you can go to the pub, have 7 pints (or more depending on where you go) with your mates and watch a game on the TV for £23. If people don't thinking local supporters see this as a viable alternative to watching their local team then I would ask them to think again.

 

Family Stand Terrier - I was responding to one person saying that wasn't an issue. I agree that the club has to do a lot more and can't use macroeconomic issues as a reason to be lazy. I've made the point many times that the club sees regular fans as a cash cow and does nothing to entice new or lapsed fans to the club. You're preaching to the converted!

[Howjy04]

I don't think that I'm slagging him off - I'm stating an obvious fact that the club is in a mess and that there appears to be no long term planning. Throwing his money at the club is not the solution it has to be used carefully.

 

I think it's called stating my opinion so if you don't agree that's fine with me. Please feel welcome to tell me where you think I am wrong. I can take it!

There are a certain few who will continually moan about the club even if we were to parade The European Cup at the end of the season.It achieves absolutely nothing.What is your solution to Vale's so-called demise?

[stupers]

Me and my mates (4) go to all home games(ST holders)irrespective of who is on TV or Stream.What is your solution Stupers?

 

There's not a whole lot we can do about Sky/BT Sport/Online Streams. They're here to stay, for better or worse. What the club has to do is adapt to the circumstances and make it more attractive to watch a game live, as opposed to watching it in a pub or at home, which is hard to do. This isn't an issue in just football but sport as a whole. US Sports are having the exact same problem. I'm 33 so my mates are all around the same age, streaming things and watching TV is ingrained in our culture and way of life. If you don't mind me asking, how old are you Howjy04? Perhaps we're seeing things differently because of what generation we're from. Because of the advent of Sky in the early 90s when I was just crossing into double figures, watching sport on TV is normal for me. Whilst I dislike people who don't actually say they support a team but don't go and watch them live, I would say that's the product of Sky being around at that time and making sport on TV so easily watchable.

 

I think the price is too high at Vale for a start. People see £23 as a lot of money to fork out for a football match, and £345 too much to pay for a season ticket in one go (Although thankfully the club have seen sense and taken the interest charge off the payment scheme). It's even more expensive when you factor in the area the club is in. We should have made a concerted effort to reduce ticket prices and made a massive song and dance about it in the press. Instead we've stuck to our guns and kept prices the same which I think is a massive mistake.

[realfan]

Maybe the club could use half of the Alnwick/Grant proceeds to reduce All season tickets by £50 and Juniors on a Family season ticket to £0?? Just a suggestion as it may appease some of the stay aways and encourage the ones who were already getting a season ticket(I purchase 3 each season regardless) to spend a bit more in the Club shop etc???

[Howjy04]

Unfortunately Stupers,I'm 62.Cheaper season ticket this year mate.I understand your reasoning but if there was no SKY we would not get 700k TV money.Thats a big amount for Vale.The equivalent of 2-3 thousand STs.How any body watches streaming is beyond me.Time to have a **** ,shower and shave the amount of times the buffering occurs.:laugh:Season Tickets are the best solution IMO and free tickets for kids.

[JOHNNYAITCH]

The main reason for the slump in attendances is due to too much televised football on TV. Sky will ruin football for the lower leagues and local supporters.

 

And video killed the radio star

 

Sky won't and have not ruined anything....people choose to watch Sky and choose not to go to matches so really you are blaming those people..your blaming them for the choices they make.

 

it's up to the clubs to entice people to attend..they had it easy for decades and we saw how they took the fans for granted with what happened with some major disasters and the appalling state of so many stadiums by the late 80s

 

Blaming Sky is just too easy.

[fairportnick]

Two different propositions, surely?

 

One offers the chance to get out of the house, get some fresh air, maybe meet up with people at the game, see the action in the flesh.

 

The other offers the action through a TV screen, and puts your money into Sky's bulging pockets rather than the club's.

 

I know which I prefer.

 

That said, I'm a season ticket holder so pay about £13 a game. £23 is too much as a weekly hobby. In my opinion, no game should be more than a tenner purely because there is so much football played....but that's another story.

I have Sky Q , but would much prefer to be out and about in the fresh air. With Sky you can record for later anyway. If I had 7 pints I would be peeing nonstop for hours and miss the match. Money is irrelevant to me , enjoying and being entertained is everything,.

[Bert Llewellyn]

There are a certain few who will continually moan about the club even if we were to parade The European Cup at the end of the season.It achieves absolutely nothing.What is your solution to Vale's so-called demise?

W

Like a said a CEO who knows about football and is allowed to do the job without interference. His first task should be to draw up a strategy and then use Smurf's money to make it happen.

 

That would be a good starting point in my opinion