Summary of the Chairman Q&A so far

[Timothius]

Tim is correct in the above

The problem l had was n the event of not hittingthe target having to request the difference owed which seemed quite negative

The problem exists where you take the higher fee then need to refund if achieved

What would be easier is if say we hit 3500 then a free beer or pie or programme is available or similar as that can be dispensed on the day or even a shirt

 

But you don't have that problem if you did the scheme in the way target 5000 was done. The last lot shifted 6500 tickets on the back of just being relegated and Stoke being in the Premiership. There is no point saying you cant match Bradford as we won't attract 18000, we know that, you tailor the scheme to meet the revenue you need to produce. Bradford didn't start their scheme expecting to get 17000, their first target was 7500 from memory and they have built it year on year.

[Yukon]

Smurf, Unfortunately you have done a lot of damage to our club over the past 18 months and you have lost something called TRUST.

Actions speak louder than words and until fans see actions then you are ******* in the wind.

Look every chairman up and down the country has got an appointment wrong at some point, and yes the squad's not great, the football is painful to watch but THATS not the main problem. The main issue is the club is perceived to be ran in an unprofessional manner and has to be embedded into the local community.These two things needs to change quickly to rebuild trust and reconnect with your customers. If you or your team don't have the answers on how to improve these two key areas I would be happy to give you my suggestions.

 

Failing that you should sell ASAP

 

 

Sent from my iPad using onevalefan

 

Can I ask why you're called MBE? You're not that toerag Bratt are you with his award for services to being the only V2001 investor to get his money back!?!

[Spunk Trumpet]

Tim is correct in the above

The problem l had was n the event of not hittingthe target having to request the difference owed which seemed quite negative

The problem exists where you take the higher fee then need to refund if achieved

What would be easier is if say we hit 3500 then a free beer or pie or programme is available or similar as that can be dispensed on the day or even a shirt

The facts of the matter is that under the current marketing structure, product on the pitch, confusion over the manager situation and ineptness in running the club as a whole, we are light years away from selling 3500 tickets. I will be surprised should we hit 2000.

Our last relegation to league 2 saw us sell 6000 tickets in the target 5000 campaign and let's not forget that this was under a board who were despised by many BUT who put their differences aside, recognised it was a great offer and got behind the idea, the club, the players and the manager.

The fans ARE out there if you do it right. What I cannot understand is that you decided not to go ahead with the idea because of financial issues should we not hit the target, yet you were perfectly ok in radically changing the shape and future of Port Vale back in the summer, when the financial consequences of that inevitable debacle would have been much greater.

Doesn't make sense.

[Spunk Trumpet]

I have seen some very well run family zones and community schemes

As with everything at VP 10 plus years of neglect come at a price

l am not sure if you recall the coverage when l kicked out the previous Community Scheme

IZt then took a year with the help of the FL to set up another(it is a Charity) Now that is just over a year old and making slow but constructive progress.

It will take about 260k to finish Lorne St. 60k is being spent on Stand toilets and it will cost 200k for new concourse/pub for Railway. Which do you think l should do first and will the cry be more debt

A concourse/pub for the railway is desperately needed and at 200k you would see a return before long.

And 200k. What is it anyway? Probably the wages combined of three of the awful players that were brought here in the summer.

[SMURF]

Because you brought it out with a very small timescale to buy one, for one stand and never marketed it, a bit like every other scheme you bring out. I said to you in 2014 that some of your deals were excellent but nobody knew about them so they were next to no use. Its pointless advertising deals on the scoreboard at home games as the people you want to get back aren't there to read it. Similarly they also don't read the club twitter or website. If you went on the club website when you announced the last 10 game deal at chrsitmas, you had to search the site to find the details so if you were just visiting the site but didn't know about the scheme you would be none the wiser. The club took details when I last bought a season ticket, of email addresses etc and you say you still have a database. Why aren't the people on the database being bombarded with emails offering deals. Why aren't fans who haven't renewed season tickets been contacted via email to ask why. Why hasn't Colin Garlick used the database to introduce himself to the fanbase via email and give his vision for the club going forward, especially if he is taking over the day to day running from yourself?

 

All basic, free ways to engage with your customer base, but absolutely nothing done in that respect.

 

Clearly the 100 flyers in concourse and toilets were a waste of time then

I would of expected some of the walk ups to mayby consider

[Family Stand Terrier]

Clearly the 100 flyers in concourse and toilets were a waste of time then

I would of expected some of the walk ups to mayby consider

 

Why would you promote a scheme to attract new supporters, in a location where they don't go?

[SMURF]

A concourse/pub for the railway is desperately needed and at 200k you would see a return before long.

And 200k. What I said it anyway? Probably the wages combined of three of the awful players that were brought here in the summer.

 

Excluding the away end The Railway produces the most in revenue in the concourse areas but has by far the worst facilities

If it had not been for one of the potential buyers last Season coming in that project would of been done,they understandably did not have sufficient info to sanction the work

[SMURF]

Why would you promote a scheme to attract new supporters, in a location where they don't go?

So you can eat and drink but do not need the loo for 2 to 2.5 hours

[Family Stand Terrier]

So you can eat and drink but do not need the loo for 2 to 2.5 hours

 

Your responses are very worrying Smurf. You're basically saying that you printed off a hundred flyers to display in the stadium, in an attempt to attract people, that aren't going into the stadium?

[robf]

Excluding the away end The Railway produces the most in revenue in the concourse areas but has by far the worst facilities

If it had not been for one of the potential buyers last Season coming in that project would of been done,they understandably did not have sufficient info to sanction the work

 

Slightly off subject from the initial subject. Do you anticipate the Railway concourse work to be completed this summer in time for next season?

[Family Stand Terrier]

So you can eat and drink but do not need the loo for 2 to 2.5 hours

 

As others have previously stated, you've ran incentives and when they've failed you've ruled out running them again in the future. It seems that no consideration has been given to why they've failed. Your responses so far have made it quite clear why they failed, the promotion was either non existent, poorly funded, poorly planned, and in no way identified your target market.

 

As I've said in earlier posts, we need bums on seats, and that needs to be part of a short to long term plan. In the short term, get as many people in the ground as possible to cheer the team on in an attempt to secure our L1 status. Will cost money, but save money short to mid term if we avoid relegation. The risk is obvious, we still get relegated, but then that's where the long term comes into it. You can use this to build your customer database, to promote the hell out of STs (at the right price) and then get other products ready and well stocked to increase match day revenue through the increased attendance.

 

It's essential, long term, that we fight tooth and nail to get as many people spending their money at VP, rather than generation after generation being lost to Stoke. The work of the foundation is ok (albeit only in 10 schools), but there are other ways of approaching this.

[philpvfc]

When trying to attract new customers you don't advertise at the customers you already have. Try something new, print 100 flyers, place them in toilets then complain it hasn't worked!!! How much do you pay your marketing department or don't you have one?

The Lorne Street needs finishing, a family stand needs developing, facilities in the ground need updating and improved, we need 5 or 6 new first team players. If you are not prepared to fix all this please make way to someone who is because PVFC is sinking and has been sinking faster than ever in the last few years.

[smithie]

When trying to attract new customers you don't advertise at the customers you already have. Try something new, print 100 flyers, place them in toilets then complain it hasn't worked!!! How much do you pay your marketing department or don't you have one?

The Lorne Street needs finishing, a family stand needs developing, facilities in the ground need updating and improved, we need 5 or 6 new first team players. If you are not prepared to fix all this please make way to someone who is because PVFC is sinking and has been sinking faster than ever in the last few years.

 

The hit rate for leaflets (double glazing/takeaways etc) is generally 1-2%....so 100 leaflets is virtually worthless. If the marketing team were behind this gem, I'm worried!

[philpvfc]

Employ monkeys don't expect results.

[woodypvfc]

In my opinion a season ticket "plan" is much needed at the club. I have renewed my season ticket with the instalments offer put on by the club. I haven't renewed because it's a good offer or because I have enjoyed the season it's purely because if I didn't I would follow many family and friends by falling out of the habit.Not one of my mates has followed me in doing so. Price is a issue as is the poor football on display and shocking atmosphere at the club.

 

We need a long term plan to get bums on seats not a season one off. A detailed long term plan that offers continued cheap season tickets with early renewal. Kids are our future. Let's do the cheapest 12-16 year old tickets in the league followed by cheap 17-24 young adults and look after our "veterans" with a very affordable oap package. Yes it may take 2-3 years to take off but unless the club lays these foundations now we will fail to ever attempt to bridge that gap between real football and tv show football.

 

We need to be proud of our working class football club and sell our brand. Affordable Football for all of the family. Norman what sort of numbers would we need to compete financially with the following sort of plan?

 

Adults £220 Lorne Street

" " £199 Railway Paddock / Stand

" " £175 Bycars

 

Veterans £190 Lorne street

" " £170 Railway paddock / Stand

" " £150 Bycars

 

17-21 £180 Lorne Street

" " £160 Railway paddock / Stand

" " £125 Bycars

 

12-16 £80 Lorne Street

" " £55 Railway paddock/ stand

" " £35 Bycars stand.

 

Under 12 all free season tickets.

 

Add to the above list:-

15 game tickets at approx £180

10 game tickets " " £150

5 game tickets. " " £90 .

 

If we stuck to something similar over a 5 year period we would improve our core fan base as well as the match day experience. As of late the stadium is less that 25% full.

 

With a positive season ticket campaign it could build a decent budget and a buzz about the place we desperately need.