Fans Returning to VP

[NLVMalc]

Maybe they could:
Do a temporary seating plan using one in five seats plus bubble of two, bubble of three seat groups. Prioritise season ticket holders for nearish their original position or at least best views. Next come 10 game holders and then walk ups. Get those cinema style people with a big tray of pies rather than popcorn to go round at half time, likewise those backpack pump beer dispenser things, thus reducing use of the concourses at half time. Organise snakey style queueing for the bogs with 2 metre gaps.
If that was well stewarded, I think it would be reasonable of the league to let us have attendees. Don’t forget the catering side of things is a pretty important source of income.

The club will have a choice of of two mechanisms in working out the crowd capacity, this will involve risk management and the number of stewards etc will play into this. I agree that additional income could be crucial, selling beer, drinks and food. This would be particularly so if fans have to arrive at the ground 2-3 hours before KO

[NLVMalc]

I’ve not renewed yet.Mrs is in the vulnerable category and I’m not sure what’s going to happen. Not a question of money, more the unknown

I think this is such an important issue, first and foremost it’s about safety. Supporters will have differing views on this dependent on their own personal circumstances

[windsorvale4ever]

We will be fine in the stadium yes it will be very different you won't be able to sit in your normal seats or stand but as long as we can get back in Vale Park very soon I'd sit in the police box to watch the games lol

[Doha]

3 minutes ago, NLVMalc said:

 This would be particularly so if fans have to arrive at the ground 2-3 hours before KO

No fans will go to games if this is the requirement. At any club. Who's going to queue in a socially distanced line for 3 hours only to watch Mansfield in the rain? 

[NLVMalc]

I keep riding the deadline out while it's getting extended. Still can't make my mind up both on a financial and safety basis due to having a family member at home going through chemo. If I did purchase one I wouldn't mind missing a few games but who's to say the season wouldn't get cancelled again? I wouldn't ask for a refund because I would be happy knowing the money is in safe hands to help the club but before buying a season ticket with these concerns should I just put it in my savings instead? It's a risk for a lot of people and they need to do a lot of weighing up.
If people can afford it then they definitely deserve as much support as they can get but many have lost their jobs or are worried about if they will have one in 6 months/1 years time and possibly think financial security is more important than football, these are the people who could not. 

Personally I think there should be opportunities for people to either retain a season ticket seat for next year AND the need to allow 10 ticket fans and as hoc fans an opportunity to be at matches. We are in this together and I think everyone deserves an opportunity to watch Vale if they feel safe to do?

[NLVMalc]

No fans will go to games if this is the requirement. At any club. Who's going to queue in a socially distanced line for 3 hours only to watch Mansfield in the rain? 

It could be that people are allocated a time to arrive at the stadium so they are not queuing outside. Thus is might be important for fans to be able to bring their own food and drink into the stadium or to have the ability to buy food and possibly beer? As you say no one would turn up if they had to queue for that long or had to be in the ground without refreshments.

[NLVMalc]

We will be fine in the stadium yes it will be very different you won't be able to sit in your normal seats or stand but as long as we can get back in Vale Park very soon I'd sit in the police box to watch the games lol

That’s brave of you WV4E lol

[toyahw]

It should not be hard to get people into corporate should it? Not ideal, but brings in some cash.

Anyone thinking we are going back to normal anytime soon is nuts, but so is a no can do attitude. We just have  to do what we can. I've bought a season ticket which I will not be able use. To help the club out. I know others are not in a position to do so, no problem.

But surely with a ground our size it must be possible to get a few thou in safely and get games on?

Otherwise we are looking at no Vale for a couple of years at least.

[Conrad]

9 hours ago, toyahw said:

It should not be hard to get people into corporate should it? Not ideal, but brings in some cash.

Anyone thinking we are going back to normal anytime soon is nuts, but so is a no can do attitude. We just have  to do what we can. I've bought a season ticket which I will not be able use. To help the club out. I know others are not in a position to do so, no problem.

But surely with a ground our size it must be possible to get a few thou in safely and get games on?

Otherwise we are looking at no Vale for a couple of years at least.

I have a season ticket for the corporate area, but am seriously considering going back to the Bycars.

firstly, the corporate seating area is quite small and there’s no way it can accommodate the usual amount with social distancing.

then there’s the acces to it, having to go through the main entrance and walk through the building.

they will be trying to reduce the people in these areas not increasing it.

[wotsyobeef]

Will there be a cash turnstile? We can't afford to turn away people who only decide to come an hour before the match. 😉

 

I bought my season ticket in February and I am glad I did. With our attendances and a stadium the size of ours there should be no reason that we shouldn't be able to go. Especially when taking into account activities that are currently permitted.

 

The big problem is that everyone takes the seriousness of this disease differently and we all make our own mind up about which aspects of social distancing we follow and which we feel it is safe for us to flout. I'd imagine there aren't many people who haven't done at least one thing that they probably shouldn't have.

 

A simple trip to the local supermarket shows this, there will be whole families together walking round the wrong way down every aisle, people who lean over you to get an item that they want or stand right behind you in in a queue. 

 

I think it will be similar at games someone may come a bit close barging past you on the concourse, spraying a bit when they shout, sitting in groups that you know aren't the same household etc.

 

There are bound to be arguments as there often already are without these additional potential reasons.

 

I really want to go back in September and think that there should be no reason that we shouldn't be able too. Unfortunately I think some peoples unwillingness to do as they are told may spoil it for the rest as it has done in other aspects of society. Just ask people who want to go out for a meal in Stone.

[NLVMalc]

It should not be hard to get people into corporate should it? Not ideal, but brings in some cash.
Anyone thinking we are going back to normal anytime soon is nuts, but so is a no can do attitude. We just have  to do what we can. I've bought a season ticket which I will not be able use. To help the club out. I know others are not in a position to do so, no problem.
But surely with a ground our size it must be possible to get a few thou in safely and get games on?
Otherwise we are looking at no Vale for a couple of years at least.

You are right we should be able to accommodate a good number of fans ‘relatively easily’ in VP. You make an interesting point about corporate hospitality, are you saying this could be prioritised over other areas to maximise revenue? Just trying gauge opinion.

[NLVMalc]

I have a season ticket for the corporate area, but am seriously considering going back to the Bycars.
firstly, the corporate seating area is quite small and there’s no way it can accommodate the usual amount with social distancing.
then there’s the acces to it, having to go through the main entrance and walk through the building.
they will be trying to reduce the people in these areas not increasing it.

This is interesting Conrad and I think shows that, depending on our individual circumstances, our attitudes to risk will differ. There is a need to respect each other’s decisions going forward.

[NLVMalc]

Will there be a cash turnstile? We can't afford to turn away people who only decide to come an hour before the match. 
 
I bought my season ticket in February and I am glad I did. With our attendances and a stadium the size of ours there should be no reason that we shouldn't be able to go. Especially when taking into account activities that are currently permitted.
 
The big problem is that everyone takes the seriousness of this disease differently and we all make our own mind up about which aspects of social distancing we follow and which we feel it is safe for us to flout. I'd imagine there aren't many people who haven't done at least one thing that they probably shouldn't have.
 
A simple trip to the local supermarket shows this, there will be whole families together walking round the wrong way down every aisle, people who lean over you to get an item that they want or stand right behind you in in a queue. 
 
I think it will be similar at games someone may come a bit close barging past you on the concourse, spraying a bit when they shout, sitting in groups that you know aren't the same household etc.
 
There are bound to be arguments as there often already are without these additional potential reasons.
 
I really want to go back in September and think that there should be no reason that we shouldn't be able too. Unfortunately I think some peoples unwillingness to do as they are told may spoil it for the rest as it has done in other aspects of society. Just ask people who want to go out for a meal in Stone.

The draft guidance document, which will probably remain draft because it might be continually changing, says that there will no tickets available on the day for home or away fans, if there any.

Your point does raise a the question as to whether the ticket office will be accepting cash or whether it will be contactless or card payments only?

October seems to be the earliest date for full scale return, but clubs should be running at least one test event. So there may be an opportunity in September for an even lower number of fans to attend a test match, who knows.

I think people need to be respectful when in the ground and be aware of what the regulations are. For example when past people to get to and from seats that we turn our backs and limit the face to face contact.

[darren1810]

1 hour ago, Conrad said:

I have a season ticket for the corporate area, but am seriously considering going back to the Bycars.

firstly, the corporate seating area is quite small and there’s no way it can accommodate the usual amount with social distancing.

then there’s the acces to it, having to go through the main entrance and walk through the building.

they will be trying to reduce the people in these areas not increasing it.

I am not so certain of that . Last week I went to an advice event at VP about Furlough and redundancy. It was ran by a local MP Jonathan somebody, sorry surname escaped me. In conjunction with the Vale. 

They used possibly 6 or 7 exec boxes with people like DWP, Citizens advice, Apprentice schemes, PM Training, Debt advice. 

It was a hive of activity with temperature checks at reception and hand sanitiser everywhere. The boxes were all busy with both visitors and advisors. We all had to wear masks . 

Clearly football Is a different bag but there were plenty of folk there and it was all organised professionally and safely in my humble opinion 

[Santa]

What is the Vice Presidents Bar used as these days? The seats (lower tier of the boxes, far end next to the Bycars) are always empty. There is a staircase / fire exit that could be used to get people in and out while limiting contact.