Reigniting the spark.

[old caley girl]

2 hours ago, RiG said:

I think the club could do worse than reach out to current and former season ticket holders by means of some sort of survey to get opinions on what they like / don't like about going to games at TCS, why some folk didn't renew and so on. There could well be data issues here I don't know but it seems like an obvious thing to do if there aren't any barriers to it.

At the end of the day the best way to get folk along to TCS is to get a successful team on the pitch that wins games regularly.

Agree. Being saying similar for ages. 

Id also like to see the CEO and board members circulating on match days to see for themselves the matchday experience they provide 

[CaleyD]

28 minutes ago, Stirling Observer said:

The 100 fans game is a great idea. Reckon it may grow and grow as more kids want to experience what their mates have been boasting about. Could do it over 2 days as I'm sure it's not that taxing on the players. 

Instead of the players going out to the school. The club could invite classes to the stadium for a P.E related session which involves a quick tour of the changing rooms etc and a Q and A session with the players. Perhaps use the minibus to transport them. Take them round the shop in case they have any pennies. Free tickets for the next home game aswell. There will be a slight cost to the club but I presume it will be offset if any kids are hooked from this. 

This is all stuff that was done regularly before.

Not sure about the current policies, but it used to be that any school could phone up and request tickets, the community department had tickets to pass out at kids courses for every home game etc..

The challenge for some schools is/was getting enough volunteers to accompany the kids...and that's not just with bringing them along to football, getting volunteers (from staff or outwith) is a growing issue.

The 100 kids v players thing started back in Terry Butchers time....and wasn't even limited to 100 kids!  The day was a bit more structured with skill stations and fun football challenges before having a mass kick around.  Even better still, there was no need to purchase anything to qualify....all kids were welcome, regardless of whether their parents could afford to buy a shirt or not (or what preference they had for home/away shirt).

D&E provided/help with transport for bringing in school groups.

There was open training sessions where the team were put through their paces whilst the manager/coaches provided commentary over the mics...the first one of these we ever did had over 1000 fans in attendance, and it was pouring rain!

Exclusive events for Season Ticket holders etc are great for adding value, but they should be in addition to the open, free offerings.....not instead of.  Unfortunately, the "nothing for nothing" approach seems to be the direction the club is being taken down just now.

[TopSix]

32 minutes ago, old caley girl said:

Agree. Being saying similar for ages. 

Id also like to see the CEO and board members circulating on match days to see for themselves the matchday experience they provide 

Was surprised to see the chairman sitting behind a chained off area at Dumbarton away. Wee reality checked needed? 

[The Mantis]

On 7/28/2018 at 1:06 PM, Caman said:

Three to four hours in the warmth of Houston is not the same as Longman, Inverness. 

The cultural differences between USA and Scottish/UK folk are well known. 

I don't think the two locations are comparable.

However, I do agree the catering could be better.  But, Scottish football has a 'pie and bovril' mentality which will never change imo. I can't see many folk wanting a Prawn Cocktail or Avacado, with freshly squeezed Pomegranate juice snack at half time. 

Here's what's on offer in the new main stand at Tynecastle - a start maybe ?

Courtesy of a Jambo mate of mine. Yes i did notice the spelling mistake 

[CaleyD]

Previous catering company have not had contract renewed, so there will be some inevitable changes.

Believe we have retained the services of the person that was running it on behalf of the previous company.

[Alan Simpson]

18 minutes ago, TheMantis said:

Here's what's on offer in the new main stand at Tynecastle - a start maybe ?

Courtesy of a Jambo mate of mine. Yes i did notice the spelling mistake 

Had a couple of burgers at our ground last season maccyds standard they weren't a seagull would turn his beak up at them! Defo improvement needed there

[IBM]

16 minutes ago, CaleyD said:

Previous catering company have not had contract renewed, so there will be some inevitable changes.

Believe we have retained the services of the person that was running it on behalf of the previous company.

That's a good start I hope we will get decent pies and sausage rolls.

[Glover]

The amount of attention focused on food is not surprising.  I just watched Ricky Gervais talk about food & drink in glowing terms and perhaps that's the bottom line.  People want decent grub, decent plonk and will be more amenable to win, lose or draw.  It would even make money and wouldn't impinge on hospitality if it was kept rudimentary.

Also, I'd like to highlight Graham Rae's statement on ICTFC as worth reading - it's pretty good - and shows a wider purview than perhaps has been the tone of late.  It seems well thought out and quite comprehensive in terms of what the forum hd been raising as issues.  I have been critical of the ICT board and Mr Rae of late, and been called out for it, c'est la vie, but only in hope of believing in better, and I applaud his statement wholeheartedly.  Let us have more of it, on both sides, and work towards his sentiments entirely.

[caleyboy]

3 hours ago, TopSix said:

There's a company in the central belt which runs trips to matches in England. They buy a block of season seats at certain grounds. One club they've bought season tickets for is Sunderland. The rep told me they were renewing the season books for Sunderland due to "the match experience being so good". Food for thought. I like Scotty's idea about beat the goalie and bouncy castles. We'd need an artificial pitch though?The strange thing is ICTFC is big into saying it's a family club, but there's next to nothing for kids at the ground on match day for kids.

what is the sunderland match day experience?

[+snorbens_caleyman]

8 minutes ago, caleyboy said:

what is the sunderland match day experience?

You don't have to watch the match? 

[Glover]

Sunderland I'm sure have a big offering.  Rightly, the club has trimmed and cut and whatever else.  But is there room for more ?  Absolutely.   Stalls:  Harry Gow, Black Isle Bar, Tomatin, Loch Fyne Oysters, Loch Duart Salmon, Cairngorm Brewery, Spey Valley Brewery, Salar Smokehouse Flaky Smoked Salmon - how many are taking advantage of 2000-3000 people?  We simply can't have central belt factories churning out pies if the by-line is community focused and also sustainable.  Not ok.

 

[CaleyD]

2 hours ago, Glover said:

The amount of attention focused on food is not surprising.  I just watched Ricky Gervais talk about food & drink in glowing terms and perhaps that's the bottom line.  People want decent grub, decent plonk and will be more amenable to win, lose or draw.  It would even make money and wouldn't impinge on hospitality if it was kept rudimentary.

Also, I'd like to highlight Graham Rae's statement on ICTFC as worth reading - it's pretty good - and shows a wider purview than perhaps has been the tone of late.  It seems well thought out and quite comprehensive in terms of what the forum hd been raising as issues.  I have been critical of the ICT board and Mr Rae of late, and been called out for it, c'est la vie, but only in hope of believing in better, and I applaud his statement wholeheartedly.  Let us have more of it, on both sides, and work towards his sentiments entirely.

The financials talked about in that statement don't add up.

Financial implications

A second season in the Championship has implications for the way we must run the club.    We estimate the loss of income this season was £1.2 million through smaller gates, fewer visiting supporters, the absence of television monies and reduced prizemoney.  In the coming season, our parachute payment will be reduced from £300,000 to £150,000 and we no longer qualify for the UEFA payment for Celtic reaching the Champions League stage – a payment of £374,000.  So the challenges are even greater.   More than £900,000 has been injected into the club and more is needed.  It is clear we need a more sustainable business model.  And significant savings are being made to all aspects of the operation in order to better balance income against expenditure.

We're told that income reduced by £1.2 Million...which is a figure I am familiar with.  John Robertson has said that he has trimmed £1.1 million from the playing budget....if true, then that pretty much takes care of the drop in income.  We've had £900k injected and MORE IS NEEDED!!!  Take off the 100k difference between what Robbo's cut from the playing budget and the reduced income and we should be sitting on £800k (that doesn't include the money we had in the bank at the end of the last financial year).  If we're needing more, and are to believe the figures being given....then what have be spent circa £1 Million on?

Someone is either telling porkies, or we're haemorrhaging money at an alarming rate on....what?

[Jaggernaut]

The catering has certainly gone down hill so far this season, in my opinion. They have discontinued the great curry pies, you don't have the choice of onions with the hot dog now, just a dry roll with a small hot dog on it for over £3 is not appetising or good value, and we were told that they are no longer selling real coke, just coke zero! Surely the customer should have the choice whether they have the diet option or not? On match days, we always waited till we got to the stadium before we had lunch, even though it was a bit later, because we enjoyed what was on offer, now, I think we will eat elsewhere before we get to the ground. I think it would be a great idea to have different food vendors given the chance to have a stall at the stadium, to give the supporters a more varied choice on match days.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Bring back Bon Accord drinks, Burnett pies, Onion Johnny and Mapples for the half time entertainment.

[RiG]

I doubt that having some noodles on offer at half time was going to keep pulling in the crowds up during our shocking run of form under Foran in 16/17.

[old caley girl]

4 hours ago, Jaggernaut said:

The catering has certainly gone down hill so far this season, in my opinion. They have discontinued the great curry pies, you don't have the choice of onions with the hot dog now, just a dry roll with a small hot dog on it for over £3 is not appetising or good value, and we were told that they are no longer selling real coke, just coke zero! Surely the customer should have the choice whether they have the diet option or not? On match days, we always waited till we got to the stadium before we had lunch, even though it was a bit later, because we enjoyed what was on offer, now, I think we will eat elsewhere before we get to the ground. I think it would be a great idea to have different food vendors given the chance to have a stall at the stadium, to give the supporters a more varied choice on match days.

I noticed that hearts had the option of paying an extra 10p on drinks on Sunday (sugar tax) as an option 

[Glover]

8 hours ago, CaleyD said:

The financials talked about in that statement don't add up.

Financial implications

A second season in the Championship has implications for the way we must run the club.    We estimate the loss of income this season was £1.2 million through smaller gates, fewer visiting supporters, the absence of television monies and reduced prizemoney.  In the coming season, our parachute payment will be reduced from £300,000 to £150,000 and we no longer qualify for the UEFA payment for Celtic reaching the Champions League stage – a payment of £374,000.  So the challenges are even greater.   More than £900,000 has been injected into the club and more is needed.  It is clear we need a more sustainable business model.  And significant savings are being made to all aspects of the operation in order to better balance income against expenditure.

We're told that income reduced by £1.2 Million...which is a figure I am familiar with.  John Robertson has said that he has trimmed £1.1 million from the playing budget....if true, then that pretty much takes care of the drop in income.  We've had £900k injected and MORE IS NEEDED!!!  Take off the 100k difference between what Robbo's cut from the playing budget and the reduced income and we should be sitting on £800k (that doesn't include the money we had in the bank at the end of the last financial year).  If we're needing more, and are to believe the figures being given....then what have be spent circa £1 Million on?

Someone is either telling porkies, or we're haemorrhaging money at an alarming rate on....what?

The club will be paying 1.5m + in wages each year ( I did cigarette paper calculations, can show my work). Only a third of that (now) would be on players.  Running costs on top of that and I would say the club spends upwards of 2m.  Just my own idea - happy to have that corrected.     

[Eye Settee]

 

My son works at Ipswich Town FC.

This is what their fanzone consists of...…. No I don't know where we'd put it but great idea!!

 

Search text

FanZone Information

What time does the FanZone open?

12pm-2.45pm for Saturday fixtures

6pm-7.30pm for Midweek matches

How do I gain access, and is it free?

Access is free with your match ticket

When does it close?

The Fanzone closes 15 minutes before Kick Off

Will it be open post-match?

There are no plans at present to open Post Match.

What drinks are available?

Fosters, Aspall Cider, London Glory Cask Ale, East Coast IPA, Bottled beer and a selection of soft drinks

What food will be available to purchase?

For Saturday matches we will have a variety of different food vendors for each match, these are advertised in advance.

For Tuesday matches we will have Portman Pies available

What else is there to do in the FanZone?

We will be showing Live matches on the TV screens

There will be live singers/bands, ex player appearances, along with some themed events which will be advertised in advance

What is there for kids?

Mini Football

Bouncy Castle

Face Painting

[caleyboy]

1 hour ago, Eye Settee said:

 

My son works at Ipswich Town FC.

This is what their fanzone consists of...…. No I don't know where we'd put it but great idea!!

 

Search text

FanZone Information

What time does the FanZone open?

12pm-2.45pm for Saturday fixtures

6pm-7.30pm for Midweek matches

How do I gain access, and is it free?

Access is free with your match ticket

When does it close?

The Fanzone closes 15 minutes before Kick Off

Will it be open post-match?

There are no plans at present to open Post Match.

What drinks are available?

Fosters, Aspall Cider, London Glory Cask Ale, East Coast IPA, Bottled beer and a selection of soft drinks

What food will be available to purchase?

For Saturday matches we will have a variety of different food vendors for each match, these are advertised in advance.

For Tuesday matches we will have Portman Pies available

What else is there to do in the FanZone?

We will be showing Live matches on the TV screens

There will be live singers/bands, ex player appearances, along with some themed events which will be advertised in advance

What is there for kids?

Mini Football

Bouncy Castle

Face Painting

if our people have the balls this would be worth a try.

[CaleyD]

8 hours ago, Glover said:

The club will be paying 1.5m + in wages each year ( I did cigarette paper calculations, can show my work). Only a third of that (now) would be on players.  Running costs on top of that and I would say the club spends upwards of 2m.  Just my own idea - happy to have that corrected.     

That's not my point though, my point is that if your income drops by £1.2M...and you make cuts of £1.1M then your shortfall is only £100k.....if you've had investment of £900k, then the financial position should be pretty good.  I don't have the accounts to hand, but there was a healthy chunk of money in the bank account at the end of the last financial year as well, so unless costs have increased elsewhere we should be sitting on circa £1M.  Why then is the Chairman stating that more money is needed?

Something doesn't add up!!

[Glover]

15 minutes ago, CaleyD said:

That's not my point though, my point is that if your income drops by £1.2M...and you make cuts of £1.1M then your shortfall is only £100k.....if you've had investment of £900k, then the financial position should be pretty good.  I don't have the accounts to hand, but there was a healthy chunk of money in the bank account at the end of the last financial year as well, so unless costs have increased elsewhere we should be sitting on circa £1M.  Why then is the Chairman stating that more money is needed?

Something doesn't add up!!

There is very little income at the club.  It makes less than a million and maybe closer to 500k than 1m or at least in between those figures.  Is it then fair to say the club has always been run at a loss, but that the non-playing staffing has increased while the income has withered?  I’m thinking Project Brave, Academy, Executives?  The board will not be drawing a salary.

I don’t know where the money has gone, is my short answer! 

[CaleyD]

27 minutes ago, Glover said:

There is very little income at the club.  It makes less than a million and maybe closer to 500k than 1m or at least in between those figures.  Is it then fair to say the club has always been run at a loss, but that the non-playing staffing has increased while the income has withered?  I’m thinking Project Brave, Academy, Executives?  The board will not be drawing a salary.

I don’t know where the money has gone, is my short answer! 

We could all sit and surmise as to what it might have been spent on....but that discussion just raises further questions, like why are they quick to tell us where they are making savings, but not so quick (in fact not at all) telling us where costs have increased?

Every time a statement is released it raises more questions than answers.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Mini Football

Bouncy Castle

Face Painting

You can get all of that at the Innes bar

[CaleyD]

6 minutes ago, IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER said:

Mini Football

Bouncy Castle

Face Painting

You can get all of that at the Innes bar

Don't forget the darts!

[alternative maryhill]

2 hours ago, caleyboy said:

if our people have the balls this would be worth a try.

'Balls'. Well, quite.  Since 2003, Ipswich's average league attendances have dropped from 25,433 to 16,272, so they are hardly the best example to cite of a club that has sustained its supporter base by developing the 'matchday experience'. Moreover, they are in, if memory serves correctly, the fifth most lucrative football league in the world, and so have far more scope to throw money at developing the various activities and attractions listed above. It's not just unrealistic to criticise ICT for failing to invest in a similarly wide-ranging matchday experience, or for failing to match the sort of 'value for money' that a vast business like Wetherspoons can offer; it's deeply, deeply unfair. 

I agree that more imagination could be put into ways of attracting supporters - the idea of allowing different food outlets to compete and offer more variety seems pretty sound, and @RedCard has some excellent ideas about flexipasses, for example. But this thread is full of people trying to justify their waning interest in football in general, or in ICT in particular, by placing it largely at the feet of the club, and a lot of it seems really disingenuous.