Barrow v Kidderminster match thread

[Ste Story]

Save your breath Henney,I'm afraid your never gonna get your man sat in pub watching a satellite match and wearing a premiership shirt into H st.

Why not take the mountain to Mohammed and put BDF collection pots on every bar in the Furness Peninsula. That way we can make some money, while the casuals watch their made-for-TV football. We don't even have to re-programme anyone to move their arse.

realy there wasnt as much sport on tv an computer games years ago so it was an afternoon out with your dad that you looked forward to.

Football Manager is one significant example of a video game that features AFC. Why aren't we using social media to engage the kids that play these games, to encourage them to play as Barrow and to share their experiences online? This can only increase their sense of involvement.

Basically, rather than pining for the 1970s, why don't we start working with the modern tools that are at our disposal?

Sorry mate Russell Dodd got it spot on, the town just is not interested enough to support this level of football sad but true. Like others have said if the gates don't drastically improve we are only heading one way eventually, and it aint upwards.

If he's right, then what factors are to blame for the level of interest dropping by 50+% over a couple of years? What's responsible for the disappearance of the corporate fans and the away fans? How many of these factors have been fan-created and how many have been the fault of the BOD?

Even better, how did we fail to trap more of the 8,000 that went to the big away games of a few years ago? How did we fail to make a killing on merchandise sales back then, that we could be benefitting from now?

I'll give you a clue...

When the Boro tickets were on sale, I stood there in the Club Shop and watched people pick up merchandise, stand there for 15mins waiting to get served, and walk out again, money in pocket. The club would probably have us believe that, in that situation, the fans should have shown "hunger" and waited 20mins.

We've shrugged off a number of diversionary statements from BOD members and Bayliss over the past few years but, as you pointed out, we're right in the shit now, so maybe it's time for us to stop acting like battered wives.

I like the cut of your jibber! Especially the FM/social media point - stuff like that is so easy to do and there's so many unique and original ideas that could be done if someone with a bit of drive and know how was given the nod.

[tictactoe]

I would like them to try all adults £10.00. just try it for a couple of games and see if gates improve but they will have to really advertise it well. I know some will say they can't afford it and why lose more money, but it would be interesting to see if the gates improve and if they have to lose a little bit more just for a couple of games then so be it.

TK mentioned at the meeting the other night that they had thought about pay what you want/kids for free/reducing adult prices but it sounds like they just simply don't have the money spare to be able to take the hit if it doesn't pay off (which I dont think it will)
If they do create a loss, who makes up the shortfall? They'd be then dipping into their pockets to give the club a loan which you disagreed with the other day.

I know when Martin was here, he mentioned to me about entrance fees etc, and an idea was to ask one of the clubs major sponsors if they would committ to making up any loss that occurred if anything like this was tried. He said the BOD wouldn't go for it. Now I don't know if he was just pretending to listen to my idea and giving me an excuse or whether the BOD did actually say no. To be honest I don't really care either way, but if a company was prepared to do this, which I know is a big if in todays financial times before anyone starts, then it would be a way of doing it. I don't want to see the club lose money it can't really afford, but I don't want the club to go down the pan because it won't try new ideas to try and increase revenue. The club cannot continue on gates that we are getting, fact, so something has to be done. The only other way will be that they increase the price, let them, but I won't be able to afford to go anymore then and I'm sure plenty of other people won't be able to either. If finances are that bad then they won't be able to reduce kids prices, won't be able to offer free entrance via schools etc, so basically nothing will change and we will never know if a risk is one worth taking.

[Ste Story]

In terms of discounts, getting a company to "sponsor" the drive to cover any losses is a great idea if possible.

Another option for certain things is to limit it yourself. For example, with the shirts (and I have no idea on figures so am making these up) and whats happened this season in particular with them... Why not take pre-orders for them with an offer of if we get 100 pre-orders they get 10% off and if we get 200 pre-orders they'll all get them for 20% off - that gives the discount while also making sure the uptake covers any loss, and if anything may even encourage normal customers to push their friends to get one, free advertising!

[Bingo]

What about a support your local club day with a limited amount of special offer 10 quid tickets and kids for a quid sold in advance around pubs in the town centre in local shops as a one off get local company to sponsor the day - maybe kids tickets sponsored by McDonalds - a game in about 4 weeks time just to see what we can do and give us a base in which to build on

[Lancaster Branch]

In terms of discounts, getting a company to "sponsor" the drive to cover any losses is a great idea if possible.

One way of doing it would be to be a bit more imaginative with the catering contracts. For instance, charge £x as a flat fee for the right to flip burgers at Holker Street then get increments according to the size of the crowd. The larger the crowd, the more rent we get and the more profit the caterers make. Flood the ground with kids etc and Robert's your Auntie's live in lover.

[Ralph]

Have Non-League Day coming up soon, when we play Dartford on Saturday 13 October, that could be the time to try somthing different.

[barrowaberdeen]

That's a decent shout Ralph actually.

[Gen Man]

TK mentioned at the meeting the other night that they had thought about pay what you want/kids for free/reducing adult prices but it sounds like they just simply don't have the money spare to be able to take the hit if it doesn't pay off (which I dont think it will)
If they do create a loss, who makes up the shortfall? They'd be then dipping into their pockets to give the club a loan which you disagreed with the other day.

I know when Martin was here, he mentioned to me about entrance fees etc, and an idea was to ask one of the clubs major sponsors if they would committ to making up any loss that occurred if anything like this was tried. He said the BOD wouldn't go for it. Now I don't know if he was just pretending to listen to my idea and giving me an excuse or whether the BOD did actually say no. To be honest I don't really care either way, but if a company was prepared to do this, which I know is a big if in todays financial times before anyone starts, then it would be a way of doing it. I don't want to see the club lose money it can't really afford, but I don't want the club to go down the pan because it won't try new ideas to try and increase revenue. The club cannot continue on gates that we are getting, fact, so something has to be done. The only other way will be that they increase the price, let them, but I won't be able to afford to go anymore then and I'm sure plenty of other people won't be able to either. If finances are that bad then they won't be able to reduce kids prices, won't be able to offer free entrance via schools etc, so basically nothing will change and we will never know if a risk is one worth taking.

Me, Lisa, just pay you lip service, a man can be offended you know

This was an idea I had, especially as the club's main sponsor is a Bookmaker (at the time it had a different brand), and I thought it might appeal to them as they could get great PR from it, and in my opinion, the downside to them was very little.

I still think is something that could work, and given the Bookmaker now in-situ as Main Sponsor is such a large organisation, they may go for it without a second thought, probably just be local sign off for them, given the amounts you could be talking about.

[Gen Man]

In terms of discounts, getting a company to "sponsor" the drive to cover any losses is a great idea if possible.

One way of doing it would be to be a bit more imaginative with the catering contracts. For instance, charge £x as a flat fee for the right to flip burgers at Holker Street then get increments according to the size of the crowd. The larger the crowd, the more rent we get and the more profit the caterers make. Flood the ground with kids etc and Robert's your Auntie's live in lover.

That's what happens now I believe, or always was the case

[phil]

Just to get everyone back on topic, I thought we played really well for large parts of the game, we looked really exposed at the back though, I do have to say or wonder why we don't play our best centre back in years in his favoured position, put him where he should be and juggle others around imo.

Someone mentioned earlier about their keeper being dodgy, I'd have had him as MOM without any doubt, he saved everything we threw at him and was only beaten by a deflection, it doesn't matter how you keep them out as long as he does, and he did, except one.

[tictactoe]

I know when Martin was here, he mentioned to me about entrance fees etc, and an idea was to ask one of the clubs major sponsors if they would committ to making up any loss that occurred if anything like this was tried. He said the BOD wouldn't go for it. Now I don't know if he was just pretending to listen to my idea and giving me an excuse or whether the BOD did actually say no. To be honest I don't really care either way, but if a company was prepared to do this, which I know is a big if in todays financial times before anyone starts, then it would be a way of doing it. I don't want to see the club lose money it can't really afford, but I don't want the club to go down the pan because it won't try new ideas to try and increase revenue. The club cannot continue on gates that we are getting, fact, so something has to be done. The only other way will be that they increase the price, let them, but I won't be able to afford to go anymore then and I'm sure plenty of other people won't be able to either. If finances are that bad then they won't be able to reduce kids prices, won't be able to offer free entrance via schools etc, so basically nothing will change and we will never know if a risk is one worth taking.

Me, Lisa, just pay you lip service, a man can be offended you know

This was an idea I had, especially as the club's main sponsor is a Bookmaker (at the time it had a different brand), and I thought it might appeal to them as they could get great PR from it, and in my opinion, the downside to them was very little.

I still think is something that could work, and given the Bookmaker now in-situ as Main Sponsor is such a large organisation, they may go for it without a second thought, probably just be local sign off for them, given the amounts you could be talking about.

No offence meant Martin, but with the way things are at the club at the moment you get frustrated that things aren't tried and it makes one wonder if they were ever put forward.

Your idea was a good one which I told you at the time. But the board dont seem to think so which means they will have to put up with continuing dwindling gates. the idea of a company making up the loss doesn't have to be down to one company, the club could approach all it's major or regular sponsors and it could be sorted between them. I think it's worth a go and if it fails at least it was tried, you get nowhere by not taking a risk every now and then.

Maybe this part of this topic could be moved to one of its own as we have gone off the original topic

[spirit of 1990]

Someone mentioned earlier about their keeper being dodgy, I'd have had him as MOM without any doubt, he saved everything we threw at him and was only beaten by a deflection, it doesn't matter how you keep them out as long as he does, and he did, except one.

Me & the two lads I was stood with thought the same Phil, smallish keeper but very agile.

[Hadrian]

Someone mentioned earlier about their keeper being dodgy, I'd have had him as MOM without any doubt, he saved everything we threw at him and was only beaten by a deflection, it doesn't matter how you keep them out as long as he does, and he did, except one.

Me & the two lads I was stood with thought the same Phil, smallish keeper but very agile.

Whie I would have gone with the commanding centre-back Vaughan as their MotM, I too rated their keeper who made some decent saves and was very vocal in organising the Kiddy defence.

[Lancaster Branch]

One way of doing it would be to be a bit more imaginative with the catering contracts. For instance, charge £x as a flat fee for the right to flip burgers at Holker Street then get increments according to the size of the crowd. The larger the crowd, the more rent we get and the more profit the caterers make. Flood the ground with kids etc and Robert's your Auntie's live in lover.

That's what happens now I believe, or always was the case

Righto, thanks.