|
Post by falsenumber9 on Aug 3, 2021 16:26:32 GMT
See it’s been confined now. No 3pm Saturday kick offs allowed to be broadcast in the UK. Well f**k them then. It's a joke. I was going to buy the game Saturday as 1), my first jab is tomorrow morning and I can't attend anyway due to politics. And 2), even tho in principle we should be getting a full house give the lack of fans in the past year and a half we won't due to a lot of fans still being scared and feeling ok with ifollow. The fools that run this have lost out. Disagree. Clubs would lose out in the longer term if this alternative was offered. It doesn't make commercial sense.
|
|
|
Post by tommym9 on Aug 3, 2021 16:41:09 GMT
Ifollow has only really been marketed at fans who mostly already attend games. I believe there is a market for the very casual fans and those who like football but have never been to a game (and often do not know anyone who goes,therefore dont go themselves). Some people just can not attend games for many reasons. Some of these may actually eventually become Mem visitors. They may buy merchandise. How about ifollow in care homes ? I know of people who went to virtually every game for most of their lives who no longer are able to attend games. Now they cant see the team they followed through thick n thin and invested decades worth of money into. Ifollow needs to be used in a proactive way to increase the fanbase. The reality is in the longer run the club (and other lower league clubs) would most likely lose out by making Ifollow available for Saturday 3pm games. The risk that the match going supporter would evolve into an armchair fan given the option would be significant and reduced attendances obviously impact the value of the event. The right and sensible decision has been made here. If the blackout was lifted that would apply to all leagues in its current form. How many of those armchair supporters would be tempted to watch something like the Manc derby instead of Rovers Sutton?
|
|
|
Post by Topper Gas on Aug 3, 2021 16:44:22 GMT
The problem is people who are able to watch home games live, physically and financially, still choosing to watch on iFollow. Whole families/ groups can watch the game for a tenner. I agree it would be great if they could sort something for those who genuinely can't make it, but controlling access for just those individuals and stopping others (who would otherwise go) from watching with them would be impossible. A VPN is the answer for anyone living elsewhere in the UK and wants to carry on getting involved. Pretty sure you need more than a VPN as iFollow, like Sky, also checks your browser's actual location.
|
|
|
Post by GasAttacK on Aug 3, 2021 17:23:47 GMT
Home games at least, should have been made available to season ticket holders.
I know 2 clinically extremely vulnerable fans that take immunosuppressant drugs and do not feel comfortable returning to crowded stadiums.
They've been going to Rovers for 70+ years and both purchased season tickets for the West Stand (or whatever it's called these days) because they wanted to continue to support the club.
Clubs would not lose out financially making it available to season ticket holders and in my opinion the EFL have made a mistake. Punishing the elderly and vulnerable who have already suffered the most shielding for the past 18 months.
|
|
|
Post by Topper Gas on Aug 3, 2021 18:12:56 GMT
Home games at least, should have been made available to season ticket holders. I know 2 clinically extremely vulnerable fans that take immunosuppressant drugs and do not feel comfortable returning to crowded stadiums. They've been going to Rovers for 70+ years and both purchased season tickets for the West Stand (or whatever it's called these days) because they wanted to continue to support the club. Clubs would not lose out financially making it available to season ticket holders and in my opinion the EFL have made a mistake. Punishing the elderly and vulnerable who have already suffered the most shielding for the past 18 months. Clubs would lose out if s/t holders decided to stay at home and watch games rather than attend them and purchase food, drinks etc and also purchase items in the club shop. The EFL can hardly offer to boardcast games to every season ticket holder just to accommodate a handful of fans who can, sadly, no longer attend. Just how bad would the Mem become if a large number of s/t holders decided that watching on iFollow was now preferable to attending lives game?
|
|
|
Post by amgas on Aug 3, 2021 18:18:00 GMT
Is this a decision that is 100% down to the league and the clubs ? I feel the existing rights holders ( Sky ) will have also had a say.
|
|
|
Post by richard on Aug 3, 2021 18:35:13 GMT
A VPN is the answer for anyone living elsewhere in the UK and wants to carry on getting involved. Pretty sure you need more than a VPN as iFollow, like Sky, also checks your browser's actual location. A VPN certainly used to work fine the last time we needed to use it i.e. the season before last.
|
|
|
Post by Topper Gas on Aug 3, 2021 19:10:46 GMT
Pretty sure you need more than a VPN as iFollow, like Sky, also checks your browser's actual location. A VPN certainly used to work fine the last time we needed to use it i.e. the season before last. Other users suggested otherwise, if it's just a case of using a VPN then iFollow may as well carry just on boardcasting in the UK!
|
|
|
Post by Henbury Gas on Aug 3, 2021 19:14:17 GMT
A VPN is the answer for anyone living elsewhere in the UK and wants to carry on getting involved. Pretty sure you need more than a VPN as iFollow, like Sky, also checks your browser's actual location. Never had a problem masking my browser or location in the past Its what the dark web is al about
|
|
|
Post by piratesfchhh on Aug 3, 2021 21:23:43 GMT
Appreciate I'm in the minority but living in Wakefield makes it a nightmare to get to home games regularly.
I'd happily pay for a full season ticket to watch from here. Its money the club are effectively missing out on.
That said, appreciate it would be difficult to control... If there was a way you could guarantee you're logging on over x hundred miles from the ground - that might work.
|
|
|
Post by GasAttacK on Aug 3, 2021 21:33:53 GMT
Home games at least, should have been made available to season ticket holders. I know 2 clinically extremely vulnerable fans that take immunosuppressant drugs and do not feel comfortable returning to crowded stadiums. They've been going to Rovers for 70+ years and both purchased season tickets for the West Stand (or whatever it's called these days) because they wanted to continue to support the club. Clubs would not lose out financially making it available to season ticket holders and in my opinion the EFL have made a mistake. Punishing the elderly and vulnerable who have already suffered the most shielding for the past 18 months. Clubs would lose out if s/t holders decided to stay at home and watch games rather than attend them and purchase food, drinks etc and also purchase items in the club shop. The EFL can hardly offer to boardcast games to every season ticket holder just to accommodate a handful of fans who can, sadly, no longer attend. Just how bad would the Mem become if a large number of s/t holders decided that watching on iFollow was now preferable to attending lives game? Don't agree with that personally.
What percentage of fans actually purchase food and drink at games? No more than 10-15% would be my guess, and if we're talking about the elderly and vulnerable that would be more like 1-5%.
If you want something from the shop you can go anytime when it's not as busy as a matchday or more likely, purchase online.
Clubs wouldn't lose out by offering iFollow to season ticket holders. In fact they'd gain because more elderly fans and those like piratesfchhh above would purhase a season ticket.
Just my opinion.
|
|
|
Post by curlywurly on Aug 4, 2021 0:03:20 GMT
It's amazing that we've had 18 months of restrictions and people moaning about how they want it to return to how it used to be.... But now it is returning to how it used to be people are moaning about that.... Because we're not all happy to gather in a crowd with over 21,000 new Covid cases daily.
An ifollow option for the more vulnerable would be welcome.
|
|
|
Post by baggins on Aug 4, 2021 5:13:37 GMT
Clubs would lose out if s/t holders decided to stay at home and watch games rather than attend them and purchase food, drinks etc and also purchase items in the club shop. The EFL can hardly offer to boardcast games to every season ticket holder just to accommodate a handful of fans who can, sadly, no longer attend. Just how bad would the Mem become if a large number of s/t holders decided that watching on iFollow was now preferable to attending lives game? Don't agree with that personally.
What percentage of fans actually purchase food and drink at games? No more than 10-15% would be my guess, and if we're talking about the elderly and vulnerable that would be more like 1-5%.
If you want something from the shop you can go anytime when it's not as busy as a matchday or more likely, purchase online.
Clubs wouldn't lose out by offering iFollow to season ticket holders. In fact they'd gain because more elderly fans and those like piratesfchhh above would purhase a season ticket.
Just my opinion.
I also think we'd gain financially from the casual supporter who wouldn't want to go stand out on the terraces on a freezing cold Tuesday night in January, but might be happy to stay in and watch it at home? Hell, I know I'd rather stay in and do that, and I'm a Season Ticket holder!
|
|
|
Post by Topper Gas on Aug 4, 2021 5:34:01 GMT
Pretty sure you need more than a VPN as iFollow, like Sky, also checks your browser's actual location. Never had a problem masking my browser or location in the past Its what the dark web is al about But it takes more than just using a VPN as the other poster suggested?
|
|
|
Post by falsenumber9 on Aug 4, 2021 6:20:52 GMT
It's amazing that we've had 18 months of restrictions and people moaning about how they want it to return to how it used to be.... But now it is returning to how it used to be people are moaning about that.... Because we're not all happy to gather in a crowd with over 21,000 new Covid cases daily.
An ifollow option for the more vulnerable would be welcome.
Out of curiosity, how many cases a day would be acceptable for you to be happy to attend? As others have pointed out, I don't see how having an option for a select group would be workable. People can argue it's lost income but it's inevitable it would negatively impact gate receipts and matchday takings in the longer term. There's clearly a big correlation between atmosphere, attendances and the attraction to attend games so it feels common sense to me that clubs would protect their long term interests. I do sympathise with those with underlying health conditions who feel unable to attend.
|
|
|
Post by gasheadbatesy on Aug 4, 2021 6:28:17 GMT
See it’s been confined now. No 3pm Saturday kick offs allowed to be broadcast in the UK. Well f**k them then. It's a joke. I was going to buy the game Saturday as 1), my first jab is tomorrow morning and I can't attend anyway due to politics. And 2), even tho in principle we should be getting a full house give the lack of fans in the past year and a half we won't due to a lot of fans still being scared and feeling ok with ifollow. The fools that run this have lost out. It’s going back to how it was and how it should be pre COVID. I have no issues with I follow for this, just lucky I follow was about, and we got to watch footy. It will stop people bothering if it stays on I follow. We ain’t armchair supporters. Life must go back to normal, and this is normal.
|
|
|
Post by gregsy on Aug 4, 2021 6:34:40 GMT
Because we're not all happy to gather in a crowd with over 21,000 new Covid cases daily.
An ifollow option for the more vulnerable would be welcome.
Out of curiosity, how many cases a day would be acceptable for you to be happy to attend? As others have pointed out, I don't see how having an option for a select group would be workable. People can argue it's lost income but it's inevitable it would negatively impact gate receipts and matchday takings in the longer term. There's clearly a big correlation between atmosphere, attendances and the attraction to attend games so it feels common sense to me that clubs would protect their long term interests. I do sympathise with those with underlying health conditions who feel unable to attend. Yeah, I think the problem is that we all feel sympathetic to those who either can't or don't feel confident to attend games. But how would it be possible to implement an Ifollow arrangement..... I'd bet my bottom dollar that it wouldn't work on trust, so then where? Getting your doctor to give you a prescription certificate for ifollow. I just can't see a work around on this....
|
|
|
Post by Gasshole on Aug 4, 2021 7:12:40 GMT
A VPN is the answer for anyone living elsewhere in the UK and wants to carry on getting involved. Pretty sure you need more than a VPN as iFollow, like Sky, also checks your browser's actual location. Simply move to New Zealand.
|
|
|
Post by Henbury Gas on Aug 4, 2021 7:40:39 GMT
Never had a problem masking my browser or location in the past Its what the dark web is al about But it takes more than just using a VPN as the other poster suggested?
|
|
|
Post by LJG on Aug 4, 2021 7:51:22 GMT
But it takes more than just using a VPN as the other poster suggested? Topper's latest area of "expertise" is cyber-security I see.
|
|