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Post by markczgas on Jan 28, 2016 22:44:59 GMT
Cat A games cost 4 quid more than other games for those who stand like me - so it's 20 quid to stand as others have said that's a lot for L2, but are Rovers the worst at it ??
I've just bought three tickets for Portsmouth away, which will be seats and paid 20 for myself , 15 quid for a 61+ ticket and a fiver for a child one - so only 40 quid for 3 seat tickets !!
Rovers don't seem to be bothered about offering prices reflecting the quality of the facilities at The Mem !! Maybe their trying to squeeze desperately needed money out of us Gasheads to compensate for the financial strife that the club finds itself in ?
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Post by mehewmagic on Jan 28, 2016 22:51:44 GMT
I don't think MM has ever claimed to be a journalist. He's a published author though...why write articles for a newspaper if you don't want to use journalistic skills? all you have to do is email James mcnamara and ask to write. Go on. Try it. a lot of the article is clearly fact. No idea why you would suggest it isn't. Anyway the points will be discussed at the next BRFC board meeting so obviously some people 'up there' must think rather differently about my poor writing and analysis.
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Post by 2nd May 1990 on Jan 28, 2016 23:00:26 GMT
Excellent article, Martin. I know this is a subject that you feel passionately about from previous comments you have made, but to my mind, that fuels your articles and allied with your writing skill, this makes for a very good read. Keep doing what you're doing as a lot of us appreciate it.
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Post by gasforeverman on Jan 28, 2016 23:10:30 GMT
Facilites at the mem dnt warrent £20 to stand.. Halftime no chance of a pasty as queing in the rain more than likely.. 20yrs at mem and bar 2 tin roofs ana tent! Little has changed. In another 20yrs may be have a decent pa system its like listening to a 1940s bbc radio crackling news broadcast at present!
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Post by bluegas on Jan 28, 2016 23:16:33 GMT
Perhaps a supporters trust, fighting for fans might be.,...oh, sorry, someone tried that & interest was zero. BTW - I took a gamble on it being a good season. Can't feel much sympathy with the original point here.
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Post by gonzales on Jan 29, 2016 9:20:50 GMT
This is incorrect. The board have budgeted for crowds of 7000 this season (9000 was the figure the season we got relagated) Phew, Toni is learning then. I'm a mature student, money is tight but I don't typically begrudge paying full price as I miss a lot of games due to work, others clearly do though. Next game will be the Friday night against Cambridge, in seasons past I'd expect this to be £10 and to bring along a lot of mates who favour the gas but wouldn't typically go to games because of the cost, if terrace tickets were £15 I seriously think we'd see a few hundred added to the gate at least - off setting the £3 reduction and the fiver change from twenty quid spent in the clubhouse or on a pasty etc. Seeing as the club seem to like exploiting faux-rivalries (Yeo/Exe) I suppose the Cambridge game will be £18, still drawing a big Friday under the lights crowd, but nothing like the attendances seen in the holidays and against the pilgrims. It will be interesting to see what happens with facilities in future after the UWE fate is decided, I personally think the Mem could be a great little stadium and am not excited about the prospect of Frenchay in the slightest.
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Post by markczgas on Jan 29, 2016 9:51:54 GMT
This is incorrect. The board have budgeted for crowds of 7000 this season (9000 was the figure the season we got relagated) Phew, Toni is learning then. I'm a mature student, money is tight but I don't typically begrudge paying full price as I miss a lot of games due to work, others clearly do though. Next game will be the Friday night against Cambridge, in seasons past I'd expect this to be £10 and to bring along a lot of mates who favour the gas but wouldn't typically go to games because of the cost, if terrace tickets were £15 I seriously think we'd see a few hundred added to the gate at least - off setting the £3 reduction and the fiver change from twenty quid spent in the clubhouse or on a pasty etc. Seeing as the club seem to like exploiting faux-rivalries (Yeo/Exe) I suppose the Cambridge game will be £18, still drawing a big Friday under the lights crowd, but nothing like the attendances seen in the holidays and against the pilgrims. It will be interesting to see what happens with facilities in future after the UWE fate is decided, I personally think the Mem could be a great little stadium and am not excited about the prospect of Frenchay in the slightest. How could it be a great little stadium ?
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Post by gonzales on Jan 29, 2016 10:45:38 GMT
A few little improvements Mark, at a cost of course, in short - restoration, renovation, imagination.
I just don't buy the 'additional revenue streams' argument we get regarding UWE, I'm not sure the board/Watola are up to it. Nor do I swallow the 'look at Swansea/Brighton/Bournmouth' argument either. Also, Frenchay is just sh*t.
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Post by supergas on Jan 29, 2016 10:56:52 GMT
Phew, Toni is learning then. I'm a mature student, money is tight but I don't typically begrudge paying full price as I miss a lot of games due to work, others clearly do though. Next game will be the Friday night against Cambridge, in seasons past I'd expect this to be £10 and to bring along a lot of mates who favour the gas but wouldn't typically go to games because of the cost, if terrace tickets were £15 I seriously think we'd see a few hundred added to the gate at least - off setting the £3 reduction and the fiver change from twenty quid spent in the clubhouse or on a pasty etc. Seeing as the club seem to like exploiting faux-rivalries (Yeo/Exe) I suppose the Cambridge game will be £18, still drawing a big Friday under the lights crowd, but nothing like the attendances seen in the holidays and against the pilgrims. It will be interesting to see what happens with facilities in future after the UWE fate is decided, I personally think the Mem could be a great little stadium and am not excited about the prospect of Frenchay in the slightest. How could it be a great little stadium ? Depends what you want from a stadium... I like it because I like to stand, I rarely eat or drink at the ground and I never want to hold a conference. Other people have different priorities so I would guess that more food/drink/toilet options, knocking down/rebuilding or extending the seating in the Dribuild and or building more roofs would make it a great little stadium?
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Post by socrates on Jan 29, 2016 11:09:30 GMT
Id take a 15000 capacity Mem with some standing left in the blackthorn over the UWE anyday. We could improve the Mem and make it a nice ground of course we could. Also like others have said its in the best location in Bristol where as frenchay is sh**e.
Personally things like crap toilets and standing areas don't bother me at all. I go to the football because I love football I love Rovers and the atmosphere is better in older grounds with terraces anyway and a good atmosphere is almost as important as the football to me, it's a buzz. I grew up that way and I don't like soulless all seaters I can appreciate everyone's got their own preferences though.
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Post by orgasmic on Jan 29, 2016 12:29:57 GMT
He's a published author though...why write articles for a newspaper if you don't want to use journalistic skills? all you have to do is email James mcnamara and ask to write. Go on. Try it. a lot of the article is clearly fact. No idea why you would suggest it isn't. Anyway the points will be discussed at the next BRFC board meeting so obviously some people 'up there' must think rather differently about my poor writing and analysis. I have no desire to write an article and see no relevance in that? At what point have I suggested it isnt? If you re-read what I said you'll see I felt comparisons were ambiguous (comparing Prem to L2) and it lacked substance. Have you got the figures on increased costs for Cat A games? Did you ask for them before writing your article? If not, how can you can't say it's factually accurate that the club are making "lame excuses" for the increased ticket price? You have an opinion based on your experience and Imo have publicly had a pop at the club for this without backing it up. As I said, I felt it biased and lacking real substance and just because it's being discussed, does not necessarily make you correct.
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Post by simon1883 on Jan 29, 2016 13:37:14 GMT
On the other hand me and my 3 kids watch the games in the South Stand for £16.21 all in. Yes, I do have a season ticket, ans they do too. but that's cracking value however you look at it. If you know you are going to take in a fair few matches, get a season ticket. You can always sell if you cant make it.
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Post by simon1883 on Jan 29, 2016 13:40:21 GMT
all you have to do is email James mcnamara and ask to write. Go on. Try it. a lot of the article is clearly fact. No idea why you would suggest it isn't. Anyway the points will be discussed at the next BRFC board meeting so obviously some people 'up there' must think rather differently about my poor writing and analysis. I have no desire to write an article and see no relevance in that? At what point have I suggested it isnt? If you re-read what I said you'll see I felt comparisons were ambiguous (comparing Prem to L2) and it lacked substance. Have you got the figures on increased costs for Cat A games? Did you ask for them before writing your article? If not, how can you can't say it's factually accurate that the club are making "lame excuses" for the increased ticket price? You have an opinion based on your experience and Imo have publicly had a pop at the club for this without backing it up. As I said, I felt it biased and lacking real substance and just because it's being discussed, does not necessarily make you correct. Supply and demand? That is all this is down to. there was also the chance to buy the 10 game ticket early season too.
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Post by markczgas on Jan 29, 2016 14:00:04 GMT
Id take a 15000 capacity Mem with some standing left in the blackthorn over the UWE anyday. We could improve the Mem and make it a nice ground of course we could. Also like others have said its in the best location in Bristol where as frenchay is sh**e. Personally things like crap toilets and standing areas don't bother me at all. I go to the football because I love football I love Rovers and the atmosphere is better in older grounds with terraces anyway and a good atmosphere is almost as important as the football to me, it's a buzz. I grew up that way and I don't like soulless all seaters I can appreciate everyone's got their own preferences though. But I think you're just talking to the Rovers community here - which is shrinking decade by decade. A lot of people, who love football, move to Bristol. Will they want to come regularly and bring kids in tow to a dilapidated ground ? And this dilapidated ground brings in less revenue than our proposed stadium - which means less transfer money, poorer training facilities for The Academy, Youth and academy sides etc etc The Mem looks weird, no sides are complete and only The Blackthorn is, it would cost so so much to bring it up to a standard we could say was impressive. Very few clubs have bothered revamping their stadia - ironically the Red sh**e are one of them !!
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Post by markczgas on Jan 29, 2016 14:03:22 GMT
I have no desire to write an article and see no relevance in that? At what point have I suggested it isnt? If you re-read what I said you'll see I felt comparisons were ambiguous (comparing Prem to L2) and it lacked substance. Have you got the figures on increased costs for Cat A games? Did you ask for them before writing your article? If not, how can you can't say it's factually accurate that the club are making "lame excuses" for the increased ticket price? You have an opinion based on your experience and Imo have publicly had a pop at the club for this without backing it up. As I said, I felt it biased and lacking real substance and just because it's being discussed, does not necessarily make you correct. Supply and demand? That is all this is down to. there was also the chance to buy the 10 game ticket early season too. We all know about these discounts !! we are talking about the price of going to ONE match ! What is an acceptable price for what is on offer ? Would you be happy to pay 30 quid if we go up and Rovers decide that's the new price ?
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Post by spiess1 on Jan 29, 2016 14:26:51 GMT
Gonzales, you and your mates won't see much football under the lights against Cambridge. Pasties should be VERY cheap by 7.45 on the plus side.
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Post by mehewmagic on Feb 2, 2016 11:25:16 GMT
Update I should have given last week, but not been too well.
BSS contacted me immediately the article was live and said he would raise the issues at the next Board meeting, which is next Monday I believe.
fair play to him.
Some of it is probably more for next season but at least they will discuss the points and hopefully do something this season if they have the appetite for it.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 2, 2016 12:29:57 GMT
Just go in the under 18 turnstile.
I did completely accidentally against Luton last month and the chap just looked at me and said "Are you 18?" some sort of bizarre instinct kicked in and I instantly barked back "Ye! Why?!" and he just looked straight back at me and said "Not my job to question it mate" and proceeded to charge me fort a junior ticket!
Now I am 29 years old with a few grey hairs to show for it as well!
Was very odd to say the least!
As I say, was a genuine mistake and god knows where the lie came from within me! But I got in for a fiver or so cheaper and was able to get an extra pasty! So I was not complaining!
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Post by mehewmagic on Mar 4, 2016 16:00:31 GMT
I have revisited this topic for this weeks article. www.bristolpost.co.uk/BRISTOL-ROVERS-BLOG-G-Gas-Priced-reloaded/story-28858101-detail/story.htmlBRISTOL ROVERS BLOG: G is for Gas - Priced out reloadedBy Martin Bull Sadly any positives that could have come out of my article published here just over a month ago, entitled 'Priced Out', seems to have been overtaken by the takeover. Whilst I believe the takeover has been very positive overall, it is a shame that the timing will help create the lowest home attendances seen for a long time. The Board of Directors, via the kind offer of Brian Seymour-Smith, one of the Supporters Clubs Directors to the Board, were due to look at some of the issues in my article, but delays and then a certain spot of business scuppered that. With three home games in 12 days, including the peculiar congested timing of our only two evening games at the Mem between December 1 and the end of the season, fans are feeling it in their pockets and the club have done nothing to alleviate the strain. Before anyone reminds me that a certain take-over has (rightly) taken centre stage recently, as a Board member of several organisations myself I would state that quick simple decisions can be made in community-orientated organisations when the will exists, and if they cannot then the organisation needs to rapidly look at its governance and decision-making structure. The amount of paying fans on these evenings will be very low, and a large amount of our capacity will remain empty. If the Plymouth Argyle game had the perfect calm to attract a bumper showing from both sets of fans, then games against Hartlepool United and AFC Wimbledon with an early Easter looming, and straight after five well-attended away games since New Year (an average away following of 1,731 Gasheads at an average journey of 243 miles from Bristol), are the perfect storm the other way. The attendance for Pools was indeed the fifth lowest home league gate of the season so far. Around the New Year Rovers rode on a crest of a wave and enjoyed a chain of circumstances that almost guaranteed high crowds. But the club rather got carried away with the money making opportunities of those few weeks and failed to show any concern about the number of games coming up. The crowds that averaged 9,719 for those three games are now back to a more natural level of 6,000 - 7,500 and gaps are very clearly visible again. What a shame the gaps aren't being filled by Gasheads, people who might become Gasheads, or even just people who want to watch a game of real, live football, how it was meant to be experienced. Season ticket holders always seem to be happy, but not everyone can commit themselves to a season ticket, or afford it, and the lack of incentives for non-season ticket holders for these two evening games in particular has been a real missed opportunity. I have been a season ticket holder in the past and I know that it is good value for money and offers other benefits, such as priority on scarce away tickets, so I certainly won't be grouchy about that, but I am disappointed at the attitude of some of our season ticket holders, who are resistant to any offers that they see as negating their 'investment' and sometimes are very unsympathetic to fellow supporters who cannot attend every game. This attitude in life is what keeps the insipid status quo grinding on relentlessly, and the haves looking down at the have-nots. Football fans need to stick together, not get pulled apart. We are all Gasheads, just with different life journeys, salaries, geography and commitments. An early bird Season Ticket for an adult on the Blackthorn Terrace was £260. If a fan bought an individual early bird ticket in person (i.e. without incurring booking or postage charges; more on those later…) for every league match of the season it would cost £392 this season. That situation is of course unlikely, but it is used to give some impression to season ticket holders that you have nothing to fear from an occasional game-by-game ticket 'offer' from the club, be it for adults or just as importantly for kids (my brother for one has asked me several times what matches could be 'quid a kid' - my reply has been noticeably silent for an entire season). Your support towards what is often disparaging labelled 'casual fans' would be appreciated. A more reasonable scenario could be a fan using the rather bureaucratic five or ten game flexi-ticket, which would work out at £346 for the season. At the other end of the scale, if an adult was wacky enough to roll up and pay on the gate to every game it would set them back an eye-watering £426. I will only give this one example, not because there are smaller disparities in other areas of the Mem, but because that terrace has the peak population of Pirates and since there simply isn't the space or time to look at every permutation. I have no political agenda; I just want Gasheads of all financial persuasions to be able to watch some league matches this season at a reasonable price, for irregular supporters with kids to get a fair deal, and in the short term to scrap the ludicrous Category A status of the forthcoming games against Exeter City and Yeovil Town, those massive rivals with huge hooligan crews. If sarcasm really is the lowest form of wit, I plead guilty your honour. It's often the only medium left when nothing is changing. Then in the close season the whole structure should be looked at, especially the fact that 26 per cent of home games were designated as Category A this season, which adds £4 to most tickets, and that the student discount was scrapped in a city with one of the largest student populations in Britain. Not all Rovers supporters live or work near enough the Mem or Kingswood to be able to buy tickets in person, so it is disappointing for exiles that the charges involved in buying an early bird ticket by phone or Internet almost negate the £2 saving. Many other leisure activities offer no booking fees and free 'print at home' ticketing, including Gloucestershire County Cricket Club, only a generous slogged six down the road. I assume we cannot as we don't have bar code scanners at the Mem; yet another reason to want the UWE built ASAP. Gasheads were roundly applauded for sticking with the club when in non-league. It's a shame we weren't rewarded for it. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Martin Bull became a Gashead in 1989 and immediately fell in love with Twerton Park, standing near G pillar. Two of his six books have been about Bristol Rovers. 'Away The Gas' is packed full of over 50 years of 'I was there' away game moments, all written by fans, and 'Print That Season! - One man's weekly meanderings throughout Bristol Rovers' promotion campaign of 2014-15' is the antidote to obedient season reviews, with none of the hindsight that most writers rely on. Full details of both are available at www.awaythegas.org.uk
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Post by Topper Gas on Mar 4, 2016 16:25:29 GMT
I have revisited this topic for this weeks article. www.bristolpost.co.uk/BRISTOL-ROVERS-BLOG-G-Gas-Priced-reloaded/story-28858101-detail/story.htmlBRISTOL ROVERS BLOG: G is for Gas - Priced out reloadedBy Martin Bull Sadly any positives that could have come out of my article published here just over a month ago, entitled 'Priced Out', seems to have been overtaken by the takeover. Whilst I believe the takeover has been very positive overall, it is a shame that the timing will help create the lowest home attendances seen for a long time. The Board of Directors, via the kind offer of Brian Seymour-Smith, one of the Supporters Clubs Directors to the Board, were due to look at some of the issues in my article, but delays and then a certain spot of business scuppered that.With three home games in 12 days, including the peculiar congested timing of our only two evening games at the Mem between December 1 and the end of the season, fans are feeling it in their pockets and the club have done nothing to alleviate the strain. Before anyone reminds me that a certain take-over has (rightly) taken centre stage recently, as a Board member of several organisations myself I would state that quick simple decisions can be made in community-orientated organisations when the will exists, and if they cannot then the organisation needs to rapidly look at its governance and decision-making structure. The amount of paying fans on these evenings will be very low, and a large amount of our capacity will remain empty. If the Plymouth Argyle game had the perfect calm to attract a bumper showing from both sets of fans, then games against Hartlepool United and AFC Wimbledon with an early Easter looming, and straight after five well-attended away games since New Year (an average away following of 1,731 Gasheads at an average journey of 243 miles from Bristol), are the perfect storm the other way. The attendance for Pools was indeed the fifth lowest home league gate of the season so far. Around the New Year Rovers rode on a crest of a wave and enjoyed a chain of circumstances that almost guaranteed high crowds. But the club rather got carried away with the money making opportunities of those few weeks and failed to show any concern about the number of games coming up. The crowds that averaged 9,719 for those three games are now back to a more natural level of 6,000 - 7,500 and gaps are very clearly visible again. What a shame the gaps aren't being filled by Gasheads, people who might become Gasheads, or even just people who want to watch a game of real, live football, how it was meant to be experienced. Season ticket holders always seem to be happy, but not everyone can commit themselves to a season ticket, or afford it, and the lack of incentives for non-season ticket holders for these two evening games in particular has been a real missed opportunity. I have been a season ticket holder in the past and I know that it is good value for money and offers other benefits, such as priority on scarce away tickets, so I certainly won't be grouchy about that, but I am disappointed at the attitude of some of our season ticket holders, who are resistant to any offers that they see as negating their 'investment' and sometimes are very unsympathetic to fellow supporters who cannot attend every game. This attitude in life is what keeps the insipid status quo grinding on relentlessly, and the haves looking down at the have-nots. Football fans need to stick together, not get pulled apart. We are all Gasheads, just with different life journeys, salaries, geography and commitments. An early bird Season Ticket for an adult on the Blackthorn Terrace was £260. If a fan bought an individual early bird ticket in person (i.e. without incurring booking or postage charges; more on those later…) for every league match of the season it would cost £392 this season. That situation is of course unlikely, but it is used to give some impression to season ticket holders that you have nothing to fear from an occasional game-by-game ticket 'offer' from the club, be it for adults or just as importantly for kids (my brother for one has asked me several times what matches could be 'quid a kid' - my reply has been noticeably silent for an entire season). Your support towards what is often disparaging labelled 'casual fans' would be appreciated. A more reasonable scenario could be a fan using the rather bureaucratic five or ten game flexi-ticket, which would work out at £346 for the season. At the other end of the scale, if an adult was wacky enough to roll up and pay on the gate to every game it would set them back an eye-watering £426. I will only give this one example, not because there are smaller disparities in other areas of the Mem, but because that terrace has the peak population of Pirates and since there simply isn't the space or time to look at every permutation. I have no political agenda; I just want Gasheads of all financial persuasions to be able to watch some league matches this season at a reasonable price, for irregular supporters with kids to get a fair deal, and in the short term to scrap the ludicrous Category A status of the forthcoming games against Exeter City and Yeovil Town, those massive rivals with huge hooligan crews. If sarcasm really is the lowest form of wit, I plead guilty your honour. It's often the only medium left when nothing is changing. Then in the close season the whole structure should be looked at, especially the fact that 26 per cent of home games were designated as Category A this season, which adds £4 to most tickets, and that the student discount was scrapped in a city with one of the largest student populations in Britain. Not all Rovers supporters live or work near enough the Mem or Kingswood to be able to buy tickets in person, so it is disappointing for exiles that the charges involved in buying an early bird ticket by phone or Internet almost negate the £2 saving. Many other leisure activities offer no booking fees and free 'print at home' ticketing, including Gloucestershire County Cricket Club, only a generous slogged six down the road. I assume we cannot as we don't have bar code scanners at the Mem; yet another reason to want the UWE built ASAP. Gasheads were roundly applauded for sticking with the club when in non-league. It's a shame we weren't rewarded for it. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Martin Bull became a Gashead in 1989 and immediately fell in love with Twerton Park, standing near G pillar. Two of his six books have been about Bristol Rovers. 'Away The Gas' is packed full of over 50 years of 'I was there' away game moments, all written by fans, and 'Print That Season! - One man's weekly meanderings throughout Bristol Rovers' promotion campaign of 2014-15' is the antidote to obedient season reviews, with none of the hindsight that most writers rely on. Full details of both are available at www.awaythegas.org.ukHave match day ticket prices been announced for next season yet? Although given season tickets were due to rise I'd be surprised if the old BoD intended reducing match days prices for next season in any event??
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