Most liked posts in thread: I-Follow & City:The Future or The end of the Away Day?

I go to a handful of away games per season and would still do so if iFollow were available for away games, because it's fun and a completely different experience from watching on TV.

I've loved being able to watch every away game this season, so if iFollow is not available for away games next season then I'd certainly consider the dodgy stick option, which I've never done before. This wouldn't deprive any club of revenue because I'd only use it for the away games that I wouldn't have attended anyway. From a revenue perspective it would be no different from me listening on the radio.

However, I suspect that the smaller clubs will vote against it because they'll worry (unnecessarily in my view) that it will reduce traveling attendance from bigger clubs like us. Perhaps more of the iFollow revenue needs to go to the home club than at present. That would reduce the big takings we've been getting this season from City fans subscribing to away games, but might be balanced over the season by subscriptions from away teams' fans watching our home games.

 

I still think most City fans who travel away will go anyway and i follow is an untapped source of income which hopefully will be used. We have over 10,000 season ticket holders and the vast majority won’t go away, this is a great way to get these fans to pay to watch on i follow and earn considerable income for the club.

 

You are basing your thoughts on your experience of travelling to home games though. The majority of people going to home games do not have to travel the distance you do (and I take my hat off to you that in normal times, you do that on a regular basis). Away games are a completely different kettle of fish - a much smaller percentage of fans travel to away games than go to home games, that has always been the case and won't ever change for a multitude of reasons that have already been covered on this thread. However, there are many fans that would pay to watch away games at home if they could, and they are fans that would never have travelled to the away game in person in the first place. It's about tapping into that potential that is clearly there, and that is why Ryan is keen for for offer of ifollow to continue to be available.

 

Completely agree but I'd also add that the same would happen with away games.

A lot of people make a huge effort because it's just not the same listening on the radio and there just wouldn't be the same incentive if you can just drop on the couch and turn the TV on.

 

And furthermore using illegal streams, depriving football furthermore

 

Always enjoyed a good old away game mid week. Always fun at Boro, Huddersfield and Oldham to name a few

 

The whole away day is the trip to exotic shitholes with your mates and taking over a pub. Not sure where this idea of watching the game in a local with your mates comes from, can't think of anything more boring.

 

I think what we would lose in people staying home would be gained by people who didnt have the opportunity to watch the game now being able to do so. I also think a lot of folks are being a bit harsh on fans. I think it takes a level of dedication over and above a normal person to follow a shit league two team religiously, certainly enough not to be put off by the option of an ifollow pass. people that want to go to away games will go regardless because its nothing like watching it on tv. Otherwise all the Prem games would have empty stadiums

 

I want to attend as many as possible away days nothing better few beers a get together with like minded fans before the game.

 

Yes I do too Dave. I go to around half the away games every year.

There are always those that are harder to get to though. Trips to Exeter for example are 2 nights away with Shipley Bantams who I usually travel with, and I do not have the time even though I am now retired.

Then there are those where you can't get a ticket due to ground size- Forest Green Rovers for example.

I would love to be able to use ifollow for games like these.

 

But that's a different point. Of course professional sport wouldn't survive long term without fans. But no one's suggesting that, are they?
LoyalBantam stated that football without fans is pointless and I pointed out that's not true, because people are still following and watching it.

EDIT Actually, I'm not even sure that's true. There are millions of armchair fans all around the world who only follow their chosen clubs via TV. It's clearly not pointless to them, even though they rarely if ever set foot in their 'home' stadium. In the 70s, before I moved to Bradford, I went to every home game at Upton Park. I haven't been to a live WHU game for decades but I still follow them avidly via the TV.

Allowing iFollow for home fans, once crowds are back, would obviously be a stupid idea. But I think it would have minimal impact on away attendances. The minority of supporters who go to away games fall into two main groups - 1. the hardcore fans who go to every game and 2. those who like to go to a few away games per season, either because they have family or friends in the home club's area or because it's near enough to travel and they fancy the craic. I believe that allowing iFollow coverage for away games would have little or no impact on either of those groups' attendance at away games. The hard core are the hard core and will go come hell or high water. The 'few games a season' types, such as me, are still going go away to those within easy reach and those that can be combined with visiting friends and family. I don't see another set of away fans that is going to be deterred because it's live on iFollow.
Going away is about the craic. There's nothing quite like being in a packed away end with fellow City nuts cheering on your team. Watching on iFollow can't replace that. TBH when I'm watching games on iFollow I hardly notice the absence of a crowd. Viewing on TV is purely about what is happening on the pitch. Going away is about so much more than that and for the small minority of fans who choose to go to away games, it will never replace it. But having iFollow for all away games would mean that people can watch the away games that they wouldn't have gone to anyway, rather than just listening on the radio, and provide additional revenue to clubs while doing so.

 

Spot on!

Nowt like being there!

 

It takes literally 30 seconds to purchase an ifollow pass and load up the game. I'm not really sure why ticket sales would need to stop several days before?

This would probably also only work at the grounds with smaller capacities but as that's been trotted out as a reason we need ifollow then perhaps it's also a good solution to that particular issue.

 

People would still attend away games even if i follow remains available. Look at the games on Sky, still plenty of away fans attending. Blackburn away for instance when City were playing appalling football just before Easter 2018, the game was live on Sky but still a packed away end. I think i follow could make clubs a lot of money as it has done this season.

 

It depends what context you are taking his comments. I agree that ifollow in some ways is the future to add another dimension to watching football. But for me personally if TV was the only way to watch football then I wouldn't bother as it bores me rigid. Football without fans in the stadiums is pointless, otherwise its just a glorified training session.

 

Ifollow has existed for several seasons for use outside of the UK. There have always been ways round the geographical restrictions. Ie. Using a VPN etc etc but to make it widely available to all will harm the game in my opinion.