Most liked posts in thread: Should Season Tickets Include I-Follow?

I can understand watching the likes of Exeter v City where it's only the real die hard travelling but not for an away game at Oldham or Harrogate nothing better than attending games and the great atmosphere created, especially when we take 3,000 to away games.

 

Aye, I've only the 80 odd different grounds on my list.

It's not about me or you though, some will probably go no matter what but there's plenty who would take the pub option if it was available and especially on the longer trips whereas if it wasn't streamed these people would probably make the effort instead.

 

To be fair, if we are still playing the likes of Barrow in league 2 in 10 years time, we probably deserve to be losing out to the casual fan choosing to watch a different game on tv.

 

Well if you've been to 80 grounds you would know how away crowds work. I'm telling you now, ifollow wouldn't make a blind bit of difference, less than a hundred even with a big away following. A crowd of a 1000 at Exeter isn't gonna drop to 500 because ifollow suddenly comes along. Where it does make a difference is to the casual viewer, I'd travel about 3 to 4 hours to an away game but I'm not driving to Exeter. Ifollow gives me a chance to watch when I'd otherwise be listening on the radio, effectively raising extra revenue that isn't there. Likewise an away following at say Oldham, where we usually take 2 to 3000 form dependant. Ifollow will not make anything like a significant dent into those figures and I'm yet to be shown any evidence to suggest, just fans making absurd claims. If you or anyone could show me why fans who would normally travel to away games then I'll change my mind. Fans who travel away will always travel away, casual TV fans by definition don't travel to away games bar the very odd fixture.

 

Had an e-mail today from EFL regarding i-follow, asking to do a 20 mins questionaire(which i promptly deleted!).

Maybe changes ARE coming in or the EFL are trying to get feedback for their plans.
Anyone else get this e-mail?

 

I have received it and will be replying, at least I have had my say and input then.

I'm with @Rogered Tart in one of his earlier posts. I love away games. I get to spend time with my 2 boys (I'm divorced so don't see them that much!!). A full day out, rather than hours, train/coach, meals, drinks, footy...think we did 10 away games season before lockdown...I've done about 50/60 grounds over the years but my lads haven't!! My youngest, who is now 13 has done about 18 or so and when he talks to his school mates who 'support' PL clubs they can't believe it and he just calls them plastics!!

Live streaming @ 3.00 won't stop us going to the games that we can get to but it will allow us to watch other away games that we can't get to...

It was originally brought in by Sky because they were scared if games were streamed live then attendances would really drop off and PL would kick them into touch...

My thoughts anyway...

 

It won’t happen there are two many vested interests

 

UEFA may have to reconsider the Saturday afternoon ban, Things are changing with more broadcasters coming in and more money on the table to buy those slots

 

UEFA only have the ban because FA and SFA have requested it, it isnt something that UEFA are fussed about

 

Normally the away side get nothing but expenses so to get iFollow money after the first 500 is a bonus for the away team, but does possibly cost the home team money

 

They are missing a trick with this aren't they. People just buy the illegal firestick things and can take their pick of any Ifollow game up and down the country. Rather that forcing people to do that they should let fans with accounts registered to the away club watch the game via Ifollow for a tenner and at least keep the money above board.

 

@Bigrod & @Idlebantam I just want to clarify that prior to COVID you could watch mid-week games via iFollow both home and away for £10. So, that aspect of live streaming hasn't changed post COVID. I'm referring to the live streaming of games on a Saturday
@Bigrod - I live a fair distance from VP and due to commute reasons couldn't make mid-week games, so I always streamed the game live. But on a Saturday I'd travel to games, usually with my daughter, my mate and his daughter. We'd have a few beers in town and then a couple at VP both before and at half time. A few times we've upgraded and took advantage of the £30 meal + game, which the club offered. Excellent value by-the-way. And each season I'd buy some form of apparel for my daughter.
That's all potential revenue the club loses by me sitting at home and paying the club £8.34 (the clubs take of the £10 iFollow pass) if I chose to enjoy the games in the comfort of my home on a Saturday.
I don't necessarily agree that people turn up, don't buy food drink, programmes and merch. When I did go to games the tea stands were usually doing brisk business and the frequent complaint was the lack of food left at half time. And even though these stands are franchised out, the club can charge more for the franchise if there's 15,000 in the ground than if there were 7,500. Simple equation - more people equals more food and drink consumed so more revenue for the franchisee.
The same with the club shop. It was always busy.
I understand the argument that if you live far away and can stream the game on a Saturday, that's money the club wouldn't normally get. But on the flip side, rather than bringing in additional revenue, it might be counter-productive because you'll lose fans who can go but don't bother. How would you police the geographic restriction of what qualified of living far enough away from VP to be able to watch games via live stream? The pre-lockdown method was anyone outside the UK.
So, even taking away broadcasting restriction rights, I don't think the clubs themselves would want to change the arrangement as it was prior to lockdown

 

No idea whats involved with VR headsets etc, but was your gigs in real time, or do you purchase it after the event ?.

 

Wow that's great picking your seat etc, so your outlay is a good VR headset and then a payment for the gig.
And to have a similar set up for football is unreal for a Silver Surfer like me

 

I think there is a case of banning away fans next season with the virus still around with a choice of an away I follow season ticket on the opportunity to buy away tickets on a match by match basis

 

Fans who are not from the area of a club are few in number compared to the amount of fans travelling to away games. I do see your point but unless the virus Is fully beaten for at least next season it would be a good idea