TAKEOVER *NOT* CONFIMRED

[East Grinstead Royal]

There are plans for each bus to do two runs so your options will be get there far too early or hang around after the game, the club will also lose the revenue from the matchday parking.

Indeed. My season ticket for the car park last season cost more than the one for the football. Getting out of the car park after the game convinced me not to bother again. Total lack of organisation and basically a free for all. I even had to put up with the unedifying sight of Ady Williams thinking he had the right to get in his car and cut in front of everyone who had been queueing for 45 minutes.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

Who said they want it to use as a car park? - probably want to do some building development before selling the club on less the car park, not realising the Thai's already did that

Seriously though, If a prospective buyer isn't aware of what they're actually buying that is a cause for concern.

Also, with the car park - wasn't there some suggestion that as part of the building plans free buses would be provided or something, If so that should be picked up by the Thai developers, but wouldn't surprise me if they got the club to agree to fund all that before they sold it.

There are plans for each bus to do two runs so your options will be get there far too early or hang around after the game, the club will also lose the revenue from the matchday parking.

Put on decent street food and bars outside the ground and spending an extra hour at the stadium after a game wouldnt be the end of the world for many. What is there to get home to on a Saturday? I've been a "home" fan at the new White Hart Lane, and at the Amex, and both clubs go to considerable lengths to monetise their supporters after the games, which also helps to reduce congestion after the games as well.

What do spurs and bha do to attract fans to stay after the game

[Royalwaster]

There are plans for each bus to do two runs so your options will be get there far too early or hang around after the game, the club will also lose the revenue from the matchday parking.

Put on decent street food and bars outside the ground and spending an extra hour at the stadium after a game wouldnt be the end of the world for many. What is there to get home to on a Saturday? I've been a "home" fan at the new White Hart Lane, and at the Amex, and both clubs go to considerable lengths to monetise their supporters after the games, which also helps to reduce congestion after the games as well.

What do spurs and bha do to attract fans to stay after the game

,
I assume they've learned from what US sports team do - if you've ever been to an NFL game you can see that they turn it into a whole day (commercial) event ... so the idea of arriving at kick-off and leaving just after the final whistle is not part of their thinking.

[morganb]

There's a lot of noise over on Twitter about getting more fans to the ground in order to raise much needs funds, however this act could also be important from a buyer's point of view - if you were looking to buy a club would you rather see a packed stadium or banks of empty seat? As supporters we need to do what we can to get a buyer to want to buy us and having a full ground could be a good side effect of also getting more money into the club.

[Greatwesternline]

There are plans for each bus to do two runs so your options will be get there far too early or hang around after the game, the club will also lose the revenue from the matchday parking.

Put on decent street food and bars outside the ground and spending an extra hour at the stadium after a game wouldnt be the end of the world for many. What is there to get home to on a Saturday? I've been a "home" fan at the new White Hart Lane, and at the Amex, and both clubs go to considerable lengths to monetise their supporters after the games, which also helps to reduce congestion after the games as well.

What do spurs and bha do to attract fans to stay after the game

Keep big bars open after the game, spurs keep the bar that runs the length of the stand open for several hours, as do Brighton. It'd be the equivalent of the East Stand Bar being kept open. These two clubs actually serve good beers. They also sell food you'd actually pay for. This means fans stay after the game, drink, chat, eat nice fast food. Watch sky sports on the screens that are everywhere. That sort of thing.

Everything about the Mad Stad experience is aimed at low cost (food and drink quality offer) high mark up for short time scale, rather than higher cost, more unit sales spread out over longer period of time.

[Sutekh]

Put on decent street food and bars outside the ground and spending an extra hour at the stadium after a game wouldnt be the end of the world for many. What is there to get home to on a Saturday? I've been a "home" fan at the new White Hart Lane, and at the Amex, and both clubs go to considerable lengths to monetise their supporters after the games, which also helps to reduce congestion after the games as well.

What do spurs and bha do to attract fans to stay after the game

Keep big bars open after the game, spurs keep the bar that runs the length of the stand open for several hours, as do Brighton. It'd be the equivalent of the East Stand Bar being kept open. These two clubs actually serve good beers. They also sell food you'd actually pay for. This means fans stay after the game, drink, chat, eat nice fast food. Watch sky sports on the screens that are everywhere. That sort of thing.

Everything about the Mad Stad experience is aimed at low cost (food and drink quality offer) high mark up for short time scale, rather than higher cost, more unit sales spread out over longer period of time.

Something new owners could look to change to recoup a bit of bunce. But no doubt we'll find that plod and/or the council will have a downer about it.

[Millsy]

Bunsen burner, nice little earner.

[72 bus]

[quote="Greatwesternline"] What is there to get home to on a Saturday?/quote]

If you need to ask yourself that, then you are doing life all wrong.

[Greatwesternline]

What is there to get home to on a Saturday?/quote]

If you need to ask yourself that, then you are doing life all wrong.

You'd rather be at home than socialising with your friends?

Not sure you've thought your answer through.

[Snowflake Royal]

What is there to get home to on a Saturday?/quote]

If you need to ask yourself that, then you are doing life all wrong.

You'd rather be at home than socialising with your friends?

Not sure you've thought your answer through.

Much as I hate to agree with Bus, I've never really got the 'get away from the wife and kids for some peace at football' view some.seem to have. And I can think of far better places to socialise with friends than a Madejski concourse, or some food and beer trucks around the ground.

[Hendo]

What is there to get home to on a Saturday?

If you need to ask yourself that, then you are doing life all wrong.

You'd rather be at home than socialising with your friends?

Not sure you've thought your answer through.

I go to football myself, so yeah - I'd like to nip off soon after full time. Plus I'm driving so wouldn't be wanting a drink anyway.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Well aren't all of you right? For some it's a family day out, for some it's a day on the piss with their friends, for some it's a place they can escape from life for a few hours, others something they keep in touch will from a distance and a connection to their home town. Whatever it means to you, the thought of losing it is tragic.

[blythspartan]

Well aren't all of you right? For some it's a family day out, for some it's a day on the piss with their friends, for some it's a place they can escape from life for a few hours, others something they keep in touch will from a distance and a connection to their home town. Whatever it means to you, the thought of losing it is tragic.

+1

[morganb]

Well aren't all of you right? For some it's a family day out, for some it's a day on the piss with their friends, for some it's a place they can escape from life for a few hours, others something they keep in touch will from a distance and a connection to their home town. Whatever it means to you, the thought of losing it is tragic.

Get this put on the billboard outside Reading station

[SouthDownsRoyal]

You'd rather be at home than socialising with your friends?

Not sure you've thought your answer through.

Much as I hate to agree with Bus, I've never really got the 'get away from the wife and kids for some peace at football' view some.seem to have. And I can think of far better places to socialise with friends than a Madejski concourse, or some food and beer trucks around the ground.

This. I go to watch the game.

[blythspartan]

I honestly think if the club folds that’s me and football done. As much as the thought of helping to build a phoenix club appeals, I don’t reckon I could be arsed.

I know I am probably wrong but the injustice of it all doesn’t fit well with me. Clubs spending £100m on one player, other clubs manipulating the rule book and clubs like us getting hit with points deductions. I know we broke the rules but it still doesn’t make it an easy pill to swallow.

[Stranded]

Well aren't all of you right? For some it's a family day out, for some it's a day on the piss with their friends, for some it's a place they can escape from life for a few hours, others something they keep in touch will from a distance and a connection to their home town. Whatever it means to you, the thought of losing it is tragic.

Very much this. The club is one of the few links that I have back to Reading as most of my close friends/family simply don't live there any more and when my grandparents pass away (hopefully many years yet) then the club would be it.

[leon]

Well aren't all of you right? For some it's a family day out, for some it's a day on the piss with their friends, for some it's a place they can escape from life for a few hours, others something they keep in touch will from a distance and a connection to their home town. Whatever it means to you, the thought of losing it is tragic.

Very much this. The club is one of the few links that I have back to Reading as most of my close friends/family simply don't live there any more and when my grandparents pass away (hopefully many years yet) then the club would be it.

Indeed, for me over the years it's been all of these

[Stranded]

On another note - the news over the past few days - there are 2 readings into it

1. The club truly is utterly screwed and money will definitely run out in the next couple of weeks unless they can source funding or

2. This is all part of a plan to try and get some momentum going. Over the past few days, Howe goes on a podcast and gives a relatively optimistic view of things - process moving forward (but slowly) and hoping to deliver something by end of March/April time. Puts a deadline out in the open.

He then asks a trusted colleague, who a lot of fans do like/trust (not all but most) to put out a statement via the official site, thanking fans for patience, making it clear again there are interested parties but some are more interested in the real estate. This pushes out the message that this is about the club but look at what you get with it - nice stadium and incredible facilities.

Finally, use the channel you've created with a fan group and (either with or without their agreement) push the narrative that the club literally has no money left and needs investment urgently. This could have the impact of letting prospective owners know that if they don't move fast then the club will be gone and that lovely real estate wil suddenly not be worth anywhere near as much - and redevelopment of either may not realistically be a possibility for any other use than it currently has.

So yeah, it's probably 1 but if there is a deal "close" but taking a while to get final things in place, the the above could create the urgency needed. But probably not and we'll all be either enjoying the delights of Combined Counties football or be done with it next season.

[blythspartan]

On another note - the news over the past few days - there are 2 readings into it

1. The club truly is utterly screwed and money will definitely run out in the next couple of weeks unless they can source funding or

2. This is all part of a plan to try and get some momentum going. Over the past few days, Howe goes on a podcast and gives a relatively optimistic view of things - process moving forward (but slowly) and hoping to deliver something by end of March/April time. Puts a deadline out in the open.

He then asks a trusted colleague, who a lot of fans do like/trust (not all but most) to put out a statement via the official site, thanking fans for patience, making it clear again there are interested parties but some are more interested in the real estate. This pushes out the message that this is about the club but look at what you get with it - nice stadium and incredible facilities.

Finally, use the channel you've created with a fan group and (either with or without their agreement) push the narrative that the club literally has no money left and needs investment urgently. This could have the impact of letting prospective owners know that if they don't move fast then the club will be gone and that lovely real estate wil suddenly not be worth anywhere near as much - and redevelopment of either may not realistically be a possibility for any other use than it currently has.

So yeah, it's probably 1 but if there is a deal "close" but taking a while to get final things in place, the the above could create the urgency needed. But probably not and we'll all be either enjoying the delights of Combined Counties football or be done with it next season.

A good post as always Stranded.