Club 1871 - the What, When, Where, How, Who & Why Thread

[Kulshaw72RFC]

although I've stood everywhere I've 'sat' in the East for virtually every game I've been to of the last three or four years

No regard for health & safety and other paying fans who may not want to or be able to stand I see. Maybe you are better off in the South so others arent compromised and can enjoy the game uninterrupted and in a safe environment.

Also, OMA...... I would still like to see evidence of what you claimed? I just cannot find any.

Stop being tiresome DD.

I have plenty of regard for other paying fans and never block anyone else's view thank you. Bore off.

Wil do, I was Just checking. I think you are doing an admirable thing. Maybe a few more wins will get the atmosphere better. If you are aware of it and don't blocked other people that is good isn't it and shows regard for others.

[Zip]

Unsurprising given a lot of the toss served up so far at home. Interesting, thanks. I'm still hopeful that a pick up in form will see it grow and work, but how crap we are these days may mean it's a good idea at the wrong time.

Couldn't hear them much yesterday, but also thought that Y25/26 were relatively quiet. There was a lot of anxiety around the ground, and of course Millwall were pretty loud. Their chant of "We forgot that you were here" after the cheer for the first goal was entirely justified!

I am fully in favour of having an area of the ground where you are allowed to stand without it affecting others, and where if you're bringing a group of friends to the game, and you want to stick together, you can do that very easily. As a committed supporter of safe-standing, I'd hope that if/when safe standing is introduced, that's what it would be like in the standing area.

However, if they want to have a "wall of sound", it needs more militant organising. Bolshy shop stewards, in fact, who herd people down from the back towards the middle, and make them stand together. And song organisers, who conduct from the front. That's how it works in European games.

None of my beeswax, because I'm not involved, but I'd suggest maybe the original organisers should have a think about how they want it to work. Is it a vehicle for organised chants - or is it a place to have a friendly meet up with your mates from out of town, and stand up without affecting somebody behind you? Organised chants need full-on organisation, and a committed core of, probably at least 100, who turn up to every game and guarantee they will sing for the full 90, no matter how miserable the fare on the pitch is. You'd almost need them *not* to be Reading fans, as otherwise they'd be distracted by the on-pitch shambles! They need to care more about the noise than the game.

For those who say it should be an area within Y26 - you're having a laugh. Given how much general whinging and hand-wringing there has been already - can you imagine the meltdown there would be if people were actually being asked to move from their long-term seats to make way for this group?

Maybe Ian is right about it being "right idea, wrong time" - but if it's ever going to work, it's going to have to work for the bad times as well as the good.

Ipswich last season and losing the first four home games of this season totally took the wind out of what seemed to be starting to build some good momentum. Hull was good, but there weren't enough people to reach critical mass. Then obviously there was the shambles against QPR. If we could go unbeaten at home for another 2/3/4 games getting more wins than losses, I think it might pick up again a bit.

I've seen us get relegated from the Premier League twice and Div 1 once and I've never seen the entire crowd so devoid of life and enthusiasm as we've had it the last six months or so.

For me, the benefits of far fewer moaners, unreserved seating and being able to stand without any concern (although I've stood everywhere I've 'sat' in the East for virtually every game I've been to of the last three or four years) make it worth sticking with even if the atmosphere isn't really working.

If it’s to work there need to be bigger numbers. At the moment the group look a little lost in the South Stand. The atmosphere was decent within the ground yesterday although mainly because Millwall’s support made decent noise throughout.

I can’t recall when this first started. Was it QPR on Good Friday? The numbers were small but they made a lot of noise and the players heard it and appreciated it. The numbers have barely grown since then but that early enthusiasm has been lost. Unless that enthusiasm returns it’s time to call it quits.

The club will have a decision to make when the likes of Villa and Leeds come to Reading. We know they will sell the entire South Stand. Do we lose revenue and restrict them to 2000 tickets? That’s a significant revenue hit and one they shouldn’t take if 1871 remain quiet.

[Snowflake Royal]

There's no decision to make, it was made months ago. The club has sold season tickets there. They're committed for the season.

[Old Man Andrews]

There's no decision to make, it was made months ago. The club has sold season tickets there. They're committed for the season.

Enjoy your one season of special treatment Ian.

[Kulshaw72RFC]

There's no decision to make, it was made months ago. The club has sold season tickets there. They're committed for the season.

Enjoy your one season of special treatment Ian.

I hope somebody From the club will be held accountable and disciplined for that decision. That is an utterly ridiculous commercial decision and I cannot begin to imagine the financial implications that it would have at such a key time in the club's history. The amount of lost revenue must be quite substantial.

[Old Man Andrews]

There's no decision to make, it was made months ago. The club has sold season tickets there. They're committed for the season.

Enjoy your one season of special treatment Ian.

I hope somebody From the club will be held accountable and disciplined for that decision. That is an utterly ridiculous commercial decision and I cannot begin to imagine the financial implications that it would have at such a key time in the club's history. The amount of lost revenue must be quite substantial.

It is huge when it comes to fixtures against the likes of Villa, Leeds and Bristol City. Thousands of pounds just flushed down the toilet, such a bizarre business move.

[genome]

Some basic rushed numbers that are probably completely wrong because it's Monday morning, but whatever

2,175 (half the south stand capacity) x £20 we charge for away tickets = £43,500 per game x 23 home games = £1,000,500 lost over the course of the season IF every away team sell out the South Stand. Not every team will, so it'll probably be around half that number (if that), minus £9085 for around 300 Club 1871 season tickets (or however many there were).

So I think it'll lose the club about £400,000 to £500,000, but it's hard to say.

[Theroyalbox]

Not bothered about the money the clubs lost, the whole thing is just embarrassing. Why would anyone what to put there name to it? Or even openly admit they stand in there

[Kulshaw72RFC]

Some basic rushed numbers that are probably completely wrong because it's Monday morning, but whatever

2,175 (half the south stand capacity) x £20 we charge for away tickets = £43,500 per game x 23 home games = £1,000,500 lost over the course of the season IF every away team sell out the South Stand. Not every team will, so it'll probably be around half that number (if that), minus £9085 for around 300 Club 1871 season tickets (or however many there were).

So I think it'll lose the club about £400,000 to £500,000, but it's hard to say.

That is incredible.

Not to mention the programmes, food and beer every match aswell. The likes of Millwall and Leeds would easily spend £20 per head on just beer and pies alone.

[Old Man Andrews]

Some basic rushed numbers that are probably completely wrong because it's Monday morning, but whatever

2,175 (half the south stand capacity) x £20 we charge for away tickets = £43,500 per game x 23 home games = £1,000,500 lost over the course of the season IF every away team sell out the South Stand. Not every team will, so it'll probably be around half that number (if that), minus £9085 for around 300 Club 1871 season tickets (or however many there were).

So I think it'll lose the club about £400,000 to £500,000, but it's hard to say.

That is incredible.

Not to mention the programmes, food and beer every match aswell. The likes of Millwall and Leeds would easily spend £20 per head on just beer and pies alone.

Yep. I think you'd be fairly accurate if you said the average spend of an away supporter would be around £12. £12 x 2000 spectators = £24,000. Of course as Genome pointed out not all away fans sell out but over a season you are probably losing a further £200,000 on refreshment/food sales alone. It is a complete joke.

[Elm Park Kid]

Some basic rushed numbers that are probably completely wrong because it's Monday morning, but whatever

2,175 (half the south stand capacity) x £20 we charge for away tickets = £43,500 per game x 23 home games = £1,000,500 lost over the course of the season IF every away team sell out the South Stand. Not every team will, so it'll probably be around half that number (if that), minus £9085 for around 300 Club 1871 season tickets (or however many there were).

So I think it'll lose the club about £400,000 to £500,000, but it's hard to say.

That is incredible.

Not to mention the programmes, food and beer every match aswell. The likes of Millwall and Leeds would easily spend £20 per head on just beer and pies alone.

From memory I don't recall that many teams filling the entire South Stand - maybe more like 6 o 7? The below article suggests that only 6 clubs have an average attendance more than 2,000.

https://talksport.com/football/efl/4209 ... y-support/

Then you've got to remove VAT from the ticket sale price to get the clubs actual share of the revenue.

It's probably closer to £250k a year the club is losing by not making the whole stand available. Roughly 0.75-1% of our income.

[Kulshaw72RFC]

Some basic rushed numbers that are probably completely wrong because it's Monday morning, but whatever

2,175 (half the south stand capacity) x £20 we charge for away tickets = £43,500 per game x 23 home games = £1,000,500 lost over the course of the season IF every away team sell out the South Stand. Not every team will, so it'll probably be around half that number (if that), minus £9085 for around 300 Club 1871 season tickets (or however many there were).

So I think it'll lose the club about £400,000 to £500,000, but it's hard to say.

That is incredible.

Not to mention the programmes, food and beer every match aswell. The likes of Millwall and Leeds would easily spend £20 per head on just beer and pies alone.

From memory I don't recall that many teams filling the entire South Stand - maybe more like 6 o 7? The below article suggests that only 6 clubs have an average attendance more than 2,000.

https://talksport.com/football/efl/4209 ... y-support/

Then you've got to remove VAT from the ticket sale price to get the clubs actual share of the revenue.

It's probably closer to £250k a year the club is losing by not making the whole stand available. Roughly 0.75-1% of our income.

Ok so it is not so bad then.

[John Smith]

There's no decision to make, it was made months ago. The club has sold season tickets there. They're committed for the season.

Enjoy your one season of special treatment Ian.

I hope somebody From the club will be held accountable and disciplined for that decision. That is an utterly ridiculous commercial decision and I cannot begin to imagine the financial implications that it would have at such a key time in the club's history. The amount of lost revenue must be quite substantial.

+10000

You'd almost need them *not* to be Reading fans, as otherwise they'd be distracted by the on-pitch shambles! They need to care more about the noise than the game.

What on earth are you on about? You expect a 'non-Reading' fan to turn up to Reading games and chant? Even proper Reading fans can't be arsed to do it

[Kulshaw72RFC]

You'd almost need them *not* to be Reading fans, as otherwise they'd be distracted by the on-pitch shambles! They need to care more about the noise than the game.

What on earth are you on about? You expect a 'non-Reading' fan to turn up to Reading games and chant? Even proper Reading fans can't be arsed to do it

Are they not just called "Away Fans"?

[muirinho]

You'd almost need them *not* to be Reading fans, as otherwise they'd be distracted by the on-pitch shambles! They need to care more about the noise than the game.

What on earth are you on about? You expect a 'non-Reading' fan to turn up to Reading games and chant? Even proper Reading fans can't be arsed to do it

that is EXACTLY what I am on about! Look at similar ventures in european games - they are barely looking at the game. the Poznan involves turning your back to the football!

I'm not "expecting" anything, I'm pointing out that if you want a "wall", you need different fan behaviour in that wall for it to work. Like Reading fans going to away games, convinced we're going to lose, but getting bladdered beforehand and singing the whole way through, regardless of how it's going.

As for the revenue calculations, if the club only cared about revenue they would drop the "twentysplenty" and introduce tiered pricing for away tickets that normally sell out.

The home fans not bothering to turn up are doing far more damage to the revenue than reserving less than half the away stand, when in general it's rarely full.

[Zip]

There's no decision to make, it was made months ago. The club has sold season tickets there. They're committed for the season.

Personally I think that’s a mistake. I would have thought the club should have been more flexible and suggested a three month trial at the start of this season with a view to transferring STH’s if things were not improving.

[John Smith]

There's no decision to make, it was made months ago. The club has sold season tickets there. They're committed for the season.

Personally I think that’s a mistake. I would have thought the club should have been more flexible and suggested a three month trial at the start of this season with a view to transferring STH’s if things were not improving.

Ye. Someone's head has to roll for this. In any other job if you negate the revenue for the company then you go.

[Old Man Andrews]

There's no decision to make, it was made months ago. The club has sold season tickets there. They're committed for the season.

Personally I think that’s a mistake. I would have thought the club should have been more flexible and suggested a three month trial at the start of this season with a view to transferring STH’s if things were not improving.

Once again Zip 100% agree. Trial it for a few months and see where we are with it. I think the club were fed lies by the organisers and were led to believe the project would increase attendances and make a real difference. All the project has done is to divide the supporters even further. The smugness demonstrated by the Club 1871 guys is utterly unbelieveable, they refuse to acknowledge all the failings.

[Theroyalbox]

There's no decision to make, it was made months ago. The club has sold season tickets there. They're committed for the season.

Personally I think that’s a mistake. I would have thought the club should have been more flexible and suggested a three month trial at the start of this season with a view to transferring STH’s if things were not improving.

Ye. Someone's head has to roll for this. In any other job if you negate the revenue for the company then you go.

Agreed, id like to think as well with those people who sit in C1871 they'd be more than willing to move back to an original stand if the club came to them and said it wasn't working as everyone thought it would.

[Kulshaw72RFC]

There's no decision to make, it was made months ago. The club has sold season tickets there. They're committed for the season.

Personally I think that’s a mistake. I would have thought the club should have been more flexible and suggested a three month trial at the start of this season with a view to transferring STH’s if things were not improving.

Ye. Someone's head has to roll for this. In any other job if you negate the revenue for the company then you go.

If it can happen to the CEO of IcelandAir, then it can happen to the RFC commercial department.

The club needs to Restore Accountability and it needs to do it soon!