Guest Neo Posted January 18, 2004 Share Posted January 18, 2004 STILL so much talk about the East End and not this. It is not the acoustics (although it helps) that made the East End so great for you all yesterday, it was 500 odd singers in the same place. About time there was 1 (ONE) thread on this and try to get some input from richieb, TomF etc. so that the FFC or FCF or F.C.U.K. (whatever they're calling themselves) can get firmly on top of this. I noted from a thread (and not knocking them by the way) that the next meeting is not for a month and the main topic is catering. That takes us to mid-Feb. The people who really want to be together to sing need to ensure this is the mid-March discussion with lots of good ideas on the table beforehand IMO. Where it is, is irrelevant. The fact it is available next season would appear to be very relevant. Edit :didn't like F.C.U.K. without the dots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Neo Posted January 18, 2004 Share Posted January 18, 2004 There are 3 new polls linked with this subject I have added; links and details below :- http://www.otib.co.uk/index.php?act=ST&f=9&t=3998 This asks whether people want a side singing area or behind the goal http://www.otib.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=3999 This asks if people currently in the Atyeo would move to a side view to be in the singing area http://www.otib.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=4001 This asks whether people in the Williams or Dolman (side view) would swap to behing the net (Atyeo or EastEnd) to be in the singing area. I am attempting to find out if many people (like myself) would swap a singing area for their current side view and vice versa. Hopefully the results to these polls may give a better insight to location of a dedicated singing area. Please join in! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Club and Country Posted January 18, 2004 Share Posted January 18, 2004 I disagree, i think the east end was the difference, the history of it all there was alot of old faces in there yesterday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Neo Posted January 19, 2004 Share Posted January 19, 2004 I have PM'd the below to Tom F; it is a bit of a "mish-mash" of comments made on previous thread (mainly by me), however, contains some ideas to build on for those who are interested in sorting this. (Comments in bold are questions or points raised by others to add clarity to the thread). If you go back to the very first post when I suggested this idea (it was me; I have the post to prove it; and yes, i'm sad enough that I want that recognised WHEN (not if) this happens); you will see that I suggested the club will have to choose a couple of blocks which gives you 1,000+ seats and nominate the area as a dedicated singing area. They can then write to all existing season ticket holders in that area and advise of this policy. As existing people in that area, they would have the right to keep their seat, however, people will move if they don't want noise (club can offer existing people better seats for cheaper price as an incentive to move). Provided the fans that want to sing get a seat in this area, the noise will generate from season 1. By the time season 2 comes round and more and more fans want to sit in this area, the club could free up another block. Add to this the fact that any stubborn people who do not like noise, however, took up their seat in year 1 through D.W. type bloody-mindlesness (sp?) will be seeking new seats from the club. Within 2 to 3 seasons we could have an area with maybe 1,500 odd people who want to make noise. During that period, club work with FFC (Fans Forum Committee) on the acoustics in the nominated stand and suddenly the Gate is alive again and the opposition are not wanting to be there. Effort by the people who want this needs to be directed now to the FFC; the East End Saturday is gone, now concentrate on this; this needs to get going next season as I doubt the real fruits of labour will truly show until season after next. However, as I also said in the first post. Location is key. I see a lot of Atyeo boys saying behind the net. I can guarantee that many people who watch from the sides as they prefer this view of the game will not want to move and there are a lot of noisy people in Block 'B'. My personal choice would be the last 2 blocks of the Dolman as this is the best area to try to silence the Away noise. Also, there is a lot of scope for offering the existing people in this area better seats more towards the middle of the Dolman or Williams areas. 1. I very much doubt the club would reduce season ticket prices just to improve the atmosphere If they are committed to the FFC, reallocating a few hundred season ticket holders to either better seats within same stand or better, more expensive seats in another stand is a one-off hit and would not cost the earth; not so sure they wouldn't do it. 2. Most people will just think bugger it I'm sitting where i want to sit anyway. If you don't mind noise, existing people would not move I agree. However, some people (lets not beat around the bush; we're talking older generations) will take the opportunity; if not season 1, definitely season 2. If they think they are getting something for nothing; i.e. better seat; many would be tempted from season 1. However its a lot harder and more complicated than your suggesting Maybe; not convinced. Certainly seems to me that enough on here are going to extraordinary lengths (copying flyers, rallying lots of mates etc.) just to sit in an area for 1 game; this is for season after season; got to be worth max effort from everybody who likes to sing. we already have dedicated singing areas in affect but all the club did was stuck a couple of musical notes in two section of the ground and wrote what they meant in the key I presume this is Atyeo top-right and Dolman B. There is a wealth of difference in putting a little key on a map (that most people probably glance at then bin) compared to a full on promotion of a much larger area for a specific purpose. Its down to us to improve the atmosphere and the club will keep demanding it from us but will do bugger all to help it. Once again. If they won't, then the FFC may as well not bother to meet. We need to remember that not many clubs have a board who seem (to me anyway) to want to pioneer and re-write the rule book. The SL/CS forum is stage I; this is stage II. It is up to us to give logical and lateral suggestions to the FFC, to make this a viable option when put to the board. I won't be doing anything like sorting a petition etc. at this stage as it is an idea with virtually no grounding for possibility. IMO (and I did put this to the moderators several weeks ago) was that a dedicated Fans Forum Committee site was set up with specific subject headings (e.g. catering, singing area etc.) where posters can voice ideas and opinions and the FFC members can then formulate the "master plan" by taking the information they need. It needs to be a 2-way thing where we are communicating with people who have direct access with the chairman; I do not (I used to have as an ex-chairman is the son of my step-grandad; that's another story!). This can still easily be accomplished by next season, however, it is getting information to these FFC members which is key. 1. Where should the area be? To maximise the interest from all fans, view of the game must be a factor which is why I think the last couple of blocks of the Dolman (closest away fans is best). Also this area probably has the lowest number of season ticket holders currently. Saying that, can't ignore that there are a lot of noisy fans who prefer the behind the goal in the Ateyo or reclaiming the East end; however, the latter will not happen. 2. How do you ensure "singers" can get into this area? Benefits of moving (for people who do not want to be in a noisy area) need to be put in place by the club so that season ticket holders in that area have a choice. Another option is a much tougher stance where they tell these people they need to re-apply for their seats along with the "singers" on a set weekend before all other tickets elsewhere go on sale. To appease the fans who used to sit their and feel they were forced out, it is safe to assume that some good seats will have been freed up by "singers" moving from other areas of the ground. Perhaps the existing people who have chosen to move or failed to get tickets in their area can be given another weekend where they can choose the "best of the rest". 3. How big an area and how many seats to sell? About 2,000 seats would be idea. The club would need to limit sells to season ticket holders to about 75%. It should be noted that if this area becomes a big success, others will get seats just to the side of this area to join in and you will have an ever-increasing area. Anybody ever been to Leeds game? They have a whole end of fans who join in together and the noise is unbelievable (the roof is very high as well, so acoustics can't be great). I can only believe that sometime in the past a similar wave affect happened. 4. How do we build on this year on year? look at the acoustics of the chosen stand, increase the area for singing using same techniques at question 2 etc. etc. Method for selling tickets If for arguments sake next weekend the club announced blocks G & H in Dolman are singing areas and the club is selling 1,500 tickets, first come, first serve. You may have a long wait as any existing season ticket holders moving position will surrender their old seats at this time etc. etc. (sure you get the drift). Come Monday morning, they will probably have 500 disgruntled fans who used to sit in G & H blocks and now don't. However, they will also have significantly more seats available in potentially good areas of the ground (middle blocks of Dolman, Williams, behind the Atyeo goal etc. etc.) as the "singers" have made the change. Now the foll. weekend, the disgruntled 500 are allowed to come down on first come, first serve basis again and snap up the seats they want (maybe with a 10% discount this season only); disgruntalment (sp?) would soon be gone! I don't think you will satisfy all fans currently in that area and you might even upset 100/200 enough that they don't come back. However, 2 main issues keep the "floating fans away" IMO :- They don't want to pay a lot of money for a #### game with a #### atmosphere. #### game is beyond our control; atmosphere isn't (albeit we need club assistance in this matter). It is whether the club see the risks in this exercise are outweighed by the potential benefits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WillsbridgeRed Posted January 19, 2004 Share Posted January 19, 2004 There's already 2 empty blocks in the Williams so why move people that don't want to move. The best point you make NEO is about making sure only %75 of a section is designated to season ticket holders. Me and our kid are members who go to every game and would miss out on this, and I remember the Atyeo becoming worse the number is seats became reserved Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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