rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Jun 2, 2020 21:41:36 GMT
The premiership and championship seem to have resolved how to complete their seasons which just leaves Leagues one and two plus the National league to end their seasons which could be on a points per game basis with play offs. The direction of travel seems to be to complete all games by the end of July or very early August. Notwithstanding the coronavirus situation, the 8th August is not logistically possible to start a new season just a week later although some play off teams may be able to hit the ground running. link - National League already advising this with updates to follow with many perhaps thinking early September but who knows? With signings and warm up games needed, some form of steer is needed sooner rather than later. |
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Post by rjdgull on Jun 3, 2020 6:36:03 GMT
Wish I could say the same. I'm shielding at present and in no rush to join a crowd, I wonder if I've already attended my last game at Plainmoor. Of course, when the season does start there is always going to be an element of risk and many will assess their individual circumstances and decide not to participate. I have seen written elsewhere that there is talk of the FA Cup final at Wembley being held with a reduced capacity of 20,000 to allow for social distancing. A similar proportion would allow for 1500 at Plainmoor, which wouldn’t be economical for the club. However I wonder in this scenario whether this could be run in conjunction with a paid for live feed subscription which may bring things more into the balance and satisfy the National League criteria that the league can only restart in front of crowds. The good news for the level below is that the majority of clubs would not need to turn fans away and I assume that gets better the further down the pyramid you go. No problem for the Premiership with their TV revenues either. Maybe the EFL would struggle the most with this. If it’s the case that the season starts with a reduced capacity then you can’t have massive queues so pre-ticket sales only would be the way to go with season ticket holders at the front of the queue? |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2020 10:20:45 GMT
I don't know about just front of the queue, maybe Season Ticket Holders would comprise the whole of the queue ? Even if the sensible capacity level was about 1500, the likelihood of the Safety Advisory Group taking it as a personal challenge to get a further two or three hundred knocked off that figure, has to be anticipated. For the sake of club staff, do you want hundreds queuing up to come face to face with you at that little kiosk/hatch ?
Health and Safety imperatives would surely favour nothing more than showing a plastic season ticket card to a mask wearing turnstile operator, making close up verbal communication minimal or unnecessary. And no more of the same pair of (possibly gloved) hands diving into everyone's bags or holdalls, contaminating the flasks, purses, or sandwiches boxes. Already having pick up covid germs from the first person's virus covered tissues deep in their bag, and by then handling the contents of an additional few hundred others belongings before they get into the stadium, the virus will be just waiting to make contact with a mass of unsuspecting hands long before half time. So the Gestapo outside won't even be able to get withing 6 feet of you, let alone try to put their paws all over your possessions.
I can't see it being as many as three, and suspect it will be a maximum of two occupants in the Directors box. Will they draw lots ? On the other hand, it would be tough on visiting directors who had quite possibly travelled a few hundred miles to come to Plainmoor, to find that they lost out in the ballot for the highly prized most comfy seats. It will therefore probably be seen as a decent gesture to allow the visiting dignitaries to sit there. Interesting to see where Thea manages to find a seat for herself next season. No room for Clarke even if he did turn up, but he'll get over that disappointment fairly quickly.
Possible TV or radio services will be interesting. Bigger occasions when the BBC turn up with their better equipment and properly constructed camera positions, can make a televised or streamed game acceptable. On the cheap options not so much, as Popside touchline coverage just within the highlights is at best looking down on the tops of players heads, and action near either corner flag a bit of a struggle to get in vision at all. Social distancing will also reduce the number of those who can be on that small gantry above the Pop. Similarly, you can't have a commentator plus a summarizer squeezed together in a partially sound proofed booth. Perhaps we'll have one commentator doing the first half, and a change of personnel for the second 45 minutes ? Let's hope the Press area isn't spread out to incorporate social distancing from it's present location, as several prime position season ticket holders would need to be displaced from the central sections of Bristow's Bench to make room for them.
The SAG are going to be in seventh heaven policing this. A dream come true for them, but a nightmare for the rest of us.
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Post by gullone on Jun 3, 2020 11:02:26 GMT
If it’s the case that the season starts with a reduced capacity then you can’t have massive queues so pre-ticket sales only would be the way to go with season ticket holders at the front of the queue? Not forgetting the independent supporters club members priority ticketing arrangements ! Militants to the back of the queue please...  |
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Jun 3, 2020 13:02:37 GMT
If it’s the case that the season starts with a reduced capacity then you can’t have massive queues so pre-ticket sales only would be the way to go with season ticket holders at the front of the queue? Not forgetting the independent supporters club members priority ticketing arrangements ! Militants to the back of the queue please... I could see that happening actually and think it would be a good idea. (Official Supporters Club that is) |
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Post by rjdgull on Jun 3, 2020 13:24:22 GMT
link - funny enough, I see the Scottish premiership have said they are able to stream games and sell virtual tickets, initially envisaged for season ticket holders which was a solution I was thinking about for people in a similar situation to Plainmoorpete earlier. Looks like that league will be kicking off in August but behind closed doors and I think we will start to see the various English leagues come up with ideas as to how to make this work.
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Post by rjdgull on Jun 3, 2020 13:34:47 GMT
The SAG are going to be in seventh heaven policing this. A dream come true for them, but a nightmare for the rest of us. With the points you have made, certainly it is going to be a tough season for them. |
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petef
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Post by petef on Jun 3, 2020 15:19:11 GMT
Would it be possible to sell tickets for a live streamed link at any level of the game?
I would have imagined it would be pretty simple to set up for those savvy enough and most clubs have the video and broadcast infrastructure these days.
Nothing like watching a live game but these are exceptional times and I would seriously consider pay to view through an efficient web link.
Only fly in the ointment perhaps the tv companies with contract paid for live coverage.
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Post by rjdgull on Jun 3, 2020 16:42:22 GMT
Would it be possible to sell tickets for a live streamed link at any level of the game? I would have imagined it would be pretty simple to set up for those savvy enough and most clubs have the video and broadcast infrastructure these days. Nothing like watching a live game but these are exceptional times and I would seriously consider pay to view through an efficient web link. Only fly in the ointment perhaps the tv companies with contract paid for live coverage. Well, the Scottish premiership five year deal is for £160 million with sky and clubs have the right to stream those games not shown by that company. The deal with BT last year was for just 30 games over the course of the season and with significantly less money involved I would be very surprised if clubs were unable to also stream those games not shown. As you say there is already the basic infrastructure at the club to provide this service although it may well have to be expanded somewhat. For a club like Torquay, with many exiles around the country then I would imagine a TV package would also be of interest and you could end up with a higher virtual audience than those at the ground! All clubs in the league should consider selling one off match day passes for away supporters to see their club on the road as well. |
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Post by petef on Jun 3, 2020 18:36:41 GMT
I wonder how many fans we have globally that would be interested in paying for streamed matches?
Could this be a possible new income stream for clubs like ours?
Ideal for older supporters who don't wish to venture out on a cold February evening.
I feel this pandemic will deter many older supporters even when things revert to some form of normality and may stop stop some from ever attending regularly again.
Nothing like watching live at the ground with an atmosphere but this is surely an ideal time to consider and explore something like this that could generate income for little investment.
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Post by rjdgull on Jun 4, 2020 19:19:55 GMT
link - grass should be ready in around 3 weeks. Normally we then move on to PSFs but how is that going to work next month?
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Rob
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Post by Rob on Jun 5, 2020 0:31:17 GMT
Some really interesting thoughts here regarding a streaming service. Like many, I would happily purchase this to see us play when the time comes around. And beyond. There has to be reasons against why it has never been contemplated before at our level, but perhaps any such restrictions might no longer exist in the new world and present instead an opportunity. One can only hope. It’s not even a close second to being there, but it is second.
I even enjoyed the limited Lymington away red button coverage, so I’m easily pleased on the quality front. Probably in a minority in that respect, but it was raw and you don’t get replays and fancy angles when you are present. We know we can get commentary sorted as the current owners, to their credit, filled that void created by the BBC’s decision to ignore us when we were in NLS.
AJ raises many real reasons why it is potentially a logistical nightmare on the safety front to get a sufficient crowd in to sustain football at our level. AJ’s points re entrance, searches, filtering into the stands etc are all serious challenges before you’ve even taken up your place on the Pop. I don’t pretend to begin to know the answers and would much rather be ‘guided by the science’ (as the saying goes) and those entrusted with its interpretation - whether they be a SAG or whoever else.
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Post by plainmoorpete on Jun 5, 2020 6:42:58 GMT
Some really interesting thoughts here regarding a streaming service. Like many, I would happily purchase this to see us play when the time comes around. And beyond. There has to be reasons against why it has never been contemplated before at our level, but perhaps any such restrictions might no longer exist in the new world and present instead an opportunity. One can only hope. It’s not even a close second to being there, but it is second. I would imagine the reasons it hasn't been tried before include: a) The necessity of giving any potential broadcaster (ie Sky/BT) exclusive rights to show matches in our division. b) It is illegal to show live league football in this country whilst other league games are being played. Of course point (b) would no longer apply since it was introduced to prevent live coverage suppressing attendance at other matches. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 5, 2020 7:37:39 GMT
plainmoorpete Are we sure that isn't outdated Pete ? Live EFL football has been streamed online since 2018, and the EFL's ifollow page proclaims ' Follow your team live, wherever you are in the World'. link - EFL ifollowThere choice of wording during the 2018 launch also seemed to indicate it was targeted mainly at the British fans who might not be able to attend in person: 'The first full midweek round of EFL fixtures to be streamed in the UK and Ireland have taken place with fans up and down the country able to watch their team if they couldn't make the trip to watch it live.
EFL matches across all three divisions were made available to domestic supporters for the first time on Tuesday evening, following a successful introduction for overseas viewers during 2017/18.
In total, 24 matches were streamed live via EFL Clubs’ iFollow services for a £10 match fee with the platform the only place to view events in League One and League Two, whilst enhanced coverage was available for a number of games in the Skybet Championship'.
link - EFL streaming service |
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Post by rjdgull on Jun 5, 2020 8:05:20 GMT
I didn’t know about that service either Alpine, however it is good news in that it shows it should be easy to replicate at national league level and the real game changer is that in this new normal, demand will rise exponentially and perhaps make the economics of this more viable as clubs try and make the best of a new situation.
In respect of getting people back into a stadium, if it can be done in supermarkets and other shops then there is no reason why the safety advisory groups can’t set up similar systems in their stadia. The key imo would be reduced capacity, pre-ticket sales and of course relevant social distancing measures but the situation is still very much in flux.
Like Rob, I enjoyed the Lymington coverage and again shows what can be done with limited outlay to produce a desirable product that fans would want to subscribe to.
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