Tom Hark Preston Park
Will Post For Cash
- Jul 6, 2003
- 70,138
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[Albion] Time for another Fans United?
- Thread starter Arthur
- Start date
southstandandy
WEST STAND ANDY
- Jul 9, 2003
- 5,637
My final word on this issue is that yes it does seem pretty draconian and although the club will try to persuade us it's for safety of the players, we all know that in reality it's all about money and getting us to buy their fayre in the ground to maximise profits - even though I find this annoying, I can understand and can see the bigger picture.
My one concern though is that if small adjustments are constantly made to the match day experience, how many people will decide that as a result they will no longer buy food and drink in the ground on principle thus defeating the object of trying to sell us more in the ground? I personally don't buy anything other than a pint on a match day at the ground but a few people I sit with have expressed the above views and that they won't buy anything now on a match day. Maybe being petty but if enough people followed suit? Self defeating?
My one concern though is that if small adjustments are constantly made to the match day experience, how many people will decide that as a result they will no longer buy food and drink in the ground on principle thus defeating the object of trying to sell us more in the ground? I personally don't buy anything other than a pint on a match day at the ground but a few people I sit with have expressed the above views and that they won't buy anything now on a match day. Maybe being petty but if enough people followed suit? Self defeating?
Now that is a tops off that might prove to be more popular..................
father_and_son
Well-known member
Absolutely... BUT... If you didn't spend anything extra on matchday because you brought your own food and drink and now can't bring you own food and drink but refuse to buy any from the club... How will they even know? They sell you nothing now but sold you nothing before! Same... nothing changed.
All it takes is for a few people to buy a few more items and the club benefit. I honestly can't see as many people who, previously having been matchday 'spenders' coming out in solidarity for their 'bring-from-home' friends, suddenly boycotting the refreshments.
If you then take it one step further, walk away and stop going to matches... your ticket will go to one of the 7k on the waiting list.
Demand far out-strips suppy at the moment so the club can afford to be a little draconian, arogant or maybe even money-grabbing. For as long as we have more people wanting to be at games as we have seats available the club will operate in such a way as it turns a profit and, one day, gives TB his investment back.
It might not be very 'traditional', socialist or even, right. But it is the reality of being a successful, popular club with an affluent fan base who owe >£400m and our PL success to an owner who deserves (even if he isn't and maybe never will ask) his money back.
Once we have paid TB back, then I think we are entitled to get free stuff, but until then, I for one am greatful that we have a club, that it has a ground and that the ground is in Brighton. I am doubly greatful that it is a club I feel proud to support, even if I am denied a top for my bottle!
I think some people need a full-on, slap-in-the-face, reality check! We could so easily be in a completely different place.
Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo
Waxing chumps like candles since ‘75
- Oct 4, 2003
- 11,033
They wouldn't let us have bottle tops at Withdean either, lost many a bottle of diet coke to an over exuberant goal celebration.
Will they be banning the lids for hot drinks next? Reckon a hot cup of borvil with a lid could be luzzed quite far.
Taybha
Whalewhine
I can see the first get together looking a bit like this
pearl
Well-known member
We need to make a stand, it's time for ....... GILETS JAUNE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Totally agree.
Flasks and plastic bottles are no more of a terrorist threat now than they were when the Amex opened. It is petty in the extreme but it would be far more acceptable if Barber was honest and up-front about his reasons for introducing these measures.
Supply and demand, yes. But what if things don't go so well and we get relegated (or even, heavens forbid, end up doing a Sunderland)? Barber isn't going to be so smug then when he is struggling to put bums on seats!
Meade's Ball
Well-known member
Trying to spot the most Hennessey-esque fiend amongst them.
Papa Lazarou
Living in a De Zerbi wonderland
Stewards?
pearl
Well-known member
father_and_son
Well-known member
But in all reality, with respect to PB, he isn't a Brighton fan, he isn't tied to the club in the same way TB and all of us are. He could give up his exec position and his board seat and walk into a lucrative job at the FA, EPL or another club still in the PL quite easily.
He is employed by the club to do the best job he can... and so far, I think he has done a fantastic job. "Premier League Ready" was a reality and our commercial, infrastructure and media set-ups rival established PL sides and far out do other newly promoted teams (in the main).
However, he is doing this as a job, not as a volunteer. He has no real long term goals in mind other than he tenure with the club or his bonus plan(s) - and his future reputation/employability elsewhere. Much as I respect his achievements so far, I have no illusions that come the next stage of the football rollercoaster and the downward run, he will be out of the door and all this becomes "someone else's problem". Barber won't be less smug because he can't get more bums on seats, he won't be less smug because he won't be here.
Again, no disrepect to PB, I'm sure TB understood when recruiting him and continues to understand that PB is an employee of the club, not a life long fan. He has no reason to sacrifice his career and future if things don't go well for the club in seasons to come.
el punal
Well-known member
Are you a steward?
It was this part that has P!ssed me off so much because it is completely disproportional.
"Finally, we are also aware of a very small number of fans who chose to continue to ignore stadium rules by bringing flasks into the stadium, or by concealing bottle tops for use later. Anyone doing this is liable to ejection from the stadium and further stadium and ticketing sanctions. The club will not issue any further warnings."
So people who want to protect their drink that they have paid over the odds from being knocked over or contaminated will be band form going to games (read that back and tell me it is not insane). A 500ml bottle of coke says that it contains two servings on the label, that is why it comes with a lid so you don't have to gulp in down in one go. I would be very happy for them to use the super duper security cameras to catch and ban people throwing stuff, it would be deserved.
Paul Barber is not a fan of Brighton and Hove Albion fan he is an employee, he can bugger off and not give the club another thought when he feels like it. We can't and he knows that, so he can do and say what he likes.
el punal
Well-known member
Then your children will be next, will be next, will be next . . .
pearl
Well-known member
Deadly Danson
Well-known member
Which is what many have been doing until now. The recent dictate states that concealment of bottle tops will result in ejection and ticket sanctions. Not worth the risk any more.
tronnogull
Well-known member
- May 17, 2010
- 554
I was upset by the flask thing to begin with. But then thought about it a bit.
Unfortunately the actions of a few bad people mean that the rest of us are greatly inconvenienced. For a short haul flight I used to be able to pitch up at the airport less than 30 mins before the gate closed and have no problem. Today of course we have to be subjected to security screening which means a much longer travel time. A few years ago my mother, aged 85 at the time, had to surrender her nail scissors at airport security. Of course the security folks knew she wasn't a threat but it was the standard applied.
If the usual standard for sporting and entertainment events is for flasks and capped bottles to be banned then how does the club have any option but to implement the same rules ? Just think of the criticism they would receive if someone was hurt at the Amex. Of course it is far fetched but it is not impossible. Possibly the tiny additional income that will come because of this is a welcome bonus but it is hard to imagine that it is the main driving force for the decision.
Unfortunately the actions of a few bad people mean that the rest of us are greatly inconvenienced. For a short haul flight I used to be able to pitch up at the airport less than 30 mins before the gate closed and have no problem. Today of course we have to be subjected to security screening which means a much longer travel time. A few years ago my mother, aged 85 at the time, had to surrender her nail scissors at airport security. Of course the security folks knew she wasn't a threat but it was the standard applied.
If the usual standard for sporting and entertainment events is for flasks and capped bottles to be banned then how does the club have any option but to implement the same rules ? Just think of the criticism they would receive if someone was hurt at the Amex. Of course it is far fetched but it is not impossible. Possibly the tiny additional income that will come because of this is a welcome bonus but it is hard to imagine that it is the main driving force for the decision.
Pevenseagull
Anti-greed coalition
- Jul 20, 2003
- 19,609
First they came for the flask carriers, and I did not speak out .........