Hillonearth Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 In the interest of balance and to avoid a spot of tarring with the same brush....Not all who travel to a game in Scotland from the Southern wastelands of England, or anywhere else for that matter, want to watch endless hours of football back to back or inconvenience ANYONE with our presence. Some, myself included, are more than happy to travel up Friday, return on the Saturday and hopefully see something that floats our boat, football wise, somewhere in between. Many of us who enjoy a regular jaunt up to Scotland to watch a game are quite happy to watch a game on Saturday afternoon and return to grim reality thereafter. I have no desire to watch three or four games in a single day, ( or stand outside four grounds under a foot of water in a day either.) A game at 1200 and another at 3pm on Saturday should be enough to satisfy all but the worst of the football addicts...and more importantly, cause minimal disruption to clubs. After the satchels and anoraks have floated back from whence they came, the clubs will have to rely on their regulars once more. Putting the regulars' noses out of joint to accommodate a few addicts might seem a good idea in the short term....but who is likely to come back? A one off tourist, just interested in ticking a box, or someone in your community who deserves to be looked after far more than a band of individuals who appear to be able to make a league bend over backwards for them....before they disappear? In a way it's a reciprocal arrangement; the hoppers get several ticks in one day and the clubs make a good bit of cash through gate money, programmes, merch and incidentals. The nature of the beast however is that it's always going to be a one-off windfall - hardcore groundhoppers, which I assume are the ones making the journey, don't do revisits and no-one's actually going to make any new fans out of it, as they'll all be somewhere else the week after as the hobby dictates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted March 3, 2016 Author Share Posted March 3, 2016 Do they have this groundhop thing the same time each season? Roughly. There's an integrated UK calendar: http://www.granddaysoutnetwork.co.uk/footballweekends.html http://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/forum/gforum.cgi?post=672408;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;guest=91975361 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azza Posted March 3, 2016 Share Posted March 3, 2016 Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
froggie Posted March 3, 2016 Share Posted March 3, 2016 In a way it's a reciprocal arrangement; the hoppers get several ticks in one day and the clubs make a good bit of cash through gate money, programmes, merch and incidentals. The nature of the beast however is that it's always going to be a one-off windfall - hardcore groundhoppers, which I assume are the ones making the journey, don't do revisits and no-one's actually going to make any new fans out of it, as they'll all be somewhere else the week after as the hobby dictates. I guess what you say Is a the heart of it. It's the ones you have a good chance of seeing again you should keep sweet, in my opinion, rather than someone who dips into his anorak pocket once and once only at your club, Yes they might spend £30...but the guy who only spends a tenner will do so more than three times...as long as you don't alienate him by shifting his afternoon escapism to pander to someone who is a stranger and departs as one, as he's too busy fondling his match programme and caressing his pin badge to engage with your town or your townsfolk. Personally, I'd cringe with embarrassment at the idea of regulars being inconvenienced just to make things easier for me....but maybe that's just me and why I make my trips about more than just watching a game? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted March 3, 2016 Author Share Posted March 3, 2016 It's the ones you have a good chance of seeing again you should keep sweet, in my opinion, rather than someone who dips into his anorak pocket once and once only at your club, Yes they might spend £30...but the guy who only spends a tenner will do so more than three times...as long as you don't alienate him by shifting his afternoon escapism to pander to someone who is a stranger and departs as one, as he's too busy fondling his match programme and caressing his pin badge to engage with your town or your townsfolk. They're literally "one-offs", though. Days/kos occasionally vary for other reasons (e.g. internationals). Many fans would surely support their club earning extra income. Also enjoy seeing a big crowd in their ground. EDIT: "Local townsfolk" may also benefit. Groundhoppers need hotels, food+drink, taxis, etc. I attended Threave-Ed Uni last season - groundhoppers were doing brewery tours pre-match; local catering+hospitality companies had stalls inside ground; etc. Several hundred groundhoppers, interested neutrals, etc. spending few hundred £ each = many 10s of thousands of £ expenditure, much of it locally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
froggie Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 They're literally "one-offs", though. Days/kos occasionally vary for other reasons (e.g. internationals). Many fans would surely support their club earning extra income. Also enjoy seeing a big crowd in their ground. EDIT: "Local townsfolk" may also benefit. Groundhoppers need hotels, food+drink, taxis, etc. I attended Threave-Ed Uni last season - groundhoppers were doing brewery tours pre-match; local catering+hospitality companies had stalls inside ground; etc. Several hundred groundhoppers, interested neutrals, etc. spending few hundred £ each = many 10s of thousands of £ expenditure, much of it locally. An interested neutral ( I'll plead guilty to that) does not expect a schedule to fit around them....Anoraksics? it's all about THEM. Normally, I'd probably be at one of the games, but, on principle, I'll take my custom to the juniors. It won't make a difference to anyone but me, but I'll enjoy my trip wherever I go...exploring the locality, meeting people and not wetting my knickers because the club have sold out of programmes or badges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rab B Nesbit Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 In the first game up ... Gretna 0 Dalbeattie 0 at Half Time. Crowd of 366 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rab B Nesbit Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 0-0 Full Time ... Next up WW v Gala FR at 11am. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newcastle broon Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 In the first game up ... Gretna 0 Dalbeattie 0 at Half Time. Crowd of 366 0-0 Full Time ... Next up WW v Gala FR at 11am. So fingers crossed we'll break 400 then Rab Seriously hope they enjoy their visit to Rosewell.,any publicity welcomed for the LL. Mon the welfarrre!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sureiknow Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 Was there. Not a great game for hoppers to watch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamthebam Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 0-0 Full Time ... Next up WW v Gala FR at 11am. bit of rain in the Capital tonight. Let's hope it's not been too bad out in Midlothian.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edinburgh City by name Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 I think it's a great idea and your right the more publicity for the LL the better. I would think the crowds on the Saturday games would easly break the 400 mark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surely not! Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 I think it's a great idea and your right the more publicity for the LL the better. I would think the crowds on the Saturday games would easly break the 400 mark. There's a few big games on the Saturday that would have bigger crowds without the hoppers so with them they'll be decent. Any teams got any special plans re entertainment, retail etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionel hutz Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 WW 3-0 Gala Fairydeanin front of 324.Just out of curiosity, how much do Whitehall get to their run of the mill home games? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surely not! Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 WW 3-0 Gala Fairydean in front of 324. Just out of curiosity, how much do Whitehall get to their run of the mill home games? 323...... This WAS a run of the mill middle of the table affair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionel hutz Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 323...... This WAS a run of the mill middle of the table affair. I mean, when there isn't a groundhop on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newcastle broon Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 I mean, when there isn't a groundhop on. I'd say normally this game would attract around 100 bud. So well happy with today's result 1st and foremost and even better result with the crowd. Thanks to the many who attended for the 1st time. Hope they will return one day and enjoy their weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoofhearted Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 Spartans 1 -0 Stirling Last minute goal from Murray Crowd announced as 435 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dal45 Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 Spartans 1 -0 StirlingLast minute goal from MurrayCrowd announced as 435yeh was at the game, the guy from groundhop went round with a counter and got 335, but was told Spartans we're announcing it was 435!?? Not sure which one went to school? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrooge1928 Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 City v East Kilbride crowd of 418. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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