Programme Contributor Posted October 18, 2016 Share Posted October 18, 2016 I am saddened by the decline of the 'matchday magazine ' or programme as it is more commonly known. In 3 away games so far this season (Queens Park, Stenhousemuir and Brechin) I was offered a teamsheet or, in the case of QP an online issue which didn't satisfy compared to the great QP programmes of the past. I understand costs are tight but surely it hasn't come to this. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el Gringo Posted October 18, 2016 Share Posted October 18, 2016 I can confirm that Airdrieonians have a programme of the highest quality imaginable. Buy one, I guarantee you'll soil yourself. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liviguy Posted October 18, 2016 Share Posted October 18, 2016 I'm not a fan of Airdrie United in many ways but I'll give it to them they have a smashing programme. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bring Your Own Socks Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 10 hours ago, el Gringo said: I can confirm that Airdrieonians have a programme of the highest quality imaginable. Buy one, I guarantee you'll soil yourself. A good quality read and something to wipe yourself with after. Excellent value for money. 10 hours ago, Programme Contributor said: I am saddened by the decline of the 'matchday magazine ' or programme as it is more commonly known. In 3 away games so far this season (Queens Park, Stenhousemuir and Brechin) I was offered a teamsheet or, in the case of QP an online issue which didn't satisfy compared to the great QP programmes of the past. I understand costs are tight but surely it hasn't come to this. I'm told on good authority it was beyond tight costs. Leaking money a more appropriate phrase. The upsides are it's one less cost for fans tight on cash, especially young families; it can be read anywhere, anytime pre-match; available to fans that can't make the game; it's archived online for reference, if you're that type; a medium that most fans, especially young (future) people, find most interesting and accessible; less litter. Only downside is the loss of warm memories when you find the old programmes in your loft thirty years later. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmic Joe Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 As an enthusiastic programme collector I agree with the OP. Even when you get beat, there is a crumb of consolation that you have something to show from your travels. It is actually possible to issue a programme without making a loss. Our Supporters' Trust make a decent job of producing a programme. A lot of it is down to the commitment of the contributors and hard work on the part of the editor. All unpaid of course... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmontheloknow Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 I did the Pollok prog from 2004-2007 or so and I'm sure one year the prog made a few grand profit. We'd typically shift 150 a match and our costs were nowhere near that. There are ways to keep the cost down. 1) Print a job lot of glossy colour covers for the season. In my time I'd print a label and stick it on front to make each issue identifiable from the next but it is a faff. I didn't do it for all seasons. 2) Print the ads in a job lot. People generally buy for the season. 3) Decide if glossy paper or coloured print is worth the cost. It probably isn't. 4) Try to source a cheap printing company for the content, or DIY. 5) Assemble the content and pre-made bits in house with volunteers. The only way a programme will leak money if it is a vanity affair way beyond its purpose.The only way IMO the full-time clubs can do a glossy effort is economies of scale. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el Gringo Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 Ours has been scrapped twice in recent years due to making massive losses, but this season we have a decent amount of advertising which more or less covers costs. At the end of the day it's only ever going to be a success if people buy it, so the volunteers who contribute articles and sell it deserve all the credit. If it contains fresh and interesting content, folk will generally want to read it. I think we've sold about 95% of all programmes produced so far this season. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue-Toon Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 Peterhead has decided to replace the match day programme with a monthly magazine. http://www.peterheadfc.com/blue-toon-talk 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hampden Diehard Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 (edited) I also bemoan the lack of printed programmes; I suppose I should be grateful that our club at least keep something going online. We also sell teamlines at 10p. The charge is there as folks were coming up and taking half a dozen when they were free. We were losing a small fortune; a combination of things contributed to this. We were probably going for something that was a bit too grand for our unlofty status - although this did win us praise and awards. The number of progs given to freeloaders was far, far too many. We probably suffer more than most with "football people" turning up at Hampden and expecting to keep their hands firmly in their pockets. We struggled to get enough advertisers to pay for their copy; sponsors tend not to pay for their advert. Importantly, sales were generally poor. I think we sold just over 100 at a home game. We probably gave away not far off that between freedloaders, the dressing rooms, ball boys, directors etc etc...as I've said above, too many people have an expectancy that their day at the football can be free if they are something to do with football at another club. I listened to guys complaining about the death of the printed programme and not one of them ever bought one. You need people to support with their cash. It was a constant struggle for the hard-working duo that produced the programme to keep a reasonable number of people committed to producing copy for EVERY programme. When they gave up, there was little chance of the thing surviving, even as a cheaper effort. You really need a committed band of contributors. Most other issues can be addressed. I'd like to think that we could produce something modest, as the likes of Stenie do, but I'm not holding my breath. Edited October 19, 2016 by Hampden Diehard 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick1867 Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 Quote I used to love collecting programmes when I was younger. I still have stacks of old QP and Scotland programmes in the house, some of them signed by players. They are great keepsakes and they bring back all sorts of memories. However I haven't bought a programme at any ground for years now, decided it wasn't value for money and would rather spend the dosh on another pint. It also didn't tell me much I didn't already know. In the current climate of social and digital media I can get all the game knowledge I need on a daily basis from the club website or Facebook page, not to mention football forums like this one. I'm surprised more clubs haven't ditched printed programmes ( I'd even say our digital version isn't up to much but fair play to all those who contribute) As for buying team sheets, the club puts the team on twitter before kick off 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LIVIFOREVER Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 20 hours ago, el Gringo said: iI can confirm that Airdrieonians have a programme of the highest quality imaginable. Buy one, I guarantee you'll soil yourself. That's a shame, I didn't buy one because of the £16 gate price, I may just grudgingly give Airdrie even more money on top of their ridiculous entry price just to see how good it is. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pesadilla Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 11 hours ago, cmontheloknow said: 3) Decide if glossy paper or coloured print is worth the cost. It probably isn't. Glossy paper is an absolute necessity. No way you ran a program, heretic! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmontheloknow Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 20 minutes ago, Pesadilla said: Glossy paper is an absolute necessity. No way you ran a program, heretic! If you want to lose money, go ahead. I reckon the Lok prog made well into 4 figures of profit one of the years I did it - it was years ago but the figure I have in mind is around £4-5k - and is still going strong. If a programme is not financially viable then the model needs re-examined. A programme has a finite value and from my experience customers are loyal within reason - as soon as the cover price goes up too much to justify flashy content, sales will fall. If QP can't justify a prog a game (with far more notice than we get to do so) on similar crowds, I'd guess their outlay is greater. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
expatowner Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 It’s a real shame that programmes are being ditched. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Moonster Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 1 hour ago, expatowner said: It’s a real shame that programmes are being ditched. A shame for who? I've never really understood the fascination with programmes, I really don't care for much of the content inside them (a few articles strewn across a pamphlet of adverts) and at £2.50-3 quid in cost at most places now it's money I'd much rather spend on a pint or a pie. If they're dying out it's because there's no use for them any more. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silverton End Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 1 minute ago, The Moonster said: A shame for who? I've never really understood the fascination with programmes, I really don't care for much of the content inside them (a few articles strewn across a pamphlet of adverts) and at £2.50-3 quid in cost at most places now it's money I'd much rather spend on a pint or a pie. If they're dying out it's because there's no use for them any more. To be fair the Sons View was excellent last season, think it won best programme in League 1, and the retro front covers made me weak at the knees, but aye, there's a lot out there that are mostly pish adverts. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Moonster Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 Just now, Silverton End said: To be fair the Sons View was excellent last season, think it won best programme in League 1, and the retro front covers made me weak at the knees, but aye, there's a lot out there that are mostly pish adverts. Aye, it's not a slight on the guys who put them together - I fully appreciate the time that goes into it, I just don't think it's worth it. Put the stuff online for free and use website hits to push advertising. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silverton End Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 6 minutes ago, The Moonster said: Aye, it's not a slight on the guys who put them together - I fully appreciate the time that goes into it, I just don't think it's worth it. Put the stuff online for free and use website hits to push advertising. Yeah. It's definitely an age thing, and more a labour of love for the guys that put the time in. I can remember my dad & grandfather having tons of them, all in binders, in order, with pen marks next to the team line-ups & the scorers etc. Think The Sons only started producing programmes in the 1960's. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nowhereman Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 3 hours ago, Silverton End said: Yeah. It's definitely an age thing, and more a labour of love for the guys that put the time in. I can remember my dad & grandfather having tons of them, all in binders, in order, with pen marks next to the team line-ups & the scorers etc. Think The Sons only started producing programmes in the 1960's. 1968/69. I have them all but admittedly the purchase now is just a donation and force of habit. I regularly don't even open it and it's straight in to a box. It's a hard habit to kick once you have started. Used to contribute back in the day but the editor won't have me now. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silverton End Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 25 minutes ago, Nowhereman said: 1968/69. I have them all but admittedly the purchase now is just a donation and force of habit. I regularly don't even open it and it's straight in to a box. It's a hard habit to kick once you have started. Used to contribute back in the day but the editor won't have me now. I have one from 1968, a friendly v Tranmere Rovers. The Dumbarton Scout Troop band entertained the crowd 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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