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Groundhop 2018 dates


Hoofhearted

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16 hours ago, HibeeJibee said:

Since LL - and subsequently EOSL - began the annual 'hops' in association with GroundhopUK there have been 16 matches.

AFAICS average crowd has been 345... Highest 491 (EK-Whitehill), lowest 227 (Eyemouth-LTHV).

I would estimate that will have collectively generated £60,000 of income for the clubs? Based on £5 admission and average £5 additional spend-per-head. (Spend-per-head could well be more - plenty hoppers buy 2 programmes and a pin badge, food and drink, some take other memorabilia too, etc.).

Obviously there will be material costs - but clubs will be profiting from every programme, pin badge, pie 'n pint sold and with greater economies-of-scale v regular matches. Local hotels and B&B will receive trade too. Plus of course the organisers must be making money from selling transport and accommodation and selling bulk tickets and programme packs.

Clubs are always going to put up with some one-off inconvenience and eccentricities, when it means the novelty of a big crowd and then laughing all the way to the bank. What must be important is maximising the experience and its profitability, though - by definition the 'hoppers' will never return en masse.


EDIT: Also don't forget it isn't unique to Scotland. It's part of an annual program of 'hops' organised by various leagues, organisations and individuals.

Typically it seems to look something like this:

March - eastern England, Scotland, south-west England
April - Wales, Midlands, northern England
August - eastern England, Wales
September - Home Counties
October - western England

It's all pretty low level stuff in England unlike their 5 and 6 in Scotland.

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2 hours ago, cowdenbeath said:

It's all pretty low level stuff in England unlike their 5 and 6 in Scotland.

I think that's the very point tho. Remember those grounds in England are essentially our tier 5 and 6 equivalent.

National conference (tier 5) last year had Bristol Rovers, Tranmere this year......huge clubs. 

Groundhopping is about uncovering some hidden gems and not having to pay a lot to do so. These small clubs all have their own tale to tell and it's a great way to spend the weekend. 

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Great idea and even better that the clubs are getting plenty of notice. Bags of time to get a badge and the bulk of the programme done.

As long as the hoppers don't start asking for club letterheads etc etc 10 minutes before kick off and getting huffy when told "no" as some have done at Hampden.

As I say, though, great idea.

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  • 1 month later...

p11: http://www.eosfl.com/downloads/eosfl/The-East-of-Scotland-Football-League-Season-2017-18-Fixture-List.pdf


Friday 16th March
Mid Annandale v tbd (7pm)

Saturday 17th March
Burntisland Shipyard v Preston Athletic (11am)
Kelty Hearts v Tweedmouth Rangers (1:45pm)
Heriot-Watt University v Leith Athletic (5pm)
Lothian Thistle HV v Tynecastle (7:45pm)

Sunday 18th March
Peebles Rovers v Ormiston (12:15pm)

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It looks like this will mop up the last EOSL venues and perhaps the inclusion of Mid Annandale indicates it'll move onto SOSL in future.

Given do not include groundshares nor reserve teams, all the eligible LL clubs have been included over the previous 3yrs - though obviously it's possible someone could be relegated from SPFL2 for next season. In EOSL all of the eligible clubs will have been included except Tweedmouth (who are very much out of the way) and Leith (which could not accommodate the required crowd).

Looks another good line-up.

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3 hours ago, HibeeJibee said:

p11: http://www.eosfl.com/downloads/eosfl/The-East-of-Scotland-Football-League-Season-2017-18-Fixture-List.pdf


Friday 16th March
Mid Annandale v tbd (7pm)

Saturday 17th March
Burntisland Shipyard v Preston Athletic (11am)
Kelty Hearts v Tweedmouth Rangers (1:45pm)
Heriot-Watt University v Leith Athletic (5pm)
Lothian Thistle HV v Tynecastle (7:45pm)

Sunday 18th March
Peebles Rovers v Ormiston (12:15pm)

We're at home to Elgin that day so may go along to the Shippy game in the morning, never seen a big crowd there so its a novelty factor:lol:

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 5/15/2017 at 16:20, cowdenbeath said:

It's all pretty low level stuff in England unlike their 5 and 6 in Scotland.

Note sure that's always the case to be fair.

I live in the North East of England and the Northern League did a hop a few years back as part of an anniversary (something like 125 years of the league) and it was by all accounts better attended than any of the Scottish ones. Its one of 16 leagues at level 9 and 10 of the English System (it has 2 divisions), but its the strongest of those 16 by miles having produced something like 7 of the last 8 FA Vase winners when all those leagues are theoretically on the same level. The ground hoppers loved the Northern League.

As someone who has only ever done three of the official hops and they have been the Scottish ones, I have always traveled independently, found my own accommodation, usually a campsite as I love camping and have all the gear, I can understand arguments on both sides. From my point of view it has enabled me to visit 17 Scottish Grounds over just three weekends, which is priceless for me and to be honest its unlikely I would have got to many if any of those grounds without the hops. I have been incredibly lucky as non of the weekends so far have clashed with either a Sunderland home match or my wife's week off, she works night shift week on week off so I am free on the weekends she works but need her agreement on the weekends she doesn't ,and amazingly this coming season doesn't clash either. I have given minimal money to the hop organisers as I have only bought match tickets and programmes and I assume/hope a decent chunk of that goes to the clubs. I have also used the bars and the food kiosks at many of the clubs. I am probably the organisers worst nightmare as living in the North East I don't need their transport and as a keen camper I don't need their Hotels either. I also drive myself so I don't need their bus transport from ground to ground.

Its given me an understanding and a respect for Scottish lower league football and I even went to Edusport Academy v Gala Fairydean Rovers tonight to see an Edusport home match even though I have been to Galabank twice before. It was a cracking 4-4 draw by the way and a great advert for the Lowland league. I have been to every ground in the Scottish League and all but Civil Service Strollers in the Lowland League and I an hoping the hops can get me close to completing the East and South of Scotland Leagues over the next few seasons.

If I can get to 5 or 6 more games and grounds next year on the hop then that's good by me. I moan when SKY move Sunderland games but we are on Friday night next week, which has actually freed me up to spend the rest of the weekend with my wife and we have a long walk planned now next Saturday, so it works in my favour sometimes. If your game gets moved for the hop just embrace it and use the available time to do something else you enjoy. Life is too short to waste any weekend in my opinion.

 

Nobody likes change or commercialism, but hopping by its nature only visits once, so its one home game and then you can get back to your normal routine.

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21 hours ago, Roker Rover said:

Note sure that's always the case to be fair.

I live in the North East of England and the Northern League did a hop a few years back as part of an anniversary (something like 125 years of the league) and it was by all accounts better attended than any of the Scottish ones. Its one of 16 leagues at level 9 and 10 of the English System (it has 2 divisions), but its the strongest of those 16 by miles having produced something like 7 of the last 8 FA Vase winners when all those leagues are theoretically on the same level. The ground hoppers loved the Northern League.

As someone who has only ever done three of the official hops and they have been the Scottish ones, I have always traveled independently, found my own accommodation, usually a campsite as I love camping and have all the gear, I can understand arguments on both sides. From my point of view it has enabled me to visit 17 Scottish Grounds over just three weekends, which is priceless for me and to be honest its unlikely I would have got to many if any of those grounds without the hops. I have been incredibly lucky as non of the weekends so far have clashed with either a Sunderland home match or my wife's week off, she works night shift week on week off so I am free on the weekends she works but need her agreement on the weekends she doesn't ,and amazingly this coming season doesn't clash either. I have given minimal money to the hop organisers as I have only bought match tickets and programmes and I assume/hope a decent chunk of that goes to the clubs. I have also used the bars and the food kiosks at many of the clubs. I am probably the organisers worst nightmare as living in the North East I don't need their transport and as a keen camper I don't need their Hotels either. I also drive myself so I don't need their bus transport from ground to ground.

Its given me an understanding and a respect for Scottish lower league football and I even went to Edusport Academy v Gala Fairydean Rovers tonight to see an Edusport home match even though I have been to Galabank twice before. It was a cracking 4-4 draw by the way and a great advert for the Lowland league. I have been to every ground in the Scottish League and all but Civil Service Strollers in the Lowland League and I an hoping the hops can get me close to completing the East and South of Scotland Leagues over the next few seasons.

If I can get to 5 or 6 more games and grounds next year on the hop then that's good by me. I moan when SKY move Sunderland games but we are on Friday night next week, which has actually freed me up to spend the rest of the weekend with my wife and we have a long walk planned now next Saturday, so it works in my favour sometimes. If your game gets moved for the hop just embrace it and use the available time to do something else you enjoy. Life is too short to waste any weekend in my opinion.

 

Nobody likes change or commercialism, but hopping by its nature only visits once, so its one home game and then you can get back to your normal routine.

Far too sensible a poster for this board! It can be good when game is switched as can see that game plus potentially another game or time with partner. 

I'm luckily enough to have been to all Scottish senior grounds plus vast majority of EOS, SoS, Lowland, junior, and even a fair few highland grounds too. Will still support the Scottish groundhop in March regardless in March. Been to a good few English grounds too. Keep up the tours, it's a great experience! 

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  • 5 months later...
On ‎10‎/‎07‎/‎2017 at 13:35, HibeeJibee said:

p11: http://www.eosfl.com/downloads/eosfl/The-East-of-Scotland-Football-League-Season-2017-18-Fixture-List.pdf


Friday 16th March
Mid Annandale v tbd (7pm)

Saturday 17th March
Burntisland Shipyard v Preston Athletic (11am)
Kelty Hearts v Tweedmouth Rangers (1:45pm)
Heriot-Watt University v Leith Athletic (5pm)
Lothian Thistle HV v Tynecastle (7:45pm)

Sunday 18th March
Peebles Rovers v Ormiston (12:15pm)

SOSL website now carries a 'landlord v tenant' derby on Friday 16th... Mid Annandale v Lochmaben (7pm):

http://www.southofscotlandfootballleague.co.uk/LeagueFixtures?type=all&age=all&div=&s_date=2018-03-16

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