Will the crowds come back?

[Jambo'ness]

When we finally get the all clear to resume attending matches, will more, same or less spectators turn up for games?

I'm sure most of us on here are champing at the bit to see a game outdoors again but we only constitute a small percentage of the 'normal' attendances.

I can see things from all perspectives and hope that initially there will be a rush to games but will that be sustained?  On the other side of the coin, will people feel safe enough?

Most crucially and I don't mean this to sound bad but at our level of the game, a hell of a lot of the fans are those most at danger.  I am sure most clubs will lose some of their most staunch followers to the virus.

What do others think?

 

[heedthebaa]

It will be an even better experience than before. No one will come away from this shitfest unaffected, we’ll all come away appreciating the finer things in life and there’s nothing finer than grassroots football 

[Kp91]

I think the fans will flood back as it's been a while since they last watched a game but obviously people's safety has to come first and if certain measures need to be put in place by the club then so be it but I certainly think that the fans will come back to there clubs 

[Comrie]

I'll appreciate, no- love every scrappy, dull 0-0 that County serve up for me with roars of approval.

[LongTimeLurker]

Think a lot will depend on whether the pandemic is really over completely by that point or as herd immunity builds over time is still rumbling along at what is viewed by the powers that be as an acceptably low rate of deaths.

[cmontheloknow]

Not sure I'll fancy handling the sauce bottle at the pie stall again

[traffordab]

Hard to see it the crowds in the east have been poor bar one or two clubs for years now. Good luck anyway. 

[Marten]

It's likely that non-league football will return before SPFL football so if anything, crowds will be higher than before because of many people desperate to see some football again.

Lochee United for example always have higher attendances when neither Dundee, nor Dundee United are playing so we'll benefit from some of their fans coming to our games. And that will undoubtedly be the case at many clubs in the juniors and senior non-league.

[Sinner-to-Saint]

I've thought about this. 

Positives: People will be missing football, and communities may rally around to support their local clubs.

Negatives: Sadly some fans may no longer be with us (especially elderly ones), many people may have financial problems, some folk may still be frightened of contamination or public gatherings.

Let's hope the positives outweigh the negatives.

[Dev]

4 hours ago, Jambo'ness said:

When we finally get the all clear to resume attending matches, will more, same or less spectators turn up for games?

I'm sure most of us on here are champing at the bit to see a game outdoors again but we only constitute a small percentage of the 'normal' attendances.

I can see things from all perspectives and hope that initially there will be a rush to games but will that be sustained?  On the other side of the coin, will people feel safe enough?

Most crucially and I don't mean this to sound bad but at our level of the game, a hell of a lot of the fans are those most at danger.  I am sure most clubs will lose some of their most staunch followers to the virus.

What do others think?

 

A lot will depend upon the level of confidence that there is in the community. People won't want to risk getting the virus so confidence that they won't will be really important.

Another thing will be amount of publicity received for the leagues and clubs in recent times e.g. due to the changes in the structure of the game below the SPFL.  If that's gone down well in some areas that will give folk an incentive to support.

The other thing is why not have clubs doing live streaming of games? There's always been supporters and followers who don't go to games - for all sorts of reasons. Why not try to use what's happened to advantage and, at least, make it easier for these people to join in from home? Helps to buy into your local community and supports advertisers.

I have no idea how easy or difficult this would be but there's no harm in trying to think of something additional to help. Any other ideas out there? 

[Spyro]

1 hour ago, Dev said:

The other thing is why not have clubs doing live streaming of games? There's always been supporters and followers who don't go to games - for all sorts of reasons. Why not try to use what's happened to advantage and, at least, make it easier for these people to join in from home? Helps to buy into your local community and supports advertisers.

100% this!

Clubs should be using this downtime to be exploring new concepts. I doubt it will even affect crowds at all but will give them a massive opportunity to expand the club name and also great for sponsors. Some sort of pay-per-view platform so clubs can assess footfall and make decisions on the future based on concrete numbers. It will also attract a new generation of supporters, even giving them a say in MotM decisions and a place for everyone to get together as a club to debate future ideas

Edited May 8, 2020 by Spyro

[teamfinderscot]

I wouldn’t even pay per view the games , I reckon a stream of decent quality with a donation link would be excellent, most fans will be happy to donate what they usually pay, and some people who have come by hard time’s will donate maybe not as much or not at all, which is understandable with the pandemic. Also when a young guy is playing football I know (I’m 21) I’ll watch it, more chance of younger people tuning in online than going to juniors/ eos games. From a playing point of view it’s excellent as allows people to see if you should be progressing as well. So many benefit could come from it.

[boheesian]

When we get through this  the longing will be for “When Saturday Comes” Bookies, Fitba & Pub. 

[Dev]

On 08/05/2020 at 17:17, boheesian said:

When we get through this  the longing will be for “When Saturday Comes” Bookies, Fitba & Pub. 

Maybe the Bookies could broadcast one game each weekend? Get the Lowland pyramid hugely sponsored by some Betting outfit and have a You Tube or something Channel which could also be logged into by Football Scouts or viewers from anywhere in the world. How many Scots Fitba Exiles are there out there?

Does anyone understand how difficult or easy something  like this would be to physically do e.g. at games, getting it onto the internet, etc?

Edited May 10, 2020 by Dev
.

[the tin man]

ave bought a preston season ticket raring to go

[Windymillar]

8 hours ago, traffordab said:

Hard to see it the crowds in the east have been poor bar one or two clubs for years now. Good luck anyway. 

Everywhere you go, with whatever alias you choose at that point in time, you just type utter pish.

[Myles Offside]

19 hours ago, Dev said:

Maybe the Bookies could broadcast one game each weekend? Get the Lowland pyramid hugely sponsored by some Betting outfit and have a You Tube or something Channel whicvh could also be logged into by Football Scouts or viewers from anywhere in the world. How many Scots Fitba Exiles are there out there?

Does anyone understand how difficult or easy something  like this would be to physically do e.g. at games, getting it onto the internet, etc?

The Shire have been doing it this season for overseas fans., all of their home games and one or two away. So it's definitely feasible. I've watched about 12 games out here in Aus via a website called mycujoo.tv Works pretty well apart from some serious buffering on the first game.

[Blue White Dynamite]

Maybe the Bookies could broadcast one game each weekend? Get the Lowland pyramid hugely sponsored by some Betting outfit and have a You Tube or something Channel whicvh could also be logged into by Football Scouts or viewers from anywhere in the world. How many Scots Fitba Exiles are there out there?
Does anyone understand how difficult or easy something  like this would be to physically do e.g. at games, getting it onto the internet, etc?

Requires a very good strong stable internet connection which I’d wager not every ground has.

There is all the issue of the LL and HL sitting as part of the Professional Game Board which forbids live streaming of matches during the Saturday broadcast window in the UK.

[Dev]

16 hours ago, Blue White Dynamite said:

 

Requires a very good strong stable internet connection which I’d wager not every ground has.

There is all the issue of the LL and HL sitting as part of the Professional Game Board which forbids live streaming of matches during the Saturday broadcast window in the UK.

 

Any idea what times on Saturdays are covered by the broadcast window?

Does anyone know what the LL and HL get in return for being forbidden to live stream during the Saturday broadcast window?

How much does an appropriately strong stable internet connection cost these days? It will vary depending on location but any ideas?

Lots of folk watch football e.g. Match of the Day in England so maybe it doesn't need to be live streaming anyway? 

[true_rover]

2:30 to 5:15 on a Saturday