There was a coo

[MrIrvinePollock]

I budget £10 for entry when I watch a game at this level.  If it's less that that I'll buy tickets for the half time draw to make up the £10.  The cost is one of the reasons I don't go to SPFL games - £15 to watch utter dross on many occasions is a step too far for me.

[FairWeatherFan]

Not everyone is as fortunate to have unknown revenue streams that allow them to go 'feck it,  we'll let everyone in for free'. Like Caley Braves.

[NELLY 1]

I believe the club has priced it right. We have to maximise best we can as well as having kids under 12 for free for full season which hasnt been done before.

I believe doing a game for £5 is something the club would consider however i would say how much more people would that bring through 20-30.. all great i agree but ideally when doing something like £5 for game we need it to be 100 more fans.

Friday night games are an interesting thing and im sure 1 or 2 games a season would be great on a Friday as im positive we would see an upturn in attendances however we have to consider our players e.g working part time can they make Friday games? also both clubs have to agree im sure not just oh we want a game on a Friday.League and other team must agree.

For sure if a  game on a Friday night can be done it would be worth trying if all parties agree.

I do worry about our crowds as 2 home games this season have been under 150 people. For me this means a more difficult budget lies ahead and more challenging for sure to be where the club needs to be or desires to be.

 

[cowdenbeath]

1 hour ago, monthecoo said:

I hear all the Livingston United players are wanting to walk out as Goodwillie played as a trialist at the weekend for them. I wondered if Chris will be coming back?

Aye he scored two goals.

Would Chris get much game time with the squad we have, didn’t get much when we were a lot poorer.

[The_Pit_Owns]

2 hours ago, monthecoo said:

I hear all the Livingston United players are wanting to walk out as Goodwillie played as a trialist at the weekend for them. I wondered if Chris will be coming back?

Chris is injured as he always is. His hamstring is good for about 20 minutes.

[PELE]

Think tonight's attendance might be the worst this season.

[PELE]

6 hours ago, NELLY 1 said:

I believe the club has priced it right. We have to maximise best we can as well as having kids under 12 for free for full season which hasnt been done before.

I believe doing a game for £5 is something the club would consider however i would say how much more people would that bring through 20-30.. all great i agree but ideally when doing something like £5 for game we need it to be 100 more fans.

Friday night games are an interesting thing and im sure 1 or 2 games a season would be great on a Friday as im positive we would see an upturn in attendances however we have to consider our players e.g working part time can they make Friday games? also both clubs have to agree im sure not just oh we want a game on a Friday.League and other team must agree.

For sure if a  game on a Friday night can be done it would be worth trying if all parties agree.

I do worry about our crowds as 2 home games this season have been under 150 people. For me this means a more difficult budget lies ahead and more challenging for sure to be where the club needs to be or desires to be.

 

Yeah. Reduced admission is a big gamble, as more than likely we would only get a handful more attending and end up with less gate money. It would really need to be on a Saturday when there are fewer games on elsewhere and be well promoted.

 

Saturday the 10th December when we play Celtic B could be an opportunity to reduce admission and see if it boosts the crowd. Maybe entice neutrals and Celtic fans as they will be without first team action for a month during the World Cup. The players not at the World Cup are playing friendlies overseas during that time. The only downside is that both Raith and Kelty are at home in Challenge Cup 1/4 finals that day and Kelty are playing Linfield, so will attract some neutrals.

 

Friday 18th November is another possible date, but very short notice and, as said, that's if we can even realistically play on a Friday night. 3 of the 4 SFL teams away from home the following day (unfortunately not Raith, as I think we usually get more of their fans coming over when they are not playing) and no Scottish Premier matches because of the WC. The South Challenge Cup is on that weekend, but some of our league are out of this one as well.

[Cowden316]

3 hours ago, PELE said:

Think tonight's attendance might be the worst this season.

Tonight's attendance was one of the better ones sure it was about 229. Boness brought a few through.

Not bad for a midweek winter lowland league game.

[PELE]

7 minutes ago, Cowden316 said:

Tonight's attendance was one of the better ones sure it was about 229. Boness brought a few through.

Not bad for a midweek winter lowland league game.

Yeah. Really surprising for a dreary Tuesday night.

[UsedToGoToCentralPark]

Thought Scott Sinclair was outstanding tonight, goal, free kick, composed, happy to take a touch under pressure and made some excellent passes.

[cowdenbeath]

28 minutes ago, Cowden316 said:

Tonight's attendance was one of the better ones sure it was about 229. Boness brought a few through.

Not bad for a midweek winter lowland league game.

It was always going to be better playing a side who actually bring fans

[Cowdenleith]

Hope Davidson going off at half time is nothing too serious.

[CowdenMiners1204]

I would have taken a draw before the game started.

Now I'm a bit gutted we didn't take the 3 points. The chances were certainly there to do so. 

They certainly passed the ball around well, however, they were equally sloppy/bumpy as us. If only Borrowstounness fc could play on astro every week they might eventually get into the leagues.

Things changed when davo and garrad came off. Great from Alfie, ruddy and the lads up front.

Was a lot better performance than Saturdays win.

Mon the coo!!!!

[Cowdenleith]

Wow, there’s a couple of fans of that footballing giant Bo’ness that have not taken a draw with the minnows from Cowdenbeath at all well. Lovely.

[perthmo]

The lengthy article on the club's finances in the programme last night makes depressing reading.

Any business in Cowdenbeath's position needs to aim to reduce costs and increase income.

Yet the article indicates that energy costs are rising and ground rental may also rise considerably.  The club are also tied into an agreement where they pay ALL the utility costs for Central Park, not just those associated with the football club.

Meanwhile income from the SPFL (parachute payment and League Cup money) will drop significantly next season and disappear completely the following year.

These costs and income are basically outwith the control of the club.   To compensate they presumably have to reduce their costs in terms of wages while trying to increase their income in a league where matches are unattractive both to spectators and potential sponsors.   

And all that in a stadium where fingers, toes and everything else are crossed in the hope that no major repairs are needed.

And at a time when people are struggling for money to pay their own bills let alone help out others.  As a season ticket holder I got an e-mail this week asking me to contribute £10 to enter a World Cup sweep.  I thought about it but decided to spend a tenner extra in Tesco on food to donate to a foodbank.  That's the sort of choice people are having to make in 2020s Scotland..

it's a worrying situation.  The club cannot keep going to the same hard-core of people again and again asking them to contribute more and more.  The reality is that prize money from the SPFL was essential for the club's finances.  Yet with the current team and future financial projections there is no realistic prospect of ever returning to that level

Yes, results have improved, but that cannot conceal that an existential crisis is looming.

Or am I being overly pessimistic?

 

[BojanK]

6 minutes ago, perthmo said:

The lengthy article on the club's finances in the programme last night makes depressing reading.

Any business in Cowdenbeath's position needs to aim to reduce costs and increase income.

Yet the article indicates that energy costs are rising and ground rental may also rise considerably.  The club are also tied into an agreement where they pay ALL the utility costs for Central Park, not just those associated with the football club.

Meanwhile income from the SPFL (parachute payment and League Cup money) will drop significantly next season and disappear completely the following year.

These costs and income are basically outwith the control of the club.   To compensate they presumably have to reduce their costs in terms of wages while trying to increase their income in a league where matches are unattractive both to spectators and potential sponsors.   

And all that in a stadium where fingers, toes and everything else are crossed in the hope that no major repairs are needed.

And at a time when people are struggling for money to pay their own bills let alone help out others.  As a season ticket holder I got an e-mail this week asking me to contribute £10 to enter a World Cup sweep.  I thought about it but decided to spend a tenner extra in Tesco on food to donate to a foodbank.  That's the sort of choice people are having to make in 2020s Scotland..

it's a worrying situation.  The club cannot keep going to the same hard-core of people again and again asking them to contribute more and more.  The reality is that prize money from the SPFL was essential for the club's finances.  Yet with the current team and future financial projections there is no realistic prospect of ever returning to that level

Yes, results have improved, but that cannot conceal that an existential crisis is looming.

Or am I being overly pessimistic?

 

No. 
 

Football is quickly becoming an impossible task without someone aimlessly pumping money into clubs. 
 

At all levels clubs now really have two options. 
 

1. spend beyond means with dodgy backers hoping to get a paycheck from promotion and level out somewhere. 
 

2. Become a community club with youth teams and Astros to balance books, utilise the selling on of players to fund the level and maybe, just maybe, get a promotion run with a good batch of young’uns and hope to maintain that level a while. 

[Aberdeen Cowden]

The lengthy article on the club's finances in the programme last night makes depressing reading.
Any business in Cowdenbeath's position needs to aim to reduce costs and increase income.
Yet the article indicates that energy costs are rising and ground rental may also rise considerably.  The club are also tied into an agreement where they pay ALL the utility costs for Central Park, not just those associated with the football club.
Meanwhile income from the SPFL (parachute payment and League Cup money) will drop significantly next season and disappear completely the following year.
These costs and income are basically outwith the control of the club.   To compensate they presumably have to reduce their costs in terms of wages while trying to increase their income in a league where matches are unattractive both to spectators and potential sponsors.   
And all that in a stadium where fingers, toes and everything else are crossed in the hope that no major repairs are needed.
And at a time when people are struggling for money to pay their own bills let alone help out others.  As a season ticket holder I got an e-mail this week asking me to contribute £10 to enter a World Cup sweep.  I thought about it but decided to spend a tenner extra in Tesco on food to donate to a foodbank.  That's the sort of choice people are having to make in 2020s Scotland..
it's a worrying situation.  The club cannot keep going to the same hard-core of people again and again asking them to contribute more and more.  The reality is that prize money from the SPFL was essential for the club's finances.  Yet with the current team and future financial projections there is no realistic prospect of ever returning to that level
Yes, results have improved, but that cannot conceal that an existential crisis is looming.
Or am I being overly pessimistic?
 

Think you are. It there’s no fitba to look forward to what else is there? I’m sure the buses will still be heading to Glasgow every time the “big”teams are playing.

[UsedToGoToCentralPark]

Are we tied into having to play at Central Park? Could we not move to New Central Park or something and ground share? Better than having no club?

[vince sinclair]

Would take their No 6 and 7, they'd walk into our team. 

[cowdenbeath]

1 hour ago, UsedToGoToCentralPark said:

Are we tied into having to play at Central Park? Could we not move to New Central Park or something and ground share? Better than having no club?

If folk can’t be arsed watching us in Cowdenbeath we would end up with  even less playing in Kelty,

You would maybe get away playing at Hill of Beath as it’s more or less part of the town.