kumnio Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 I've not gone to football loads of times because of the weather. Sitting, barely moving for 2 hours when it's freezing, raining and blowing a gale? Why would anyone want to do that? Same here, Ive been in the pub on the way to Dens and just stayed there a couple of times because it was wild outside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammy Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 I've not gone to football loads of times because of the weather. Sitting, barely moving for 2 hours when it's freezing, raining and blowing a gale? Why would anyone want to do that? +1 and the older I get, the more often it seems to be happening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slide tackle Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 Im all for it, but what happens during the world cup/ euro years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirrelhumper Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 Yourself and Charlie Endel will go regardless of the weather and regardless whether the football takes January and February off instead of June and July. Change to "summer football" might encourage more folk to join you and become die hards like yourselves. I've thought that in past. However I could actually see likes of my dad and quite a few of my mates going less in the summer. Especially those who pay guts of a grand for golf membership. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jumbocummings Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 They even have a winter break in Mexico ffs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thplinth Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 They even have a winter break in Mexico ffs. It can get quite chili there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larky Masher Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 An overpriced mediocre product is an overpriced mediocre product regardless of the weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goozay Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 An overpriced mediocre product is an overpriced mediocre product regardless of the weather. The "product" is live outdoor entertainment so I'd argue that weather has a significant impact on the potential consumer. I'd also argue that the conditions you're asking the players to perform in can have an impact on their ability to entertain. That's not to say that price should also be looked at to encourage regular attendance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMcoolJ Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Disagree that the weather is a major factor with respect to attendances. You can get pretty shocking conditions here in summer too. Most pitches these days (with the exception of McDairmid Tattie Howkin' Park) are pretty decent. Technology has advanced with respect to keeping pitches in better condition coupled with some clubs having hybrid pitches which seem to be the future. Another argument I've heard used to support summer football is the extra income from TV money? Every second year we would be competing with a major international tournament. Not only does this screw any summer season, but I suspect that the TV companies would be looking to invest in these tournaments long before our game. TV money aside, how do we keep interest in the domestic game ahead of a World Cup/Euro's - even if Scotland aren't there? Out of the group of us that have season tickets, 75% would not purchase one if we moved to summer fitba. The summer is for holidays, golf, beer gardens etc. I think all we need for improvement is a competitive league - it's that simple..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parklife Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Part of the problem with so many things in Scotland is folks reluctance to change. They're set in their ways and care only about what is best for them. Very sad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMcoolJ Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Part of the problem with so many things in Scotland is folks reluctance to change. They're set in their ways and care only about what is best for them. Very sad. I don't think we are any different to any other nation. I think we just try and do things right and maybe don't make changes for the wrong reasons. Like summer football, the primary reason for not making the change, in my view, is that it isn't necessary - winter football isn't the problem. Make the league more competitve, if that doesn't work, then we can look to other avenues. Nobody has a duty to go to the football, if they are doing other things in the summer, I don't necessarily think that means they're being selfish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbcmfc Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 I would have never missed a game for the weather before, but now, if my wife is working I'd need to take my boy, and he's too young to be sat in the cold for 2 hours. He came to a game at the start of the season, and come March I'll maybe take him with me again if it's the only way I can go (he's far too young to take anything from it, but I can't leave him in the house apparently? . ) On the other hand, I play bowls in the summer, and quite a few guys in my club have season tickets for various teams (mostly Rangers ), and I bump into guys from other clubs at fir park. I know guys that play golf too, and they'd have a similar clash of interests. There's good arguments for and against, people don't like change, but if the obvious problems with transfer windows, world cups and euros and the likes were addressed, there could be plenty positives? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parklife Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 I don't think we are any different to any other nation. I think we just try and do things right and maybe don't make changes for the wrong reasons. Like summer football, the primary reason for not making the change, in my view, is that it isn't necessary - winter football isn't the problem. Make the league more competitve, if that doesn't work, then we can look to other avenues. Nobody has a duty to go to the football, if they are doing other things in the summer, I don't necessarily think that means they're being selfish. Football has to change. The support is not of the same dynamic. It's no longer so tribal and folk are no longer so loyal to going and supporting their team. As you say, there are so many more options open to folk nowadays. Football needs to be more family friendly, blokes can no longer just piss off every Saturday to go to the pub and the fitbaw with their pals. We need to change what the football experience is, in order to encourage the next generation of fans to come along. Would you take kids to a football match, to sit still for 2 hours in sub-zero conditions? I wouldn't. 75% of your pals might spit the dummy and not go but, in the long term and combined with the right initiatives to get families in the door, it'd undoubtedly benefit our game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMcoolJ Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Totally agree. Things have changed. The matchday experience has to improve. Starting with football fans not being treated as criminals. Better food, beer for home fans, other positive initiatives etc, etc. I think this and a competitive league would go a long way to addressing most of the issues. Yes, the weather could be better, but I still see more negatives than positives with respect to changing to the summer. And I don't just mean because of golf etc. I don't think anyone would be spitting their dummies out, they just have more alternatives in the summer. Aside from reasons already given against summer football, is there a danger in changing that more people and kids getting engrossed in English football and other leagues during the winter, World Cups/Euro's during the summer and our game just becoming a mild amusement every second summer, in between holidays and the other lifestyle options? I think there are many things we should try before summer football, I personally see it as the last resort.... I would need significant convincing to think otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thplinth Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 People watch tournament football in summers when you have multiple games a day for a month and they still play golf and have BBQ's. Bogus argument. Plus if we ever qualify again (for anything) we would be going into it mid season instead of after the end of the season. That would gives us an advantage versus now. Plus there tends to be a correlation between the quality of football played and the playing conditions in which it played. Better conditions generally result in better football. Only eskimos, weather masochists and 6 fingered banjo players are against summer football. No brainer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbcmfc Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 blokes can no longer just piss off every Saturday to go to the pub and the fitbaw with their pals. You've hit the nail on the head there! This is a thing I've noticed again with my bowling club analogy, it's a sport on the decline for a variety of reasons, but outdated ideas that a guy can spend 3 or 4 nights a week and a fair chunk of the weekend at the bowling club and his wife will have his tea on the table and his greys and whites ironed for him coming in from work at 5pm to accommodate this are keeping it in the dark ages, and footballs the same. Peoples working life's, family life's and other social and leisure interests are much more varied these days, and the role of men (the traditional football customer) in a fanily has changed drastically over the last 20, 30 or 40 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parklife Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 I don't buy the "World Cup" argument either. It's hardly difficult to fit around. My suggestion for a season is to play mid-March-Jan. In a world cup year we start In the beginning of March/End Feb. Stop end June. Restart Mid July. All that'd be required is another midweek fixture or two. Which is hardly a big deal. Especially if played in good weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbcmfc Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 People watch tournament football in summers when you have multiple games a day for a month and they still play golf and have BBQ's. Bogus argument. I agree with most of that, although I would say there's a greater time, effort and financial commitment to going to watch a live game to watching a game on TV. I could have friends and family over for a barbecue and anyone who wanted could pop inside for 90 minutes (or less if it's crap or only a passing interest) to watch a game, as I did at my house and friends during the World Cup. I could play my round of golf and be back in the clubhouse for the 2nd half of whatever game is on. That's very different from leaving for a minimum 3 hours to go to a game. I can't see that being popular if we were hosting a BBQ or had been invited to one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMcoolJ Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 People watch tournament football in summers when you have multiple games a day for a month and they still play golf and have BBQ's. Bogus argument. Plus if we ever qualify again (for anything) we would be going into it mid season instead of after the end of the season. That would gives us an advantage versus now. Plus there tends to be a correlation between the quality of football played and the playing conditions in which it played. Better conditions generally result in better football. Only eskimos, weather masochists and 6 fingered banjo players are against summer football. No brainer. People watch football tournaments in the summer on their tele at times set up for armchair fans. They don't go to the games, have a few hours in pub before or after. They don't spend a day out watching fitba on the tele. No real comparison. A bogus counter argument. What is this correlation between football standard and weather conditions you speak of? What temparatures and conditions does it specifically apply to? What evidence is there to support it? The EPL, (self proclaimed) best league in the world, is played in pretty similar conditions to what we are referring to. I would suggest this is also bogus argument. Winter football in Scotland does not automatically mean you are playing in a blizzard every week. Why would we want a league impacted every second year by a major tournament? I'm neither an eskimo, a weather masochist nor a banjo player. I just think we should be trying other things before having to resort to summer football. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boynze Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 summer football is a no brainer, pure and simple, but only a part of raft of changes that could improve the commercial-ability of the game. football has to realise that it has to improve the customer experience and attract the maybes and the nah its too cold / dark / wet today type people, the diehards will go along regardless. over time summer football will improve the revenues and in turn will improve the standard generally. better pitches in the summer too. dinosaurs, i'm sorry but it's time to move aside, please don't stand in the doorways and block up the halls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMcoolJ Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 summer football is a no brainer, pure and simple, but only a part of raft of changes that could improve the commercial-ability of the game. football has to realise that it has to improve the customer experience and attract the maybes and the nah its too cold / dark / wet today type people, the diehards will go along regardless. over time summer football will improve the revenues and in turn will improve the standard generally. better pitches in the summer too. dinosaurs, i'm sorry but it's time to move aside, please don't stand in the doorways and block up the halls. You need to read the counter arguments and make a much better case than that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbcmfc Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 the diehards will go along regardless. That's pretty much the marketing strategy for scottish football! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deecie Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 summer football is a no brainer, pure and simple, but only a part of raft of changes that could improve the commercial-ability of the game. football has to realise that it has to improve the customer experience and attract the maybes and the nah its too cold / dark / wet today type people, the diehards will go along regardless. over time summer football will improve the revenues and in turn will improve the standard generally. better pitches in the summer too. dinosaurs, i'm sorry but it's time to move aside, please don't stand in the doorways and block up the halls. In general, it's not a great business plan to piss off your normal customers in the hope that you might get some new ones in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boynze Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 who says you are pissing them off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deecie Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Me. It'd piss me off. I've had a Season Ticket for the last 15 seasons. I wouldn't bother if the season was moved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.