What next? (3 Viewers)

[SG21]

Might seem boring, but stability. They need to work on getting this club running smoothly, working with the ricoh owners to rebuild the relationship, the academy, just building to stay in the championship at least. The drop into the lower leagues from a city this size was always shocking. I

Honestly don't care if they go back into the prem as that's just a rich persons playground now.

 

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[stevefloyd]

I'm a pig who'll eat anything but I bought one of them and had to bin it. It was inedible.

Trouble is we never complained so they continued to serve the offal dog on a soggy bun

 

[skyblueinBaku]

Trouble is we never complained so they continued to serve the offal dog on a soggy bun

The hot dogs from the van in Tesco's car park are far better, and cheaper too.

 

[shmmeee]

Overarching all this, any changes need to be done scientifically. Set an aim (say increasing attendance or spend or length of visit), design a trial to see if it works, take feedback and iterate until it either works or you drop it and do the next thing.

Long story short all the stakeholders in this: Wasps, ACL, CCFC, CCC, Tesco/Arena Park all have a shared interest in bringing lots of people together near their facilities for as long as possible spending as much as possible. Start from there and any internal bickering about who gets exactly what seems very silly.

 

[shmmeee]

Here’s a random thought:

Sell advertising that’s also flags/banners. Basically a company pay for a giant CCFC flag, perhaps sourced from the clubs designs, with their name tastefully on there, then that goes up in the closed/empty sections along with fan ones and the club ones for free/reduced cost?

 

[chiefdave]

Here’s a random thought:

Sell advertising that’s also flags/banners. Basically a company pay for a giant CCFC flag, perhaps sourced from the clubs designs, with their name tastefully on there, then that goes up in the closed/empty sections along with fan ones and the club ones for free/reduced cost?

If we're closing sections off can we have the type of coverings we've seen used by clubs during covid rather than the black netting. Looks way better. Appreciate there's a cost involved but as you say if you get them sponsored and it should be workable.

Hopefully now everyone is acting like adults we'll be allowed more time to setup so can make things look better.

 

[shmmeee]

The more I think about the Hall of Fame idea, or some kind of permanent CCFC museum, the more I like it. Can we get space at the Ricoh, or Arena Park or even somewhere in town or a bit of the Herbert? Then if/when we move it can be relocated.

Could have an online element with historic stats/teams/videos where possible. Get Jim Brown and that guy with all the old videos involved, I bet they’d love it. Then have some criteria for the Hall of Fame section, the categories here are a good place to start:

List of Coventry City F.C. records and statistics - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Have a section (ideally moveable standees you can put outside the ground) with details of each player and why they’re in there. And with clear thresholds for entry it gives players something to aim for. Maybe you get your name on a wall/monument if you play 100+ games or something.

Could even look to raise money for statues of the best of the best, say most appearances, most goals, etc. Then put them around the ground to break up the monotony.

Surely with the City of Culture and stuff there’ll be some support/funding/space available?

 

[AOM]

Not if it's hidden away, no. The place needs life inside the bowl and immediately outside the stadium. It needs people buzzing around and sights and smells outside and flags/banners and noise inside. And I don't mean some cheesy local radio presenter on the pitch, I mean creating the conditions for fans to do it themselves and in doing so bring in more fans and keep them around longer because it's not about the football on the pitch as much as the community off it.

They need to think about how people actually approach and use the stadium. It's ass backwards, I've never come in from the front once since we've been there for a start, and now there's a train station back there. I've never seen anything on my way into the ground, not somewhere to spend money, not activities I'd like to get in on, not stuff for the kids (even though I know that's somewhere in there). The most interesting things are: people with buckets collecting for something, the wall of name bricks, and occasionally there's a TV van. Compare that to the walk into Highfield Road, the fanzine sellers, the badge seller, burger vans, throngs of people, glimpses into the ground as you approach.

I hope we've got as much access as possible to the surrounding areas, off the top of my head, I'd love to see:

- Fan zone type thing, ideally with things going on or ex players coming in.
- Merchandise sellers, both independent and official
- Standees/Displays showing the club's history. I'm sure I remember at one ground, maybe Emirates, waiting to get in and reading profiles on all the ex greats. We could move it permanently if we move to the new ground, but have a hall of fame type thing, might even become something players aim to get into
- Family things, face painting, games. Not all kids go in the Family Stand.
- Food sellers
- A committee at the club dedicated to helping us make the place more ours. Could be volunteers who turn up early and leave late and put up standees, or arrange flags, etc.
- Analysis into where our fans are coming from and thought put into the entire process including teaming up with pubs/clubs/universities to have events earlier in the day that feed into the match, or after game events.

Basically engagement with the whole CCFC community to see how they can all help each other. It sounds wrong, but the less it's about the 90 minute game and the more it's about everything else, the more resilient the fanbase will be.

Some really positive ideas here.

I think the club were gradually trying to improve on this with the fans day and the fan zone on top of that before we had to leave the Ricoh again, and I'd imagine it was more difficult to do over in Birmingham so hopefully they're aware improving the matchday/community experience should be on the priority list

 

[Gibbo]

Always going to be an issue with prices as there is in the majority of stadiums I've visited. Nothing beats Wembley though.

I'd rather go to Swindon, Accrington or Wycombe than Wembley. Proper football grounds.

 

[Irish Sky Blue]

The more I think about the Hall of Fame idea, or some kind of permanent CCFC museum, the more I like it. Can we get space at the Ricoh, or Arena Park or even somewhere in town or a bit of the Herbert? Then if/when we move it can be relocated.

Could have an online element with historic stats/teams/videos where possible. Get Jim Brown and that guy with all the old videos involved, I bet they’d love it. Then have some criteria for the Hall of Fame section, the categories here are a good place to start:

List of Coventry City F.C. records and statistics - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Have a section (ideally moveable standees you can put outside the ground) with details of each player and why they’re in there. And with clear thresholds for entry it gives players something to aim for. Maybe you get your name on a wall/monument if you play 100+ games or something.

Could even look to raise money for statues of the best of the best, say most appearances, most goals, etc. Then put them around the ground to break up the monotony.

Surely with the City of Culture and stuff there’ll be some support/funding/space available?

I'm sure that there was some sort of museum during the latter days at HR. I'm not sure what the exhibits were or what happened to them but they are surely somewhere in safe keeping?

 

[shmmeee]

I'm sure that there was some sort of museum during the latter days at HR. I'm not sure what the exhibits were or what happened to them but they are surely somewhere in safe keeping?

Yeah I’ve got a vague memory of that too

 

[Magwitch1]

Some really positive ideas here.

I think the club were gradually trying to improve on this with the fans day and the fan zone on top of that before we had to leave the Ricoh again.

Let’s be clear we didn’t HAVE to leave the Ricoh again, that was our owners choice, as was Northampton.

 

[skybluesam66]

Let’s be clear we didn’t HAVE to leave the Ricoh again, that was our owners choice, as was Northampton.

We can all speculate over the reasons, but moving away may have actually done good for both sides, and stopped them acting like 3 year olds in a sand pit

 

[Ian1779]

Before we left Highfield Road they did the matches for fans in the close season... would love for them to do that again.

 

[edgy]

Develop the connections with the various Supporters Clubs

Bedworth & Nuneaton
London
Leam & Wark
etc

Had several really good trips (home and away) with them.
Prehaps help them with their transport, discounted tickets, vouchers, merch deals, parking for buses.

 

[SG21]

You mean build an affiliation with other clubs like american sports do? That's a good shout

 

[Sky Blue Pete]

Let’s be clear we didn’t HAVE to leave the Ricoh again, that was our owners choice, as was Northampton.

I think that’s wrong

 

[edgy]

No, the various CCFC supporters clubs.

 

[shmmeee]

I think that’s wrong

Its not is it. Leaving the Ricoh was a strategy to get a cheaper rent and has cost us more than it’ll make over the lifetime of the deal, so we didn’t really have to leave. We could’ve not thrown a paddy and acted like adults.

 

[Sky Blue Pete]

Its not is it. Leaving the Ricoh was a strategy to get a cheaper rent and has cost us more than it’ll make over the lifetime of the deal, so we didn’t really have to leave. We could’ve not thrown a paddy and acted like adults.

The second time was because wasps needed an indemnity and ccfc Sisu couldn’t agree to it. We’ve done this. It was different than the cobblers debacle. I’m content it was instigated by the Eu complaint but the two moves away weren’t the same

 

[shmmeee]

The second time was because wasps needed an indemnity and ccfc Sisu couldn’t agree to it. We’ve done this. It was different than the cobblers debacle. I’m content it was instigated by the Eu complaint but the two moves away weren’t the same

The second time happened because the first time did. The entire strategy was dumb and has cost the club more than it’ll make in the next ten years from increased F&B.

 

[Sky Blue Pete]

The second time happened because the first time did. The entire strategy was dumb and has cost the club more than it’ll make in the next ten years from increased F&B.

I’m happy that’s true.

Interesting from a blues perspective

Bye Bye to the Sky Blues - Blues Focus

Read more…

bluesfocus.co.uk

 

[Malaka]

Am I the only person on here that hates 2 Tone?
If you want proper Coventry music

 

[ovduk78]

Am I the only person on here that hates 2 Tone?

No

 

[AOM]

Let’s be clear we didn’t HAVE to leave the Ricoh again, that was our owners choice, as was Northampton.

I'm referring to the Birmingham move. Going to Northampton did appear to be on Sisu, but this argument has been done to death.

We're now back in Coventry so think we just need to focus on helping the club move forwards rather than arguing about what now can't be changed

 

[AOM]

I’m happy that’s true.

Interesting from a blues perspective

Bye Bye to the Sky Blues - Blues Focus

Read more…

bluesfocus.co.uk

Unfortunately looks like they're in real trouble now. Especially if they're relegated

 

[Magwitch1]

I'm referring to the Birmingham move. Going to Northampton did appear to be on Sisu, but this argument has been done to death.

We're now back in Coventry so think we just need to focus on helping the club move forwards rather than arguing about what now can't be changed

 

[Cranfield Sky Blue]

If you want to do it well, go and look at Brighton. Ticket includes transport to and from the ground. Bars, food, memorabilia etc all round the outside of the ground. Fast efficient service in concourses. Bars, food etc staying open for 90 minutes after the game finishes to spread the departure of fans. Extra transport away from the ground after the game. I really loved that FA Cup visit a few years ago. Was it really 3 years ago.....

 

[Irish Sky Blue]

If you want to do it well, go and look at Brighton. Ticket includes transport to and from the ground. Bars, food, memorabilia etc all round the outside of the ground. Fast efficient service in concourses. Bars, food etc staying open for 90 minutes after the game finishes to spread the departure of fans. Extra transport away from the ground after the game. I really loved that FA Cup visit a few years ago. Was it really 3 years ago.....

I agree with all of that about Brighton. The one downside were the traffic problems outside of the ground and trying to find somewhere to park. If I went again I would definitely park away from the ground and use the train.

 

[Johnnythespider]

Can we please can come on to a big beefy skank of a 2-tone classic.....I mean FFS....Its coventrys own world famous music label/brand/movement & CCFC are, last time I checked, by far the greatest team, the world has ever seen.

....A decent pie & pint would be nice too.

EDIT: Confused by the 2 threads....ended up somehow posting it on both...time for me to go home.

Guns of Navarone

 

[Johnnythespider]

Guns of Navarone

Haha, posted this then carried on reading the thread, it would be great though.

 

[Liquid Gold]

From a personal view I’d love to know if the club offered coaches to home games for people living away from the city like they do for away games if there’d be more people attending.

A coach from Bristol, one from Manchester, one from London etc. I wonder what the take up would be.

 

[Johnnythespider]

From a personal view I’d love to know if the club offered coaches to home games for people living away from the city like they do for away games if there’d be more people attending.

A coach from Bristol, one from Manchester, one from London etc. I wonder what the take up would be.

Or Stratford as it takes 2hrs 7 mins on the train by all accounts

 

[Liquid Gold]

Or Stratford as it takes 2hrs 7 mins on the train by all accounts

Do it from anywhere, I wonder what the uptake would be from Rugby or Hinkley.

Make a small profit on it but not much, it cuts the environmental impact of people driving and then it drops people straight at the arena where they spend the money on the club instead of at whatever pub they park at.

 

[AOM]

From a personal view I’d love to know if the club offered coaches to home games for people living away from the city like they do for away games if there’d be more people attending.

A coach from Bristol, one from Manchester, one from London etc. I wonder what the take up would be.

Great idea. Especially as there seems to be more and more supporters groups popping up over the country, so the club could work with them