Minutes of the Blackburn Rovers Fans’ Forum
Ewood Park, Monday 23rd February 2009 – 7.15pm

Present – Fans’ Forum
Martin Howarth
Simon Leigh
Neil Duckworth
John Wareing
Mark Hitchen
Pauline Perkins
Duncan Gardiner
Julie Wilkinson
Ray Williamson
David Brown
Ian Filbin
Gordon Ormerod
Andy Neil
Guy Wignall
Glenn Pegden
John Billouin
Glen Dinsdale

Present from BRFC
Tom Finn
Greg Coar
Simon Williams

Apologies
Steve Birtwell
Tristan Stock
Phil Johnson

1. Matters Arising from the last meeting 12th January 2009

a) Liverpool Away Match
The away match with Liverpool was now fixed for 12.45 on 11th April. Liverpool had expressed their appreciation for the offer of fans on the Forum to take part in any commemorative events for the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, which would fall a few days after the game. Liverpool suggested that a representative of the Forum could lay a floral tribute on behalf of Rovers. TF asked for the Forum to provide a name to give to Liverpool for this.

b) Club Shop
MH stated that a number of fans had been asking when the loyalty scheme would be activated as they were accumulating points on club shop purchases. GC replied that integration of the club’s new ticketing, retail and catering systems was close to completion but only then could the scheme be rolled out.

c) Club Flag
In response to a question from MH, TF stated that the club had been delighted with the display of the club flag on the Blackburn End before games.

d) Future Fan Events
TF reported that an evening with Sam Allardyce was planned, probably for Thursday 2nd April. Entry would be by ticket from the ticket office, with all proceeds going to the Disabled Supporters’ Club. The tickets should also be available online.

e) Land Behind Darwen End
TF reported that, further to comments at the last meeting, there were still some legal issues to resolve but that he expected the extra land behind the Darwen End to be in use as a car park before the end of the season.

f) Free Coaches to Away Matches
MH noted that Fulham were covering the cost for free coaches to the rearranged game at Craven Cottage in March, following the late postponement of the original game. TF stated that the club were still planning to provide free coach travel to one away game this season, planned to be the match at Stoke. It was to have been the game at Hull until the change of date and kick-off time.

g) Emblems on Corner Flags
TF had raised the issue of other Premiership clubs displaying their club emblem on corner flags with the FA, who had confirmed that it was contrary to FA regulations. They had undertook to discuss the matter with the Premier League.

2. 2009/10 Season Tickets
SW outlined recent history in terms of season ticket sales. The 25% price reduction for 2007/08 had seen a 21% increase in sales and a consequent small drop in revenue. For 2008/09 70% of fans had taken the early bird price freeze offer. It had then been difficult to resign the last 30% as the sales period coincided with the start of the credit crunch and the change of manager at the club.

Currently the club had just over 14,000 season ticket holders, an overall drop of 1,200 over 2007/08. Of the total 2,700 who had not renewed 74% had not been to a game this season and the other 26% to an average of two games.

There followed a lengthy discussion about the reasons for the gradual decline in season ticket sales and general attendances, both at Rovers and generally across the country. A number of different possible approaches to pricing for the 2009/10 season were discussed. The club would not be offering an early bird discount this year and prices would not be announced until it was clear whether the team would be staying in the Premier League.

It was noted that Rovers’ current prices were cheaper than many other local clubs even given that they were in lower leagues. For example Burnley’s season ticket price for the equivalent seat to the Walkersteel Blackburn End was £40 more than Rovers, Leeds £100 more and Blackpool £124 more.

SW and TF thanked the Forum members for their advice and undertook to provide some feedback on plans at the next meeting in April.

3. Unreserved Seating Area
GC confirmed that the club liked the idea of an unreserved seating area suggested by the Forum. There were, however, problems in using block EO4 at the Darwen end of the Fraser Eagle Stand because there were a significant number of season ticket holders already in that area and the club had some reservations from a security viewpoint. The club was therefore looking at an alternative area that had much lower season ticket sales and where there were less security issues. The club were now looking at such as pricing recognising the need for this to be competitive and would outline its plans further at the next meeting.

4. Pre-Match Ticket Sales
MH reported that there had been problems before the Bolton game when a large number of fans had been trying to buy tickets for the cup replay with Sunderland and only two windows and then later one window was open, with other windows selling Bolton tickets. TF responded that the club’s priority was to sell tickets for that day’s game on a match day but accepted that the balance had been wrong on this occasion and undertook to ensure that the ticket office operated a more flexible policy in future.

5. Any Other Business

a) Reserve Team Games
GO asked whether the Lancashire FA county ground at Leyland was yet available for reserve team games. TF replied that it was not. The club were looking at an alternative venue as well as Morecambe for next season but nothing was decided yet.

6. Date of Next Meeting

Wednesday 8th April 2009 at 7.15 p.m

Forum members will hold an agenda setting meeting in the Fernhurst pub on Monday 30th March at 7.15 p.m.

Members should contact John Wareing at roversfansforum@hotmail.com or on 07984 085474 with any queries about the Forum or to give their apologies if they cannot attend a meeting.

2009 Forum Dates
1st June
27th July
7th September
19th October
30th November

Takker. God lesning som vanlig.