No matchday programme?

[hrtbps]

Didn't see any for sale today. Have we scrapped them?

It'd be a shame, as I liked the fold-out Flat Capper format from last season, and for £1 a time you couldn't complain.

[Blue Pike]

Got given a Team sheet in the Cappers bar. Maybe it’s not worth while printing the programmes for what money they receive.

[Private Baldrick]

Went into the club shop to buy one due to not seeing anyone selling them as you come in, only to be told they are not doing them this year, only team sheets. 

[Maureen T-k]

1 hour ago, hrtbps said:

Didn't see any for sale today. Have we scrapped them?

It'd be a shame, as I liked the fold-out Flat Capper format from last season, and for £1 a time you couldn't complain.

They’re not doing them anymore apparentley, the regular seller Steve Lancaster went in to collect them today and was told he was no longer required as they were not doing them only  Teamsheets, so after 25 years selling them, thank you Steve for your efforts to the rovers cause 

[Fev1983]

55 minutes ago, Maureen T-k said:

They’re not doing them anymore apparentley, the regular seller Steve Lancaster went in to collect them today and was told he was no longer required as they were not doing them only  Teamsheets, so after 25 years selling them, thank you Steve for your efforts to the rovers cause 

That is really poor, MC or alike should have called him to see if he wanted to do anything else or least thank him, poor from the club, lack of class.

[Steve Slater]

I think it's been a RFL requirement to produce a matchday programme until this year, but now they have ruled it is no longer required?

[Keep The Faith]

4 minutes ago, Steve Slater said:

I think it's been a RFL requirement to produce a matchday programme until this year, but now they have ruled it is no longer required?

Plenty of clubs are doing digital issues online as I know batley and hull kr are 

[Maureen T-k]

1 hour ago, Steve Slater said:

I think it's been a RFL requirement to produce a matchday programme until this year, but now they have ruled it is no longer required?

From what I’ve been told is the RFL have said it’s no longer a requirement as you say 

[Maureen T-k]

1 hour ago, Keep The Faith said:

Plenty of clubs are doing digital issues online as I know batley and hull kr are 

But not everyone is savvy with the internet or even have a device to access it with 

[jamescolin]

I suggested some time ago that add a bit to the season ticket price and anybody with a Season Ticket received a programme as they went through the turnstiles. Easy peasy.  Already paid for and no lost money. 

[Maureen T-k]

Just now, jamescolin said:

I suggested some time ago that add a bit to the season ticket price and anybody with a Season Ticket received a programme as they went through the turnstiles. Easy peasy.  Already paid for and no lost money. 

Colin that was what those with life membership got as part of their deal, but the large programmes were no longer cost effective, hence why the small pamphlets were introduced, which I got to like and accept 

[Keep The Faith]

12 minutes ago, Maureen T-k said:

But not everyone is savvy with the internet or even have a device to access it with 

Correct I know my grandad isn’t happy that it’s gone online as he isn’t adding to his collection of programmes from Batley since the early 50s 

[fevnut]

For those who miss a Fev programme maybe you would like to try fevnut's blog which includes some of the type of material that used to be in the programme. It can be accessed by using the link below and then on the right hand side of the page you will find links to all the other pages.

http://fevblog452.blogspot.com/

[fevtom]

Sad to see them go but I can't say it's unexpected. I quite liked a programme as a record of the match but these days with the internet there's not really that much content that can't be found elsewhere. I'd bet most people buy them to collect or out of tradition rather than for the actual content.

There are of course people who do not use the internet or have a smart phone but that number is getting smaller. If the programmes were running at a slight loss then I would've liked to have seen them continue but maybe it's a more significant loss than we realise.

 

[David Shepherd]

Fair play to the club.  If not enough folk are buying, then it's a waste of time and money.

Sad to see the tradition go, I used to have a massive collection of home and away programmes, but the world moves on and the paper based programme is not relevant (enough) any more.

 

[saddleworth]

Would appear, according to the rugby press, that quite a few clubs have stopped producing programmes.

[The Phantom Horseman]

I seem to remember seeing a photo/video a couple of seasons ago of the club burning a load of unsold programmes. It's very unfortunate, but not hard to see why many clubs are deeming them unrealistic from a financial point of view.

[sentoffagain2]

  It would be easy for all clubs to have a single sheet with the expected line ups ref and assistants on the front.Then on the back a few notes about opponents and maybe our coaches view of our progress.These could be printed off on a lap top for next to nothing.Then as supporters enter the ground have volunteers hand them out for a small donation into a collection tin.Amount could be from a few loose copper to 50p and i bet that idea would show a profit.

[Private Baldrick]

I think the program has become a victim to the relative success of the club's use of social media/Rovers TV for keeping fans informed of signings, interviews etc. Everything I need to know is widely available 24/7 so negating the need to buy a program to find out the latest gossip. My lad tells me the team line up from face book on our way to the ground so there is just no need to buy a program anymore. 

[Graham]

There have been some cracking programmes at the club over the years reflecting the club’s standing and the technology at the time.

It’s a pity, but I can understand the move if the result of a huge amount of effort by a team of people sadly loses money for the club.

Hopefully the efforts of the players, the statistics etc will continue to be collated and perhaps used in an end of season souvenir booklet.

[Michael Bates]

34 minutes ago, sentoffagain2 said:

  It would be easy for all clubs to have a single sheet with the expected line ups ref and assistants on the front.Then on the back a few notes about opponents and maybe our coaches view of our progress.These could be printed off on a lap top for next to nothing.Then as supporters enter the ground have volunteers hand them out for a small donation into a collection tin.Amount could be from a few loose copper to 50p and i bet that idea would show a profit.

Equally it would be easy for all clubs to have a QR code around the ground, or even on the match day ticket that can be scanned on a smart phone to give details such as team lineup and any notes / articles the club wishes to share for a much lower cost than printing a piece of paper every week.

[hrtbps]

I'm sure I'm in the minority here, but I'd happily pay a couple of quid a time for an unofficial fanzine. I know there was one called Wild Rover in the past. Have there been others?

Which other clubs still have them? I know Hull have Up The Cream. http://upthecream.co.uk/shop/

[MADREDNIGE]

Surely fans would pay £2 for the one we had last year, the club must know how many they sell so could just print as an example 500 or more if a big away following comes, just an idea for those that collect them. 

[jamescolin]

18 hours ago, Maureen T-k said:

Colin that was what those with life membership got as part of their deal, but the large programmes were no longer cost effective, hence why the small pamphlets were introduced, which I got to like and accept 

So small pamphlets Mo to  Season Ticket holders?

[gazza77]

29 minutes ago, jamescolin said:

So small pamphlets Mo to  Season Ticket holders?

Do most season ticket holders want them? I wouldn't, but that's not necessarily representative. What about those non season ticket holders who want them? 

The lower the print run, the greater the unit cost would be, which in turn would likely reduce sales. 

Does anyone actually know what the sales were like last season as a basis for assessing demand?