An open letter from Gavin

[Colin C No.3]

This letter points out how difficult it is going to be through another lockdown;

https://www.doncasterroversfc.co.uk/news/2020/november/an-open-letter-from-chief-executive-gavin-baldwin/

Martin, thanks for sharing this.

These are indeed very worrying times for EFL clubs in general and for our beloved Rovers in particular.

I know that like me, many fans are doing their best to help our club in various ways during these desperate times.
Perhaps by buying from the club shop online, subscribing to I-follow, the Rovers lottery, investing in the In Rovers Supporters We Trust initiative, foregoing their Season Ticket refund and more.

But with this latest news I wonder if the time is right for a simple Crowdfunding site to be set up in order for Rovers fans to give donations directly to the club to help it survive?

A target sum could be set, however modest, for example maybe £20,000 for starters. I’ve no idea what impact such a sum would have but I’m sure every little helps.
Or we could stick our necks out and set the target at £50,000?
 I’m sure we could muster 5,000 fans to give a tenner, or 10,000 fans to donate a fiver?

I’m not volunteering to set the site up because I don’t have a lot of spare time and I don’t know how these things are done, but I’d be happy to pledge £50 to get it started.

Any thoughts?

Thanks Pancho/all,

I had a long chat with Gavin earlier today and we had a deeper dive into some of the details that were in his open letter. I also told him about the generous offers from Pancho and others and we've agreed to meet up again shortly to discuss this and other ideas.

But, and I can't stress this enough, the key contribution that we can make, and the one that could see us either survive or fail, is that we don't ask for refunds on our season tickets if we can possibly afford to. We've had no ticket revenue for a number of months now, having to return what we have currently banked will hurt more than you could imagine.

Meanwhile I'll report back after I've met up with Gavin again.

Can I ask if you got any further with Pancho Regan's thoughts on supporters giving direct payments to the club?

[roversdude]

Can those whose circumstances allow waiver any potential rebate from their season ticket I’m more than happy to do this and I’m sure others would.
Of course it’s a personal decision and possibly circumstances will not fit for everyone

[Axholme Lion]

  I hope so 1969, and I hope the other clubs have the bo**ocks to just move up through all the leagues teams to replace them in English football, and let them piss off to play themselves, and should be told if they ever want to return they set off in the bottom rung.

The whole of football would be better with the so called big 6 and Sky and the like. Let them go and play with themselves. 
We can then go back to a broader competition and breathe life back into the FA Cup.

[silent majority]

  I hope so 1969, and I hope the other clubs have the bo**ocks to just move up through all the leagues teams to replace them in English football, and let them piss off to play themselves, and should be told if they ever want to return they set off in the bottom rung.

The whole of football would be better with the so called big 6 and Sky and the like. Let them go and play with themselves. 
We can then go back to a broader competition and breathe life back into the FA Cup.

Far too naieve to think this wouldn't affect, disastrously, clubs like mine and yours.

[selby]

  Why?

[Colin C No.3]

I thought I'd asked a simpler enough question Martin.

In the talks with Gavin, have you been able to come to some means in which those supporters who are able to, above & beyond not requesting refunds for season tickets (I like to think those numbers were few), purchasing from the shop, paying for home games through ifollow despite being a season ticket holder, are able to make a monetary contribution to the club via Direct Debit during these difficult times for our club above & beyond other ways of fund raising?

I'm not in any way saying that those who can contribute in this way are 'better supporters' gawd forbid, but there are extra monies 'out there' to be tapped. We just need a way's & means.