Programmes

[elmsallrover]

Just wondering if rovers are going to print programmes for the home games in which no fans are allowed into the stadium I know one or two championship sides did this last season

[silent majority]

I don’t think so. I’m sure I’ve seen it somewhere that all EFL clubs will be dropping programmes this season.

[Metalmicky]

Perhaps they could do an on-line programme that you could down load and print for yourself...?
I don't collect programmes, but I know a fair few do.  there are poster on here who do work in the journalistic world (not you Hoden... ) like @vivarovers - perhaps that is an avenue that could be pursued - especially if there was some monies from advertising to be had?

[RoversAlias]

I may be wrong but I doubt the amount of work would be anywhere near worth the reward to be honest. The programme is a lot of work for what it actually is already so during these reduced capacity times it won't make sense financially to spend time, money and effort on it.

[silent majority]

I may be wrong but I doubt the amount of work would be anywhere near worth the reward to be honest. The programme is a lot of work for what it actually is already so during these reduced capacity times it won't make sense financially to spend time, money and effort on it.

That’s right. And to add to that we have fewer staff this season. The programme didn’t make any money and consumed a lot of man hours, it’s an emotional decision for sure but it’s been moving in the direction of cancellation for some time.

I can check with the club though and find out the exact position.

[hamiltonrover]

This will be particularly disappointing if we do nothing, we don’t have to have a super glossy 64 page effort, an 8 or 16 pager would be suffice with the basics. The club will sell a number online, it’s been proven for the clubs that have produced during COVID.

On a personal level I am willing to help support the programme team in putting something together. I think there might be a small number of people willing to help finance the production of a programme to keep it alive (looking at costs for a small print run of let’s just say 2-300) we have quite a number of people with serious collections who might also be interested.

Don’t let the paper programme die !


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[hamiltonrover]

This will be particularly disappointing if we do nothing, we don’t have to have a super glossy 64 page effort, an 8 or 16 pager would be suffice with the basics. The club will sell a number online, it’s been proven for the clubs that have produced during COVID.

On a personal level I am willing to help support the programme team in putting something together. I think there might be a small number of people willing to help finance the production of a programme to keep it alive (looking at costs for a small print run of let’s just say 2-300) we have quite a number of people with serious collections who might also be interested.

Don’t let the paper programme die !


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Just done a quick online calculation, 16 page glossy stapled for 300 units cost £223.

I am sure we would cover costs on that, (that’s not including any sponsorship) I appreciate there is a time cost in putting it together, but you can have a basic design with some lift and drop content that would help reduce this.

C’mon Rovers, look after the fans on this one


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[silent majority]

Hamilton, I’ll have a chat with Shaun as soon as he’s back from his holiday.

[Metalmicky]

This will be particularly disappointing if we do nothing, we don’t have to have a super glossy 64 page effort, an 8 or 16 pager would be suffice with the basics. The club will sell a number online, it’s been proven for the clubs that have produced during COVID.

On a personal level I am willing to help support the programme team in putting something together. I think there might be a small number of people willing to help finance the production of a programme to keep it alive (looking at costs for a small print run of let’s just say 2-300) we have quite a number of people with serious collections who might also be interested.

Don’t let the paper programme die !


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Just done a quick online calculation, 16 page glossy stapled for 300 units cost £223.

I am sure we would cover costs on that, (that’s not including any sponsorship) I appreciate there is a time cost in putting it together, but you can have a basic design with some lift and drop content that would help reduce this.

C’mon Rovers, look after the fans on this one


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Couldn't we make it so that fans could also 'buy' a copy of the end product, that they could print for themselves at home?  Just a thought

[hamiltonrover]

Hamilton, I’ll have a chat with Shaun as soon as he’s back from his holiday.

Much appreciated


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[hamiltonrover]

This will be particularly disappointing if we do nothing, we don’t have to have a super glossy 64 page effort, an 8 or 16 pager would be suffice with the basics. The club will sell a number online, it’s been proven for the clubs that have produced during COVID.

On a personal level I am willing to help support the programme team in putting something together. I think there might be a small number of people willing to help finance the production of a programme to keep it alive (looking at costs for a small print run of let’s just say 2-300) we have quite a number of people with serious collections who might also be interested.

Don’t let the paper programme die !


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Just done a quick online calculation, 16 page glossy stapled for 300 units cost £223.

I am sure we would cover costs on that, (that’s not including any sponsorship) I appreciate there is a time cost in putting it together, but you can have a basic design with some lift and drop content that would help reduce this.

C’mon Rovers, look after the fans on this one


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Couldn't we make it so that fans could also 'buy' a copy of the end product, that they could print for themselves at home?  Just a thought

I have to be honest, personally I am not a fan of the digital programme, for me a programme is part of the match day experience, just like a pie or a pint. I just think clubs needs to think about how they go about it and actually ask fans what they want and what they are willing to spend.
There is an online programme dealer that is actually printing digital versions of programmes (some clubs only did digital in lockdown) and then selling them, there is a market.


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[Metalmicky]

Couldn't we make it so that fans could also 'buy' a copy of the end product, that they could print for themselves at home?  Just a thought

I have to be honest, personally I am not a fan of the digital programme, for me a programme is part of the match day experience, just like a pie or a pint. I just think clubs needs to think about how they go about it and actually ask fans what they want and what they are willing to spend.
There is an online programme dealer that is actually printing digital versions of programmes (some clubs only did digital in lockdown) and then selling them, there is a market.

I get what you are saying and I totally agree.  My point was that the 'match day experience' won't be available to many, so those that wanted to maintain their programme collection, could perhaps be given the opportunity to download a copy to keep their collection intact.  Obviously, if the club could produce a glossy version then great - but what if there were 300 produced and the demand exceeded this? - it was just another option.

[hamiltonrover]

I appreciate the match day experience might not be a thing for a little while, but IMO if we go digital we won’t go back to paper.
If demand exceeds then simply increase volumes for the next fixture (the opponent would dictate, clearly you would sell more if playing Sunderland as opposed to Fleetwood). We have had fixtures where programmes have sold out before and I guess if demand exceeded supply sufficiently you could do a further print run.

I am against printing a programme like we have done in recent seasons for current times, you don’t need all that, something like Fleetwood have done over recent seasons would be ideal.

And if we don’t produce a programme, make the official team sheets available (next best thing for a collector)


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[idler]

The programmes in the 50s and 60s were cheap and contained all of the necessary content. They had more character than today's version which are more like magazines.
Maybe the cheaper version would satisfy attendees and collectors with less financial outlay.

[Metalmicky]

I appreciate the match day experience might not be a thing for a little while, but IMO if we go digital we won’t go back to paper.
If demand exceeds then simply increase volumes for the next fixture (the opponent would dictate, clearly you would sell more if playing Sunderland as opposed to Fleetwood). We have had fixtures where programmes have sold out before and I guess if demand exceeded supply sufficiently you could do a further print run.

I am against printing a programme like we have done in recent seasons for current times, you don’t need all that, something like Fleetwood have done over recent seasons would be ideal.

And if we don’t produce a programme, make the official team sheets available (next best thing for a collector)


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Fair enough - not a collector myself - was just thinking of the fans who couldn't attend or get copies.  I understand what you mean by the digital option ending the paper versions though.

[DRNaith]

The programmes in the 50s and 60s were cheap and contained all of the necessary content. They had more character than today's version which are more like magazines.
Maybe the cheaper version would satisfy attendees and collectors with less financial outlay.

I understand what you're saying, but you of all people must realise that we find out most stuff that went into that style of programme, long before the game these days. The only way the club can publish previously unknown information is to have exclusive interviews with players and a few columns from the manager.

It would be a shame to have nothing, it would take some creative thinking to produce something of perceived value,..in my opinion

[idler]

I stopped buying programmes some years ago unless a special game or sometimes the first game of the season. I don't think £3 for something to go in the attic is good value. I have thousands and can't remember the last time that I looked at them.

[RoversAlias]

The thing is, Rovers have already offered the programme as a digital entity for a few seasons as well as in print. Sales are always declining of print programmes (we stopped ourselves before last season) but the costs to make it remain the same, so the cljb gets less value out of it year on year. The advent of the internet has made it a much less vital part of the supporter's experience.

[swintonrover]

We need a physical thing, but we don't need all the content. In America last year, I got a double sided coloured piece of A5 card that had squad listings, league table, fixtures, and league top scorers. Very clean, very nice. That's all we need.

[elmsallrover]

What about one programme each month to cover games played that month

[Campsall rover]

I stopped buying programmes some years ago unless a special game or sometimes the first game of the season. I don't think £3 for something to go in the attic is good value. I have thousands and can't remember the last time that I looked at them.

Snap Idler.
I have 25 very large boxes of programmes in my loft. Around 1.500 of them. Floorboards are almost sagging with the weight.

Likewise i stopped buying them after the 2016/17 season. If i was to continue to add to my collection, seriously i think my wife will divorce me.

[idler]

I stopped buying programmes some years ago unless a special game or sometimes the first game of the season. I don't think £3 for something to go in the attic is good value. I have thousands and can't remember the last time that I looked at them.

Snap Idler.
I have 25 very large boxes of programmes in my loft. Around 1.500 of them. Floorboards are almost sagging with the weight.

Likewise i stopped buying them after the 2016/17 season. If i was to continue to add to my collection, seriously i think my wife will divorce me.

My wife keeps on asking the question when am I going to get rid. I also have a lot of Rovers handbooks and also just about every book ever written about them. She always says about her not wanting to leave her with the task of getting rid of them.

[hamiltonrover]

We need a physical thing, but we don't need all the content. In America last year, I got a double sided coloured piece of A5 card that had squad listings, league table, fixtures, and league top scorers. Very clean, very nice. That's all we need.

Agree entirely, although I would like more than a piece of card tbf, 10-20 pages charge £2 (something similar to season 97/98).

I seriously don’t see how you can lose money unless printing crazy volumes.

Have a set template so the content that goes into doesn’t become excessive and therefore time consuming.

I have every programme back to 1950 and much prefer the simplicity of those prior to the big glossy versions we have been served over the past 20 years.

I accept everyone’s opinion, but if I am honest and this might sound a bit dramatic, there may be games in the future that I do not attend if there is no programme available, I accept I will likely be in a tiny minority on this, however I bet I am not alone


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[silent majority]

We need a physical thing, but we don't need all the content. In America last year, I got a double sided coloured piece of A5 card that had squad listings, league table, fixtures, and league top scorers. Very clean, very nice. That's all we need.

Agree entirely, although I would like more than a piece of card tbf, 10-20 pages charge £2 (something similar to season 97/98).

I seriously don’t see how you can lose money unless printing crazy volumes.

Have a set template so the content that goes into doesn’t become excessive and therefore time consuming.

I have every programme back to 1950 and much prefer the simplicity of those prior to the big glossy versions we have been served over the past 20 years.

I accept everyone’s opinion, but if I am honest and this might sound a bit dramatic, there may be games in the future that I do not attend if there is no programme available, I accept I will likely be in a tiny minority on this, however I bet I am not alone


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If memory serves me right Luke detailed how much time and effort each programme took to put together. It was either published somewhere, or he emailed it to me. I'll have a look and see if I can find it. But you would be surprised just how long they can take.

[RoversAlias]

I used to help the late Steve Uttley with the programmes for a time and, considering it was a sometimes weekly 40-60 page printed magazine in effect, it was very time consuming. It is a lot to put together for £3, with ever decreasing numbers of fans actually taking the opportunity to buy them. Like I said, even we stopped getting them eventually and I expect them to be much more trouble than they're worth financially to the club. Obviously if someone like Hamilton Rover wants to go to that effort to put something together I'm sure it will be appreciated, and I may try buying them again myself to help the club out just for this season,  but for any club that decides not to bother with that particular venture I don't blame them at all.

[hamiltonrover]

We need a physical thing, but we don't need all the content. In America last year, I got a double sided coloured piece of A5 card that had squad listings, league table, fixtures, and league top scorers. Very clean, very nice. That's all we need.

Agree entirely, although I would like more than a piece of card tbf, 10-20 pages charge £2 (something similar to season 97/98).

I seriously don’t see how you can lose money unless printing crazy volumes.

Have a set template so the content that goes into doesn’t become excessive and therefore time consuming.

I have every programme back to 1950 and much prefer the simplicity of those prior to the big glossy versions we have been served over the past 20 years.

I accept everyone’s opinion, but if I am honest and this might sound a bit dramatic, there may be games in the future that I do not attend if there is no programme available, I accept I will likely be in a tiny minority on this, however I bet I am not alone


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If memory serves me right Luke detailed how much time and effort each programme took to put together. It was either published somewhere, or he emailed it to me. I'll have a look and see if I can find it. But you would be surprised just how long they can take.

I fully accept the current version over the past few years would take some time and effort, 64 pages sometimes twice a week will not be a couple of hours work. That’s why I am saying we don’t need that, a 16 page template where you can either drop info in dependant on opponent and update of scores/league tables etc would be suffice, especially for the near future. I fully accept that a scaled down version is likely to be the only short term option


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[silent majority]

Just had a catch up with Shaun. Today is his first day back so he hasn't had time to get his head around everything but he has said that he intends to run with a programme. It will be done differently though.

Firstly the plan is to slim it down to about 16 pages. It will be a physical copy that you will need to pre-order. So they will be made to order and there will be no spare copies. The programme will be delivered by post on match day.

Costings still have to be worked out, and the club are waiting for that information from a few places. As soon as we have that info we'll make sure it gets out there.

[hamiltonrover]

Perfect and thanks for yours response. I think the 16 page solution short term makes perfect sense

My offer still stands in terms of support, I have every Donny programme back to 1950, so if Shaun wants to fill a page with programmes v the opponents or programmes from the date of the game I can assist. I am also happy to help in any other way I can.

I am not sure if there will be a season subscription offer, that may help in terms of options/funding, I would take this personally.

My only advice if the plan is to order based on demand would be to make sure you inform the visiting team well in advance of the process. There are some clubs fans who would buy a decent number, I know our Supporters Club buy a decent supply of away programmes to distribute to Donny fans who can’t make the game,plus a number who attend who will buy. Just want to ensure we maximise revenue, as I am sure the more ordered the cheaper the cost per unit.

Anyway, great work SM, thanks again


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[elmsallrover]

Should be fun getting all the away game unless Darren Moore picks them up personally

[RedRover45]

Just had a catch up with Shaun. Today is his first day back so he hasn't had time to get his head around everything but he has said that he intends to run with a programme. It will be done differently though.

Firstly the plan is to slim it down to about 16 pages. It will be a physical copy that you will need to pre-order. So they will be made to order and there will be no spare copies. The programme will be delivered by post on match day.

Costings still have to be worked out, and the club are waiting for that information from a few places. As soon as we have that info we'll make sure it gets out there.

Thank goodness for that. That would be more than acceptable thanks. I can only echo what Hamilton Rover has said, I have a similar collection to him and would be mortified if the production of a programme just stopped. Like Hamilton, any help required I would only be too pleased to assist.