|
Post by Rob Scott on Aug 18, 2016 14:38:13 GMT
It seems like more than a vocal minority of fans are frustrated to say the least at how certain aspects of the club are run.
So, what can we do about it?
Moaning about things on here (and I certainly include myself in this) is not really going to achieve much is it?
The odd sarcastic comment aimed at Panthers on Twitter (also guilty) is probably going to have little effect either.
Now, I like most other fans (i'm guessing) don't want to boycott games because we love the sport and we love going to the matches. In that respect the club have us over a barrel, they don't have to try very hard and we just keep on rolling up in record numbers.
So, what can we actually do?
Lets have your ideas....
|
|
|
Post by shmyrohdear on Aug 18, 2016 14:55:15 GMT
In all honesty i don't think anything we do will have a real effect on the organisation, the only time they'll listen or actually bother to take notice will be when ticket sales start taking a hit consistently.
|
|
|
Post by Kovalchuk17 on Aug 18, 2016 15:55:50 GMT
Ever seen Mike Bassett England Manager, when he's boarding the bus and the fans are giving him grief?... He turns and asks what they'd do instead and the replies he gets actually make sense and probably would work, then Mike just tells them all to **** off!
...reminds me a lot of the GM and his thoughts to ideas from fans.
|
|
Yotes
Forum Admin
Posts: 16,405
Member is Online
|
Post by Yotes on Aug 18, 2016 16:08:06 GMT
I remember one year when we were properly terrible that someone on here managed to have a chat with Blacky about it. Nothing changed though, it's still the same people doing the same things. I think we all know that until a certain someone exits stage right, we're in for more of the same. And there's nothing saying the next guy would be any better either
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2016 16:49:22 GMT
Voting with your feet is the only thing that will ever have any effect. Hit them in the pockets, they'll take notice.
|
|
|
Post by texpef on Aug 18, 2016 17:14:15 GMT
Problem at panthers is that change always appears to be reactive rather than pro active and generally when ticket sales are threatened. If your primary focus is perceived as generating cash rather than the raison d'etre i.e. to win hockey games then there will always be conflict with imho more enlightened (and most probably older) fans. After awhile of seeing the same thing and hearing the same old rhetoric fans can become cynical, apathetic or just plain stay away. In Pantherland the management have been extremely lucky in that old cynical fans who have died away from the sport have been replaced a lot of the time in greater numbers with newer keener less knowledgable fans who are imho more prepared to be taken for what I see as a ride and used as wallets to tap into whenever the club want.
As an example this warm up game on Saturday I, as a fan, remember when a league game was less than a fiver, this game will likely cost me in excess of 15 quid for what will be no more than a training game with a good proportion of the players I pay my money to watch being missing. A lot of fans I remember going to away games with when I was that keen fan I don't see at the arena anymore so I guess they have already voted with their feet, until such time as the new fans are < fans leaving then I suspect nothing will change. It seems imho that the only time management make changes in Nottingham is when there is a danger of the club losing out in some money, until the priority is winning on the ice then the focus will not please a lot of the fans.
|
|
|
Post by PantherB on Aug 18, 2016 17:31:49 GMT
Aim higher than the social media manager. Hit GM's email inbox.. If that doesn't have any effect, take it higher, take it to Neil Black. He attends games, talkative with fans and I'm sure he'd listen to fans and respond with reasonable answers. He's a businessman and businessmen want their business to thrive.
|
|
|
Post by texpef on Aug 18, 2016 17:38:30 GMT
Aim higher than the social media manager. Hit GM's email inbox.. If that doesn't have any effect, take it higher, take it to Neil Black. He attends games, talkative with fans and I'm sure he'd listen to fans and respond with reasonable answers. He's a businessman and businessmen want their business to thrive. Not been my experience, few years back now I approached GM had a great conversation about changes such as music, presentation etc and lo and behold NOTHING CHANGED. He has what seems an iron grip on all panthers related activities and if he doesn't like it it doesn't happen. As for NB, he is a business man yes and as such if his business is making money then I would suspect he does that by the bucket full why would he want changes? If his management he has put in place deliver their goals i.e. turn a very healthy profit again why would it change. Again a few years back there was a meeting with NB several issues were raised but guess what changed?...
|
|
|
Post by wannabe2 on Aug 18, 2016 18:15:47 GMT
Voting with your feet is the only thing that will ever have any effect. Hit them in the pockets, they'll take notice. I totally agree with this, except people won't do it, maybe a hand full will, but most won't, they still want their hockey fix, it's a catch 22 unfortunately, then certain fans get labelled as troublemakers by the club, and are then out on a limb. A big club like yours would need quite a few hundred to make any impact, that's a tall order when most people talk the talk, but don't walk the walk. We in Cardiff know extremely well about Mis- Managment, and troubled times, so we can easily sympathise with you guys.
|
|
|
Post by The Flying Shirt on Aug 18, 2016 18:29:43 GMT
Panthers have a high turnover of fans. The vast majority of season ticket holders from when we started no longer go but they have been replaced by new season ticket holders and casuals. As a business the Panthers are in the lucky position of shooting fish in a barrel but as a professional sports team NB and some others are well past their sell by date. He saved the club and turned it into a cash cow and too many of the fans are happy to go along and speak to their "heros" at meet the player nights and results are pretty much secondary. Fine while it lasts but it wont last forever.
|
|
iginla
Chick Zamick
Posts: 13,422
|
Post by iginla on Aug 18, 2016 19:35:44 GMT
Voting with your feet is the only thing that will ever have any effect. Hit them in the pockets, they'll take notice. I totally agree with this, except people won't do it, maybe a hand full will, but most won't, they still want their hockey fix, it's a catch 22 unfortunately, then certain fans get labelled as troublemakers by the club, and are then out on a limb. A big club like yours would need quite a few hundred to make any impact, that's a tall order when most people talk the talk, but don't walk the walk. We in Cardiff know extremely well about Mis- Managment, and troubled times, so we can easily sympathise with you guys. We did it once last season for the boycotted Braehead cup game. The crowd that night was only around 1500 which is probably half the second worst Panthers crowd I can ever remember in the EIHL era. They need to be careful !
|
|
Yotes
Forum Admin
Posts: 16,405
Member is Online
|
Post by Yotes on Aug 18, 2016 19:40:16 GMT
We did it once last season for the boycotted Braehead cup game. We?!
|
|
iginla
Chick Zamick
Posts: 13,422
|
Post by iginla on Aug 18, 2016 19:52:42 GMT
We did it once last season for the boycotted Braehead cup game. We?! Yes WE did Yotes. I scrounged a free ticket. So i went in for a look see and a laugh at GMs expense......then went to the pub for the rest of the evening ! Lol
|
|
dp
Jim Keyes
Posts: 966
|
Post by dp on Aug 18, 2016 20:47:04 GMT
Problem at panthers is that change always appears to be reactive rather than pro active and generally when ticket sales are threatened. If your primary focus is perceived as generating cash rather than the raison d'etre i.e. to win hockey games then there will always be conflict with imho more enlightened (and most probably older) fans. After awhile of seeing the same thing and hearing the same old rhetoric fans can become cynical, apathetic or just plain stay away. In Pantherland the management have been extremely lucky in that old cynical fans who have died away from the sport have been replaced a lot of the time in greater numbers with newer keener less knowledgable fans who are imho more prepared to be taken for what I see as a ride and used as wallets to tap into whenever the club want. As an example this warm up game on Saturday I, as a fan, remember when a league game was less than a fiver, this game will likely cost me in excess of 15 quid for what will be no more than a training game with a good proportion of the players I pay my money to watch being missing. A lot of fans I remember going to away games with when I was that keen fan I don't see at the arena anymore so I guess they have already voted with their feet, until such time as the new fans are < fans leaving then I suspect nothing will change. It seems imho that the only time management make changes in Nottingham is when there is a danger of the club losing out in some money, until the priority is winning on the ice then the focus will not please a lot of the fans. I think this is the problem. I've stopped going over the last couple of seasons and pretty much lost interest after 12 years of season tickets and away games. I still come on here, I still follow the games on Twitter and the website, but I hardly ever go anymore. Basically because I'm absolutely fed up of the same rubbish season after season - the same boring articles, same boring music on game night, the players turning up late every season, recruiting a cheaper team than our rivals despite having more money and then just beefing up after Christmas for the play offs and CC when we're out the league race, disorganised shirt launches etc etc. I just feel really sorry for this new marketing chap because he's got an impossible job on. GM has always been very clear that "we've thought of every good idea, and if we've not done something it's because it's not a very good idea". What a great environment for a young graduate to work in! "Don't try and do anything different or new, because if it's something we've not already done then that's because it's a rubbish idea"
|
|
Yotes
Forum Admin
Posts: 16,405
Member is Online
|
Post by Yotes on Aug 18, 2016 22:43:36 GMT
We?! Yes WE did Yotes. I scrounged a free ticket. So i went in for a look see and a laugh at GMs expense......then went to the pub for the rest of the evening ! Lol You can't go to a boycott Iggy, I don't make the rules. You'll have to live with that, forever. I just couldn't be arsed and I boycotted better than you.
|
|
iginla
Chick Zamick
Posts: 13,422
|
Post by iginla on Aug 18, 2016 23:10:16 GMT
Yes WE did Yotes. I scrounged a free ticket. So i went in for a look see and a laugh at GMs expense......then went to the pub for the rest of the evening ! Lol You can't go to a boycott Iggy, I don't make the rules. You'll have to live with that, forever. I just couldn't be arsed and I boycotted better than you. Ah but i got to see Gary Morans glum face looking forlornly around a near empty arena wondering where his adoring fans were.....and it didn't cost me any ticket money. It was worth it !
|
|
|
Post by pantherdman on Aug 19, 2016 5:48:14 GMT
I can't commit to every game if the club can't. Going into another season short benched. Cams replacement will probably arrive at Christmas.
If I remember correctly we won the league shortly after that fan letter to Neil black?
|
|
|
Post by Rob Scott on Aug 19, 2016 8:33:20 GMT
Ok, so, this thread has turned into a bit of a list of the things fans don't like about the club and the reasons they have lost interest/ stopped going. A pretty sad state of affairs.
Lets have some ideas about what practical differences we, a disgruntled fanbase could make. Even if it's a rubbish idea lets have it!
|
|
Ghost
Matt Myers
Posts: 1,698
|
Post by Ghost on Aug 19, 2016 9:09:59 GMT
Ok, so, this thread has turned into a bit of a list of the things fans don't like about the club and the reasons they have lost interest/ stopped going. A pretty sad state of affairs. Lets have some ideas about what practical differences we, a disgruntled fanbase could make. Even if it's a rubbish idea lets have it! How about a handout of flowers after the game.
|
|
|
Post by fishman on Aug 19, 2016 9:18:52 GMT
have whip round place a ad in the Nottingham post, something like, Calling all Panthers fans are you unhappy about the way the club treats its fans!!!!!!!
|
|
|
Post by Rob Scott on Aug 19, 2016 9:31:52 GMT
Ok, so, this thread has turned into a bit of a list of the things fans don't like about the club and the reasons they have lost interest/ stopped going. A pretty sad state of affairs. Lets have some ideas about what practical differences we, a disgruntled fanbase could make. Even if it's a rubbish idea lets have it! How about a handout of flowers after the game. Not really what I was thinking and I reckon they have that covered already...
|
|
|
Post by Rob Scott on Aug 19, 2016 9:32:33 GMT
have whip round place a ad in the Nottingham post, something like, Calling all Panthers fans are you unhappy about the way the club treats its fans!!!!!!! Cheers for the reply but again having an indirect dig at them probably won't make much of a difference. Keep em coming....
|
|
iginla
Chick Zamick
Posts: 13,422
|
Post by iginla on Aug 19, 2016 9:43:10 GMT
Recommend to the fans that we don't buy shirts. Publish Neil Blacks email number and we can email him direct to cut out Moran. Request a question and answer session with Mr Black after a game and no pre ordered questions ! Pick another boycott game. Organise an online petition. A stand up for Mike Ellis type of chant again. A few choice banners during a game. A fan protest in Bolero square. Or simply vote with you feet.
|
|
|
Post by Rob Scott on Aug 19, 2016 9:46:15 GMT
Recommend to the fans that we don't buy shirts. Publish Neil Blacks email number and we can email him direct to cut out Moran. Request a question and answer session with Mr Black after a game and no pre ordered questions ! Pick another boycott game. Organise an online petition. A stand up for Mike Ellis type of chant again. A few choice banners during a game. A fan protest in Bolero square. Or simply vote with you feet. Thanks Iggy, Some of those look like they would be worth consideration. I don't personally want to damage the club in any way. I don't have any personal vendetta towards Black or Moran. I just want the club to try 100% to win. Surely that's the point of a sports team and all that any fan wants.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2016 10:10:52 GMT
We could look at doing a podcast special with fans on both sides of the debate. It would be nice if we could get someone from the club as well but that's unlikely.
|
|