No more programme sellers

[Chez]

I'll ask him at the 'Dinner with Cortese' evening that I'm attending next Tuesday

 

Are you being serious about the dinner invite? I would hope top of your list of questions would be about the loan.

[Crazy Diamond]

Sorry but I just can't get misty eyed about programme sellers. I think it's a nasty way of doing business, getting rid of people with no notice and two days before a game, but I'm not going to lose sleep over no one yelling "PROGRAMMES!" before each match.

 

As far as 'losing our heritage' goes, it's not quite up there with making our ex-players and managers feel unwelcome or even persona non grata, to my mind.

[Toomer]

I'll ask him at the 'Dinner with Cortese' evening that I'm attending next Tuesday

And remind him that Southampton FC was around long before he arrived, I along with thousands of others don't like the way he has tried to get rid of our history.

[St Marco]

I find news like this so disappointing. I'm not old enough to harp back to 'the good old days' but have always enjoyed the authenticity of what is at its roots a working class game. All this **** about replacing programmes with digital versions (if that's what it is) just completely takes the soul out of football. It's not supposed to be a well-refined, efficient day out. Stopping by the programme seller on the way in is part of the experience. This digital, social-media obsessed age is really starting to leave me more and more bewildered by society these days. And I'm only 21.

 

Its evolution. It happens to every format. We went from records to tapes to CDs to MP3s and now to digital streaming. If you put programmes into that definition they would be in the tapes section.

I'm sure on here we have a lot of people who love to read and have moved from physical books to using a kindle. Others who have gone from buying the times or other papers and reading them on their phones or tablets. When you catch the train in the morning nearly everyone is using some kind of media device.

 

Having a digital copy still has the same effect as a physical one. The pages are the same, the content is the same. The difference is space and portability. Having 5000 digital programmes won't take up any space in your house and you can take them wherever you go. Look at this forum, I'm sure a lot no longer browse it at a PC.

Not all changes are bad. With digital programmes you can read when you want, don't have to be at the game to get it, be a fraction of the price etc.

 

Me personally I'm all for evolution.

[Sour Mash]

Its evolution. It happens to every format. We went from records to tapes to CDs to MP3s and now to digital streaming. If you put programmes into that definition they would be in the tapes section.

I'm sure on here we have a lot of people who love to read and have moved from physical books to using a kindle. Others who have gone from buying the times or other papers and reading them on their phones or tablets. When you catch the train in the morning nearly everyone is using some kind of media device.

 

Having a digital copy still has the same effect as a physical one. The pages are the same, the content is the same. The difference is space and portability. Having 5000 digital programmes won't take up any space in your house and you can take them wherever you go. Look at this forum, I'm sure a lot no longer browse it at a PC.

Not all changes are bad. With digital programmes you can read when you want, don't have to be at the game to get it, be a fraction of the price etc.

 

Me personally I'm all for evolution.

While what a lot of what you say is true, in the majority of those cases consumers still had a choice between more than one format. Most of the pople I know that buy and read programmes are over 60 years old, they don't do smart phones of tablets and just want to buy a programme at the match like they've done for the last 40 years.

[Bourno]

I subscribed to the digital programme last year, but it is not available this season. Shame because the pdf was easy to email.

[Victor]

Where is Dad going to buy his program from then?

 

PC World?

[OldNick]

I have not bought a programme since the contract was given to a skate printing company, Bishops Printers, Walton Road Farlington.

yep they who laugh off massive losses wit bad debt from the Skates. They must factor in these losses on pricing for our programmes.

I dislike the thought of the loyal programme sellers not having the job anymore, but the programmes nowadays have no soul.

[rooney]

Pure marketing, thats all. The Club want to get supporters into the Megastore and they may buy some merchandise as well as a programme.

[St Marco]

While what a lot of what you say is true, in the majority of those cases consumers still had a choice between more than one format. Most of the pople I know that buy and read programmes are over 60 years old, they don't do smart phones of tablets and just want to buy a programme at the match like they've done for the last 40 years.

 

It won't be for everyone and for every 60 year old stuck in their ways will be a 60 year old who embraces the change. In fact of the 72% of the nation who use a smart type device 20% are over 65. http://www.thedataoctopus.co.uk/sector-review-smartphones-and-tablets/newsletter/

 

That will increase as we get older. The generation of people who don't understand computers or want to is almost gone.

[paris]

We're all doomed !!!!

[Sour Mash]

It won't be for everyone and for every 60 year old stuck in their ways will be a 60 year old who embraces the change. In fact of the 72% of the nation who use a smart type device 20% are over 65. http://www.thedataoctopus.co.uk/sector-review-smartphones-and-tablets/newsletter/

 

That will increase as we get older. The generation of people who don't understand computers or want to is almost gone.

Of course things evolve. But to suggest that generation as "gone" is rubbish, still plenty of people of all generations still choose to read papers, books etc in a traditional way. Do we know if this is even true? Would have thought the club would have announced something in advance if it was the case.

[JRM]

i am most concerned about what this means for the programme shop in the chapel stand.

 

for many years as a young chap i'd regularly visit their shop in the Milton Road stand at The Dell and buy that days programme, plus often a couple of old ones or a bundle. was lucky enough to get many of the old saints European programmes from there.

 

i went into the Chapel stand a couple of times last year and paid a visit to their stand, still had a cracking selection of old ones. A great reminder of a time before all this Premier League commercial b0llocks.

 

AGAINST MODERN FOOTBALL

[derry]

I contributed to the online programme last year, downloaded it once and thought it was an unimaginative load of rubbish with a list of squad numbers and names that mean nothing at the back. There was a day when the programmes gave the teams, that was the real reason for a programme. Now it is meaningless. It is easy to get the squad numbers on the official sites and pretty much see what the opponents team will be. In any event now we are in the Premier because of TV exposure opponents are mostly recognisable. I think I've only bought one programme in the last six years and that was for somebody who had a kids birthday/photo in it.

 

I don't see many people with programmes nowadays, do others see many?

[JRM]

I contributed to the online programme last year, downloaded it once and thought it was an unimaginative load of rubbish with a list of squad numbers and names that mean nothing at the back. There was a day when the programmes gave the teams, that was the real reason for a programme. Now it is meaningless. It is easy to get the squad numbers on the official sites and pretty much see what the opponents team will be. In any event now we are in the Premier because of TV exposure opponents are mostly recognisable. I think I've only bought one programme in the last six years and that was for somebody who had a kids birthday/photo in it.

 

I don't see many people with programmes nowadays, do others see many?

 

yes, especially on the train home, so perhaps people who have a journey to make are more likely to.

[LeBenali]

If they stop doing programmes in the near future will that mean they stop doing the competition where you have to jump up and down to 'Jump Around' whilst waving your programme in the air? RIP to that compo if so

[Dig Dig]

Just another tradition wiped from our history you will all be paying 20p to have a **** at SMS next.

 

I think it's more of a tradition to do everything you can to avoid having a **** at SMS

[Toomer]

i am most concerned about what this means for the programme shop in the chapel stand.

 

for many years as a young chap i'd regularly visit their shop in the Milton Road stand at The Dell and buy that days programme, plus often a couple of old ones or a bundle. was lucky enough to get many of the old saints European programmes from there.

 

i went into the Chapel stand a couple of times last year and paid a visit to their stand, still had a cracking selection of old ones. A great reminder of a time before all this Premier League commercial b0llocks.

 

AGAINST MODERN FOOTBALL

 

In time NC will get rid of Andrew and his wife another part of the clubs fabric and history gone.

[Gambol2K9]

They won't get rid of physical programmes completely, they've had them completely redesigned for this season. Wouldn't make much sense.

[trousers]

Are you being serious about the dinner invite? I would hope top of your list of questions would be about the loan.

 

Sorry...sadly not....just a feeble attempt at humour on an internet football forum....(these attempts usually end in failure!)

[doddisalegend]

I always buy a programme on matchdays my son likes to collect them and it gives me something to read at halftime and on the train home. I don't own a smart phone or a tablet plus a collectoin of PDFs doesn't sound the same. Still the face of modern football I suppose.......

[derry]

It won't be for everyone and for every 60 year old stuck in their ways will be a 60 year old who embraces the change. In fact of the 72% of the nation who use a smart type device 20% are over 65. http://www.thedataoctopus.co.uk/sector-review-smartphones-and-tablets/newsletter/

 

That will increase as we get older. The generation of people who don't understand computers or want to is almost gone.

 

I'm 70, as well as books I use a kindle, I've read 57 e books since purchase and have another 68 in the Kindle to read. I use an iphone and link it to the Kindle site with an app as another Kindle. My car is full of computerised modes. Not bothered by MP3 but my wife uses iphone, MP3, laptop online etc. Age means nothing nowadays, I'm thinking of getting an ipad but I don't really need one. I suppose flying computerised aircraft from the eighties onwards helped, including the technical courses and simulator checks.

[beatlesaint]

They won't get rid of physical programmes completely, they've had them completely redesigned for this season. Wouldn't make much sense.

 

Exactly, and they have a contract with the printing company so they aren't going to tear that up after a few weeks.

As usual people are jumping the gun, lets just see what they have come up with.

Persoanlly I dont see the point of getting rid of programme sellers but hey I dont run the club !

[stevegrant]

Anyone have any idea what the "unique" way supporters can buy a matchday programme is going to be?

 

Telepathy, perhaps?

[Sour Mash]

Anyone have any idea what the "unique" way supporters can buy a matchday programme is going to be?

 

Telepathy, perhaps?

Tattooed onto your arm to read at your leisure?

[doddisalegend]

Anyone have any idea what the "unique" way supporters can buy a matchday programme is going to be?

 

Telepathy, perhaps?

 

Maybe they've found a use for our out of favour players? Why buy a programme from some guy you don't know when you can buy a programme from Ryan Dickison, SDR or an injuried Lee Barnard after all Kelvin needs something to do on match days now.

Edited 5 October, 2012 by doddisalegend

[Huffton]

Can anyone recommend a decent fletcher in the area? I need my fletchings replaced. Cheers

 

 

?

[Dimond Geezer]

Personally I'm not too bothered where I get my programme from, but if the club have gone about dumping the sellers in the manner described then that is pretty low. I like to collect the progs & have one for every match I've been too, if I have to go to the Magastore for one I'll be sure to pay on my SFC credit card, thus earning myself a 10% discount.

 

The timing of this is a bit awkward for me, as due to the ridiculous ko time on Sunday myself and oldest son will be arriving late due to his rugby match, but youngest son is being dropped off by mum to make his own way into the stadium. As he'll be arriving in good time, he is on programme purchasing duties, he will also be featured in this one, so it's doubly important he knows where to get one from.

[JRM]

Anyone have any idea what the "unique" way supporters can buy a matchday programme is going to be?

 

Telepathy, perhaps?

 

more importantly..................................................... will it be available in Japanese?

[Dimond Geezer]

Anyone have any idea what the "unique" way supporters can buy a matchday programme is going to be?

 

Telepathy, perhaps?

 

Possibly printed on the back of one of those 3quid posters.

[stevegrant]

Just thinking about how they might go about selling programmes now, I expect they'll just sell them from the catering outlets in the concourses.

 

Naturally that'll make it really easy for people to buy because there are never any ridiculous queues there

[Whitey Grandad]

Digital programmes are all very well but how are you going to get the players to sign your Iphone?

[jasoneuelllfanclub]

people on here need to get a grip. if there is a better and more economical way to supply matchday programmes then it makes perfect sense to me.

 

we live in a digital world with amazing technology at our disposal so only natural the club want to make use of this moving forward.

 

that said, wish they applied that to the website and online shop. truly terrible experience.

[Wurzel]

Wife went to Harry Potter World, you could order guide book and/or audio tour etc when purchasing your ticket online and it was handed to them as they arrived. So maybe they've found a way to pay up front and it's logged against your ticket and handed over as you pass through the turnstile. Would also save on print over-runs as they'll know in advance roughly how many required.

[kpturner]

Programmes are for nerds with too much space at home.

[stevegrant]

people on here need to get a grip. if there is a better and more economical way to supply matchday programmes then it makes perfect sense to me.

 

we live in a digital world with amazing technology at our disposal so only natural the club want to make use of this moving forward.

I'm not sure that's the way they're looking at it - they've already dropped the online programme idea because it didn't get anywhere near as many subscribers as they were expecting, and it was easy enough for one person to subscribe and redistribute to his/her mates.

[Hatch]

[once_bitterne]

 

Like that would ever work in the UK. It would involve people behaving like sensible adults as when you open the door up you have access to the entire pile of newspapers. In the UK that would mean they would all be nicked within the first 10 minutes or just scattered to all four corners of the wind.

[Tokyo-Saint]

When I was young, I used to work at the Dell selling raffle tickets for £1. I got 10% of anything I sold (sometimes up to 12 tickets) and into the game for free, standing in the crap bit between the West stand and the Milton Road stand.

 

Then one day I arrived at 1pm on the match day as usual and was told that the club wasn't selling the tickets any more. No phone call, no notice, nothing. I was left high and dry and in those days, I didn't even have a Cortese to blame.

 

Anyway, after a couple of years I got over it and went on to live an almost full life.

 

I hope the programme sellers find this story inspirational in their hour of darkness.

[The9]

It won't be for everyone and for every 60 year old stuck in their ways will be a 60 year old who embraces the change. In fact of the 72% of the nation who use a smart type device 20% are over 65. http://www.thedataoctopus.co.uk/sector-review-smartphones-and-tablets/newsletter/

 

That will increase as we get older. The generation of people who don't understand computers or want to is almost gone.

 

This is true, but it doesn't change the fact that we stopped offering an online subscription to the programme last season, which would suggest that either the demand or technology wasn't there yet.

 

Until we know what the plan is I'm not going to be critical, but I can say for a fact the only reason I bought a programme at Everton was because they were easily available all around the ground hours before kick off - there is a reason why established clubs do it that way - and I can't imagine cutting corners on something that costs all of 2% of the cost to sell is going to make more money than just carrying on how it is.

 

The vast majority of people who would embrace online delivery of books/magazines are in most cases the people who won't buy a programme anyway, either because they have other things to do at half-time on their phones, because they've not ever felt the need to buy a programme anyway, or because the online version of the programme is not the tangible piece of one-off memorabilia that the programme itself is.

[Legod Third Coming]

First, I don't much mind either way how I buy my programme, but a quick thought for some people on here:

 

To have no respect for anyone in any form of paid work (however menial you consider it to be) who is let go with no notice and at no fault marks you out as a grade 1, class A, C U N T.

 

And that is a word I use extremely rarely and only with a deal of thought. So well done.

[The9]

However, if they've got bikini models with massive cannons firing them at people, I may be in favour.

 

This point brought to you by the Balance Council.

[Hatch]

having not bought a programme for about 25 years, could someone let me know what is in todays programmes?

 

What percentage is adverts?

[maysie]

Like that would ever work in the UK. It would involve people behaving like sensible adults as when you open the door up you have access to the entire pile of newspapers. In the UK that would mean they would all be nicked within the first 10 minutes or just scattered to all four corners of the wind.

 

As opposed to the US where there is no crime.

[Colinjb]

having not bought a programme for about 25 years, could someone let me know what is in todays programmes?

 

What percentage is adverts?

 

They are full of match reports, interviews with players, looks at the opposition. Some special features (e.g. past games etc.) Looks at the reserves, u19's, u17's etc. Also include the obligatory statistics, appearances etc. A fair few adverts but it's a well produced magazine. It frustrated the father a fair bit last year that they would sell out usually about 20 minutes before kick off.

 

They are still interesting, but as is the nature now, a good amount of the data in them can be obtained on the interwebs.

[Faz]

...

Edited 5 October, 2012 by Faz
Forgot to quote

[The9]

Um, so, the OS has updated.

 

Programme Sellers map : http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/documents/sfc-stadium-plan-with-crosses148-409790.pdf

 

"This includes all stadium catering outlets before the game and at half time as well as in the megastore before and after the game, as well as roaming sellers."

 

Not sure this isn't a good move. Would have preferred the bikini cannons though.

[Faz]

Digital programmes are all very well but how are you going to get the players to sign your Iphone?

 

There is definitely an App for that!

[KelvinsRightGlove]

Cortese out, Lowe in

[The9]

As opposed to the US where there is no crime.

 

They also manage to pass money along a line to a vendor in the aisle inside their stadiums without expecting it to "go missing", whilst Brits have something approaching paranoia about this.