Craig Fowlers article

[Ozyhibby]

Good bit of writing by Craig Fowler in the Scotsman

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/competitions/premiership/scottish-football-learned-nothing-from-barry-hearn-1-3949710



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[Billychaotic182]

I really like Craig Fowler. Yes he is a hearts fan but he gets football

Can't recommend the terrice podcast enough to people

[jacomo]

Neil Doncaster's likely insightful response:

'Er, we look forward to engaging with our partners and stakeholders going forward.'

Thanks Neil, you flat top bell end.

[NAE NOOKIE]

I don't have the vocabulary to adequately express how much I agree with that article :aok:

One of the points Batty Hearn made that the article repeats here is one I have banged on about for years. You don't have to have the best talent so long as the talent on show is relatively equal.

In the Premiership at the moment outside of Celtic no team is guaranteed a win in any game they play and it means that teams can put on enjoyable and entertaining games. Look at the games we have played against Aberdeen, Dundee Utd and the Zombies ... They were enjoyable for us because we won and played well, but I'm willing to bet a neutral would have enjoyed them too.

As the article says: We pay far too much attention to what happens elsewhere and not enough to making the most of what we have, which could be really good if it was handled right. The point the reporter makes about managers and players still saying 'the SPL' and not the Ladbrokes Premiership is a good one. We beg these people to sponsor our game and then fail to acknowledge them .... every club should have it made clear to them that the sponsor should be plugged loudly and often.

Oh to have a Barry Hearn running our game.

[Smartie]

Yep, a wonderful article and I too agree with every word.

That Barry Hearn speech should have been a pivotal moment for Scottish football, when we stop thinking one way and start thinking another.

That has only been re-emphasised by Roger Mitchell's nonsensical mutterings this week.

It would be great if we could have someone like the chap who write that article in charge of promoting our game - someone positive who actually believes in it, working towards a more positive future for our game.

Instead we're stuck with our incompetent imbeciles and the future of our game seems to be centred on squabbling about whether or not past titles should be stripped or not.

[Ozyhibby]

I don't have the vocabulary to adequately express how much I agree with that article :aok:

One of the points Batty Hearn made that the article repeats here is one I have banged on about for years. You don't have to have the best talent so long as the talent on show is relatively equal.

In the Premiership at the moment outside of Celtic no team is guaranteed a win in any game they play and it means that teams can put on enjoyable and entertaining games. Look at the games we have played against Aberdeen, Dundee Utd and the Zombies ... They were enjoyable for us because we won and played well, but I'm willing to bet a neutral would have enjoyed them too.

As the article says: We pay far too much attention to what happens elsewhere and not enough to making the most of what we have, which could be really good if it was handled right. The point the reporter makes about managers and players still saying 'the SPL' and not the Ladbrokes Premiership is a good one. We beg these people to sponsor our game and then fail to acknowledge them .... every club should have it made clear to them that the sponsor should be plugged loudly and often.

Oh to have a Barry Hearn running our game.

Exactly. I bet Barry Hearn could sell indoor bowls from Coatbridge and get more money than Doncaster brings in.
Obviously we have to get promoted first but when we do, I think it's time the fans started to engage with the club about how we see the game being run in the future. With our shareholding growing each month, our two reps on the board and a new board member to be appointed when HSL get to 20%, it's time the fans took a bit more control in the overall direction of the game up here.
The yams will be in the same position when they eventually get round to paying back (that will be new for them) budge.


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[Hibby Bairn]

I was at Hampden when Hearn was speaking. I agreed with almost every word he said.

His stance was football is now an entertainment product and needs to be sold as such. Make it look and feel exciting and that makes it more appealing to people to come and watch and also for broadcasters. That wasn't necessarily the product on the pitch.

Things like half empty stands, atmosphere, noise etc were crucial. The darts on TV would look and feel crap if the hall was half full and no atmosphere.

Choosing Tynie for example for the semi final makes the product look and feel good as it will be full with lots of noise. That can make a crap game seem good. The half season pricing structure is not a good example on the other hand as it will not help fill the stands.

[CallumLaidlaw]

Can't disagree with any of that. We just don't seem to learn from any of our mistakes. Fowler is a good writer, and I also enjoy listening to The Terrace along with Monday Night Fitba'

[PatHead]

I was at Hampden when Hearn was speaking. I agreed with almost every word he said.

His stance was football is now an entertainment product and needs to be sold as such. Make it look and feel exciting and that makes it more appealing to people to come and watch and also for broadcasters. That wasn't necessarily the product on the pitch.

Things like half empty stands, atmosphere, noise etc were crucial. The darts on TV would look and feel crap if the hall was half full and no atmosphere.

Choosing Tynie for example for the semi final makes the product look and feel good as it will be full with lots of noise. That can make a crap game seem good. The half season pricing structure is not a good example on the other hand as it will not help fill the stands.

Thanks BBC.

The thing is the live game is at Hampden which will be half empty. The benefits of a full house at Tynecastle will be totally lost on the majority of potential sponsors and wider public.

[Hibby Bairn]

Thanks BBC.

The thing is the live game is at Hampden which will be half empty. The benefits of a full house at Tynecastle will be totally lost on the majority of potential sponsors and wider public.

That is exactly what Hearn would have negotiated. The Tynie game. Alongside a number of other matches geared towards full houses, atmosphere etc. Alas SPFL not of same thinking.

[Smartie]

That is exactly what Hearn would have negotiated. The Tynie game. Alongside a number of other matches geared towards full houses, atmosphere etc. Alas SPFL not of same thinking.

:agree:

Whilst I think it is important for Scottish football to get away from "competing" with the EPL, I think there is an awful lot we can learn from them.

Some of the English games I've seen this season (most of them tbh) were garbage. Most of the Scottish games have been good. They are very good at talking their game up down there though and making it seem better than it is.

I sometimes wonder if it is a Scottish thing - we don't like blowing our own trumpet, we laugh at those who over-hype themselves instead of realising that we need to do it more ourselves.

Broadcasting the Tynecastle semi, and doing everything to build it up would have been an exercise in building the demand for Scottish football and might just have been successful.

Instead we cater for the diminishing demand that is already there, i.e. the Celtic support nationwide. And we have already established that it is not enough.

[Hibby Bairn]

I remember when Hearn was talking about darts, snooker and fishing he worked WITH the broadcasters to BUILD the product and they GREW it TOGETHER. Result was increased spectators, viewers, sponsors etc and because it looked good MORE people wanted to go or watch.