Hibs to stop producing match day programmes

[Perfect Hatrick]

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The reason for that is probably because this season the only way you could buy a programme was either directly from the printers or from a programme dealer as no printed programmes were on sale outside ER on match days.

Given Hibs have not taken in any money at the closed food kiosks this season I assume they’ll not be re-opening them as they’re not making any money?

It was the case before COVID as well from what I’ve witnessed. The last time I remember seeing a queue for programs was on the way out of Hampden after winning the cup and it was probably quite telling that it was after the game when we’d actually won the cup.

[Brightside]

TBH the electronic version itself has been very poor. Very little point in programmes now when all information is available up to the minute digitally.

[easty]

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Given Hibs have not taken in any money at the closed food kiosks this season I assume they’ll not be re-opening them as they’re not making any money?

That’s not a good comparison.

[90274]

This news is no surprise to me and a sign of the times.

Is there not an opportunity for someone on this forum or this forum its self to take the lead and produce a fan led programme/fanzine 4-6 pages using the functionality of the site and publishing tools that are now available in line with other fan led output such as the podcasts that are available. Reckon someone clever enough could produce something pretty cool and create a programme style template pretty easily. Just a thought.

[90274]

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TBH the electronic version itself has been very poor. Very little point in programmes now when all information is available up to the minute digitally.

If someone was able to collate all the digital content together such as the previous game, interviews, press conferences ahead of the next game and teamsheet posts from the club in a blog style, an unofficial programme could be produced pretty easily and would be popular IMO.

[Pagan Hibernia]

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Yeap. It’s sad but they are no longer economically or environmentally sustainable. We just have to move on.

I’m actually very surprised that Hibs missed a trick and didn’t mention environmental concerns as even part of their reasoning in their communication about discontinuing the programme, rather than just flat out economics. Normally they can’t wait to push the ‘greenest club in Scotland’ stuff and it might have softened the blow for some.

[Yorkshire HFC]

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This news is no surprise to me and a sign of the times.

Is there not an opportunity for someone on this forum or this forum its self to take the lead and produce a fan led programme/fanzine 4-6 pages using the functionality of the site and publishing tools that are now available in line with other fan led output such as the podcasts that are available. Reckon someone clever enough could produce something pretty cool and create a programme style template pretty easily. Just a thought.

Please no - it would just be 4 - 6 pages of slagging off every player, Hearts and the Old Firm, together with a poll after every defeat on whether the manager should be sacked!

This website has enough negativity - please don't suggest spreading it even further!

[Sir David Gray]

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Find this all a bit of a shame, even though other than big league games or cup ties I don’t buy them any more. I really don’t like everything going digital - I’ll always have a paper copy of a ticket for say a gig, same as I’ll use my season ticket card instead of the qr code mobile version. Unfortunately it’s just the way the modern age is.

I must have over a thousand from everywhere up my mums attic, a fair few older ones from the 50s and 60s, most from way back to when my dad started going home and away in the late 70s until I became drinking age at the game about 2007 stopped buying them. Also got lots of random ones from over the years that have been given to me, loads of obscure England national team ones for instance as a guy my dad worked with followed them home and away and he’d give them to me, I used to love reading them and I still enjoy going through them now and again. It’s quite sad but I suppose understandable and I can’t really even grumble as like I said I no longer buy them. Hopefully the still produce them for derbies and Scottish cup ties.

I’m sure they could produce something less substantial and glossy and in much smaller numbers. Unless I’m tripping there was a very basic Hibs programme in circulation for a bit maybe 15 years ago that cost a quid or so before reverting back to the thicker ones full of adverts. They were genuine Hibs programmes and not a fanzine.

I'm the same with physical copies of tickets etc. I've no interest in keeping a digital copy of a match programme or a ticket as a souvenir.

It is inevitable but I really don't like this new way where every single thing is online instead of having things that you can actually keep.

[CropleyWasGod]

Slightly off-topic, but I have just received an email inviting me to advertise in the "Heart's" programme.

The Hibby in me has had to defer to the Grammar Nazi in me.

[Sir David Gray]

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While the club are being praised for reaching out on more forms of Social Media to a specific target group, I think they'll have to accept criticism that they're abandoning another target group.

Yep agree.

I've seen it mentioned on here and elsewhere how it will mainly be the older generation and people who collect them as a hobby who continue to buy programmes these days and point out how Hibs are now present on every social media platform - 95,000 followers on Twitter, over 83,500 followers on Facebook etc.

That's all great but the majority of these followers aren't people who actually ever attend Easter Road. As much as I can understand that this move is inevitable I do think it's a shame that those people who attend Easter Road every week but who don't own any social media accounts have lost out on possibly their one source of direct information from the club.

I appreciate these people I've just described are in the vast minority these days and are probably becoming even more of a minority with every passing day but they do still exist. Although I have Facebook and Twitter accounts, I am not a massive user of either of them and I have no intentions of getting Instagram or TikTok and that's me speaking as someone in my 30s.

This is all very predictable and I've no doubt things are only going to head in this one direction but much like how I explained to a shop assistant last week when I was told I could only get my receipt via email instead of a paper copy, I do fear that moves like this are only going to intensify the marginalisation of older people which is a real shame.

[scoopyboy]

A sad day for me.

When I started going with my dad in the late 60s buying the programme was every bit as big as going to the match for me, one without the other was unthinkable.

I've collected programmes from the day I ever got my first one and I'm honestly struggling to take it in that Hibs just won't do them anymore, just doesn't seem right.

I think the writing has been on the wall for a while and it doesn't come as a great surprise to me. FWIW I think Hibs have been reducing the quality of the programme for a fair period of time now, possibly with an eye to making this decision.

My laddie isn't interested in programmes, newspapers or books and I reckon it's a generation thing.

I'm all for moving with the times but I don't like this one.

[Bobo]

If the club had any true interest or concern about reaching the correct decision for the benefit of the whole of the fan base, instead of alienating part of it, then they would have previously canvassed for everyone's opinion on the matter.

They could have looked at offering a seasonal subscription to those interested in obtaining matchday programmes by offering a sign up service during each close season to gauge the numbers required and determine printing/ distribution costs before passing them on to the subscribers. It wouldn't cost anything extra to add a check box to season ticket application forms for those who wanted to avail themselves of the service..... or am I being too simplistic?

[BILLYHIBS]

How did it come to this?

Almost £30 to get in

Nae chips ( West Stand Upper )

Nae hot running water

Nae Programme now

Apart from the Big Screens what did Ron Gordon ever do for us ?

[500miles]

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My laddie isn't interested in programmes, newspapers or books and I reckon it's a generation thing.

Agree with this. I think with the moves to podcast, hibs tv and online content, the programme would be little more than a digest of that and low earning adverts.

Print media has been on the way out in every other way for a while now.

[Since452]

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Please no - it would just be 4 - 6 pages of slagging off every player, Hearts and the Old Firm, together with a poll after every defeat on whether the manager should be sacked!

This website has enough negativity - please don't suggest spreading it even further!

[CMurdoch]

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Slightly off-topic, but I have just received an email inviting me to advertise in the "Heart's" programme.

The Hibby in me has had to defer to the Grammar Nazi in me.

I think what you have there is a wee wummin' employed by Hearts who is not into fitba sending an email to you.

[andrew70]

Just a quick one would anyone be up for approaching Hibs to do a smaller programme fan led. 8,10,12 etc pages full of Hibs content and opposing team information.

I’d be more than willing to contribute as long as it hit break even. I can’t afford to lose any money.

I previously wrote looking back accounts and visitors section in years gone by and I am gutted this has happened.

I know Maurice done a good 4 page one for the 20s.

Is it possible we can continue this in some shape or form.

[Iggy Pope]

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Just a quick one would anyone be up for approaching Hibs to do a smaller programme fan led. 8,10,12 etc pages full of Hibs content and opposing team information.

I’d be more than willing to contribute as long as it hit break even. I can’t afford to lose any money.

I previously wrote looking back accounts and visitors section in years gone by and I am gutted this has happened.

I know Maurice done a good 4 page one for the 20s.

Is it possible we can continue this in some shape or form.

Count me in.

[St.Kristopher]

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I’m very surprised that Hibs missed a trick and didn’t mention environmental concerns as even part of their reasoning in their communication about discontinuing the programme, rather than just flat out economics. Normally they can’t wait to push the ‘greenest club in Scotland’ stuff and it might have softened the blow for some.

They announced months, maybe even a year ago, that programs would be paperless due to our green ambitions. The news this week is that not enough people were reading the online programs, so they are going to communicate in other ways.

If people haven't noticed now that we have not been producing printed programs until now; I doubt they were buying them when they were available.

[bigwheel]

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They announced months, maybe even a year ago, that programs would be paperless due to our green ambitions. The news this week is that not enough people were reading the online programs, so they are going to communicate in other ways.

If people haven't noticed now that we have not been producing printed programs until now; I doubt they were buying them when they were available.

Nah. You’re wrong, there was a subscription service to get every Home match day programme delivered to your home…via Curtis sports


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[Sir David Gray]

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They announced months, maybe even a year ago, that programs would be paperless due to our green ambitions. The news this week is that not enough people were reading the online programs, so they are going to communicate in other ways.

If people haven't noticed now that we have not been producing printed programs until now; I doubt they were buying them when they were available.

As far as I'm aware physical programmes were available to buy up until the league shut down in March 2020.

We then weren't able to attend any matches for 16 months so it would have been a bit pointless selling physical programmes during that time.

It's really only been in the last 3 months that physical programmes could have been sold again.

I first noticed that programmes were probably on the way out a few weeks ago when I was at hospitality and there was no programme waiting for me at my table despite the website saying a free programme was part of the hospitality package - which it still does even now.

[Iggy Pope]

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They announced months, maybe even a year ago, that programs would be paperless due to our green ambitions. The news this week is that not enough people were reading the online programs, so they are going to communicate in other ways.

If people haven't noticed now that we have not been producing printed programs until now; I doubt they were buying them when they were available.

As you already know you’re misinformed. Paperless programmes only stopped with this news.
What you should know is the online content went to a printer who converted it to paper. That printer /supplier distributed them solely and has done since the lockdown.. All Hibs do is offer the content.

[Iggy Pope]

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As far as I'm aware physical programmes were available to buy up until the league shut down in March 2020.

We then weren't able to attend any matches for 16 months so it would have been a bit pointless selling physical programmes during that time.

It's really only been in the last 3 months that physical programmes could have been sold again.

I first noticed that programmes were probably on the way out a few weeks ago when I was at hospitality and there was no programme waiting for me at my table despite the website saying a free programme was part of the hospitality package - which it still does even now.

Physical programmes were produced for all closed doors games at Easter Rd.

[Sir David Gray]

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Physical programmes were produced for all closed doors games at Easter Rd.

So I see from the post above mine. I wasn't aware of that, so definitely not the case that they announced the end of physical programmes around a year ago.

[bigwheel]

I actually think Hibs have gotten this completely the wrong way round. They could have used social media to engage with fans….got them to share what stories and content they wanted each programme to explore…eg. What player would you love a profile of? Name your favourite memory against Dundee United. Etc etc…..what questions do you want to put to the gaffer….and then built the programme with content much more connected with stories fans wanted to read….they could then use their digital channels to market it and get people interested in picking one up…they could have used modern comms channels to enhance the quality of the product rather than kill it off.

Anyway, I’m sure they will come back at some time…poor decision by the club. Amongst many good ones..


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[CapitalGreen]

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I actually think Hibs have gotten this completely the wrong way round. They could have used social media to engage with fans….got them to share what stories and content they wanted each programme to explore…eg. What player would you love a profile of? Name your favourite memory against Dundee United. Etc etc…..what questions do you want to put to the gaffer….and then built the programme with content much more connected with stories fans wanted to read….they could then use their digital channels to market it and get people interested in picking one up…they could have used modern comms channels to enhance the quality of the product rather than kill it off.

Anyway, I’m sure they will come back at some time…poor decision by the club. Amongst many good ones..


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All content which could go in a quarterly publication.

[Since452]

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I actually think Hibs have gotten this completely the wrong way round. They could have used social media to engage with fans….got them to share what stories and content they wanted each programme to explore…eg. What player would you love a profile of? Name your favourite memory against Dundee United. Etc etc…..what questions do you want to put to the gaffer….and then built the programme with content much more connected with stories fans wanted to read….they could then use their digital channels to market it and get people interested in picking one up…they could have used modern comms channels to enhance the quality of the product rather than kill it off.

Anyway, I’m sure they will come back at some time…poor decision by the club. Amongst many good ones..


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I don't know the figures but i'd love to know how many programmes were sold for the average home match of say 13.5k. I'd hazard a guess at the low hundreds. I think it's probably a sensible, realistic decision.

[bigwheel]

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All content which could go in a quarterly publication.

Match day programmes are relevant at that time, a record and history of a particular game…..they have emotive meaning that is much more than just the content. My suggestions were to improve the product. quarterly mags are completely different….and I bet it doesn’t last much time at all…..


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[bigwheel]

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I don't know the figures but i'd love to know how many programmes were sold for the average home match of say 13.5k. I'd hazard a guess at the low hundreds. I think it's probably a sensible, realistic decision.

They’ve not been selling them on match days, they’ve not been marketing them, and the product is poor…so yes, you are right….my suggestions were to make it better and to get more sold. I also think as well as improving the product, they should have been clear that u less they get x number sold, it will stop…give the fans a chance to back it again….

Anyway, just my view….


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[Iggy Pope]

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So I see from the post above mine. I wasn't aware of that, so definitely not the case that they announced the end of physical programmes around a year ago.

No, definitely not. The next competitive game at Easter Road with no programme issued will be the first in a long time.