Is the end nigh...

[&yB]

...for the Matchday programme?

 

Firstly let me say a huge thank you to a very small band of dedicated people who provide us at New Lodge with a high quality matchday programme each game.

 

But

[Adam.S]

There will still be some people who do not have the luxury of having a computer or being able to use the internet to access the website to find out information, therefore having all that information in the programme is necessary.

 

I think we have one of the best programmes in this league, and it is at a good price so it's always worth getting one. So well done to everyone involved in producing an excellent match-day programme.

[Rick the Dick]

T'interweb 'aint been the death of the newspapers, nor should it kill the Matchday Programme. True, for up to date, accurate facts & figures the net wins easy. But for a good, relaxed read at a place of your choosing (bus, bed, bath, etc... ) the printed word wins hands down. More in- depth comment & opinion in the Programme; stats & news on the Web.

[Pooch]

I have a feeling that it is mandatory that we have a match day programme at our level in the football pyramid. It is also quite a cost to the club to produce if we don't break even on sales to recoup the printing costs. We therefore need to keep it and maintain it's unique selling points and maybe add a few more (any ideas out there?).

 

I always buy one as I'm always interested in the interviews, news, and BTSA page, opposition news, historical section as well as keeping track of match and player stats. It's also a historical record of the game as our many boxes of match day programmes at home testify!

 

Kids like to get them autographed by the players. For people without access to a computer, it's their only source of information. So it's an essential part of a match day in my opinion.

 

BTW We do have one of the best programmes in the league (I showed it to my boss who is a Hearts fan and he was very impressed with the quality of it).

 

[Brightside Bloke]

PAGE 3 Jason Broom interview

PAGE 4+5 New Lodge News

PAGE 8 Old time blues

Page 10 BTSA news

Page 14+15 Stat attack

PAGE 16+17 Fixtures & results

 

That's just half of last weeks programme and all for

[&yB]

Interesting comments so far.

As I said I too always buy programmes, as much as anything a lasting souvenir of my visits to a ground and club.

I

[Rick the Dick]

Originally Posted By: &yB

I wonder too if all our other regular forum contributors habitually buy their copy of The Blues as evidently despite best efforts neither the web nor the programme reach all our regular fans, if they did I wouldn

[Simon BTFC]

Going off at a slight tangent from &y's original post, I see no reason why an electronic version couldn't happily co-exist with the paper version? Perhaps delivery by email at mid-day on match day to subscribers?

 

Personally I like to have my copy with me at the match, however as and when I give into temptation and get an iphone or similar, I am sure that it would be possible to have it delivered to me by bluetooth as I walk through the turnstiles...

[finisterre]

To be fair to Mr. Turvey, http://www.rymanleague.com also works.

 

Re: the programme, we're not facing anything different to what Premier League clubs are. As well as their own websites, they also have blanket coverage on TV and in the national press to contend with. It'd be interesting to know if their programme sales have dipped at all in recent years.

 

I buy a programme religiously home and away. The away ones are dubious value for money, as you just end up reading the bit about us being the 11th oldest club in Essex over and over again. But it's all about supporting non-league football clubs for me.

[Groyney]

There will always be a market for a match-day programme, be it from collectors, groundhoppers that want a momento of their trip, or like the vast majority of us who do so out of habit.

 

The problem editors have, in the global village world, is to keep producing something original and informative that you won't find on the net. A bit of humour doesn't go amiss.

 

For the programme editor at non-league level, though, it's truly a labour of love and the vast majority of us wouldn't produce a programme without it being something we'd want to buy ourselves.

 

Believe me I try to make sure the one I do is the best in the ESL and, I'm sure, the editors up and down the Ryman do exactly the same. For the sake of a few shillings it's a tradition well worth hanging onto.

[Brightside Bloke]

I only know two of the people involved in "The Blues" and they do a great job, Their time and effort along with the sponsorship makes for a great Programme IMO.

 

Long live the "Gift of the Gaz"

 

I don't agree with being forced to buy a programme as part of the admission price, Look at Tilbury last week they printed 150 and they were gone in no time but to be fair they did drop the entrance fee to suit.