Suggestion for the Steering Committee

[Curtis]

It doesn’t look like there is going to be a prompt solution on funding clubs in the National League, and as such it might be an idea if the Club attempts to find some funding over the next couple of weeks. And I’m assuming the Club will be starting to lose revenue this coming Saturday as they would presumably have received half of the gate receipts from Dartford.

With this in mind, I would under normal circumstances be attending Saturday’s match at Dartford, and probably spending about £30 to do so (ticket £14, petrol £10, food & drink £4, and a couple of 50/50 or golden goal tickets) and I’m sure there would have been at least a couple of hundred other Slough supporters doing the same. Come next Tuesday I would probably have then have spent about another £20 attending the home match against Hemel Hempstead.

Personally I would be willing to donate this week the £30 I would have spent, to the Club to help them through this difficult time, and to try to ensure we still have a football club to support when this pandemic is over or a Government/Premier League funding package is in place, and I would think there are probably numerous other Slough supporters who would consider doing the same.

If our Steering Committee are in agreement, could they please have a discussion about possibly organising a GoFundMe page to initially generate what they would anticipate being the lost revenue from this coming Saturday, and possibly after seeing whether it is successful continuing for other matches home league matches until alternative funding is in place.

I would be interested to hear the views of other Forum users on this suggestion, I appreciate there will be supporters who have been effected financially by this pandemic that will not be able to afford to make any donations, and probably wouldn’t be able to afford to attend matches even if crowds were allowed back in stadium.

[rebelade]

Curtis that’s a great gesture. As we set up a fund raiser for the playoffs it’s probably not right to do another one BUT if you , and any other fans, want to donate your match day expenses then why not use our’ virtual match day  ‘ that can be found on our club shop via main site. Search the club shop using the word ‘virtual’ and you should find there’s a Virtual General Admittance with a choice of values. Ade

 

[rebelade]

Also by doing it this way the club will get the money quicker and without fees ?

[Reading Rebel]

Ade, by using our 'virtual match day' for raising some money, unlike a GoFundMe page, would it reach the maximum number of fans who would wish to donate?

[rebelade]

Kind of  , but if you set up a GoFund Me you have to set an end date whereas by using the Clubshop the money goes to the club sooner, no fees and is easy to promote. I would guess Curtis’ idea was to see the club use the money ASAP, also we’ve been working on adding the ‘virtual’ page to our streaming adverts

[Jafooly]

Would there be a way of doing a "fake" season ticket in the virtual section?

For those who are currently able to to give upfront a season worth of entry fee.

 

Perhaps a gold, silver and bronze season ticket (each at different values) with a commemorative season ticket certificate given or small but limited run memorabelia in return. (I.e a badge/pin).

 

 

It is awkward for the club as people want to help out but if the club offers things then those who aren't fortunate enough to help out right now but want to will potentially feel guilty (when they shouldn't)

[Curtis]

The thought was to do it for each match that would have generated funds for the Club (half of the net Dartford cup match receipts) & then home games thereafter until some other form of funding is organised.

What would we have expected to receive from the Dartford match? Maybe £4,000? So, a target of what would have been expected with a close off time of 3pm Saturday.
 

And then a different fund raiser for the Hemel match? What would have been expected from that £5,000 to £6,000? But possibly a lot more contributors because lot more supporters might be able to associate with attending this match than the Dartford match.

If nothing else is set up then I will donate before Saturday on the Virtual ticket in the club shop, but would have thought a visual target & a well publicised & well marketed GoFundMe page would have been more focused & successful.

[Reading Rebel]

44 minutes ago, Curtis said:

The thought was to do it for each match that would have generated funds for the Club (half of the net Dartford cup match receipts) & then home games thereafter until some other form of funding is organised.

What would we have expected to receive from the Dartford match? Maybe £4,000? So, a target of what would have been expected with a close off time of 3pm Saturday.
 

And then a different fund raiser for the Hemel match? What would have been expected from that £5,000 to £6,000? But possibly a lot more contributors because lot more supporters might be able to associate with attending this match than the Dartford match.

If nothing else is set up then I will donate before Saturday on the Virtual ticket in the club shop, but would have thought a visual target & a well publicised & well marketed GoFundMe page would have been more focused & successful.

That's what I was trying to say.

Something a bit more visual and targeted should produce more than supporters having to go through our virtual match day shop.

[rebelade]

Jafooly

We did have something ready before we were told no fans and we’re now looking at doing something if games are ‘ behind closed doors’

The problem is offering something then the situation changes. Also , in a way, it’s slightly better if we had a regular weekly income rather than a lump sum.

At the moment we are waiting, like all NL clubs, on a FA/ Govt release before confirming anything.

 

[3spirit]

Does it cost the club anything to stream games? 

If it doesn't, then why not charge the price of admission for each streamed home game plus an extra £1 . While away streamed games can be what the away club normally charges plus an extra two quid to go to help our club. That way those that can afford to watch current games can and those who can't, don't feel they are under obligation.

I'm not pooh-parring what Curtis and others have suggested, I'm just offering an alternative idea.

[Curtis]

It could be an option for some fans, but to be completely honest I have no interest in watching any of our streamed matches.... I couldn’t even convince myself to watch the Dartford play-off match.

[GlenSTFC]

I’m pretty sure it would cost our and every club a fee to stream live games. I don’t think it’ll work to charge more to watch a stream than in person either. I think around £10 is the correct price. Personally I want to watch my team whether it’s live or on tv, for me I just want to watch them whatever way possible. 

[3spirit]

42 minutes ago, Curtis said:

It could be an option for some fans, but to be completely honest I have no interest in watching any of our streamed matches.... I couldn’t even convince myself to watch the Dartford play-off match.

I'm surprised you have no interest in watching Slough's streamed games, given the fact that you regularly watch Slough matches live, home and away.  I would choose to watch streamed Slough games, if as fans we cannot see the real thing live.

Currently though, my problem is I would have to cherry pick which games I could afford. Also I would need to find someone to show me how to set it up ! ha ha ha! A computer/tech whizz, I'm not.  

[rebelbrewer]

20 hours ago, rebelade said:

Jafooly

We did have something ready before we were told no fans and we’re now looking at doing something if games are ‘ behind closed doors’

The problem is offering something then the situation changes. Also , in a way, it’s slightly better if we had a regular weekly income rather than a lump sum.

At the moment we are waiting, like all NL clubs, on a FA/ Govt release before confirming anything.

 

This is so helpful Ade. So if I worked out what it would have cost me per game to attend (season ticket/no games), petrol, coffee etc less any streaming charge, and petrol, food etc for an away game (no need to deduct streaming charge as would pay to get in anyway) and average that out across a month to get to a weekly amount (rounded up of course) plus anything I just want to donate. That's more helpful than paying say half of a season ticket up front?

[rebelade]

So to answer a few questions 

Curtis, a fundraiser page takes a % if your donations and would need setting up each match, also think the idea would get tired after a month whereas we can change items on the ‘virtual’ page easily.

3spirit, we don’t want to put people off streaming so the price has to be right hence paying £10 then adding any money you can afford via ‘virtual’ page. Yes it does cost to stream games

Rebelbrewer, in theory yes as if we know a regular income you can manage it better, same as a lot of people do in life, on a match day the split between ST holders and general fans is 50% so the income from non ST fans is huge. If non ST holders didn’t turn up every club would miss that extra income but in an ideal world you’d have both but it’s not at the moment an ideal world 

 

[3spirit]

Thanks Ade for the quick response. Good to get answers to what has been asked, even if they are somewhat deflating to fans suggestions.Hopefully, it will all iron out eventually in a positive way for our beloved club.