energy bills for BFC

just a thought for bfc management -why not start home games in the winter at 12-30 or 1pm to save on floodlighting costs -after all we are a league 1 team and don't think that many games are on sky at the 5-30pm schedule- but will it affect our supporter crowd levels-or away supporter levels

 

Those solar panels we were getting should come in handy....

 

Thing is the majority of league one clubs are in the south which means travelling fans are going to need to set off in the middle of the night to get the game for the earlier ko’s But yes it is worrying when the reds are already under financial stress.

 

I looked into floodlight costs ages ago and I know prices have risen dramatically but the cost of running them (in general, not bfc specific) were a lot less than I expected. Can't even remember how much but they were nowhere near what I thought.

The loss in ticket revenue would massively outweigh the savings in lightbulbs imo.

Think about it, all the other lights are already on, all internal lights, the concourse lights, lights in stands etc. Even in the middle of the day the floodlights are on sometimes.

I'll never understand why clubs don't have solar panels on stand roofs though. Panels with batteries would save them hundreds of thousands.

 

There was an article in the Telegraph last week about this - link

EFL considering early kick-off times to avoid energy crisis 'disaster'

Cash-strapped lower league clubs in talks about electricity bills quadrupling.

Earlier kick-off times to limit use of floodlights have been mooted as English Football League clubs discuss an emergency plan for the cost of living energy crisis.

Cash-strapped lower league clubs are currently in talks with the competition about the "disaster" of their electricity bills quadrupling over the coming months.

Mitigating measures could be raised and potentially signed off at a meeting with the EFL board next month. Some League Two clubs are understood to be in favour of bringing Saturday kick-off time forwards, but others are sceptical that the plan would make much difference in the peak of winter. Floodlights are often turned on during daylight hours if skies are dull due to demands from broadcasters.

Some competitions in non-league have already approved plans to bring forward kick-off times, and the EFL confirmed it is currently exploring the scale of the crisis facing its clubs.

"The league is currently engaging with clubs on the impact of rising energy prices on their operations," the competition added. "This does include floodlight usage and cost through the winter months. Once the position is established, the matter will be discussed with the board at its next meeting in September."

With no price cap on businesses, smaller football clubs are among a host of industries potentially vulnerable to being forced into administration.

Peter Ridsdale told Telegraph Sport "I don't think anything should be off the agenda" as football considers its response to the crisis. The EFL board member, who is owners' representative and director at Preston, said clubs will be forced to cut costs even at Championship level, most directly in terms of transfer activity.

"We've had a fixed tariff, which obviously comes to an end," Ridsdale said of the circumstances at Preston. "So it will have a massive impact on us. It's got a direct impact on any overheads, but the biggest overhead we've got is the players." He explained the impact would be on squad sizes and "how many we can afford to employ" rather than contracted salaries. "We as a club will never compromise on what we've contracted to pay our players," he added.

When asked how severely he believes football will be hit, Ridsdale added: "I'm old enough to remember the three-day week in the 70s. I remember at the time we had afternoon kick-offs to avoid putting floodlights on. I've lived through such times. Whether or not that has to come into some clubs at a level, I don't know. But I don't think anything should be off the agenda."

'This is Accrington not Belgravia'
Andy Holt, chairman of League One side Accrington Stanley, told The Times newspaper he was "not sure moving the kick-off earlier would have much impact" as clubs will still be paying heating bills. However, further down the pyramid, non-league competitions are already preparing to move kick-off times earlier.

Clubs playing in the Isthmian Football League, in the seventh and eighth tiers of the English football pyramid, were last week given permission to deviate from the traditional Saturday 3pm kick-off this term, as long as both teams agree to the move.

Sam Wright, chief executive of Cray Wanderers, told the BBC: "It is an uncertain time. I think it is an innovative move to consider [the change].”

Laying bare Accrington's situation, Holt added: "We don’t use a lot compared with some clubs but our bills are going to quadruple. It’s going to be hundreds of thousands of pounds a year and it’s going to be a disaster in the winter.

"It’s floodlights, heating, electricity in the concession areas, everything. The only way we can cover the extra costs is by raising the price of tickets — but our fans will be struggling themselves with the energy price rises; this is Accrington not Belgravia. Their available income will be going down so can we really raise prices?"

 

Clubs would save a fortune by scrapping the free gravy train for already rich directors

 

The hospitality bill for directors at matches must be ridiculous. We aren't talking hundreds of thousands but I imagine the free food and drink etc adds up over the course of a season. Let them buy food, they've got money.

 

It would mean I'd miss most of the matches as my son has football in the mornings. Not for me in afraid.

 

Or they could set off at the same time but spend less time in the pubs. Just a thought.

 

I reckon the director payouts at oakwell over the last 4 years far outstrips the director investments and that's before hospitality etc.

Personally I find it hard to feel sorry for clubs financially when they do a god awful job of raising revenue. For us we could increase revenue significantly by securing a proper sponsor, improving our retail output, opening all the refreshment stands and serving everyone who wants to buy things, listening to what people want, putting things out to tender rather than just allowing mates or selected people to sell their wares etc. I'm sure we aren't the only ones either. I know it's nothing compared to player signings and wages but it is a lot regarding energy prices

 

Running floodlights, even in these high energy costs days, is still relatively low. Especially when clubs can use energy efficient LED now.

Bigger issue is going to the things like under soil heating and the total energy use for all other things the club does.

 

What about hooking up a few dozen exercise bikes to the floodlights, or a battery of some sort. Everybody trains on them, instead of running. It works for them nutters who live off grid...


Do the same at Glastonbury, with them middle class carnivores..

 

There won’t be any pubs left open the way things are going so yes, you could be right

 

Suppose it will depend on when whatever deal the club have ends. So as with the businesses some will be hit sooner than others.

 

Conversion of lighting to LED is not cheap. Obviously a Cost Benefit Analysis can be done, but the initial cost still has to be stumped up.

At Oakwell, the floodlights would need to be converted in full to LED, which overall may mean the pylons are removed and more lighting placed on the roofs. Or the pylons left empty.

Internal lighting for offices and external pedestrian lighting has on the whole already been converted over the years at Oakwell.

And like others say, the floodlight costs may not be worth it currently due to the little time they are on.