Matchday experience

This is a rant: firstly superb performance yesterday- very impressed with Aitch, Norwood, Connell in particular, Duff continues to work wonders. But aside from the performance I was a very miffed by how 'meh' the whole experience was. I've moved away from tarn and now mainly get to away days but came up to Oakwell for the first time in a few months Saturday. *Other clubs, even Accrington are managing to do better a matchday than us*.

Arrived at the ground from the Glassworks car park, Lambra road is one of the main ways into and away from Oakwell by foot- it was barely gritted and the pavement is just too narrow to cope with that kind of thoroughfare and its not really safe either arriving or leaving. Obviously the fault of the council and bridge-gate. Crossing Ponte Road risky as usual. No 'fanzone' so ate in town and headed inside after getting my ticket scanned by a bloke rather than a machine like everywhere else (small point but surely points to lack of investment etc). Served a pint of flat Madri by bored staff (not their fault). Only food on offer usual turgid pukka/rollover fare and very overpriced at that. No screens working to show e.g early kick off. Again East Stand concourse just feels dead, dated and not well maintained either. Lots of empty seats round the ground, no Timerider walk on music, not sure we even got the teamsheet up on the Postage Stamp. Atmosphere even in the incredible opening 25 mins non-existent and hardly covered up by the oddly cued goal music. Quite why people bother going when they don't even look happy when we score 3 I have no idea. Second half felt like a classroom with everyone sat in silence. Saw people sliding down the bank at the back at the end to get out of the ground towards Beevor court which is farcical for a professional football club with 7k season ticket holders.

No easy solutions to this of course, good stuff like the fanzone or even the chicken wraps seem dependent on a few fans going over and beyond (unappreciated by some, which I will regretfully include myself in). That's not right and it should be far more emphasis from the club itself to get people here earlier, easier and putting the infrastructure there for fans have a good time around just the 90minutes of a match. It all adds to the feeling that Oakwell is where time has stood still. About time the council and club got round a table and actually tried to make the most out of one of the towns biggest assets. Council plainly want people to park, eat and spend at the Glassworks and would seem almost like they see BFC as a competitor on matchdays. At the same time the club do nothing while the fanbase atrophies in size and enthusiasm and get involved in petty spats with their own 'customers'.

 

Not even aware we had one. Sounds very predictable

 

I like manned turnstiles personally. Agree with the other points, don't know why we need with the dom by our music, it's BFC. West Ham wouldn't stop blowing bubbles, or Leeds stop marching n together.

 

the east stand concourse is one of the most dreariest places on earth.

i would rather stand in Castleford town centre for half an hour than there plus there would be more to do.

 

The club in my opinion does not want to invest in, not stay at Oakwell. There have been various soundbites out of the club that make me think this way.
And their indifference, again in my opinion, is designed to force fans to think the same.
I'm a traditionalist and would like to stay at Oakwell , preferably in the championship, with the odd challenge for better, but if the club has chalked ph000k on Oakwell, fair enough, but have the balls to put it out there and back it up with a coherent explanation and vision for what THEY think is best for the club and you never know, folk might buy into it.
It's currently like watching a sick relative deteriorate with no care plan to get them back on track.

 

Spot on. Oakwell is a poor experience these days but the apathy from the stands doesn’t help either. We’ve been struggling to score recently and even when we’d got 3 in the first 20 minutes it did little to lift the feeling of disinterest.
We’re a strange lot these days…..

 

Everybody has made good points. Its chicken and egg for me in some respects. What comes first the apathy from fans or the apathy from owners? Its not that simple but there are reasons why fanbases are apathetic and they're not all to do with what happens on the pitch. There's a bigger picture here somewhere.....

 

Well I was SUPER interested sitting at my computer yesterday watching us pile the goals in. Well, apart from the buffering that is. One of the buffering bits happened just as Thomas fell backwards and our number nine launched himself into an overhead kick. I didn't see the goal go in, but at least I got the option of replays.

I'm not going again until it gets a bit warmer. Wimping out of this freezing experience on hard plastic. I think I've earned it after my long service

 

There’s nowt smart happening before game at oakwell, but I would say that happens at majority of grounds....okay I will accept such as Accrington have a good crac going but would sooner watch us than them..... we lucky to have a ground close enough to walk from town centre so maybe we spoiled by being able to drink eat or whatever close by if we want to.....

 

I do more aways, I struggle to think of a ground that offers less than Oakwell, particularly for home supporters. It's been like this for 10 years or more. The current lot definitely don't want to change it or they would have by now as it's an embarrassment. So, personally, if they wish to build something new on the outskirts of town that they viewed as theirs and put some heart into, I wouldn't be averse, cos what we have now is marked dnr.

 

What gives you this belief? They are not new owners, been here a number of years now and just let the place rot, seems a daft business plan if they are planning on improving things?

 

I'd like that.

But I remain to be convinced.

West Stand debacle.
Away end that can't seem to operate at anything more than 75%
Safety Advisory Group that seems to be intent on having as few punters in as poss to meet their certificate goal.
Surrounding streets ungritted.
Beevor Court.
Car Park shenanigans
Simply dire catering/staffing, year on year.
A portable TV as an entertainment hub
A sound system like my first record player
Stewarding issues.

Just a brief list but all sadly barely communicated, albeit with recent almost subliminal messages that maybe a new place is their preferred option. As I say @Gally all just an opinion, but one gleaned from 45 years of custom (or support, as I used to call it).

 

I'd love to think this was true, Paul, but unless you know something we don't, there is absolutely ZERO evidence of it. Nothing.....not a shred. For some bizarre reason, Oakwell as we know it is being allowed to slide into ruin.

 

Spot on, I think if you make it more of a overall day out you will attract more people who will be in better spirits, but thats only one small part of it.

 

Football on the field has to be the priority, but there are a lot of things that can be improved easily, with not too much investment, just some imagination.

 

I would hope this is true. Honestly I think a matchday tour by senior management of a few different similar sized clubs would be illustrative and maybe give a few positive ideas.

 

It is very strange for a league one club to take 2k away but barely manage 6/7k at home games, and give their largest, most modern stand over enmasse to away fans that barely fill 1/10th of it.

 

With great respect to you Mr G, I think I'll believe this when I see it, given the history of our present owners (2017-on).