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Post by flashblade on May 23, 2017 14:57:48 GMT
I would like to add that it's also fairly ridiculous to think that this course of action will actually be profitable when there are absolutely no restrictions preventing people from bringing their own food into the ground. Interestingly, one of my friends decided that enough was enough at lunchtime today. Eschewing the pavilion menu, he went and bought food in from outside the ground instead. Do the club think that their "captive audience" is immune to price hikes - especially steep rises? Sadly, yesterday's modest portion of Genoa cake from the pavilion was distinctly ordinary - in terms of quality and quantity.
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nemmo
Captain 2nd XI
Posts: 285
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Post by nemmo on May 23, 2017 15:48:46 GMT
The catering providers are making the mistake in assuming that they have a "captive market", if you're at a concert or some other event where you are not permitted to bring food in then that's a captive market. When a ticket holder has a 40 minute lunch interval in which to pop to a local shop/cafe people will vote with their feet.
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Post by Wicked Cricket on May 23, 2017 17:27:49 GMT
I had a lovely chat with freelance cricket writer, Tim Wigmore, during the tea interval today. I first met him when he was a rising star from the young Turk ranks and today not only has he proven his talent by winning various journalist awards along the way, but is one of the most refreshing and original writers touring the county circuit. While, the Forum praised his write-up of yesterday's events, dominated by Luke Well's scintillating explosion of runs, I passed on our plaudits and his response was typical Tim. "I hated it. I didn't like it at all!” www.espncricinfo.com/county-cricket-2017/content/story/1099024.htmlOur conversation today covered various subjects from when Ed Joyce may return for Sussex. "Towards the end of the season looks promising,” Tim suggested as he scoured the Sussex and Irish fixture lists on his lap-top. "Although, the next two Championship matches are possible too." Then, on to the Club riches of their seam attack and, of course, the huge potential of Archer. Tim is covering all four days of the Durham game for Cricinfo. I look forward to reading his report of today's play. 'Seafret stop play' must be a tempting phrase to squeeze in to the piece somewhere. Cricket is lucky to have writers of Tim’s quality.
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Post by Wicked Cricket on May 23, 2017 18:39:36 GMT
I was quickly scanning the SharkBite programme for the South Africa game when something caught my eye under the heading 'Return to Eastbourne'. In the short piece it reads, "A crowd of around 3,500 packed into the Saffrons."
Question: Where did this figure of 3,500 come from? Who decreed it was 3,500? I quickly googled the match and the reports from Cricinfo and the BBC Website have no mention of a crowd figure, yet a piece in 'Sporting Life' does mention 3,500.
Does the attendance figure emanate from Sussex CCC? Or does it hail from a cricket journalist who scanned the crowd; pulled a number out of a hat; and then doubled it?
When I interviewed Eastbourne CC Chairman, Ian Fletcher-Price, he was adamant the actual figure was 4,500; or was this ebullience from a man wanting to push his cause? But, then I spoke to a steward who seemed quite an authority as stewards go and he confirmed the 4,500 attendance number.
Whether it is simply FAKE news or little more than a guestimate, take cricket crowd numbers written in articles with a massive pinch of salt.
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Post by deepfineleg on May 23, 2017 19:36:30 GMT
At Hove they are scanning all the tickets so should have an accurate figure (I assume they are also scanning membership cards). Did the do this at Eastbourne?
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Post by flashblade on May 23, 2017 19:57:59 GMT
The Eastbourne "attendance" figure may have been the number of tickets issued, rather than the number who turned up on the day. Members were issued with free tickets some months ago, and may not have used them. I had 2 tickets but decided against attending.
So is it tickets issued, or were attendees checked in at the gates? Perhaps someone can clarify.
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Post by Wicked Cricket on May 24, 2017 8:09:42 GMT
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Post by Wicked Cricket on May 24, 2017 8:19:41 GMT
dfl/fb,
Flashblade hits the ball. When chatting with Ian Fletcher-Price, it is the sale of tickets that was discussed. Whilst the stated ground capacity of the Saffrons on the web says 3,000, IFP contradicted this by saying it is 5,000. He should know.
"Fletch" explained that nearly all the tickets had sold (5,000 were printed) and why he suggested 4,500 and why the steward confirmed this. I accept that some like Fb had two tickets and never showed up to the game, but I can't believe that 1,000 other people had a similar aversion to the seating arrangements.
So, logic suggests the actual attendance was neither 3,500 or 4,500, but perhaps, around 4,250 as 250 people not turning up seems feasible.
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Post by flashblade on May 24, 2017 9:24:35 GMT
dfl/fb, Flashblade hits the ball. When chatting with Ian Fletcher-Price, it is the sale of tickets that was discussed. Whilst the stated ground capacity of the Saffrons on the web says 3,000, IFP contradicted this by saying it is 5,000. He should know. "Fletch" explained that nearly all the tickets had sold (5,000 were printed) and why he suggested 4,500 and why the steward confirmed this. I accept that some like Fb had two tickets and never showed up to the game, but I can't believe that 1,000 other people had a similar aversion to the seating arrangements.So, logic suggests the actual attendance was neither 3,500 or 4,500, but perhaps, around 4,250 as 250 people not turning up seems feasible. I'm not suggesting that it was the seating arrangements that put off all the absentees. These tickets were issued free to members back in the winter, and I'm guessing that, months later, other commitments/preferences stopped folks from bothering to use their free tickets. It is a "false fact" to claim attendance figures on the basis of tickets issued. Unless all attendees are logged in at the gates, no-one knows the attendance. BTW, it's difficult to believe that the ground would have held as many as 5,000 with that particular seating layout. Here's a thought: the club must know how many chairs were set out, and that might form the basis of a more accurate estimate. Hope you can get an answer on this one, fluffy. PS (on edit) - judging from the aerial photo of the ground, I'd estimate the number of seats at around 2,500 to 3,000 - and many of those weren't being used.
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Post by Wicked Cricket on May 24, 2017 9:41:26 GMT
Fb,
It is a "false fact" to claim attendance figures on the basis of tickets issued.
I agree but it is also false to claim a full house when you're capacity is stated as 7,000 and there is 'only' 5,750 people in the ground. Yet, a few days later, at another home T20 that figure stands at 5,250 and the match is still trumpeted as a full house. Reasons given can vary from local Council restrictions to the state of the weather.
Over the years match attendance figures has been a personal bugbear. A good example I use occurred a few years ago at Horsham when The Times correspondent asked fellow journos how many people they thought were in the ground. There was a muttering of "may be 2,000"; someone else agreed, to this the Times journo who replied, "I like Horsham. Friendly people, so let's make it 3,000!" Lo and behold, that figure appeared in the newspaper's review of the match.
My point is: If you don't have official figures to hand from either the stewards or the staff in charge, don't offer any attendance number in your write-up. Be honest.
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Post by flashblade on May 24, 2017 9:50:09 GMT
Fb, It is a "false fact" to claim attendance figures on the basis of tickets issued. I agree but it is also false to claim a full house when you're capacity is stated as 7,000 and there is 'only' 5,750 people in the ground. Yet, a few days later, at another home T20 that figure stands at 5,250 and the match is still trumpeted as a full house. Reasons given can vary from local Council restrictions to the state of the weather. Over the years match attendance figures has been a personal bugbear. A good example I use occurred a few years ago at Horsham when The Times correspondent asked fellow journos how many people they thought were in the ground. There was a muttering of "may be 2,000"; someone else agreed, to this the Times journo replied, "I like Horsham. Friendly people, so let's make it 3,000!" Lo and behold, that figure appeared in the newspaper's review of the match. My point is: If you don't have official figures to hand from either the stewards or the staff in charge, don't offer any attendance number in your write-up. Be honest.Spot on, fluffy. Maybe you could introduce this doctrine into any future conversations you may have with those who are tempted to announce spurious attendance figures.
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Post by hhsussex on May 24, 2017 9:52:14 GMT
Fb, It is a "false fact" to claim attendance figures on the basis of tickets issued. I agree but it is also false to claim a full house when you're capacity is stated as 7,000 and there is 'only' 5,750 people in the ground. Yet, a few days later, at another home T20 that figure stands at 5,250 and the match is still trumpeted as a full house. Reasons given can vary from local Council restrictions to the state of the weather. Over the years match attendance figures has been a personal bugbear. A good example I use occurred a few years ago at Horsham when The Times correspondent asked fellow journos how many people they thought were in the ground. There was a muttering of "may be 2,000"; someone else agreed, to this the Times journo replied, "I like Horsham. Friendly people, so let's make it 3,000!" Lo and behold, that figure appeared in the newspaper's review of the match. My point is: If you don't have official figures to hand from either the stewards or the staff in charge, don't offer any attendance number in your write-up. Be honest. My point would be: are you running this as a professional business, Sussex? If so you MUST be able to know - and to publish, because you should be open about it - exactly how many seats you have sold, how many have been given away as comps and so on, in order to offset sales against costs. Anything else is not only the worst kind of amateurism, it is dangerously close to false accounting.
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Post by Wicked Cricket on May 24, 2017 12:40:14 GMT
To add to this Forum's written meme about the changing of the catering guard, I was surprised to note that neither the Pavilion or the County Ground Cafe were selling sandwiches or baguettes today. "We haven't been given any" was the response from both camps. The Cafe did have a few rolls left but they'd had been on display since Sunday. In fact, the pantries for both outlets were threadbare.
In the past, I have supported the club's philosophy of encouraging supporters to buy their food from the ground rather than bringing in their tupperware or purchasing from outside. But what became abundantly clear today, is that given the size of Centerplate, their profits lie with T20s, Hospitality meals and special lunch/dinner events. Therefore, for Members and those attending Championship games - particularly the ones deemed to finish early - will be viewed upon as unimportant, where no wastage of food must be allowed.
So, against my philosophy, I strongly recommend supporters who don't mind a 5 minute walk along Church Road, heading towards the Hove Town Hall, to visit a brilliant outlet called Canham & Sons. They sell the most glorious quality sandwiches, baguettes, sausage rolls, pies etc.. at similar or even cheaper prices than the former Cafe Pasticci.
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Post by Wicked Cricket on May 24, 2017 14:15:53 GMT
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Post by Wicked Cricket on May 25, 2017 7:31:19 GMT
Who is Bob Warren?
____________________________ I noted an article in the 'SharkBite RLC Programme' recently written by Bruce Talbot on Bob Warren. A common question people ask me is: “Who is Bob Warren?” Supporters know he was appointed as the new Sussex Cricket Chairman in early April but they have less idea on what he looks like, what is his background and what are his views on the sport and taking Sussex CCC forward? 70 year-old Warren was co-opted on to the Board in 2009 and some suggest his Chairmanship is a prelude before younger Members of the Committee are ready to take on this significant role. Unlike Rob Andrew who is going out of his way meeting and greeting Sussex Members, supporters, VIPs and the like, Warren presently seems more comfortable within the Committee Room. After becoming Chairman of the 'Sussex Cricket Museum and Educational Trust' in 2013, two years later Jon Filby, the then Vice Chairman, stepped aside for Warren after being asked to help Zac Toumazi incorporate 'Sussex Cricket Ltd'. In some people’s eyes Warren’s appointment this April was a shoo-in. His past experience of Chairmanships and his commercial background making him a strong candidate for the job. Warren formed a Worthing travel Company called ‘Travel Places’ in 1993 specialising in helping professional sports people and those around them with their travelling needs to events. He still runs it today as the MD. Talbot’s article suggests Warren has little intention of carrying out a long Chairmanship stint unlike his predecessor. In fact, it is possible Warren may step down after his initial 3 year tenure. “We have some fantastic people on our Board who are dynamic, opinionated and engaging,” he says. “That’s exciting for me because I can see how much they want Sussex to do well.” In the article, Warren offers a comment about his predecessor. “Jim (May) is an interesting guy to follow. He was very hands-on which is different to my management style. I believe that if you pay someone to do a job, you should let them do it.” Adding, “It’s important to give people the freedom to manage and develop.” When interviewing May in January, he replied to my question ‘How has the Sussex Chairman role changed during your 8 year stewardship?’ with: The main area I focussed on was defining what the Executive and the Board’s responsibilities are. Previous Chairmen became occupied more on the day to day running. I made it clear we employed people like the CEO and Finance Director to make the decisions on Membership costs, marketing etc.., so they are held accountable. Meanwhile, the Board sets the policy, provides support and scrutinises what is going on without being immersed with the intricate detail.Meanwhile, Bob Warren has known Keith Greenfield since the 1980s. They first met after Bob had moved down from London to Sussex in 1986 and joined his son at Lamb CC based in Rustington. Bob was made 2nd XI Captain but given his sporting rustiness came to Hove and had six net sessions with Greenfield. This led to an association with him and the local Sussex cricket scene for the next 30 years. Lamb CC eventually joined forces with Middleton where Warren has been Chairman for 13 years. “I have every confidence in Mark (Davis) and Keith. The way they have tackled some of the issues they inherited has been first class,” he says. “I think the squad is the most exciting we’ve had here for some years.” As for Warren’s primary aim? “Success on the pitch is the ultimate goal. I want us to win trophies.” My one humble suggestion to Bob Warren is to follow the example of his Chief Exec and regularly meet and greet the core Membership and supporters. Not only would they appreciate this but being more visible to them is, perhaps, important for a family club.
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