Doncaster Rovers held a Fans Forum at the Keepmoat Stadium, earlier this week, whereby supporters had the opportunity to put for forward their questions regarding the club.
With over 350 people in attendance a wide range of topics were covered, and for those who were not able to attend we have compiled all the questions asked with the responses they received:Questions/Issues Raised
Ticket Sales
Can sales figures for games be put on the Keepmoat website?
The club will start putting sales figures on the Keepmoat stadium website for future games
Marketing
Can the club produce downloadable posters?
The club produce downloadable posters available from the website, facebook and the Viking Supporters Co-operative website. We will make more of an effort to highlight the availability of these by creating a regular area for the posters to be downloaded from rather than a news item.
Parking Passes
Can the price of parking passes be increased to include cup games, to save resident pass holders having to purchase a pass on the day of the match?
The club have had a request for parking passes to be reviewed and will be setting up a new system for cup games with regards tickets and parking.
Season tickets
Are the club willing to hold season ticket prices given the financial situation of residents in Doncaster, will the club increase season ticket value by not running special price promotions?
It was confirmed that season ticket prices will be held as part of an early bird window up to the 31st March, with an online booking facility and spread payment scheme offered to fans.
The club also made a commitment to not run wide spread offers this season to protect season ticket holder value and have kept this promise ensuring season ticket holders have been rewarded.
5) Disabled Toilets
The club were thanked for creating a key system for disabled toilets to prevent people going into the toilets and smoking on a match day.
6) Community Involvement
The club were asked about targeting more children on match day and engaging more children into the club.
The club confirmed that each match day the club’s marketing department target a number of schools or junior football teams to engage with and invite to a game and this season the family area has been sold out or close to sold out as a result of these initiatives. It was confirmed the club will do more to announce the community and marketing activity that has taken place in the lead up to matches in order to inform fans of what has taken place.
7) Boxing Day game
The club were asked whether they had spoke to the Football League about a boxing day fixture at Keepmoat Stadium, as the past few years had seen the club play away on boxing day.
It was confirmed that regular discussions were had with the Football League regarding fixtures and live TV games as the club shared fans views. The club also confirmed that a live game had been announced later in the season, when Rovers travel to Crawley Town. The club emphasise that they will continue to make communications with regards trying to get more fixtures at home on key dates and more TV games.
8) Stewards
Issues were raised about the conduct of stewards at recent games. The club felt that on the whole stewards do a good job and balance safety with a welcoming attitude. However urged fans that if they had any issues with stewards to take a name or badge number at the game and report that to the club.
9) Rovers matches on DVD
Why are matches no longer available to buy on DVD?
The demand for match DVDs were very poor and so it was decided to replace this system and put matches on Rovers Player.
10) Belle Vue Bar
The demand for using the Belle Vue Bar has increased and consequently queues are now very long within the bar
As part of the £200,000 investment EMC are putting into the stadium, the Belle Vue Bar is being refurbished, this should result in better facilities with more counters to serve food and drinks and more standing and seating areas. Martin O’Hara, secretary of the Viking Supporters Co-operative is discussing fans views with Rob Smyth, Operations Director at EMC.
11) Scoreboard
It was asked if team line ups and goal scorers can be put on the scoreboard, to allow those fans who are unable to hear announcements know team information.
The club confirmed this can take place and will do at the next home game.
12) Concourse Bars
Why are bars shut at 2.45pm when at other grounds they remain open?
It was explained that this is a licensing requirement put in force by the Local Authority.
13) Big Screens
Have the club made any progress in sourcing big screen tv’s for the concourse areas?
It was explained that two of the organisations that were being dealt with had gone out of business but the club were continuing to search for an option that was cost efficient.
14) Polish community
A question was asked of why the club do not do more to target minority communities such as the Polish population of Doncaster?
The club will look at how minority groups can be targeted and attracted to home games and will continue to update through fans forums and the club website.
After the meeting, both Gavin Baldwin and Shaun Lockwood were then approached with the following questions.
15) No commentary on Rovers Player re-runs
An query was raised regarding Rovers Player and that highlights have commentary but re-runs of matches do not. This has been tested in the past and one of the issues surrounding commentary on videos of full matches is that it is prone to synchronisation issues. This means the audio and video can sometimes fall out of place with one another and when this happens it lasts for the entire length of the match.
16) Incentives in Programme
Can the club put incentives into the programme such as chance to win a signed ball, signed shirt and money off vouchers?
The club will look at how the programme can be incentivised with prizes to improve sales on a match day.
17) Toilets at the Sheffield United fixture – no soap or paper towels in one of the stands
The club apologise for this, it should have been picked up in a pre-match check, the club are aware that once the problem was brought to an attention of the steward it was rectified, but will endeavour to make sure that pre-match checks are more thorough.
18) At fans forums can the front row be reserved for those fans hard of hearing?
Absolutely no problem and this will be made standard practice moving forward.
19)
Can the club look at alternative parking options for the Retford Bus
We’re consulting with Paul Mayfield about his preferred parking area in both the short and long term and will feedback through Paul.