Matchday programme
I’m not happy with many things happening at Adams Park lately but one at the top of my list is the ending of the matchday programme. Having been to American football games in the U.S. I realise they don’t produce them there but it’s part of British football culture.
Due to the immediacy of social media, a programme can be out of date quickly but you can add other items to read instead. I cannot for the life of me how it cannot be financially worthwhile. I went to the Southern League match between Biggleswade FC & Berkhamsted today & the match programme was excellent.
It’s 40 pages and costs £2 - for a club that averages 100-150 spectators per game. The commitment & enthusiasm of Non-League clubs is fantastic and this is a brilliant example of what can be done IF THE WILL IS THERE!
A match programme doesn’t need to have 100 colours per page, but it has to be readable. There is no reason why Wycombe could not produce something like Biggleswade FC do. It’s a massive shame they don’t.
Comments
Would be interesting to know how many other clubs don't bother with one now.
I assume we're fairly unique in this?
I used to buy one at every game I ever went to. I'd stopped in recent years, as you realise how much room 100s of the things take up, but it was always good to have the option still.
I’ve definitely been to at least one away game this year when they didn’t have one. Fleetwood possibly.
We are trying to save the planet @A_Worboys. In my opinion their withdrawal is correct as they are unnecessary as all information can be obtained online.
The match day experience for many now is worse than it was in 2019.
No half time penalties, no match day programme, highest pricing in League One for certain tickets and food. Customers being moved from seats, not enough family stand seats now available for Ipswich. We do however have great Wi-Fi, the best squad we’ve ever had and the biggest loss we’ve ever made in a season by some margin.
We have been blessed with some great times in the last three seasons and you have to thank Ainsworth and the injection of money from Couhig for that but I fear greatly for the close season in June/July.
AP is no longer the draw it used to be and I prefer being treated as a supporter rather than a customer.
Nailed it
Is there somewhere online that replicates the stats page? Showing every player's appearances/goals for the season and their Wanderers career in one table?
This might sound like heresy in this tech-world but not everyone wants to spend their whole life “online” (believe it or not, where I live a new bookshop has just opened).
I assume that there is only so much content that a small club like us with one senior team and 2 women’s teams can produce. Therefore they want to put as much content behind a paywall as possible and a match day programme undermines that drive for paid for online content.
The programme should offer a lot more than a website or socials ever could. But I’m a dinosaur I get that.
As for the overall match day experience it’s worse. WiFi and audio aside it’s worse. When the new owners first came in and food trucks arrived I thought this was a game changer for football at our level. It was worth getting down at midday and hanging around. Now it’s Pete’s Premium BBQ or sometimes the world’s most expensive fish and chips.
Makes you wonder where all the money went.
@TheAndyGrahamFanClub I used to like the food from the vegan food truck (I’m not vegan myself but it was very tasty). That’s another one that’s disappeared & nobody at WW can give an explanation as to why? The girls that ran it were so friendly & enthusiastic about what they were offering.
I spoke to Funky Elephant and they said they hadn’t been invited back and joked that maybe they had upset someone.
Best food outlet at AP hands down. I never minded paying for a top quality curry goat rice bowl.
That's a simple one: they called it a day ages ago.
That's because the owners dont really want competition, would rather everyone buy their over priced burgers
The programme is a part of British football culture as @A_Worboys has noted. It's as much a momento for the away fan as it is for the home supporter. Looking through my own hoard it's reminders of promotion sealing trips to Bognor Regis and FA Cup heartbreak at the former home of Cyrille Regis which makes each collection unique to it's owner. It provides you with the opportunity to reminisce and glory in all the ups and downs of following the blues. It'll trigger memories of little events of the day. So, I say reinstate it not just for us chairboys but for the whole of the football community!