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Generating income through iFollow with empty stadiums

Apr 20, 2011
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Firstly, apologies if this has been covered elsewhere - I've missed it if it has.

The prospect of full stadiums seems to be a far off ideal at the moment. Indeed, partially open stadiums seems to be optimistic at best for 2020. This has had me wondering about how we, more than a lot of clubs, could leverage iFollow for any resumption of football that doesn't allow supporters to attend matches. I appreciate that playing with no fans is not what anyone wants, but given what has happened it feels like the next best action - particularly compared to no football whatsoever.

Assuming that at least a part of next season is played behind closed doors, surely there is an opportunity to utilise iFollow to generate revenue for EFL clubs? I'm aware, I believe from comments from Accrington's chairman, that generally speaking the cash benefit to clubs is quite small. However we have a far larger that average fan base and, I'm sure, would attract a significant following online should it be the only option. Given the exceptional circumstances, I would suggest there's an opportunity to reconsider how monies are distributed from iFollow and for that company to position itself as a lifeline to the EFL.

Personally I would happily pay around £15 per game to watch online if I knew that money would go some way to providing for the club.

As an aside, the quality of coverage provided (when it works!) has been very good this season - particularly the multiple cameras.

I'd be really interested to hear other thoughts on this topic - particularly what people might be willing to pay to watch a game.

I hope every is safe and as well as can be.
 

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The club selling iFollow subscriptions for the games, home and away, receives 70% to 80% of the income generated so in Argyle's case with a large fanbase the club would sell quite a few subscriptions.

The problem is will that be enough money to start playing games again, take the players off furlough and pay wages?
Plus we need all League Two clubs to play games and for many they wouldn't sell many iFollow subscriptions and financially it wouldn't be worth it.

It might work with 25% capacity in stadiums plus iFollow subscriptions.
 

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PL2 3DQ":40qu4xpv said:
The club selling iFollow subscriptions for the games, home and away, receives 70% to 80% of the income generated so in Argyle's case with a large fanbase the club would sell quite a few subscriptions.

The problem is will that be enough money to start playing games again, take the players off furlough and pay wages?
Plus we need all League Two clubs to play games and for many they wouldn't sell many iFollow subscriptions and financially it wouldn't be worth it.

It might work with 25% capacity in stadiums plus iFollow subscriptions.

Well perhaps those clubs that CAN generate sufficient subscribers to make playing viable could be the ones that get playing again in a restructured league system. I've suggested ages ago that Argyle could find themselves playing in a (new) second tier of English football - that would be on the basis that other clubs in League 1 and even the Championship, with smaller fanbases, might not be able to sustain themselves in a behind-closed doors, TV streaming league. Anything is possible.
 
Apr 20, 2011
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PL2 3DQ":24yyabep said:
The club selling iFollow subscriptions for the games, home and away, receives 70% to 80% of the income generated so in Argyle's case with a large fanbase the club would sell quite a few subscriptions.

The problem is will that be enough money to start playing games again, take the players off furlough and pay wages?
Plus we need all League Two clubs to play games and for many they wouldn't sell many iFollow subscriptions and financially it wouldn't be worth it.

It might work with 25% capacity in stadiums plus iFollow subscriptions.

I've heard 25% + iFollow before and on the surface it sounds viable.

I'd be interested to know the comparative costs/benefit of small attendances vs. a completely empty stadium with iFollow.

In these exceptional circumstances, a model where the breakdown of iFollow was 20% to iFollow, 70% to the selling club and 10% into a pot to be distributed across the league sounds very appealing to me.
 
Jan 30, 2016
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Well I would certainly pay an i-follow fee that matches the cost to get into the ground. I will not attend any matches as being a vulnerable person over 70 until a vaccine is available. I would love to be able to support the club via i-follow.
 

RKB

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Jul 22, 2013
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I agree this seems the best and possibly only solution, although I am doubtful that many clubs could operate safely even with 25% capacity.
However, making Saturday afternoon games available to UK subscribers would see a lot of fans, home and way, contributing financially to the club when they wouldn't have otherwise done so.
I can't get to many games these days because we have 3 young children and live in Wiltshire. But I would pay £20 and grab 2 hours on a Saturday afternoon to watch on ifollow. Our fanbase is all over the world. If everyone who supported Argyle could now watch Argyle, home and away, on a Saturday, albeit online, would they?
This opportunity existed previously for midweek games for UK based supporters but I have no idea what the viewing figures are like, nor the revenue.
But it's the best hope we've got, I think
 
Sep 6, 2006
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RKB":3h29ofpm said:
I agree this seems the best and possibly only solution, although I am doubtful that many clubs could operate safely even with 25% capacity.
However, making Saturday afternoon games available to UK subscribers would see a lot of fans, home and way, contributing financially to the club when they wouldn't have otherwise done so.
I can't get to many games these days because we have 3 young children and live in Wiltshire. But I would pay £20 and grab 2 hours on a Saturday afternoon to watch on ifollow. Our fanbase is all over the world. If everyone who supported Argyle could now watch Argyle, home and away, on a Saturday, albeit online, would they?
This opportunity existed previously for midweek games for UK based supporters but I have no idea what the viewing figures are like, nor the revenue.
But it's the best hope we've got, I think

Plus away fans watching as well. Imagine if/when we play Sunderland at home. Potential very large audience
 
Jul 25, 2006
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I'd be interested in an I-Follow 'Season Ticket', but I'd be wary of buying every individual match, which could end up being beyond my budget, ie 46 x £20 = £920. I'm sure the club can come up with something innovative that will attract lots of us.
 

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Last season it was 110 quid for 46 league games, i think it was $190.00 for the season for me. A very good deal and i will definately be renewing.
 
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The potential downside of course would be that some new i-Follow viewers may be quite taken by the new experience and never go back to attending a match, when the virus issue is past. This could result in a potential reduction in turnover.
 

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(I'm)Stranded":2ri9891c said:
Ottawa Green":2ri9891c said:
Last season it was 110 quid for 46 league games, i think it was $190.00 for the season for me. A very good deal and i will definitely be renewing.
Now that sounds good!

Remember that was the deal for us overseas residents, i think when ifollow was available for UK residents it was 9 or 10 pounds per game.
 

CFG

Jun 21, 2013
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Living in the Midlands I used it a lot last season. It was only available for midweek games but I had no problem paying the £10 and would pay more if it went directly to the club. I always assumed that the money went to the club regardless of whether we were home or away but I may be wrong. As for putting people off returning - I'm not sure it would have a huge impact assuming that they bring back the Saturday 3 o'clock rule. It is a good way to follow Argyle but no substitute for a day out and a visit to Home Park when the opportunity arises.

The one note of caution would be that there were infuriating technical problems at times (logging on, recognising purchases, comms dropping out or intereference). I can only imagine that the potential difficulties are enhanced with greater numbers online.
 
Dec 9, 2012
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This is quite an attractive proposition, particularly for exiles, who can't make it to that many games during a season.

Nothing could ever replace the experience of physically going to a game - even as an old git, i just love the buzz / meeting friends / having an excuse to visit Plymouth etc - but for, say, one season, ifollow does appeal, particularly if significant revenue actually gets to the club.

For me, getting to a game in Plymouth is awkward, and, realistically, requires an overnight stay in Plymouth. The cost of attending even half a dozen games in Plymouth over the course of a season is pretty significant, so the prospect of using ifollow regularly is one i would give serious thought to.

Who owns and runs ifollow? Is it linked to the EFL? I am sure that supporters of all clubs will be thinking along similar lines re using it next season, and if extra revenues generated help EFL clubs in these dire times, great stuff.

Another thought - many of our normal leisure pursuits - travel/restaurants/pubs etc will be restricted for quite some time. The prospect of a season actually watching Argyle far more frequently than normal is growingon me!
 

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Hi Aldershot

You're on the outskirts of Plymouth living there :D

Having got to 3 home games this season, was delighted to have everything in place for Vale home on last day......oh well.

Pretty sure I follow is an EFL initiative. I think it's not compulsory for clubs though. Think Salford and Forest Green do not use it and several in Championship.

My guess is that 20/21 will see an option for a season ticket type for streaming presumably allowing an upgrade if fans allowed back into grounds. I have had a flexi 6 membership for several seasons but assume that options next season will be buy for season at discounted rate or select individual games which was £10 a game in 19/20.