The future of the match programme

[Tynie Topics]

I know this has been talked about since computers were first invented, but what are peoples thoughts now on the future of programmes in light of current technology?

I can see a time within the next decade, maybe the next 5-6 years, where most people will have a mobile phone that closely resembles the current i-Pad, we have the i-Phone of course and we’ll eventually end up with an i-Phone that does what the i-Pad currently does, in effect a laptop on your phone.

What impact does that have on printed match programmes? We’ll I can see the time will come when clubs will text/email you the line-ups that you can peruse on your phone pre-match (some already do this via Facebook/Twitter), they might even have a match specific website that you can access via your phone at half-time for a read. The grounds will become wi-fi zones that you can connect to via your phone – maybe some already are?

We’ve seen season tickets turn into electronic fobs, we’ve seen bar code’s on tickets meaning no more counterfoils, we’ve seen tickets you can print out at home, I just think that technology is at the point now that printed programmes could be phased out, particularly if there are financial benefits.

Discuss.
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https://www.flickr.com/photos/footballprogrammes/albums

[tommy]

Excellent thread Tynie Topics very well put and thought provoking.

Natural evolution of the matchday experience I suppose. The ‘football programme’ would become the ‘football program’. At least storage space wouldn’t be a problem in future. You would probably be able to keep 100 years or more of ‘programs’ on a memory stick.

[sharrowblade]

It's a good question Tyne, the simple answer is nobody really knows.

Technology advances at such a rate these day, the sky's the limit.

Will enough supporters embrace that kind of technology? many people don't have excess to the likes of i-phones (they're not exactly cheap), half of those that do can't even work them, and as you point out something more wonderful soon comes along.

The biggest threat currently to the future of match day programmes is the cover price. £3 on average currently, but I would think in line with magazines over the next 2/3 years heading for the £5, especially in the Premiership.

Of course it's all about finances, for the majority of clubs, attendances are beginning to fall, (due to the obscene ticket prices that help pay the obscene wages they are paying the players) which will we assume result in fewer sales of match day programmes, but then clubs will in turn reduce print runs to reduce costs.

If at some point, they think tomorrow's technology will raise revenue, then you couldn't blame them, as it would be foolish to ignore it.

SB

[Wullie]

It could happen in 20 years or so, but I suppose it’s like cds and dvds. If there is a collectable market they will be made. Maybe one day, we will print our own programmes off a computer. Technology is changing the way I work at the post office. 20 years ago I would walk up your garden path with your air tickets, your bank statement and a gas bill. Now this entire thing is done online. BUT the stuff you now buy on Ebay has to be signed for or is too big for your letter box so I have to knock on the door and if no one is in a have to leave a note.. So the post office is losing money because we deliver fewer items, but it takes me longer to do a round because the items we do delivery are bulky and often need a signature. Technology can be a wonderful, thing but sometimes you have to step back and worry where it will take us.

[corneli_blue]

As another option, the season before last Cardiff City trialed a downloadable PDF programme that was available on the day of the match.

That's a great opportunity for those fans who can't get to a game - living overseas, ill or incapable of going to a game - to be able to get involved.

If they did that for TV games, especially Champions League, then I'd be interested.

Alan

[Rocky]

The question arises, what function does a current matchday programme provide other than an expensive souvenir? Todays technology enables us to access the same information that a programme provides, usually via a clubs website or other media outlets. Also due to mass production I’m sure that modern programmes will be virtually worthless in years to come.

Unfortunately, as Tynie mentioned, I can see the matchday programme been slowly phased out, probably over the next decade or so.

Would getting back to basics and producing a 60’s type programme for 50p be better for collectors or for those who just need a souvenir of the game?

[Tynie Topics]

sharrowblade wrote:

Will enough supporters embrace that kind of technology? many people don't have excess to the likes of i-phones (they're not exactly cheap), half of those that do can't even work them, and as you point out something more wonderful soon comes along.

I suppose what I'm saying is that in 5-10 years time, the i-Phone/Pad style smart technology will be standard, everyone who has a mobile phone will have one of these and the techies will be another step ahead with something resembling the power of a laptop in their pocket.

At that point, everyone will have easy access to the internet from their seat in the stand (or the terrace) or even the pub, where they will have the team line-ups as soon as they are announced and maybe live upto the minute reaction from other fans online. No need to carry a programme about with you for access to information.

Whether this will kill-off the humble match programme is of course unknown, but I think the possibility is more real than ever.
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https://www.flickr.com/photos/footballprogrammes/albums

[CARLISLE ONE]

Maybe I'm old fashioned but havent we heard similar before ? CD's would kill the vinyl,, vinyl survives cos of it being more tactile and arguably on quality. T'internet was going to kill off newspapers, books and the likes, the plethera of magazines I see in newsagents which must cater, in some instances, for a small niche of people. I like some of the old farts mentioned earlier will always prefer something I can touch, feel, than a bland insipid computer screen. I think programes will survive in paper form.
My fear, as stated earlier is they will be exhorbitant in terms of actual costs, rather than people preferring technology. I think, just like the computer screen will be preferable to the soulless, overpriced, overhyped premier league prima donnas, the programme will stay among the supporters of 'real' teams where despite the best efforts of corporate suites and the likes, some semblance of community still prevails, hanging by a thread, but still there,
Rant over.....

[Molineux Phil]

Will the football programme go the same way as the Saturday" Football Pink " ....i realy dont know.
Seldom by one now at the match ,over filled with a load of triver.
Dose anyone like me bemoan the dissapearance of the SFP the Liverpool one went years ago and one i collected avidly in the late 60s early 70s The Wolverhampton Sporting Star also is on more , was great reading on the train on the way home to Liverpool after the game Saturdays ,remember waiting for it with great antisipation at the ground after the final whistle. dose your City still issue one?
Realy sad i think.

[sharrowblade]

Yes Phil, Sheffield still has the 'The Green Un'.

When I was a young whipper-snapper delivering the newspapers, used to stop at my house to find the scores out and then finish the round. Had to fight your way through to the counter back at the newsagents due to scores of blokes waiting for it to arrive.

That doesn't happen any more, and that's where technology has changed things, there's a lot of different forms of media on a saturday afternoon and evening where you can access the scores and reports, which is what basically everyone bought it for. Ours nowadays is far more local football orientated.

[tommy]

I got this response from Plymouth Argyle regarding this season’s programmes.

This season programme sales are being handled by an outside company, we no longer handle them within the retail department.

You will need to contact O Publishing on 01736 335999. They should be able to help you out.

Kind Regards

Nicki
Retail Admin

Is this the future of programmes? I hope not.

[smk06]

O Publishing produce programmes for quite a few teams as well as rugby league teams too. They do Southend's, delivery service from a programme I bought on 10 August took around 5 weeks!

[ToffeeDan]

Goodison Park is already the first Wifi Zone Football Ground and I get the team line up by text message before home games (free for the first month)

[paulo]

I went along to a meeting at NCFC last night to discuss developement of pricing and merchandise.

They really dont know what to do with the programme as they sell around 8000 every game no matter what they do. When I suggested reduce it in size to 16 pages and charge 50p they would not take me seriously. If they did not take up so much room id buy them.

[Rocky]

Remember the thread regarding this seasons Carlisle programme been reduced to a £1? Are there any Carlisle supporters who give an update on the apparent early success detailed in the link below?

http://www.carlisleunited.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10361~2126184,00.html

[Wullie]

ToffeeDan wrote:

Goodison Park is already the first Wifi Zone Football Ground and I get the team line up by text message before home games (free for the first month)

That's another point. "free for the first month". How much will these clubs charge for their electronic programme. You can bet your favourite programme, the service will not be free, so if you've got to pay, why not by a programme instead ?

[bpaafc]

sharrowblade wrote:

It's a good question Tyne, the simple answer is nobody really knows. Technology advances at such a rate these day, the sky's the limit. Will enough supporters embrace that kind of technology? many people don't have excess to the likes of i-phones (they're not exactly cheap), half of those that do can't even work them, and as you point out something more wonderful soon comes along. The biggest threat currently to the future of match day programmes is the cover price. £3 on average currently, but I would think in line with magazines over the next 2/3 years heading for the £5, especially in the Premiership. Of course it's all about finances, for the majority of clubs, attendances are beginning to fall, (due to the obscene ticket prices that help pay the obscene wages they are paying the players) which will we assume result in fewer sales of match day programmes, but then clubs will in turn reduce print runs to reduce costs. If at some point, they think tomorrow's technology will raise revenue, then you couldn't blame them, as it would be foolish to ignore it. SB

i-phones (they're not exactly cheap) Oh YES they are turn up and trade your old phone plus hundred pounds just in case we always have them on the stall, Sunday Todmorden Market ask for either David, Ken, Piper, gemill.

Some of them might be old i-phones some new we actually came across i-phone 5, there not sold in this country yet, but if you shop around you could come across one.
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Harry says "UP THE AVENUE".

[Geddon]

ToffeeDan wrote:

Goodison Park is already the first Wifi Zone Football Ground and I get the team line up by text message before home games (free for the first month)

Goodison maybe the first WiFi Zone Stadium but I've been to a few grounds where the press wifi's inexpicably been left without a password, giving anyone who could be bothered free access to it.

[RobertD]

If you make programmes available online then you open up a much bigger market. It will probably be the new breed of supporter that has cropped up in the last 10-15 years, most supporters that attend their clubs matches will want a physical programme to read at half-time. The Sky/new breed that watch Manchester Utd/Chelsea etc on TV will probably want to purchase the online programmes from all the top 4.

To enable programmes to compete with other media they have to come to the same conclusion that website owners came to after the dot com crash, that the way forward is more customer interaction with the product. If programmes had more travel tips and stories from away games, more pub reviews for upcomin games etc then more people would buy them. More question and answers columns in the programmes maybe fans asking questions that are then answered by other fans by writing in.
Yes its not as quick as reading a forum like this but its about making the best use of a outdated media format.

[Dodge]

RobertD wrote:

The Sky/new breed that watch Manchester Utd/Chelsea etc on TV will probably want to purchase the online programmes from all the top 4

Does anyone know how the old ITV big match programmes sold. They used to stick an extra cover on the official match programme of thier Sunday live game and sell it in newsagents. Always thought that was a bit strange.

Personally I think that while programmes might evolve again (as they did from programmes to "matchday magazines") they'll always be around in paper format.