B&F shows club's contempt for fans

[milney044]

I can understand how those who paid the amount they did thinking that they'd be able to converse with the players would be disappointed. If i was the club i would give warning that there will be no photographs/ autographs PRIOR to the actual night.

This is a night for the players and not so much the fans and IMO it is why the night is so expensive - a night for corporates and those directly involved (more so than supporters). Of corse fans are welcome to attend, and why wouldn't we be when we pay that much to!

If you do attend, i think you have to go prepared to just enjoy the night and the atmosphere and celebrate the evening for what it is. As people have said there are family days and training sessions for contact with the players.

I went last year and was unaware that there would be no access to players, after having realized this i respected that and kept my distance.

[Milton66]

On the other hand, if they didn't invite mebers at all, we'd have a thread complaining that the club treats members with contempt.

Ya gotta luv this orum, don'tchya?

On a different note, my mate got invited to (suck) to his owrk sponsored function on GF eve.

Tony Shaw was MC, and Bickley, Burke, Marc Murphy and a few past greats were there including Spud (no not me, but the formaer Capt).

That was specifically staged where the players rotated from table to table and had a chat with all guests.

Not sure if at a B&F the club should promote as an opp to meet players and get sigs.

If they did, then bad move.

[saint66au]

Did anyone go to the "cocktail party" next door?

[saintbrat]

Did anyone go to the "cocktail party" next door?

from saintscentral
http://www.saintscentral.com.au/Detail.aspx?id=775 page 3

Great night last night at the B & F such a shame we in a small room and were only able to watch it on the big screen, great that Rooey and Ross and Max came in to chat to us BUT for the price we paid we should have been allowed access into the main room after dinner and the count, the security guys were monsters.....SO NOT FAIR, maybe a bigger venue next year Saints.....CONGRATS to Rooey....

[St Fidelius]

I was at the B&F on Saturday night and not once but twice the MC Craig Willis asked that fans not approach players for autographs and photos.

Of course, everyone ignored him but 20 minutes later he repeated the request. Obviously someone had complained.

I think this is a bit rich from the club which had charged fans hundreds of dollars on the promise that they get to rub shoulders with their heroes. Only catch is - don't go near them.

Very poor form from STKFC and it's not the first time this year it has burned its fans. Happy to take their money though.

Gee, the players have been only too willing to sign autographs all season and the B and F was THEIR NIGHT, yes supporters paid for the privilege to attend, but give me a break with suggesting that it was very poor form from the Club FFS.

I think this is a bit rich from the club which had charged fans hundreds of dollars on the promise that they get to rub shoulders with their heroes. Only catch is - don't go near them.

I spoke to many players on the night, I respected their wishes and did not request photos or autographs, but again I did "rub shoulders" with the players and thoroughly enjoyed the night.

Some people are just hard to please and show little respect IMO

[HarveysDeciple]

There is this attitude that the players owe the fans so much.

So one night off taking photos is unnacceptable? and if you don't like the idea.........don't pay your money and don't go.

The players have been accomodating all year for fans at numerous events, they have also given you all great joy. One night of no photos........big f****** deal.

[GrumpyOne]

This is a night for the players and not so much the fans and IMO it is why the night is so expensive - a night for corporates and those directly involved (more so than supporters).

If I was paying big money as a corporate sponsor and I wasn't allowed to take photos..... its the last they'd see of my money.

[GrumpyOne]

There is this attitude that the players owe the fans so much.

So one night off taking photos is unnacceptable? and if you don't like the idea.........don't pay your money and don't go.

The players have been accomodating all year for fans at numerous events, they have also given you all great joy. One night of no photos........big f****** deal.

More than just one night of photos HD, its a club function where you are not allowed to have any interaction with the players.

How quickly the club forgets who kept them solvent in the "Chuck A Buck" days.

Add it all together..... Social club reserved seat fiasco.... crappy Match day Experience... lack of GF tickets.... B&F apartheid..... Our club doesn't give a stuff about its fans.

[GreatNo9s]

Maybe the players asked the Club to make the announcement ?
Anyone thought of that ?

Blame the Club sure but there has to be a logical reason for the announcement


One other thing to note is that given the B&F sold out so quickly that it may well be that the average fan may not be able to get there next year.

A few of my mates are Halo members and they go as part of their package I think. Seems more and more coterie members, player sponsors and corporates are going which makes it harder and harder to get to...

[St Fidelius]

There is this attitude that the players owe the fans so much.

So one night off taking photos is unnacceptable? and if you don't like the idea.........don't pay your money and don't go.

The players have been accomodating all year for fans at numerous events, they have also given you all great joy. One night of no photos........big f****** deal.

More than just one night of photos HD, its a club function where you are not allowed to have any interaction with the players.

How quickly the club forgets who kept them solvent in the "Chuck A Buck" days.

Add it all together..... Social club reserved seat fiasco.... crappy Match day Experience... lack of GF tickets.... B&F apartheid..... Our club doesn't give a stuff about its fans.

Please enlighten me where it was ever stated that you were not allowed to have any interaction with the players???

THIS WAS NEVER THE CASE!!!

Posters that have little idea and spread this crapola is totally wrong

[GrumpyOne]

There is this attitude that the players owe the fans so much.

So one night off taking photos is unnacceptable? and if you don't like the idea.........don't pay your money and don't go.

The players have been accomodating all year for fans at numerous events, they have also given you all great joy. One night of no photos........big f****** deal.

More than just one night of photos HD, its a club function where you are not allowed to have any interaction with the players.

How quickly the club forgets who kept them solvent in the "Chuck A Buck" days.

Add it all together..... Social club reserved seat fiasco.... crappy Match day Experience... lack of GF tickets.... B&F apartheid..... Our club doesn't give a stuff about its fans.

Please enlighten me where it was ever stated that you were not allowed to have any interaction with the players???

THIS WAS NEVER THE CASE!!!

Posters that have little idea and spread this crapola is totally wrong

I was at the B&F on Saturday night and not once but twice the MC Craig Willis asked that fans not approach players for autographs and photos.

Hmmmm..... sounds pretty close to me.

A little idea is better than none, Fid.

And as you used the plural posters, it should be are totally wrong.

[saintbrat]

I was at the B&F on Saturday night and not once but twice the MC Craig Willis asked that fans not approach players for autographs and photos.

Hmmmm..... sounds pretty close to me.

A little idea is better than none, Fid.

And as you used the plural posters, it should be are totally wrong.

read the full statement Grumpy One

asked that fans not approach players for autographs and photos

not "Don't approach the players" BUT "Don't approach them for Autographs and photos"

[GrumpyOne]

I was at the B&F on Saturday night and not once but twice the MC Craig Willis asked that fans not approach players for autographs and photos.

Hmmmm..... sounds pretty close to me.

A little idea is better than none, Fid.

And as you used the plural posters, it should be are totally wrong.

read the full statement Grumpy One

asked that fans not approach players for autographs and photos

not "Don't approach the players" BUT "Don't approach them for Autographs and photos"

What else was anyone going to do.... ask them for tips in the third at Flemington?

[saintbrat]

how about just chat?
have conversation?
wish them well and a good recovery ....
there is more to a social event than an autograph and a photo....

[GrumpyOne]

how about just chat?
have conversation?
wish them well and a good recovery ....
there is more to a socail event than an autograph and a photo....

So, if they were available for a chat and conversation.... why couldn't they be available to sign an autograph and be photographed?

Makes no sense..... unless the club intends to sell autographed B&F photos at a later date?

No logical reason for the request otherwise, unless they were not supposed to be approached at all, hence my previous post.

[saintspremiers]

how about just chat?
have conversation?
wish them well and a good recovery ....
there is more to a social event than an autograph and a photo....

Hey bratty, can you sell a conversation or chat on ebay??!!

AS for the MC, why did they have Willis (who Dimwit loves!) as the MC?

Why not a St Kilda person??

[St Fidelius]

There is this attitude that the players owe the fans so much.

So one night off taking photos is unnacceptable? and if you don't like the idea.........don't pay your money and don't go.

The players have been accomodating all year for fans at numerous events, they have also given you all great joy. One night of no photos........big f****** deal.

More than just one night of photos HD, its a club function where you are not allowed to have any interaction with the players.

How quickly the club forgets who kept them solvent in the "Chuck A Buck" days.

Add it all together..... Social club reserved seat fiasco.... crappy Match day Experience... lack of GF tickets.... B&F apartheid..... Our club doesn't give a stuff about its fans.

Please enlighten me where it was ever stated that you were not allowed to have any interaction with the players???

THIS WAS NEVER THE CASE!!!

Posters that have little idea and spread this crapola is totally wrong

I was at the B&F on Saturday night and not once but twice the MC Craig Willis asked that fans not approach players for autographs and photos.

Hmmmm..... sounds pretty close to me.

A little idea is better than none, Fid.

And as you used the plural posters, it should be are totally wrong.

It was a great night and I would suggest most enjoyed the night.

This is not a dig at you, but again, to type that people were not allowed to have any interaction with players and you were not in attendance and then state a little idea is better than none is totally wrong IMO

[saint66au]

B&F apartheid

You of all people Grumpy I thought would have perhaps re-phrased that..

Silly over-dramatisation IMO

Sheesh..some people just cant cope with one night of not taking pics or asking for autographs

[Milton66]

how about just chat?
have conversation?
wish them well and a good recovery ....
there is more to a socail event than an autograph and a photo....

So, if they were available for a chat and conversation.... why couldn't they be available to sign an autograph and be photographed?

Makes no sense..... unless the club intends to sell autographed B&F photos at a later date?

No logical reason for the request otherwise, unless they were not supposed to be approached at all, hence my previous post.

Maybe because people wouldn't be able to help themselves and the players would get caught up all night signing sigs and taking photos?

Sounds reasonable to me, but I wasn't there, so I really can't comment either way.

[groupie1]

apparently i am missing something here, because by the sounds of what i am reading i am in the minority, so hear is my two cents...

it is an official club function. it is not the players personal private time. it is repeat an official club function. they are not buying groceries at the supermarket or enjoying a holiday on the beach, this is still work time and at a work function.

as such, all players, coaches', staff and board members are publicly available as the work event is in public and funnily enough sold to the public.

if that was an official directive to Craig Willis, the club should be ashamed of themselves.

philip

f****** bollocks.
Are Toyota staff 'publicly available'? they sell to the public.

No club supporter has the right to approach whoever they want whenever they want and demand a photo or an autograph. they're footballers, not bears on the beaches in Spain.

Plus, your argument is flawed in the first place as you argue they're at work, not personal time, therefore fans get access.
Brilliant. They're also working at the MCG on Saturday afternoons - do you propose we all get the right to step on the turf with pieces of paper begging for autographs ? Listen in at the quarter time huddle?

Footballers at work are footballers. their job is to play football. Not sign autographs.

and also, this is besides the point of alerting people to the deep flaws in logic of this person's post: there was an incident once at one club's B&F between a drunken fan and a player, and since then, things changed.

[GrumpyOne]

I work for an association governed by its members. much like a footy club. At official Association functions, my staff and I are expected to mingle with the membership, handle enquiries, all that stuff. We are paid to do that.... it's part of our job.

When I am on my own time, walking down the street, shopping centres, restaurants etc, I am still courteous to members, but ask them to make their queries during working time.

I cannot see the difference in how the players should be available. If it is an official function, they should be available. If it is in their off-duty hours, then their privacy should be respected.

Personally, I'm not the type to seek out players for autographs, photos or general chit-chat. They are just ordinary guys with particular skills, and I would talk to them if they were inclined to talk to me. Just like anyone else in the community.

But you can't take the big $$$ without the responsibility that goes with it. If they are there as part of their employment, and it is not interfereing with their primary job, they should be available.

[groupie1]

"But you can't take the big $$$ without the responsibility that goes with it. "

I agree. We pay you good money to play good football. Not 'mingle'.

If we wanted a football team that was good interacting with the public then why don't we just go out and hire 22 clowns from a circus for $300 a day?

[ctqs]

They said the same thing at the start of last year's night, too.
What the club has to realise is the players aren't paid well because they're good at what they do. They're paid well because WE CARE about what they do.

[AnythingsPossibleSaints]

Gotta agree with the OP. I don't go to anything but the games anymore, because I don't appreciate being treated like a "leper" at things like the intra-club match. They used to be fun, relaxed occasions, where we could go out onto the ground at the breaks and have a listen to the quarter time address etc., but now the constant announcements not to go on the ground and then putting a rope up to separate them from us at the end of the game is insulting and makes me want to puke. They've become paranoid in the extreme (and lacking guts).
Whether they like it or not, we're a part of this club and without those of us who buy membership tickets, there would be NO CLUB, so I expect better. If they want us to buy membership tickets, memorabilia, merchandise and sell raffle tickets etc, they need to treat us how they'd like to be treated.
I was interested to hear Brian Waldron say how much he preferred being at the Storm, where they were a lot more laid back. He especially liked how fans could go into the rooms after the game and mingle with them, as opposed to our rooms, which, last I saw, had us behind a fence type thing.

[ctqs]

I work for an association governed by its members. much like a footy club. At official Association functions, my staff and I are expected to mingle with the membership, handle enquiries, all that stuff. We are paid to do that.... it's part of our job.

When I am on my own time, walking down the street, shopping centres, restaurants etc, I am still courteous to members, but ask them to make their queries during working time.

I cannot see the difference in how the players should be available. If it is an official function, they should be available. If it is in their off-duty hours, then their privacy should be respected.

Personally, I'm not the type to seek out players for autographs, photos or general chit-chat. They are just ordinary guys with particular skills, and I would talk to them if they were inclined to talk to me. Just like anyone else in the community.

But you can't take the big $$$ without the responsibility that goes with it. If they are there as part of their employment, and it is not interfereing with their primary job, they should be available.

Very well put!