So, What Happens . . .

[bigbobjoylove]

Season ticket holders being allowed in for the Fleetwood game on the 12th of December might be a go'er then?

[tans]

May be paying public also? Doubt weve sold 4k season tickets?

[The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey]

Is Swindon Tier 1 ?

[Panda Paws]

Is Swindon Tier 1 ?

Won't know until Thursday, but most of the country will be tier 2 or 3 to begin with.

[Peter Venkman]

May be paying public also? Doubt weve sold 4k season tickets?

That is my understanding, coming from people at the club, distancing in the 3 covered stands, season tickets first then some on general sale first come first served is how its being currently planned, I heard about this yesterday.

[Batch]

look, it's great news. But how to we go from a lockdown to up to 4000 crowds?!

bizarre.

[horlock07]

look, it's great news. But how to we go from a lockdown to up to 4000 crowds?!

bizarre.

Put everyone on the bank in December, covid won't survive that climate!

[REDBUCK]

Bizarre indeed, bit of a carrot dangled to show they are trying.

Can't see any Tier 1 areas being announced on Thursday so seems 2000 limit likely.

It'll be interesting to hear what the club plan.

They may strengthen the Tier rules as well, lots to decide yet.

[BambooToTheFuture]

If ever there was a time that Directors/Owners will be even more encouraged not to publicly announce the attendance at matches  

Sounds promising, the main concern for me is that it is adhered to and done right. This is modern England and we seem to be the epicentre of major fuck ups.

My own feeling, whilst torn is that it doesn't seem right to be allowing thousands into stadia (or any venues) just on the brink of Winter. I know and understand life moves on but it appears economy is overtaking life as a priority.

The structuring laid out via https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/55010011 (which is where Tans got his info from) does seem a sensible approach to do it via the tier your area is currently in. So it will be on a match by match basis.

Part of me, thinks great I might be able to go and watch a live pro match or go to an event but surely the numbers quoted above also have to be relative to the size of venue too, to ensure as safe as is practicable? Take for example somewhere like Salford City...actually no that's not relevant they have zero fans. Scunthorpe as an example; Glanford Park holds 9k and Scunny get c4k on average, they play Bolton Saturday (the tiers may put that into zero att.) so would likely meet the 4k allowance. They're ground would be at c45% capacity.  Whereas at least Town holds near on 16k (forgetting seclusion zones or restricted seating), so even at 6k Town would be c37% capacity. At 4k, we'd only be c25% capacity.

I know it states 4k/50% (whichever is lower) but they seem to miss that there is going to scenarios where some of the smaller stadia have more fans per sq metre/foot, hence more congested and shirley that can't be right? I can see it now, some of those venues getting covid cases rate spikes.

Fucking 2020. It was a great drink but it's been one wonky wanky year.

Edit: Town cap from 20% to 25%

[horlock07]

On reflection it all sounds like total bollocks to me, as noted we locked down as cases were going through the roof without grounds being open etc, so why the bloody hell would they think its a good idea to get this back on now, I would think more likely start of Feb when at least some vaxxing will have occurred.

I suspect in terms of allowed capacity methods of ingress/entry will have as much bearing as overall capacity.

[ChalkyWhiteIsGod]

How many season ticket holders do we have? I'd guess around 3,500 maybe. The mad fight among fans if we're in tier 2 should be fun.

[Batch]

The mad fight among fans if we're in tier 2 should be fun.

It'll have to be allocate pro-rata with people urged to "return" the ticket if they can't use it.

Allowing a first come ticketing approach would be carnage!

[pauld]

look, it's great news. But how to we go from a lockdown to up to 4000 crowds?!

bizarre.

Well for a start what we've just been doing wasn't a lockdown in any meaningful sense. And it seems that this time round they've paid greater attention to the risk of transmission indoors vs outdoors. I think reopening the pubs and relaxing the curfew is a far greater risk than allowing people to watch football outdoors, distanced and in a much more regulated environment.

I do wonder how affordable it will be for the club though. If we have, say, 2000 season ticket holders, not all of those will be able to go or choose to go, but let's say 1500 do. That only leaves 2500 to go on general sale. That wouldn't be anywhere near break-even in a normal season, much less with all the additional costs that COVID-safe protocols for allowing fans back in will add on (extra stewards, hand sanitisers, alterations around the ground to allow for safe entry/exit etc). Obviously most of that "nowhere near break-even" is players' wages, but there's still a fair bit of cost in putting a match on that's open to the public. I wonder what the "COVID break-even" point is - i.e. the point at which you have enough paying fans to offset the cost of the matchday protocols (so leaving out players' wages) and stadium operating costs.

[pauld]

How many season ticket holders do we have? I'd guess around 3,500 maybe. The mad fight among fans if we're in tier 2 should be fun.

Normally yes, possibly not this season, given lockdown started part way through the season ticket sales period. Although it was after the end of the early bird phase when you'd have thought most people would buy

[Batch]

ok it's not a proper lockdown, point taken.

but you have to agree the message is somewhat inconsistent. no change there.

my view is they over egged restrictions nationally to try and gain better conformance in the problem areas - 'all in it together'