FANS VILLAGE RETURNS

[John Matrix]

let's face it, the guy already said he wouldn't go. so his preemptive strike negates your comments.

[Guest Bilo]

Meh, it's just in general.

If that's what the Thais think is going to attract people, let them do it. I'm not particularly interested, I don't know too many who would be, but if the families and kids like it I really don't see a problem.

On the plus side, it shows things can't be that bad on the pitch if this is what people are complaining about.

[Wymsey]

Meh. It's probably targeting families with their kids than anyone else. Good idea though.

[Freeman's Wharfer]

If you don't want to go, don't go. I have no idea why people are complaining. Who cares if it's there every game of the season? I personally won't go but it will not affect my matchday in any way at all so how will it affect others? If you go straight to your seats most parts of the ground won't even see it!

As I have already said, I won't go. And no it won't affect my matchday experience.... for now.

My point was that this was originally a one-off for a showpiece, glamour tie against Real Madrid. A game and an occassion where some may have needed more than the fact that we were playing Madrid to make the day enjoyable. I have no problems with that, that match was always going to attract a certain type of clientele (see the guy and his son next to me going crazy for Ronaldo and Real's goals yet failing to move a muscle when Dyer scored). I'm simply making the point that I hope this doesn't become a regular thing.

Why?

Because if these people that the village is designed for, who need something other than watching Leicester City trying to beat another team at a game of football to attract them to the stadium, do start going to games then you can bet the inside stadium matchday experience will be tailored to them too. And that was the concern I was stating: where does this end? Where do we go when the village is up and running every week?

You want safe-standing? Not in a 'family-friendly' stadium.

Yes I want to see the KP full. Yes I want the next generation of fans to get the LCFC bug. I would love it if we could expand the thing and fill it. Noisily. But what's stopping kids getting hooked the way previous generations did? The crowd, the noise, the excitement when Leicester score. Not Ruth Lorenzo strutting around the centre circle warbling out some song she got kicked off X Factor for not being able to sing well enough. Maybe, despite being one of the younger generations of Leicester fans, I'm a bit nostalgic already. Maybe I'll see things differently when I have kids. Maybe I'm no longer the demographic that our club wants to appeal to.

[Vlad the Fox]

I'm still waiting for the Fanny village!!!

I'll leave the kids at home for that match.

[m00nie]

As I have already said, I won't go. And no it won't affect my matchday experience.... for now.

My point was that this was originally a one-off for a showpiece, glamour tie against Real Madrid. A game and an occassion where some may have needed more than the fact that we were playing Madrid to make the day enjoyable. I have no problems with that, that match was always going to attract a certain type of clientele (see the guy and his son next to me going crazy for Ronaldo and Real's goals yet failing to move a muscle when Dyer scored). I'm simply making the point that I hope this doesn't become a regular thing.

Why?

Because if these people that the village is designed for, who need something other than watching Leicester City trying to beat another team at a game of football to attract them to the stadium, do start going to games then you can bet the inside stadium matchday experience will be tailored to them too. And that was the concern I was stating: where does this end? Where do we go when the village is up and running every week?

You want safe-standing? Not in a 'family-friendly' stadium.

Yes I want to see the KP full. Yes I want the next generation of fans to get the LCFC bug. I would love it if we could expand the thing and fill it. Noisily. But what's stopping kids getting hooked the way previous generations did? The crowd, the noise, the excitement when Leicester score. Not Ruth Lorenzo strutting around the centre circle warbling out some song she got kicked off X Factor for not being able to sing well enough. Maybe, despite being one of the younger generations of Leicester fans, I'm a bit nostalgic already. Maybe I'll see things differently when I have kids. Maybe I'm no longer the demographic that our club wants to appeal to.

what is this inside the stadium matchday experience you talk of?? what do you actually think you may lose out on ??

surely the match is what counts, the half time entertainment is neither here nor there, i doubt people will be going just for that, the real madrid was a one off with superstars hence the example of the little boy you gave..

but do you really thinkk people will be going to the ground just for a free go on a bouncy castle, or hear a ex x factor singer. but paying 30/40/50 + pound to see reading?? how many people are in there seats at half time anyway.. most go to the food..

there still going to be interested in football and leicester.. the match will still be played the same..

as for trying to use the familes as the safe standing excuse what a load of rubbish.. theres 4 stands, surely safe standing would be more welcome near the kop end anyway..OPPOSITE side from family stand.. we happily stand with the kids at away games also..

[Freeman's Wharfer]

what is this inside the stadium matchday experience you talk of?? what do you actually think you may lose out on ??

surely the match is what counts, the half time entertainment is neither here nor there, i doubt people will be going just for that, the real madrid was a one off with superstars hence the example of the little boy you gave..

but do you really thinkk people will be going to the ground just for a free go on a bouncy castle, or hear a ex x factor singer. but paying 30/40/50 + pound to see reading?? how many people are in there seats at half time anyway.. most go to the food..

there still going to be interested in football and leicester.. the match will still be played the same..

as for trying to use the familes as the safe standing excuse what a load of rubbish.. theres 4 stands, surely safe standing would be more welcome near the kop end anyway..OPPOSITE side from family stand.. we happily stand with the kids at away games also..

I've sat in all four stands at the KP over the years and the atmosphere in each one is distinctly different. If I were to sing certain chants, shout and swear in the family stand I would expect that I may be told not to. Justifiably so. But I've seen people in the kop be told not to swear because of kids before and to me that's not right, the family stand is there for a reason. I knew what the kop at Filbert Street was like when I was younger and it took a while for my dad to get tickets for us there because likewise the matchday experience at Filbert Street was different dependant upon the stand.

I'm not saying people will go solely for the village, but it's an added incentive aimed at a certain type of customer. And that's what it's about, a family of four with two kids is to the club a lucrative clientele. For me, all of the funfair stuff shouldn't be needed (and if you're saying people will go without X Factor contestants etc then surely you can see why I might question why it should be needed?), hence why I've expressed an opinion that I'd rather we didn't have this too often. People were attracted to the football before clubs were trying to tap into this market by tailoring their matchday experience, so what's to stop them now without all of this? I think most would agree that over the last twenty years going to the football has changed, not neccesarily for the better.

I don't think my argument about safe standing is rubbish because it is part of an overall ethos issue. The Fosse Boys were at the opposite end of the ground to the family stand, were the club happy to let them have matchday experience the way they wanted to? No. Because that style of support (or the way the club perceived it) doesn't fit in with a family-friendly club atmosphere. I suspect the club might not have an issue with standing in terms of safety, otherwise they'd be cracking down on L1 more than they do. For me, it's all about the matchday experience that the club wants to create to attract families, stuff like the fans village is part of it.

I'll re-iterate, yes I want families there, kids, as many people as possible etc. but I think our ideas of an ideal matchday might be quite different so we probably won't agree on this . Luckily for you and your kids, stuff like this appeals. But it doesn't for me. I've already said my thoughts may change with time in my previous post but for now that's how I see it. Who knows Jamie 'Afro' Archer may turn my whole philosophy on its head come half time on Saturday?!

[m00nie]

you keep saying "matchday experience" but you have yet to say what you feel the matchday experience is..

what exactly will you lose out on if these events are held more??

[Axle Horsepower]

If they can't do it for the first home league game, when can they do it? I'm not so sure it will be a regular thing, possibly the first and last game and a select few others, especially as the football season runs through the grottier months of the year. Let's just wait and see.

Also in response to one comment about it being a marketing gimmick for the speedway and the like... good on em I say, I was a bit disappointed not to see some of the other Leicester teams represented, like the Riders and the cricket club etc, some of these clubs have been on the brink in recent times and need all the support/awareness they can get. Solidarity brother and all that.

[Kenners]

I dont know if anybodys mentioned it yet but they could be doing it to get people down early for the first home game. I'll be very surprised if they dont have trouble with the new season tickets so by putting this on people will be entering the stadium an hour before (when the village 'closes' at 2) giving lots of time to get in, whereas before people would turn up more or less on kick off.