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Cathy on season tickets, reconstruction etc


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Cathy Jamieson has revealed Kilmarnock have halted the sale of season tickets as fans face lockout.

And the Rugby Park director believes discussions need to take place among clubs, SPFL chiefs and broadcasters as the spectre of empty stadiums looms large over the Scottish game.

Jamieson admits these unprecedented times may bring unprecedented problems as regards supporter integration back into the sport.

Lockdown will end at some point but the measures of easing are almost certain to be gradual. Ross County chairman Roy MacGregor has flagged up the fact extended social distancing rules could mean a fraction of fans being admitted to stadia when the game restarts and possibly even none at all.

As well as causing untold damage to the finances of clubs with the loss of vital matchday revenue it will also be a huge blow for supporters who want to get back to normality.

Jamieson is keen not to jump the gun and says Killie are taking things step by step regarding all issues.

But she is aware of the impact social distancing restrictions may have going forward. Jamieson said: “We have to think about what if the lockdown is released in a gradual way where large
gatherings were not possible and football was played behind closed doors.

“We have taken the decision not to put our season tickets on sale right now because of lack of certainty.

“We’ve had fans coming forward asking to help the club by buying them but we didn’t think it was fair to them.

“One of things football and the wider world is starting to recognise is there is not going to be an immediate cut-off point for when this virus is going to go away.

“It’s likely to be something that is a gradual lifting of the lockdown and I would guess mass gatherings and football stadiums would not be one of the most immediate ones.

“So it could be we are facing real difficulties
around that in terms of reopening the stadiums. We need to be honest and begin to address it.

“That’s then incumbent for the clubs and the SPFL to be talking with the broadcasters and so on to go through options if that happens.

“It’s hard to fathom on two levels. The whole experience of football is very much about fans participating and it’s a worry in financial terms if you’re not going to get the revenue in. That’s why I say the SPFL and clubs need to be involved in discussions.

“For most clubs they will be basing their budgets on projected season-ticket sales so that is undoubtedly going to be an issue.

“At the moment we won’t sell until we get more clarity.”

While Kilmarnock have taken a clear stance on the ticket issue they are less rigid at this point on their ideas of ways forward for the Scottish game.

With the SPFL having called time on the lower league the top-flight’s situation may be clarified on Thursday after the UEFA meeting that may give chiefs the opportunity to end the Premiership campaign.

Cathy Jamieson, pictured with Killie Trust chairman Jim Thomson.

Talks are under way over possible reconstruction
for the next season in Scotland.

But while Jamieson insists Killie are keeping an open mind on all scenarios at the moment she’s adamant there needs to be togetherness for the greater good as everyone in the game needs to help each other to recover from the current crisis.

Jamieson said: “It’s always important to put things into context. We are the same as everyone else.

“Fans and people close to the club have lost relatives and friends to Covid-19 and we’re still in a grim place.

“We’re respecting that and not getting involved in any unnecessary issues.

“We are still in uncertain times and we are now waiting after the SPFL resolution was passed to see what the next steps are.

“Obviously the lockdown has continued and we really don’t know when football will resume. There are ongoing discussions on what shape and form the league will take next year and we are open to listening.

“The SPFL have different options. They can continue as they are, look for a short-term fix or look to put something in place for longer term.

“My guess at the moment is something for next season but we have to wait and see.

“I can’t speak for any other club but we at Kilmarnock are acutely conscious of what is happening for our fans and our local community.

“We are trying to look at what would work for us and also for Scottish football.

“People keep saying that we are in unprecedented times and we really are.

“That does mean we have to be prepared to think out of the box a bit.

“We are seeing people pull together in communities to try to get through and, bluntly, football clubs have to do the same thing.

“That might mean thinking through things that maybe last season or two seasons
ago would not have been on the table.

“If we want football in Scotland to continue and thrive we need to open to suggestions out there.”

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/cathy-jamieson-pinpoints-issue-spfl-21886042?1

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"The SPFL have different options. They can continue as they are, look for a short-term fix or look to put something in place for longer term.

“My guess at the moment is something for next season but we have to wait and see.....

I'd be extremely disappointed if we voted for a short term fix to save one club, considering this little gem from Ann Budge yesterday.....

Hearts should be saved from the drop because they made.....  "substantial investments to try to avoid relegation"

 

Edited by C4mmy31
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Well measured and responsible answers from Cathy given the current circumstances ,

the stance on for now holding back Season Ticket sales is to be commended even if it may have given the club a short term financial lift....

on league changes if there was a measured genuine research and getting opinions from other areas such as fans etc, into findng the correct new league set up it might have merit..

but fact it comes across as a rush job led by a person whose only aim is to save her club , I just cannot see firstly the correct set up found nor that it then gets enough votes to start from next season.....a season even if starts in August that looks more than likely to be played out for first few months without fans 

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9 hours ago, C4mmy31 said:

"The SPFL have different options. They can continue as they are, look for a short-term fix or look to put something in place for longer term.

“My guess at the moment is something for next season but we have to wait and see.....

I'd be extremely disappointed if we voted for a short term fix to save one club, considering this little gem from Ann Budge yesterday.....

Hearts should be saved from the drop because they made.....  "substantial investments to try to avoid relegation"

 

As her financial adviser should have told her “the value of your investments can go down as well as up”!

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10 hours ago, C4mmy31 said:

"The SPFL have different options. They can continue as they are, look for a short-term fix or look to put something in place for longer term.

“My guess at the moment is something for next season but we have to wait and see.....

I'd be extremely disappointed if we voted for a short term fix to save one club, considering this little gem from Ann Budge yesterday.....

Hearts should be saved from the drop because they made.....  "substantial investments to try to avoid relegation"

 

Agreed , mind you no team should be relegated the way hearts have , but to save them by reconstruction with that horrible Anne budge running things is what I expect of Scottish football 

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1 hour ago, DrewWylie said:

Agreed , mind you no team should be relegated the way hearts have , but to save them by reconstruction with that horrible Anne budge running things is what I expect of Scottish football 

Exactly Drew. This was todays quote while she was interviewed, for the BBC, by Tom English .....

TE: "You want a quick fix?

AB; "I do, to reflect a completely abnormal situation. Let's put something in place that will address that instead of trying to find a solution to a problem that many people have been looking at for 10 years. I don't want to go there.”

 

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6 hours ago, Mclean07 said:

With respect to social distancing, you have to admire Bobby Fleeting’s vision in building a stadium three times too big for us. 

And if we had listened to him and went with his proposal to leave rugby park and build a new stadium at queens drive it may have been 4 or 5 times too big!

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