Empty Seats in Directors' Box?

[forzagranata]

I know it is nothing new (and apologies if it has been done to death on here) but all the empty seats in the director's box and the adjacent area stood out even more than usual today.

Kompany marches out on to the Turf Moor pitch for the first team to huge cheers and applause from a big crowd and then takes his seat on the bench in front of all those empty 'posh' seats.

What is going on with those prime seats?

[NewClaret]

All at their holiday homes

[bfcjg]

Out looking for sponsors.......or queuing as their passes weren't recognised

[wilks_bfc]

Pace wasn’t there today so that’s his entourage missing

[forzagranata]

Pace wasn’t there today so that’s his entourage missing

Yes but a lot more than that. Never looked good last season but really stood out today - especially as Kompany acknowledged the great welcome and then faced rows of empty seats behind his bench.

[clitheroeclaret3]

Noticed that myself, was going to take a photo.
Best seats in the house, 2/3rds empty

[KRBFC]

It's been like that since ALK walked through the door, no idea why though?

Did Garlick invite 100 pals every game or something?

[GodIsADeeJay81]

I don't recall them ever being full during the previous ownership, but it's not really an issue is it?

Or are you just scrabbling about for something to new to be upset about?

[Quickenthetempo]

Looked to be sponsors/100 club area rather than directors box that was empty.

[forzagranata]

Maybe they should make the 'VIP' area smaller and put those seats up for sale to supporters. Its £40 for a walk-on ticket for the Bob Lord so they could make a few quid as well.

[forzagranata]

Looked to be sponsors/100 club area rather than directors box that was empty.

Was both.

[KRBFC]

I don't recall them ever being full during the previous ownership, but it's not really an issue is it?

Or are you just scrabbling about for something to new to be upset about?

I'm not upset, or blaming ALK here. I just wondered why it's been empty since ALK arrived maybe there's a reason like Garlick was inviting a ton of people to fill it up.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

I'm not upset, or blaming ALK here. I just wondered why it's been empty since ALK arrived maybe there's a reason like Garlick was inviting a ton of people to fill it up.

It wasn't aimed at you, if it was I would've quoted you.

[AlargeClaret]

I think 100 club stand 95% empty ( it almost never is) and directors box was looking pretty much as it usually does in AP era . Not a good look but I’d imagine there’s valid reasons .

[BurnleyFC]

They’re all in China finalising multi-million pound investments.

[Boss Hogg]

All the empty seats there didn’t look great.

[Burnley Ace]

The blue seats at the bottom are “trophy room” and are normally sold out. The first 3 rows of the red seats are directors and family/guests and the next 10 rows seem to be empty unless it’s Liverpool etc. I asked if they were for sale but was told they were at the chairman’s discretion.

It might well be that there isn’t enough catering space etc but you’d get £3 to £4K a seat.

[dougcollins]

I don't recall them ever being full during the previous ownership, but it's not really an issue is it?

Or are you just scrabbling about for something to new to be upset about?

Well, it looks rubbish on the telly with all those empty seats.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Well, it looks rubbish on the telly with all those empty seats.

Not really for the directors box, yes if it's the normal fans seats

[beddie]

In the recent pamphlet received in the post I’m sure they were offering seats in their (directors box) along with the 100 club etc at a cost, don’t think I’ve seen them for sale in there before (directors box).

[dougcollins]

Not really for the directors box, yes if it's the normal fans seats

Because of the camera position, its the first thing you see.

Like those corporate seats at Wembley which always seem to be half empty.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Because of the camera position, its the first thing you see.

Like those corporate seats at Wembley which always seem to be half empty.

Again, it doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things.
Directors boxes and corporate seats/boxes are often seen empty up and down the country, the average fan won't care, why should we?

[claptrappers_union]

They shouldn’t be empty.

[RickyBobby]

We now have far too many posh seats. All the posh executive seats in the bob lord and jimmy mac lower were mostly empty. For a game that was a sell out having so many empty seats is a poor do.
The Jimmy Mac lower executive seats used to have a lot away fans in the past but that isn’t going to happen now in the championship.

[Vegas Claret]

The blue seats at the bottom are “trophy room” and are normally sold out. The first 3 rows of the red seats are directors and family/guests and the next 10 rows seem to be empty unless it’s Liverpool etc. I asked if they were for sale but was told they were at the chairman’s discretion.

It might well be that there isn’t enough catering space etc but you’d get £3 to £4K a seat.

I'll have the one at 3 quid please

Bonkers they are empty, i'd rather they give them to charity of low income families than have them empty

[Zlatan]

We were in the 100 club seats today - as there was a mix up with our tickets for north stand lower (I had moved from CFS to take a +1 with us).

The view was fantastic and we were up close to the players in the dug out. I think there were about 20 of us in there that were moved today.

Comments on the seats - quite comfy, but they look tired now, especially compared to the nice new blue seats in the directors box. That said, we enjoyed the game today and appreciated the complimentary move for a ticket mix up (I’m thinking the seats we chose were wanted as Season tickets perhaps).

I am going to feedback my thoughts to the ticket office though, and I’ll mention the comments on here about the image it could portray on TV

[Devils_Advocate]

I can understand the criticism of seats being unused that could be put to good use but getting worried about how our ground might look to random people watching on TV seems a bit soft to me

[Zlatan]

I can understand the criticism of seats being unused that could be put to good use but getting worried about how our ground might look to random people watching on TV seems a bit soft to me

I agree, I don’t care so much how it looks on TV. Perhaps if they can’t fill them with hospitality customers then maybe like I had today - a free upgrade for some random season ticket holders, maybe a free draw to select them to get fans in there

[Devils_Advocate]

I agree, I don’t care so much how it looks on TV. Perhaps if they can’t fill them with hospitality customers then maybe like I had today - a free upgrade for some random season ticket holders, maybe a free draw to select them to get fans in there

Yep, agree with that but a few on here seem more worried on how it looks to others which is just daft

[fidelcastro]

The Jimmy Mac lower executive seats used to have a lot away fans in the past but that isn’t going to happen now in the championship.

Thank God.

[Enola Gay]

How much of a sadarse do you have to be to even notice this stuff, let alone post about it?

[Joe14]

If only you knew the cost you would understand why so many seats were empty!! It’s hardly rocket science

[AlargeClaret]

I think people are genuinely misunderstanding the “ empty seats” question . While the directors box is what it is , yesterday it was the 95% empty block next to it in the BL that looked odd , I presumed was a safety or ticketing issue as that stand almost always full . “ Posh” seats etc will ebb and flow and of course much less demand in champ .

The people who worry about “ a bad look” on tv are the same who used get orgasmic when Shearer said “ Burnley looked decent “ once on MOTD. Nobody gives a sh1t about little old Burnley and that’s how we like it .

[Burnley Ace]

I agree, I don’t care so much how it looks on TV. Perhaps if they can’t fill them with hospitality customers then maybe like I had today - a free upgrade for some random season ticket holders, maybe a free draw to select them to get fans in there

It’s not that they can’t fill them, those seats (in the directors box) aren’t for sale.

[Hendrickxz]

I think you will find that quite a few people who were afforded annual passes to the box have been gradually eased out as part of cost cutting or because they were considered superfluous in some way. When Bob was in charge he had half the Borough Council in there every week. He never did owt for nowt so presumably the MPs, councillors and aldermen (that dates it) were there because could be "useful" for the club to have on board. Following the "changing of the guard" last season and before that the "approved list" has been slimmed down.

[ClaretTony]

Couple of people I know used to go in there but said they'd been priced out with last season's big increases

[taio]

I don't recall them ever being full during the previous ownership, but it's not really an issue is it?

Or are you just scrabbling about for something to new to be upset about?

Like you suggest, not that important...but that aside it was regularly full.

[forzagranata]

.

The people who worry about “ a bad look” on tv are the same who used get orgasmic when Shearer said “ Burnley looked decent “ once on MOTD. Nobody gives a sh1t about little old Burnley and that’s how we like it .

The other day there were people claiming on here that our commercial appeal, globally, is now better than ever, and that a key part of this was that our games are broadcast internationally.

Now this may or may not be true (we don’t seem to be attracting much sponsorship ‘globally’) but if our broadcasts shape our image to potential investors or sponsors then how does rows of empty directors/VIP seats help?

I mean, its just not a ‘good look’ is it?

[NewClaret]

So if it was Zlatan and 20+ others who had been moved there due to a mistake, are we saying we’ve sold zero 100 club tickets this year??

[Jamesy]

I sit in 100 club area row E and I must admit me and my family felt rather lonely yesterday with only a handful of people around us.
My brother said it was because the 1882 lounge wasn’t open because they hadn’t been able to sell enough tickets?
We had lots of people in the lounge yesterday who we didn’t recognise and we weren’t sure where they sat during the match?
This coupled with the general emptiness of the directors box as it was last season makes it look pretty poor, especially as we almost sold out all home sections of the ground.

[Jamesy]

Couple of people I know used to go in there but said they'd been priced out with last season's big increases

Several regulars of the 100 club didn’t renew this season because of the price increase.

[Duffer_]

I couldn't find anything online about 100 club pricing or availability. Call me old fashioned but if you want to sell tickets in these areas, wouldn't it be a good idea to promote them rather than keeping them under the counter?

[matucana]

Interesting that yesterday's programme had no club management or director's lists as shown in previous programmes. Also reference made to an AGM being held soon to clarify directorships of the club. Maybe Messrs MG and JB have had full settlement of all outstanding debts and are no longer on the board.

[Devils_Advocate]

I couldn't find anything online about 100 club pricing or availability. Call me old fashioned but if you want to sell tickets in these areas, wouldn't it be a good idea to promote them rather than keeping them under the counter?

Not always, lots of businesses where they have more exclusive or higher end options keep the cost hidden. Stops every Tom, Dick and Harry nosying around and potentially commenting negatively on it, adds a bit more privacy to the customers who make the purchase and can be often linked to the old adage that if you have to ask the price then you probably cant afford to purchase it anyhow

[JohnMac]

Maybe a boozy culture has been eradicated in the corridors of power. I don't know if one actually existed mind you...

[Jamesy]

Maybe a boozy culture has been eradicated in the corridors of power. I don't know if one actually existed mind you...

Well they are certainly not going to encourage boozing if they can help it. Perhaps the non drinking, non caffeine, no tie wearing custodians of our club have put off a few visiting directors/guests who years ago enjoyed the famous Burnley hospitality in the Directors Lounge?

[Claretforever]

It did look odd as I thought the corporate tickets from the old Centre Spot area sat in there?

[Duffer_]

Not always, lots of businesses where they have more exclusive or higher end options keep the cost hidden. Stops every Tom, Dick and Harry nosying around and potentially commenting negatively on it, adds a bit more privacy to the customers who make the purchase and can be often linked to the old adage that if you have to ask the price then you probably cant afford to purchase it anyhow

Haha, yes, I did consider the old adage that you referred to when I posted. The thing is, more people could afford a bit of luxury for a special occasion and we would maximise revenue by selling surplus capacity on a game by game basis. What impact would that have on the high rollers you referred to? You can always ask Jamesy - it's not as though there are many in the 100 club to worry about right now.

[Jamesy]

Haha, yes, I did consider the old adage that you referred to when I posted. The thing is, more people could afford a bit of luxury for a special occasion and we would maximise revenue by selling surplus capacity on a game by game basis. What impact would that have on the high rollers you referred to? You can always ask Jamesy - it's not as though there are many in the 100 club to worry about right now.

I’m definitely not a high roller pal!

[Jamesy]

Additionally I think the prices for the 100 club/Trophy room were advertised on BFC Commercial dept website for the last couple of months of the previous season and the 1882 club on a match by match basis?
Maybe they have stopped making these packages available whilst they are looking at a better value more tempting offering?