Rate the owners

[Quickenthetempo]

The new owners have been in charge nearly two and a half years now, enough time to form an opinion.

Manager choice-10/10
Been absolute superb for us.

Ground Improvements-7/10
Tidied the ground up and improved corporate sections.

Pricing-5/10
STs reasonable but Matchday prices very high (up to 40 quid in the 2nd tier) and no offers. Great crowds though, so they will argue they priced it right.

Catering-6/10
No improvements in the concourses, but done a decent job in the fanzone and have outsourced catering for next year.

Youth Academy-2/10
Made a pigs ear of it basically. Cut costs/staff and got us downgraded.

Ticket Office/Ticketing-5/10
Improved choice for seating at away games and E tickets. Away tickets distribution has been shocking at times. Many problems for fans. Turnstile system slowed things down.

Club shop- ???
I don't really use it, so not best person to rate it. 50 quid shirts and still full price after the season ends is either stupidity or genius.

Feel free to add your own category
Look forward to your ratings.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Managerial decisions - 10/10, right time to change last season, excellent choice in who they appointed.

Transfers windows- got signings done early on last summer, no mucking about chasing a single target until the last day.
The amount of players coming and going was huge and credit where it's due for getting it all done.
Took them a couple of windows to get their feet under the table properly but once they did ...9/10

Growing the clubs brand - 10/10 - social media wise, there's been a huge improvement, the player reveal videos have dominated the last couple of windows, fans from around the world come to see them, the general online content has vastly improved and we should see a steady rise in those vital shirt sales
Can't wait to see the show on Sky later this year.

Academy - 6/10 - it was a weird time during the pandemic, maybe Cat 1 was given at the wrong time, I don't know the full details of it, but there was a huge upheaval from what I've seen.

Ticket swap/resale via club site - I've wanted this for a while, I see it with American sports and it works well, glad we've started to try it, 7/10 for effort, it's still new so will see how it goes.

Investment - 7/10 - The Watts will be big for the club, they're really getting into it from what I've seen and that's been brilliant to see, shame the other lad, Jenkins, hasn't reacted the same way, but the owners are trying different alternatives and more will come onboard.

Debts - there's been a clear attempt to reduce the debt from the takeover, which is good to see and it hasn't stopped them from allowing the manager to spend in the transfer window etc.
7/10 for managing it all well so far.

Shirt partnership/designs - this was a great choice for this season, very different shirts to normal, eye catching/stand out, hardly any complaints 10/10

Ticketing and ground stuff I've no real opinion on tbh.

Visibility of owner/Pace - he's very active, both online and via interviews etc.
Yes he will avoid certain things, but ultimately you see him being busy online etc.
I've been very impressed with him and the job he's done so far - 10/10

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Forgot one
Women's team - 10/10 for what they're doing with them

[It Is What It Is]

The owners have been rapidly decisive with unpopular, mediocre and popular decisions.
They appear to have been working extremely hard to get the Club back on an even keel since last year in reducing the debt, getting VK, Bellamy and staff on lengthy contracts.
It's working exceptionally well....it could have gone the other way but it didn't. Well done Mr. Pace and the board
10/10 for efforts, achievement and financial stability.
Long may it continue......"mill town rising.."
...and well done AP for getting JJ Watt and Kiela on board... American backing and spreading the word can only be good for the profile of the club.

[trawlen]

Overall 8/10

Minus points for:
- No long-term ground improvement plans (yet), but I don't expect everything at once - premier league was a priority
- Accounts issues / embargo

Plus points for:
- Not being anonymous / abandoning us on relegation / all the other stuff that crazy owners would do
- Understanding the club well so far and fits in with the community
- Amazing season, albeit in the Championship
- Recruitment was great, but again it is the Championship and we sold players and still made a profit

Next couple of years, maybe 5 years when you factor in how we deal with potential issues like if Kompany left etc will be the real test. But it was a very good response to Relegation, it could have gone the other way... easily

[Foshiznik]

I've got to eat a small slicee of humble pie. I was extremely unimpressed and frankly afraid for the club after the takeover (especially the leveraged buy out method) but although there is still a long way to go before their true intentions can be confirmed, I have to say I've been mightily impressed by Alan Pace in particular since he became chairman and seeing the improvements around the club.

I'll eat another massive slice once the debt ALK caused us is fully paid off and they prove themselves not to be a bunch of charlatans looking to do a Glazers style asset strip (and i am much more certain now than at the time that this isn't the case).

[Bordeauxclaret]

Pricing-5/10
STs reasonable but Matchday prices very high (up to 40 quid in the 2nd tier) and no offers. Great crowds though, so they will argue they priced it right.

I thought there were a few offers last year?
Buying three at once for a discount etc?

[Nori1958]

A solid 9/10 all round, I have no problems with anything they've done

[Quickenthetempo]

I thought there were a few offers last year?
Buying three at once for a discount etc?

You're right about the 15% discount when buying 3 tickets.
Not really an offer to get you going on if you weren't already planning so.

I was more thinking of the 10 a ticket offers we have always done.

[bfcjg]

TBH it's bit early to judge all aspects IMHO, they didn't set the terms to buy us and let's face it no one credible did, they've run us at the end of a pandemic and soaring worldwide inflation so the finance
side is what it is but we appear to have a stable club on an upward trajectory despite all the experts saying we were doomed this time last year. They've opened our eyes to the importance of brand building and consequently that means the football we are playing now. I like Alan Pace I reckon if you saw him having a brew and said hello he'd be happy to talk football with you,not sure Garlick would.
Overall the full.package 9 out of 10.

[Quickenthetempo]

TBH it's bit early to judge all aspects IMHO, they didn't set the terms to buy us and let's face it no one credible did, they've run us at the end of a pandemic and soaring worldwide inflation so the finance
side is what it is but we appear to have a stable club on an upward trajectory despite all the experts saying we were doomed this time last year. They've opened our eyes to the importance of brand building and consequently that means the football we are playing now. I like Alan Pace I reckon if you saw him having a brew and said hello he'd be happy to talk football with you,not sure Garlick would.
Overall the full.package 9 out of 10.

Alan Pace is often walking around the fanzone. Not sure how chatty he is, but seemed to chat to our fans in Bristol city centre according to twitter.

Garlick was very chatty at West Brom away a few years ago when he sat next to us in the away end.

[Claret53]

Which other foreign have moved in to live locally? It shows a genuine commitment. I think he’s now earned our trust and shown he can get big calls right.

[CrosspoolClarets]

7/10 which from me is a big compliment because I have extremely high standards.

Things that stop it being a 10 are the relegation, the nature of the takeover, the lack of ground improvements to crumbling elements and poor food and drink options including concourse and lack of outdoor drinks now in the fan-zone for those who don’t want to go inside. Some of that list are not entirely in their ability to change as owners so it is what it is.

Other things they need to sort are the cocaine culture, poor in-house interviewers, access to players (e.g. supporters POTY evening) and amateur merchandising (spelling mistakes etc). Prices going up over 10% for some season tickets not ideal either. Tickets are only a low % of turnover next year so don’t matter as much is the grand scheme but do to our wallets.

But……

On the pitch they have a superb attitude and set of goals, many of which we don’t openly hear. Listening to the JJ Watt interview with Radio Lancs yesterday there get a few things hinted at with the “staying up is the first target but we have bigger goals than that”.

I think they want to go all the way. Like Leicester. And I think that they feel if they aim for the top even if (or when) they undershoot, we could end up in the Champions League by accident. That’s the elite mindset for you.

So 7/10 so far, but it may end up being 10/10 in a few years time

[BurnleyFC]

Lashings of gravy with my humble pie, too.

Mr Pace has pretty much got this season spot on.

[Newcastleclaret93]

Far too early to tell yet.

Give them five years and let’s see where we get to

[Vegas Claret]

building an empire one brick at a time

[CoolClaret]

Managerial Appointment: 10/10

Social Media/Brand Growth: 10/10

Debt Management: 7/10

Player Recruitment: 9/10

Academy: 4/10

Pricing: 7/10

Ground Improvements: 7/10

Overall:

7.7/10

[Nori1958]

A solid 9/10 all round, I have no problems with anything they've done

I've upped it to 9.5 after this afternoon's news

[LoveCurryPies]

We’ve had the best season ever, got promoted, have more investors, have a manager who signed for 5 more years, new signings (the first today) and some people only rate that 7 out of 10.

I’ve had a stupid grin on my face for weeks so it’s a 10 at this point! Can’t wait to see who we sign in the next few weeks. UTC!

[FeedTheArf]

Leveraged buyout 0/10

Pretty much everything else since then 10/10!

Credit where credit is due. It’s so refreshing to be making proactive transfer moves and not trotting the same lines out each year about difficult markets and domino effects. If this season has shown anything, it’s that quality players at a good value are out there, it’s just knowing where to look!

Oh, and JJ Watt could well prove to be an absolute master stroke!

[Nori1958]

Leveraged buyout 0/10

Pretty much everything else since then 10/10!

Credit where credit is due. It’s so refreshing to be making proactive transfer moves and not trotting the same lines out each year about difficult markets and domino effects. If this season has shown anything, it’s that quality players at a good value are out there, it’s just knowing where to look!

Oh, and JJ Watt could well prove to be an absolute master stroke!

Surely everything that gets a 10, is only possible because of the buyout?

[PremierLeagueClass]

Absolutely brilliant. We’re very lucky to have them.

[Walkerpool]

It was a 10 before Jordan Beyer now it's dreamland

[DCWat]

Looking back to this time last year, I was worried.

Taking that into account, I’d have to rate them as a 9.

Whilst there are areas for improvement, they’ve done a bloody good job when all things are considered.

[DukeOfBar]

exciting times......?

[Quickenthetempo]

We’ve had the best season ever, got promoted, have more investors, have a manager who signed for 5 more years, new signings (the first today) and some people only rate that 7 out of 10.

I’ve had a stupid grin on my face for weeks so it’s a 10 at this point! Can’t wait to see who we sign in the next few weeks. UTC!

Feel free to do your own rating with as much detail as you can.

[FeedTheArf]

Surely everything that gets a 10, is only possible because of the buyout?

The buyout, yes. Not how it was done.

[Nori1958]

The buyout, yes. Not how it was done.

But that's how it was done, and got us to this point. Any other way we wouldn't be where we are because pace and co wouldn't have bought the club

[LoveCurryPies]

Feel free to do your own rating with as much detail as you can.

I might have a rating for the fans who create a thread such as which players should stay or go, or fans who want to criticise what the relatively new owners have achieved so far.

I’d sooner just look (excitedly) forward to any new signings and the next season.

Don’t know how many times I’ve looked at the Championship table this season and grinned!

[Steve-Harpers-perm]

Felt like a breath of fresh air at the club this season. Excited to see what next season brings.

[Quickenthetempo]

I might have a rating for the fans who create a thread such as which players should stay or go, or fans who want to criticise what the relatively new owners have achieved so far.

I’d sooner just look (excitedly) forward to any new signings and the next season.

Don’t know how many times I’ve looked at the Championship table this season and grinned!

Best to stay off the clearly labelled threads then if they upset you.

[roperclaret]

Far too early to tell yet.

Give them five years and let’s see where we get to

That’s the spirit.

[FeedTheArf]

But that's how it was done, and got us to this point. Any other way we wouldn't be where we are because pace and co wouldn't have bought the club

Agreed, but doesn’t mean I have to like it