£300 to be a mascot

[Inchy]

That’s what it now costs to be a mascot at a burnley game.

You do get a kit and 4 tickets thrown in but the chances are if you are a mascot you already have a kit and your parent has a ticket.

I very rarely bash the club. I think the season ticket prices are excellent and are realistic to suit the demographic of the area. However asking parents in Burnley to pay £300 where the average wage is well below the national average is wrong. There is a 40 quid option but you don’t get to meet the players before hand or train on the pitch. You just get to walk out with the players

I was mascot twice for burnley as a kid. Both away games, at Walsall and Southend. There is no way my dad who was a single parent could have afforded the 600 quid it would have cost for me and my brother to be mascots. It’s sad that kids will miss out on what is an amazing experience due to being priced out. It’s hardly going to make the club a decent profit.

It should be free to be a mascot

[Rouwens_Weapon]

With all that is thrown in, it doesn't seem that bad.

Tickets are worth around 150, the full kit for a kid is probably about 70. Then there is the training, ground tour and other merchandise.

To quote the club site, 'all income raised will be donated to supporting the charitable work delivered by Burnley FC in the Community in Burnley and the surrounding areas.' So its not about the club making any profit.

[TheOriginalLongsider]

I also think it should be free, available to all kids, and not for just those Whose parents can afford it.

[RammyClaret61]

I read the article and thought £300 was a bit steep. Then read what is included. Thought that is a bargain. A lot of once in a life time things for the young Claret.

[Inchy]

I read the article and thought £300 was a bit steep. Then read what is included. Thought that is a bargain. A lot of once in a life time things for the young Claret.

Once in a lifetime experience for children whose parents have 300 quid readily available

[Burnley Ace]

It's a bargain. Save£5 per week

[RammyClaret61]

Why does everyone want everything for free?

[BaldButBeautiful]

It’s always been run by the Community Trust. I was involved during Stans era but they didn’t start charging until recently even though the Community funding dwarfs what we used to receive . Back then club also provided a shirt and 4 free tickets.
We also had a reciprocal deal with any other club in the league so that away mascots could also be included. If afraid it’s become another exclusive experience which will mean a large number of local kids unfortunately won’t be able to access.

[Inchy]

Why does everyone want everything for free?

I don’t want everything for free. I just feel for the kids who will miss out because their parents don’t have 300 quid to spend on this.

The club does well realising its demographic ever since that yank left. Season tickets are affordable in an area where poverty is high and wages are low. However I don’t think the club should charge to be a mascot

[pushpinpussy]

Surely everyone has 300 quid spare if not I'd get another job

[MACCA]

There's kids going hungry in our very own town, and people have a "spare" £300 for their child to be a mascot.

Make 1 child's day for 5 hours, or feed a family of around 4 or 5 for a whole month in this very town.

I know what's the better deal/experience....

[Lancasterclaret]

If you don't want to shell out for a mascot, then a player escort is only £40

[beddie]

I agree it should be free. The club have plenty of avenues in order to make money, this shouldn't be one of them. There are so many youngsters that just won't have the opportunity to participate, it's wrong, completely wrong.

[lovebeingaclaret]

There's kids going hungry in our very own town, and people have a "spare" £300 for their child to be a mascot.

Make 1 child's day for 5 hours, or feed a family of around 4 or 5 for a whole month in this very town.

I know what's the better deal/experience....

I don't know of a kid going hungry in our very own town.
Could you expand on your information regarding this claim?
Please include income and outgoings of affected families.

[UpTheClaretsFCBK]

My brother did it in 14/15, price was the same then I believe.

He was 10 years old at the time, he still talks about it as one of the best days of his life. Basically spent most of the day chatting to his then hero, Jason Shackell.

It was worth every penny IMO.

[ClaretAndJew]

I don't know of a kid going hungry in our very own town.
Could you expand on your information regarding this claim?
Please include income and outgoings of affected families.

Specific statistics like that are harder to find, however, Trussell Trust breaks down food bank usage by region, with 197,000+ people using them in the North West alone. There are food banks in Burnley, Blackburn and surrounding areas too so I would imagine they are being utilised.

[evensteadiereddie]

Reasonably priced, I thought.

[TVC15]

A “bargain” it is definitely not. Getting 4 tickets is not £170 as someone said above- 2 of these would be kids tickets presumably so that’s about £80. I don’t think a new kit is £70 - if it is that’s a rip off in itself.
£300 is way over the top in my view.

I would also make this free and set up some partnership with all the primary schools to come up with some kind of scheme which rewards the kids / shares this evenly across the schools and different communities etc.

For such a scheme no need to give them a kit or 4 tickets - just let the mascots in free and give the parents / families an option of buying tickets.

Keep the £40 option as this is good value and clearly the club are not making much from this with the free entry etc.

[taio]

Seems ok to me given it goes to Burnley FC in the Community with people having choices i.e. £300 option; £40 option; or don't do it.

[BOYSIE31]

Why does everyone want everything for free?

Maybe because the club gets about 130 million a season - these are future fans

[Indecisive]

I think its widely acknowledged that the Community part of the club have done a huge amount of work over the past few years that has benefitted the town immensely. They are a seperate entity to the club and have to raise revenue for the work they do.

Charging for the mascots is one small way they do this. Realistically its a once a lifetime occasion for a child, and although a not insignificant cost, in this context it would still be affordable for most.

No issue with the cost of this. From the sounds of it, the allocation needs a bit of thought after last year, but hopefully they've worked on that.

[LeadBelly]

Seems ok to me given it goes to Burnley FC in the Community with people having choices i.e. £300 option; £40 option; or don't do it.

That's it in a nutshell.

[Blackrod]

Surely everyone has 300 quid spare if not I'd get another job

What an awful attitude to take. Some people live hand to mouth. You are obviously in the 'im alright jack' brigade. Having said this it isn't a right to be a mascot. Good things have to be saved up for and paid for.

[MACCA]

I don't know of a kid going hungry in our very own town.
Could you expand on your information regarding this claim?
Please include income and outgoings of affected families.

See soccer aid thread, it'll save us all some time.

[Shappie]

My 2 did it against Watford in 2016. Best £600 I ever spent and as people have said above, it’s a day they will never forget and still say it’s the best thing they have ever done i their lives.

[Spijed]

I'd imagine that if they made it free the waiting list would run into the hundreds!

How would they decide who got to become a mascot and who didn't?

[Corky]

Is there a waiting list at £300, if so then the Club have got the price pitched at the right level. If there isn't then they haven't.

[MACCA]

The fact the money goes back 8nto the community is a good thing, surely.

The children and their families who maybe can't afford this once in a lifetime experience, may still get to meet their heroes or have a great day out in other ways.

Players go into local schools, put on training sessions and give away tickets, so there's still every chance other kids do get some sort of benefits by the club putting these packages together.

By the way, the away mascot package is free, or certainly was a couple 9f years ago, my son did it twice in consecutive seasons, and it was an experience neither of us will forget. Both Burnley and the club's we visited, treated us extreamly well.

[Funkydrummer]

1. Supply.

2. Demand.

3.Elasticity of demand.

4. Scarcity.

5.Allocation of resources.

Basic economics and logistics - good value in my opinion.

[RammyClaret61]

Maybe because the club gets about 130 million a season - these are future fans

Because it’s not run by the club. It’s run by the community section which is a charity. This is one way they can raise funds.

[Lancasterclaret]

I think they should be given out free to the local asian and immigrant community.

I mean what is important here is the drive for a more inclusive Turf Moor experience surely?

[lovebeingaclaret]

I think they should be given out free to the local asian and immigrant community.

I mean what is important here is the drive for a more inclusive Turf Moor experience surely?

Definitely a wind up

[Rick_Muller]

ummm, my lad got the full mascot package for free in 2009 - he won it in the junior clarets competition at the time. It was his fault Chris McCann got injured against Sunderland because he walked out with him, at least I keep telling him that If they get what my lad got for £300, then it is definitely worth it, especially when you consider they get a full kit and tickets - we had to provide that for my lad.

[Lancasterclaret]

Not at all, Boysie and Macca want them given out for free.

I'm just suggesting the next logical step.

[lovebeingaclaret]

Not at all, Boysie and Macca want them given out for free.

I'm just suggesting the next logical step.

Forgot to add ...

And not a good one

[BOYSIE31]

Because it’s not run by the club. It’s run by the community section which is a charity. This is one way they can raise funds.

If it goes to charity then fair enough

[Lancasterclaret]

I think its as likely (and as morally correct I hasten to add) as them being given away free to be fair!

[LeadBelly]

I think they should be given out free to the local asian and immigrant community.

I mean what is important here is the drive for a more inclusive Turf Moor experience surely?

Aye- Do that every second home game and, in the weeks between, invite a couple of starving African kids over with their families (all expenses paid of course). And lets not forget the "traveller community"....

[Lancasterclaret]

Don't forget the starving white families as well Leadbelly

its meant to be an inclusive deal for all.

Being (more) serious for a sec, a collection for food banks before home games wouldn't be a bad idea.

[Lord Beamish]

One summer holiday, when I was a kid, my family and I went to Pontins at Middleton Towers(after this site closed there were serious plans afoot to turn it into an open prison), whilst my mate at school went to Disneyland Florida. Life isn’t always fair.

He got stung by a Portuguese Man o War and spent weeks in hospital.

[jlup1980]

My lad did the £40 option last season vs Southampton and it was a brilliant experience. I'll definitely be looking to get him on the same again in the coming season, maybe even my youngest as well. The £300 option is steep but you do get a lot for the money. You say it's likely that the kid will already have the kit... well, here's an idea... if you know you're paying £300 for an experience that involves getting a kit don't buy them one in advance. That's about £70 saved immediately. I'd love to be able to treat my lads to the £300 option but I can't. However, I don't begrudge those kids who have parents that can. It's life in 2018. Some people have, some people don't. It's the Tory way.

[MACCA]

Not at all, Boysie and Macca want them given out for free.

I'm just suggesting the next logical step.

Where do I state I want them given out for free?
In fact I make a point 9f what the money raised helps go towards.

Must read my posts instead of trying to join the clique, and instantly reading things that aren't there .

[Blackrod]

I think they should be given out free to the local asian and immigrant community.

I mean what is important here is the drive for a more inclusive Turf Moor experience surely?

That would be discrimination against non immigrant and Asian communities so wouldn't be endorsed by the club.

[thatdberight]

BFC is welcome to run this whatever way they want. 3p, £300, £3million. Whatever they fancy. Because they know that the dewy-eyed faithful will still buy the "we're a community club" BS which they give away for free, regularly.

[lovebeingaclaret]

Specific statistics like that are harder to find, however, Trussell Trust breaks down food bank usage by region, with 197,000+ people using them in the North West alone. There are food banks in Burnley, Blackburn and surrounding areas too so I would imagine they are being utilised.

So really there is nothing to substantiate the claim that there are kids starving in Burnley.

[UpTheBeehole]

So really there is nothing to substantiate the claim that there are kids starving in Burnley.

http://www.lancsvitalsigns.co.uk/Burnley-r3.html

[Lancasterclaret]

I've got to be honest Macca, I only read Boysie post!

I fully apologise, and i'm joining in any way with this cliquey thing which you are clearly very worried about.

[UpTheBeehole]

So really there is nothing to substantiate the claim that there are kids starving in Burnley.

SHOCK REPORT: 1,600 Burnley children live in poverty


MORE than 1,600 children in Burnley are living in poverty, according to a shocking new report. Almost one in every three youngsters in the town are living below the poverty line, according to grim statistics released by End Child Poverty. Charity chiefs say children in the town are going hungry as cuts bite and parents struggle to make a living. Burnley’s child poverty rate currently stands at 28% – 1,640 out of 5,857 children – according to a map of Britain’s poorest areas complied by the national charity – a drop of 1% from 2011.

But the percentage of youngsters living on the breadline is still around 10% higher than the national average and is among the highest in the North-West outside big cities like Manchester and Liverpool. Around 40% of children are growing up poor in some wards of Burnley including Trinity, Bank Hall and Daneshouse and Stoneyholme.

Other local authority areas in East Lancashire are also mired in alarmingly high poverty rates except the Ribble Valley where just 7% fall into the category Fears are that child poverty could worsen as low income families bear the brunt of council tax payment rises and the controversial “bedroom tax”.

Enver Solomon, chairman of the End Child Poverty campaign said the map revealed the gross levels of poverty and inequality across the country. He said: “Far too many children whose parents are struggling to make a living are having to go hungry and miss out on the essentials of a decent childhood that all young people should be entitled to. “The huge disparities that exist across the country have become more entrenched and are now an enduring reality as many more children are set to become trapped in long-term poverty and disadvantage.” “Local authorities are having to deal with reduced budgets but they have critical decisions to make.

“We’re calling on authorities to prioritise low income families in the decisions they make about local welfare spending, including spending on the new council tax benefit, and on protecting families hit by the bedroom tax.” Paul Wilcox, assistant director for Barnardo’s North West, said that the figures show thousands of children’s life chances were being compromised by the country’s failure to effectively tackle child poverty. He said: “The Government must act now to end child poverty by providing practical help to the people who need it most, bringing down energy bills, tackle family debt, and make childcare more affordable.”

https://www.burnleyexpress.net/news/sho ... -1-5439471

[UpTheBeehole]

So really there is nothing to substantiate the claim that there are kids starving in Burnley.

'This is a national outrage'- MP on shock child poverty figures

MORE than 40,000 children in East Lancashire are living in poverty, new figures reveal.

Data from campaign group End Child Poverty show 44,253 children in East Lancashire live in poverty. Figures show Blackburn with Darwen, as a local authority, has the 12th highest level of child poverty in the UK and the highest in East Lancashire.

There are 16,034 children living in poverty in Blackburn with Darwen, which is almost 40 per cent of all children in the borough. Burnley is second highest in East Lancashire with 7,637 children (36.32 per cent) living in poverty — 22nd highest nationally. In third is Pendle, with 7,848 children living in poverty (35.50 per cent).

Fourth is Hyndburn with 6,745 children living in poverty (33.82 per cent), followed by Rossendale in fifth with 4,568 (29.62 per cent).

The lowest borough for children living in poverty is Ribble Valley with 1,421, just 12.9 per cent of all children.

The figures relate to the number of children living in poverty after the cost of housing is taken into consideration.

Campaigners blame the roll-out of new benefit universal credit and low wages for the figures.

Burnley’s MP Julie Cooper said the figures were ‘absolutely shocking’ and branded them a ‘national outrage’. She said: “Changes to universal credit mean families are waiting weeks for payment, leaving them in rent arrears and struggling to put food on the table and pay high energy bills, which is pushing families into foodbanks.

“The majority of people in poverty are working, yet they’re being punished for it. This is a national outrage and the Tory-run government needs to address it and make work pay by introducing a real living wage.”

Janette Pearce, head of income at housing association Together Housing, said they have seen many tenants transfer to universal credit since its roll-out. She said: “We expect that, when full service starts in Blackburn with Darwen in February, more tenants will want support to maintain their tenancies.”

Nichola Wright, assistant director of customer services at Burnley-based Calico Homes, said: “Our customers are actively supported through each step of the universal credit process and we’re working with families who need extra help through a range of activities such as referrals to food banks, toy appeals, holiday clubs, work experience programmes with schools, and employability opportunities.”

Alison Garnham, chief executive of charity Child Poverty Action Group, said: “If universal credit is to play a part in reducing that number, ministers will need to ensure it’s adequately funded and is in good shape for any Blackburn household that needs it.”

Mark Hurst, the boss of Burnley foodbank who runs Spacious Place Engage, said universal credit was one of the main reasons for people being referred to the foodbank.

He said: “When referrals come through they are more often to do with universal credit than other issues.”

Cllr Mohammed Khan, leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: “There are challenges and issues with poverty in the borough and the council is working very hard to tackle a lot of the inequalities and issues.

"There are millions of pounds of investment taking place with businesses and jobs coming into the borough, and lots of investment into public health and making sure people get the help they need.

"We are striving towards better education for all, better health and more opportunity for all.

“There are many factors that can contribute to children and families living in poverty and some of these are obviously beyond our control but we are striving to make a difference in the areas that we can.

"We are working hard with all our partners to try and make a difference in people’s lives.”

But a government spokesman said 600,000 fewer children are living in workless households.

He said: “The best route out of poverty is through employment, and since 2010 an extra three million more people are now in work. But we recognise that budgets are tight, and that’s why we’re helping families keep more of what they earn. We’ve doubled free childcare, worth £5,000 per child each year, while our £2.5 billion pupil premium programme is supporting two million disadvantaged schoolchildren.”

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/ne ... n_poverty/

[Devils_Advocate]

The popular opinion on this board around working class adults being priced out of football for those with money who can afford it seems the polar opposite to the opinions around pricing out families and kids to be mascots.

On the one hand we have twentys plenty and the corporate greed of the Sky, the Premier League and the big clubs and on the other we have supply and demand, save up and life isn't always fair