Half time entertainment v Arsenal

[Nori1958]

A bit like this message board right Nori? Wish you'd take your own advice sometimes.

[CrosspoolClarets]

Just heard the Bee Hole podcast discuss this and they were right. It really was embarrassing. The issue I have is that it is entertainment, a day out across the country, and at times one does question is it worth it?

- Mind numbing half times (contrast to the days of the assault courses and even Pie and Chips),
- frisked head to toe on entry (total lack of dignity for some, e.g. with medical devices attached to them), huge queues resulting
- away fans sat next to home fans depending on the luck of your seat
- catering a non league club could surpass
- concourses impossible to walk through
- druggies always using the bogs at half time
- cold water (again) in the hot taps
- club suddenly going top secret with basic info like long term injuries (e.g. heard a rumour about Al Dakhil but seen nothing official), which makes it hard to judge what kind of team you will end up watching for the next game, hard to talk about it in the pub or with family, etc

So it is getting to the point where the question has to be posed about whether any part of it is a decent experience akin to any other top tier sporting event. I’ve always praised elements of what the club are now doing but it does appear to have gone backwards sadly.

[wilks_bfc]

The half time stuff is cringeworthy.The axe should begin with the bloke on the mic, who screams Burnleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!! to “welcome” the team back on the pitch. Does he not realise, we KNOW it’s Burnley. Jesus Christ it’s embarrassing

Absolutely this. It’s been an irritation of mine for years.

We don’t need to be told to make some noise to welcome Burnley.

[boyyanno]

I might be in the minority but I actually didn't mind the chip in the pie thing- the music used to annoy me though.

We did a crossbar challenge thing at one point before that didn't we?

There deffo used to be cheerleaders as well they used to line up infront of the JH lower and sat in the seats at the front.

[Poulton-le-Claret]

Just heard the Bee Hole podcast discuss this and they were right. It really was embarrassing. The issue I have is that it is entertainment, a day out across the country, and at times one does question is it worth it?

- Mind numbing half times (contrast to the days of the assault courses and even Pie and Chips),
- frisked head to toe on entry (total lack of dignity for some, e.g. with medical devices attached to them), huge queues resulting
- away fans sat next to home fans depending on the luck of your seat
- catering a non league club could surpass
- concourses impossible to walk through
- druggies always using the bogs at half time
- cold water (again) in the hot taps
- club suddenly going top secret with basic info like long term injuries (e.g. heard a rumour about Al Dakhil but seen nothing official), which makes it hard to judge what kind of team you will end up watching for the next game, hard to talk about it in the pub or with family, etc

So it is getting to the point where the question has to be posed about whether any part of it is a decent experience akin to any other top tier sporting event. I’ve always praised elements of what the club are now doing but it does appear to have gone backwards sadly.

Yeah it is get in the ground as late as possible and get out again as soon as possible for me.

[Jellybean]

At least with the cheerleaders it was showcasing local talent, I'm probably reaching a bit there but at least something tied to the local community not using it as an opportunity to make money from whatever company was supplying the prizes. The cynic in me thinks it's probably a revenue generator for the club disguised as a daft game!

Anyway maybe we are being a little negative and should just roll with it!

[Taffy on the wing]

Never mind the entertainment......were there any pies available?...were they hot & reasonably priced?
Was the beer flat?....was white coffee available?

[Tinribs]

Have they not paid they’re Sky bill,most people like to check the Half time scores from other games but yet again TV blank at JHL lower concourse when it did come on just showed endless re runs of Arsenals goals.
Absolutely Zero chance of any mobile phone signal at Turf moor so most times ,the first time you hear any other matches scores is on the radio back in your car.
If we can’t have Sky at HT on Tv can we have all scores displayed on Big screen ?

[claret2018]

I might be in the minority but I actually didn't mind the chip in the pie thing- the music used to annoy me though.

https://youtu.be/3QBdPMggJJo?feature=shared

[Clovius Boofus]

Penality shoot-outs (5-a side goals) involving junior football teams. Anything else always ends up being naff.

[GetIntoEm]

its 15mins, does it really matter if they do nothing?

same for catering, if its crap don't use it. i know you'll always get the I've travelled 7500 miles and its my only opportunity to eat people, but for the most surely you can go a couple of hours without a meal. Same sorts who get on a flight and get enough food to feed the entire plane.

with the state of the performances at the moment, pies and silly half time games are the least of my complaints.

[daveisaclaret]

Thought the Drop It Like It's Hot game was nearly funny when I thought it was a one off, just needed the announcer to realise it was camp and that there were booby prizes which he didn't.

Just bizarre having it week after week really, especially when the football is also dreadful. Just have some kids on playing a match or doing a penalty shootout and coach the other announcer on how to interview an ex-player.

[JohnMac]

What ever happened to the Golden Gamble and a 'Meal for Two at the Rose and Bowl'?

Can't recall hearing it for ages.

[getbennyon]

The tannoy is so loud, it's impossible to have a half-time debrief which is something many of us have enjoyed for decades. I don't know whether it's deliberate to force people to seek refuge in the concourse and therefore more likely to spend some money or it's just Americans that know best. When you combine the tannoy with the ridiculous terrorist like searches outside, it is going to make it harder and harder for people to justify spending their hard-earned if the match day experience is so poor.

[Jacko]

Just heard the Bee Hole podcast discuss this and they were right. It really was embarrassing. The issue I have is that it is entertainment, a day out across the country, and at times one does question is it worth it?

- Mind numbing half times (contrast to the days of the assault courses and even Pie and Chips),
- frisked head to toe on entry (total lack of dignity for some, e.g. with medical devices attached to them), huge queues resulting
- away fans sat next to home fans depending on the luck of your seat
- catering a non league club could surpass
- concourses impossible to walk through
- druggies always using the bogs at half time
- cold water (again) in the hot taps
- club suddenly going top secret with basic info like long term injuries (e.g. heard a rumour about Al Dakhil but seen nothing official), which makes it hard to judge what kind of team you will end up watching for the next game, hard to talk about it in the pub or with family, etc

So it is getting to the point where the question has to be posed about whether any part of it is a decent experience akin to any other top tier sporting event. I’ve always praised elements of what the club are now doing but it does appear to have gone backwards sadly.

Agree with all of this; lots of irritations at present. Yes, the performances and the team matter most and yes, none of these (plus lots of other things I could list) are, on their own, the worst things in the world, but they should all be easy to put right. If you picked a season ticket holder at random and gave them some power over club decisions, I'd imagine most of them would put a lot of this stuff right fairly easily. That's the source of a lot of frustration to me and it suggests the club isn't being run in the correct way and/or by people who understand what we're about.

[Stalbansclaret]

Have they not paid they’re Sky bill,most people like to check the Half time scores from other games but yet again TV blank at JHL lower concourse when it did come on just showed endless re runs of Arsenals goals.
Absolutely Zero chance of any mobile phone signal at Turf moor so most times ,the first time you hear any other matches scores is on the radio back in your car.
If we can’t have Sky at HT on Tv can we have all scores displayed on Big screen ?

This.
No-one wants to see 10 replays of each opposition goal from different angles ...just put bloody Sky on so we can see the half time scores in all the other games around the country. Drives me mad, especially when there is no possibility of getting an internet connection.

[Claretitus]

As stated earlier, the past few home games we have not seen any HT scores from other games. It’s also annoying, that when they do bother to put them up, we only get the scores from our League. i.e. Prem League this season, Championship last. As the mobile signal around the ground is so poor, surely the minimum we can expect is HT scores from the top 2 leagues.

[NottsClaret]

A few references to non-league here, but honestly that's what we should aspire to at half time. You can easily get warm food and a pint without queueing for 20 minutes. You can check the scores. You can talk to your mates / family. It's actually enjoyable.

Just recreate that on a much bigger scale.

[Enola Gay]

Yeah it is get in the ground as late as possible and get out again as soon as possible for me.

When has it ever been anything else? For anyone?

[Bordeauxclaret]

When people are kids? Or have kids?