If you’ve checked your inbox today you might have found an invitation to take part in the Celtic Fans Survey. I just loaded mine up and filled in all the answers. They said it would take 25 minutes; in fact, I progressed through it in a far shorter time and most people will. There’s a lot of debate as to how many people actually fill these in; everyone should.
For the first time in a while the club is asking us how we feel about stuff. I’m going to tell you right now that there’s nothing in there about the team or the signings or the policies the club operates in relation to “the strategy.” This is a massive disappointment, because if there’s an area where those running Celtic need to hear some cold truth it’s there.
So, in the main, this is like a marketing thing. But that does not mean that it is not important. There is a lot of valuable stuff in there, and I’ll give you a couple of examples.
First, they want us to answer a lot of questions about the “match day experience.” Everyone who regularly attends games should want to do that, especially if the match-day experience is lacking in certain critical areas for you as it is for me.
Two areas where I am especially unhappy with it is in terms of the wi-fi, which is atrocious, and which stops me from being able to do stuff like live-blogging from games, and the catering … which is horrendous. Bland food, drinks out of plastic bottles poured into paper cups at a hideous markup. To call it sub-par would be to do it a kindness it doesn’t deserve.
There are questions about the club media channels. Go on and answer them honestly. If you hate it, say so. If you would buy a “virtual season ticket” as opposed to going to Celtic Park tell them that. This is the stuff they need to know. If you don’t go to games that’s even more important; if you would pay to watch every one of our matches at home, fill that form in and tell the club so that they can find out how many such people there are.
There is a section about a club app. I filled that in enthusiastically, as I would download that especially if it was interactive and would let you download and use a virtual ticket, or point you towards special offers and present you with quizzes and puzzles and stuff … this is more like it, and I always thought the club was missing a trick in not having one.
If you are in favour of more safe standing, tell the club that. If you think Celtic’s official media channels should have more content don’t just tell them that but elaborate and tell them what else the club needs to be focussed on in that regard. I am pissed off that CelticTV doesn’t show women’s games or the Development League and can’t see a reason not to, and if that meant paying an extra £25 a year or whatever I’d do it unhesitatingly. If you agree, this is your chance to tell them that. If you don’t, then tell them what you would change.
There were a couple of other areas where I was very vocal indeed; first was on the need to weed out that naughty element in our support, and the away support in particular. The second was on things that the club might want to introduce which in my view would be a huge mistake.
The first is the idea of a Celtic membership scheme. Since I don’t believe they have in mind a continental style model where the fans can elect the club president, what they are really talking about is some kind of MyGers style cash grab. No, not a chance, no way, not in this lifetime. Creating a two-tier fanbase is not a positive step forward.
The second is where they refer to the possibility of creating what they call “digital collectables.” The further we are away from an idea like that, some NFT Ponzi scheme, the happier I will be. We should not go within a hundred miles of a grift like that.
And if you agree, you have to fill that form in and say so. Or your voice won’t ever be heard, or worse; your silence will be taken for acquiescence of a sort.
The old politics adage is that the decisions are made by those who show up. In short, the more involved you make yourself in these things the greater your influence will be. If you decide not to then you lose your voice and your ability to change things.
You can fill in the fan survey by clicking this link, which will take you to the club’s website.
The latest CelticBlog podcast is out now. You can listen to it below.
I tried to access the survey and got as far as the postcode. It didn’t go any further.
Well you can’t complain about stuff can you? If you’re deterred by such a minor thing you’re taken your opinion out of the considerations.
Filled in the survey no problem, happy to do so.
If you want to say what you really feel, use the sections where 200 words are available, there are quite a few of them . Ignore some of the bland stuff and say what you really think.
It’s impossible for me to answer this one as I’ve not been for nine years and more since Doncaster said that ‘Rangers’ (Sic) his word and not mine by the way – were the same club ‘absolutely’ and Daddy Lawwell didn’t even challenge him whatsoever over his pathological lies…
But good that The Celtic Blog is encouraging those who can partake to actually go and partake in the survey !
Nicholson and uncle Pete will have a rare laugh at the answers on the survey. “Penalty Rangers.”
If the really cared about the club they’d feck off, but they’re too busy filling their boots to give a flying eff what the supporters think.
Only able to answer questions the club are asking! They only want to know if you are prepared to handover more.
Match day experience-easy put a great team on the park! Green wall – easy- develop the stadium by making it larger and providing a suitable seat that fans would be prepared to move to. Again, strategical opportunity missed as they seek to progress cheaply !
Celtic Foundation do a fab job, Celtic FC are the charity not a subsidiary. Club losing sight of what it is.
I filed out mine although living overseas it was a bit different of a take on some things. I would love to see an overhaul of Celtic TV with the Women’s team as well. I agree the last thing local fans need is a fan membership structure but I did suggest something for official supporters groups overseas to set up travel packages and hotel partnerships to increase our ability to get to more games. Also a link to official merchandise or the stores so were not out in the cold here in the US making our own.
James you’re spot on about this being fans chance to have their say. Whilst I don’t agree with several of the areas you have commented on, the point is that everyone should respond with their view otherwise they CANNOT complain and have NO RIGHT TO DO SO if changes they want to see do not happen!! I suspect my views on many things will be in the minority (as I don’t live in the UK so I only attend maybe 8-10 matches per season and thus my gripes etc on many things will be different to those who live within Glasgow) but at least they will be heard and if enough people think the same the club will do something about them – it’s a democracy and the majority tend to rule but hey that’s life! This is everyone’s chance to have their say – that opportunity should never be ignored.