Sign the Petition to save BBCRB Commentary

[thefruits]

This campaign is all about the fans being willing to stand up and show the club that we disagree with the decision. Please continue to sign the petition as if we simply let it die then the club have won and many thousands of fans will have lost.

http://www.petitiononline.com/BBCBERKS/petition.html

We're currently up to nearly 850... we need 1000 and soon. 5000 by the end of the week is achievable. We need support from loyal royals.

[Jerry St Clair]

That interview casts Madejski in an extremely poor light.

A lack of rationale in his analysis, and a "I don't care" attitude. Why doesn't he just confess it's all to do with boosting HIS radio station.

A very ill-judged move that he's just made a whole lot worse.

[WestCoast Life]

There's also no way 107 can afford £100k cash, so who is he trying to kid?

As the arrangement is between 2 companies in the same group, he has probably maximised it for tax efficiency (avoidance).

[RoyalBlue]

If there is no improvement, and we dont see a return then its another story....but he is doing all he can to make the club stable, and be able to run itself...and i would rather know that the clubs long term future was secure, and pay a bit more on season tickets, and not listen to the usual station. Surely real fans can understand its best for the club???

As has already been pointed out, the Chairman's objectives may well have changed. No longer brick on brick, look to the longer term future, but possibly fatten the club up as quick as possible, thus making it easier to sell.

Even the best business men don't always get things right and I reckon the fans better appreciate that this decision could be extremely damaging in the longer term.

Until they become as big as the likes of Man U, RFC need as much publicity as possible and Radio Berks are far better placed than 107 to provide that.

[Lower West]

Now 849 signatures.

[Platypuss]

There's also no way 107 can afford £100k cash, so who is he trying to kid?

As the arrangement is between 2 companies in the same group, he has probably maximised it for tax efficiency (avoidance).

My point exactly.

This deal has nothing to do with the long-term future of the club, but everything to do with Mr Mad's personal exit strategy.

[ellpryjon]

i know this might sound a little silly but do you think sLOLuth tLOLday will pick up on this as its the beeb?

[wehateoxford]

south today dont care about reading...

f*** em

[Riseley]

Mr Mad has come across as an obdurate, autocratic, latter day Robert Maxwell.

[Stranded]

If there is no improvement, and we dont see a return then its another story....but he is doing all he can to make the club stable, and be able to run itself...and i would rather know that the clubs long term future was secure, and pay a bit more on season tickets, and not listen to the usual station. Surely real fans can understand its best for the club???

As has already been pointed out, the Chairman's objectives may well have changed. No longer brick on brick, look to the longer term future, but possibly fatten the club up as quick as possible, thus making it easier to sell.

Even the best business men don't always get things right and I reckon the fans better appreciate that this decision could be extremely damaging in the longer term.

Until they become as big as the likes of Man U, RFC need as much publicity as possible and Radio Berks are far better placed than 107 to provide that.

But we will be getting more publicity from the likes of Five Live, Five Live Extra - we will often be a main game on Soccer Saturday. Features on Football Focus, Match of the Day highlights.

Extended coverage on Football First. In fact there are so many ways that fans can hear/see games live (or as live) next year that the impact of a move from BBC Berks to 107 is in business terms almost negligible.

The numbers bandied about is that 500,000 could lose the ability to listen to the game through one particular source, does anybody have any actual figures on how many people actually listened to the live commentary on Berks and not just the pre/post match stuff that will still be on there?

[Wycombe Royal]

In fact there are so many ways that fans can hear/see games live (or as live) next year that the impact of a move from BBC Berks to 107 is in business terms almost negligible.

Apart from Reading 107 and the occasional match on 5 Live where else are these many ways that fans can hear/see games live? (and I mean the full match).

[Hoop Blah]

The numbers bandied about is that 500,000 could lose the ability to listen to the game through one particular source, does anybody have any actual figures on how many people actually listened to the live commentary on Berks and not just the pre/post match stuff that will still be on there?

Agreed that there is a bit of hysteria surrounding this whole saga and that the actual impact of BBC Berks not having live commentry isn't all that great. However, this is no way for the football club to treat a 'partner' that has played a significant part in the recent years of success just to make a few extra thousand quid now we've made the big time.

I'm dissappointed in the direction the clubs taking at times like these.

[retired aggro]

EVERY Premiership game is available live on some dodgy streaming, tey PPLive or the like

[wehateoxford]

If there is no improvement, and we dont see a return then its another story....but he is doing all he can to make the club stable, and be able to run itself...and i would rather know that the clubs long term future was secure, and pay a bit more on season tickets, and not listen to the usual station. Surely real fans can understand its best for the club???

As has already been pointed out, the Chairman's objectives may well have changed. No longer brick on brick, look to the longer term future, but possibly fatten the club up as quick as possible, thus making it easier to sell.

Even the best business men don't always get things right and I reckon the fans better appreciate that this decision could be extremely damaging in the longer term.

Until they become as big as the likes of Man U, RFC need as much publicity as possible and Radio Berks are far better placed than 107 to provide that.

But we will be getting more publicity from the likes of Five Live, Five Live Extra - we will often be a main game on Soccer Saturday. Features on Football Focus, Match of the Day highlights.

Extended coverage on Football First. In fact there are so many ways that fans can hear/see games live (or as live) next year that the impact of a move from BBC Berks to 107 is in business terms almost negligible.

The numbers bandied about is that 500,000 could lose the ability to listen to the game through one particular source, does anybody have any actual figures on how many people actually listened to the live commentary on Berks and not just the pre/post match stuff that will still be on there?

if (as everyone expects) theres to be a surge of plastics, last seasons figures wouldnt bear that much meaning. more people will tune in because A) its a prem team now and B) locals favourites man utd etc will be in town

[Hoop Blah]

EVERY Premiership game is available live on some dodgy streaming, tey PPLive or the like

Not everyone is a net geek with access to the internet and is able to stay home in front of a PC to listen in.

There are many fans of all generations that the wireless is their main contact with the club.

Radio Berks has done wonders for the club over the last 5 years or so, will the online providers do the same? Will they help to bring the Royals integrate with the local community?

This must be a massive kick in the teeth for the Beeb.

[Stranded]

In fact there are so many ways that fans can hear/see games live (or as live) next year that the impact of a move from BBC Berks to 107 is in business terms almost negligible.

Apart from Reading 107 and the occasional match on 5 Live where else are these many ways that fans can hear/see games live? (and I mean the full match).

Hence why I said as live. The fact remains that coverage of Reading will be at it's highest next year and fans will be able to follow our fortunes more closely than ever before without attending a game. Whether they live in Reading, Thatcham or Newcastle.

The main arguement on this thread so far seems to have been that people preferred BBC Berks coverage. So much so that STAR had to post to let people know that this will have little or no effect on the decision.

As I asked in my last post, do we have any figures as to how many people listened to the radio commentry on BBC Berks last year. As just quoting that 500,000 are missing out is pointless if virtually all of those are not spending their Saturday afternoons glued to the radio.

[Riseley]

My dear old mum in Church Crookham will miss out on her regular RFC fix.

[Wycombe Royal]

Maybe the club should offer free Reading World access to anyone who can no longer listen to live commentary as the are not in the Reading 107 broadcast area.

That won't help everyone (those without internet access) but will help a large proportion of those affected.

[Stranded]

If there is no improvement, and we dont see a return then its another story....but he is doing all he can to make the club stable, and be able to run itself...and i would rather know that the clubs long term future was secure, and pay a bit more on season tickets, and not listen to the usual station. Surely real fans can understand its best for the club???

As has already been pointed out, the Chairman's objectives may well have changed. No longer brick on brick, look to the longer term future, but possibly fatten the club up as quick as possible, thus making it easier to sell.

Even the best business men don't always get things right and I reckon the fans better appreciate that this decision could be extremely damaging in the longer term.

Until they become as big as the likes of Man U, RFC need as much publicity as possible and Radio Berks are far better placed than 107 to provide that.

But we will be getting more publicity from the likes of Five Live, Five Live Extra - we will often be a main game on Soccer Saturday. Features on Football Focus, Match of the Day highlights.

Extended coverage on Football First. In fact there are so many ways that fans can hear/see games live (or as live) next year that the impact of a move from BBC Berks to 107 is in business terms almost negligible.

The numbers bandied about is that 500,000 could lose the ability to listen to the game through one particular source, does anybody have any actual figures on how many people actually listened to the live commentary on Berks and not just the pre/post match stuff that will still be on there?

if (as everyone expects) theres to be a surge of plastics, last seasons figures wouldnt bear that much meaning. more people will tune in because A) its a prem team now and B) locals favourites man utd etc will be in town

Possibly, but there was a surge in "plastics" after Xmas last year with every game being sold out, so a guide as to what the figures were from say Jan would be good as the situation is as comparable as it could be. So a quote on the figures would be good.

as for B) most of our big home games will most likely be Sky games and live on TV and away we would stand a very strong chance of being a featured 5 live (5 live extra) game.

[TommyF]

Does anyone else think this is incredibly short sighted of JM and RFC? The Royals are losing money, yet turn down a payment of £65,000 to advertise their brand, and stoke up interest to 500,000 additional people (okay, so they don't all listen to the games I admit!). I am just inside the BBCRB coverage area and much of my early days supporting the Royals was due to their coverage. How many youngsters interest will just waine as a result? How many parents will start listening with their kids to Wycombe/Oxford/Southampton/London based clubs games because they can get coverage? I think long term this will cost the club far more than the £35,000 that the beeb couldn't stump up. My son for one will be deprived of growing up listening to the Royals at the very time that he'll start deciding to support.