The Protest Thread - 17th February and 25th March

We were aware of that, but as LG has already stated, it was a peaceful protest & we didn’t want to run foul of any stadium policies, so we stayed on the correct side of the rope. 

It was never like that when I spent a few seasons in Aisle 12. I should have taken the closed fast food outlets as a hint. They used to be open.

March 25th is still happening and I've been told the fun police will behave, just like us. I'd like to go below the cameras as this is not a message for TV but a message for the clubs owners and sponsors. IMO anyway.

So what are you now trying to achieve LG? You protested and Dome spoke to you. What is the aim of your next protest?

I would like the other members of the board (Wellington Phoenix Board of Directors) to see a group of fans together in peaceful protest and realise that local fans mean business. Don't take the game to Auckland - although that will be too late now, but they should think twice for next season. Dome speaking to us was great but we need to reinforce it at our last "Home" game here to say, we mean it. I see there's a few murmurs on Facebook etc about fans reviewing whether they will buy a season ticket next season. To me, I take that as a serious concern. So should the owners.

They are taking us for granted when you give fans shortish notice of a fixture move, especially one that is over 400km's away. Remembering that is is not a postponed game at the same venue. If we lose two games next season, at least lock them in when the fixtures come out so fans can make travel plans should they wish to attend. I hope than answers your question.

well done LG.

I think if any fan is attending this game and is in any way contemplating not paying for a season ticket next year due to disillusionment with the direction of the club then they should join you.

If you just get pissed off and don't come back next year then thats not good for the club or you.

You lose your club and the club loses your money, metrics and the players lose your passion and support.

If however you walk 100 metres and make some sort of collective stand, then David Dome and those above him will actually  realise they have a problem. At the moment they are just thinking "nothing but 3 to see here"

I am sure management would rather know now then later when they count their membership dollars in 2019

Dome was willing to have dialogue last time with the three, he may well be willing to have dialogue with many

For fudges sake COYN 

I predict that you had your chance last week and replicating it again will achieve very little or nothing more than what was gained last week.

Probably true Napier but then I gave my word and I will keep it. On another note, I wanted to have it in Aisle 10 under the cameras. Not after the TV attention and the spot I was looking at is below the angle they look down on. But it would have been seen from the Directors box...if they actually attend games. Domey has done his bit, will Rob Morrison and & co? Mind you, can't even remember what any of the "owners" look like.

Quite frankly I won’t waste my time talking to Dome. He will be very pleasant, engaging and will take any comments seriously and give an answer from the club’s view with which you can mostly understand and agree. However it will result in nothing more than platitudes and gratitudes. The club does not consider or even understand the concerns of it’s core fans, season ticket holders and regular attenders. This has been demonstrated by moving the last game of the season.

This incident has seen a major failure by the club in management of both sponsor and fan (customer) relationship. The decision and the inept communication of that decision to the fans has lead to criticism of the sponsor, which should be avoided at all costs. Something I have regrettably done several times on this Forum.

Ideally the internal management of the sponsor by a strong back office would have advised it was too late for a re-scheduled game to provide the expected two games in Auckland this season and there’d be three next season and a big marketing promotion for those games, including a three-match season ticket for Auckland fans and a explanation to Wellington fans for the three matches. Of course this would have been a rough ride for the club but at least it would have been strong, open and clear management of both sponsor and fan expectation.

You think the sponsor put late pressure on the club? If there is the requirement for two games in a season to be played in Auckland it would be in the clubs contract with the sponsor  and the club would have known it well in advance of the season.

Dome even said they had a number of options which fell through, the club said before the season that two or three games would be out of Wellington so they obviously knew.

I agree totally with your last paragraph. An acceptable solution to both parties. 

However, saying that you wouldn’t “waste my time talking to Dome”, seems to indicate to me that you that you are more of a keyboard warrior, rather than someone who would take any opportunity to get your point heard , face to face, with the only management representative that was willing to hear you. Maybe if you talk to David Dome, you may find out a few more things, rather than basing your judgement of him, from the public statements he makes as an employee of the club. I lay the blame for the last game debacle, totally with Welnix & Huawei ( & I have done so for a long time with regards to the traveling circus!)

I have spoken to David Dome several times and my opinion of him is that he says what the audience in front of him wants to hear. Then does what he’s told. I certainly don’t think Huawei are above criticism but as a fan our relationship is with the club not the sponsor.

If being a Foundation Member and expressing my opinion in a considered manner makes me a keyboard warrior then this is an extremely well-mannered forum ?

If it wasn’t pressure from the sponsor then that makes the decision even worse and presumably an economic decision by Welnix which shows no understanding of football. 

They moved the last game of the season at short notice!!!

I lay the blame for the last game debacle, totally with Welnix & Huawei ( & I have done so for a long time with regards to the traveling circus!) - Fact, Hatter has done this over a fair few seasons. I have for the most part too, even before Welnix & Huawei. The travelling circus was designed to spread the word and make the product a known brand. For me it should have stopped after the 3rd season. By then anyone whom was interested in football would have known the Nix existed.

Now with Welnix and Huawei, there appears to be a different agenda that does not really care for fans or "spreading the word". There's been complaints in the past from Auckland football fans (And other centers where the nix have played) about the lack of advertising and promoting of games etc. Remembering that not every football fan in any of the centres knows or joins this website. (Not a shot at this site either) So they can only go by the local form of advertising.

All are welcome to join me/us on the 25th March, so long as your are being peaceful - the intent of the protest.

The Travelling Circus for the last few seasons, at least, has been an economic decision as the club gets a fee and costs covered.

Sadly this has been accompanied by minimum advertising for the game. 

Note: The club usually does a good job re open training session and meet the fans, which is great especially for the younger fans.

[Off topic but the NP game was probably the worst, where barely no one in town knew the game was on. We talked to punters in the pub, people running the pubs ( The Irish pub closed early on the Friday night, although came to the party on Sat), curry house owners and taxi drivers. The only posters we saw about the game was one on the window of the official Nix pub and one at the stadium]

Fair call. 

Seems pretty clear to me that they have a deal with Huawei for two games in Auckland and Dome failed to get an earlier one sorted.

The two/three home-away games is on Welnix and the FFA, who are wanting to broaden NZ wide support for the 'Nix and TV audiences out of NZ, and to make the club attractive for nationwide sponsors.  Most seem to begrudgingly accept that, including me.  Otherwise the costs get too much and we don't have a club.

But I find it hard to believe that the last game move, the lateness of that move and the communications around that is anybody's responsibility other than Dome's.  He may have his excuses, but the impression I get is of a guy that arranged for a few guys to get a few free drinks and let them think this was all someone else's fault and not his ... and, if so, well, I'm probably with Warwick Hunt on this.

You may think what you like, but I can assure that having a few free drinks has not altered my opinion one bit. A few freebies, might make you change your opinion, but not mine, LGs or Ballanes. 

The comment was about Dome's behaviour, not about what you might think.  I'm not suggesting that he bought you off cheap, but that it appears that's effectively what he attempted to do. 

As far as these threads indicate he has left you with the impression that this is all Welnix and Huawei's fault.  Yet it seems pretty clear that, in fact, he's at fault for the late change for the last game.  And for the poor communication around that.  And it's a pity there seems to be no indication that he owned up to that.  

And, no, I'm not susceptible to getting bought off either.

The other was supposed to be in January, but got canned because the ground in question had to close all their facilities (incl. the main stand and changing rooms etc) for earthquake strengthing.

If you want to blame Dome for that, then go for your life, but I know that I won't be blaming him for things that are so far out of his control like these.

Hatter, you able to confirm that that's how it went, and that it wasn't Dome trying to buy you off?

That is exactly how it happened!!! If mjp2 had read all of the comments he would have seen that. 

But, why let the facts get in the way of an uninformed moan? ?

I think we've just found a new YF Forum slogan.

I'm in no doubt that it all happened in the way Hatter said it did. However, with protest you also have responsibilities - one of those is not to dilute the protest by asking for or accepting freebies to the beer tent. The loss of credibility is massive and you have caused irreparable damage to the greater cause. #tongueincheekbeforeyouhaveaheartattack

Fortunately I had no credibility before Dave corrupted our futile protest, I shall hang my head in shame, whilst standing in the corner, reminiscing on the freebies I have received from my mate! (The night in Mermaids was probably the highlight!!?)

The blame is for moving the last game of the season compounded by the inept initial communication to fans via Stuff/NZ Herald. Plus the blatant b/s that there had been public speculation over the location of the second ‘home and away’ game. The Canberra fiasco and lack of any communication in January about a potential game relocation only compound the general air of incompetence that has surrounded the proposed sites for the travelling circus this season

ah, here's what I said

"but the impression I get is of a guy that arranged for a few guys to get a few free drinks and let them think this was all someone else's fault and not his"

It doesn't matter if he raised the idea of drinks etc, or you did, by agreeing to your proposal he's effectively sweetened this all up and swept his own part in this under the table. That's the way I see it. From the comments you have made here, you still believe this is all Welnix and Huawei's fault. And it appears Dome's been happy to leave you with that impression.

As I said, I wasn't suggesting you were bought off.  What I was primarily saying is that Dome is responsible for organising the fixtures and the communications around that.  He's the guy who is responsible for the last minute changes because his earlier arrangements fell over.  

So the issues with that lie with him.  His job is sorting that out.

But, as I also said, "he may have his excuses".

Patrick's comments suggest he indeed may have his excuses.  But the reality is, Dome's the guy responsible for organising matches at stadiums that don't fall down and around sponsors who don't fall over.  There is an element of bad luck there, arguably.  But, it seems to me, there is also an element of insufficient due diligence.

He's then the guy responsible for communications to members about these problems.  Which hasn't been great, unless I've missed something.  I learnt more from Patrick's comments than I have from the club. 

And he's also the guy responsible for the overall 'Nix operations, which have not been exactly stellar on a number of fronts for a number of years.  There is a pattern here.

I'm not having an uninformed moan.  It's a comment on my views regarding responsibility from a foundation member who's sick of hearing excuses (second hand, not from the club) for poor operational performance.  We've been crap on the field, but we've often been poor off it as well.  

So the comment you made, where you said “The comment was about Dome's behaviour, not about what you might think.” compared to your comment, “"but the impression I get is of a guy that arranged for a few guys to get a few free drinks and let them think this was all someone else's fault and not his" doesn’t seem a bit contradictory to you. You clearly are saying that it is about what I think. You must be so privileged to know what other people think, especially after having a conversation that you were not privy too. 

For your information, I have never laid the blame solely on The GM, I have always blamed the Board. (But  due to your incredible insight, you probably know that already!!!)

I would be interested to see what action you plan on taking against the villain that you are so confident is the sole perpetrator of the decision to move our last game of the season! 

saying that I believe that Dome said to hatter "is there anything I can do for you"

That is either extremely good customer service or bordering on mermaid behaviour 

He has too many lower limbs to be considered a Merperson!!

To show determination for my beliefs, I am still going ahead on the 25th. Anyone want to join me? Feel free.

Patrick, out of curiosity where was the January game gonna be?

New Plymouth I believe

Nice venue and a piss easy and pleasant trip to drive. There and back in 1 day no swet. Oh and pubs and eateries right close to the ground.

I probably shouldn’t mention the free trip & booze i got from the club the last time we went to New Plymouth!!!! ?

U

I know you didn't show the banner but what did it say?

Given you'd already said that it was Welnix/Hauwei's fault ...[the second quote from you is from further up the thread ...]

yeh, I think I was entitled to think you meant what you said.  And it was also clear from your comments that Dome did indeed leave you with that view unchanged. 

I didn't need to be a mind reader.