Matchday marketing

Was checking out the Barnsley site to see if they'd announced the appointment of Jack Ross as their new manager and accidentally came across the following:

https://www.barnsleyfc.co.uk/news/2018/february/junior-takeover-details/

Started me wondering "what other marketing opportunities are we missing?" The matchday mascot is excellent value for money (my personal experience was for one of my sons in the SPL days) but, as far as I understand, the above are free but will undoubtedly create memories for our young supporters where they will want to come back again and again. We undoubtedly have challenges with no longer doing our own LiviTV and, as far as I am aware, limited staff are cleared to work directly with children but, for example, how about giving some lucky kid (and their somewhat unlucky parents) the chance to manage the drum for the day?

The problem is quite often there appears to be a feeling of apathy about advertising the club e.g. We tried X and it didn't work (e.g. children's season tickets) but did anyone actually let the town know?

The Almondvale Suite being hired out to other functions when the 2 biggest away crowds of the season come a visiting isn't great either. I know the AS is rented to Food Creations but it was stupid and I hope Livi fans remember it the rest of the season when they haven't booked any functions on match days and take it for granted we'll just turn up and give them our money, pissed me right off today.

It's almost like they haven't learned from the dog shows & flower shows at Meadowbank that meant matches had to be rearranged... The reason (or one of them anyway) MTFC moved out to Livingston was to be in control of such things. When the biggest away support clubs come to visit, every opportunity to raise revenue needs to be utilised.

It's up to Food Creations how the Almondvale Suite is used. I would presume bookings have to be made weeks in advance. Football is fickle. That big crowd was dependant on St Mirren's lofty league position and us being in second place, things that can't be foreseen in advance. Add to that the uncertainty of our weather and a postponement. You can't blame Simon for taking a confirmed booking.

I can and I do, he most likely made less on what he'd have made from a packed AS from a huge away support too. But the main point for me is he's taking Livi fans for granted, and doesn't give a toss about us. I like going to the AS but I don't like being taken for a mug.
He showed the same contempt towards Livi fans a few seasons back when it was open to Sevco fans only. Yeah it's a business, but it is also part of our stadium, and he relies on Livi fans on most match days giving him some revenue, and imo, takes it for granted we'll turn up whenever he allows us access to the AS, aye well maybe we wont.

Oh and while i'm at it, why wasn't it up on our website that it wouldn't be available to football fans on match days, even St Mirren fans that came into the Meadowbank suite were saying they booked their bus and were told they'd be able to go to the AS and have food and liquid refreshments pre match, very poor imo.

Some of the clashes have occurred as a result of games being rearranged haven't they?

Certainly the Dunfermline one was a rearranged fixture; however, as far as I can see, last Saturday was always supposed to be St Mirren.

Personally I can't imagine why anyone would want to arrange a function in the AS on a match day; paring would be expensive or, at least, challenging and guests would have to walk the the function through a crowd of supporters - just imagining if it was a wedding reception

At the very least there should have been something said on the official site to allow people to make alternative arrangement - I bet the Lime Kiln went into meltdown; they get flustered when there's just three people in the queue.