Should Rangers fans help subsidise accessibility plans?

[Frankie 8,664]

Today's main site article discusses the unacceptable facilities offered to disabled fans at Ibrox. Although, the club are attempting to facilitate debate on the issue via their own stakeholder group, Gersnet is interested to find out if our supporters would be willing to contribute to the inevitable financial cost going forward.

 

For example, as well utilising the circa £500,000 RFFF monies remaining in the Assembly bank account (in whole or in part), how else could supporters help share the financial burden? Should there be a 'tick-box' in the season ticket renewal form to allow one-off or ongoing 'donations' for such projects? Can community-interest groups such as Rangers First or the Trust help? Could sponsorship of disabled facilities be achieved? Or, indeed, should the club be doing this without supporters' money?

 

Although this a rather empirical solution, we'd like our site users to answer the following simple questions to see what's possible in terms of fan contributions. We'll ensure the club are made aware of the results.

 

http://www.gersnet.co.uk/index.php/news-category/current-affairs/449-should-rangers-fans-help-subsidise-accessibility-plans

[26th of foot 6,119]

Disabled Rangers supporters are Rangers supporters, they deserve the same access and level of comfort open to the rest of us. Whatever it takes, find a way to pay for these most necessary accommodations.

 

Personally, I have no problem with the club articulating the requirements and setting out a (graduated) payment plan added to our annual season tickets.

 

Get it done, soonest.

[BrahimHemdani 1]

Clearly the current situation is a disgrace and Rangers should be seen to lead the way on this issue, how else can we demand proper facilities for our disabled fans at away grounds if we don't have sufficient ourselves.

 

I can't begin to imagine what it must be like to be in a wheelchair for life or even part of one's life, perhaps some of us should try it for a day; better still invite the Club's directors to try it.

 

All that said, I would like to know the cost of improvements before considering how best they might be funded. Season ticket holders will pay a share of the cost by virture of their renewal cost whether they like it or not (and most if not all will be quite happy to do so I'm sure). Similarly posing a question - should the club be doing this without supporters' money? is a bit tenuous because the Club wouldn't exist without supporters money.

 

Season ticket holders alone cannot fund this.

 

I think a separate levy on all tickets not just season tickets would be the best way to go. At a quick rough calculation 45,000 (average attendance rounded down) x 18 matches at £1 a ticket say would bring in £800,000 a season. I doubt if that would be anywhere close to the sum required so it might have to be more and would certainly have to go on for some years.

 

Also a ticket levy would incur VAT, unless there is a way to avoid that, where the money is for this purpose. The government might be persuaded to return the VAT as a contribution.

 

Other funding areas would need to be explored, FS may be best placed to advise (excuse the pun).

Edited September 29, 2015 by BrahimHemdani

[boabie 230]

At the risk of criticism being a newbie, no. Not just yet. The club will see various folk who had previous connections being dragged through a criminal court and no doubt the subject of subsequent civil actions too. Until most of those are over and we know for definite exactly what position we are in I would say hang on. Currently struggling to support and manouver around town a family member who is temporarily disabled I can fully understand why some fans would want the matter addressed urgently. But not right now. Should the club wish to add a few quid onto the cost of my season ticket in the future I would be only to happy to pay.

[pete 2,499]

Surely for such things you could appeal to the local council for a grant or the national lottery for help. Or is that a stupid thought?

[craig 5,199]

At the risk of criticism being a newbie, no. Not just yet. The club will see various folk who had previous connections being dragged through a criminal court and no doubt the subject of subsequent civil actions too. Until most of those are over and we know for definite exactly what position we are in I would say hang on. Currently struggling to support and manouver around town a family member who is temporarily disabled I can fully understand why some fans would want the matter addressed urgently. But not right now. Should the club wish to add a few quid onto the cost of my season ticket in the future I would be only to happy to pay.

 

What if it isn't done in time for the new UEFA regulations and we cant play in Europe ?

[the gunslinger 3,366]

I tend to think the club should pay for this. The fans pay enough and indeed will really be the ones paying.

[BrahimHemdani 1]

I tend to think the club should pay for this. The fans pay enough and indeed will really be the ones paying.

 

That's my point GS, you really can't separate the Club from it's fans, especially when it comes to money.

[craig 5,199]

The fans will be paying anyway through ST prices. I certainly wouldn't be averse to their being a "donation fund" such that those who feel benevolent, have the means to do so and see it as a) assisting with providing much needed facilities for our disabled fans and b) alleviating some of the financial burden from the Club.

 

Obviously a donation fund is on a voluntary basis - if people don't wish to, they don't contribute. But any help to the Club is a great help regardless.

[forlanssister 3,114]

If UEFA are serious about this and I'm told they really are (though I still have my doubts!) then if Rangers want to play European football at Ibrox then the improvements are going to have to be made and at the end of the day the cost for that will come out the pockets of the fans either directly or indirectly.

 

In days gone by this is the kind of thing that would have attracted a grant from what was the Football Trust via the levy on the Pools and Spot the Ball. Whether it would now attract Lottery funding I honestly don't know.

 

The 35 spaces that were installed in the East Enclosure were paid for by GCC, admittedly not the best quality ( and doubtful if they comply with the new guidelines) but most welcome nonetheless. Meanwhile across the city they have a new elevated section at the rear of one of the corners with it's own dedicated lounge and also installed some elevated spaces in the away corner, which should help the view from there which frankly borders on the criminal.

 

I'd like to see Rangers take a structured approach on a stand by stand basis even if this takes longer to achieve it's more important than things are done correctly rather than in haste. We all know practically every section of Ibrox needs money spent on it after years of neglect and the wheelchair facility issue should be factored into that along with other things like safe standing (which would help mitigate the capacity loss issue).

 

If you read the UEFA link in the other thread you'll see it's not simply a case of providing the wheelchair spaces alone at Ibrox the additional infrastructure has to be installed, proper disabled parking spaces, accessible toilets (one for every 15 spaces, currently 1 for 35 in EE and 2 for 65 in the WE) accessible food kiosks etc...etc... all issues that significantly add to the cost factor.

 

I think any monies raised through ticket levy or whatever method should be ring fenced so they're not syphoned off to general running costs and so people can see exactly how the money is being spent.