http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/18112011/58/championship-plans-afoot-fans-texting-subbing-decisions.htmlChampionship - Plans afoot to get fans texting to make subbing decisionsFri, 18 Nov 11:56:00 2011
Coventry City are considering plans to allow fans to vote by text to have players substituted on or off the pitch during matches.
One of the shareholders for the cash-strapped club came up with the idea, hoping that fans would jump at the chance to text a premium-rate number to vote for who they want to come on or be taken off.
The man who wants to turn the Sky Blues' matches into a sort of sporting X-Factor is Canadian tycoon Leonard Brody - and he hopes that it could be just one of a number of measures to help increase fans' involvement, and thereby bolster the club coffers.
Brody blamed the need for such measures on the lack of TV rights cash that filters down from the top tier of the game to the Championship.
"Your television income is so low, and the only source of revenue other than sponsors is your fan base," he explained.
"And so the question is how do you make a more exciting experience for your fan base so they are willing to do more than just show up at a game? How do you engage them more in the game and get their input in the process, and at the same time derive revenue in a way we were never able to before?"
The idea has already drawn stern criticism, with many pointing out that opposition fans could try to scupper Coventry's hopes in a game by texting in to get the goalkeeper replaced by a second-string striker.
But Brody admits that his ideas are still at an early stage - though he seemed determined to start the ball rolling by inviting a fans' representative on the board of directors.
"Let's be the most progressive club in the country in connecting its fans to the game with a representative on the board and an impact on in-game decisions," he added.
"Those plans to do that are still very much in play and it starts, first and foremost, by having some fan representation on the board looking at how you connect the fans to the game but at the same time not cheapening and making it some sort of three-ringed circus.
"It is a really delicate balancing act between figuring out how to do that and doing stuff that fans actually care about and are willing to pay for."
Eurosport.
