New Blackpool Podcast.

Brantham_Blackpool

Brantham_Blackpool

Well-known member
I appreciate podcasts aren't for everyone but I was speaking to a friend today regarding starting a new Blackpool podcast ahead of the new season.

The audio format initially and different fans would be involved weekly.
Reviewing games, signings and just generally all things BFC.

Does anyone have any thoughts on it? Or even what they would like to see on a new podcast.
 
I don’t think there is a need for a second podcast unless you’re coming at it from a completely different angle
 
Brantham_Blackpool said:
I appreciate podcasts aren't for everyone but I was speaking to a friend today regarding starting a new Blackpool podcast ahead of the new season.

The audio format initially and different fans would be involved weekly.
Reviewing games, signings and just generally all things BFC.

Does anyone have any thoughts on it? Or even what they would like to see on a new podcast.
Click to expand...
There is definitely room for another BFC podcast. The other one is few and far between.

It doesn’t have any kind of regular format and often seems hurried. The host isn’t clued up enough and it’s saved by Nick and TD53, otherwise it would be gash.

I’m happy to be a guest too
 
For a start get some women and younger fans voices on - maybe do preview rather than review so as not to clash with the current ones - a BFC Quiz - Celeb BFC fan each week and see if you can get a former player on each week?
Agree we don’t need another one like the Seasiders Podcast which does a good job.
 
Make it a bit less self-referential than previous offerings. Banter is fine but I don't need 15 minutes explaining who is drinking what and the missus is ordering for takeaway.

Inside insight and tactical analysis would be great but doesn't come easily. Maybe something that encourages a bit of debate, like fighting talk.

Podcaster A has a minute to state the case for why we should give Apter minutes over CJ, then the others make a counter argument.

The most successful podcasts usually engage their audience...so Football Ramble have an ongoing bit about stories about Kevin Keegan, when you've met football weirdos like Richard Keys, funniest chant or comment from the crowd you've ever heard...etc.

Off football, but one of the top Radio 5 shows Elis and John have a petty parliament where a listener submits a new law...that gets discussed, could be done with football. There's another feature about embarrassing stories that could be done for memorable away days.

That's my pitch. PM me if you want more 😄
 
Brantham_Blackpool said:
I appreciate podcasts aren't for everyone but I was speaking to a friend today regarding starting a new Blackpool podcast ahead of the new season.

The audio format initially and different fans would be involved weekly.
Reviewing games, signings and just generally all things BFC.

Does anyone have any thoughts on it? Or even what they would like to see on a new podcast.
Click to expand...
There is definitely a need for this

Good luck with it
 
Hopefully can be shorter and less ‘bantz’ oriented than the Seasiders Podcast. Lot of respect for those guys but frankly the proportion of down-the-pub talk to actual insight makes it not worth listening to for me (unfortunately).

Always enjoyed the UTMP pod with ex-players, occasionally Matt Scranton etc.
 
Competition can only be a good thing IMO, will push both podcasts to be as entertaining as possible and means more Blackpool content for the rest of us.

I don't think a new pod arising should be an invitation for a pile on the Seasider's podcast though. At the end of the day anyone who does this sort of thing does it for very little reward and a fair bit of work.
 
TKL_Seasider said:
Hopefully can be shorter and less ‘bantz’ oriented than the Seasiders Podcast. Lot of respect for those guys but frankly the proportion of down-the-pub talk to actual insight makes it not worth listening to for me (unfortunately).

Always enjoyed the UTMP pod with ex-players, occasionally Matt Scranton etc.
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Each to their own. I quite enjoy the informal “down the pub” talk and “Bantz” enjoyable to listen to rather than the usual questions to ex players that we usually already know the answers to, but that’s just me.

There’s room for both imo and I also agree this shouldn’t be an opportunity to have a pop at the Seasiders Podcast, not meaning you in particular TKL.
 
I'd go for it
Can never have enough content and what we do on the Seasiders Podcast would never cover the topics everyone wants - it's not intended to
The slightly irreverant/jokey approach rather than being too analytical based reflects us as a group I suppose though MCLF does like a random stat or two !
SP have had younger presenters in Tom ( who I take to be the OP ), Sam and Sean - the latter two can no longer do it as they work at clubs
We have also done preview shows but generally the numbers listening / watching those are less
Loved the UTMP stuff and the Seasiders Pod collaborated with them from time-to-time - they seem to have stopped unfortunately
 
Brantham_Blackpool said:
I appreciate podcasts aren't for everyone but I was speaking to a friend today regarding starting a new Blackpool podcast ahead of the new season.

The audio format initially and different fans would be involved weekly.
Reviewing games, signings and just generally all things BFC.

Does anyone have any thoughts on it? Or even what they would like to see on a new podcast.
Click to expand...
pm'd you Tom
 
I actually enjoy the banter and the approach adopted by the Seasiders Podcast to be honest and I think you need to inject an element of personality and fun. That said, it did get a bit dark and depressing and too negative towards he back end of the season…(partly understandable I suppose, but it turned me off a bit).

I’d definitely like to see a bit more detailed analysis (a tactical review for example) and maybe some focus on individual players and performances… Sean really added that aspect on the SP and his alternative input was a big loss IMHO.

I understand that people might find some of the football under Critchley ‘boring’, but wonder if they might be a bit more ‘engaged’ if they can see in a bit more detail, exactly what he’s doing / trying to do in games. From that perspective, I suspect some visuals / illustrations, as opposed to audio only, would be helpful.
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
I actually enjoy the banter and the approach adopted by the Seasiders Podcast to be honest and I think you need to inject an element of personality and fun. That said, it did get a bit dark and depressing and too negative towards he back end of the season…(partly understandable I suppose, but it turned me off a bit).

I’d definitely like to see a bit more detailed analysis (a tactical review for example) and maybe some focus on individual players and performances… Sean really added that aspect on the SP and his alternative input was a big loss IMHO.

I understand that people might find some of the football under Critchley ‘boring’, but wonder if they might be a bit more ‘engaged’ if they can see in a bit more detail, exactly what he’s doing / trying to do in games. From that perspective, I suspect some visuals / illustrations, as opposed to audio only, would be helpful.
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I agree, there needs to be some humour injected, the best pods are generally light hearted. There is definitely enough room for more Pool Pods and differing approaches and content is always good. I can see why Tom would want to do audio only to start with but video is best at the end of the day as it gives you both options. It takes a lot of work to set up though and each spisode will mean a lot of work for Tom and this that help him.
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
I actually enjoy the banter and the approach adopted by the Seasiders Podcast to be honest and I think you need to inject an element of personality and fun. That said, it did get a bit dark and depressing and too negative towards he back end of the season…(partly understandable I suppose, but it turned me off a bit).

I’d definitely like to see a bit more detailed analysis (a tactical review for example) and maybe some focus on individual players and performances… Sean really added that aspect on the SP and his alternative input was a big loss IMHO.

I understand that people might find some of the football under Critchley ‘boring’, but wonder if they might be a bit more ‘engaged’ if they can see in a bit more detail, exactly what he’s doing / trying to do in games. From that perspective, I suspect some visuals / illustrations, as opposed to audio only, would be helpful.
Click to expand...
Maybe you should start your own pal

Could call it the magic roundabout and you could invite 20s and Voy on 🤣
 
Phil_bfc deux said:
Maybe you should start your own pal

Could call it the magic roundabout and you could invite 20s and Voy on 🤣
Click to expand...
I couldn’t be arsed with it… I like watching / listening .. I’ve no interest in contributing to one whatsoever.

No idea about the other two or what the Magic Roundabout reference means?
 
hertfordseasider said:
I agree, there needs to be some humour injected, the best pods are generally light hearted. There is definitely enough room for more Pool Pods and differing approaches and content is always good. I can see why Tom would want to do audio only to start with but video is best at the end of the day as it gives you both options. It takes a lot of work to set up though and each spisode will mean a lot of work for Tom and this that help him.
Click to expand...
I dunno, I like audio. There's loads of fantastic audio only pods and a big advantage that if you pre record you can put different segments together (i.e. away fan, interview, guest 1,2) and you don't all have to be available at 8pm or whatever. You can compile it over a period of time.

Anyway, I think the point of it all is to enjoy it. If it's good, it will find its audience and be what it is for the people who like it. Think too much about what people want and it becomes an exercise in people pleasing and an obligation. Do it for the love of doing it and people will give you a lot of leeway.

It's all a moot point because podcasts and vlogging is shit anyway. Badly edited blogs are where it's actually at.
 
td53 said:
I dunno, I like audio. There's loads of fantastic audio only pods and a big advantage that if you pre record you can put different segments together (i.e. away fan, interview, guest 1,2) and you don't all have to be available at 8pm or whatever. You can compile it over a period of time.

Anyway, I think the point of it all is to enjoy it. If it's good, it will find its audience and be what it is for the people who like it. Think too much about what people want and it becomes an exercise in people pleasing and an obligation. Do it for the love of doing it and people will give you a lot of leeway.

It's all a moot point because podcasts and vlogging is shit anyway. Badly edited blogs are where it's actually at.
Click to expand...
To be honest with you TD53 one of the biggest downsides with the existing pod (for me at least) is the lack of consistency. As a ‘viewer’, I think there’s a certain amount of expectancy that a regular ‘preview’ or ‘review’ will be done and ideally done on a consistent time-frame. Likewise there’s some sense of disappointment when that doesn’t happen… If it happens to often that leads to frustration and eventually to disengagement.

Of course, these are volunteer things and people can either be arsed or they can’t, but it depends on whether or not you want the pod to be a success, a total flop or somewhere in between… I think you only have to compare the viewing figures for Lee Charles and the Seasiders Podcast to see how the more professional and very consistent approach adopted by Lee picks up the bigger numbers.

So I suppose it depends if you want an audience or not, but if you do, then I’d have thought ‘people pleasing’ is kind of part of the deal (whether that be a) because what you do is popular anyway or b) you are responsive to audience feedback).
 
Don’t think you can really compare what we do with LCTV - save perhaps the phone in bit
I don’t know but I suspect Lee picks up the younger element of the fanbase who are more likely to watch you tube etc Reckon he’ll also get more away fan watches

Most of our output gets around 1000-2000 views on YouTube ( the lower figure generally being for midweek games and bad defeats ) with the audio I think adding another 50% so it’s generally 1500-3000 in total which I don’t think is bad

Think the consistency point is a valid one
The problem is we all have lives - jobs, families and other hobbies We need John (as host) +3 to do a show and sometimes things crop up and we have to cancel

Happened perhaps half a dozen times as I recall - some were then broadcast another night but a few slipped ( generally after a crap game )

During covid it was easier as we were all available post-match and that option isn’t there when you are going to games as everyone has different post-match routines - with Lee again he can decide he’s going out live at 6pm but with our format John might need to feed his lad, I might be going out, Matt is driving back to Lancaster etc

There’s a few more committed this season so hopefully late cancellations will be limited as we can have a sub however we can’t legislate for every eventuality

I know we are all looking forward to getting going again
 
TwelveAngryMen said:
Don’t think you can really compare what we do with LCTV - save perhaps the phone in bit
I don’t know but I suspect Lee picks up the younger element of the fanbase who are more likely to watch you tube etc Reckon he’ll also get more away fan watches

Most of our output gets around 1000-2000 views on YouTube ( the lower figure generally being for midweek games and bad defeats ) with the audio I think adding another 50% so it’s generally 1500-3000 in total which I don’t think is bad

Think the consistency point is a valid one
The problem is we all have lives - jobs, families and other hobbies We need John (as host) +3 to do a show and sometimes things crop up and we have to cancel

Happened perhaps half a dozen times as I recall - some were then broadcast another night but a few slipped ( generally after a crap game )

During covid it was easier as we were all available post-match and that option isn’t there when you are going to games as everyone has different post-match routines - with Lee again he can decide he’s going out live at 6pm but with our format John might need to feed his lad, I might be going out, Matt is driving back to Lancaster etc

There’s a few more committed this season so hopefully late cancellations will be limited as we can have a sub however we can’t legislate for every eventuality

I know we are all looking forward to getting going again
Click to expand...
Lee is the Standard Bearer really, when it comes to Blackpool F.C. based broadcasting, hence why I used him as an example👍

I realise it’s different content and maybe a different audience, but it shows what can be achieved… Something for the lesser known content providers to aspire to etc…

I’m not dissing the Podcast though… I enjoy the content and personally it’s more my cup of tea than the ‘Lee’ stuff, I was just highlighting one area which (from my perspective at least) is a bit of a let down, but it’s not a major deal.

It was really more a case of responding to TD53’s point really. And that largely boils down to what the objective of the provider is… I mean ‘enjoying it’ is all well and good, but producing content without an audience is pretty pointless imo (and I’d have thought it pretty demoralising too).

So I think there needs to be some degree of respect and responsibility to the ‘viewer’ and ‘people pleasing’ is a fundamental, if you want your pod to be a success… I’m not entirely sure how ‘people not-pleasing’ is going to achieve much?
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
To be honest with you TD53 one of the biggest downsides with the existing pod (for me at least) is the lack of consistency. As a ‘viewer’, I think there’s a certain amount of expectancy that a regular ‘preview’ or ‘review’ will be done and ideally done on a consistent time-frame. Likewise there’s some sense of disappointment when that doesn’t happen… If it happens to often that leads to frustration and eventually to disengagement.

Of course, these are volunteer things and people can either be arsed or they can’t, but it depends on whether or not you want the pod to be a success, a total flop or somewhere in between… I think you only have to compare the viewing figures for Lee Charles and the Seasiders Podcast to see how the more professional and very consistent approach adopted by Lee picks up the bigger numbers.

So I suppose it depends if you want an audience or not, but if you do, then I’d have thought ‘people pleasing’ is kind of part of the deal (whether that be a) because what you do is popular anyway or b) you are responsive to audience feedback).
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To a degree I get the point, but I also know Tom reasonably well -:he works hard, has a young family and has high standards of himself in what he does.

It might be that the audience wants a nightly live show with celeb guests and interactive tactical graphics every week. I'm not sure that's actually realistic.

Tom is highly knowledgeable and has a nice, relaxed manner presenting. I loved his previous podcast (third tier). I want this to work for him. I think, therefore, if he wants to start out audio only, then that's great because there's distinct advantages to being audio only - not least the things I mentioned above mean you don't need to all be online at the same time every week. (Which as you say, can sometimes be a struggle for the podcast)

It's nothing to do with the relative numbers of Seasiders Podcast or LCTV - it's about being pleased with what you did and looking at it and thinking 'I did my best there' and also, knowing it's added something to your life rather than become a burden. Intrinsic motivation needs an intrinsic reward.

All I'm saying is - (and I've also said it to Tom directly, I'm not being weird and talking to him via a message board) - do your thing. It doesn't matter what anyone else does. If it's good (and I'm sure Tom will do something good) then whether it's daily, weekly, fortnightly, monthly, whether it's live, recorded, audio/video or whatever - then I'm sure the fanbase will be positive and back it.
 
td53 said:
To a degree I get the point, but I also know Tom reasonably well -:he works hard, has a young family and has high standards of himself in what he does.

It might be that the audience wants a nightly live show with celeb guests and interactive tactical graphics every week. I'm not sure that's actually realistic.

Tom is highly knowledgeable and has a nice, relaxed manner presenting. I loved his previous podcast (third tier). I want this to work for him. I think, therefore, if he wants to start out audio only, then that's great because there's distinct advantages to being audio only - not least the things I mentioned above mean you don't need to all be online at the same time every week. (Which as you say, can sometimes be a struggle for the podcast)

It's nothing to do with the relative numbers of Seasiders Podcast or LCTV - it's about being pleased with what you did and looking at it and thinking 'I did my best there' and also, knowing it's added something to your life rather than become a burden. Intrinsic motivation needs an intrinsic reward.

All I'm saying is - (and I've also said it to Tom directly, I'm not being weird and talking to him via a message board) - do your thing. It doesn't matter what anyone else does. If it's good (and I'm sure Tom will do something good) then whether it's daily, weekly, fortnightly, monthly, whether it's live, recorded, audio/video or whatever - then I'm sure the fanbase will be positive and back it.
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Yep… I get a lot of that..👍

I agree with you that ‘not biting off more than you can chew’ let’s call it, and doing what you can do really well, is better than trying to take on too much and doing it badly.

To some extent, that’s what I was getting at with the Seasiders Pod… insomuch as a live broadcast does come with a certain amount of expectation and ‘responsibility’ and people do get disappointed when you don’t deliver… I think that’s a natural reaction.

When I was talking in terms of numbers, I’m talking about the relative success of a project. You may choose to think otherwise, but in terms of a podcast or any kind of media output, success is measured in terms of viewership… Think of the “does a falling tree make a noise of no one hears it” analogy…

So to that extent, if you want it to be a ‘relative’ success as opposed to a flop, then there’s going to need to be a fair bit of ‘people pleasing’ involved… obviously Tom is adopting a well considered approach by doing some audience research before he starts …. However, there’s not much point in doing the research to then just ignore it and do your own thing regardless…So whilst ‘audio only’ might be great (and it may well be all you can do right now)… I’m going to say straight away, that purely on that basis I’m unlikely to be interested…. Of course, the content may be fantastic and my mind might well be changed, but for me personally that’s an immediate barrier to gaining my interest…(of course there will be others with a totally different perspective) and so you have to take a view and balance what people want (or what people will listen to) with what you are able to provide.. The more ‘people you please’ the more success you will have.

So you can’t really get away from ‘people-pleasing’ and the aim (surely) is to please enough people so as to actually have a reasonable audience…. Otherwise ‘what’s the point’ ?
 
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BFC_BFC_BFC said:
Lee is the Standard Bearer really, when it comes to Blackpool F.C. based broadcasting, hence why I used him as an example👍

I realise it’s different content and maybe a different audience, but it shows what can be achieved… Something for the lesser known content providers to aspire to etc…

I’m not dissing the Podcast though… I enjoy the content and personally it’s more my cup of tea than the ‘Lee’ stuff, I was just highlighting one area which (from my perspective at least) is a bit of a let down, but it’s not a major deal.

It was really more a case of responding to TD53’s point really. And that largely boils down to what the objective of the provider is… I mean ‘enjoying it’ is all well and good, but producing content without an audience is pretty pointless imo (and I’d have thought it pretty demoralising too).

So I think there needs to be some degree of respect and responsibility to the ‘viewer’ and ‘people pleasing’ is a fundamental, if you want your pod to be a success… I’m not entirely sure how ‘people not-pleasing’ is going to achieve much?
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It's entirely different content, Lee is a matchday vlogger and the Seasider's Podcast is just a podcast. Their target audience is completely different, I'd say 95% of the podcasts viewership will be Blackpool fans - it is entirely catered to, and watched by Blackpool fans.

That figure will be smaller for Lee Charles as matchday vlogs are watched by the home fans, the away fans, people who are just into matchday vlogs, and the general YouTube football community (you notice even on Lee's matchday commentary there are loads of people who support other clubs asking about what Jane has for tea and all that jazz). He's cottoned on and even does click baity titles when Blackpool have lost to draw on the away fan viewership "Derby County LIMBS!" and all that.

Podcasts like the Seasider's Podcast will be limited to the size of the fanbase they represent, YouTube channels like Lee's aren't nearly as limited in that respect. The only way the pod could change that really is if they went down the AFTV route of acting like absolute cretins after a defeat so that people watch for the meltdowns. I hope that never happens, and I'm sure it won't.
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
Yep… I get a lot of that..👍

I agree with you that ‘not biting off more than you can chew’ let’s call it, and doing what you can do really well, is better than trying to take on too much and doing it badly.

To some extent, that’s what I was getting at with the Seasiders Pod… insomuch as a live broadcast does come with a certain amount of expectation and ‘responsibility’ and people do get disappointed when you don’t deliver… I think that’s a natural reaction.

When I was as talking in terms of numbers, I’m talking about the relative success of a project. You may choose to think otherwise, but in terms of a podcast or any kind of media output, success is measured in terms of viewership… Think of the “does a falling tree make a noise of no one hears it” analogy…

So to that extent, IF you want it to be a ‘relative’ success as opposed to a flop, then there’s going to need to be a fair bit of ‘people pleasing’ involved… obviously Tom is adopting a well considered approach by doing some audience research before he starts …. However, there’s not much point in doing the research to then just ignore it and do your own thing regardless…So whilst ‘audio only’ might be great (and it may well be all you can do right now)… I’m going to say straight away, that purely on that basis I’m unlikely to be interested…. Of course, the content may be fantastic and my mind might well be changed, but for me personally that’s an immediate barrier to gaining my interest…(of course there will be others with a totally different perspective) and so you have to take a view and balance what people want (or what people will listen to) with what you are able to provide.. The more ‘people you please’ the more success you will have.

So you can’t really get away from ‘people-pleasing’ and the aim (surely) is to please enough people so as to actually have a reasonable audience…. Otherwise ‘what’s the point’ ?
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To a point. It depends what success is. Ultimately, in music, everyone would be Ed Sheeran if they applied the 'give the audience what they ask for' maxim.

To make something a bit different, then to some degree you have to do your thing. I agree 1000% that respect for your audience is important - but I don't think that has to be just giving them what they want. It should show in the quality/effort apparent in the work and it certainly did in the Third Tier that Tom did. It might not have been that regular but it was in depth, informed and well put together. I didn't know that I wanted to listen to Tom chatting to a Gillingham and Fleetwood fan, but it turned out, I did!

Anyway, the main point is, whatever and whoever and whysoever, I wish Tom loads of luck and I'm sure it'll be grand cos I've liked his other stuff and I liked doing the pod with him and ultimately, all fan media is is people talking shite so I look forward to more shite in the great toilet bowl of BFC fan media.
 
I think it’s inevitable that the podcast market and fan media grow. Everything else - local radio, the Gazette, Lancashire Live - is being cut back but the demand for local content isn’t reducing so that gap has to be filled from somewhere
 
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