Discworld Football Match

[Lynsey Dearheart]

Wow sport definitely gets a reaction which is really good, the more passionate people there are the better!

Well as I'm sure you are all aware football features very heavily in the new Discworld book and I am toying with the idea of organising a football match around publication. Especially since this isn't a convention year. This is just a drawing board idea so no running away with it (too much) but I was thinking superfans vs publishers vs booksellers and some other peeps. A 5 aside tournament potentially with Sir Terry refereeing, football strips etc etc... But this is where my knowledge is lacking, I need to find a venue. Somewhere in London (sorry folks) medium to large stadium that wouldn't mind us taking it over for an afternoon or day.

So I thought I would pick your brains - any thoughts on the subject good/bad and any stadium suggestions would be awesome. In my heart of hearts I'm hoping someone is secretly the brother of some high powered manager and bob's your uncle! Or Aunt as the case may be...

[Tonyblack]

Lyndsey, I think this topic deserves a thread of its own. If you don't mind I'll start a tread and transfer this post to it.

EDIT: Transfered from Welcome Thread.

[Bouncy Castle]

Wow sport definitely gets a reaction which is really good, the more passionate people there are the better!

Well as I'm sure you are all aware football features very heavily in the new Discworld book and I am toying with the idea of organising a football match around publication. Especially since this isn't a convention year. This is just a drawing board idea so no running away with it (too much) but I was thinking superfans vs publishers vs booksellers and some other peeps. A 5 aside tournament potentially with Sir Terry refereeing, football strips etc etc... But this is where my knowledge is lacking, I need to find a venue. Somewhere in London (sorry folks) medium to large stadium that wouldn't mind us taking it over for an afternoon or day.

So I thought I would pick your brains - any thoughts on the subject good/bad and any stadium suggestions would be awesome. In my heart of hearts I'm hoping someone is secretly the brother of some high powered manager and bob's your uncle! Or Aunt as the case may be...

I don't think you'll find anywhere that won't ask for huge amounts of £ for hosting it.

I'm in South London, and Dulwich Hamlet springs to mind - proper stands etc, I think.

Or there's this..

http://www.aobfc.org.uk/


I think it would cost a lot, where ever it was held.

As for Terry as a Ref - is he fit enough?

Sorry if this sounds like a complete downer, but I do worry about him, after watching the BBC documentary, and he got tired just sitting and signing books.

[Wendybird]

I have contacts at the Madejski Stadium in Reading (not too far from London) and possibly West Ham Football Ground.

If the football thing actually happens then let me know and I will see what I can do. If it is for charity and gets the Football Ground some promotion then they will be interested and will charge a minimal fee.

Birdy

[poohbcarrot]

So I thought I would pick your brains - any thoughts on the subject good/bad

Here's my two-pennyworth on how to promote Unseen Academicals

I may be wrong, but my idea of a typical Discworld convention fan is someone who likes to dress up and drink beer.

Having 5-a-side footy games is a good idea, but personally I believe the following idea is more inclusive for ALL Discworld fans, gives them a chance to dress up AND drink beer.

The Discworld Football Fiesta 11am - 6pm in a big hall. Two pounds entry.

Rent a big hall.

Have a bar (Guinness - see later) and place for selling food and seating

Have a stand for selling merchandise eg; T-shirts, Signed Unseen Academicals etc

In the middle of the hall have 4 or 8 Table football tables and hold a Discworld Cup table football competiton.
Everyone can play table football and it's a laugh. 2 pounds to enter.

For example.
64 entrants split into 16 groups of 4. Each group of four plays 3 doubles games with the other members of the group as partner. The top two people from each group go through to the next round.
Same again in the next round.
Same again in the next round.
There will eventually be 4 players left.
Same again in the final. Winner receives cup and signed UK proof, Runner up receives signed UK proof.Third and fourth place receive signed hardbacks.

Competition starts at 1:00. From 11:00 - 1:00 people can practice on the tables, 1 pound a game.

In one corner of the hall have a 5-a-side goal and a beat the goalie PK game. 2 pounds per PK. If you score you get a certificate signed by Sir Terry saying "Congratulations on scoring at the Discworld Cup". If you assume 50% of the PKs are goals and you have 300 signed certificates, you will make 1,200 pounds. It depends on the quality of your goalie (you could always pay for someone like Peter Shilton/David Seaman to come)

When I was at Uni, there was a uni table football competition with the winners going through to a national final in London. The competition was sponsored by Guinness. I'm sure they could be pursuaded to participate, possibly provide football tables and run the bar selling Guinness products.

So for little financial outlay (renting a hall), you have a fun day out and receive entrance money, money from the use of the football tables and competition entry fees, money from the merchandising stand, % of the bar takings and food (possibly), and money from the beat the goalie comp.

Just a thought

[Perdita X]

Shame you are in Japan Poohbcarrot - you would have been first choice to organise!!

Perdita X

[Jan Van Quirm]

Pooh - you sure it's English you teach and not 'Games'

[poohbcarrot]

If they decided to have a table football competition, I'd be on the first plane to England!

[Batty]

Is table football the same as blow football?

I once nearly came to blows playing blow football as my opponent tried to suck instead of blowing! ... For anyone who doesn't know what blow football is, and is thinking rude thoughts ... then I'm not going to enlighten you!

[Trish]

Wow sport definitely gets a reaction which is really good, the more passionate people there are the better!

Sir Terry refereeing...

But I need to find a venue. Somewhere in London, medium to large stadium that wouldn't mind us taking it over for an afternoon or day.

Bah, bet airfare isn't included in the purchase price of a new book.
Alas.

Why not kill several birds at once?
You need a stadium (or somewhere with room to set up bleechers), why not a school.

You'll have parking, enough room for buses, potty access, and the goodwill of the admin staff who are /will be delighted that a Knight of the Realm has chosen to make his own personal appeal to youth of the UK that reading is, indeed (wallpaper word, but hey, this is Admin types, they live for wallpaper words) every student's best chance for a ticket to a good life.

Bus in some students with green hair and tats and the press will love it, be all over it.

Charge a small (really small) entrance fee.
Hit them (pretty hard) for parking and books, t-shirts, memoribilia. Like signed footballs and stuffed oragutangs.

Let whatever school has the forward-thinking to embrace this Fine Day of Family Fun and Educational Opportunity serve the chow.
No caterers, no clean-up, it'll be on the school. You get them to do this by donating a couple, three paperback Discword series et al.

Have the Alzheimer's organization (I don't know what it's called in the UK) there, too, with donation booths, pots, kettles, hats, whatever, every 30 feet.
Make the school admin types understand this bit is all about the "science end" of education. Don't they want students of theirs to become doctors? Don't they want their students to read instead of text?
Make it feel guilty and a school adminstrator will cave.

Big, strong, ex-footballers are also welcome.
They can officiate, sell wares, peanuts, autographs or any other thing.

Call it all charity and you'll have so much press for the book, based on the dual needs of today's students and the health care crisis (no, wait, that's us), that ... Well, you'll get what you want.

Everyone will.

[Trish]

As for Terry as a Ref - is he fit enough?

Of course, he is.
1) All he has to do is BE THERE and
2) That's all American refs do and it works for them.

NB: Here, during football season, stores sell little, uniformed Ref voodoo dolls, complete with pins for sticking for the discriminating fan. Just a thought.

[Tonyblack]

Terry has refereed at various sporting events in Wincanton before now.

[Lynsey Dearheart]

Don't worry I wouldn't of even suggested Terry refereeing if I hadn't already run it by him first.

I'm gonna read over the rest of the posts and write some more in a min. Loving the school idea though - thanks Trish!x

[Bickaxe]

I'm very interested.

Some advice though.
Having run the football events at Hogswatch, I can tell you that what people say they will do and what actually happens on the day can be very different.
It seems a lot of DW fans don't actually play football.

I think a match (full pitch) would work better. Table football isn't exactly a spectator sport.
One team as wizards, the other in some 1890's replica kit and one of them solid leather footballs (like we use in Wincanton) so get costuming!

It would be handy to get a read of the book first for further ideas though

[Trish]

... what people say they will do and what actually happens on the day can be very different.
It seems a lot of DW fans don't actually play football.

I think a match (full pitch) would work better. Table football isn't exactly a spectator sport.
One team as wizards, the other in some 1890's replica kit and one of them solid leather football uniforms.

But this isn't only for DW readers and Pratchett fans.
If I understand the appeal (and I may not), the point is to get a really really cheap venue and pack as many people in it as possible.

Yes, to promote the book but also to promote Alzheimer's awareness (means "dig deep"), reading in general (who cares what --it's habit-forming) and an actual blood-and-guts (not so much guts, though) football match.

The latter will draw all kinds of people...
Especially people who wouldn't normally attend such a thing. Want them to buy signed books, donate money for research, get their photos taken --for a small fee-- with the Librarian (and Sir Terry) and come away with a new appreciation for Pratchett's work as well as a slew of his books.


Seriously? I love football, Pittsburgh Steelers have been my team since I saw them play at Forbes Field, which was 2 stadiums ago. off-season, the Steelers paly a lot of basketball for charity and we usually get to 2 or 3 games.

But if Mike Tomlin (head coach) or Ben Roeslethberger (quarterback) showed up dressed like wizards, I'd 1) get sick laughing and 2) never go again.

Real football. Real tackles. Real score.
Yeah, it's an exhibition game. Any decent team would be thrilled to play an exhibition game for charity. Because teh football franchise gets tax breaks for doing so.