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Post by Rajiv on May 11, 2014 23:25:25 GMT 8
The regular Sunday evening game at The Grandstand used to be from 5 to 6 pm. As it was persistently a struggle to fill up the game, I gave the game a break for 3 weeks from 6 April 2014 to 20 April 2014, during which time I tried to get a Sunday night game at Balestier Road going from 8 to 9 pm. Since I resumed the Sunday afternoon/evening game at The Grandstand on 27 April 2014, it has been from 4 to 5 pm. Some players prefer 4 to 5 pm, for example: .... Foo Cheong sent me the following private message at 5.15 pm on Sunday: .... Jon Stratton messaged me as follows on Tuesday morning: .... Others prefer 5 to 6 pm, for example: Jiv just wondering if we cld reinstate the 5-6pm session if the others prefer that timing that is...  . Jake and Kydd withdrew from today's game as they were out drinking last night and felt they were not in a state to play. I don't know if the extra hour to recover (if the game had been 5 to 6 pm) would have made any difference. Apart from the discussion on yesterday's game, the quotes above are from the "Days, times & locations" developments & announcements thread. The best way to decide the timing of the Sunday afternoon/evening game at The Grandstand is with a poll, added above. |
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Post by Rajiv on Jun 1, 2014 10:02:04 GMT 8
The poll is currently 6:3 in favour of reverting to the 5 to 6 pm slot. I will close the poll before I put up the schedule thread for next Sunday on Tuesday morning, and apply the state of the poll when it closes for the rest of June 2014.
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Post by Rajiv on Jun 3, 2014 8:52:08 GMT 8
The poll has been locked. 7:3 in favour of reverting to the 5 to 6 pm slot. So it shall be.
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Post by Rajiv on Jun 5, 2014 23:03:18 GMT 8
I thought the 5 to 6 pm slot was still available, so I scheduled this Sunday's game for the later time slot. Unfortunately, it is not available until July 2014, so I have to bring the game forward to the earlier time slot of 4 to 5 pm for the rest of June 2014.
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Post by Rajiv on Jul 18, 2016 19:56:42 GMT 8
The new manager at the Premier Pitch @ The Grandstand has informed me that another group want a 2-hour slot on the big covered pitch between 4 and 7 pm on Sundays. As we take the 5 to 6 pm slot, he is unable to provide the 2 hours to them. He has asked us to move to either 4 to 5 pm or 6 to 7 pm, so that he can let the other group have a 2-hour slot. I said I would get back to him by National Day (9 August 2016). For the reasons set out earlier in this thread, I would prefer 4 to 5 pm. However, I will also canvass views by replacing the poll on this thread. I have re-named this thread from "Timing for Sunday afternoon/evening game at The Grandstand" to "New timing for Sunday game at The Grandstand". |
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Post by Rajiv on Oct 16, 2016 11:28:22 GMT 8
The Sunday game at Grandstand is struggling, cancelled last week (9 Oct 2016) with only 4 players, and withdrawals for today's game leaving us with 11, only enough for a game on the small pitch, and not enough willing to play on a small pitch. To make matters worse, the new manager at the Premier Pitch @ Grandstand is very sticky with cancellations less than 48 hours before the game. Further, I will be very busy for the rest of this month, up to 6 November 2016. In the circumstances, I will not be scheduling a Sunday game at The Grandstand until 13 November 2016. When I resume the game on 13 November 2016, it will be from 4 to 5 pm, in accordance with the current state of the poll.  For the three Sundays in between (23 Oct 2016, 30 Oct 2016 and 6 Nov 2016), I will schedule a game at Khalsa from 6 to 7 pm. At least the manager at Khalsa does not give me grief if I cancel very late. |
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Post by Rajiv on Oct 31, 2016 8:19:41 GMT 8
Premier Pitch @ The Grandstand now inform me that the 4 to 5 pm slot is not available on Sunday for 13 and 20 November 2016, so I will keep it at 5 to 6 pm for those two weeks. However, if the game has not reached the minimum number by Friday, I will cancel the game.
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Post by Rajiv on Dec 5, 2016 9:34:44 GMT 8
Continuing from above, since 2 October 2016, we've only managed one further Sunday evening game on the big pitch at The Grandstand on Sunday evening, on 13 November 2016. We had a 5-a-side team match on a small pitch from 6 to 7 pm on Sunday, 27 November 2016, but all other Sunday evening games on the big pitch at The Grandstand have been cancelled, including the game yesterday, with only 2 names down. When I called the Premier Pitch @ Grandstand on Friday evening (2 Dec 2016) to cancel at least 48 hours before as required by the current management, the manager, Zul, said that since I had only used one Sunday slot on the big pitch since 2 October 2016, he would cancel all my Sunday bookings on the big pitch, so that other customers had an opportunity to book a 2-hour slot between 4 and 7 pm. If we get enough players, I can check to see if any one-hour slot on the big pitch is still available between 4 and 7 pm. I can't really argue with that. That we may have no choice as to which hour between 4 and 7 pm is available somewhat supersedes the poll. That there are only 2 votes since the poll went up in mid-October 2016 also reflects the current apathy towards the Sunday game.  Only Foo Cheong and Damian voted. Babs messaged me last Friday, surprised at the lack of numbers for Sunday. The fact of the matter is that the popularity of the Sunday evening game at The Grandstand has often been intermittent since that game was first started in mid-2009. For some time now, when I ask around trying to fill up the Sunday evening game at The Grandstand, several of the replies I get are that players would rather play 11-a-side on Sunday. We've had ad hoc 11-a-side games in the past, but not since 2009. While I'm not keen to organise ad hoc 11-a-side games, subject to a suitable pitch being available, I'm open to converting the Sunday evening game into a weekly 11-a-side game. Like our regular games, 2 team selectors could agree on two teams based on the pool of players who sign up. However, rather than first come, first in, for the 11-a-side, I'm prepared to allow selection across the board, so no one is guaranteed a starting place. I've replaced the poll above, and re-named this thread "Alternatives for a regular Sunday evening game" I'll look at the voting in the new year. Until then, I will continue to schedule the Sunday evening game at the Grandstand, for an hour between 4 and 7 pm. From the "Weekly schedule & number of games" thread: .... Even though the Sunday game at Khalsa has not taken off, I'll continue to schedule it as an extra game until the end of the year. However, to make it more akin to a weekend game, I will schedule it from 9 to 10 pm, and see if that works better. If the Sunday evening game is converted to an 11-a-side game in the new year, I will continue to schedule a Sunday night game. |
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Post by Rajiv on May 2, 2017 10:41:05 GMT 8
From the "Days, times & locations" thread: .... The games at The Grandstand over the last two Sundays ( 5 Feb 2017 and 12 Feb 2017) both went ahead, albeit with some effort on my part. I've resumed the Sunday booking, 5 to 6 pm, at Grandstand, from 19 February 2017 onwards. .... And from the "Filling places & choices" thread: The Sunday and Tuesday games (both on covered pitches at The Grandstand) have been very slow to fill up, struggling even to get to the minimum number. As the Premier Pitch @ the Grandstand were giving me a very hard time over late cancellations, I have been doing the following: - For the Sunday game on a big pitch, if we do not have enough players by Friday night, I cancel the booking. If we subsequently have enough players, I check to see if the pitch is still available.
- .....
I don't want to hold too many bookings that may not be used in the end. For the Sunday game, as there is only one big covered pitch, and it is more likely to be taken by others, I keep the booking as long as possible. .... .... As I'm no longer looking to change the game to an 11-a-side, I've removed the current poll, which was as follows:  Only Gerard voted. However, it continues to be a struggle to fill the Sunday evening game at the Grandstand. Since 19 February 2017:
Continuing from above, the manager at the Premier Pitch @ Grandstand is still trying to hint we should switch to either 4 to 5 pm or 6 to 7 pm so that he can sell the remaining two hours from 4 to 7 pm as a block. The game on Labour Day was from 4 to 5 pm as no later slot was available. When Stuart Tan got there before 4 pm, he messaged the group chat to say "It's baking hot here". I've put up a new poll above so that the alternatives can be considered. I've changed the subject to "Alternative times for the Sunday game at The Grandstand". |
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Post by Rajiv on May 20, 2017 15:35:59 GMT 8
Slight improvement so far in May 2017: - 7 May 2017 - We only got to 3 by Thursday, so I asked around, and got up to 4 on waitlist by Saturday morning, but no one left on waitlist by the time of the game.
I will follow the state of the poll in June. |
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Post by Rajiv on May 27, 2017 10:17:44 GMT 8
Due to a mix up over bookings, the game last Sunday (21 May 2017) at the Grandstand was moved from the covered pitch (operated by Premier Pitch) to Rainforest Sports Hub.  The manager at Premier Pitch had informed me a couple of weeks ago that the pitch was not available that day due to an event. However, when I made payment for my block booking the previous weekend (14 May 2017), there was no reminder, so I thought the next few weeks were covered. On the day itself, Paul arrived early and WhatsApped me that our usual booking on the covered pitch was not available. Further it was raining. There was no pitch available at the Premier Pitch's uncovered pitches, so I tried Rainforest Sports Hub. They informed me they had a 6-a-side pitch available, but that it was suitable for 7-a-side. All but Tim T were ok going ahead on an uncovered pitch despite the rain. Damian offered to drop out to leave us 7-a-side. When the players got to the venue, they thought the 6-a-side pitch was too small, and asked for a bigger pitch. The management at Rainforest Arena scrambled around to find a bigger pitch. Due to the rain, the 7-a-side pitch was available. However, it took some time for the management to confirm the availability of the 7-a-side pitch, so the game only started at 5.15 pm. I negotiated a proportionate reduction in the price of the pitch, which is why it worked out to $9 per player on this occasion. I later found out that the event had been cancelled, but instead of informing me, the management at the Premier Pitch had offered 5 to 7 pm to the Law Society's women's team, which they took up. It shows the extent to which the management at Premier Pitch want to be able to market a 2 hour block from 4 to 7 pm, and to force us from the middle of that block (5 to 6 pm), which prevents them from having a 2 hour block. The current state of the poll is as follows:  Only Danny, Gerard and Paul have voted. As the majority of players are indifferent, it is currently tied between being ok to switch to 4 to 5 pm and remaining at 5 to 6 pm, and I am tired of being pressured to switch to either 4 to 5 pm or 6 to 7 pm, for June 2017, I will switch the booking to 4 to 5 pm. If players want to stick to 5 to 6 pm, we can consider the 7-a-side pitch at Rainforest Sports Hub. From the report thread for last Sunday's game: .... 7 a side was abit too hectic for the size of the pitch and goal post which was bigger. I think an 8 a side would have been more manageable. .... .... .... As Paul said, general pitch was ok for a 7 aside (better 8 aside) but the goals were far too big for that size pitch. .... Despite the rain, it was a good game. I've replaced the poll to reflect the revised options. The poll standing will be implemented in July 2017. As there is also an option as to the pitch, I have changed the subject to "Alternatives for the Sunday game at the Grandstand". |
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Post by Rajiv on Jun 5, 2017 20:16:15 GMT 8
Ironically, after giving in to the pressure from the manager at Premier Pitch Indoors @ Grandstand to move out from the 5 to 6 pm slot, and deciding to move to the 4 to 5 pm slot, at least for June 2017, the 4 to 5 pm slot is not available over the next two Sundays, so we'll be back to 5 to 6 pm for the next two Sunday games. After only getting to 14 by Friday for the Sunday game on 28 May 2017 (from 5 to 6 pm), and requiring me to ask around to fill up the game, the Sunday game on 4 June 2017 (from 4 to 5 pm) had 3 on waitlist by Friday, the fastest the Sunday game has filled up in a very long time. Either it was a coincidence, or 4 to 5 pm is a more popular time slot. Anyway, the poll is still open, with only 2 votes, both in favour of being ok to switch to 4 to 5 pm. |
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Post by Rajiv on Jun 20, 2017 8:33:23 GMT 8
We're back to 4 to 5 pm for this Sunday (25 Jun 2017), at the Premier Pitch @ Grandstand. As Monday (26 Jun 2017) is a public holiday (for Hari Raya, which falls on Sunday), I'll try an extra game from 4 to 5 pm at the Premier Pitch @ Grandstand. As usual, there will be no Macpherson game on a public holiday. The current state of the poll is as follows:  I'll stick to 4 to 5 pm in July 2017 for the Sunday game at The Grandstand. |
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Post by Rajiv on Sept 26, 2017 12:09:29 GMT 8
From the "Days, times & locations" thread: .... Going forward, the Sunday game at The Grandstand will be from 4 to 5 pm. .... |
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Post by Rajiv on Jul 15, 2019 10:33:32 GMT 8
With the Sunday evening game at Grandstand struggling to fill up over several months, Stuart Tan messaged me on Wednesday (10 Jun 2019) to suggest moving the game back to a 5 to 6 pm slot, as 4 to 5 pm was too hot. I drew his attention to this thread. I have finally locked the revised poll. It is as follows:  From the "Filling places & choices" thread: .... What is even more disappointing is that the Thursday night game at Khalsa and the Sunday evening game at Grandstand, both of which I have been trying for years to stabilise, have barely had half the players required in the past few weeks. We have not had a Thursday night game since 6 June 2019, while the Sunday games on 9 June 2019 and 7 July 2019 were cancelled, with several games over the past few months filling up very late on, and even then, only after a lot of asking around. The game for this Sunday (14 July 2019) only has 6 names down at the time of this post (Friday afternoon). I have spent a lot of time over several years trying to sustain the Thursday night game at Khalsa and the Sunday evening game at Grandstand, but players clustering around the Monday night game at Macpherson, the Wednesday night game at Khalsa and the Saturday evening game at Grandstand undermines my efforts. I will stop scheduling the Thursday night game for the rest of this month, and if the game this Sunday is cancelled, I will also stop scheduling the Sunday evening game at Grandstand for the rest of the month. I will review towards the end of the month, but I am not likely to resume these games until September 2019 at the earliest. Instead, for now, I will focus on the extra game on Monday night at Macpherson and, if I stop scheduling the Sunday evening game at Grandstand, I will re-start the extra Sunday night game at Khalsa. The entire system is based on a "pooling effect", that is, a larger group of players across a wider range of games. Clustering undermines the pooling effect, and I will look at other ways to deal with this issue. The Tuesday night 6-a-side game at Grandstand has just about been filling up, and I treat it separately, as it is the only regular game that is not 7 or 8-a-side. As most players only want to play 7 or 8-a-side, the pool for the Tuesday night game at Grandstand is in any event smaller. The game yesterday (Sunday) was cancelled, so I will stop scheduling the Sunday evening at Grandstand for at least the rest of this month, and will instead schedule the extra game on Sunday night at Khalsa. |
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Post by Rajiv on Jul 28, 2019 13:51:09 GMT 8
From the WhatsApp group chat for the game yesterday (Saturday), 5 to 6 pm, at Grandstand:  That's where it ended. I really don't think there is enough interest or support for games on both Saturday and Sunday evening on a covered big pitch at the Premier Pitch @ Grandstand. Other than a couple of months each year (usually October / November) when the Sunday evening game at Grandstand fills up fast with even several on waitlist, it is usually a struggle to fill up the Sunday game. For another 7 or 8 months a year, it only fills up on Saturday or Sunday, sometimes as late as Sunday afternoon itself (presumably after players finish Sunday lunch and figure they could do with a game), and even then, usually after asking around, sometimes a lot of asking around. Then there are the remaining couple of months each year when it does not fill up, even after asking around. This has been the pattern for many years, and to be honest it, isn't worth my time, especially when the management at the Premier Pitch give me such a hard time over cancelling less than 2 days before the game. I get it even if I cancel on Saturday morning! The problems I face with the Sunday evening game at the Grandstand include the following: - Many of the regulars travel a lot, especially at the weekends, so the numbers fluctuate a lot over the course of the year.
- Most regulars want to play on the big covered pitch at the Premier Pitch @ Grandstand, and several only want to play 8-a-side there, and will not consider playing 6-a-side at Rainforest @ Grandstand or even 7-a-side on the big covered pitch at Premier Pitch or on a 7-a-side pitch at Rainforest, even if we are only a few players short.
- As referred to above, and in the poll, the management at the Premier Pitch @ Grandstand don't want to give me the 5 to 6 pm slot as it sits in the middle of 4 to 7 pm, thus interfering with the selling of a two-hour time slot in that period. Several players prefer the 4 to 5 pm, but several others say it is too hot. November to February is probably the only months it is not hot or very hot between 4 to 5 pm. Only 3 players voted in the above poll.
- While many of the Sunday regulars can or will play the Saturday game if they have no choice, thus filling up the Saturday game if it is short, several of the Saturday regulars will not play the Sunday game even if they do not get game on Saturday (either due to places for the Saturday game being oversubscribed or the Saturday game being cancelled when we don't get to 14 or 16 players).
The numbers for the Saturday game also fluctuate over the course of the year, but it has a higher baseline, so it is more sustainable. For yesterday's game at Grandstand, several Sunday regulars played. If we had games on both Saturday and Sunday at the big covered pitch at Grandstand, that's 32 places to fill, and with the fluctuations in numbers over the course of the year and several players only wanting to play on a particular day, on a particular pitch, at a particular time, and/or with a particular number, it makes my task very difficult, if not impossible, even after many years of trying to sustain both games. It is better to pool all the players into a single game on Saturday.
I currently also have a 6-a-side at the Rainforest on Tuesday nights. Further, many who play at the Grandstand at the weekend also have their own game on the big covered pitch on Wednesday nights, so those who prefer playing at the Grandstand have enough opportunities to play over the course of the week. With the Thursday night game at Khalsa also on hiatus for now, I am prepared to consider a Thursday night game at the Grandstand to replace it.
We got 8 for the Khalsa game today, but it is not enough. The advantages of having the Sunday game at Khalsa game are the following:
- We only need 12 for the game to go on.
- The pitch is cheaper, so the price per player is up to $3 less.
- The venue is more central in Singapore.
- It caters to a largely different crowd from those who prefer playing at Grandstand (who already have an opportunity to play at the weekends, on Saturdays).
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Post by Elvin on Aug 7, 2019 18:00:45 GMT 8
Why dont u do it this way....
Put up a thread for sunday game, but stipulate that its subject to availability. When you get to 16 players or near it, make the booking with Premier Pitch. If its available, the game goes on, if its mot, no game then.
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Post by Rajiv on Aug 12, 2019 16:11:52 GMT 8
Except for a couple of months in a year, the Grandstand game on the big covered pitch on Sunday evening doesn't fill up without a lot of asking around, and even then, there are several months in a year when it doesn't fill up even with a lot of asking around. If I just put up the thread without asking around, it hardly ever fills up. Then you have the issue of those who only want to play 8-a-side but not 7-a-side, so even if we get to 14, it's not good enough. It's just a lot of work for little if no benefit. At least if it is on a 7-a-side pitch at Khalsa, I know the game can still go on with 12 players. Also, it is easier for me to ask around more widely, since the price per player is only $10 ($9 if the game doesn't fill up within 48 hours), instead of $12 or $13 for the 8-a-side game at Grandstand. Many players are price sensitive. If enough players want the game further west, I can consider the 6 or 7-a-side uncovered pitch at Rainforest @ Grandstand (subject to availability), but players need to be prepared to play 6-a-side if that is the only pitch available, or if we only get to 12 players. There is less or no savings in the price per player. For now, the extra game on the big covered pitch at Grandstand will be on public holidays. It still requires a lot of asking around, like the game today, but then it is only once in a while, not every week. |
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Post by Elvin on Aug 13, 2019 17:20:03 GMT 8
Rajiv, dont think i ever saw a Sunday game ever launched successfully.......there is simply no interest at all fm what i see.
I am not asking you to actively source for players....just put up the thread. If it fills it fills.....if not then dont bother. Not asking you to make an early booking for the pitch or anything.
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Post by Rajiv on Aug 14, 2019 10:22:27 GMT 8
For this Sunday (18 Aug 2019): From the "Alternatives for the Sunday game at the Grandstand" thread: .... I am not asking you to actively source for players....just put up the thread. If it fills it fills.....if not then dont bother. Not asking you to make an early booking for the pitch or anything. Done. .... The game is the usual 3.50 to 5 pm at the Grandstand, on the big covered pitch. |
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....
Jiv just wondering if we cld reinstate the 5-6pm session if the others prefer that timing that is... 
