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Post by Deleted on Mar 4, 2017 11:17:39 GMT
Less than 3,700
Last night I took a couple of pics from B block 5 minutes before KO showing loads of blue plastic seats in the West Stand opposite, loads of space on the Harry Mac (I'm fully aware of the tragic events) and even empty seats near to us in our end of the East Stand.
Unfortunately, due to "file size limits" I can't upload them
I wanted to post them to illustrate the potential revenue we've lost by not being able to sell the ground out for this match.
Myself and countless others have posted over the last few weeks imploring the Club to promote the match aggressively as we all know there it was a golden opportunity to make some much needed money.
I don't want to re-ignite the arguments as to the "pipeline", allocation etc. as many people have had their say.
I ask only this - that those responsible for or tasked to promote/market the game acknowledge that it wasn't handled very well, learn from what went wrong and make sure it doesn't happen again.
The evidence was there to see for me,my phone and others around me; surely those "in charge" can see that as well
We missed a big trick last night- an extra 3-500 on the gate is big money to us.
I say again, we have no rich owner chucking money at us; gate revenue is our lifeblood
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Post by MPW on Mar 4, 2017 11:38:07 GMT
The club shouldn't really need to do much to push ticket sales for games against Wrexham and Tranmere. I thought that the online ticketing would have added a few hundred last night, but to only have 2400 home fans for both of these games is shocking.
I know last night was televised but I would love to know why we can't even attract the floating fans to games anymore?
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Post by blue murder on Mar 4, 2017 11:41:32 GMT
This was also obvious from C block. There should be awkward questions for our paid staff who should be held to account for such a low attendance of "home" fans last night. The Club is clearly failing to connect with the city as a whole, and seemingly cannot attract floating or lapsed fans. Unfortunately the club now has very low visibility and profile locally after the heady days of 2 or 3 years ago, and consequently effective, professional, creative and proactive marketing should be a priority. However there is very little evidence of this, and many in the city are utterly unaware of the community asset they have.
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Post by Lache lad on Mar 4, 2017 11:41:38 GMT
Don't you get it yet, the queen could ride round the city walls naked promoting it but it would make no difference. We've got 2500 fans absolute max and just for the big games,and I can only see it getting less. Someone once said it's not a football city and unfortunately it's true
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Post by blue murder on Mar 4, 2017 11:53:00 GMT
Don't you get it yet, the queen could ride round the city walls naked promoting it but it would make no difference. We've got 2500 fans absolute max and just for the big games,and I can only see it getting less. Someone once said it's not a football city and unfortunately it's true Whilst this is the kind of thing a goats fan would say, how do explain why the average gate was around and above the 2,500 mark in the evostick and Conference north with few away fans ? |
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Post by Charfield Blue on Mar 4, 2017 11:55:43 GMT
Don't you get it yet, the queen could ride round the city walls naked promoting it but it would make no difference. We've got 2500 fans absolute max and just for the big games,and I can only see it getting less. Someone once said it's not a football city and unfortunately it's true Whilst this is the kind of thing a goats fan would say, how do explain why the average gate was around and above the 2,500 mark in the evostick and Conference north with few away fans ? People like to latch on to a success story. |
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Post by hbomb on Mar 4, 2017 11:57:11 GMT
Probably also shows it's a lie when people don't go to the derby because it's a 'bubble'. I've never felt it should be a problem for the home game but can see why people didn't want to go away.
On attendance i guess the question really needs to asked less of those of us who go but we need to find out why those who don't go, what reasons they have.
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Post by Hairy joe on Mar 4, 2017 12:03:56 GMT
Probably also shows it's a lie when people don't go to the derby because it's a 'bubble'. I've never felt it should be a problem for the home game but can see why people didn't want to go away. On attendance i guess the question really needs to asked less of those of us who go but we need to find out why those who don't go, what reasons they have. Shit ground shit location simples |
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Post by Rio Doherty on Mar 4, 2017 12:13:53 GMT
I had a look around the B Block end of the main stand and there were plenty of empty seats towards the front. It's a big shame.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 4, 2017 12:51:53 GMT
If,as has been mooted, we'll never get more than 2,500 home fans at any game then you can question the need for any type of match promotion initiative. We might as well just let whatever numbers roll up on the day and accept it.
I think this is bordering on a defeatist attitude
I'm of the view that EVERY match needs to be promoted - after all, we're competing for everyone's time and money.
The whole idea of marketing and promotion is to attract people who otherwise would do something else.
The key is the right type of promotion for the situation we're in
I don't think anyone is suggesting that 4,000+ crowds should be the norm for every game - that will only come with a successful team.
But we must find a way to maximise every opportunity to increase gates that comes our way
That's what I would like the "powers that be" to address. It's obvious that what we're doing at the moment, as evidenced by last night, is simply not working
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Post by Al on Mar 4, 2017 12:53:14 GMT
I don't buy some of the things said above. Mainly location and "people latching onto a success story" for the reason we have lost so many fans since reformation. We won 3 titles back to back and our average attendance fell 2 years in a row in our year in the Conference North and first season back in the conference.
We have averaged around 2,300 - 3,000 in previous years. There is a base support out there for the club but we have to demand more from our paid staff and ask the right questions of the CFU board at the monthly meetings. That means when we are told about initiatives being in the pipeline that we demand such things as timescales.
This is not meant to be picking at Alan in particular but I do notice that on several posts particularly the comment about the building of the database that again, club want to set one up but again, no timescales for implementation have been given.
Given the fantastic in depth post from the guest "Krankies Ghost" with links to all the previous ideas from the old DC over the years - it feels that we have not moved on any further on the marketing side in those 3 years under several chairmen.
So can we do more as fans and CFU members? Yes, we can all contribute by asking the right questions of the board, like the above mentioned timescales for implementation so that when things do slip or are missed that we have accountability.
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Post by Ian H Block on Mar 4, 2017 13:09:36 GMT
The fact that people on here are talking about enticements and promotions to get a decent crowd in for a derby game says more about our fans than the Club.
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Post by paulie on Mar 4, 2017 13:10:40 GMT
Plenty of empty seats in the west stand last night, which again raises the question why didn't we give Tranmere more tickets? Mind boggling!
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Post by agl on Mar 4, 2017 13:14:05 GMT
Not having a go, Al but what do you think are the reasons for the decline? And more importantly what can we do differently?
Is it cost, the fact that people want to see easy wins and lots of goals, disillusion with the fans' model? Do you think a ten pound terrace for adults would increase attendance sufficiently to make up for lost revenue ?..season ticket prices would have to be reduced accordingly.
IMO the efforts to improve the atmosphere on the Harry Mac are a good step. If we are serving up non league football (and let's face it for the neutral or kids brought up on watching United etc on TV it's not great quality) then there has to be added value in terms of live atmosphere. Maybe when we get kids along from schools they should be allocated a safe standing area on the Harry Mac. Was impressed with the atmosphere behind the goal at Maidstone recently. I don't think its lack of awareness about the club. Realistically the best we can hope for in the near future is mid table Natioanal League. How do you sell games against Bromley, Braintree, Solihull?
I also think there was a honeymoon period when we reformed that was inevitably going to decline...don't forget that crowds weren't exactly great when we were a struggling league club.
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Post by Jack on Mar 4, 2017 13:17:59 GMT
It's not a good gate, but I don't get the idea that it's 'embarrassing' that we ask Everton fans to watch us or that we don't sell out.
We are not a big club, we do not have a huge fanbase. Our challenge is to grow it, but for now it is the way it is.
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Post by paulie on Mar 4, 2017 13:18:13 GMT
Not having a go, Al but what do you think are the reasons for the decline? And more importantly what can we do differently? Is it cost, the fact that people want to see easy wins and lots of goals, disillusion with the fans' model? Do you think a ten pound terrace for adults would increase attendance sufficiently to make up for lost revenue ?..season ticket prices would have to be reduced accordingly. IMO the efforts to improve the atmosphere on the Harry Mac are a good step. If we are serving up non league football (and let's face it for the neutral or kids brought up on watching United etc on TV it's not great quality) then there has to be added value in terms of live atmosphere. Maybe when we get kids along from schools they should be allocated a safe standing area on the Harry Mac. Was impressed with the atmosphere behind the goal at Maidstone recently. I don't think its lack of awareness about the club. Realistically the best we can hope for in the near future is mid table Natioanal League. How do you sell games against Bromley, Braintree, Solihull? I also think there was a honeymoon period when we reformed that was inevitably going to decline...don't forget that crowds weren't exactly great when we were a struggling league club. People will always pay to watch a winning team, simple as that. Big problem is, no fans = less money = poor players = shit results = no fans. I feel like carol vorderman! |
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Post by agl on Mar 4, 2017 13:34:28 GMT
But we were a winning team earlier in the season. Up until Christmas our home record was probably not far off what it was in the promotion winning seasons. We scored three against Dagenham, five against Dover, four against Sutton. There wasn't a marked increase in attendances. So it has to be deeper than that alone. Somehow we have to make going to watch Chester a habit, so supporting the club is part of what you are.
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Post by ted the count on Mar 4, 2017 13:38:49 GMT
I think the evo stik crowd's were as much down to far more affordable pricing than band wagon jumping alone.
Sad reality is that price's move up accordingly and am i right in thinking our price's are about average for the conference?
No idea why people want paid staff at the club to come and grovel and prove themselves to us.I am certain that they would love to maximise crowd's but it's simple - people/floating fan's dont want to pay these price's whether it's the going rate or not.
I took 2 mate's to the Gateshead game.I think you can understand why they dont wish to return anytime soon.Got to face fact's that the floating fan are the hardest of all to attract and there's plenty of other way's to spend yer hard earned cash on a weekend.
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Post by agl on Mar 4, 2017 13:51:33 GMT
Spot on.
So It's got to be the next generation we target. Whether it's kids for a quid, or give them a pie and a Coke, get them on the Harry Mac with their mates and get the place jumping. Show them there's an alternative to Sky, even if the footy is a bit crap. Get them hooked.
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Post by marner93 on Mar 4, 2017 13:54:10 GMT
Spot on. So It's got to be the next generation we target. Whether it's kids for a quid, or give them a pie and a Coke, get them on the Harry Mac with their mates and get the place jumping. Show them there's an alternative to Sky, even if the footy is a bit crap. Get them hooked. It's alright getting them in for a quid, what happens when they turn 16 and it's boom £18 quid for an adult ticket please. |
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Post by paulie on Mar 4, 2017 13:59:36 GMT
Maybe the novelty of a fan owned club has worn off. There used to be a genuine buzz about the place until we got promoted to the conference.
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Post by agl on Mar 4, 2017 14:07:06 GMT
You mean until we started losing a few games?
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Post by ted the count on Mar 4, 2017 14:09:27 GMT
Tbh Paulie i think you're probably right to an extent.I suppose the initial buzz had to wear off sooner or later but as i say i think it's a combination of factor's.Conference football isnt as affordable to all but that's the going rate it seem's.
Agree with you agl that it is the next generation that wee need to look at.Maybe that's where the OP is right,maybe the club could work on and explain a long term strategy for attracting the next generation.It's a bloody thankless task though in this day and age so i'd find it hard to really criticise the club on the matter.
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Post by ted the count on Mar 4, 2017 14:10:10 GMT
Tbh Paulie i think you're probably right to an extent.I suppose the initial buzz had to wear off sooner or later but as i say i think it's a combination of factor's.Conference football isnt as affordable to all but that's the going rate it seem's.
Agree with you agl that it is the next generation that wee need to look at.Maybe that's where the OP is right,maybe the club could work on and explain a long term strategy for attracting the next generation.It's a bloody thankless task though in this day and age so i'd find it hard to really criticise the club on the matter.
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Post by agl on Mar 4, 2017 14:31:55 GMT
Spot on. So It's got to be the next generation we target. Whether it's kids for a quid, or give them a pie and a Coke, get them on the Harry Mac with their mates and get the place jumping. Show them there's an alternative to Sky, even if the footy is a bit crap. Get them hooked. It's alright getting them in for a quid, what happens when they turn 16 and it's boom £18 quid for an adult ticket please. It's too much, yes. I think there needs to be a 16-21 tier for no more than a tenner. Do we not have a student rate? |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 4, 2017 14:43:09 GMT
It's obvious from this and the many other threads that there's a million and one possible reasons why attendances are declining and we can't fill the ground even for big matches
Some we can influence, others we can't
We could, and probably will, discuss these ad nauseum
However, I've a growing and horrible feeling that we don't have a coherent strategy that everyone understands and supports as to how the club is to progress in the short and long-term. This should, by implication, include marketing objectives which are REALISTIC and MEASURABLE with timescales.
Is there a document that somebody could hold up and say "this folks is what we're going to do over the next five years!" - I'm not sure
We might be fan-owned with all that entails but we still need to have some business focus
After all - FAIL TO PLAN, PLAN TO FAIL
Last night is only symptomatic of what appears to be a growing malaise whereby we're almost drifting from day to day, reacting to events rather than driving the show
I'm desperately trying not to sound over-critical or disparaging towards those running the Club. It's a thankless job where you're on a pedestal to be shot at but I think we urgently need a "root and branch" review of where the Club is going and a proper plan for the future, not rhetoric
I don't have the answers but there must be plenty who do and have the skills and expertise
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mike
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Post by mike on Mar 4, 2017 15:13:13 GMT
It's alright getting them in for a quid, what happens when they turn 16 and it's boom £18 quid for an adult ticket please. It's too much, yes. I think there needs to be a 16-21 tier for no more than a tenner. Do we not have a student rate? Under 21s for £10. Like this club do... Ticket Prices Link |
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Post by Genghis Khan on Mar 4, 2017 15:14:38 GMT
It's alright getting them in for a quid, what happens when they turn 16 and it's boom £18 quid for an adult ticket please. It's too much, yes. I think there needs to be a 16-21 tier for no more than a tenner. Do we not have a student rate? Under 5 are free, under 15 £3, 16-17 £5, under 21 £10, students £10 - £12 are the current prices. |
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Post by marner93 on Mar 4, 2017 15:15:16 GMT
It's too much, yes. I think there needs to be a 16-21 tier for no more than a tenner. Do we not have a student rate? Under 21s for £10. Like this club do... Ticket PricesWell advertised then. |
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Post by agl on Mar 4, 2017 16:28:38 GMT
It's too much, yes. I think there needs to be a 16-21 tier for no more than a tenner. Do we not have a student rate? Under 21s for £10. Like this club do... Ticket Prices Link My mistake in assuming that Marner wasn't posting absolute nonsense. |
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