How to increase attendances?

Mr T · 23-03-2014, 15:39

Loads of points have been made about attendances in the JB thread.

So lets attempt to see if the loyal fans of Accy can assist!

Also lets put some facts on things. As Sherry said we posted a letter to every Primary School in Hyndburn to tell their leavers that when they went to High School (a lot more independance) the club would give them a free season ticket. We trusted the schools to promote this on our behalf. 42 familes took up the offer, some didn't collect their free ticket so we posted them out.

Martin Fearon at the Trust does fantastic work promoting the club with loads of ideas to get people interested via free tickets. Sadly we have no way of knowing if people will return.

Robert Houseman has returned to his teaching career in Blackburn, but attempts to promote the club as much as possible. However we see no point in handing out free tickets to children in Blackburn.

Scott Dawson (SDA) are currently working with the Trust and the First Team to get vouchers into selected schools in the town. This is promoted by first team players going into the school prior to the game and then hundreds of vouchers left behind to encourage children to come and bring a parent/guardian at a reduced price. Two schools were targeted last week, 10 vouchers were redeemed out of the hundreds issued.

Pricing is always a "hot topic" with numerous FL rules to be considered to ensure faireness for home and away fans.

My belief from experiince dispite the good work of SDA, the Trust and the Club is that were are making steps, but only small ones. Giving lots of tickets away to my mind isn't the answer, however the good work we are doing is seeing positive rewards. We'd love it to be faster, but we need to be winning at home more often. That is out of supporters and admins hands, although 5 unbeaten is helping everything.

lancsdave · 23-03-2014, 15:47

How far off announcing season ticket prices are they ?

Mr T · 23-03-2014, 16:05

Sir what a valid question!!

Can I stick with the Club's Offiicial time line??

Next week

In all fairness I believe it would be incorrect until whatever magical total is reached to ensure we continue our FANtastic run as the longest serving club in League 2

DaveinGermany · 23-03-2014, 16:12

As I've said previously consistency & winning will encourage more interest but that isn't something the promotions team can influence, that is purely down to the guys on the pitch & in the dugout.

A family orientated section? Improved facilities & amenities? When we get back to UK we will always try to take in a couple of Stanley games & whilst enjoyable as it is it feels at times "flat". We also get at least one Coventry game where we take the niece & nephew & it just feels more interactive & the brats really enjoy it, I don't think The experience would be the same at the Crown due to the aforementioned "Flatness".

sparkie · 23-03-2014, 16:28

From my experience, the problem with handing out tickets in primary schools (which is a fantastic idea by the way, no problems with that) is the amount of notice given to families that their children will be coming home with a ticket and a reduced entry offer for the next game. Very often the children are taking these tickets home on the friday and the game is the following day, meaning parents already have plans, or indeed have no time to plan actually getting their kids to the game.

As a parent I can honestly say if im taking my little person anywhere, it requires a small amount of planning. Very often I know at the beginning of the week what im doing next weekend, therefore if she brings home a ticket on the friday that I have no idea is coming home, it means having to juggle everything about. For me this isnt generally a problem, however for many parents, in particular those with more than one child, taking the little ones out is more of an expedition and reorganising everyone so that little johnny can go to the footy just isnt viable.

Surely the club and the schools know well in advance when they will be in school and therefore which game the tickets will be for. Meaning, the club could drop off a stack of letters explaining this to the parents with the school a couple of weeks in advance, making it easier for the parents to sort things out.

sparkie · 23-03-2014, 16:32

Do we still have the spare portacabin?

cashman · 23-03-2014, 16:32

Little things like that could well make a difference.

Thats in reply to notice, Sparkie posted at same time lol

lancsdave · 23-03-2014, 16:39

I realise encouraging the kids is an attempt to claw back lost generations of support for the future, but there has to be a way of getting the paying punter through the gate. No I don't have the answer either

Chimer · 23-03-2014, 16:51

The kids will take the free tickets, but perhaps need more incentive than just seeing the game if they're going to turn pester-power up to the point where Dave's paying punter (aka Mum or Dad) submits. Obviously the incentive needs to cost less than an adult ticket brings in, but being kid-free I've no idea what that might be ......

Pendle Red · 23-03-2014, 17:04

I still think we missed a trick with what in essence was an excellent idea at ten games for £100 this gives flexibility to people who works shifts, live away from the Club and groups of friends.

No point doing something unless you follow it through

Still need a devoted area in the Main Stand for Families and price ticketing aimed at them to encourage more to come as a family.

Whatever way you dress it up the cold hearted reality is every spare space or seat is lost revenue.

If the above were promoted properly and carried on through the season I am sure it would see an upturn.

Also the Club need to look during the Close season at the spend once through the gate cause other than Beer sales I can't think of anything else to spend on where the money goes directly back to the Club given Programmes & 50/50 are usually purchased outside the Stadium.

Mr T · 23-03-2014, 17:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparkie

Do we still have the spare portacabin?

Sarah the club wouldn't function without portacabins!!

Specifically which one? ( proper question)

We have 2 medical rooms, the managers office, toilets x 3, a gym and in fact the club is "run" from a large portacabin.

We've also sadly found out that these things require planning permission!!

Mr T · 23-03-2014, 17:14

Neil,

Where do you have the family stand ?? and how do you steward/ segregate/ police it!! As good as an idea it is it would need separate facilities and enterances to work correctly. Again I can't see a workable solution the meets all the regulations.

One for discussion at the next OSC?? When is that so this discussion perhaps could be had over a brew??

sparkie · 23-03-2014, 17:18

I was meaning any one that is empty and alrwady planning approved on site?!

cashman · 23-03-2014, 17:25

Attendance wise,our bad start this season didn't help at all, Easier said than done but hit the ground running next season will increase it, as it does at any club, Seems to me work has already started on that score by issuing 2 yr contracts to some lads, meaning people cant jump ship without stanley recouping money fer em, A reasonably settled squad is imperative imho.

Mr T · 23-03-2014, 17:33

Sarah, thats my point, none are empty and all "in use"

The gym isn't fully used on match days at present although when fully "powered up" Dan wants to use as a press room!!

Suspect that will be next season's new FL rule and the kit room will be deemed unsuitable!

Sarah also here your point about "lead times" with families. As a disorganised bloke who's kids have left home I'm slightly out of touch. However I'll mention it to SDA who assist us superbly!!

Next week will be manic, but please call by for a brew if you can