New walk on prices from 1st January! - Page 3

deeayess · 15-11-2015, 17:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by andyd

The obvious solution as you put it sounds great but what will the cost be and will any future revenue cover that, Mr. Holt I,m sure will have some ground improvements in mind we,ll have to wait and see but personally I would like to see a growth in the corporate areas were we are really limited at present like or loathe the prawn sandwich brigade it,s along with sponsorship were the real money is and hopefully as the club progress,s on and off the field hopefully the support will grow as well.

It would be the cost of a roof and bolting seats to the terrace like the front of the Clayton End.The ones in the Clayton end would be a start. How many away fans are put off by uncovered terracing in bad weather like last week and this week. It could be the same v Carlisle on Boxing Day as they usually bring a fair few.

I agree regarding hospitality but how do we improve the infrastructure to generate sufficient income? How do we provide a matchday experience that justifies paying a lot more than we do just now for corporates? We can go on about how our name is known throughout the country and how we are fighting against adversity at every turn but sometimes I think we are the only ones who thing that. Sometimes it seems that we revel in being tinpot.

The truth is we are an established league 2 club who can more than hold our own and have done for many years. Times have changed in football with TV and the premiership as kids are force fed "superstars" by Sky and now BT. We will attract a few more fans but we won't miraculously double our crowds even with a good team. Certain big games will attract big crowds but in general we have around 1000 regulars on a good day but we will always be up against it as we are playing against Blackburn at home and sometimes Burnley away on tv. After watching the game in the pub neutrals are more inclined to stay there than head to the Wham.

I don't know the answer but I doubt cutting the price by a fiver will boost the crowd by a thousand or more nor will we make thousands more by tinkering with the hospitality. the one thing I do know is we can't just accept what we have and give up trying.

DAV007 · 16-11-2015, 20:42

Alvin is correct

When the club systematically killed off the ultras, it lost a big USP

But that doesn't mean it can't be recreated and/or the club could find an alternative

I know 2 tranmere fans who never travel away from home, but because of forest greens unique catering they promised each other they would make the trip.

Revived Red · 19-11-2015, 15:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by deeayess

Sometimes it seems that we revel in being tinpot.

Agree entirely. Many of my local friends, and fans from other clubs that I meet on the trains on Saturday, find it difficult to understand that we can produce such good football from a seemingly shambolic background over the last few years.

Quote:

Originally Posted by deeayess

we will always be up against it as we are playing against Blackburn at home and sometimes Burnley away on tv.

Disagree entirely. We simply cannot go on blaming the proximity of other teams for our abysmal attendances.

How can Stockport County manage an average attendance of over 3000 when the Etihad and Old Trafford are only about 7 miles away?

And let's remember that the average attendance at Ewood Park fell from 25,000 in 2010 to under 15,000 in 2012. That's 10,000 disillusioned football fans. Surely some of them could/should have been attracted to the Crown Ground or whatever name it had during those years.

deeayess · 19-11-2015, 18:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Revived Red

Agree entirely. Many of my local friends, and fans from other clubs that I meet on the trains on Saturday, find it difficult to understand that we can produce such good football from a seemingly shambolic background over the last few years.

Disagree entirely. We simply cannot go on blaming the proximity of other teams for our abysmal attendances.

How can Stockport County manage an average attendance of over 3000 when the Etihad and Old Trafford are only about 7 miles away?

And let's remember that the average attendance at Ewood Park fell from 25,000 in 2010 to under 15,000 in 2012. That's 10,000 disillusioned football fans. Surely some of them could/should have been attracted to the Crown Ground or whatever name it had during those years.

It's easier to keep a support in adversity than try and attract fans from other teams when they are playing. Why do you thing Rangers had 50000 crowds in the fourth tier of Scottish football?

There will always be fans lost when teams get relegated from the Premiership but how many go to lower league clubs. The Premiership is so hyped that some people would go to any Premiership game just to say they have been to one. Kids are more inclined to be drawn to bigger teams to see players they have heard of than a league two side where you only read about it in the Accy Observer.

Also football is a habit, break that habit and often you don't miss it because there are plenty of other things a person can find to do. Once you get on a run of not missing a game in a season you are more inclined to go to keep it running but break that run and it's easy not to put yourself out. Just because you stop watching Blackburn doesn't mean you want to watch another team. Some do but most don't.

It is difficult now to build a fan base because there are so many other options to kids on a Saturday and that is the only way we will ever do it. We lost more than one generation by folding. If we had reformed right away as other clubs do now then we might be in a better position but that didn't happen.

We need to do something but I'm at a loss to think what. We couldn't fill the stadium when we let people in for nothing so I don't think cutting the price by a fiver will do much in terms of income or the attendances we would need. I will do my bit chalking up the miles each season but when I'm down you wouldn't know there was a game on when drinking in the town most matchdays. Advertising is one thing but it only works when you promote the "product". Get rid of the tinpot image and joke club and that might help. If I had a pound for every time I heard "who are they" I could get in for free each game and that's up here in Scotland.

baldy · 19-11-2015, 19:19

We really need to push the u12s get on for free in January, It might take 5/10 years but if we start now and get the kids coming and getting involved with the atmosphere on The Clayton End, that's how they get hooked, (well one of the reasons I got hooked anyway!)

I'd like to see the club do a really big push on the half season tickets, £130 for an adult and with that you get an u12 in free!!

Let's get a few players into Asda/Tesco in the run up to Christmas and really push it and get them sold as "Christmas Presents" soon as they're hooked next minute they'll be asking when the season ticket prices are out for next season!

For too long the club has expected the people of Accrington to just turn up on a Saturday, Lets get the players into the community/town centre more and be more visible!

deeayess · 19-11-2015, 19:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by baldy

We really need to push the u12s get on for free in January, It might take 5/10 years but if we start now and get the kids coming and getting involved with the atmosphere on The Clayton End, that's how they get hooked, (well one of the reasons I got hooked anyway!)

I'd like to see the club do a really big push on the half season tickets, £130 for an adult and with that you get an u12 in free!!

Let's get a few players into Asda/Tesco in the run up to Christmas and really push it and get them sold as "Christmas Presents" soon as they're hooked next minute they'll be asking when the season ticket prices are out for next season!

For too long the club has expected the people of Accrington to just turn up on a Saturday, Lets get the players into the community/town centre more and be more visible!

I agree with most of what you are saying but The Clayton End does not have the same dynamics anymore. Compare our early days in the League before those damned seats. There was plenty of room behind the goals and Jase orchestrated the ultras with a passion that is sorely missed. Kids had flags and banners they felt part of the group and could move about. now the space on the terrace is cramped, the spectacle is not the same and those seats are in the way. Getting kids in can be the easy part if you let them in for nothing it's keeping them there.That's why I'd rather they roofed the away end and seated it instead.

The idea with the players is also good in principle but how often do you see the players in the sports bar after the game looking like lost sheep. You can just about see the relief when they get "permission" to leave. If we have players there then they need to be enthusiastic about it. Perhaps more work in schools might pay dividends with kids especially if it's football related. If we are going to get players into the community then they have to do more than just stand about. Why not hand out a few free tickets in the town. It doesn't have to be very many just a way of raising interest among the people. Do it with an adult and child ticket then there could be more chance of attracting people instead of expecting the child to convince someone to pay the full price. Do a free draw for a pair of tickets in the Crown some nights perhaps. It's easier to keep people coming than to get them there in the first place.

Revived Red · 19-11-2015, 21:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by deeayess

It's easier to keep a support in adversity than try and attract fans from other teams when they are playing. Why do you thing Rangers had 50000 crowds in the fourth tier of Scottish football?

There will always be fans lost when teams get relegated from the Premiership but how many go to lower league clubs. The Premiership is so hyped that some people would go to any Premiership game just to say they have been to one. Kids are more inclined to be drawn to bigger teams to see players they have heard of than a league two side where you only read about it in the Accy Observer.

Also football is a habit, break that habit and often you don't miss it because there are plenty of other things a person can find to do. Once you get on a run of not missing a game in a season you are more inclined to go to keep it running but break that run and it's easy not to put yourself out. Just because you stop watching Blackburn doesn't mean you want to watch another team. Some do but most don't.

It is difficult now to build a fan base because there are so many other options to kids on a Saturday and that is the only way we will ever do it. We lost more than one generation by folding. If we had reformed right away as other clubs do now then we might be in a better position but that didn't happen.

We need to do something but I'm at a loss to think what. We couldn't fill the stadium when we let people in for nothing so I don't think cutting the price by a fiver will do much in terms of income or the attendances we would need. I will do my bit chalking up the miles each season but when I'm down you wouldn't know there was a game on when drinking in the town most matchdays. Advertising is one thing but it only works when you promote the "product". Get rid of the tinpot image and joke club and that might help. If I had a pound for every time I heard "who are they" I could get in for free each game and that's up here in Scotland.

Again, I partly agree and partly disagree. Your quote of Rangers is interesting. The average attendance in the 4th tier was in fact 45,750. In the 3rd tier it was 42,938. But last season in the 2nd tier it was only 32,798. Attendances fall when there are significant off-the-field issues. The attendances dropped at Ewood Park not simply because of relegation but because of other matters.

It is partly true that we lost a generation after folding. But we failed spectacularly after winning promotion back to the Football League. Yes, there was a surge in attendances in that first season - but it should have been a greater surge. And we failed to retain and capitalise on that interest in the 2nd season.

You are also correct in the "Who are they" comment. That is the first thing that people say. The second is usually a query about the current state of finances. And how fantastic it is to give them such good news on that topic. The third topic of conversation is, sadly, gambling. It is impossible to underestimate the damage that has been done to the club's reputation by the two major scandals.

It could be argued that external reputation has little connection with domestic attendances. But I suspect there there will be those within the town and surrounding area who are not impressed by the club's reputation. Reverting to my original point, the decline in attendances at Blackburn and Glasgow Rangers would appear to be linked with disillusionment arising from off-the-field issues.

deeayess · 19-11-2015, 22:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Revived Red

Again, I partly agree and partly disagree. Your quote of Rangers is interesting. The average attendance in the 4th tier was in fact 45,750. In the 3rd tier it was 42,938. But last season in the 2nd tier it was only 32,798. Attendances fall when there are significant off-the-field issues. The attendances dropped at Ewood Park not simply because of relegation but because of other matters.

It is partly true that we lost a generation after folding. But we failed spectacularly after winning promotion back to the Football League. Yes, there was a surge in attendances in that first season - but it should have been a greater surge. And we failed to retain and capitalise on that interest in the 2nd season.

You are also correct in the "Who are they" comment. That is the first thing that people say. The second is usually a query about the current state of finances. And how fantastic it is to give them such good news on that topic. The third topic of conversation is, sadly, gambling. It is impossible to underestimate the damage that has been done to the club's reputation by the two major scandals.

It could be argued that external reputation has little connection with domestic attendances. But I suspect there there will be those within the town and surrounding area who are not impressed by the club's reputation. Reverting to my original point, the decline in attendances at Blackburn and Glasgow Rangers would appear to be linked with disillusionment arising from off-the-field issues.

You are correct with the off field situation especially at Ibrox however I would liken the situation more to Blackpool rather than Blackburn. The situation is not fully resolved but most of the parasites have been removed and the crowds are back over the 40000 mark in the league even against lesser opposition. Not many of the people I knew who stopped going to Ibrox went to see other Scottish Clubs and some still won't go to away games that used to go most weeks.

Up here after the "who are they" it's "are they a real team" and "are they from Liverpool". Nobody mentions finances or gambling. We seem to suffer fom lack of TV exposure. It's probably single figures for live games in the 10 years we've been back and most of them would be cup or playoff games.

You're right regarding attendances once we got back in the League but a table topping team will always attract more than a team struggling at the bottom. I don't remember attendances being that high in our first season and it didn't improve as things went on. Perhaps the chase to get in the league was more attractive than being there and struggling?

Chimer · 19-11-2015, 22:44

I don't recall attendances being any higher in the play-offs season either, not even particularly brilliant for the play-off semi. Newcastle in the League Cup probably the closest we've ever got to a sell-out since promotion? And of course that night was the start of the end of the Ultras

deeayess · 19-11-2015, 22:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chimer

I don't recall attendances being any higher in the play-offs season either, not even particularly brilliant for the play-off semi. Newcastle in the League Cup probably the closest we've ever got to a sell-out since promotion? And of course that night was the start of the end of the Ultras

From what I remember of the playoff season was it not a case that we came from way behind because of postponed games so we weren't near the playoff places until near the end of the season and by then we played 15 league games in March and April.

That wouldn't have helped the crowds that season. Plus the result in the first leg meant the crowd was poor in the second.

maccawozzagod · 20-11-2015, 07:34

Duncan mentions earlier on that it doesn't feel like matchday in Accrington, and he's right. The thousand or so hardy souls make their own way to the ground and go pretty much directly there. In the 'good old days' of 10 years ago the Oaklea was bouncing pre match and had good numbers sat outside - but beyond that it still didn't feel like matchday.

I'd like to see a concerted effort by all to start to build the pre match atmosphere around town. Rather than the odd group here and there, how about 4-500 revellers enjoying a few pints in the town beforehand?

This could be coupled with a big push on handing out leaflets around the town centre and all local supermarkets. A 'kids are free' emblazoned effort and handed out to every single child wielding parent in the borough from 9am til 12pm - followed by the drinkers

maccawozzagod · 20-11-2015, 08:19

on the original topic of the new walk on prices, great opening move by Mr Holt and shows that he is willing to address issues at the earliest opportunity. I suspect that this move is more about trying to get bodies on the ground to get behind the promotion push rather than anything financial.

In the past we've harped on about whether the club has any sort of business plan to move forwards with ...
Adult prices = short term
Concession prices = medium term
kids prices = long term (and short term as well for the accompanying parents)

The under 12 price simply has to stay at free or a nominal quid. You can never underestimate the nagging of a child, or the need for a parent to do something with their child. These children are our future and will have little or no understanding of our past struggles or scandals. The ASFC we have now IS a football league club and our standing to little uns is untarnished. Many people say that we should get into the local schools - we are into the local schools. Take a look at the Community Trust stuff, it's great what they do and what they accomplish. I don't know why that's not being converted into young bums on seats and that is an area that needs to be addressed.

Converting late teens is a tricky one, and I would imagine involves alcohol. Colleges can't be ignored from he community trust angle.

Above all else though people need to made to feel like they are missing out on something. A winning team obviously helps with that but atmosphere and comradeship should be taken into account. The Ultra spirit of 5-10 years ago was massive, had it continued at that pace we WOULD be seeing a far larger amount of 16-20 year olds behind that goal. Can it be reborn? At the time it relied on the efforts of the few. Those few were young men shorn of responsibility and rich with time and cash and energy. Fast forward to the present and the few that remain couldn't be expected to do the same again, are others capable?

baldy · 20-11-2015, 09:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by maccawozzagod

The under 12 price simply has to stay at free or a nominal quid. You can never underestimate the nagging of a child.

Not to mention the full kit that they want for Christmas that in 6/12 months he will want another because he has grown out of it!

Could we do a deal for u12 to get a kit abit cheaper next season...once 1 kid has a Stanley shirt his mate will want one etc not to mention it's free advertising for Plastic Box Shop!

monkey hanger · 20-11-2015, 09:44

its really a hard one this what can we do or what should be done issue. a reduction in walk on prices may help and improved toilet and catering may but is this just an excuse people make for not attending I just don't know. if the crown was knocked down and a new 6000 all seater stadium was built would crowds increase after the initial surge. the football on offer this season is excellent but its a pity the opposition are mostly southern based. Cambridge and Dagenham are games regulars might think twice in attending on a ****ty day never mind someone thinking they,d give it a go. promotion I,m sure would push our fanbase up to 2000 plus a larger away following which would give a better atmosphere especially for the younger fans who have heard more swear words in the playground than at the crown. my lad used to find it funny hearing grown men making prats out of themselves at football. as far as toilets are concerned I remember going to millmoor and saltergate where the smell still lingers up my nose.