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Discussion Thread

Quality v Quantity

1. 

   PatMan Member
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   This has been raised elsewhere on here - and I would like to expand on it...

   Does anyone think that the price of admission affects attendance enough to make a real difference?

   Will reducing the cost to £10 per game make a Saturday afternoon at Sans Stonebridge more attractive to the casual punter? Or will the same numbers turn up,and therefore cost the club money? Will the money they save on entrance be spent behind the bar, on programmes, on Aero Chocolate?

   Do mini-season tickets work? The 5 and 11 game tickets seemed to be popular enough when looking at revenue - but have the low attendances since these have run out been a concidence? Where is the incentive to sign up for this again?

   Should the club be doing more to attract schools/youth clubs by way of free tickets or discounts?

   Posted 1 year ago #
2. 

   rsheard Member
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   PatMan, I posted this on another thread, but there is research suggesting that a cost reduction alone doesn't really help other than in the very short term.

   What does work, however, is a price reduction in conjunction with other clever promotions. We will need an active, clever, and diligent marketing effort to pull such an organized campaign off. But it can be done.

   The best example on this side of the ocean is minor league baseball. The Durham Bulls, who play in the AAA International League--one level below major league baseball, average more than 7000 fans for each home game. And they have far more home games than a football club, of course. But the ticket prices are very modest. The best seat in the house last year when I last attended was lower than our adult price. But their are constant promotions, not only before each game, but also in between innings. Obviously, football doesn't have that opportunity, but it certainly gives the opportunity to do something interesting before the game and during halftime.

   The other thing that's obviously a huge money-maker is food and souvenirs. David Davis is already sorting out the food offerings. More choices is the way to go. But we drop the ball with our sparse souvenir offerings. For example, Durham Bulls Athletic Park has two or three full-service stores in the stadium that remain open before, after, and during the game. And they offer a huge line of merchandise and no child can walk past without having to go in. In addition, players are often on hand after the game to sign merchandise in the shops as fans go through the shops on their way out of the stadium.

   Yes, AAA baseball is higher in the pecking order than BSP football. And they can keep tickets a little cheaper because they have more home games each season. But I think we can still adapt some of their successful marketing techniques to our own unique needs.

   Posted 1 year ago #
3. 

   Hannah Member
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   Not even Wembley could boost our attendances for too long, let alone price cuts.

   Posted 1 year ago #
4. 

   Anonymous Unregistered
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   It's true, you might have thought that would have really made local people take more interest. I don't think the price of tickets is the issue. Cutting a couple of quid off the prices wouldn't make the difference between someone coming to the games or not coming.
   Rob is right, it's possible that relentless marketing that could actually make a difference. It's interesting to read that a little baseball club in the States can do something like that. We of course are limited by the fact that so often we would have to rely on volunteers to staff the shops. Online has to be the way forward. But how and where would we advertise?

   Posted 1 year ago #
5. 

   hopeful Member
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   The standard of the football dictates the attendance,we finished last season on a high and had new faces in the crowd when this season started.But im afraid the football on offer at stonebridge road has not been good enough to make them come again,its not the price, its what you get for your money.If the hoofball pisses me off, then god knows what it does to the casual visitor.

   Posted 1 year ago #
6. 

   AFFNo1 Member
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   Taking up the Baseball theme again. I went to Minor League Baseball game in Canada. All children were given a T-Shirt and a signed photo of the Team. I happened to mention I had Grandkids in Britain(not that I am suggesting the this for the Club as well) and they were good enough to give me shirts and photos for them!
   These Clubs have a good Kids Club with plenty of goodies during the season, not just one offs.
   Good PR goes a long way!

   Posted 1 year ago #
7. 

   Musher Member
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   The standard of the football dictates the attendance,we finished last season on a high and had new faces in the crowd when this season started.But im afraid the football on offer at stonebridge road has not been good enough to make them come again,its not the price, its what you get for your money.If the hoofball pisses me off, then god knows what it does to the casual visitor.

   Erm 1 year ago,have we moved on?

   Posted 6 months ago #
8. 

   Hempstead Gaz Moderator
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   Last year we played 4-4-2.
   This year we don't.

   Posted 6 months ago #
9. 

   Musher Member
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   even worse this year gaz

   Posted 6 months ago #
10. 

    David_Holden Member
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    The best example on this side of the ocean is minor league baseball. The Durham Bulls, who play in the AAA International League--one level below major league baseball, average more than 7000 fans for each home game.

    But 5,000 turn up execting to see Kevin Costner catching.

    The other 2,000 are hoping for a glimpse of Susan Sarandon's suspenders

    Posted 6 months ago #
11. 

    Albie78 Member
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    The problem is 15 quid is too much. I know people will say its only gone up 2 quid but im sure the club would prefer to have crowds of nearer a 1000 than 800ish.

    Posted 6 months ago #
12. 

    Bernard Member
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    Last year we played 4-4-2.
    This year we don't.

    Be serious, Gary. Do you honestly believe the formation we play has anything to do with attendances? We're fourth from bottom, but get higher home attendances than Hayes, who are currently in an excellent run of form (and scoring plenty of goals).

    Surely the fact that our attendances have been in steady decline for a long time suggests that local apathy, the fact we've been stuck in the Conference for too long, and an inability to score goals and win games are more likely to affect numbers through the gates than perceived 'boring' football?

    Posted 6 months ago #
13. 

    Hempstead Gaz Moderator
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    Boring route 1 football is just one of a number factors that contribute to declining gates.
    The club can do little about local apathy that hasn't been tried countless times before, so it has to deal with the things that can be addressed.
    Price, spectator comfort, and attractive, attacking football are things that would at least start the ball rolling, or at least stop the rot.
    From speaking to countless people, as you must done as well, I think that firstly fans want entertainment, value for money comes second.
    But if folk don't enjoy the product, they feel they are not getting good value.

    Posted 6 months ago #
14. 

    LouieG Member
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    £15 is really a joke to watch conference standard football. £13 was pushing it a bit. I remember the good old £10 adults, £5 concessions.

    Posted 6 months ago #
15. 

    Bernard Member
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    From speaking to countless people, as you must done as well, I think that firstly fans want entertainment, value for money comes second.

    Ironic that. I always thought that 'fans' wanted the club to do well. The fans I've been speaking to this season would relish a few dire 1-0 wins over exciting 4-2 defeats. I assume the 'fans' you refer to are the floating fans - those who can probably find a dozen things they'd rather do on a Saturday afternoon. As Hirsty, JC and others have said on here before, the true fan turns up come rain, come shine, come win, come defeat.

    Besides, how can fans who aren't at the ground know how exciting our matches are? Oh wait, I forget you're the guy who holds opinions on games he hasn't been to!

    Posted 6 months ago #
16. 

    Glenn Finch Member
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    Boring route 1 football is just one of a number factors that contribute to declining gates.
    The club can do little about local apathy that hasn't been tried countless times before, so it has to deal with the things that can be addressed.
    Price, spectator comfort, and attractive, attacking football are things that would at least start the ball rolling, or at least stop the rot.
    From speaking to countless people, as you must done as well, I think that firstly fans want entertainment, value for money comes second.
    But if folk don't enjoy the product, they feel they are not getting good value.

    fast, flowing, attractive football has never been a draw to Stonebridge Road, at the end of the day we are a non league team not Chelsea or Arsenal, we're getting close to Liverpool maybe a vast majority of attendees are local supporters who just want to see their local team play, and sometimes they bring mates, kids, spouses with them, it would be much easier to attract people to the club if the entrance was a Tenner for Adults and a Fiver for kids.

    Posted 6 months ago #
17. 

    ClubSecretary Member
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    I would say £15 is about an average price for most Conference clubs

    Posted 6 months ago #
18. 

    Glenn Finch Member
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    That's right, and all of it's too expensive for non league football, attendances may increase if clubs charged less.

    Posted 6 months ago #
19. 

    LouieG Member
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    Charlton charge only £5 for kids, we charge £8. They are two leagues above us and at the top end of league one playing decent attractive football. Whereas we are playing with 1 upfront and struggling in the relegation zone. I know where most neutral kids who have an interest in football would rather go.

    Posted 6 months ago #
20. 

    Hempstead Gaz Moderator
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    The fans I speak are a crowd of about 12 or so rain or shine regulars some of whom have been following Fleet for over 50 years.
    Between us we have seen probably 6,000 games., which gives some crediblity to our opinions.

    Posted 6 months ago #
21. 

    Glenn Finch Member
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    The kids for a quid is a step in the right direction though.

    Posted 6 months ago #

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