How do we improve attendances?

[Black and white]

All rather pointless ideas really, everyone knows the only real way to boost attendances is to start winning football matches! The more games you win the more fans we will get. Simply really! It may be an idea if Smurf keeps his mouth shut and actually gives fans a reason to attend, a star player. Just an idea like.

[JOHNNYAITCH]

Survey people who don't go as to why they don't go might be a good start point...although obviously not easy

 

People who used to go but don't any more

People who follow the club but don't go to matches

People who pick and choose which matches to go to; what's their criteria

etc

etc

 

Know the reasons then look at which can be addressed.

[valeparklife]

How much are we still doing in the local community of Burslem? Every school in the area should be targeted with free tickets, incentives, player visits etc.

 

When I was a child, I used to go to the Port Vale Soccer School at Heywood High (I think) every summer holiday. There was always a couple of players that would come down on the last day and sign autographs! I remember meeting my hero Gareth Ainsworth and I was hooked then!

[Jacko51]

I don't see what that would achieve or establish.

 

We may fill the gaff but so what? It merely confirms that people like FREE football. That doesn't necessarily translate into future support.

 

But it depends how you do it. If you just say, right the next match is free, and expect folk to turn up it won't make any difference. But if you think of ways of making the game a complete experience it might encourage a few more to come again. There's a bloke who sits behind me with a season ticket whose first experience of Vale was accompanying me and a load of kids with a school party. He got hooked and has been a regular since then. Get sponsorship for the game, pre-match entertainment, vouchers for the shop, give us your email addy on this form, etc. it might just prove beneficial. Sitting back and simply saying "nowt will work so it's not worth trying" certainly won't increase crowds.

[Another shropshire valiant]

It doesn't seem to boost Burys gates much then. Lol. Its OK reducing the cost to get in, but what happens if as a result the transfer budget gets reduced. At the end of the day, Smurf has said the income coming through the turnstiles needs to increase, so its pointless getting 10,000 every week if the cash received is no more than what 4500 brings in.

Whilst I agree in principle with what you say, the parents of those children who come for free will be purchasing food, merchandise and the like, the greatest influence on the team you support is family, I support the Vale because my Dad supported the vale, 20 years later I was taking my Son and Daughter, and so on..... Lower league football is relatively expensive compared to Premier League because they can offset the cost with the millions that are pumped in by Sky & BT, people have limited incomes; I would gladly give away 1000 tickets for every home game with the hope that we can secure 100 fans in the future, because those 100 fans will have children themselves and there is every chance that they will in turn become Vale fans.......

[rsb]

Do you have to pay v a t on every person attending weather paying or complementary

[geosname]

Winning run of 10+ games?

Big wins 6-0 7-0?

Head the league?

Win a few cup games?

[Howjy04]

How much are we still doing in the local community of Burslem? Every school in the area should be targeted with free tickets, incentives, player visits etc.

 

When I was a child, I used to go to the Port Vale Soccer School at Heywood High (I think) every summer holiday. There was always a couple of players that would come down on the last day and sign autographs! I remember meeting my hero Gareth Ainsworth and I was hooked then!

 

Normally,when people reach a certain age ,their minds are made up regarding music ,footie etc.They need their minds changing.The little kids need persuading.Haywood High is either opening or has opened its 6th form in Burslem Town Hall.Vale Open Day?

[Phil]

Do you have to pay v a t on every person attending weather paying or complementary

 

No, and your spell checker doesn't work!

[MrSmithPVFC]

Do you have to pay v a t on every person attending weather paying or complementary

 

20% of £0 =£0

[Port Vale Paul]

All of the above posts are what the club needs to do, and I am sure Norm knows this. The club needs to drag itself into the 21st century and that is going to cost money. Yes increase in attendances will help but those who can remember the good old Rudgey days when we were in the old 2nd tier, we still didn't attract / avg > 10K. (and we need to get back there asap)

As a club it also needs to be getting more out of current ST / fan base. Ask yourself this .......how many emails have you received if you are a ST holder re promos, offers, raffles etc. cus I haven't received any............yet.

[Family Stand Terrier]

We have to look back at the times we have drawn in big crowds and ask the question, why did so many attend?

 

Northampton, chance to see us gain promotion at home. Saw 11k home fans paying full price.

 

Burton, nearing the end of the promotion season. 10k home fans paying £9 for adults.

 

Against Wolves there was 8k home fans against a local huge club, not long after we'd been promoted, and only two seasons before they were in the prem.

 

We had over 7.5k home fans for a Tuesday night match against Shrewsbury in 2010. It was 1st v 2nd, we were in form and there was an element of excitement about the place given the dross we'd seen for so many years previously.

 

I could go further back, but other than the Wolves match, all of the above have come at times when we're not just playing well, but playing really well. Looking like genuine promotion candidates.

 

When you look back to our time in the Championship, during our relegation season there were games when we had 3,500 home fans. Grimsby, a Sunday match on TV stands out. Our attendances have never really been amazing, I remember when we played Wolves at home for a chance to get into the Championship play offs, the crowd was 13,000 and Wolves brought about 7,000...although, that was the Bill Bell era (who could forget the 14,000 against Arsenal, or the 6,000 against Genoa...ha).

 

None of the above shows ideas to improve attendances, I just think it's important to get a true picture of how our attendances compare. Ultimately, decent football with a realistic chance of success, will always boost the crowd. It's also worth remembering that football was much more affordable in our Championship days. I'm not suggesting that Smurf should reduce the prices, I really do not want to be critical of him. But the truth is, a lot of people do not have the money spare to attend football matches on a regular basis anymore, so other things take priority. I wish I could go to every game, but it's just not possible anymore. I go to as many home games as I can, which isn't a lot unfortunately.

 

I think Jacko's suggestion of one free game is a really good idea, for a number of reasons. Look at it as though we're selling a product. A lot of products go through promotion periods. Supermarkets give away samples of their baked goods, cereal bars are handed out in shopping centres, I had one of those Weetabix breakfast drinks handed to me at the arndale a few months ago. Was quite nice, so I bought one again a few weeks after. Get people interested, sample the product, deliver as good an experience as possible and you never know, they may return. You may even get a few buying pies and drinks in the ground, or nipping into the shop to have a look around and make the odd purchase. We could make the free tickets available in return for an email address, phone number or postal address to build our customer database for future promotions and circulations.

 

Maybe Smurf could look at other clubs up and down the country that have increased their attendances over a period of time. Visit them, speak to them about how they've managed it, even attend a match in with the supporters to take in the whole experience and see if there are ways we could improve there also.

 

One thing we should never ever do though, is criticise the very people we want to part with their money. Every single word that leaves Smurfs mouth should be with the clear question ringing loudly in his head, will this encourage people to attend? You can still be open and honest, still explain the implications should attendances not increase, but do so in a professional way that doesn't antagonise people. Rise above getting into slanging matches with fans on here or twitter, be better than that. You're right, you do deserve more people attending, but will saying as much encourage people to attend, or will it just p*ss them off?

[mr.hobblesworth]

As stated, I think that the freshers week events at the poly and university would be great opportunities. Get a stall, offer concession priced tickets in return for a sign up to email/ mobile notifications and even ring round the next day to ascertain numbers and lay on a free bus. I don't think it's too far fetched to imagine we could get 100 extra bodies in. Keep the buses going throughout the season (I'm thinking it's a bit of a trek from Keele to Burslem and many won't be bothered without having their ***** wiped). If no-one takes us up on it, we've not really lost anything. Keep chipping away on a weekly basis, maybe offer the cheaper tickets for specific games throughout the season. Keele is quite a sports orientated university too, isn't it?

[fairportnick]

20% of £0 =£0

 

It is actually one sixth ie 20/120 :D

[fairportnick]

No, and your spell checker doesn't work!

 

If it is genuinely free your answer is correct. If it is a trade off for something else , beware.