Being Proactive.

[Spunk Trumpet]

In my opinion there are many areas that we need to improve upon to get bums in seats.

One real concern is the next generation of supporters and it seems our neighbours are light years ahead of us there. Obviously their product is a big sale but ive just had a facebook picture, from a lifelong friend, of a Citys 7s 5pound voucher and a replica Stoke shirt for her young son. Given to him at school!

The father is a Vale fan. He won't be happy! But yet again our neighbours are being proactive. Beating us to the punch!

Yes, they have the resources but also the ideas. Ideas cost nothing. Good or bad. And its a fundimental problem at the club that every "Idea" Norman and his so called marketing team has involves money!

Money back should we reach so many season tickets.

Money off a kids ST if you buy an adults ST.

We need to be doing MORE. Across the board.

 

Why arent we dedicating one home game as schools day?

Primary schools in the area gets tickets given out to all children.

Each ticket goes into a raffle that is drawn at halftime.

Three prizes.

First Prize. A season ticket next season for the child and his/her parent (we have 15,000 empty seats) and an XBoxOne or PS4

Second prize. A signed shirt for both child and parent and two tickets to the next home game.(Hardly breaking the bank here)

Third prize. A signed football and two tickets for the next home game.

 

Get more bums in seats.

Get kids coming to the game with the parents.

Have an offer where a parent can come to the ticket office with the childs ticket and he/she can get a cheaper adults ticket.

Boomer going around with a bucket of sweets.

 

We need more adult supporters now, i know that but its important we look towards the next generation andlets not forget adults will bring these primary school children and will hopefully like what they see and return!

 

Not enough is done at the vale like this.

Its go the match. Half time. Have a ****. Go get a pie anda packet of crisps. Ooopps. Not happening. Ran out. AGAIN! Full time. Go home. Not much to shout aout as an "Experience"

 

We are losing out.

[robf]

I agree on the kids side. If you can get someone as a child to be a Vale fan for life then how much is their life-long commitment worth the club?

 

Sadly for us, Stoke are totally correct to concentrate on getting a larger and younger fanbase - we must do all we can to do the same.

 

It won't be easy but it should at least be attempted.

[Spunk Trumpet]

I know that under 9s are free anyway but when you have a child being given a ticket at school they can tell their parents, and you may see parents who arent even interested in football taking their child as a one off.

I can't see how doing a schools day event could be deemed anything other than a good thing.

[Another shropshire valiant]

I read a very good article in the telegraph about our illustrious neighbours, they are certainly setting there stall out well and the average age of the crowd is dropping year on year; I did mention in a previous post (after the home game with Blackpool) about the lack of children at the game, granted it was an evening match, but the average age of those around me must have been about 35 plus.... I think there should be an incentive to bring the young ones even to the point of being a reduction in admission price, for example 1 adult = £23 or bring a child and get in for £20 with the child being free.... With Norman setting his stall out to sell, I don't in visage any change in the immediate future, then this is something that any new owners should look at...

[Santa]

I'd love to know the age/sex demographics of our fanbase. I get the impression there are a few gaps.

[NellyTheValiant]

It does seem crazy when we have so many empty seats, I remember when Tunstall Assurance use to sponsor us, part of the package was offering 500 kids tickets and 50 adults to accompany them, you knew when the allocation had been taken up with the high pitch squealing from the seats behind me in the Railway Stand.

 

If you are looking to get kid interested in the Vale better try to get them down there before they get sight of OVF....that's put them off for life:)

[Trentham Lakes Valiant]

It does seem crazy when we have so many empty seats, I remember when Tunstall Assurance use to sponsor us, part of the package was offering 500 kids tickets and 50 adults to accompany them, you knew when the allocation had been taken up with the high pitch squealing from the seats behind me in the Railway Stand.

 

Those adults need putting on a Register

[TheJoker]

You are right ST, something needs to be done. When I was a kid (90s) my first slice of vale action came from free tickets at school. I come from a family of vale fans and a house where Stoke was a swear word yet my sisters kids ( aged between 4 and 9) all go to Stoke and got their free stoke shirts and love telling me how ***** vale are. This would not have happened had Vale got in there first with some tickets or shirts or anything. I don't think my nephew even knew Vale existed before he got his Stoke shirt.

[beasty77]

Aren't Vale one of the dearest clubs outside the prem for fans to pay on the gate? So if adults aren't paying on the day, no kids will be coming.My daughter is the only child that attends Vale in her class, and a lot of them do go Stoke. Its almost impossible to compete with Stoke now. But I 100% agree, they should give free child tickets to every school in the area. The sooner we get a billionaire, the better. But 70 other clubs could also say the same.

[Spunk Trumpet]

All under 16s should be free.

For us they are our future.

I remember as a 13 year old going Vale on my own. I used my pocket money. Me and my mate carried on going in our adult years. The amount of money we have spent on the Vale over the years, like other supporters, is a hell of a lot.

 

The most frustrating part is 15000 empty seats and the clubs initiatives to fill them are awful to non existant.

[ELDERBEZZA]

What a relief to read some sensible posts at last!!We all seem to agree that the kids are the future and we need to try our utmost to retain them.I really think the free admission for under 12 's should be a must,as the club should retain a few of them ,in spite of the PL competition down the A500.It would be great PR too for the club.It's worth a try next season and maybe a link up with Dimensions or Waterworld for sponsorship for kids activities!!

[Conrad]

Aren't Vale one of the dearest clubs outside the prem for fans to pay on the gate? So if adults aren't paying on the day, no kids will be coming.My daughter is the only child that attends Vale in her class, and a lot of them do go Stoke. Its almost impossible to compete with Stoke now. But I 100% agree, they should give free child tickets to every school in the area. The sooner we get a billionaire, the better. But 70 other clubs could also say the same.

No, we ar'nt one of the dearest clubs outside the prem for pay on the day, not even the dearest in league 1. We ar'nt the cheapest though.

[Spunk Trumpet]

Our matchday experience offers absolutely nothing for anyone other than those who have A) Vale in their heart or/and B) A day out on the ale.

 

The facilities in the paddock and the bycars are especially shocking.

All the money spent on the new club shop and ticket installation when the inside of the stadium is, quite frankly a dump, has been poorly judged in my opinion.

 

Its great going in a brand new club shop and buying the merchandise but then sitting in a filthy seat, in a dirty stand, having a **** basically on the floor (paddock), and then finding out two minutes into half time you cant buy a pie, or beer when theres a bit of a crowd, hardly makes you want to return to vale park as a casual fan. Especially in the winter.

[leedsvaliant]

As a marketing professional myself, I'm amazed at the lack of activity in this area. Many of the best marketing initiatives are actually free or very inexpensive. Giving free tickets to schools would be one of the first things I would do but also making the experience a memorable one for kids once they arrive. Activities inside and outside the stadium, possibly a couple of players signing autographs, penalty shoot outs, face painting, PlayStation in the concourse, goody bags, free food /drink when attending with a full paying adult, half time competitions with prizes . These are just a few very cheap ways of making a more memorable experience for fans. That's literally 10 seconds of thinking. With a real, measurable plan in place (which any marketeer should have in place as a matter of course) , I'm certain that Vale could attract a new generation of fans.

I thought we'd employed somebody to look at this? Is there a marketing plan? The collateral, forms, adverts etc. that I have seen look like a pub team creation. If I presented some of the marketing material I have seen come out of the Vale, I wouldn't have a job. I'm sure that the team works hard behind the scenes but strategy based on pricing will only get you so far, you need emotional involvement in football and that starts when people are young. If there is activity happening then I apologise but I haven't seen it.

[fuzzyvalefan]

While we have to do everything we can to get kids coming to the Vale, unfortunately I feel we are flogging a dead horse. As long there is Premier League football down the road for a competitive price we are going to be struggling. My nephew has started going to Stoke and it absolutely devastates me.

 

I've taken him Vale on several occasions but what can i offer when he has watched Stoke play the likes of Man United, Chelsea and Man City this season? Add that to the fact that the Premier League is shoved down these kids throats from every which angle and we've got no chance. The stronger they get the weaker we get.

 

Have a look at these two pages, its quite alarming:

 

http://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attnclub/porv.htm

 

http://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attnclub/stkc.htm

 

 

The last time Stoke were in the top flight for a prolongued period of time was 1964-1985 (bar a two year absence). Look at our attendances before that period and then during, they pretty much halve. Then look at our attendances after 1985- they more than double. Now of course this doesn't take into account our peaks and troughs during this period but its still very illuminating.

 

Since Stoke have been in the Premiership our attendances have been fairly steady around the 5000 mark, allowing for the odd dip or peak (such as the promotion season) but I wonder now whether we are beginning to see the effects of prolonged top flight football down the road. Being blunt, we are losing our older fans as will inevitably happen but are failing to replace them with the next generation. If history is to repeat itself we can expect the average to drop to around 4000/3500 circa the 1970s/early 1980s period. I hope not but its a great concern. Of course the fact that we have a lame duck chairman who perhaps isn't overly concerned about what the attendances will be a in a couple of years time makes it all the more frustrating as any schemes that may bring in new fans are going to be fairly low on his list of priorities.