Emulating other clubs

[leedsvaliant]

I didn't go to the game on Saturday due to other commitments, but it got me thinking about how far ahead a club like Huddersfield is compared to ourselves and what we must do to get there. I have however been to Huddersfield many times before.

 

15-20 years ago, teams like Huddersfield were on a par or even slightly below us - they're probably marginally bigger in terms of fan base but in reality what they are currently achieving should be achievable by ourselves.

 

Firstly, stadium and infrastructure - it's a far more appealing stadium to go and visit and really makes for an enjoyable day out. Going to the match feels like an occasion rather than the dank and soulless stadium that we currently reside in. Without going over old ground, playing at Vale Park often feels like a friendly because it's so sparsely populated and although the Lorne Street facilities are an improvement on previous, they still have the feel of a 'working mans club' rather than a professional and slick catering and entertainment facility. From the sound system to the scoreboard, everything is very amateurish and conveys a terrible message to those going for the first time.

 

Secondly, engaging the next generation - although I agree that attendance is often down to the product on the pitch, it doesn't paint the entire picture. What's happened to half time entertainment? Is there a kids club? What are we doing with schools? Is there a family package? Are we getting kids in for free? I genuinely don't know the answer to these but I get the sense that not much if any of this is happening.

 

Thirdly, making use of the stadium aside from football - I've ran a business exhibition at the Bet365 stadium and I have to say it was excellent. How much of this do we do? Do we engage much with local business? It comes down to facilities again and they're not really 'cutting edge' to host businesses are they? I know we do weddings, but how good are they?

 

Fourthly, what is our marketing strategy? - working in marketing myself, I don't get the sense that there is much 'link-up' between the club and its supporters. I get an email once in a blue moon from the Vale and I can't remember the last one I got. Where's the promotional email for events within the shop? Good news articles? Even a news update of developments with the ground. You're not sending unwanted emails to Vale fans as I'd imagine most would like to read about goings on at the club. What's happened to loyalty schemes? Do you get many benefits as a season ticket holder? Could we not record each time a pay on the gate customer attends and say 'attend 5 matches at full price and get the 6th match free'? Are we engaging with local schools? Do we send out press releases to news outlets? Again, I don't know the answers to these questions but I don't see much evidence.

 

Finally, what is our footballing strategy? - I don't think we can entirely blame this on the chairman, as although he has made mistakes in terms of recruitment, you have to place some trust into your football manager to get in the right players. We clearly haven't done that. Is our plan to develop youth or buy in experience in order to get us promoted? Are we looking to slowly build a quality team in this league, with a view to getting into and stabilising in the league above? It seems that Huddersfield have quietly maintained and slowly improved their playing staff year on year to get where they are now. As many have said, we should have got rid of a few of the no hopers from last season and added in 2 or 3 better for this season and then repeat the process until you've built a good enough squad.

 

It makes me think that teams like Huddersfield have clearly sat down and planned out a vision over many years, including a new stadium and acted accordingly. This is where I feel that the chairman is failing. It's up to him as the leader to set a very clear plan and vision -at the moment every decision and activity appears very ad-hoc. Surely the CEO should be the man to take a top-down approach and analyse every aspect of our club and plan accordingly. Only then do I believe that we can look to emulate clubs like Huddersfield.

[robf]

I completely agree. For me, the club needs continuity and a plan. As you say it needs to sit down and focus on what it wants to stand for and where it wants to be.

 

If I was to suggest a plan it would certainly involve actively encouraging the youngsters - it doesn't have to be guesswork, the club could ask existing young supporters what they like and dislike about going to Vale. How difficult would it be to organise a brief questionnaire and hand it out to the young supporters as they go through the turnstiles?

 

I could go on but I think your email summed it up really well so I'll just say I agree with all your points.

 

:clap:

[robf]

p.s. I hate to mention them too much but they are around next weekend but... Vale could do a lot worse than speak to Milton Keynes. I live near MK and they do an amazing amount of work on encouraging youngsters with family days, ticket offers and trips to schools. They even offer residents of outlying towns (such as Aylesbury) reduced travel and ticket offers.

[Essex Vale]

I agree with this post. I posted last week on similar lines but with less detail, but my core message was that we need a strategy about growth and development. When I don't see Port Vale I go to see Chelmsford City in the National League South. They have an impressive community commitment and presence on gates of just under 1,000. They have just embarked on a long term partnership with a locally based international business with the aim of a new stadium and winning promotion to the Football league. Their back room team won an Essex business award last year for their business marketing and activity. They also have a whole host of volunteers who deliver services to the Club that they would otherwise have to purchase.

 

As much as I want to see Chelmsford City succeed, I don't wish them to overtake Port Vale but I fear that day may not be so far away. The Chairman's ego and lack of business intelligence, and his refusal to engage high quality people and empower them to deliver against a so far undefined vision are barriers that are growing bigger by the day.

 

There are models to follow, but our Chairman does not seem keen to take the ideas of others, so there is no long term strategy, no apparent long term volunteer policy, not much of anything really.

[beasty77]

I remember going Leeds road early 90s and the attendence was less than 5k im sure. Their gates have jumped to double figures since they moved stadiums. Love their stadium i do. Im not saying if we moved our gates would get double figures, but somethings got be done or i fear for our future.

[pjg1876]

No use knocking when there's nobody in (or more likely thinks he knows best). But I totally agree with you leedsvaliant

[Jacko51]

With regard to marketing which is a key issue, I believe our marketing department is actually one bloke.

[ancient mariner]

With regard to marketing which is a key issue, I believe our marketing department is actually one bloke.

 

Think he might of retired,lol

[Phil_Cookson]

You've written far too much common sense in that post, its basic business management and community engagement, anyone with half a brain could do better than we've been doing for donkeys years!

[ShaneVale]

A great post, I was thinking the same whilst at the game on Saturday and over the weekend.

 

It is frightening how far away as a club we are from the Championship.

 

Firstly there support was very good and got behind there team all game, I know its a lot easier when your a good side but our support towards the team is dreadful and has been for years.

 

Even a small thing like half time, they had a draw, they had a guest, they had a penalty shootout going on and whilst all this was going on, the guy on the mike was dishing out lots of information about the club and games coming up.

 

I actually heard a guy behind me say "wish this guy would shut up" I just thought then how much that sums us up as a club.

 

Vale's marketing team is horrific, do they do anything?

[Santa]

I could do without the drum and all the Dortmund hipster stuff their fans were doing to be honest.

[robf]

With regard to marketing which is a key issue, I believe our marketing department is actually one bloke.

 

Just looking at Chelmsford City's website (following Essex Vale's interesting post) that's a third of Chelmsford's marketing team; Huddersfield (albeit a division higher) have seven according to their commercial website; Milton Keynes don't say how many they have on their website but they do refer to a "team" which sounds more than one to me.

 

I think that if you want to grow and you want to be ambitious then you need to spend and get the best people in to do the job. Even the best marketing exec in the world isn't going to be able to do much by himself as there's simply too much for one person to handle.

 

However, if Vale were to invest in a decent team, give them a clear remit on what they need to achieve and give them a realistic timescale to do it then we may just see the club on the up rather than in the doldrums.

 

It's also a better business strategy. If you invest the bare minimum in marketing you are unlikely to be making as much as you can. If anything you're probably just treading water. Or even worse not making any profit and therefore losing money.

 

But if you invest and trust in a driven, talented team with a clear and sensible plan then yes, initially it will cost a lot more money but should it work out (and if the plan is clear and sensible then it should do) then you can potentially bring in much more money as all potential revenue streams are taken advantage of, more fans are attracted in, there is a better atmosphere as existing fans are more engaged and so on...

[pjg1876]

Think he might of retired,lol

 

Along with the CEO

[Mario]

I didn't go to the game on Saturday due to other commitments, but it got me thinking about how far ahead a club like Huddersfield is compared to ourselves and what we must do to get there. I have however been to Huddersfield many times before.

 

15-20 years ago, teams like Huddersfield were on a par or even slightly below us - they're probably marginally bigger in terms of fan base but in reality what they are currently achieving should be achievable by ourselves.

 

Firstly, stadium and infrastructure - it's a far more appealing stadium to go and visit and really makes for an enjoyable day out. Going to the match feels like an occasion rather than the dank and soulless stadium that we currently reside in. Without going over old ground, playing at Vale Park often feels like a friendly because it's so sparsely populated and although the Lorne Street facilities are an improvement on previous, they still have the feel of a 'working mans club' rather than a professional and slick catering and entertainment facility. From the sound system to the scoreboard, everything is very amateurish and conveys a terrible message to those going for the first time.

 

Secondly, engaging the next generation - although I agree that attendance is often down to the product on the pitch, it doesn't paint the entire picture. What's happened to half time entertainment? Is there a kids club? What are we doing with schools? Is there a family package? Are we getting kids in for free? I genuinely don't know the answer to these but I get the sense that not much if any of this is happening.

 

Thirdly, making use of the stadium aside from football - I've ran a business exhibition at the Bet365 stadium and I have to say it was excellent. How much of this do we do? Do we engage much with local business? It comes down to facilities again and they're not really 'cutting edge' to host businesses are they? I know we do weddings, but how good are they?

 

Fourthly, what is our marketing strategy? - working in marketing myself, I don't get the sense that there is much 'link-up' between the club and its supporters. I get an email once in a blue moon from the Vale and I can't remember the last one I got. Where's the promotional email for events within the shop? Good news articles? Even a news update of developments with the ground. You're not sending unwanted emails to Vale fans as I'd imagine most would like to read about goings on at the club. What's happened to loyalty schemes? Do you get many benefits as a season ticket holder? Could we not record each time a pay on the gate customer attends and say 'attend 5 matches at full price and get the 6th match free'? Are we engaging with local schools? Do we send out press releases to news outlets? Again, I don't know the answers to these questions but I don't see much evidence.

 

Finally, what is our footballing strategy? - I don't think we can entirely blame this on the chairman, as although he has made mistakes in terms of recruitment, you have to place some trust into your football manager to get in the right players. We clearly haven't done that. Is our plan to develop youth or buy in experience in order to get us promoted? Are we looking to slowly build a quality team in this league, with a view to getting into and stabilising in the league above? It seems that Huddersfield have quietly maintained and slowly improved their playing staff year on year to get where they are now. As many have said, we should have got rid of a few of the no hopers from last season and added in 2 or 3 better for this season and then repeat the process until you've built a good enough squad.

 

It makes me think that teams like Huddersfield have clearly sat down and planned out a vision over many years, including a new stadium and acted accordingly. This is where I feel that the chairman is failing. It's up to him as the leader to set a very clear plan and vision -at the moment every decision and activity appears very ad-hoc. Surely the CEO should be the man to take a top-down approach and analyse every aspect of our club and plan accordingly. Only then do I believe that we can look to emulate clubs like Huddersfield.

 

Excellent post and not a dig but I would say two things, 1) Huddersfield are a single team town and are a far bigger club than the Vale have ever been, and 2) If you think the Lorne Street facilities are working men club style you want to venture up Bycars Lane in the rain and sit in the Railway stand and enjoy the catering at half time !

[Fosse69]

Seem to be on their way back after struggling for decades, admin in 2002 etc, whereas in the late 20s were the first team to top the league 3 times on the trot, record cup crowd of 67,000 at their previous ground. Having a shared ground will keep running costs down, but to accumulate you need to speculate, and sell what you hope to succeed to your potential customers as well as retaining your regulars. Build the buzz as they say.