I think there was a degree of scarcity driving demand when we were sold out in the early Premier League years. I'm not sure our average would have gone up loads had we had a bigger ground as if some people knew there would be spare seats they would have been picking and choosing games and not buying season tickets.
I think there was a degree of scarcity driving demand when we were sold out in the early Premier League years. I'm not sure our average would have gone up loads had we had a bigger ground as if some people knew there would be spare seats they would have been picking and choosing games and not buying season tickets.
Chip pisser.
Interesting that graph.
I think the answer is yes. A lot of our support has become 'dormant' over the last decade
Looks at that graph I’d say a lot of our support is 6 foot under ground.
Ted Tin-man McminnI also recall during that Premier League period, that my Season Ticket in the Kop Corner was extortionate compared to what my ‘mates’ were paying for a season ticket in the Holte End, not quite double but not far off. Obviously Sullivan/Golds had to maximise revenue given our smaller capacity. During that time- If we’d have had a much bigger ground and charged half of what we were, then we’d have had loads more ST holders.
The support over the past 10 or so years has understandably dropped off dramatically.
This is why I think it’s important the new owners do what ever they can to try to capitalise on a feel good factor by making ST’s as cheap as possible to encourage the lost fans back. It’s difficult with P&S but every avenue needs to be explored.
This with bells on. We were way over charged even when we were in the Endsleigh League (are they even still going?)
The price comparison between us and them when they were in the Premier League and we were entertaining Southend was shocking
KESIn the 2nd tier if the stadium is fully open. I don’t think we have ever been able to average over 22,500, even in the promotion years of 06/07 and 08/09 it was under 20,000.
Are we just a poorly supported club or are there other reasons for such low average attendances?
The last time we got more than 25,000 average over a whole season whilst in the second tier was in two of the 3 seasons just following Englands World cup success in 1966.
1967-68 and 1968-69
That team scored goals for fun... and got cup run success.
B_C_F_CThe last time we got more than 25,000 average over a whole season whilst in the second tier was in two of the 3 seasons just following Englands World cup success in 1966.
1967-68 and 1968-69
That team scored goals for fun... and got cup run success.
What about 1971-72?
Dirty BertieB_C_F_CThe last time we got more than 25,000 average over a whole season whilst in the second tier was in two of the 3 seasons just following Englands World cup success in 1966.
1967-68 and 1968-69
That team scored goals for fun... and got cup run success.
What about 1971-72?
Sorry... yes 32k
SquatnoseThere's not many things I like about my local tinpot club Reading, but one thing they have done is sell kids' season tickets for just £24 - effectively 'kids for a quid' but for every single game. It's a great idea because in most cases it will then require an adult to buy a season ticket with their child. Not only are you helping to secure the next generation of fans who would otherwise be lost to the gloryhunter teams, you're also ensuring better attendances.
The other thing we need to do is use all those empty seats in the GML again. Look at teams on the tv like Man City and they have just a single line of stewards separating home and away fans. Are our fans really such a danger to security that they need to close half the stand to keep them apart from the away fans? It wasn't a problem in our early Premier League days, so why the overkill now?
Then we come to the issue of ticket prices. I wanted tickets in the Kop for the recent Sheffield United game and they were asking £35 FFS! I ended up paying a still extortionate £30 in the GMU. Prices like that are ridiculous at championship level. And yes I know certain other clubs take the piss too, but this is our own fans we're hurting with these prices. It should be a maximum £20 behind the goals and then only for certain games. No more than £25 in the Kop, and the Main Stand should cost no more than £15. Season tickets would need to be priced in order to ensure a reasonable saving over the match by match cost.
Some goid points here. Make it cheaper, especially for kids, don’t exploit fans and discourage them, encourage loyalty. Connect to people. It’s not that hard to think of a better way, I think our new owners will be on to that.
As we all know back in the mid 70’s we were one of the best supported clubs in the country. I think this level of support dates back to the mid to late 50’s when we had our best ever team. Highest ever finish, FA cup finalists etc.
This meant a generation of young kids were growing up in Brum with us being at least on an equal footing to Villa in the area. As these kids grew up by mid 70’s they would be about 25 to 35 with kids of their own also becoming Blues fans. This is what probably led to us being a well supported club.
Fast forward from the 80’s to now and we really haven’t had a lot to shout about. Unfortunately for us this also coincided with football becoming big business when the premier league was formed in the 90’s giving greater exposure to all the top clubs. Success will always bring more fans along but I honestly think that because of our general shitness we have lost a generation of potential supporters either to them lot down the road or to your Liverpool’s and Man Utd’s.
In answer to the question could we average above 25000? Only if we became a top side and young kids jumped on the bandwagon but I think it would take years of being successful to keep our crowds above this figure.
As someone posted a while back kids these days in an era of social media don't have a favourite team so much as a favourite player(s) who the follow over and above any one team.
So until Blues can attract players who have a Insta etc presence that 'chimes' with the kids its going to be struggle to connect with them.
And then you've got to overcome the 'why wld I go to Blues when I can watch it on my phone?' mentality.
newblueSquatnoseThere's not many things I like about my local tinpot club Reading, but one thing they have done is sell kids' season tickets for just £24 - effectively 'kids for a quid' but for every single game. It's a great idea because in most cases it will then require an adult to buy a season ticket with their child. Not only are you helping to secure the next generation of fans who would otherwise be lost to the gloryhunter teams, you're also ensuring better attendances.
The other thing we need to do is use all those empty seats in the GML again. Look at teams on the tv like Man City and they have just a single line of stewards separating home and away fans. Are our fans really such a danger to security that they need to close half the stand to keep them apart from the away fans? It wasn't a problem in our early Premier League days, so why the overkill now?
Then we come to the issue of ticket prices. I wanted tickets in the Kop for the recent Sheffield United game and they were asking £35 FFS! I ended up paying a still extortionate £30 in the GMU. Prices like that are ridiculous at championship level. And yes I know certain other clubs take the piss too, but this is our own fans we're hurting with these prices. It should be a maximum £20 behind the goals and then only for certain games. No more than £25 in the Kop, and the Main Stand should cost no more than £15. Season tickets would need to be priced in order to ensure a reasonable saving over the match by match cost.
Some goid points here. Make it cheaper, especially for kids, don’t exploit fans and discourage them, encourage loyalty. Connect to people. It’s not that hard to think of a better way, I think our new owners will be on to that.
Tbf you get a kids season ticket free with a bought adult one in the family stand. Maybe if they make this accesable to whole stadium.
The wembley games and Worthington cup final prove the fans are out there. I'm sure we sold something like 48k for the Carlisle game?
And that is largely the problem.
'Are you going to see Blues at Wembley?'
'Too right - wouldn't miss it for the World!'
'Are you going to see Blues at St Andrews?'
'Eff that - I'll be in the pub!'
The 1995 Football League Trophy final was 28 years ago so anyone 50+ on that day probably is sadly no longer with us/ too ill/ infirm to attend matches. I'm not sure if Blues were to be in a similar match at Wembley next season for example there would be a similar rush for tickets - that fanbase no longer exists and i'm unconvinced they have been replaced even by potential/ dormant fans. The demographic of the West Mids/ wider society has changed hugely in the last 30 years and there are huge numbers of people who have no interest in their local teams/ football in general.
lowercaserAnd that is largely the problem.
'Are you going to see Blues at Wembley?'
'Too right - wouldn't miss it for the World!'
'Are you going to see Blues at St Andrews?'
'Eff that - I'll be in the pub!'
Totally agree. Bandwagon boys