Thoughts - Pay what you want

[01524]

A couple of years ago Morecambe tried it I think they got a crowd of around 4,300. In fact it may have even been free entry.

It was 4300 indeed sir. All Free entries.

Next match we were down to the usual 1500 and it barely rose above that for the rest of the season (except when there was big away support).

The season after, we did a promotion where if you bought a £3 match programme you got a free match ticket.

That match (v Cambridge on a Tuesday night) only attracted the average attendance too. Certainly no bigger.

[Steelworks End]

As a season ticket holder, if it was pay what you want then I would put nothing in as I've already paid. I think many more would do that as well.

Fair point; you wouldn't expect to pay more for a full priced league game, so why should you pay for a "what you want" match? Perhaps season tickets holders could bring a friend for free?

Some years ago Brentford did something similar - not pay what you want but all (adult) tickets reduced to a fiver. Sure, the gate was about a third above their average, but the money take from the extra supporters was much less than the money saved by regular fans. Gate up; receipts down.

Pay what you want / reduced admission charges might sound like a good idea to increase the gate, but the economics of doing so don't always stack up.

[bigmac95]

I remember Mansfield doing this and making a massive success of it.

My concerns would be that such an idea would be better suited to a team which has had a historically strong fanbase - who may have been disillusioned or become apathetic. I am not sure we have ever had this level of support (aside from a couple of FA cup games).

Gen Man - what would the aim of such a day be? If it is financial gain its risky, if it is to boost attendances long term then this also is unlikely to work (given it would be a one off). If it is to reward fans and try and build some publicity around a lesser game then this might work.

I would prefer the club to run specific fan days, consistently changing each game.

E.g. One game would be NHS day, where any NHS employee gets in for free, the next make it BAE day (same perk), then Season Ticket holder loyalty day (free pint at the bar), then young fan day (anyone under 18 in for free) - the list could go on and on - the key being that you sell it to each group long in advance with strong marketing, you make a big deal of those people when they arrive. It may not be a silver bullet, but it might bring more back long term.

Our club is a tough sell, but I think with enough energy and vigour it can be done.

Ticket prices would also need to be significantly reduced - but I doubt this will happen.

[blue nige]

We can try as many "gimmicks " as you want but two things go hand in hand.

Decent stadium with decent facilities.

Successful team.

The future is keeping the young fans and making them feel welcome and that it's their club.we need to keep a sustained effort here by keeping the offers going I.e. getting entry with an adult this has to be done for the long haul without them we are finished!

[barrowaberdeen]

Not the Salford game where we are all right anyway

We haven't tried it, I suspect it would work crowdwise, but you'd lose money.

For it to have a decent effect and encourage folk back I think you'd have to put on extra and better facilities and things to do- for instance as I know PH felt, there wasn't a hell of a lot more for kids to do other than a photo with Bluey when we did the families day. I'd be thinking marquee. bars, different food etc Maybe more shop stuff on sale.

I would give it a bash probably but with some proper thought. And tbh more than anything we just need to win.

[Bingo]

How many did we get through the gate for the free match v Telford a few years ago?

The club imo would definitely lose money on a pay what you want.

Was this for some crappy league cup game I'm sure it was touching 2000 if I'm thinking of the same one..

The club isn't geared up to take money tho so you could have 2000 in the ground all wanting to buy food drink and merchandise but we don't have the structures in place to take money

[Lancaster Branch]

Teams that do them don’t tend to do them again. Give something away for free and folk resent having to pay for it.

We’ve had freebie games, folk don’t come back. We’ve had big ‘days out’ games - Wembley, Boro, Sunderland etc and the 8k melt away soon enough.

Proper, consistent engagement over the long term is worth a try, we’ve never tried that before.

[McMark]

Teams that do them don’t tend to do them again. Give something away for free and folk resent having to pay for it.

We’ve had freebie games, folk don’t come back. We’ve had big ‘days out’ games - Wembley, Boro, Sunderland etc and the 8k melt away soon enough.

Proper, consistent engagement over the long term is worth a try, we’ve never tried that before.

Got to agree it's all about how we engage all fans consistently for a sustainable season long effort.

[Jonty]

These strategic attempts to increase crowds do not work long term and it’s wide of the mark. Most have been tried with varying success. The magic trick that has never been cracked is understanding what is going to get the modern 16-25 year old football fan into the ground. Believe me, it is not reduced prices, it goes into cultural / social things that no one has grasped. Improved atmosphere = bigger gate, even at full price.

The new board have got to fully get this.

[tictactoe]

As said earlier I think it’s worth a try but it definitely has to be publicised properly and made a fuss about - granted you won’t get most people back at the next game but you may get some. There deffo has to be more involved than just bluey.

However, that said the main thing that will get the crowds up is a winning team - or would it

Do we just have to realise we are never going to be well supported

[mr_grey]

These strategic attempts to increase crowds do not work long term and it’s wide of the mark. Most have been tried with varying success. The magic trick that has never been cracked is understanding what is going to get the modern 16-25 year old football fan into the ground. Believe me, it is not reduced prices, it goes into cultural / social things that no one has grasped. Improved atmosphere = bigger gate, even at full price.

The new board have got to fully get this.

Unfortunately, if you like your football, the 16 to 25 year age group will not be available for Saturday afternoons and they will be playing the game themselves.

[The Tomahawk Kid]

Give it a go! What is there to lose?

After Casson's departure we're going to be up s**t creek, financially, soon, anyway - so anything is worth a try!

I can understand Season Ticket holders gripes, however. There would have to be an incentive for them.

I would imagine there would be a few freeloaders - paying nothing - but I think most people would give at least £5. And there's many who would concur that an admission fee of £5 would boost gates, anyway.

The thoughts I had, reading this thread,led me to thinking this:
How long can we sustain our status in the National League?
It's becoming more money orientated - clubs such as AFC Fylde and Salford being indicative of this. Okay; Macclesfield won promotion last season with one of the lowest wage structures in the league but it looks like they'll be swiftly returning.
I don't want to sound pessimistic or negative but maybe relegation to the NL North would be in our interests with regard to our current financial stability?

[McMark]

After Casson's departure we're going to be up s**t creek, financially, soon, anyway - so anything is worth a try!

The thoughts I had, reading this thread,led me to thinking this:
How long can we sustain our status in the National League?
It's becoming more money orientated - clubs such as AFC Fylde and Salford being indicative of this. Okay; Macclesfield won promotion last season with one of the lowest wage structures in the league but it looks like they'll be swiftly returning.
I don't want to sound pessimistic or negative but maybe relegation to the NL North would be in our interests with regard to our current financial stability?

Would tend to disagree!

Yes there is plenty of uncertainty in regards to what path the club are going down and what the future holds. But we won't be going down any Creek anytime soon if Paul Hornby and others are given our full support in whatever guise that eventually becomes.

The club just need to stabilise this season take stock and plan accordingly. If it's sustainable to remain in this league and I hope it is then all well and good, but if the powers that be decide we need to regroup in the league below then I would be fully behind that.

[The Tomahawk Kid]

After Casson's departure we're going to be up s**t creek, financially, soon, anyway - so anything is worth a try!

The thoughts I had, reading this thread,led me to thinking this:
How long can we sustain our status in the National League?
It's becoming more money orientated - clubs such as AFC Fylde and Salford being indicative of this. Okay; Macclesfield won promotion last season with one of the lowest wage structures in the league but it looks like they'll be swiftly returning.
I don't want to sound pessimistic or negative but maybe relegation to the NL North would be in our interests with regard to our current financial stability?

Would tend to disagree!

Yes there is plenty of uncertainty in regards to what path the club are going down and what the future holds. But we won't be going down any Creek anytime soon if Paul Hornby and others are given our full support in whatever guise that eventually becomes.

The club just need to stabilise this season take stock and plan accordingly. If it's sustainable to remain in this league and I hope it is then all well and good, but if the powers that be decide we need to regroup in the league below then I would be fully behind that.

I don't think our full support will count a jot, Mark.

Today's game, even Non-League Football, is all about money - BIG money! And without any disrespect to Mr. Hornby and future company I don't think he/they will have the big bucks that's required to make this club a formidable presence in the National League. I can honestly seeing us becoming a National League North outfit - maybe not such a bad thing - less traveling, a lower wage bill and if we're playing good football and winning at home, bigger gates!

[Jonty]

These strategic attempts to increase crowds do not work long term and it’s wide of the mark. Most have been tried with varying success. The magic trick that has never been cracked is understanding what is going to get the modern 16-25 year old football fan into the ground. Believe me, it is not reduced prices, it goes into cultural / social things that no one has grasped. Improved atmosphere = bigger gate, even at full price.

The new board have got to fully get this.

Unfortunately, if you like your football, the 16 to 25 year age group will not be available for Saturday afternoons and they will be playing the game themselves.

Not every football fan plays the game. There are 100’s of football followers in Barrow who don’t play football and equally never set foot inside Holker Steet. We all think along the lines of the price must be too high, or the place itself or what is on offer on the pitch. All that affects it somewhat, but it is wide of the mark in terms of the main reasons we don’t get bigger gates which I am absolutely convinced lie within ingrained cultural and social behaviours which no one ever considers.