Matches Home Support Attendance.

[MarkG]

Firstly you’re only likely to be losing 24k on the game that you do this. Given we’ve got an unbudgeted cup run then that’s not a major issue. But you appear to be looking very short termist. Look at Bradford city. They used to get smaller crowds than us and then slashed season ticket prices: it created a long term exponential growth in their fan base which hasn’t gone away. They’re probably tens of millions up on revenue as a result over the last decade.

So let’s see that say that two games at a pound costs 48k.

And then we grow our crowd by 500 as a result. That’s 7.5k extra revenue a game extra. Over two seasons that’s an extra 322k.


If you did it for four games at 96k and the crowd grew by 1500 as a result of a new energy, then that an extra 966k over two seasons.

Sometimes it’s worth rolling the dice... but to just dismiss it as stupid because you wouldn’t have the boldness or ambition to do that is a different story.

I’d ask Matt Everett as this is or was his job.

Bradford are in the position of having a huge capacity ground in a northern outpost. £150 season tickets at least gets money through the door.

 

[ThatSlopesATwelfthMan]

On a separate note has the playing surface ever been better?

There is a lot of love going into that grass this year. Have been at two work things in the exec boxes recently and both times saw groundsmen constantly tending the pitch. Anyone know who's doing this for the StadCo now?

 

[Mellowyellow]

Success always helps but I can tell you now, firsthand, that Lincoln galvanised the fan base before they'd achieved anything. I went to their game at Solihull during their Conference promotion season and they took well over 1,000 fans (think it was nearer 1,500) on a Tuesday night, and were taking 2,000+ to most away games at the time. They hadn't had any success yet - they were top of the league but they hadn't been spoilt and didn't have their hands on any silverware. A few too many people on this forum judging by past threads seem to think they've picked up a load of glory supporting fans in the last six months, and it simply isn't true. These people were there three years ago, and two years ago, in great numbers and great voice. The catalyst for this was them simply getting in and amongst the local community and wanting to find a way to put every kid in Lincoln into their shirt. That was the Cowley's first question when they arrived: How do we get these kids out of Man United and Liverpool shirts and into Lincoln shirts? They invested time, effort and money into community schemes - soccer schools, midweek coaching sessions, sending players and the coaches down to schools and local clubs, constantly getting in the local press and getting them on board in wanting to build the club up - and dragged people into the ground.

Kelvin Thomas was a total dickhead of a man and tried to go a bridge too far before it crumbled under him, but he was very good at PR. And I mean ACTUAL PR, not putting out the odd ghostwritten statement or having a rotating five minute slot on the radio. The believe campaign, the local media being firmly onside and printing every story on the back page or being happy to have people swing by the radio stations, inviting fans to book slots to come in and meet with him - he got out there and he pushed the club, and he made people feel part of it. That, in my opinion, is where we're struggling. We're too dependant on the football side of things, and we seem obsessed with simply going, "Oh don't be tight, give us your ticket money and come and watch the team". That doesn't build or strengthen anything, and even if you do get people along, they're only coming because you've promised them goals and wins, and the second they don't get that they lose interest anyway. There's nothing for them to actually invest in, and there's nothing on a match day that makes them think that even if the result doesn't go well, at least it was a fun day out. There is also a real lack of a focal point in terms of individuals getting out there and meeting people face to face, and banging the drum, in a way that isn't just begging for money and to have them sit on a dirty seat in the cold winter months that are approaching. Ask yourself what it was that made you first start supporting Oxford United, and then ask yourself if those things are present today. I'd argue that for most people they probably aren't.

The team deserves bigger crowds at the moment and I think that we could get some real momentum going if we had an extra thousand or two on the gate, but that isn't going to happen without real, sustained effort from the club over a period of time. It needs someone to get out there, across all media, and start asking people to get on board. It needs a campaign, and a front person or a group of front people, and they need to go for it. Something that basically says "This is it: this is our chance to make it happen together." It's never going to happen if the general consensus is that people should want to just come if we're winning, and if they don't then sod them, they aren't REAL fans and we don't want them here anyway. That isn't how you grow a football club, and there is very much a football club to be grown here. It takes effort and willingness, and to actually get people in face to face and build a relationship. Think of all the things we had in recent years and even going back a good decade or so - open days, family days, the pre-season tours, the match day kids zone (is that still a thing?), the outdoor fan zone we had several times - do we have any of these anymore? Some of these things may be beyond our control, but some of them aren't and are things we simply don't prioritise and don't put enough time and effort into. It's a two way street - you need to go and grab people as much as they need to be willing to grab back. A siege mentality might be okay inside a changing room, but not inside an entire football club. You need the public and the fans to be actively alongside you, and you need to go and get them, welcome them and embrace them.

Which is why stupid little trolls running around kicking people in the shins, strutting around in their replica training gear with their initials on the chest, and treating everybody as some sort of enemy or 'lesser fan' is a spectacularly stupid thing, especially if it's endorsed. It's all good and well if you're winning on the football pitch, but if you don't build your club on more than that, you're in deep trouble long term. Because unless you're one of the super-elite, what happens on the pitch is never going to stay rosy, and that means you're going to need a little bit more in the locker than telling people to empty their wallets every time you win a game. And it certainly means you shouldn't get too cocky while things are going okay, because that's the beauty of clubs like ours - it's always waiting for you on the way back down.

I'll wait for the abuse that comes with anybody offering suggestions on how things can be improved, or pointing out ways that we could do better, for the benefit of the club we all love and support.

Do Oxford run any after school football clubs in oxon, or around Oxford? This, along with giving away free tickets to schools is how Charlton stole a march over Brighton in the north of East and West Sussex. Having a local level 1/2 coach running an after school club under the banner of CAFC. Cost is minimal, but many red shirts in areas where blue should have been.

 

[werthersoriginal]

Yes but we have Lincoln Boxing Day, Sunderland Ipswich, Wycombe all to come.
If we finish near the play offs I suspect we will average over 7500.

However. The home end is looking a bit thin and i think that’s something that needs addressing, whether by price reduction, PR or whatever

 

[Golden Dr Otto]

I’d ask Matt Everett as this is or was his job.

Bradford are in the position of having a huge capacity ground in a northern outpost. £150 season tickets at least gets money through the door.

Indeed. He freelances now. But given we have 5000 empty seats most games and run at 60% capacity there must be a little bandwidth.

 

[DannyW]

Over the years myself and the group offered many suggestions as to what could improve the atmosphere as a whole - not just to benefit us. They were never interested. We/I am still happy to sit down with the club to present these ideas to them, if they’re genuinely interested and show a desire to improve the atmosphere.

I hope the club take up your offer, I'll submit a question to the phone, see if we can get a response

 

[ZeroTheHero]

A period of seemingly wanting to treat the supporters as 'customers' (rather than as an integral and IMO most important part of the club) and then offering a substandard 'product' while at the same time neglecting 'customer relations' and a string of poor 'corporate' decisions and odd pronouncements has had an effect. It'll take time to improve again - if the results on the pitch improve that will help of course, and if the club could take suggestions seriously as to how to improve things from anyone at all that would be a start. !

 

[Scotchegg]

Actually they were a lot lower.
So 2012/13 was 5955 average
2013/14 was 5923
2014/15 was 6154
2015/16 WHEN PROMOTED it was 7211.
2018/19 was 7315
I suspect that this season will ge bigger.

So to suggest thay attendances were higher mid table in Division 4 is nonsense.

To expand on those figures;

2010/11 7277
2011/12 7451
2012/13 5955
2013/14 5923
2014/15 6154
2015/16 7211
2016/17 8297
2017/18 7372
2018/19 7315

So since returning to the league, we've averaged around 7300 for 5 of the 9 seasons. We dipped during the last days of Wilder and first season of Appleton in league 2, and had a large peak in our first season in league 1. However, it is worth noting that in 2016/17, we had our first and last games at home, Boxing Day against Northampton, the derby against Swindon and sold out the away end against Coventry, MK Dons, Bristol Rovers and Sheffield United.

Thos season we are averaging 6799, so about 500 below where we should be. But if we keep playing the way we are and getting in and around the playoffs, we will see big crowds for games against Ipswich, Wycombe, Lincoln, Sunderland, MK Dons, Portsmouth, Bristol Rovers and Bolton.

There are lots of ways to improve atmosphere and continue to attract new and old fans through the gates, but I'm not sure we have to panic and offer loss-leading giveaways at this stage. There is lots of good initiatives going on at the club, and whilst they might not be for everyone they should be welcomed and a sign that the club are trying to make things better.

 

[Golden Dr Otto]

There are lots of ways to improve atmosphere and continue to attract new and old fans through the gates, but I'm not sure we have to panic and offer loss-leading giveaways at this stage.

Quite emotional language to talk about “panic” when looking at alternative marketing strategies. Loss leading exists as a concept for a reason. It can work. It shouldn’t just be discarded based on short termist headlining

 

[Scotchegg]

Quite emotional language to talk about “panic” when looking at alternative marketing strategies. Loss leading exists as a concept for a reason. It can work. It shouldn’t just be discarded based on short termist headlining

With all due respect, suggesting tickets for the next 4 games at a £1 a game is panicking!!!

 

[Golden Dr Otto]

With all due respect, suggesting tickets for the next 4 games at a £1 a game is panicking!!!

We will have to agree to disagree as you seem to be slapping labels on ideas without really substantiating it.

Say something repeatedly doesn’t make it true.

Not sure on your business background but to discard a different interim business model because it scares you doesn’t mean it’s a panic. You’re projecting your own fears into it maybe.

Anyway I doubt it’s about to happen as it’s rare the club absorb fans views since the days of Kelvin so we’ll probably never see it tested.

 

[Scotchegg]

I'm not sure I'd use Kelvin as an example of good business sense seeing how he pissed away an awful lot of someone else's money!!!

 

[uptheus]

We will have to agree to disagree as you seem to be slapping labels on ideas without really substantiating it.

Say something repeatedly doesn’t make it true.

Not sure on your business background but to discard a different interim business model because it scares you doesn’t mean it’s a panic. You’re projecting your own fears into it maybe.

Anyway I doubt it’s about to happen as it’s rare the club absorb fans views since the days of Kelvin so we’ll probably never see it tested.

And Niall probably doesn’t have any clout anyway!

 

[RyanioBirdio]

Loss leading exists as a concept for a reason. It can work. It shouldn’t just be discarded based on short termist headlining

There are business people and then there are bean counters. Life and business needs both, but they have to be in the right chairs. I had a meeting with some people from the club nearly three years or so ago now - GBT was there so it was a good while - and I mentioned getting in gear nice and early for the 125th anniversary, which at the time was probably near on 18 months away. Some of the ideas I suggested were:

- Traditional shirt to be worn on anniversary. This was done albeit using a quite nasty looking template kit rather than a bespoke make jersey that was more in keeping with the original kit.

- Compiling an Oxford United hall of fame, where by 124 players from the club’s past would be inducted throughout the season, culminating in the player of the year being included as the 125th and final member on the last home game. This would have been something that allowed the anniversary to be given a much more season-long thread, not just centred around one specific game.

- Monthly or perhaps even bi-weekly retrospective specials with former players and managers, to be broadcast on Radio Oxford in the form of 30-60 minute episodes and also repurposed in the Oxford Mail across a spread or in the form of a pull out. This would involve a Jerome or Nathan Cooper conducting a nice, in depth interview with the relevant former figure, touching on their time at the club and discussing famous games / moments / incidents from during their time at the club. This is geared towards positive nostalgia and again, helps carry the club’s anniversary throughout the entire season.

- Active attempt to break the club’s season ticket record since moving to the current stadium. This was a bold and ambitious idea, but I think you need to be aggressive and force the issue sometimes. This included a few options for ideas to potentially boost numbers as well as reward loyal supporters, including introducing a special £125 season ticket to a specific area of the ground, to offering 125 holders a full refund on their ticket if purchased by a certain date. There was also an option to reduce the price each holder paid as more and more benchmarks were passed - ie with each thousand ST holders the price came down by £10-20, and potentially a special £1.25 ticket for concessions to a specific game during the season.

The tag line for the entire season of activity in whatever form it took was going to be: We aren’t just celebrating history, we’re making it.

As I said previously, this was suggested in the summer of 2017, before the 17/18 season had begun, let alone the 18/19 season that this activity would have run throughout. This would have served as a constant, year long stream of activity, interest and publicity, engaging the existing fan base but also using nostalgia to reconnect with supporters who have perhaps drifted away over time, as well as attempting to draw in new and younger fans due to the increase in visibility. There was a huge opportunity to be had that actually meant something, not just throwing the words “proud history, bright future” on to the end of every programme note or email begging people to come to a match.

On top of this, I also suggested that they take the opportunity to launch the 1893 range, which was a line of more general, every day clothing to be sold in the club shop. Clothing that people can wear on a night out, but also to work in an office environment. Polo shirts, button up shirts, trousers and so forth (no chinos...) that contained next to no branding, but that people could buy and wear knowing that they were supporting the club. Eventually this could be expanded to modern streetwear, which is a rapidly increasing sector particularly in e-commerce. It was also suggested that there could be a nostalgia brand launched - named RetrOUFC - where the club release classic kits from the club’s past eras on a limited time only basis. Limited run is the most popular type of selling for merchandising nowadays, especially in music, where designs are made available for a set number of days before disappearing forever. This would have once again provided a season long source of revenue and tied into the narrative of the campaign, and players and managers from the eras going on sale could have come down to do meet and greets, signings, Q&A sessions and so on both before the game in the shop, and also afterwards for commercial and corporate purposes. It also provides new ranges and business models that serve the club beyond the celebration, as well as maximising them on the basis of the anniversary itself.

Furthermore (yes, there were a LOT of ideas) there was also a suggestion of getting some club greats together to do a walk of the old Manor in Headington, taking in the club’s roots with fans in tow before making their way to the current stadium for a match. This would’ve allowed television content to be made on local but also probably a national level. EFL on Quest, Sky, south today - it’s great fodder for them.

There were and continue to be A LOT of great ways to market the club while engaging supporters, raising visibility and even expanding future revenue channels, but you have to actually WANT to do it, plan ahead and get stuck in. What happens on the pitch is of course important and can make a big difference, but you can’t just sit there and pray for some good results to get the begging bowl out. Go and earn your customers.

 

[BristolOx]

Another big issue I’d wager is how rubbish Oxford is for 18 - 35 year olds in general.
It’s expensive and the night life is pretty shite in my opinion.

As an example I have moved from north Oxfordshire with 12 mates who all went to my school. 50% of those are guys who now watch the occasional City/Rovers games (something that brings me great displeasure).

The rest of my closest mates are either in Brighton, Manchester or London. So if Oxford (the city) had more to offer I’d imagine there’d be more of the ‘ideal demographic’ available to watch the U’s.

Talking about demographic - I’d be really keen to see what Oxfords is & then Oxfordshire as a whole.

 

[TravellingOx]

Ryanbirdio's initial long post (back on page 5 or so) has forced me to log back in and comment after years of lurking. Wholeheartedly agree with him.
The last fun 'total experience I had at a home match (that's not just the match itself but the whole thing of being at the ground, what was on offer, etc etc) was back when we played Gillingham at home many years ago. *

The Priory was still open, there was a Bbq going on and a tented cider festival was set up. Gillingham fans were there too. I brought parents-in-law from the US along and they absolutely loved it. For the first time they saw the community spirit and the fun to be had at an Oxford match. Ok, father-in-law got hammered but that was half the fun!

I can imagine for a lot of people, especially the ladies who might care about things like 'ambience' and kids who WANT to be excited by stuff, an afternoon at the breezeblock isn't a very appealing prospect. Doesn't mean we have to 'prawn-sandwichify' even further. Just that taking the kids and the misses for a fun day out that they also enjoy means WE get a more positive reaction when we suggest going to see Oxford and the club gets more potential fans.

Agree that the Ultras thing was badly mishandled. A real pity. We loved their energy, input and inventiveness.

I can't stand most spectator sports in the USA, but at least they get the spectating bit right. Match day workers lobbing rolled-up team shirts into the crowd, replicas of silverware won on display, interior stadium walls decorated with colourful posters and items you can buy in the club shop.

Maybe here in the U.K. we're just naturally sh1te at the whole thing? I remember getting to Wembley for the York match and turning right round and going back into London because the place wasn't open and none of the concession stands were open. How many thousands of thistry and hungry people just hanging around outside and no-one could bother to open up and make some easy money? Maybe they should have hired the half-and half scarf salesmen as their business strategist, because they were out and selling when the York fans arrived from their trains.


*edit, I forgot the last match of the season, at home to Wyscum, that sent us us up. Festivities were removed from the stadium so it seemed a seperate thing, really.

 

[m]

Add Gillingham and West Ham to that list of the unimpressed. And they make a fair point

They will be grumpy though after the absolute BEASTING that their teams got.

 

[Oxfordpete]

Thought I'd C + P my response from the West Ham FV re: Ultras.

It makes all the difference I find, yes there is still a section of the East Stand where the chants start and spread to the rest of the stadium, but the ultras werent just about the singing. It was the flags, the colour, the displays, they were the ones who really got behind the team when we were down and sang louder than anyone else at the big games like Man City last year. The club shot themselves in the foot by messing them around so much and really didnt show them the respect they deserved for what they were doing on match days.

I thought the only problem was that they didnt appear to be the most inviting and it wasnt really until them getting moved to Block 21 did it look like they ever actively tried to attract more people via social media. Having said that, a return a la the Green Brigade at Celtic, making a point to the club and inviting more people to stand and sing with them through chants, social media and word of mouth would be nice to see although I think its past that point.

And bring back the drum, so says my girlfriend lol

 

[Big Ronaldo]

As has been said already, a look into the ages of our fanbase will tell you that we have got to get out there and encourage young people to get behind the club.
Get them into the ground, make it a place that they want to be involved with.
As a whole, many many kids want role models, they are crying out for heroes like professional footballers.
They want to hear how, as athletes, they dedicate their lives to performance and teamwork. How they train and recover.
Imagine if a player or two were to drop into your school as a child - conduct a Q&A for half an hour then deposited some free tickets for a class?

This is a small thing and I’m not sure about whether it would be okay to do this, but after a game we have won, if one or two players actually came over to the fans even just for a high five, imagine what effect that would have for a young kid watching his idols on the pitch?
No-one is asking for a pitch invasion, but It really was a breath of fresh air when Tariqe Fosu came over to the fans at the end of the game at Lincoln city after his Hat-trick.
The young fans were brilliant - selfies, saying well done. It was special... and special sells tickets!!
It needs thought out, but We can do this.
It makes people feel part of something.

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

Lot of passion and thought in this thread but I feel the issue is being overcomplicated - let’s not forget we’re mid table and have lost as many games as we’ve won in the league. If this run continues and we’re running away with the league at Christmas I guarantee attendances will be up. We might obsess about every run of games, every 2-3 wins put together, but the more casual fan goes by the league table and at the moment we’re 10th, that says to them boring mid table team. Go top or close and you’re mentioned much more in the national news, as a fan people start popping up messaging you about the club (I’m sure we’ve all had this) and fans who’ve drifted away start coming back.