- Jul 7, 2003
- 47,499
Where's the Cardiff voice of reason that is the Laughing Bluebird? This must be a cause for concern for City....I suggested Cardiff might get lower crowds than Swansea earlier in the season as well and he said no chance.
Not that we should be taking the piss out of other clubs' crowds, given our position, but it is interesting what can be achieved with the right facilities. Swansea have a lovely new stadium, a promotion winning side, and the momentum to carry that on, judging by their current form. Their gates can only increase. Cardiff, on the other hand...
Cardiff City owner Sam Hammam says the club will face disastrous consequences unless home attendances rise by 20%.
The club sent text messages to 5,000 fans urging them to turn up for Saturday's game with Crystal Palace after a sharp dip in gate receipts.
The average crowd is just over 11,000 this season, but Hammam told BBC Sport: "We have budgeted for 13,000 and we thought that is conservative.
"If out average continues to be low it's a bit of a disaster."
Tuesday's crowd of 9,196 against Leicester was the second lowest of the eleven Championship matches played that night.
The total attendance for the four home games of this season are over 5,000 below last season's total - a frightening statistic for a club £30m in debt.
The more the gates are up the more aggressive we can be in the market and the better we can perform for our fans
Cardiff owner Sam Hammam
Consequently, Hammam has launched a campaign entitled Each One Reach One which is urging Cardiff fans to bring a friend along with them for future home games.
"Every 1,000 (on the gate) is worth £350,000 to the club," added Hammam. "I hope now that the fans will stand up to be counted and really show us they are as ambitious as we are."
Swansea City are averaging nearly 14,000 for their home games in their new 20,000-seater home this season.
Cardiff have been trying to build a new 30,000-seater stadium for years, but the project has been plagued by delays and financial problems.
Cardiff stadium work put on hold
Hammam said construction work on the new stadium could start "in the next few weeks", but conceded that more delays are also likely.
"We've had so many near misses where things were going to start that I don't even dare talk about it anymore," he said.
"But anybody who cares about Wales and Cardiff City Football Club please help us increase the gate.
"The more the gates are up the more aggressive we can be in the market and the better we can perform for our fans."
Not that we should be taking the piss out of other clubs' crowds, given our position, but it is interesting what can be achieved with the right facilities. Swansea have a lovely new stadium, a promotion winning side, and the momentum to carry that on, judging by their current form. Their gates can only increase. Cardiff, on the other hand...
Cardiff City owner Sam Hammam says the club will face disastrous consequences unless home attendances rise by 20%.
The club sent text messages to 5,000 fans urging them to turn up for Saturday's game with Crystal Palace after a sharp dip in gate receipts.
The average crowd is just over 11,000 this season, but Hammam told BBC Sport: "We have budgeted for 13,000 and we thought that is conservative.
"If out average continues to be low it's a bit of a disaster."
Tuesday's crowd of 9,196 against Leicester was the second lowest of the eleven Championship matches played that night.
The total attendance for the four home games of this season are over 5,000 below last season's total - a frightening statistic for a club £30m in debt.
The more the gates are up the more aggressive we can be in the market and the better we can perform for our fans
Cardiff owner Sam Hammam
Consequently, Hammam has launched a campaign entitled Each One Reach One which is urging Cardiff fans to bring a friend along with them for future home games.
"Every 1,000 (on the gate) is worth £350,000 to the club," added Hammam. "I hope now that the fans will stand up to be counted and really show us they are as ambitious as we are."
Swansea City are averaging nearly 14,000 for their home games in their new 20,000-seater home this season.
Cardiff have been trying to build a new 30,000-seater stadium for years, but the project has been plagued by delays and financial problems.
Cardiff stadium work put on hold
Hammam said construction work on the new stadium could start "in the next few weeks", but conceded that more delays are also likely.
"We've had so many near misses where things were going to start that I don't even dare talk about it anymore," he said.
"But anybody who cares about Wales and Cardiff City Football Club please help us increase the gate.
"The more the gates are up the more aggressive we can be in the market and the better we can perform for our fans."
