Average age of supporters who attend home games regularly - & what it means for the future

[CHAPPERS]

is this because you keep standing up?

One of the reasons.

 

[Miximate]

I'm 52, jnr is 18. Average of 35

 

[Nixonator]

You can't tell me the lower west has a younger demographic than the upper?! Those are the posh (non-1901) seats, home of the Goldstone weststanders, no?

Having sat in both I can tell you the WL is nothing like what the West at the Goldstone was like.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

I was sipping a pint of Harveys in the Upper West before the Cardiff game and regarding my fellow supporters and was struck by how old we all are. I'm in my mid 50s and it seemed to me that a good 80-90% of people around me were, like me, white, male, mid 50s.

Does this sound right to you?

Or am I just screening out the young uns?

There are obviously a few women, a few teenagers, a few kids, but - overwhelmingly - it seems to me it's full of older blokes.

Not surprising, as modern prices mean attending matches is not as accessible as it was in the good old days of terraces, but what does this mean for the club? In 20-30 years how will clubs reconnect with today's younger people, many of whom have never got into attending matches? Or will people develop the habit later in life when they are more likely to have the financial means?

What do you think about this?

I'm not sure it's ever been any different. It wouldn't surprise me if you looked at the 70s and it was very similar.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

I was sipping a pint of Harveys in the Upper West before the Cardiff game and regarding my fellow supporters and was struck by how old we all are. I'm in my mid 50s and it seemed to me that a good 80-90% of people around me were, like me, white, male, mid 50s.

Does this sound right to you?

Or am I just screening out the young uns?

There are obviously a few women, a few teenagers, a few kids, but - overwhelmingly - it seems to me it's full of older blokes.

Not surprising, as modern prices mean attending matches is not as accessible as it was in the good old days of terraces, but what does this mean for the club? In 20-30 years how will clubs reconnect with today's younger people, many of whom have never got into attending matches? Or will people develop the habit later in life when they are more likely to have the financial means?

What do you think about this?

SUMS UP modern FOOTBALL , nice and comfy
regards
DR

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

I'm not sure it's ever been any different. It wouldn't surprise me if you looked at the 70s and it was very similar.

used to be a lot more 20 's /30's age bracket going late 70'S through to early 2000 now it's a stagnant support , that's not a good way to be going
regards
DR

 

[FatSuperman]

If you listen to this interview with the head of marketing, Tom Gorringe, from 18 minutes in he starts talking about the ages of our fan base. We have a spike from 16-18 (or over-index as he puts it), and then from 18 to mid 30s it drops off, before peaking again for older supporters (basically down to playing at Withdean and Gillingham for 14 years).

So based upon this, your fear is unfounded. We are attracting a large number of younger supporters, but struggle to convert those in their 20s and 30s.

https://audioboom.com/posts/5030263-tom-gorringe

The majority of my mates (mid-30s) support Chelsea. :$

I remember around 1990 going on a school trip for a week (to somewhere near Birmingham I think), getting chased around this forest by a bunch of local kids because they teased me for supporting Brighton (more following at that stage) and I retaliated. They were Liverpool supporters, naturally.

 

[CP 0 3 BHA]

Interesting debate.

The WSU is probably a demographic timebomb for the club. Give it 10-15 years and knees and hips will start failing en-masse,, assisted on the way by over consumption at altitude of Harveys and Pies.

 

[Normski1989]

If you listen to this interview with the head of marketing, Tom Gorringe, from 18 minutes in he starts talking about the ages of our fan base. We have a spike from 16-18 (or over-index as he puts it), and then from 18 to mid 30s it drops off, before peaking again for older supporters (basically down to playing at Withdean and Gillingham for 14 years).

So based upon this, your fear is unfounded. We are attracting a large number of younger supporters, but struggle to convert those in their 20s and 30s.

https://audioboom.com/posts/5030263-tom-gorringe

As part of the 20-30 age bracket, I think it's down to both time and money.

I'm often away at weekends or working, so I don't commit to a season ticket anymore, because I'd miss too many games. I'm also saving as much money as possible to raise a deposit for a mortgage, which is becoming increasingly more difficult, so have limited disposable income. I do try to attend as many games as possible though and plan to get a season ticket again when I'm on a property ladder, even though I'm expecting a long waiting list, but imagine that there's a fair few people in a similar situation.

I do see a lot of young fans at the games though, so don't think that's a problem. I've taken my six year old nephew to a few games and he loves putting on his Albion kit and waving his scarf/flag.

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

To be honest at the age of sixty I behave more like I did at the age of twenty-----------hence the amount of trouble I've been in since the Amex

We need more people like me

 

[Nixonator]

As part of the 20-30 age bracket, I think it's down to both time and money.

I'm often away at weekends or working, so I don't commit to a season ticket anymore, because I'd miss too many games. I'm also saving as much money as possible to raise a deposit for a mortgage, which is becoming increasingly more difficult, so have limited disposable income. I do try to attend as many games as possible though and plan to get a season ticket again when I'm on a property ladder, even though I'm expecting a long waiting list, but imagine that there's a fair few people in a similar situation.

I do see a lot of young fans at the games though, so don't think that's a problem. I've taken my six year old nephew to a few games and he loves putting on his Albion kit and waving his scarf/flag.

That goes for any age bracket surely?

The 18-30 bracket drop-off is undoubtedly because of the spiral downwards after wembley 1991, which is incidentally where I started my journey.

From experience, it was more than tough growing up as a young teen in the 90's with not fully understanding what was going on at the club at the time. With the introduction of the Premiership in the same period (yes that's what it was ****ing called then) and easy access to live matches on Sky, it's really no surprise that this age bracket is behind the rest.

There's no harm in converting to the albion from some london based conglomerate shithouse of a club and many have. I don't hold it against them that they didn't want to support the albion through the grinder as it was an entirely miserable experience, but many of our fans alienate these people by taking the better fan approach.

My main problem are those within the 18-35 bracket who stick to supporting the clubs (that 90% have never seen live) they chose during the dawn of the PREMIERSHIP when their local club is on the rise, and pass it onto their kids.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

To be honest at the age of sixty I behave more like I did at the age of twenty-----------hence the amount of trouble I've been in since the Amex

We need more people like me

I bet the OB up in their box have a right old chuckle at your "antics", big brothers always watching you
regards
DR

 

[bn1&bn3 Albion]

Haven't read the whole thread but the stand you're in and what day the game is on would have a large impact on lack of youths.

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

I bet the OB up in their box have a right old chuckle at your "antics", big brothers always watching you
regards
DR

At Leeds match after getting a few massive sat behind me ejected, I was told by a young steward that the cameras were on me.
I asked Taxi Man in front of me what was my best profile

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

At Leeds match after getting a few massive sat behind me ejected, I was told by a young steward that the cameras were on me.
I asked Taxi Man in front of me what was my best profile

, you'll be getting a nice letter from the club
regards
DR

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

, you'll be getting a nice letter from the club
regards
DR

I did --- invited me to BEAMBACK against Brentford.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

I did --- invited me to BEAMBACK against Brentford.

maybe the bar staff put a good word in for you
regards
DR

 

[Supadupahands]

I regularly bring a 9,10 and 71 yo, well actually he brings us!

 

[Exile]

now it's a stagnant support , that's not a good way to be going
regards
DR

No it isn't. There are THOUSANDS of kids at the Amex every game, enjoying themselves.

You should try it, sometime.

 

[Exile]

I was sipping a pint of Harveys in the Upper West before the Cardiff game and regarding my fellow supporters and was struck by how old we all are. I'm in my mid 50s and it seemed to me that a good 80-90% of people around me were, like me, white, male, mid 50s.

Does this sound right to you?

Or am I just screening out the young uns?

There are obviously a few women, a few teenagers, a few kids, but - overwhelmingly - it seems to me it's full of older blokes.

Not surprising, as modern prices mean attending matches is not as accessible as it was in the good old days of terraces, but what does this mean for the club? In 20-30 years how will clubs reconnect with today's younger people, many of whom have never got into attending matches? Or will people develop the habit later in life when they are more likely to have the financial means?

What do you think about this?

Most of your points have been answered already, but here's one more for you:

Before the Amex even opened, during the previous season, there was that whole pre-sale process, in the portacabins at the site. You were invited to your session, to choose your new seat, in strict order of 'loyalty' (the length you'd held your existing ST, for instance). Thus, many of the best seats, in the central blocks of WSU all went to older fans, who'd rightly got first dibs. (Remember ESU didn't even exist then, so if you like a high viewpoint, there was only this choice).