[Football] ***Brighton and Hove Albion v Birmingham City, WSL, Amex, 14.00 KO***

[blue-shifted]

You know what I also noticed, hardly anyone left early and most stayed behind to cheer the team.

And one of the reasons for this is that the players came along to the side of the East Stand and actually went over the advertising hoardings and into the crowd for selfies etc. One of them high fived my boy. More interaction with the players is one of the real selling points

 

[Easy 10]

True, it might be part of the long term strategy though. Free tickets to get people interested then start charging when they're hooked.....................only time will tell but I think it's only going one way.
High levels of no-shows when tickets are free are bound to happen - by comparison we probably had 20% no-show rate at the Amex v Norwich for people paying £25+ per ticket simply because it was a bit damp.

I remain to be convinced enough people who go to (say) Stamford Bridge, or the Amex, or the Emirates on a freebie will actually get "hooked" enough to bother actually paying for a ticket to go and see a game at Kinsgmeadow, or Lancing (if we end up there), or at a satellite training ground/stadium or a non-league or lower division ground.

I think a lot of these fans who turn up on a freebie to a Premier League stadium are largely going as tourists, for the opportunity of taking in a sporting event at a famous / world class stadium for nothing. Its out of curiosity and may be more about the venue than the actual event.

It MAY translate to a few more regular paying customers at the turnstile when the women return to their normal lower-league venues, but I have my doubts. Average numbers at those grounds have been on the decline for several seasons now, so these artificial one-off boosts in attendances through free tickets at PL grounds are not really addressing the trend.

 

[blue-shifted]

It's not just for the women to play in - but the entire range of age groups other than the first team. It can also be used for non-league and county/schools/uni showpieces rather than having to open up the Amex.

7500 for a school showpiece? Why should TB pay for this?

It won't be easy to get planning permission for a new stadium for u23 games when we have a facility which is clearly suitable for these purposes

Sorry, but anyone who thinks it's a good idea for Brighton and Hove Albion to have a second stadium, in addition to the Amex and the training ground is stark staring mad ... or they just haven't considered how much it would cost to do this.

Happy to admit i'm wrong and make a decent AITC donation if the club every announce they are going to build a second stadium*, but I don't believe for a second we are considering it Let me know

* not impossible they will add a few seats to the one at the training ground, but even then, I doubt it

 

[dazzer6666]

I remain to be convinced enough people who go to (say) Stamford Bridge, or the Amex, or the Emirates on a freebie will actually get "hooked" enough to bother actually paying for a ticket to go and see a game at Kinsgmeadow, or Lancing (if we end up there), or at a satellite training ground/stadium or a non-league or lower division ground.

I think a lot of these fans who turn up on a freebie to a Premier League stadium are largely going as tourists, for the opportunity of taking in a sporting event at a famous / world class stadium for nothing. Its out of curiosity and may be more about the venue than the actual event.

It MAY translate to a few more regular paying customers at the turnstile when the women return to their normal lower-league venues, but I have my doubts. Average numbers at those grounds have been on the decline for several seasons now, so these artificial one-off boosts in attendances through free tickets at PL grounds are not really addressing the trend.

On the decline for several seasons ? Attendances in the WSL are 47% up this season so far (excluding using the main stadia). From what I've read English numbers are generally going up - not the case across much of Europe though interestingly. There was over 1,000 at Lewes a couple of weeks ago (despite the horrendous weather) - when we were at home too which potentially had quite an impact on that number. .

 

[BensGrandad]

Although I suggested to upgrade part of Lancing to make a small stadium the most obvious place as Withdean and just rent it from the council everybody happy the club doing something, the team getting bigger crowds and BH Council providing something for the town.

I am fairly sure I read that Withdean has always been a white elephant and the only time it covered it self was when we used it for EFL games.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

So I attended yesterday and i've been to plenty of u23 games in the last few years.

Want to be more specific in your criticisms?

I'm picking a fella up on saying we can't divert the money from womens game to the mens because of FFP. We can. I think I was quite clear that i'm not advocating this, but we could.

You need to re-read and re-think

Fair do's, I am blasting off to my own Albion galaxy far far away, before I become a citizen of 'Mansplaning World'.

Keep the faith, I will be back in time for the Leicester City game, where we can both shout on the Albion to a win over the new top 6 side.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

I am fairly sure I read that Withdean has always been a white elephant and the only time it covered it self was when we used it for EFL games.

Who owns it and did we say we would never use it again to not upset the neighbors.

But would be a great location.

 

[Easy 10]

On the decline for several seasons ? Attendances in the WSL are 47% up this season so far (excluding using the main stadia). From what I've read English numbers are generally going up - not the case across much of Europe though interestingly. There was over 1,000 at Lewes a couple of weeks ago (despite the horrendous weather) - when we were at home too which potentially had quite an impact on that number. .

Last season, the average WSL attendance was down by 11% to 953.

I'll stand to be corrected, but I've not seen any figures this season indicating such an enormous surge in average attendances, certainly not without taking into account these artificial boosts from free ticket events at PL stadiums.

Manchester Utd's arrival in the WSL will probably provide a boost of sorts, but when the average is starting from such a low threshold, one club arriving that can attract 3 or 4k will have quite an impact on the overall average when so many attendances are counted in the hundreds.

 

[BensGrandad]

Who owns it and did we say we would never use it again to not upset the neighbors.

But would be a great location.

Isnt it owned by the council and has a covenant that it must be used as a sports venue. I know it sounds a little blase but does it matter to use now what the neighbours think? I thought that it was used by a county standard team. Or perhaps we could do a deal with Whitehawk to use their ground, how many does it hold? Possibly not big enough.

 

[dazzer6666]

Last season, the average WSL attendance was down by 11% to 953.

I'll stand to be corrected, but I've not seen any figures this season indicating such an enormous surge in average attendances, certainly not without taking into account these artificial boosts from free ticket events at PL stadiums.

Manchester Utd's arrival in the WSL will probably provide a boost of sorts, but when the average is starting from such a low threshold, one club arriving that can attract 3 or 4k will have quite an impact on the overall average when so many attendances are counted in the hundreds.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50308454

 

[Sorrel]

Before I went I was interested in women's football at all. Now I understand that it can be a different but reasonable sport and I'll look for the results. Can't say I'm likely to go again in the near future, but I wish the team well.

 

[Palacefinder General]

People still banging on negatively about it being ‘women’s football.’ Do none of you have young daughters? What a fantastic thing to be able to do as a parent and an Albion fan, taking your child along to one of these, with female sporting role models on show.

 

[hart's shirt]

What a fantastic thing to be able to do as a parent and an Albion fan, taking your child along to one of these, with female sporting role models on show.

Agreed. Few if any on here are denying the validity of the sport.

The question why so many parents and Albion fans clearly didn't take their children along yesterday at little to no cost still stands though.

 

[*Gullsworth*]

Agreed. Few if any on here are denying the validity of the sport.

The question why so many parents and Albion fans clearly didn't take their children along yesterday at little to no cost still stands though.

Perhaps if you attend a WSL match the club could give a discount for future Premier League matches.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I read this then saw your location, and it really must be light years away. But a hello from Planet Earth, if your passing come along to an U23 or Womens game and see how world of the Albion has moved on this century.

Over 4,000 in for the last home game. That's better than most of the home attendances for the men's team when we played at Gillingham. I made some disparaging comments about the standard, 15 years ago. I was wrong (not about the standard but about the point - I was missing the point).

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I didn't go to the game on sunday, partially because I'm only really interested in Emily Simpkins at this point - not the team as such.

You know what I also noticed, hardly anyone left early and most stayed behind to cheer the team.

And one of the reasons for this is that the players came along to the side of the East Stand and actually went over the advertising hoardings and into the crowd for selfies etc. One of them high fived my boy. More interaction with the players is one of the real selling points

[MENTION=13055]Ninja Elephant[/MENTION]...

 

[hart's shirt]

Perhaps if you attend a WSL match the club could give a discount for future Premier League matches.

I'd link them, but slightly differently.

With every season ticket sold for BHA Men's team, there's an amount factored in for a discounted season ticket to watch every Brighton Women's home game.

These would all be played at the AMEX, some possibly straight after the regular Men's match, for a double header. This would encourage the crowd to stay and watch, increase F&B and merch sales and give the Albion Women more visibility. We could be the first club to do this - a first to be rightly proud of in terms of equality and inclusivity - and this would help the awareness of a club that promotes its men's and women's teams equally. After all, they both wear the same badge.

If season ticket holders chose to turn up to watch the Albion Women, all the better. If not, then it's their choice as they've already contributed. This would also put a value on watching Albion Women and a greater appreciation, rather than giving thousands of tickets out for free and fostering a 'begging for attendance' culture. If people pay for something, they often tend to appreciate it more. It could help to develop a core support from those already interested both in football and the Albion.

Obviously there would some issues regarding changing facilities to be addressed as well as pitch issues, but IMHO it would be worth it for the bigger picture.

 

[Billy the Fish]

One point about the women's game being financially sustainable. Why should it be financially sustainable when the men's game hasn't been for the last 50 years?

Thinking about it, someone mentioned the men's game subsidising the women's game - how is that possible when the men's game still runs at a loss?

The owners are subsidising both formats.

 

[tigertim68]

Over 4,000 in for the last home game. That's better than most of the home attendances for the men's team when we played at Gillingham. I made some disparaging comments about the standard, 15 years ago. I was wrong (not about the standard but about the point - I was missing the point).

Don’t be Pratt mate , it’s a 150 mile return journey to Gillingham , plus us 4000 were not paying a pound to get in , if it was not for us fans who used to keep the club alive in those dark days , we would not even have a team to support

 

[*Gullsworth*]

Don’t be Pratt mate , it’s a 150 mile return journey to Gillingham , plus us 4000 were not paying a pound to get in , if it was not for us fans who used to keep the club alive in those dark days , we would not even have a team to support

6000 wasn't there for a couple of games if my memory serves me right, I think they were both for end of season games when we thought it would be the last game there.


Edit one over 6k and another over 4k