[Football] FA Cup attendances

[Simster]

Why are they so poor?

I mean I get that they're not part of a season ticket but you'd think clubs would do more to fill up their grounds. Salford are a league club so a crowd of 1030 is unacceptable in this day and age IMO. Derby County were only playing Crewe but they average 24,000 or so in the league. So a gate of 6,400 for a club that size is absolutely pitiful. The only time you get big crowds at the moment is for a very stark David and Goliath scenario, like Horsham's game last night.

It's a shame. I know the FA Cup isn't what it was, times are quite hard, matches aren't included in season tickets etc. But really, as much as we all blame the FA for systematically reducing the competition to a shell of what it once was, I actually think it is quite well promoted these days (the TV coverage has been comprehensive and pretty good for several seasons now). So I think the professional clubs should shoulder as much of the blame as the FA. They need to be doing more to fill the grounds: get people in and make your money on concessions, include the early rounds in a season ticket package, go out to the schools and encourage those kids into the ground.

Empty stadiums do nothing for the competition except make it look unimportant which it isn't. And that's the thing: the FAC is still a major trophy will look almost as important as a league title win in future years, long after the bone-saw and American spiv types have lost interest in the Premier League.

 

[Normal Rob]

You've answered your own question - the clubs do none of the things you've suggested above in a time when people have very little money.

 

[Simster]

You've answered your own question - the clubs do none of the things you've suggested above in a time when people have very little money.

I think I probably have. I was hoping the conversation might be expanded on though. Perhaps there isn't much more to say...

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

To be fair to Derby, it looks like they tried with cheap prices - Adults £10, £5 u21s although they did seem to limit this around Fan IDs..

https://www.dcfc.co.uk/news/2023/11/fa-cup-ticket-information-crewe-alexandra-h

 

[Husty]

These clubs are also in 3 cup competitions... FA cup, league cup & whatever the JPT is called these days. Binning off at least 1 of those competitions would be a good start.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

The competition has been increasingly marginalised.

It's the equivalent of your local council making your library or bus service ever more rubbish so that when they close it down nobody kicks up a fuss

 

[Uh_huh_him]

It's a weird one.

FA Cup is still an important competition for a lot of us.
Tickets are generally a bit cheaper than Prem games.

 

[Brovion]

Whether it's Chicken and Egg or not but the fans simply aren't interested. Back in the 'old days' if two teams in the same division played each other in the Cup then the Cup crowd would be way bigger than the one for the corresponding league fixture. That's almost unthinkable now.

Nowadays fans see the Cup as a distraction and would rather sacrifice a place in the next round for that 'vital three points' in the next league game. There's been thread after thread and poll after poll on here over the years where a clear majority have that view. "Next year maybe we can concentrate on the Cup, but this year the league is all that matters" is the overarching message.

 

[East Staffs Gull]

Perhaps lower league clubs should include cup games in their season tickets. The prize money for winning an FA cup game will outweigh most or all of the foregone gate receipts.

 

[amexer]

With high cost of living think this is understandable. Supporters giving priority to finding ST money but anything on top is not easy. At Brighton a lower league side will not be an attraction and as usual club will reduce prices. However would think travel will not be included and with Seagull travel now very expensive can understand people giving it a miss especially with addition of European games. There are a lot of people out there who are struggling to pay bills.

 

[Wardy's twin]

With high cost of living think this is understandable. Supporters giving priority to finding ST money but anything on top is not easy. At Brighton a lower league side will not be an attraction and as usual club will reduce prices. However would think travel will not be included and with Seagull travel now very expensive can understand people giving it a miss especially with addition of European games. There are a lot of people out there who are struggling to pay bills.

Very true.

The glamour has gone, we are going toe to toe with the best club in the world twice a year and drawing them in the cup is actually now seen as a killer draw and to top it the cup money is not enough to detract from League performance and that permeates down to probably the middle of league one.

For us the target audience for Cup games shouldn't be the STHs (other than diehards) it should be the peripherals i.e. families and kids and people who can't go regularly for many reasons but are happy with a limited number of games.

Probably the one exception is getting an away draw in London where a lot of 'home' fans are attracted to a cheapish (time & money) awayday in London they might not otherwise get although this season people might want to top up points for Europe.

 

[Mellotron]

Yet another situation I feel would be potentially improved by binning off the League Cup.

 

[SAC]

Clubs tend to put out a mixture of fringe first team players and U23s, therefore you should expect a crowd similar to those of an U23 match. I go to home cup matches but unlikely to go to an away one unless it's cheap to get to. It all changes in the quarter finals though.

 

[BNthree]

Combination of lots of factors but obviously cost is one. The fact clubs often put out a weakened side/play a B team is another.

The suggestion to include early rounds in the season ticket is good or maybe STH get a good discount on the price of tickets?

 

[AZ Gull]

These clubs are also in 3 cup competitions... FA cup, league cup & whatever the JPT is called these days. Binning off at least 1 of those competitions would be a good start.

Bristol Street Motors Trophy.

 

[chrisg]

If we played Crewe, there would be less than 20000 guaranteed.

 

[Eeyore]

Loving it tonight.

Cray Valley player hacked down by keeper as last man- no sending off. But about a yard outside the box- penalty ! Bit of a trade off there,

 

[dazzer6666]

Loving it tonight.

Cray Valley player hacked down by keeper as last man- no sending off. But about a yard outside the box- penalty ! Bit of a trade off there,

Well outside the box, but definitely a red

 

[Eeyore]

Well outside the box, but definitely a red

I can only think it was a linesman half asleep. The ref was a long way from the action. Good bit of lower league shenanigans. Non-league football is the best- when you're not on the receiving end...

 

[albionalex]

If we played Crewe, there would be less than 20000 guaranteed.

Depending on how many loyalty points were given out for it!