Todays attendance

[The Oldman]

Well I enjoyed yesterday. Ok the first half was crap but it all livened up in the second. I woud also add that my seat in G block gives me one of the best views in a ground that I have ever had. So we had a bit of drizzle in the last minutes of the game? I used to stand on the east terrace at the Goldstone. Never heard people there whinging about the weather. You've all gone soft you moaners. But you'll be back when the glory days return.

 

[Titanic]

Well I enjoyed yesterday. Ok the first half was crap but it all livened up in the second. I woud also add that my seat in G block gives me one of the best views in a ground that I have ever had.

Yes - G BLOCK is the place to be! I agree it's a great view. Sadly I was travelling back from hols yesterday so missed that rare beast - A HOME WIN

Did you get the usual added bonus of not having your peaceful enjoyment of the football spoiled by any noise from the so-called 'singing section' ?

 

[The Oldman]

Yes - G BLOCK is the place to be! I agree it's a great view. Sadly I was travelling back from hols yesterday so missed that rare beast - A HOME WIN

Did you get the usual added bonus of not having your peaceful enjoyment of the football spoiled by any noise from the so-called 'singing section' ?

Quite right. Singing Section indeed! A few arms waving in the air; shouts of Albion and that was it!

G & F blocks were leading the "Seagulls" chants and there was more noise coming from the Family Stand than the "Singing section". Mind you Dave The Gaffer was not there yesterday. He was watching the rain come down at Dicker.
I am told he has a wonderful voice.

 

[portlock seagull]

I think that's a mega reason.

Knight and Perry are sucking up to the seaon ticket holders on such a ridiculous level after the West Ham fiasco, that they have completely ignored the less regular/wealthy fan.

I think they can afford to ignore them if they only turn up to one AWAY game a season against Premiership opposition. Fairweather fans? Not even that. And don't forget, STH's put their money where their mouth is - I'm not wealthy, I just prioritise.

 

[portlock seagull]

I also think the long predicted scenario about aging fan bases is starting to bite. A lot of my mates in mid-30's are having children and can't go as often. But their place in the ranks aren't replaced because kids were priced out of football in the 90's like never before. Add the fact there are many more distractions since I was a lad, the sterile atmosphere of football etc, plus our own unique problems as a club, and that's why the 'down to the hardcore' numbers are worryingly depreciating and a once well supported club. We've lost a generation of fans, it'll simply take a generation to get them back through clever and original work.

 

[cjd]

Bournemouth 5606
Brighton 5137
Bristol Rovers 7750
Carlisle 7777
Gillingham 5302
Hartlepool 5544
Leeds 24036
Orient 4524
Millwall 8671
Swansea 17720
Swindon 7520
Yeovil 5071

I can picture uncle Ken this morning in his counting house with those 24,000 lots of £20 in front of him, thinking.....


"Now, how can I divide this money...? Football supporters are easy to con.....


£10 for the club......£10 for me

£10 for the club......£10 for me

£10 for the club......£10 for me............





Oh...! Just a minute.....these are Leeds supporters.......





£5 for the club....£15 for me......

£5 for the club....£15 for me......

£5 for the club....£15 for me......."

 

[eastlondonseagull]

There were hardly any Northampton fans there yesterday, 150 max I reckon, and the Northampton fans I spoke to in the Sportsman afterwards said that they'd actively boycotted the game because of the pricing. The chap I spoke to (Northampton season ticket holder) said he was surprised that that many had attended, cos the general consensus among their fans was that they were no longer prepared to be ripped off price-wise.

Think that says it all, really. Unless we reduce ticket prices, attendances will continue to fall.

On a brighter note, me and Seagull Stew spoke to Jake and Alex Revell in the pub after, top blokes, and they said they'd been impressed with the atmosphere second half yesterday - Alex said it only improved once the game got a bit feisty and he thought that that seems to be the key with our home support. Both praised away fans.

Rev also said that Hammond had a gash on his knee from Northampton bloke's studs, but that he was ok.

 

[sir albion]

There were hardly any Northampton fans there yesterday, 150 max I reckon, and the Northampton fans I spoke to in the Sportsman afterwards said that they'd actively boycotted the game because of the pricing. The chap I spoke to (Northampton season ticket holder) said he was surprised that that many had attended, cos the general consensus among their fans was that they were no longer prepared to be ripped off price-wise.

Think that says it all, really. Unless we reduce ticket prices, attendances will continue to fall.

On a brighter note, me and Seagull Stew spoke to Jake and Alex Revell in the pub after, top blokes, and they said they'd been impressed with the atmosphere second half yesterday - Alex said it only improved once the game got a bit feisty and he thought that that seems to be the key with our home support. Both praised away fans.

Rev also said that Hammond had a gash on his knee from Northampton bloke's studs, but that he was ok.

I can't understand why people actually moan about the small gates,there is nothing good about the withdean and as is stated here even away fans have had enough

We have a crap team with a shite stadium and shite facilities and charge £25,im surprised we get 5k+ to be honest

I went to a home game once and will never go there again if i can help it

 

[Storer68]

Northampton charge £19-£22 fo admission to Sixfield

Leeds £22-£30 depending on the "glamour" of the opposition

 

[Storer68]

I also think the long predicted scenario about aging fan bases is starting to bite. A lot of my mates in mid-30's are having children and can't go as often. But their place in the ranks aren't replaced because kids were priced out of football in the 90's like never before. Add the fact there are many more distractions since I was a lad, the sterile atmosphere of football etc, plus our own unique problems as a club, and that's why the 'down to the hardcore' numbers are worryingly depreciating and a once well supported club. We've lost a generation of fans, it'll simply take a generation to get them back through clever and original work.

what he said.

look around you............................ how many people do you see who are obviusly under 35

 

[cjd]

what he said.

look around you............................ how many people do you see who are obviusly under 35

There was an interesting poll on here a few weeks back, asking who had been to the Goldstone. If I recall, 95% of those who voted, said they had first started watching the Albion at the Goldstone.The Goldstone has been gone for 10 years now. Our fanbase for new supporters is unsustainable if we,re are only going to attract an increase of 5% over a ten year period.
If we can,t improve our present home (Withdean) due to restrictions etc etc, then the only alternatives, are to decrease prices substantially (extremely unlikely and probably unaffordable) or an increase in investment on the playing side,..(I,m not suggesting we do a "Leeds"........a couple of decent players, with "more bums on seats" financing it).


Was it not Winston Churchill, who led this country to victory during WW 2, only to find himself booted out of office at the next General Election, because the country was fed up with rationing and austerity.....?

 

[Soul Finger]

Again the problem is that there is no way the club can reduce prices straight away as they have just had STH renew their tickets ...for me at £413.

If say next home game they say ...OK we will drop the prices to say £15 a pop...then as far as I am concerned and most of the STH's they can go and f*** right off if they think I am ever going to renew again.

Yes by all means drop prices after xmas, but to do so now would be seriously taking the piss

That is a good point

 

[burrish gull]

You used to get a buzz out of going to football. It used to be fun, relaxed, a bit of a laugh, and there used to be an edge to going to live games. You could pop down to the Goldstone, stand on the terraces, have a laugh, join in the banter, sing and shout, and go home feeling a hell of a lot better. Now most league football is as dull as f***. It's corporate family wank. You get your bollocks seat and you're supposed to sit there, behave, smile and clap like you're watching the f***ing theatre. There's no atmosphere and very little to make it an exciting live experience. f*** dancing girls and a dodgy gay winking bird macot. Live football is about as fun as watching it on the tv. So why bother paying £25 to go and be somewhere where the view is shit, the food and drink is shit and overpriced, you get rained on, and travelling there is crap? If it cost, say, £15 to watch Brighton I would be there most weeks. But I need to get a return for my time and money at the weekend. £25 plus travel and sides = £50 minimum for me for a Brighton match. No way can I do that on even a semi regular basis. The cricket gets good crowds because it's more laid back, it's cheap, it's fun, you can have a laugh and it's just a better experience.

That is THE post of the year in my opinion Although its not the clubs fault Withdean is shite I really do feel its time to reduce prices for certain games (and not just the family stand).

 

[durrington gull]

Low expectations and high prices are the main factors - add on the lack of many new faces, the Withdean factor and the holiday season and the low attendance is not entirely surprising.

What does surprise me though is how few comments ever get made about the prices ! Harty went on about the low attendance on SCR tonight but never even mentioned that price might be a factor. In my office I know of 5 other colleagues who no longer go regularly BECAUSE OF THE HIGH TICKET PRICES.

Don't give me all that crap about loyalty and the season ticket holders being the more loyal fans - there are probably several thousand fans who want to go to 5, 10, maybe a dozen games a season but can't commit to a season ticket due to other family or work commitments for example. We mustn't ignore the fact that these are people we need to be doing more to attract even if they don't come for every game, but by charging £23-£27 for a ticket for Div3 football with the lack of pay on the day, it's not attractive to the more casual fan.

These fans are still vital to the club even if they don't go to every match. Come Falmer the pricing strategy of the club has to be re-evaluated IMO or otherwise we're going to lose the future supporters. I've been a ST holder for the last 15 years, but if the prices had'nt been reduced this year I probably would'nt have renewed as my budget is stretched as it is - especially with the increase in mortgage payments over the last few months.

Certainly better product on the pitch will attract more people but I'm pretty sure that ticket prices are a major factor for more fans than people realise.

Spot on, I like many others go to a handful of games each season, but the absolute top price for 3rd tier football IMO is £20.

 

[Scoffers]

Abso-bloody-lutely

Glad you agree !!

 

[Dave the OAP]

You used to get a buzz out of going to football. It used to be fun, relaxed, a bit of a laugh, and there used to be an edge to going to live games. You could pop down to the Goldstone, stand on the terraces, have a laugh, join in the banter, sing and shout, and go home feeling a hell of a lot better. Now most league football is as dull as f***. It's corporate family wank. You get your bollocks seat and you're supposed to sit there, behave, smile and clap like you're watching the f***ing theatre. There's no atmosphere and very little to make it an exciting live experience. f*** dancing girls and a dodgy gay winking bird macot. Live football is about as fun as watching it on the tv. So why bother paying £25 to go and be somewhere where the view is shit, the food and drink is shit and overpriced, you get rained on, and travelling there is crap? If it cost, say, £15 to watch Brighton I would be there most weeks. But I need to get a return for my time and money at the weekend. £25 plus travel and sides = £50 minimum for me for a Brighton match. No way can I do that on even a semi regular basis. The cricket gets good crowds because it's more laid back, it's cheap, it's fun, you can have a laugh and it's just a better experience.

I think that may be the best post EVER on here.

 

[Falmer Flutter ©]

Was in the club shop at about 2.15 and a bloke came in and asked whether he could get a ticket for the game. He was told that there were loads available, but he would have to go to the internet café up the road to order one and then pick it up at the ground. He said he wouldn't bother. Now, I know this was one bloke and there's nothing that can be done until Falmer, but we do seem to be missing out the casual supporters just turning up on the day.

 

[Silent Bob]

Was in the club shop at about 2.15 and a bloke came in and asked whether he could get a ticket for the game. He was told that there were loads available, but he would have to go to the internet café up the road to order one and then pick it up at the ground. He said he wouldn't bother. Now, I know this was one bloke and there's nothing that can be done until Falmer, but we do seem to be missing out the casual supporters just turning up on the day.

Can they not book one for him in the club shop?

Or sell him one?

I thought the reason it's not pay on the gate is because they don't want loads of people milling around Withdean or whatever, where's the harm in the club shop selling them?

 

[Simster]

For me, the price is a secondary issue because whether it's 15 or 25 a ticket, it's still expensive to take the family. So it boils down to this:

* Shit value for money. I'm careful with my cash these days, so I expect value when I part with it. Live football doesn't offer value for money and this applies to most football clubs. I was considering Soton v Stoke this weekend coming up, but even in a proper stadium and a good(ish) standard, it doesn't appeal.
* Opportunity cost. I have two small kids - for the £60-70 it would cost to take them to Albion, we could go to a theme park. And with a theme park, I *know* my kids are going to come away having enjoyed themselves, even if its raining.
* And the Albion specific issue: I can't decide *on the day* to simply walk up and pay on the gate. Sure I could source tickets, but it is arse-ache, and I don't want the aggravation on a Saturday.

To me, it's all too clear why Withdean gates are pony: it's a shit experience offering appalling value for money. I'm not blaming the club for all of that, but that is how it is.

 

[Dave the OAP]

following on from the STH post above, I am not saying ST's are more loyal or anything than the fan who doesnt get one. ST's are purchased by those who can afford it, or like me do it out of habit.

I think this ST debate has only really started since WHU, and the club should realise that when we were on the up, had only 6000 seats available then the only way you could get in was by ST ( that guaranteed you a place)...now you do not have that.

My concern for B&HA is possibly one not of our making but its this:

Getting a ticket for a game is a hassle. I know you can phone up blah blah blah, BUT its a hassle. At the Goldstone, you had the ability, so long as you lived near enough to make a decision to go at 10 to 3 on a Saturday. I can remember being in Shades pub in Brighton when a bunch of mates turned up, I was going with the Mrs to the footy and they all agreed to come along after a few beers. we went to teh Goldstone, we all paid ( Mrs and I had ST's) and all stood together on teh Chicken Run. It was an "off the cuff" decision. That would not happen now. Even if you decide to go, you have to phone the club by 2:00 ish, you are not guaranteed to sit by your mates..you queue up to pick up your tickets......its a hassle. Floating fans WHO WE ARE DESPARATE TO ATTRACT do not need hassle. You cant park anywhere for fear of Naxi stewards looking at you as if you have crawled out from a stone.

From what I have heard, Falmer MAY be the same, ie no pay on the day. If it is, it will again be a hassle and we do not want hassle.

Whatever the bobble hatted greenies believe, people like to go to the football by CAR. 80% of Albion fans go away in their cars ( yes some go by train, but its expensive and inconvenient) You make it a hassle and people wont bother.

the post above about sanitised football is absolutely spot on and making it DIFFICULT to see sanitised football just exacerbates the problem.