A few musings

[DTG]

I went to Home Park for the Stourbridge match and as a very occassional visitor had tremendous difficulty finding out "what to do". Where to get our tickets, where in the ground we would be and where to go. I had only ever been in the away end before.

The signage around Home Park was poor and the staff could not even tell me where in the ground we would be sitting. When we got to the turnstiles we found we could have paid on the gate anyway.

The match was advertised as £10 tickets, which was enough to make me go to the game, but I left with a very poor impression.

I think the work Andrew and the club have done on improving signage around the ground, at the ticket office, and staffing outside the ground is quite superb and gives a totally different image to that I had at Home Park last week where there were no signs and no staff to offer help for the new visitor. Andrew himself was leading from the front for the Argyle match which was the first time I have seen this at Plainmoor and juding by the number of questions he was answering, I think his time was very well spent.

I think the priority of improving all of this (in pretty quick time considering the resources available) should be commended as there seems little point in welcoming new fans to Plainmoor without an organised and friendly welcome awaiting them when they do decide to come.

On the point of season ticket holders, I for one, do not buy my ticket so save money. I buy it to ensure that I get the same seat for every game and am with the same group of people and also because Mrs Mid Devon never gives me enough pocket money on a weekly basis!

I would however like the club to "trust" it's season ticket holders more e.g allow us to bring a friend to an evening match in January or February for half price or even for free. The fear from the board of directors being that we would just give the oportunity to those who would normally go of course, but I think if properly launched many season ticket holders would bring someone different along.

I suggested this to the club along with a number of other ideas last season. Nothing happened, no feedback, not even a not interested. Our STH's are the lifeblood and the very people who don't have to be convinced. I'm positive they could lure a fallen fan back with the right offer. I hope it gets some attention this time. As for the Xmas offer.....seriously, who came up with that one? I'll eat my scarf if you sell more than 10.

[royalgull]

That would be a 25% drop in prices which requires a 33% increase in attendances to break even. Do you think that is likely? Should the club do it even if results in an overall drop in income for the club?

Like I said I meant football generally not just TUFC. £17 to watch League 2 football (stood up!) is an absolute disgrace.

With only 2 stands we couldn't get a 33% increase I doubt, with the new stand built would it be that bad an idea? Mixed in with the added promotion as suggested on this thread. Fill the ground. Even if the money made by having more people paying less was to be about the same as having a smaller crowd paying more, you then factor in more people buying food and drink, buying programmes, using the club shop, using boots and laces etc.

You then build a fan base, a more regular fan base, people get the football 'bug' the next season you sell more season tickets etc. Give tickets out to school kids, local charities, the army just get people in the ground. Be seen to be a 'community' club.

[Plymouth Gull]

Firstly, am I glad that this thread has come to life now! There was me thinking all that first post was a waste of time!

Secondly, good points all round, I've read the replies with great interest.

Royal, I must say that I agree with you - football has got way out of hand recently. The above post is one I totally agree with - people aren't going to be enticed if it's alot - especially families. Like you say, 4 tickets, food, drink, merchandise and a programme is one expensive day out - especially for 90 minutes. You could get a much cheaper day at the Zoo for much less, for example.

I think it is something the Club could consider - the current tactics aren't working so I don't think a new, cheaper approach would hurt, especially if the advertising of the Club is soon to be improved.

Also, cheers to Mr Candy for coming on and joining the debate.

[AlexGulls]

Could it be worth doing some offers? I mean for example Vale are charging £5 for everyone on Friday maybe we could attempt it for say Barnet? Try and get a bit more interest in a game which doesnt exactly sound fantastically exciting...Another example at Accrington a few seasons back they let everyone in for free to try and get more through the gate. I'm not suggesting we do the same but my point is other clubs maybe two or three times a season do discount deals like that to try and get numbers through the gate and raise abit more interest in it...

[Mav]

With regards to the fictional family. Surely a family ticket is the answer to that?
This is something that you get at all kinds of attractions/entertainment places. Having a reduced cost from approx £50, to something more realistic encourages the family to come as against, just one adult.

[DTG]

Could it be worth doing some offers? I mean for example Vale are charging £5 for everyone on Friday maybe we could attempt it for say Barnet? Try and get a bit more interest in a game which doesnt exactly sound fantastically exciting...Another example at Accrington a few seasons back they let everyone in for free to try and get more through the gate. I'm not suggesting we do the same but my point is other clubs maybe two or three times a season do discount deals like that to try and get numbers through the gate and raise abit more interest in it...

I think the PV and Accy offers smack of desperation. In the end you send out completely the wrong message and devalue your Brand by doing things like that. It's more about creating value for your customers and attracting new ones. The fact is we have to compete these days with other more attractive options.....like shopping with the mrs (?). We have to make coming up to Plainmoor an option again. Instead of dragging your boy around Tesco's, give them an out like "you know what son, let's go and watch some footie". Sounds stupid I know, but appealing to value, alternatives and also emotion actually works. The smart advertising has been doing it for years. Football needs to get more creative.

[AlexGulls]

They were used as examples. I'm sure there was someone else that did a good offer this season (might of been last cant remember now) my point is if the club did this a couple of times a season maybe some that take up the offer of a cheap deal would enjoy it enough to come up and surport there local team on a more regular basis. Also could be worth Kid for a quid? Theres plenty down here that surport the big prem teams etc who like football but dont come to Plainmoor maybe something to encourage them to come more often..

[Plymouth Gull]

Personally, I think we'll get a few more through the gates when the Grandstand is done - not many, maybe 100 or so. Chesterfield's ground move has helped them massively, especially with a title-winning season tied in last year. They used to average 3k at Saltergate, now they're averaging 6k. Big difference. I'm not saying that'll happen to us, but if we can get Bristows Bench done up, perhaps reduce prices to a more respectable price (not saying ours aren't right now as others are more expensive) and give more of an appeal out to locals then who knows. Like someone said, once you attract the floating fans, they'll eventually become regulars, and the fan base then increases..

[HRG]

Hereford held a family day earlier this month with special ticket prices:
http://bullsnews.blogspot.com/2011/11/f ... treet.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Something like that would be good.

[MidDevon]

On the subject of family tickets we went to Morecambe the only time Torquay played at the old ground Christie Park, and we purchased a family ticket for £25 which allowed 2 adults and 2 children in, we only had 1 lad with us, but it still left me with a great feeling about the club.

[Dave]

The idea for a season ticket holder to bring a friend in for half price is a cracking idea, i have a lot of football loving friends who dont suppport Torquay who would come if they could get half price....now lets play a game of "simple Simon says" on that idea.

Like the idea for online ticket sales aswell, having the chance to book/buy your tickets online may well have made a difference to the Plymouth which more likey would have been a sell out.

I have in the past made the suggestion diect to the club about having a family ticket system, i believe Northampton are another club that do it, you would have to set aside an area in the ground for family tickets, and my only hope is the club are waiting for the new grandstand to be in place before introducing such an idea.

[MidDevon]

Andrew,
If you do persuade the board to go with the idea of season ticket holders inviting a guest, I have a futher suggestion to encourage season ticket holders to bring someone along.

Perhaps you could take one of the vouchers from the season ticket book and then hold a half time draw. Maybe offering the season ticket holder a £20 gift voucher for the club shop?

Just a thought to add some interest?

[gulltastic]

Do we know wether the kids for a pound voucher in the herald generated much interest?

[bixieupnorth]

bloody kids, why not charge those little bastards £17 for a change and let us adults, who pay taxes, drink beer in the bar etc, in for a fiver!! and dont get me started on students!!

[AustrianAndyGull]

A bit harsh about the young uns Bix! But completely agree with the student discounts, when i was at Lincoln Uni a few years ago i had a student card admittedly but i had more spare money as a student than if i were working on min wage. It was madness. What about blokes who are out of work and want to go to the games but don't get a discount? What about people on low incomes under a certain threshold getting reductions? Bloody students, their parents have got loads of money so they can afford to give it to their kids can't they?