Morecambe offer fans a freebie

[AustrianAndyGull]

Just read that Morecambe are to make their game v Daggers on tuesday FREE to all. They obviously think they can get away with it financially but are fighting a battle against falling attendances and want to revive fans interest in the club again. Do you think other clubs will follow suit and if they can do it and they get lower crowds than us and have no cash then can Torquay do it?

[Behind-the-Gulls]

Its a brave thing to do-and a gamble:
What if they play crap and get a hammering- will hardly revive interest in the club.
Or an extra 1,000 turn-up and it drops back to the usual attendance next game(as is likely).
Only a relatively small increase in attendance with the club then realising that there's just not much interest in the club:thus making everyone at the club and its loyal fans feel even more despondent then they already are.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Some good points BHG. I think the first point about the hammering won't have much effect just as if they wallop Daggers 6-0 i doubt too if such a resounding result would have much short term effect on short term home attendances. The second scenario is highly likely and the third is negative as hell BHG! I like it!

An offer such as this will go some way to engendering the club more to it's home stalwarts but in terms of any fans being tempted in by the offer and then returning for the next home game are next to nil. You've got to appluad the club for trying although i doubt season ticket holders will be enamoured by the deal.

I think it was the Fleetwood chairman that said that the key to flourishing as a small club with minimal attendances is to maximise revenue from non-footballing streams. I believe this is spot on as we all know that crowds will only increase if the team is doing well and given that EVERY team in our league can't be near the top of the league then it means some will be playing crap football, losing most weeks and fans will fall away. So making sure a lot of the clubs income isn't solely down to ticket sales is a wise move. Quite how Torquay go about making the best out of 'alternative' income strategies is debatable but in my opinion they don't do anywhere near enough to get extra money coming in. The big screen is a huge step forward but in terms of other areas and innovative ideas and schemes the club is in the 1800's. I'd like your opinions on ways of making cash from other sources other than ticket sales if you would be so kind.

[Kernowgull]

I honestly dont think our crowd would go up more than a couple hundred. Its not about the money, people just dont care. The reason crowds go up when we're doing well is that our vast number of commuters and exiles will be more inclined to spend the money for big games, and those that work weekends are more likely to take time off, and those who play footy themselves more likelt to miss a game, or their season will have finished. Add to that the Gargs who wilk come to Plainmoor to support us when its a big game.

[AustrianAndyGull]

I honestly dont think our crowd would go up more than a couple hundred. Its not about the money, people just dont care. The reason crowds go up when we're doing well is that our vast number of commuters and exiles will be more inclined to spend the money for big games, and those that work weekends are more likely to take time off, and those who play footy themselves more likelt to miss a game, or their season will have finished. Add to that the Gargs who wilk come to Plainmoor to support us when its a big game.

Does this happen then?

[Kernowgull]

I don't know if there are many now, there used to be a few when Plymouth were "Big"!

[Dutchgull]

That was a long long time ago !!

[Behind-the-Gulls]

Gary Johnson paid for the coaches for Away travel to the Yeovil V Leyton Orient JPT match-800 travelled up as a result.
Fat lot of good it did them-they were crap in losing 1-0 to a 90th minute winner.
Nice gesture though-perhaps Lingy could do the same for the Cheltenham game,say.
Mind you Johnson has managed at Championship level so will be somewhat richer !