How to raise attendances?

[holsten]

It may seem a stupid question at first, but how exactly are we going to get the attendances up at Plainmoor?

The most obvious way would be to start consistantly winning games, it's clear that with wins more people come and support the team. But, are there any other ways in which we can help advertise matches, get more young people involved with the club and overall boost attendances?

Thoughts?

[CraigUnder]

maybe with 2 adults a child or and extra adult gets in free? or something along those lines?

[happytorq]

It's the same old story. The only real way to raise attendances is to lower prices - either by changing the price to get in, or by doing some kind of package deal like 2 adults, 1 child free - and the board are probably very reluctant to that because of the impact it would have on the bottom line. The attendances at Plainmoor are not the most important thing to the club. Most important is the revenue generated. I'm sure they'd have done some kind of analysis to set the price where it currently (or at least, they should have) and effectively reducing prices would bring less money into the club. At a time when the playing budget has taken a kick, getting 6,000 people paying a fiver a go is not as desirable as getting 2500 paying £15.

Of course, for the long term 'health' of the club, we need to be attracting new fans, but I would suggest that simply reducing prices would not bring new long-term fans in anyway; more likely that you'd either be getting people who stopped coming because of the price, or those who see it as something new. Neither of these demographics would be too likely to come every two weeks once the price returns to a more sustainable level.

The best way forward is to take a long view and get out in the community and create a desire to come and watch the club, instill that passion in the local kids and go from there. It's be great if we could get people in paying less than a tenner a go but currently the market is simply not there to warrant that.

[yellow]

I have always favoured the get a decent team playing good football method myself.

It has much to commend it.

In addition deals that attract the youth are always to be pushed and promoted. Cheap deals that cement a fan for the future are loss leaders that are worth every penny.

[united09]

This has been mentioned so many times. Couldn't we give Primary and Secondary schools dicount vouchers 50%? for certain league games maybe awarding good behaviour/work prehaps. If this is done throughout the bay and taking into account the number of schools in the Bay. Then you are hitting a large number of kids. Also getting people from the club youth/reserve team to give talks ect in schools.

[GirlOnATerrace]

Well from previous grounds that I have been to this year. The simple answer seems to be deals. Like when I went to Southend there was a adult and child and it came to £20 which in all fairness aint bad and at Shrewsbury they are doing the same which they didn't do last year.
But apart from that they either lower the prices, do the above or try and find some sort of activity which will encourage people :/

I remember when my niece was at primary she got a voucher for her school.
Maybe do vouchers like they do book tockets at schools and stuff, that could always be a possibility

[holsten]

I think we simply need to get the club more advertised and get the message out there. You see the odd poster with the fixtures on in the occasional shop but i noticed in Plymouth that they have advertisements for games along the sides of the buses. Surely this could be another option?

[Dave]

Generaly reducing prices is not a good idea,however a family ticket scheme is a must,two adults two kids in the family stand i think comes to £48 to get in,then plus the the kids like a bar of chocolate and a drink,so your talking about £60 for a family to go to a match,for many thats just not affordable,if you looked at charging say £35 for a family of four to go in the ground,less really could work out to be more,i think such scheme's are being run by other clubs and do work.

Also spreading the cost of season tickets,i know this would involve adminstration costs,and possible debt recovery costs,however if the club were to charge a one off admin fee that covered you as long as you renewed your ticket each year,then allowed you to spread the cost of the ticket over ten months,how many reading this who do not have a season ticket would if such a scheme was made availible?,at the early bird price which i think was £279 if my memory serves me right ,that works out at £12 a match,beats paying £16 on the gate surely.

I know these idea's have been suggested by other fans before,however with more cut backs being annouced by he goverment,families are likely to find they have less disposable income,so these idea's to me now have more relevance.

Raise awareness ,the grandstand which will give us real upto date looking ground,off the field improvments,like youth set up,reserve team,and coaching set up we have here at Tufc ,get the message out there the club wants to push on to league 1,and needs its fans backing.

Having said all that above,i have been made aware the club is making 'supporter increase' a priority,and will be looking at measure's taken at other clubs along with other idea's,so would expect to see over the coming months leading up to next season some new measure's being put in place by the club,as a fan here's hoping they have sucsess in increasing our gates ,it is the only way forward for TUFC.

[numpte]

Take a leaf out of Stevenage' books and charge £10 for a 3 year old. I wished them every success in getting relegated as I handed my £28 over.

[ReadinGull]

Long term solutions are obviously re-vists. Being from the 'ding I've lost count of the number of times through the late 90's and Early 00's that Reading did kid for a quid deals, I'm going to guess at more than 15 times per season, the on-sales from food, drink and the fact an adult inevitably brings them works well. If they enjoy it they return, and keep doing it. Now the Mad Stad is full of teenage / early 20's who got hooked on live sport, kids for a quid is maybe once or twice per season.

I'm not sure the quality of the product is the be all and end all, but success is obviously beneficial.

Other than that more town centre presence, sew the seed subliminally. Or shout like hell. Either way every time I'm down you'd never now there was a game on bar a few away shirts.

[westbaygull]

I agree with the 'Kid for a quid' bit - I'm sure cheaper 'family' options would encourage parents (how very pc of me!!) to bring their children and in some cases may even mean that the parent will attend when they would otherwise have been unable to do so.

It's a real shame that the replica kits aren't cheaper - it would be great to see more shirts around - on a rare foray into the town centre, I didn't see any Gulls shirts at all. Yeovil and Bournemouth both seem to have more shirt wearers visible - or is it just that they have more supporters?

I don't know how much advertising of the matches is done locally - I saw on the trust site that 120 posters are put up, but are matches advertised in the local press and on the radio?

Football will always be a pricey way of spending an afternoon, maybe more aggressive marketing is required to persuade non-attenders that Torquay is no longer a perpetually-fighting-against-relegation club, but one that has now has ambition.

[Fletch]

I don't know how much advertising of the matches is done locally - I saw on the trust site that 120 posters are put up, but are matches advertised in the local press and on the radio?

It is if you get the Herald (TUFC nearly always the main headline on the back page)/listen to Radio Devon (although there is usually a bit more about Gargs/Greeks on it)

I have seen several shops with a fixture poster in the window but not that many in the main street though (probably cos they're nearly all "national chain" type shops)

[happytorq]

I have seen several shops with a fixture poster in the window but not that many in the main street though (probably cos they're nearly all "national chain" type shops)

That shouldn't really matter; they should be aware of the local market. I always used to have a poster of the games in the Hills shop in Plainmoor (okay, so preaching to the choir, maybe).

[Fletch]

That shouldn't really matter; they should be aware of the local market. I always used to have a poster of the games in the Hills shop in Plainmoor (okay, so preaching to the choir, maybe).

Indeed it shouldnt. You may find that the like of O2/Vodaphone etc (being as we seem to have every mobile phone shop going in the main street) dont like any advertising in their window as a policy, apart from their own products? Perhaps someone that works in a "national store" could let us know?

Perhaps the club could have professional posters (A3 size maybe) done with the next 2 months matches on it, and offer the shop manager a couple of comp tickets to display it in the window (assuming thats not done already)?

Might get people into the habit of going regularly?

[Dave]

Not how much more the club can on advertising matchs,all things TUFC are covered in the Herald Express,also Tufc does have very good coverage on Palm fm radio,weekend matchs are put over on Palm,they also broadcast a part of Paul Buckle's thursday press conference in there friday sports bulletin's.

Sesimbra,the club should respone to your e-mails,,however you will find that only seats reserved for season ticket holders are unavailble,maybe try giving the club a ring .