Re: Attendances
 

People say they would go to watch Stanley if the prices were reduced, but would they? Last season against Torquay -Free admission -Official attendance 4005. I know there were the usual Stanley cock-ups which meant some people (including some season ticket holders) couldn't get in. I know some people were highly sceptical about the reported gate, but similar things happen most weeks.

That's a 100% reduction in ticket prices generating a 77% increase on last years average gate of 2260 (ANDYS STATS.CO.UK - Attendance stats). I suspect that, of those 77%, the vast majority wouldn't have gone had it been a tenner (a 30% reduction). Without wishing to flaunt my economics 'A' level, that points to an inelastic demand. Put simply, the extra punters generated don't make up for the loss in revenue from the existing ones. It's the mirror image of the reason governments can screw smokers and drinkers every budget, not enough give up, or reduce their intake, to cancel out the tax hike.

Eric has a little bit of scope around the margins, to let in groups who wouldn't normally be seen dead at Stanley games, in the hope they'll catch the bug or, at least, spend a few bob in the bar, but he has no chance of increasing total gate receipts by offering "across the board" reductions. Apart from everything else it would cause a riot among those of us who have forked out for season tickets if he to cut match day prices in mid season.

In the short term Coley has to produce in a winning team, playing good football and Eric will see a modest increase in attendances.

In the long term the club has to concentrate on getting the kids into the habit of going. Swamp the schools with free tickets, get the players involved coaching in local schools, stop having meetings about meetings about involving the community in the club and actually do something for a change!

That way, in ten or twenty years time we might, just might, have a generation of adults paying to watch Accrington Stanley rather than going to watch Rovers, Burnley, Man Utd, etc., etc.

Re: Attendances
 

in a nutshell

Re: Attendances
 

Re: Attendances
 

I dont understand how they cant afford it. Sureley they would rather have a ground full of people who have paid say a fiver or tenner rather than an empty one!!! I am a Burnley fan but it seems everytime Burnley dont have a game on a Saturday they put the price up on the tickets at the Stanley doesnt make any sense to me!

Re: Attendances
 

They haven't put the league prices up at stanley certainly on the adult gate price since our entry to league 2:confused:

Re: Attendances
 

And neither do we change the admission price according to which 'category' of team we're playing as some other teams do, so no idea where you're coming from????

Re: Attendances
 

Sounds like a statement from some who doesn't quite know what they are talking about.


In all honesty, you aren't going to boost gates in the short term. I live in Darwen and if Darwen FC were to go on a promotion run over the next few years and rise to the Conference or Football League, I still wouldn't go and watch them. I'm a Stanley fan and will always watch the team I support. I wouldn't even be tempted to support Darwen as a second team, as I have little interest in them.

The same can be said for all those football fans who turned to Burnley, Blackburn, Manchester Utd, etc when Stanley had no team, or a team playing at a very amateur level. They aren't suddenly going to say, "I see Stanley are back in the League and as I live in Accrington I'm going to switch my support. It isn't going to happen. There are also a couple of generations of children who have grown up in households where Stanley isn't the family team, so we've missed all those too.

If Stanley are going to boost their crowds it has to be a long-term project. Statrt off with the kids and maybe we'll see bigger gates in the future. Of course, it all depends on how long we have got for it to happen, and if the club has enough initiative to make it happen.

Re: Attendances
 

well said TM, its what ive been saying, as one of those you mention, it can happen,it must happen, but only the "club" can MAKE it happen. i would be the happiest bloke in the world if they got off the "pot" and acheived it.;)

Re: Attendances
 

There are few things in this life that are as lasting as the choice and commitment given to your first club. Stanley for us is one of them. Unfortunately as you have pointed out before those that made their choice 40 odd years are unlikely to change either, we need to new blood and life of Accrington and District to fill the voids, irrespective of their colour, creed, religion. If we can get them and keep them then their colour will be Red, there creed will be Accrington and their religion will be Stanley.


OK, which way was the door……………….

Re: Attendances
 

This is going to be the life blood of the club and they need to be encouraged any way possible. It may mean spending a few bob and giving away t shirts or getting players involved with individual schools but we must speculate to accumulate.

Re: Attendances
 

You might want to get somebody to wipe out all the Sky dishes and dig up all the cable. Thats a far bigger problem than any history or feeling of local belonging to a football team these days.

Re: Attendances
 

I like many i suspect agree with this, we all know the adverse affact that televised games have had on gate numbers, even the dinner time KO`s have done harm to, how many people do you know have said "oh i`ll come down Accy with you on Saturday" only to go out for the lunchtime game, have a few jars and then decide to spend the rest of the afternoon in the pub, its not just Accrington that are suffering from this as this will happen across the board, other factors i think that also contribute are computers, games consoles and Saturday afternoon shopping, how many kids do you know that would rather spend all their time sat infront of a virtual world of friends rather than get out and see the real one ?.
Bring back the all games are played on a Saturday at 3pm with no highlights shown until Match Of The Day, the golden age of football died when Sky got their hands on it.
Ok i`m off to meet my virtual girlfriend now, she wants to go shopping :)

Re: Attendances
 

Even worse this weekend with sky sports being free !! :D

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I really think taking all suggestions and opinions into consideration on this topic it is as simple as the alphabet. STANLEY rise to top of table gates rise. Simple as. I really dont think there is another solution.