How do we grow our fan base?

[Paulus]

My 2.5 year old has 5650 points. Season tickets were sold to anyone who wanted them in the summer.

The gist of what my points are in this thread are: where there's a will, there's a way.

When did they go on sale to anyone in the summer Linz? My son who'd had a season ticket for a number of years gave it up last season as he was out in Oz for the year. We were checking virtually daily to see when they would go on sale and either, somehow, we missed it or as I thought the club announced there were no more season tickets going to be made available after all the renewals.

 

[Linz]

When did they go on sale to anyone in the summer Linz? My son who'd had a season ticket for a number of years gave it up last season as he was out in Oz for the year. We were checking virtually daily to see when they would go on sale and either, somehow, we missed it or as I thought the club announced there were no more season tickets going to be made available after all the renewals.

New season tickets went on sale alongside the renewals/returning season tickets.

 

[Paulus]

That's mad, I spoke to the ticket office when I renewed mine and was told that I couldn't buy one for my son as he wasn't a renewal.

 

[Isar]

By playing shit hot football and sticking to what we do best... and by the sounds of my Persian friend's uncle who watches admirably from Germany (he had never heard of us before this season and watches PL football casually as a neutral), we are expanding our 'fan base' every match day we play

He counts himself as a Blade now btw!

One of my German mates is now also watching out for us, he wants to come over to see a game at BDTBL He is a Bavarian based FC Hansa Rostock fan.

 

[Linz]

That's mad, I spoke to the ticket office when I renewed mine and was told that I couldn't buy one for my son as he wasn't a renewal.

The thread is there: https://www.s24su.com/forum/index.php?threads/2019-20-season-tickets-early-bird-information.70425/

Tickets went off-sale for everyone after the early bird. As someone who had previously had a season ticket, he would of course have qualified as a "returning fan".

 

[Dkc]

..... I thought my memory was poor but there's hope yet


View attachment 66864

Oh yeah, come to think of it, we did win summat a couple of years back didn't we?

I blame the drugs.

 

[Houston_Blade]

When did they go on sale to anyone in the summer Linz? My son who'd had a season ticket for a number of years gave it up last season as he was out in Oz for the year. We were checking virtually daily to see when they would go on sale and either, somehow, we missed it or as I thought the club announced there were no more season tickets going to be made available after all the renewals.

I was living in Doha and knew I’d be back for this season so bought mine in March I think.

 

[dc_blade]

That doesn't translate into massive interest for Sheffield United. Global audiences pick the most successful teams to follow, or they follow specific players.

It certainly won't affect match attendances in any meaningful way and I don't even know how it can be monetized. Hull City Tigers anyone? Switch our colours like Vincent Tan did at Cardiff? What effect were they ever going to have?

I suppose that a prolonged period in the PL without Wednesday would be an advantage in getting young local kids to make a choice between us, but I'm not even sure how much difference that will make either.

I can assure you that our increased exposure has resulted into increased interest in us as a club. I was at my wife's Christmas do in Washington DC last night and talked to a number of people who have seen our matches on tv and could talk about us in a relatively informed way. There's no particular reason that some of them won't end up following us more closely.

The more we can demonstrate a global audience to potential sponsors, the more money we can demand to stick their names on our shirts, stands, etc etc. Look at the massive revenue streams that the top clubs are bringing in from sponsorship deals--we're not in a position to compete with that just yet, but I'm sure the club has ambitions in that direction. And it's important for us as we've got one of the least wealthy owners in the league: we can't rely on TV money alone to compete.

 

[Barry Butlin]

If the away end is sold out we’re not allowed to put tickets on general sale. This is why Watford has gone on general sale because Watford haven’t sold out. If you want a ticket it’s not too hard to get one.

It is if you’re not on the database....But let’s just have empty seats and no chance of increasing the fan base!!!!

 

[Linz]

It is if you’re not on the database....But let’s just have empty seats and no chance of increasing the fan base!!!!

Apart from all the myriad of ways to get on the database as mentioned in this thread, you mean?

 

[Barry Butlin]

Apart from all the myriad of ways to get on the database as mentioned in this thread, you mean?

Yes....

 

[Ranmoorblade]

It is if you’re not on the database....But let’s just have empty seats and no chance of increasing the fan base!!!!

I know several people who weren’t on the database before this season. Two have bought season tickets and the other got membership and has gone to all the games he wanted to.

 

[mattbianco1]

I know it's probably been done to death, but how do we grow our fan base with the ridiculous policies we have around selling home tickets?

If you need at least 150 loyalty points to get a ticket, how do you get those points if you have never been to a game before? How does the non-Blade (yet) football supporter get to go to a game, sample the atmosphere, feel the excitement then grow into being a Blade and a regular attender? Ok I know you could buy cup tickets, but this type of person isn't interested in going to see Fylde.

I can't for the life of me believe that we that stupid that we are not cashing in on our premier league status to attract new fans - so how are we doing it? Does anybody know?

Go to the Fylde game. Have enough points for general sale... Simples

 

[Snake]

Go to the Fylde game. Have enough points for general sale... Simples

Another one to completely miss my point. FYI I (with the emphasis on I) will be at Fylde game.

 

[Tony_Kaufman]

To grow your fanbase you simply need to have a deluded moron claim that he's going to take over your club, then he can tell everyone that you're massive, before proclaiming that you already have a world wide following of 500,000 fans.

Does anyone else remember this?

 

[mattbianco1]

Another one to completely miss my point. FYI I (with the emphasis on I) will be at Fylde game.

Your second paragraph in the OP nails it but also explains why nobody can complain at not having enough points.

If they don't want to earn 250 points from Fylde, then why do they deserve a ticket for Man City ?

 

[silver blade]

I know it's probably been done to death, but how do we grow our fan base with the ridiculous policies we have around selling home tickets?

If you need at least 150 loyalty points to get a ticket, how do you get those points if you have never been to a game before? How does the non-Blade (yet) football supporter get to go to a game, sample the atmosphere, feel the excitement then grow into being a Blade and a regular attender? Ok I know you could buy cup tickets, but this type of person isn't interested in going to see Fylde.

I can't for the life of me believe that we that stupid that we are not cashing in on our premier league status to attract new fans - so how are we doing it? Does anybody know?

swop grounds with the pigs

 

[Snake]

Your second paragraph in the OP nails it but also explains why nobody can complain at not having enough points.

If they don't want to earn 250 points from Fylde, then why do they deserve a ticket for Man City ?

Who's talking about tickets for Man City (or any other of the top couple of games)?

 

[mattbianco1]

Who's talking about tickets for Man City (or any other of the top couple of games)?

It's the same. Man City, Liverpool, Watford or Bournemouth. They're all Premier League games. If you want a ticket for one of those, get a ticket for Fylde to stand a better chance.

My 4yo will attend his first game against Fylde.

 

[Snake]

It's the same. Man City, Liverpool, Watford or Bournemouth. They're all Premier League games. If you want a ticket for one of those, get a ticket for Fylde to stand a better chance.

My 4yo will attend his first game against Fylde.

As you obviously haven't read the previous posts in this thread, I'll leave it there.

 

[Pedro's Winger]

If we stay up the issue might be more how do we maintain the fan base.
And the answer would be selling more season tickets, if we can, and reducing ticket prices.

 

[1066blade]

Blow up Hillsborough.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Have we, on this, the ten thousandth thread on this subject, reached a general concensus on whether Little Johnny and his mum deserve tickets, or are we at the same impasse like on the other 9999?

#biggerbladesareadisgrace

 

[gordoncharles]

I can assure you that our increased exposure has resulted into increased interest in us as a club. I was at my wife's Christmas do in Washington DC last night and talked to a number of people who have seen our matches on tv and could talk about us in a relatively informed way. There's no particular reason that some of them won't end up following us more closely.

The more we can demonstrate a global audience to potential sponsors, the more money we can demand to stick their names on our shirts, stands, etc etc. Look at the massive revenue streams that the top clubs are bringing in from sponsorship deals--we're not in a position to compete with that just yet, but I'm sure the club has ambitions in that direction. And it's important for us as we've got one of the least wealthy owners in the league: we can't rely on TV money alone to compete.

The question really was about support and it would be delusional to think we will get substantially more actual supporters from abroad as a result of however long our stay in the PL is, because that might only be one or two years.

Even over time It will be a handful and even then it won't be anything the club can use. How many genuine foreign fans does Stoke have after its 10 year stay in the PL? People talking about our club favourably, whether it's in Washington, Wellington or Wuhan doesn't equate to support. If those people in the US, NZ or China support anyone it will be one of the traditionally big clubs and that's not going to change.

If our support is to increase it's going to be local, and it's going to be the current generation of young kids because anyone older than 13 has already made up their mind. Even then there are other pressures, otherwise there would no support for the lesser team in cities like Nottingham, Bristol or Stoke.

 

[BushBlade]

Have we, on this, the ten thousandth thread on this subject, reached a general concensus on whether Little Johnny and his mum deserve tickets, or are we at the same impasse like on the other 9999?

#biggerbladesareadisgrace

I think people would just love to go back to the days when you could just turn up on a Saturday, meet your mates, pay on the door and all stand together. But those days have gone, like cheap bus fares.
The needing to be on the data base seems to have taken a few by surprise, I know in some cases it’s genuine, I’ve got a mate who’s gone to loads of matches but somehow wasn’t on the database. But there have been opportunities to sort that out, you just have to make a bit of effort. Like pretty much everything these days, nowt’s easy.

 

[AnonBear]

Me too. Used to be a regular Blade but then I started a family. Have used my Dad’s season ticket to buy tickets for the few games I was able to attend recently. My son is now old enough to be showing a genuine interest, so off to the Fylde match we will go. Not sure why Sean Thornton is being so disparaging about Mums and little boys wanting to watch a match? Are we not worthy of a seat at the table? I would say we’re the future of the club. Odd.

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

We encourage young fans to come to games but please note that all children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.

Feel sorry for the kid under 14 Blade that does not have the adult to take them.

 

[Silent Blade]

Our attendances this season have been ever so slightly disappointing. On the other hand you could say they are fantastic given we've won nothing in 95 years except the 4th division title.

..... I thought my memory was poor but there's hope yet


View attachment 66864

And 2nd division champions in 1953

 

[Canterbury Blade]

Rights of passage don’t seem to exist anymore, yep maybe like 2p bus fares, but they got me hooked...
Watch Dad and mates go to football
Develop own interest, read Green Un, pester Dad to take you
Attend minor league cup or pre season friendly game
Request Hobbot top
Join Junior Blades as birthday present
Hang around Bramall Lane on half terms
Collect football programmes from before you went
Attend for 30 p as junior Blade or stand on kop after 430 for free once gates opened
Fall in love with a centre half (optional)
Go to all Saturday home games but not on Tuesday school nights
Sit in back of car between two of Dads mates for away games after being left outside a pub in Wigan and given 50p to get some chips and a programme
Cry on Box@ing day
Run onto pitch when we won the league ( accept it was Div 4)
Plant stolen grass in the garden
Go to first away game on own with mates on football special
Move back from the white railings, past the trench to the head of the kop

I could go on, but that way of developing a fan base seems to be gone forever. I’m not sure I’m too impressed with the new ways...

I will be having a pre match port at Harvey’s Brewery in Lewes tomorrow if anyone wants to discuss...old men crying into their port..

 

[Linz]

I will be having a pre match port at Harvey’s Brewery in Lewes tomorrow if anyone wants to discuss...old men crying into their port..

My apprenticeship was served watching the reserves at Saltergate. I can only think my childhood would have otherwise been deprived of sausage rolls and Bovril.

I'm not an old man. I may be tempted to hunt out a pre-match port (and brandy) though.