Increasing Fanbase.

[McMark]

It’s more than the pricing and it’s more than just winning games. As Bill Shankly once said, you’ve got to connect the team with the fans. That’s the managers job.

Think this is one area Ady is looking to improve on and hopefully it continues to bear fruit both in reaching further into the community and schools with a big push pre season.

Areas that should be addressed in no particular order;
Toilets - proper washing facilities- it matters.
Ticketing - Various options on buying, there's more than the yard work shifts and more should be done to encourage them too.
Corporate - The changes made clearly are not having the desired effect so needs a coat of looking at. Maybe windows looking out to the pitch and finding a way of enticing people back by giving them what they want but making ithe workable both ways.
Catering - more options, even inviting local food vendors in as pop up caterers a few times a season.
A place for our younger fans to engage and have a bit of fun safely within the ground with activities for differing age groups.
Deals from the club to get people here earlier to bars with somewhere to drink within the ground but away from the pitch.
Better protection from the elements for everyone.
Better merchandise with a larger choice.
Hopefully this improves to a certain degree with the impending news of a new kit supplier,
But target certain times of the year Christmas, Easter etc.
OK, not all of these will bring the people in but they will improve the experience overall for some and get people talking of improvements and the feel good factor, they tell their mates and just maybe others will give it a try.

[Jo am back]

Given shift patterns, I also think 'Shipyard' tickets as blocks of ten could be purchased, Aberdeen do this for offshore workers.

The shift pattern I think you're speaking of Steve will virtually have gone come the start of the new season, it'll be interesting to see (if we're still in this league) how much they really affected the gates.

I don't think reducing ticket prices would be the answer on it's own, it'd be far more complicated. Getting a decent style of football with a better win % than we have now, better facilities, proper toilets, covered HSE, perhaps better food being on offer, club shop selling the right stuff, players having more of an interaction with the younger supporters....it'd be a long long list.

Here we go again, toilets, pies, roof,waiter service, blah blah.

[Jonty]

Given shift patterns, I also think 'Shipyard' tickets as blocks of ten could be purchased, Aberdeen do this for offshore workers.

The shift pattern I think you're speaking of Steve will virtually have gone come the start of the new season, it'll be interesting to see (if we're still in this league) how much they really affected the gates.

I don't think reducing ticket prices would be the answer on it's own, it'd be far more complicated. Getting a decent style of football with a better win % than we have now, better facilities, proper toilets, covered HSE, perhaps better food being on offer, club shop selling the right stuff, players having more of an interaction with the younger supporters....it'd be a long long list.

Ian you’re right, it is a long list but the things you mentioned are not complicated, they are within the gift of the club all except the winning bit. Winning a football match is not guaranteed.

[spirit of 1990]

The shift pattern I think you're speaking of Steve will virtually have gone come the start of the new season, it'll be interesting to see (if we're still in this league) how much they really affected the gates.

I don't think reducing ticket prices would be the answer on it's own, it'd be far more complicated. Getting a decent style of football with a better win % than we have now, better facilities, proper toilets, covered HSE, perhaps better food being on offer, club shop selling the right stuff, players having more of an interaction with the younger supporters....it'd be a long long list.

Ian you’re right, it is a long list but the things you mentioned are not complicated, they are within the gift of the club all except the winning bit. Winning a football match is not guaranteed.

I'd agree with that Jonty, it's not over complicated, they should be planned and tried over a period of time.

Here we go again, toilets, pies, roof,waiter service, blah blah.

Top effort, good contribution.

[geobarrovian]

The shift pattern I think you're speaking of Steve will virtually have gone come the start of the new season, it'll be interesting to see (if we're still in this league) how much they really affected the gates.

I don't think reducing ticket prices would be the answer on it's own, it'd be far more complicated. Getting a decent style of football with a better win % than we have now, better facilities, proper toilets, covered HSE, perhaps better food being on offer, club shop selling the right stuff, players having more of an interaction with the younger supporters....it'd be a long long list.

Here we go again, toilets, pies, roof,waiter service, blah blah.

How absolute dare you.

[barrowaberdeen]

I did say about overall strategy and it's not all about pricing but give me examples of wherenin this league, charging what we charge for STs , even with a decent product on the park, crowds increased.

Study Centre could be used as more than a thoroughfare for starters

[Jonty]

Study centre could be a great fan hub on match day. Would love the Trust to have use of that facility on match day.

[HenneysKnee]

The biggest problem with this thread is it’s full of great ideas that will never be implemented. I really think we’ve reached the point where we have to try something bold (the £100 season tickets for example) and if it doesn’t work it doesn’t work, but at least bloody try something

[Fazered]

For me it's what goes on out there on the pitch. Better catering, toilets etc improve the day out but the totally inept displays have put me in the position where even as a season ticket holder I can barely be bothered to turn up

[corkitfatso1]

The shift pattern I think you're speaking of Steve will virtually have gone come the start of the new season, it'll be interesting to see (if we're still in this league) how much they really affected the gates.

I don't think reducing ticket prices would be the answer on it's own, it'd be far more complicated. Getting a decent style of football with a better win % than we have now, better facilities, proper toilets, covered HSE, perhaps better food being on offer, club shop selling the right stuff, players having more of an interaction with the younger supporters....it'd be a long long list.

Here we go again, toilets, pies, roof,waiter service, blah blah.

Another great post by Jo No Crack, why bother seriously?

[The Tomahawk Kid]

Given shift patterns, I also think 'Shipyard' tickets as blocks of ten could be purchased, Aberdeen do this for offshore workers.

The shift pattern I think you're speaking of Steve will virtually have gone come the start of the new season, it'll be interesting to see (if we're still in this league) how much they really affected the gates.

I don't think reducing ticket prices would be the answer on it's own, it'd be far more complicated. Getting a decent style of football with a better win % than we have now, better facilities, proper toilets, covered HSE, perhaps better food being on offer, club shop selling the right stuff, players having more of an interaction with the younger supporters....it'd be a long long list.

Good ideas, Ian. However; my own opinion on this is quite simple: New Stadium! As promised...

I get to chat with a quite a few contractors living here and in the past I've managed to entice a few to attend the occasional home game - their initial response has usually been: 'The Football wasn't too good'. Now we all know that over the past couple of seasons the football being played has been far from exciting - we don't need lads from out of town to tell us this. However; when I've coerced more info out of them their follow up response has always been along the lines of:

'F**king freezing up there!'..
'The ground's a s**t tip!..
'How old is the ground?'..
'Did you have the same ground in the FL?..
+ numerous other remarks relating to our decaying, out dated stadium.

I honestly don't believe any kind of ticketing structure/pies/club shop etc etc is going to entice any NEW fans. And probably won't attract the missing 1,500 - 2,000 that stopped attending when we lost our FL status - never mind the missing 500/600! And that's what we need - gates between: 2-3,500.

As previously mentioned on this thread - we have an ageing fan base.
To attract NEW younger fans we have to give them what they WANT and also what they're used to: ie a warm, comfatable, modern stadium. They see stadiums on the TV and also when they attend fixtures at Deepdale etc etc. They naturally expect to see the same when they visit Holker Street.

The building of a new stadium would kick-start New Interest in Barrow AFC - imagine the media coverage it would attract - both locally and throughout the NW.

Introduce attractive ticketing policies AFTER the NEW fans have been captured!

When Paul Casson introduced his '5 year plan' local interest for the club was immediately re-generated!
Probably the sole reason for that was the 'promised' building of a new stadium + FL status. Both go hand in hand.

The interest in the town has been severely diluted and the the atmosphere at Holker Street has been like a damp squib ever since people started realising that the things he promised aren't going to happen.

Build a new stadium and they will come!

Play attractive football and even more will do so.

Will it happen?

[tommy2thumbs]

Build a new stadium and they will come!

Only 841 home fans at Morecambe tonight

[Wintergreen]

Build a new stadium and they will come!

Only 841 home fans at Morecambe tonight

Good point well made there sir.

[EHB]

I think we should have a half time half price ticket. Specifically targeted at those that play Saturday soccer. Most local games kick off at 2pm.

We may see a surge in at 4pm if it was more appealing. Alternatively charge full price but throw in some drinks vouchers that they can redeem after the game.

[EHB]

Don't know exactly how many ppl would be playing in barrow at 2pm but must be somewhere in the region of 1000-1300. Plus those that support them. Get them to the club. They have a clear and obvious interest in football.