What can we do to get more fans at home?

[DonnyBazR0ver]

We have to sell the dream back to those who became despondent because of past failures. Not everyone is as faithful as those of us who never stopped attending regularly despite our more recent failings. I must admit a lot of my enthusiasm went when the dream of reaching the Championship proved to be unsustainable (twice), and although I never stopped going, I can empathise with those who did.

The majority of those who no longer attend who I've spoken to told me they no longer go because actually reaching the promised land of Championship football wasn't anywhere near as good as the dream of getting there. They claimed that even with backing from the richest board we've ever had, and are ever likely to have again resulted in failure, meaning that we will never be anything higher than a third/fourth tier team.

Hopefully, this new dawn of building the club from within will prove otherwise, resulting in those who jumped ship becoming life-long fans again.

This is more likely where the truth lay.

As someone who's worked with the club for a few years in the past, being a passionate supporter also frustrated at certain things that were barriers to people attending more regularly, I can assure you most of the above has been explored many times.

We have engaged a consultant which helped turn the club into a more fan engaged club than before and we are enjoying many of the benefits of this now. Not too long ago we were paying up to £480 for an adult season ticket and £28 on the gate. There were no memberships, multi tickets, pay on the gate, direct debits, offers, family deals, Black Bank etc, etc.

We have engaged with the Polish community in the past and the feedback was a general 'too expensive' and 'not interested'. The vast majority of workers who have migrated to Doncaster are intelligent people who can make their own minds up.

Whilst effective marketing will be a constant ongoing issue for the club, just because you don't know about it, doesn't mean to say it's not happening or being looked at. That said I'm sure the club/fan panel are always open to ideas.

As one who spent many an hour handing out leaflets, hanging posters in shops, you maybe surprised about the lack of interest in Rovers and in football in general.

I've done my time searching for the answers. Sometimes the truth hurts but I suspect the way we are going some faith may be restored and things will pick up again.

Did you take up any of the invitations to put your ideas forward Mr Frost?

[MrFrost]

We have to sell the dream back to those who became despondent because of past failures. Not everyone is as faithful as those of us who never stopped attending regularly despite our more recent failings. I must admit a lot of my enthusiasm went when the dream of reaching the Championship proved to be unsustainable (twice), and although I never stopped going, I can empathise with those who did.

The majority of those who no longer attend who I've spoken to told me they no longer go because actually reaching the promised land of Championship football wasn't anywhere near as good as the dream of getting there. They claimed that even with backing from the richest board we've ever had, and are ever likely to have again resulted in failure, meaning that we will never be anything higher than a third/fourth tier team.

Hopefully, this new dawn of building the club from within will prove otherwise, resulting in those who jumped ship becoming life-long fans again.

This is more likely where the truth lay.

As someone who's worked with the club for a few years in the past, being a passionate supporter also frustrated at certain things that were barriers to people attending more regularly, I can assure you most of the above has been explored many times.

We have engaged a consultant which helped turn the club into a more fan engaged club than before and we are enjoying many of the benefits of this now. Not too long ago we were paying up to £480 for an adult season ticket and £28 on the gate. There were no memberships, multi tickets, pay on the gate, direct debits, offers, family deals, Black Bank etc, etc.

We have engaged with the Polish community in the past and the feedback was a general 'too expensive' and 'not interested'. The vast majority of workers who have migrated to Doncaster are intelligent people who can make their own minds up.

Whilst effective marketing will be a constant ongoing issue for the club, just because you don't know about it, doesn't mean to say it's not happening or being looked at. That said I'm sure the club/fan panel are always open to ideas.

As one who spent many an hour handing out leaflets, hanging posters in shops, you maybe surprised about the lack of interest in Rovers and in football in general.

I've done my time searching for the answers. Sometimes the truth hurts but I suspect the way we are going some faith may be restored and things will pick up again.

Did you take up any of the invitations to put your ideas forward Mr Frost?

As i've posted many times, i've emailed the club and several occasions and they only one who ever replied to me was Ryan Murrant.

I'd start with social media and actually begin engaging with people who ask questions to the club on Facebook and Twitter.

It isn't difficult. Has there been any social media promotion of this saturdays potential promotion winning game?

[Padge_DRFC]

The interest in football is there but unfortunately 6 or 7 games a week can be watched in your armchair

[auckleyflyer]

Well hands up time! Since my dad and I gave up our season tickets after 1st season in the keepmoat, iv only gone when there is an offer on! Except Portsmouth away and only because my brother lives there and married to a big pompy family.
Its down to cost, above £20 lost me. Its a huge mental barrier. My two boys are season ticket holders and I listen, text them and consider myself a supporter but only attend 3/4 home games a year!
May be a stage of life thing but theres always better things to spend my money on.
Elephant in the room the COST of football. By the way im far from the poverty line, can walk to the moat from bessy, but I also value my cash! Football out valued me.

[steve@dcfd]

Cost does come into football but with a similar record in 2003 /4 when we were champions in division 3 (league2) we had crowds of the same level. It's league 2 football

[not on facebook]

Donny is a one team town with a lager than most towns catchment area,but said town has 5 other much bigger near by city's teams taking u told football fans away on match days.

John Ryan could never get his head round this FACT and it will never change.be happy for what we get now .

Should rovers get back into championship crowds will have gone up from today yes,but that's via duoble increase in away support and untold glory seeking rovers fans .

God help if rovers should ever get into the prem as that will be truely horrible experience for the rovers fans today that pay out for season or match day tickets.

[Padge_DRFC]

It's funny people complain about £20. I could spend that in half hour round town and so do others probably on booze but wouldn't think twice about it

[Mr1Croft]

I think the 'experiment' has far more to answer for our decline in attendances than most people care to admit.

As for strategic marketing, as far as I'm aware there is groundwork being laid and the focus of this in the last few years has been aimed towards the families and 'junior' supporters to build a fan base from scratch rather than try and entice most of the Doncaster public who have already decided their loyalty to Rovers long ago.

I'm sure they are currently engaging with around 80 of the 125 or so Doncaster schools, in the past 5 years we've often been high up the leaderboard nationally for player visits to schools, we've had the Rovers Roadshow and on top of that seen targeted improvements in the Family Stand be it through Donny's Deli, activities underground, tickets for attendance schemes and so forth. We also remain one of top clubs in the country in terms of our junior to adults in our attendances.

Obviously the true result of this and its success won't be seen by most currently at the club, they are paving the foundations for future generations which doesn't seem an entire waste if you ask me. Take this years Season Ticket campaign for example, the U24 category is specifically designed to bridge the gap from young fans to full paying adults, it's part and parcel of what the club is trying to do.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Everyone's different. For example. Of our group, at our height there we 10 season ticket holders. In recent times this shrank to just two. Part way into the season, this went back up to three.

Of the remaining 7, 6 dropped out due to the dire consequences of the Dickov era. 3 of them are having a sabbatical and will not return until next season having had the stuffing knocked out of them.

2 remain members and attend regularly but not every home game.

One other has come of age and has 'other' interests and commitments.

One other, was here for the ride but is not a Rover through and through (nor any other team) . Has even declined free tickets having 'Better things to do'.

All of the above do not need any special marketing, they observe from a distance and cost is not a barrier.

Come the next couple of seasons, we may be back up to 8. This could easily be reflected amongst those missing 1000s we know are out there.

[Padge_DRFC]

Don't get how people can just stop like that

[drfchound]

Two of our regular group didn't renew this season, for family reasons.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Don't get how people can just stop like that

Exactly. It's not in our DNA 😉. We have to accept that other folk are not the same and life is full of other distractions!

[Bentley Bullet]

There used to be seven of us, now there's three.

[roversdude]

Must be me but out of 6 of us who went everywhere I'm just about last man standing
One died three drifted away and one comes now and then
The dire football was main reason

[DonnyOsmond]

Everyone's different. For example. Of our group, at our height there we 10 season ticket holders. In recent times this shrank to just two. Part way into the season, this went back up to three.

Of the remaining 7, 6 dropped out due to the dire consequences of the Dickov era. 3 of them are having a sabbatical and will not return until next season having had the stuffing knocked out of them.

2 remain members and attend regularly but not every home game.

One other has come of age and has 'other' interests and commitments.

One other, was here for the ride but is not a Rover through and through (nor any other team) . Has even declined free tickets having 'Better things to do'.

All of the above do not need any special marketing, they observe from a distance and cost is not a barrier.

Come the next couple of seasons, we may be back up to 8. This could easily be reflected amongst those missing 1000s we know are out there.

Hopefully we'll start bringing back the people lost from the Dickov era.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

There used to be seven of us, now there's three.

What's the story with yours BB if you don't mind me asking?

[Campsall rover]

Cost does come into football but with a similar record in 2003 /4 when we were champions in division 3 (league2) we had crowds of the same level. It's league 2 football

Our average gate in 2003/04 promotion season was 6900 if my memory serves me correctly.
We are over 1000 down on that this season.

[silent majority]

We have to sell the dream back to those who became despondent because of past failures. Not everyone is as faithful as those of us who never stopped attending regularly despite our more recent failings. I must admit a lot of my enthusiasm went when the dream of reaching the Championship proved to be unsustainable (twice), and although I never stopped going, I can empathise with those who did.

The majority of those who no longer attend who I've spoken to told me they no longer go because actually reaching the promised land of Championship football wasn't anywhere near as good as the dream of getting there. They claimed that even with backing from the richest board we've ever had, and are ever likely to have again resulted in failure, meaning that we will never be anything higher than a third/fourth tier team.

Hopefully, this new dawn of building the club from within will prove otherwise, resulting in those who jumped ship becoming life-long fans again.

This is more likely where the truth lay.

As someone who's worked with the club for a few years in the past, being a passionate supporter also frustrated at certain things that were barriers to people attending more regularly, I can assure you most of the above has been explored many times.

We have engaged a consultant which helped turn the club into a more fan engaged club than before and we are enjoying many of the benefits of this now. Not too long ago we were paying up to £480 for an adult season ticket and £28 on the gate. There were no memberships, multi tickets, pay on the gate, direct debits, offers, family deals, Black Bank etc, etc.

We have engaged with the Polish community in the past and the feedback was a general 'too expensive' and 'not interested'. The vast majority of workers who have migrated to Doncaster are intelligent people who can make their own minds up.

Whilst effective marketing will be a constant ongoing issue for the club, just because you don't know about it, doesn't mean to say it's not happening or being looked at. That said I'm sure the club/fan panel are always open to ideas.

As one who spent many an hour handing out leaflets, hanging posters in shops, you maybe surprised about the lack of interest in Rovers and in football in general.

I've done my time searching for the answers. Sometimes the truth hurts but I suspect the way we are going some faith may be restored and things will pick up again.

Did you take up any of the invitations to put your ideas forward Mr Frost?

As i've posted many times, i've emailed the club and several occasions and they only one who ever replied to me was Ryan Murrant.

I'd start with social media and actually begin engaging with people who ask questions to the club on Facebook and Twitter.

It isn't difficult. Has there been any social media promotion of this saturdays potential promotion winning game?

This isn't exactly true is it?

Shaun Lockwood contacted you when he was at the club, I also attempted on numerous occasions to set up meetings and to allow you to put your point of view across. Each time you responded the same way by stating 'why should I do the clubs job for them?'

As for promoting this weekends game I've seen it it mentioned about 7 or 8 times already today from Facebook, through twitter etc etc.

[Retdon1]

There were 5 of us that were all season ticket holders and did most away games too. Now there's only 2 of us that go every week, 1 doesn't have a season ticket because he can't make midweek games but still attends most Saturday games home and away, and the other 2 hardly come at all now unless it's a good all day away trip. The 2 who don't come much now stopped coming 1 year into the Dickov era and have found different things to do on a Saturday.

[RedJ]

...you mean there are other ways to spend your Saturday?

[MrFrost]

We have to sell the dream back to those who became despondent because of past failures. Not everyone is as faithful as those of us who never stopped attending regularly despite our more recent failings. I must admit a lot of my enthusiasm went when the dream of reaching the Championship proved to be unsustainable (twice), and although I never stopped going, I can empathise with those who did.

The majority of those who no longer attend who I've spoken to told me they no longer go because actually reaching the promised land of Championship football wasn't anywhere near as good as the dream of getting there. They claimed that even with backing from the richest board we've ever had, and are ever likely to have again resulted in failure, meaning that we will never be anything higher than a third/fourth tier team.

Hopefully, this new dawn of building the club from within will prove otherwise, resulting in those who jumped ship becoming life-long fans again.

This is more likely where the truth lay.

As someone who's worked with the club for a few years in the past, being a passionate supporter also frustrated at certain things that were barriers to people attending more regularly, I can assure you most of the above has been explored many times.

We have engaged a consultant which helped turn the club into a more fan engaged club than before and we are enjoying many of the benefits of this now. Not too long ago we were paying up to £480 for an adult season ticket and £28 on the gate. There were no memberships, multi tickets, pay on the gate, direct debits, offers, family deals, Black Bank etc, etc.

We have engaged with the Polish community in the past and the feedback was a general 'too expensive' and 'not interested'. The vast majority of workers who have migrated to Doncaster are intelligent people who can make their own minds up.

Whilst effective marketing will be a constant ongoing issue for the club, just because you don't know about it, doesn't mean to say it's not happening or being looked at. That said I'm sure the club/fan panel are always open to ideas.

As one who spent many an hour handing out leaflets, hanging posters in shops, you maybe surprised about the lack of interest in Rovers and in football in general.

I've done my time searching for the answers. Sometimes the truth hurts but I suspect the way we are going some faith may be restored and things will pick up again.

Did you take up any of the invitations to put your ideas forward Mr Frost?

As i've posted many times, i've emailed the club and several occasions and they only one who ever replied to me was Ryan Murrant.

I'd start with social media and actually begin engaging with people who ask questions to the club on Facebook and Twitter.

It isn't difficult. Has there been any social media promotion of this saturdays potential promotion winning game?

This isn't exactly true is it?

Shaun Lockwood contacted you when he was at the club, I also attempted on numerous occasions to set up meetings and to allow you to put your point of view across. Each time you responded the same way by stating 'why should I do the clubs job for them?'

As for promoting this weekends game I've seen it it mentioned about 7 or 8 times already today from Facebook, through twitter etc etc.

The only person from the club to contact me was Ryan Murrant and I met with him. End of. So don't make things up to suit your agenda please.

Yep there's a brief Facebook post. Cant see anything. On twitter or the official site.

[Campsall rover]

Cost does come into football but with a similar record in 2003 /4 when we were champions in division 3 (league2) we had crowds of the same level. It's league 2 football

Yes it is league 2 football. It is also league 2 football for all the other teams in our league.
So why are Luton averaging nearly 8000 and Plymouth nearly 9000
Yes Plymouth's population is similar to Doncaster's over 300,000 and they have a huge catchment area, although most of West Devon and Cornwall is sparsely populated. Plymouth similar to us have come down from the Championship in recent years. So why do they command 3000 more fans on ave this season than us?
As for Luton they are a smaller town than us and have been in the conference and league 2 for the last 7/8 seasons. They have spent most of this season in a play off position. So why are they commanding gates 2000 above ours? These are questions we seriously need to address.
Yes I know the last 2 1/2 seasons prior to this one have been dire but when we are top of the league, scoring goals for fun and playing attractive attacking football the crowds should be returning in a much greater number than they are doing at present. What is the answer, what needs to be done that isn't being done to get those empty seats at the Moat filled? I am still trying to work out what will work without the club losing revenue. It has to be something that will increase revenue.

[MrFrost]

Cost does come into football but with a similar record in 2003 /4 when we were champions in division 3 (league2) we had crowds of the same level. It's league 2 football

Yes it is league 2 football. It is also league 2 football for all the other teams in our league.
So why are Luton averaging nearly 8000 and Plymouth nearly 9000
Yes Plymouth's population is similar to Doncaster's over 300,000 and they have a huge catchment area, although most of West Devon and Cornwall is sparsely populated. Plymouth similar to us have come down from the Championship in recent years. So why do they command 3000 more fans on ave this season than us?
As for Luton they are a smaller town than us and have been in the conference and league 2 for the last 7/8 seasons. They have spent most of this season in a play off position. So why are they commanding gates 2000 above ours? These are questions we seriously need to address.
Yes I know the last 2 1/2 seasons prior to this one have been dire but when we are top of the league, scoring goals for fun and playing attractive attacking football the crowds should be returning in a much greater number than they are doing at present. What is the answer, what needs to be done that isn't being done to get those empty seats at the Moat filled? I am still trying to work out what will work without the club losing revenue. It has to be something that will increase revenue.

They are bigger clubs.

[IDM]

Well hands up time! Since my dad and I gave up our season tickets after 1st season in the keepmoat, iv only gone when there is an offer on! Except Portsmouth away and only because my brother lives there and married to a big pompy family.
Its down to cost, above £20 lost me. Its a huge mental barrier. My two boys are season ticket holders and I listen, text them and consider myself a supporter but only attend 3/4 home games a year!
May be a stage of life thing but theres always better things to spend my money on.
Elephant in the room the COST of football. By the way im far from the poverty line, can walk to the moat from bessy, but I also value my cash! Football out valued me.

I understand you have a £20 barrier but the price of a regular matchday ticket for an adult is £20.  If you paid £10 for membership, as I did, then that price is £17 but you must buy before the day of the game.

A £299 season ticket would have been £13 per game. OK not everyone can afford a ST nor can go to enough games, but if you go to at least 4 then the membership already pays back.

You may have been put off by higher prices in previous seasons, and that's fair enough, but this season it has been really easy to pay less than £20..

[Filo]

We have to sell the dream back to those who became despondent because of past failures. Not everyone is as faithful as those of us who never stopped attending regularly despite our more recent failings. I must admit a lot of my enthusiasm went when the dream of reaching the Championship proved to be unsustainable (twice), and although I never stopped going, I can empathise with those who did.

The majority of those who no longer attend who I've spoken to told me they no longer go because actually reaching the promised land of Championship football wasn't anywhere near as good as the dream of getting there. They claimed that even with backing from the richest board we've ever had, and are ever likely to have again resulted in failure, meaning that we will never be anything higher than a third/fourth tier team.

Hopefully, this new dawn of building the club from within will prove otherwise, resulting in those who jumped ship becoming life-long fans again.

This is more likely where the truth lay.

As someone who's worked with the club for a few years in the past, being a passionate supporter also frustrated at certain things that were barriers to people attending more regularly, I can assure you most of the above has been explored many times.

We have engaged a consultant which helped turn the club into a more fan engaged club than before and we are enjoying many of the benefits of this now. Not too long ago we were paying up to £480 for an adult season ticket and £28 on the gate. There were no memberships, multi tickets, pay on the gate, direct debits, offers, family deals, Black Bank etc, etc.

We have engaged with the Polish community in the past and the feedback was a general 'too expensive' and 'not interested'. The vast majority of workers who have migrated to Doncaster are intelligent people who can make their own minds up.

Whilst effective marketing will be a constant ongoing issue for the club, just because you don't know about it, doesn't mean to say it's not happening or being looked at. That said I'm sure the club/fan panel are always open to ideas.

As one who spent many an hour handing out leaflets, hanging posters in shops, you maybe surprised about the lack of interest in Rovers and in football in general.

I've done my time searching for the answers. Sometimes the truth hurts but I suspect the way we are going some faith may be restored and things will pick up again.

Did you take up any of the invitations to put your ideas forward Mr Frost?

As i've posted many times, i've emailed the club and several occasions and they only one who ever replied to me was Ryan Murrant.

I'd start with social media and actually begin engaging with people who ask questions to the club on Facebook and Twitter.

It isn't difficult. Has there been any social media promotion of this saturdays potential promotion winning game?

This isn't exactly true is it?

Shaun Lockwood contacted you when he was at the club, I also attempted on numerous occasions to set up meetings and to allow you to put your point of view across. Each time you responded the same way by stating 'why should I do the clubs job for them?'

As for promoting this weekends game I've seen it it mentioned about 7 or 8 times already today from Facebook, through twitter etc etc.

The only person from the club to contact me was Ryan Murrant and I met with him. End of. So don't make things up to suit your agenda please.

Yep there's a brief Facebook post. Cant see anything. On twitter or the official site.

Its on twitter, the clubs official twitter

[normal rules]

Plymouth have always attracted decent crowds due to their location and catchment. Barring Exeter it's a long way to travel to another league club.

[Campsall rover]

Cost does come into football but with a similar record in 2003 /4 when we were champions in division 3 (league2) we had crowds of the same level. It's league 2 football

Yes it is league 2 football. It is also league 2 football for all the other teams in our league.
So why are Luton averaging nearly 8000 and Plymouth nearly 9000
Yes Plymouth's population is similar to Doncaster's over 300,000 and they have a huge catchment area, although most of West Devon and Cornwall is sparsely populated. Plymouth similar to us have come down from the Championship in recent years. So why do they command 3000 more fans on ave this season than us?
As for Luton they are a smaller town than us and have been in the conference and league 2 for the last 7/8 seasons. They have spent most of this season in a play off position. So why are they commanding gates 2000 above ours? These are questions we seriously need to address.
Yes I know the last 2 1/2 seasons prior to this one have been dire but when we are top of the league, scoring goals for fun and playing attractive attacking football the crowds should be returning in a much greater number than they are doing at present. What is the answer, what needs to be done that isn't being done to get those empty seats at the Moat filled? I am still trying to work out what will work without the club losing revenue. It has to be something that will increase revenue.

They are bigger clubs.

Brilliant reply Mr Frost is that your most constructive solution to our gates.
Total garbage, how do you come to the conclusion that they are bigger clubs. Answer that statement please because I would like to see the evidence that backs that up.

[IDM]

I don't think the Mansfield fixture itself needs marketing at all, nor any individual match.

Anyone with a passing interest in Doncaster Roves can easily find out about the fixture and how to get a ticket.  We managed well enough in the days before the internet and social media, so can do so now.

Where marketing promotions can and would help, IMHO, is if there is a ticket offer on.  That is a different matter altogether.

[normal rules]

At their peak, didn't rovers have 7/8k Sth? ( 1st championship season)

The club could correspond with all those who were sth and are now not to ask , why not?

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Cost does come into football but with a similar record in 2003 /4 when we were champions in division 3 (league2) we had crowds of the same level. It's league 2 football

Yes it is league 2 football. It is also league 2 football for all the other teams in our league.
So why are Luton averaging nearly 8000 and Plymouth nearly 9000
Yes Plymouth's population is similar to Doncaster's over 300,000 and they have a huge catchment area, although most of West Devon and Cornwall is sparsely populated. Plymouth similar to us have come down from the Championship in recent years. So why do they command 3000 more fans on ave this season than us?
As for Luton they are a smaller town than us and have been in the conference and league 2 for the last 7/8 seasons. They have spent most of this season in a play off position. So why are they commanding gates 2000 above ours? These are questions we seriously need to address.
Yes I know the last 2 1/2 seasons prior to this one have been dire but when we are top of the league, scoring goals for fun and playing attractive attacking football the crowds should be returning in a much greater number than they are doing at present. What is the answer, what needs to be done that isn't being done to get those empty seats at the Moat filled? I am still trying to work out what will work without the club losing revenue. It has to be something that will increase revenue.

Both Luton and Plymouth have traditionally averaged higher attendances than us. The reasons are given in the posts above. If there was a magic wand that would bring all these people back, I'm sure the club would wave it. For a good proportion it seems things are not irretrievable and promotion and a progressive outlook will bring many back.

As Mr Croft says, the youth and young adults are being targeted and assisted so we should see growth in these groups, which is good for the future.