Preston v Blackpool. How do they do it?

[Jenny]

Thing about Coca Cola is that it has several substitutes, they need to market it successfully to stave off competition from own brand versions and Pepsi (not identical I know, but close enough).

I wouldn't say Rovers have many 'substitutes', you either like football and want to support the team of your choice, or you don't.

Of course there are improvements to be made, but you have to look at cost v potential returns of large scale continuous campaigns and basically, we all know that a large proportion of the public of Doncaster is not that interested in the football club and ramming the club down their throats will not change this.

There are people in Donny who are interested in the football club but don't attend because of cost.

If the club are doing a promotion then, like the quid a kid for instance, a campaign probably is worthwhile.

I agree 100% that when there is a special offer then there needs to be a decent marketing campaign behind it, my post was more aimed at just general types of advertising/marketing. I think it has already been said on here but those who have an interest in the Rovers probably know where to find information relating to games.

Of course there would be no harm in having billboards etc around the town but I am very skeptical about how much impact that this would have.

[IDM]

If i remember rightly there was a very big reluctance towards the all ticket arrangements when we made the move from Belle Vue,

I personally know a quite a few individuals who were regular attendees who stopped going because of this,

I'm pleased that the cash turnstile has been reintroduced, i believe in time and when folk get to know that it exists we will notice an increase in the total walk up crowd for matches, still lots of people who want the flexibility to make their minds up about attending a match when they want to and not to have to prior commit, these people were never catered for before at the KMS, time will tell if we can attract a good number back.

I've never understood why having to get a ticket puts people off attending.
Barring the odd long queue, on a match day, you're generally served with your ticket in a few minutes. Will people really not attend a game for the sake of a few minutes in the ticket office?

I agree with this last sentiment MrFrost - in the day at BV when it was virtually all pay on the gate the queues were often lengthy and took a while to get in, with half the attendances we get these days.

[mrfrostsdad]

It's all interesting stuff!
For me, I'm not convinced its the money. I'm old enough to remember going to BV on a Friday night in Division 4 when Darlo were the visitors and the crowd was 22,268 ( don't ask how I know, but somehow I always remember that crowd!!) Did people have any more money in 1968 than now? I somehow doubt it.

I think my post was borne out of frustration that if we could get more people in, we could spend more on player salaries.

I think Mike has made a good point ref STH's. when we got promoted last time we sold over 8k season tickets. How many have we sold this season? I know the club hasn't made it official, but am I correct in thinking its about 4200? That's a drop of 50% which is massive.

[bobjimwilly]

It's all interesting stuff!
For me, I'm not convinced its the money. I'm old enough to remember going to BV on a Friday night in Division 4 when Darlo were the visitors and the crowd was 22,268 ( don't ask how I know, but somehow I always remember that crowd!!) Did people have any more money in 1968 than now? I somehow doubt it.

I think my post was borne out of frustration that if we could get more people in, we could spend more on player salaries.

I think Mike has made a good point ref STH's. when we got promoted last time we sold over 8k season tickets. How many have we sold this season? I know the club hasn't made it official, but am I correct in thinking its about 4200? That's a drop of 50% which is massive.

Let's not forget a double-dip UK recession has happened since 2007.

And you refer to the money people had in 1968? Ticket prices have gone up 1000% at some clubs since 1989!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2027320/Football-matchday-ticket-prices-soar-1-000-2-decades.html

[MrFrost]

It's all interesting stuff!
For me, I'm not convinced its the money. I'm old enough to remember going to BV on a Friday night in Division 4 when Darlo were the visitors and the crowd was 22,268 ( don't ask how I know, but somehow I always remember that crowd!!) Did people have any more money in 1968 than now? I somehow doubt it.

I think my post was borne out of frustration that if we could get more people in, we could spend more on player salaries.

I think Mike has made a good point ref STH's. when we got promoted last time we sold over 8k season tickets. How many have we sold this season? I know the club hasn't made it official, but am I correct in thinking its about 4200? That's a drop of 50% which is massive.

Let's not forget a double-dip UK recession has happened since 2007.

And you refer to the money people had in 1968? Ticket prices have gone up 1000% at some clubs since 1989!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2027320/Football-matchday-ticket-prices-soar-1-000-2-decades.html

Depends who you believe. Aren't some economists saying the double dip never actually happened?
Plus - the people of Barnsley seem to be able to afford it.

[RedJ]

Important to remember people can now get a football fix on tv and online, and there's also a lot more by way of entertainment these days.

[River Don]

It's all interesting stuff!
For me, I'm not convinced its the money. I'm old enough to remember going to BV on a Friday night in Division 4 when Darlo were the visitors and the crowd was 22,268 ( don't ask how I know, but somehow I always remember that crowd!!) Did people have any more money in 1968 than now? I somehow doubt it.

I think my post was borne out of frustration that if we could get more people in, we could spend more on player salaries.

I think Mike has made a good point ref STH's. when we got promoted last time we sold over 8k season tickets. How many have we sold this season? I know the club hasn't made it official, but am I correct in thinking its about 4200? That's a drop of 50% which is massive.

Let's not forget a double-dip UK recession has happened since 2007.

And you refer to the money people had in 1968? Ticket prices have gone up 1000% at some clubs since 1989!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2027320/Football-matchday-ticket-prices-soar-1-000-2-decades.html

Depends who you believe. Aren't some economists saying the double dip never actually happened?
Plus - the people of Barnsley seem to be able to afford it.

They may have revised a double dip out of the figures but that doesn't mean the economy has been doing well. Far from it, the economy is still way off it was in 2007 when the credit crunch struck. In the time since then we have experienced inflation, particularly in food and fuel costs, the necessities, while pay has remained flat. No economist will disagree with that.

There is no question that people aren't as flush as they were.

[bobjimwilly]

Depends who you believe. Aren't some economists saying the double dip never actually happened?
Plus - the people of Barnsley seem to be able to afford it.

Well there's certainly been one global recession - that has been agreed by everyone.

re: Barnsley had 3000 more average attendance than us last season, but only 1000 more in the 2011/12 season.

http://www.football-league.co.uk/staticFiles/6f/bd/0,,10794~179567,00.pdf

I live and work in Barnsley and they certainly don't do anything more than we do marketing wise.

[walter the red]

Following on from the attendance from Preston v Blackpool (local derby ) of 17,500 ,it would be interesting to compare Preston's last season average home attendance figures compared to our own which i believe ours was about 7800-Does anyone have that information please ?

[bobjimwilly]

Following on from the attendance from Preston v Blackpool (local derby ) of 17,500 ,it would be interesting to compare Preston's last season average home attendance figures compared to our own which i believe ours was about 7800-Does anyone have that information please ?

see my link above walter

preston avg. last season: 9,272
drfc avg. last season: 7,222

[donnymatty]

The fans are out there, just not enough dedicated to become ST holders. This is proven by the Notts County game, the swansea game etc some people just need motivation to come

[dickos1]

It's all interesting stuff!
For me, I'm not convinced its the money. I'm old enough to remember going to BV on a Friday night in Division 4 when Darlo were the visitors and the crowd was 22,268 ( don't ask how I know, but somehow I always remember that crowd!!) Did people have any more money in 1968 than now? I somehow doubt it.

I think my post was borne out of frustration that if we could get more people in, we could spend more on player salaries.

I think Mike has made a good point ref STH's. when we got promoted last time we sold over 8k season tickets. How many have we sold this season? I know the club hasn't made it official, but am I correct in thinking its about 4200? That's a drop of 50% which is massive.

People probably didn't have more money no, but the price of tickets were nowhere near what they are now.
Prices have gone up over 100% just over the last 10 years or so.

[ponte_ricky]

So many varying external factors. Any 'university trained' marketer will know this and will have to try to tackle that. As someone has already mentioned, we've had a double dip recession. Maybe there are people who have left south Yorkshire (university, jobs etc) since 2007. Those are just examples but it's never going to be a simple case of what's happening on the pitch

[vaya]

It doesn't look like it's simple relationship to price either - we've seemingly lost half the numbers from 2008/9, but tickets certainly haven't doubled in price. I'm paying less now then I was for League One football 6+ years ago.

Has anyone got the numbers for each season from 2008/9 onwards - when did the slip start?

[IDM]

The fans are out there, just not enough dedicated to become ST holders. This is proven by the Notts County game, the swansea game etc some people just need motivation to come

it isn't a question of dedication nor motivation, simply affordability (not the prices, just the cash availability)...

[coventryrover]

Would fans accept lower quality players in exchange for cheaper tickets?

[Sheepskin Stu]

Would fans accept lower quality players in exchange for cheaper tickets?

I would pay a fiver every week to see you.

[mrfrostsdad]

4368 at the KM tonight.
To be honest, that was more than I thought we'd get. Is it right to be happy with 4368?

I don't know, but no doubt someone will put me right!

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

In the cup yes it is you only have to see all the other crowds to see it ain't so bad.

[wilts rover]

It doesn't look like it's simple relationship to price either - we've seemingly lost half the numbers from 2008/9, but tickets certainly haven't doubled in price. I'm paying less now then I was for League One football 6+ years ago.

Has anyone got the numbers for each season from 2008/9 onwards - when did the slip start?

That's is you accept there has been a dip vaya. The alternative theory is that 2008-09 was a novelty peak, first time in tier two since they took the laces out of the ball, the average of nearly 12k was 4k more than the previous promotion season. We were just slightly down on that last season with all the doom and gloom going on for much of the first half of it to. Rovers crowds have risen since I first started watching in the 70's, other than the 'blip' under Bremner, whats it been for 30 years, 3-4k?

[Chris Black come back]

4368 at the KM tonight.
To be honest, that was more than I thought we'd get. Is it right to be happy with 4368?

I don't know, but no doubt someone will put me right!

It was so cheap it was basically free to get in. Doubt we made much tonight.

[Sammy Chung was King]

It's a mixture of most of the things mentioned,people are very impatient when they have to queue up a few times,they want less hassle,pay on the gate and your in,the price is another thing people have less money available so have to decide which games they can afford,fifteen pound for adults,ten for oap's,five pound for kids would be fair,with selected quid a game for kids during the season,i know we as a club compare favourably on prices with most clubs,but the area we live in is not a well off place,except for games which are derbies why don't the football league let clubs do all pay at the gate?.

There's no doubt we have lost generations of supporters to bigger clubs during our struggling leagues,but we have also got a few in that support other sides and come to watch because Rovers are they're local side,on the loss of season ticket holders it's a bit of everything,the club seemed to forget how valuable they're supporters were,there has been an improvement since we got relegated to league one,hopefully that carries on,the shirt situation sums up our club,we just can't seem to shake off our Amateurish tendencies,it wouldn't happen at other clubs,through the vsc we as supporters got to have a say in which shirt we wanted,which was fantastic,then the club let them down after all the hard work.

The difference between 1968 and now is choices,the worlds full of them,people are not restricted by not having a car for example far less of them around in them days,the computer is another killer for live football people if they haven't a lot of money might get a stream off the internet,once they weigh up petrol or bus fares if they are taking a few of the kids,the food,programme etc,which of course you don't have to buy,but you tend to spend money if the kids are with you,people have just got so many options what they can do with their weekends,back then things were probably a lot more simple and maybe happier,families stuck together and did things together more.

Preston and Blackpool is of course a local derby so would drag in more in crowd figures,also they have a lot of clubs competing with each other for crowds,but they're would be more people in those areas than surround Donny,i stand corrected if i'm wrong,and they would therefore get more passing trade than we would,if you look back over our history,the club apart from the glory years we are currently going through,we have struggled year upon year just to put a competitive side out,we are blessed at the moment with what we have,we have a brand new stadium,how many of us thought over the years it would actually happen,after all the promises?
We have a competitive side that is still going to be improved further,the last time we were in the championship food sales for a start were not part of our income,the commercial side has improved despite mistakes,things take time.
The club is building steadily we once had a hardcore of fifteen hundred supporters,what is it now?,probably four and a half to five thousand,that's got to be progress,these other sides were winning things while we were pulling the weeds up at Belle vue
How can we expect to catch these sides up in ten or twelve years,not possible.

We are a Great 'Little' club enjoy the ride