Attendances so far this season

[Weston Saint]

Last season we played Blackpool on Saturday 24th November 2007 at 3pm in front of 21,075. This was after we had failed to score in the previous 3 games and yealded only 1 point.

 

I know this year was at 12:45pm and was on Sky but the loss of so many supporters must be a worry.

[70's Mike]

Last season we played Blackpool on Saturday 24th November 2007 at 3pm in front of 21,075. This was after we had failed to score in the previous 3 games and yealded only 1 point.

 

I know this year was at 12:45pm and was on Sky but the loss of so many supporters must be a worry.

 

Agreed some are burying their heads blaming holidays, sky etc but the results of last year at home and the loss at home to Birmingam are the real reasons.

 

Unless you are 100% committed then losing games at home will cripple attendances, Jan has to find away to play good passing football that WINS games or 15k will be the norm

[Window Cleaner]

Agreed some are burying their heads blaming holidays, sky etc but the results of last year at home and the loss at home to Birmingam are the real reasons.

 

Unless you are 100% committed then losing games at home will cripple attendances, Jan has to find away to play good passing football that WINS games or 15k will be the norm

 

But we'd just beaten Birmingham at home in the league cup,don't think the result against Birmingham affects the figure in any way,if ity did we'd have got more. We are,what, 3500 down on season tickets this year for a start. The results of last season affect season ticket sales.Buoyed by our play off place in 2006/7 we sold more STs, then there's the politics which have some slight effect.None of you will believe me but money is becoming tighter and tighter in the average UK home ,your average non ST fan just can't go to 2 home games in a week.If they went to Birmingham in the Carling they probably didn't go to Blackpool in the League if they had to pay again.

Think of it this way,did you go on holiday this year to the Euro zone?

How much more did that cost you over last year, if you spent say 500£

last year that would become 600 this year. So what do you do? yep you cut out a few football games especially if they're on TV at an awkward time.

Having few beers in a pub with your mates would probably cost you no more than the pre-match beers you'd have before the game anyway. Economics is the key to the downturn, not ignoring politics of course but that's not a major cause. Money is.

[Scummer]

Agreed some are burying their heads blaming holidays, sky etc but the results of last year at home and the loss at home to Birmingam are the real reasons.

 

Unless you are 100% committed then losing games at home will cripple attendances, Jan has to find away to play good passing football that WINS games or 15k will be the norm

 

The reality, as usual, is that it's a bit of both.

 

Blackpool had the fewest away fans I can ever remember seeing at SMS, must have been only 100-150. I would say an 'average' away turnout would be more like 1000-1500.

 

The fact that it was on TV probably knocked around 1000 off the gate.

 

Holidays do have an effect, they did even when we were in the Premier League. Maybe around a thousand people.

 

If anything, the worst aspect of it being on TV will have been the many people who tuned in after hearing the reports of how great we'd been this season. If we'd put on a good show, it probably would have translated to a couple of thousand extra fans for our next home game.

 

So I'd say that, taking the above into account, our 'real' attendance for the Blackpool game would have been around 18000-19000. Still down on last season, but not quite as dramatic.

 

Having said that, if we linger around the bottom of the table all season, I can see us getting a crowd that would have fitted into the Dell this year, for the first time since we moved.

[Window Cleaner]

s' date=' Jan has to find away to play good passing football that WINS games or 15k will be the norm[/quote']

 

 

Meaning we've just got to put those chances away,a clinical striker (not Rasiak or Saga) would have had us at least 2-0 up before half time.I'm still iffy about

McGoldrick on the clinical conversion front. He looks good but I don't think he's got that killer instinct yet,Lallana certainly hasn't.Having said that that sort of striker goes at about 30 million nowadays so .... but some of those floated balls coming form Holmes on the left would have been buried by Rooney,Van Nistelroy

or Osgood.

[West End Saint]

when we have 3.00 kick offs on a saturday we will get a true indication on attendances.Our midweek games normally only get 18000/19000 and are a lot lower than saturdays.Our 1 saturday game so far was on sky and an earlykick off still in the holiday season so the 15000 attendance may not be a true reflection on attendance trends and just a 1 off?

 

Good point also in August at lot of people are still away on Holiday I missed the Brum game as I was away on holiday a few 3 pm saturday kick offs now holiday season is over and we will get a better idea of attendances this season

[OldNick]

Even Man U are having trouble getting fans, Newcastle were 5k down before KK left.the finances are biting a lot of people and football will be one of the first casualties.

[70's Mike]

Good point also in August at lot of people are still away on Holiday I missed the Brum game as I was away on holiday a few 3 pm saturday kick offs now holiday season is over and we will get a better idea of attendances this season

 

I hope your right but most of those who post on here are 100% committed.

Talking to people around the City, people who used to go fairly regularly , there is a huge amount of apathy towards the club the last 5 years both on and off the pitch are taking there toll.

 

Money is an issue but only because the expectation of success has been eroded and people cannot be bothered.

[Window Cleaner]

Even Man U are having trouble getting fans, Newcastle were 5k down before KK left.the finances are biting a lot of people and football will be one of the first casualties.

 

 

True, it would seem to me that a lot of the regular posters on this forum are comfortably off and don't appreciate just how hard the economic downturn is biting those less fortunate. You've only to read all the articles on falling house prices,estate agents selling 4 houses a month and suchlike.The average UK citizen won't give up on his annual holiday to Tossa del Mar (or whatever) and

his week-end break in Dubai so football gets the chop.

[dubai_phil]

Don't panic, it may not be ONLY us having upcoming problems with crowd figures. Interesting article today on the costs of wtching the PL and the impact on fans

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2708611/Football-fans-ditch-the-pitch-to-save-cash-in-credit-crisis-as-match-cost-tops-100.html

[Blandford saint]

Another factor is that the average age of a supporter has been steadily increasing ever since the Premier League started, mainly due to the cost of tickets. My dad has given up his season ticket because he will no longer drive that far, and my brother can't be bothered to drive from Somerset because of the distinctly average football he's endured the last few years. The point is, who is replacing them? When we were kids we used to often watch Bournemouth and Saints because it only cost 50p to get in. Our expectations weren't so high because we could get in with just our pocket money. I just don't know of many children being taken like we were - it's just too expensive.

[70's Mike]

Another factor is that the average age of a supporter has been steadily increasing ever since the Premier League started, mainly due to the cost of tickets. My dad has given up his season ticket because he will no longer drive that far, and my brother can't be bothered to drive from Somerset because of the distinctly average football he's endured the last few years. The point is, who is replacing them? When we were kids we used to often watch Bournemouth and Saints because it only cost 50p to get in. Our expectations weren't so high because we could get in with just our pocket money. I just don't know of many children being taken like we were - it's just too expensive.

 

the other issue is we could go on our own because if you lived in the city boundaries public transport was available.

With no football, other than the FA Cup final and World Cup on tv, going to The Dell was it if you wanted to watch football.

[teamsaint]

2 GAMES FOR £35

3 games for £50

 

That would help.

 

Leicester did this kind of thing successfully.

 

No doubt some ST holders would not be happy with this.

[Redondo Saint]

I certainly don't know the reason for the low attendance. It's probably a combination of several, as stated in the thread.

 

I am surprised the economy has been given as a reason for not going to SMS. Maybe I am now out of touch, but in previous slumps, most people would still find money for leisure activities - particularly beer and footy.

 

Looking at Norwich, Ipswich and Coventry, it's not just about winning every game that makes fans show up. I don't know how their ticket prices compare to SMS.

 

Again, it's too soon in the season to make a judgement on the avg attendance, but if I was responsible for ticket sales, I would be asking Norwich and Ipswich for some advice.

 

Question: Do some some people stop going because of the ticket price, match quality, current negativity, Lowe?

 

Something isn't right if the first home game at SMS (less than 19,000) is 5,000 less than Norwich's second game at home....

 

I have no agenda here, simply curious and somewhat surprised.

[Thedelldays]

I certainly don't know the reason for the low attendance. It's probably a combination of several, as stated in the thread.

 

I am surprised the economy has been given as a reason for not going to SMS. Maybe I am now out of touch, but in previous slumps, most people would still find money for leisure activities - particularly beer and footy.

 

Looking at Norwich, Ipswich and Coventry, it's not just about winning every game that makes fans show up. I don't know how their ticket prices compare to SMS.

 

Again, it's too soon in the season to make a judgement on the avg attendance, but if I was responsible for ticket sales, I would be asking Norwich and Ipswich for some advice.

 

Question: Do some some people stop going because of the ticket price, match quality, current negativity, Lowe?

 

Something isn't right if the first home game at SMS (less than 19,000) is 5,000 less than Norwich's second game at home....

 

I have no agenda here, simply curious and somewhat surprised.

 

 

I think the fact that we are pretty ****e at the mo is a huge reason

[70's Mike]

I certainly don't know the reason for the low attendance. It's probably a combination of several, as stated in the thread.

 

I am surprised the economy has been given as a reason for not going to SMS. Maybe I am now out of touch, but in previous slumps, most people would still find money for leisure activities - particularly beer and footy.

 

Looking at Norwich, Ipswich and Coventry, it's not just about winning every game that makes fans show up. I don't know how their ticket prices compare to SMS.

 

Again, it's too soon in the season to make a judgement on the avg attendance, but if I was responsible for ticket sales, I would be asking Norwich and Ipswich for some advice.

 

Question: Do some some people stop going because of the ticket price, match quality, current negativity, Lowe?

 

Something isn't right if the first home game at SMS (less than 19,000) is 5,000 less than Norwich's second game at home....

 

I have no agenda here, simply curious and somewhat surprised.

 

Apathy , people cannot be bothered, we are down to the hardcore and the gates will only go up if we start WINNING

[saintkiptanui]

I think the fact that we are pretty ****e at the mo is a huge reason

We aren't sh*t, we played badly once, unfortunatley that was the game you saw. Memorys are sooooo short on here, fickle me up buttercup.

[teamsaint]

I certainly don't know the reason for the low attendance. It's probably a combination of several, as stated in the thread.

 

I am surprised the economy has been given as a reason for not going to SMS. Maybe I am now out of touch, but in previous slumps, most people would still find money for leisure activities - particularly beer and footy.

 

Looking at Norwich, Ipswich and Coventry, it's not just about winning every game that makes fans show up. I don't know how their ticket prices compare to SMS.

 

Again, it's too soon in the season to make a judgement on the avg attendance, but if I was responsible for ticket sales, I would be asking Norwich and Ipswich for some advice.

 

Question: Do some some people stop going because of the ticket price, match quality, current negativity, Lowe?

 

Something isn't right if the first home game at SMS (less than 19,000) is 5,000 less than Norwich's second game at home....

 

I have no agenda here, simply curious and somewhat surprised.

 

it is 90 % about ST sales.

[aintforever]

I remember doing a pointless stats project at college finding a correlation between attendance and performance and came to the conclusion that it was more about the feelgood factor than just results. For example if a team had just got promoted and were in mid table attandances would be higher than if they just got relegated and were in mid table because fans "felt" better.

 

In our case the feel good factor is almost zero because as well as poor results, popular players have been flogged, a popular manager sacked and an unpopular person is running the club. The only thing that will turn it around is winning, particularly at home, keep losing and attendances will drop even more.

[eelpie]

2 GAMES FOR £35

3 games for £50

 

That would help.

 

Leicester did this kind of thing successfully.

 

No doubt some ST holders would not be happy with this.

 

Reductions for fans living over 60 miles away would bring in a few more ie from London. Reductions for evening matches and televised matches too would bring in a few more.

[eelpie]

it is 90 % about ST sales.

 

Around 5,000 less ST's sold this season?

[Fan The Flames]

How dare you apologise for the behaviour of the stay-aways. If anybody allows politics to get in the way of support for their team, then they are no longer a fan in my eyes.

 

says the c*nt who wanted WBA to beat us

[Mr X]

Where is the 10,000 strong "Lowe's army" who you told us would come flooding back?

 

oh dear scooby seems to have gone quiet on you when asked him a direct question, now there's a surprise

[theyin]

I've been staying away from games for years now. The price to see a bunch of overpaid journey men and failed new dawns in the past ten years or so has only been alleiviated by MLT and a couple of other men that showed the game and club mattered to them. I don't apologise for football not being all it was to me in years past. The whole game is far from for the fan anymore and what's been on offer has hardly lived up to the hype. But I'm born in Southampton and the game will always be my number 1 sporting interest. I say well done to you that have followed the entirity of the team's highs and lows your support is always appreciated when we appear on telly. There is indeed something noble about the wherever/through thick and thin fan, but some have other priorities, interests, financial reasons, work shifts and schedules that don't allow us to be at SMS or Crewe or Blackpool or Doncaster on a wet and rainy January Tuesday(not that I'd particularly want to). But don't ever acuse me or others like me who look first to see how the Saints are doing, come on here to seek out a bit of gossip or occasionally turn up at a game when the moment allows. We're still red and white through and through.

[West End Saint]

I hope your right but most of those who post on here are 100% committed.

Talking to people around the City, people who used to go fairly regularly , there is a huge amount of apathy towards the club the last 5 years both on and off the pitch are taking there toll.

 

Money is an issue but only because the expectation of success has been eroded and people cannot be bothered.

 

You have a point lack of money and apathy towards the club will have an affect but IF we can get a few results our attendances will undoubtley rise and to date they have been affected by Sky kick off times and Holidays

[sotonian]

it does not matter who is chairman, manager etc the reason the attendances are down is purely down to the cost for the entertainment provided.

 

our football club has to realise people do have a choice on how to spend their money

 

i'm just stupid, i go to every home game and most away games

[teamsaint]

not only is it a lot of money, especially match by match, but there are so many games in the CCC that you never have to wait long to see anotherif you decide to miss a game.

[Jayram]

But Derby only got "30,000...week in week out" once they looked liked making it to the 'promised land' and for their calamitous one season up there. Like everyone else they came back down expecting to "win week in week out" and get promoted. After their start, watch their crowds start dipping and if they remain in this division for another couple of years I'm guessing they'll be down to 15k anytime soon.

 

Well we were in this division for 5 seasons after our last relegation from the Prem in 2002 and our average attendances didn't drop below 22,000 even in our worst season, 2003/04, when we had a board similar to yours (well, worse actually; they are all going on trial at Crown Court soon for fraud) and a comparable lack of money. We currently have 23,000 season ticket holders and even with the credit crunch and a dodgy team I can't see us averaging less than 25,000. I guess we'll have to see. I don't blame fans for not turning out, particularly when their team isn't doing well; the cost of a day out at a CCC match these days is ludicrous. For me a home game (ticket, petrol, programme and something to eat/drink) costs a minimum of £60, which is impossible to sustain week in week out with a family and a mortgage so I have to pick and choose which matches I go to, like I guess a lot of Saints fans do right now.