Apparantly Ben & Co have targeted a specific age group which research shows is the optimum age with the highest chance of retaining fans for the future. I'm hoping there's a good take up although I fear no more than a 1/4 will. Can't blame the club for trying, small steps and all that. I really hope it's not the last time this season.
Re: Just hope we don't play like cnuts. From previous experience: We lose to Yeovil 3-0. MM appointed Sunday.
Would be a bit poor if people accepted the tickets and then didn't turn up, you'd hope at least 3000 out of 4000 would. Can't remember the last time we had home fans on all four sides of the ground.
Actually I can - I remember sitting in the north stand twice. We beat Blackburn 5-1 and Portsmouth 6-0.
I sat in there for the Blackburn game as a one off. Good decision. We scored 4 of our goals at that end.
I'd still give out another 1500 over the next two days, really pack the place Not all will come so 5500 tickets will get somewhere between 4-5000!! Get the papers to offer loads of pairs out on Friday to collect from the ground, or local clubs, hand the buggers out in the town centre, anything to pack the place, get people in spending cash....and SOME might come back!
It's a great initiative. My nephew is 6 and has been given a free ticket through his school, with another free ticket for an adult to take him. He's also been given another free ticket for another game (again with a free adult ticket) to go to another game this season as he's been attending some football training sessions. To capture kids initiatives and get them into their local team is vital, he's exactly the same age that I was when I got hooked and i'm hoping that it grabs him. Another good thing is not relying on teachers to take the kids, and getting parents, older siblings, uncles etc involved. My dad is taking my nephew to the second game, and he used to go to most of the home games. Dad stopped going due to shift work, poor perceived attitudes from the club, what he felt were comparatively high ticket prices and players seemingly not giving a toss. I'm hoping that this initiative will push them both into begin regular attendees, start a love of Barnsley FC for my nephew and rekindle my Dads interest in football. The only think I'm sad about is that I always hoped that it'd be me that took him to his first game!
They didn't mention it?!? Then i was going to ask but it got sidetracked onto sommet else! Sorry I wanted to know aswell
The only reason I ever got interested in going to Oakwell is because I went several times for free with my primary school in the mid-80's. If it wasn't for that I would have never got into the habit of going as none of my family were really into football at all. Football is such a short-term business these days which is probably why there has been a reluctance to have these kind of initiatives in the last ten years or so.
Sounds good! Let's hope 1000s of others in similar postitions take their daughters/sons/nephews/neices etc and they all have a great day out!
Hope Toby Tyke gets up in the north stand plenty, kids love the mascot! Half of the kids at Hull KR (and all the rugby teams) just go to games and club functions to see the mascot! They love Rufus the Robin at Hull KR (I would say that) but honestly they do! He is massive for Rovers, the look on the kids faces receiving presents from 'santa rufus' tonight at his xmas grotto in the club shop was unreal, money can't buy that marketing of fans of the future!! In the rugby, the mascots are a lot more involved on game day then Toby, bit it's harder at football for mascots, especially all seater grounds!! I loved Toby when I first came to Oakwell aged 12, I still do now even if he has lost some of his cheeky side, thing is now even mascots get into trouble for doing stuff which really isn't causing any harm, just harmless fun, but the world has gone mad!!