Can the club prevent / reverse falling attendances?

Attendances are clearly falling at the moment. We have fewer paying customers and businesses with a falling customer base generally contract rather than expand and progress. It seems to me that we have two big issues at the moment:
1. The product (performances and results)
2. The experience (the degree to which attending is enjoyable)

Whilst I think the two things are connected I don't think supporters attend solely on the basis of the performance and results. If they did there'd be no-one there! And there are still people saying they're going to MK on Saturday even though they expect another defeat.

So accepting that we're in the pub league, that the product has been largely ***** recently, that some people hate DW (and to add balance some people love him), accepting that it's cold, money's tight, "I'd rather spend my money on something else", "I'm washing my hair" etc etc etc ........what could we / the club do to put another thousand on the gate and reverse the trend of falling attendances?

What would it take to do achieve that?

For anyone who isn't going as often (or not at all) as they used to - what would it take to get you back?

Is anyone at the club looking at it?

Will it happen naturally if / when results improve?

If the unthinkable happens and we are relegated again what could be done to prevent a further fall?

 

Only one solution to this problem

Win games on a consistent basis and be challenging at the top of the division with a genuine hope of promotion. I honestly believe we'd be getting 11,000 to 12,000 this season if we were top 6.

 

Re: Only one solution to this problem

Results matter....that is all.

End of Fred

Hth

 

The 2 reasons I'm not attending at the moment.

1. The cold. There's not much the club could do about that but I'm unable to sit outside for prolonged periods of time.
2. The cost. If tickets were closer to £15 (and it wasn't too cold) I would probably attend almost every match but I know this would never happen. I know it's cheaper than that with a season ticket, but not when I can't attend in the winter.

The likely result doesn't factor into it.

 

Re: Only one solution to this problem

It's all down to one thing. Winning football matches on a consistent basis. Something we haven't done for nigh on 10 years, hence the falling gates. They've stood up well ST wise this year as people expected more wins and a decent league position. I doubt they'll be as forgiving when the renewals come out unless there's a sudden and dramatic improvement.

 

Re: Only one solution to this problem

thereev in common sense shocker

100% bang on anall

 

Re: Only one solution to this problem

Win some games. Play attractive football. Get Beyoncé to perform naked every other week. That should do it.

 

Re: Only one solution to this problem

Same everywhere mate, there's not as many blades fans as there is Wednesday in Barnsley.

I always remember at school I was in a class with about 20 barnsley fans and 2 wednesday fans, the two lads were season ticket holders and we used to have abit of banter with them and so on but I lost contact with them after everybody left school; as happens. Anyway, Port Vale away I'm walking out of the ground and who do I see? The two lads from school who was wednesday fans, I couldn't believe it so I got chatting to them about why they were here and their reply? 'We came to the chelsea match and Wembley and got the bug for it, they're our local team and it just suits better and we haven't missed a home game since that chelsea game'. Loyalty is dying within football, but this didn't half cheer me up on what was a ***** day. The point I'm making is of its easy enough for a rival to switch teams just because the club is going through a magic spell what affect does it have on the fans who will pop down now and again when they have a spare few quid? My bet is the 50/50 fans have got sky and now choose to 'follow' a top 4 side.

 

Re: Only one solution to this problem

That's my point - I don't think there is only one solution. Yes, results are important but it's not solely about that is it?

For example, what if BM (or someone else from the club) rang someone who hasn't been for a while and personally asked them to come back and give t another try? And what if they offered a free ticket to one match to entice them to come?

 

We had over 10k here on first game vs crawley if we were winning games playing good stuff in top 6 there would be 11k at oakwell I believe. I dont know how many swindon get but if we were in there shoes we would have 11k week in week out at oakwell I think

 

agree with all that sir

now that's a first

 

I think one of the main things is the price. £23 to watch League 1 football at a club that loses a lot more than it wins, against the likes of Fleetwood, Yeovil and Crawley, is absolutely scandalous.

£15 a ticket though and you would have a lot more people going regularly. For those who will immediately retort with "we've tried that before and it hasn't worked", you're wrong. We've had the odd game every season that's been knocked down to £15, but never half a season at that price, let alone a full season. I would certainly have attended most of the home games earlier this season (got a half season ticket now) at that price, but at £23 there was no chance.

It will never happen though. They don't have the bottle to try it.

 

The fans will come back when we get it right on the pitch. Sadly as things are we're pretty much down to the hardcore.

 

Re: Only one solution to this problem

Happerns all over that Im from wakefield but my dad got me into bfc. Was talking to a bloke on site other day he was from huddersfield got on about football, I asked him if he was a town fan he said no leeds. And when I asked why not town he just said I have always liked em

 

Re: Only one solution to this problem

She`ll be **** after a coupla week at it, we all know the drill.

 

Re: Only one solution to this problem

She doesn't put enough effort into it.

 

Results and entertainment value are key.
In the Flicker survival season I witnessed some of the most committed displays ever from a Barnsley Team.
The victory against Watford was superb and the players ran their blood to water.

 

That seems a very long time ago now. The Hull match was the same.

 

They need to address all areas of the match day experience (as much as some people hate the term) but I think Ben mansford said that due to relegation nothing will be done on that front.

Oakwell looks tired and run down and that subconsciously puts a lot of people off. Then there is the inept and hoc use of the tvs, again that outs people off. Toby tyke going missing for two games with the majority of people not even noticing shows just how bad our mascot has been lately this doesn't encourage kids at all and again to adults just further perpetuates the image of being a club in decline. Then there is the carpark with no lights on. A small thing maybe but to customers it says the club can't be arsed. Its another subconscious thought planted in your head before you even get through the door. Get inside and you can't hear yourself think due to 'music' being played loud enough that Rotherham have saved a fortune by turning their tannoy system off and just listening to ours.

It is all the little things that have built up into a 'don't care', club in decline image that has is being shown to the customers and what they see they emulate. They don't care so we don't care and people don't go if they don't care and don't enjoy the day.

Oh and losing all the time doesn't help