I have the impression that the small crowds and non existent atmosphere have had an impact at times in recent seasons. Well placed for a play off push at New Year the last few seasons but at a time when crowds should be rising and a buzz should be in the stadium it remains the same small time atmosphere. We should be making the atmosphere buzz and push the players on in these times not sit in silence etc. Players leave like Hammill, Vaz Te etc as they in front of bigger crowds and better atmospheres they end up leaving for better things. Oakwell must be a depressing place to be a home player, less than half full, no atmosphere and it just frustrates me as up to maybe even 5 years ago we used to push the team on even with smaller crowds but now its just poor. Would have like to have seen Keith Hill in charge of the team Simon Davey had. For me that was a better team than what we have now. But a lack of management cost us.
Is it just that our supporters dont feel they are part of the club anymore and are looked upon more as customers nowadays? No matter how many new ideas on ways to raise money they come up with, they are almost always aimed at the same group of fans to dig deep.
Simple marketing, it's much easier to get more from an existing customer than it is to get a new customer.