I've been thinking...

...about the whole lack of fans, lack of commercial awareness and lack of match day experience threads. My thoughts are thus:

For me, the biggest issue is the lack of atmosphere and sense of occasion on matchdays. When I visit the ground I don't feel as though it is a focal point of the town and the community. Oakwell should be iconic - not just to the football fans but also to the town in general.

The club needs to identify what it is that's iconic about the club and about the town and then leverage them as much as possible. This is how I'd start do it:

1. Cover the whole north end of the West Lower with a huge officially commissioned banner as well as the east side of the North Stand. The content and slogan on the banners would be defined with the help of the supporters and would provide some form of motivational/pride in the club and town orientated statements. That would help to cover some of the empty seats and also take some ownership of the unused parts of the ground back to the fans.

2. I would also commission several banners for the outside of the ground, similar to the My Town... one that used to be on the Ponty End but without a d!ckhead like Darren Gough on it. One for each stand but with images of the fans and celebratory moments from the previous season or key moments in big games - just something to get the emotions going and to once again take ownership of the ground back to the fans. To let people know that this club is proud and has plenty to be proud of. Away fans, players and visitors should be left in no doubt that this is Barnsley FC and we have plenty to shout about.

3. I would have meet and greet sessions from 2 former players at every home game during pre-match (one in the Ponty and one in the East).

4. I would reduce pay on the gate prices. Take away the excuse from the stay away fans. Challenge them to come back over a prolonged period.

5. The pre match music and half time music needs some real thought. As does the goal and full time music. Once again we need to identify iconic songs and music that the fans can take ownership of and identify with. Then stick with it to build some heritage.

6. KES! This sounds daft, but we should train a kestrel as the club mascot and release it on the pitch before every home game. Benfica use an eagle and although this would be tongue in cheek it could be our quirk that people can identify with and smile at. It would be a great point of discussion in the media and with away fans/online. We could then build on this over time to make it more and more iconic to the club and town. Sounds ridiculous, I know, but it works at Benfica and Servette. We have to do things differently to other clubs in England - find things that people will talk about and create curiosity in the club.

7. "The musical club". Music and football have always been closely related. Especially in fan culture. I would build the club as the iconic club of music by erecting a permanent structure in the corner of the Ponty and West stand then have a different band playing pre-match and at half time at every home game. It would cost a few quid to build the stage structure and get a decent sound system but bands would be queueing up to play in front of football sized crowds. Not only is it entertainment value for the paying fans but once again creating a niche for the club that no other club in the country owns. This would create dialogue and build curiosity in the club further.

8. I'd **** off Lindleys and allow local caterers to provide the food on matchdays. Woody's chippy and AN Other could provide good quality food that people want to buy - fish n chips, pies, burgers. It can't be difficult. Can it?

9. Build on the relationship with the town centre pubs and get club ambassadors out there in town pre-match, meeting fans and building interest that might tip the stay aways to leave the booozer and go to the match.

10. Name the bloody stands after BFC legends if we can't secure commercial sponsorship - put it to a fans vote. This is so easy and it is shocking that it hasn't been done before. Generic stand names do not create or build any form of pride or ownership of the ground.

11. Fanatics zone in the Ponty. Create a specified unreserved seating zone in the Ponty end at the front corner near the dimensions stand. Here a limited number of season tickets and match day tickets can be bought (including pay on the gate) where the fans that want to sing and get an atmosphere going can get together with their mates and other like minded individuals. The club could support this by commissioning flags and banners that could be fixed there permanently to create that iconic area of the ground that is owned by the fans that want to sing and shout and show their support in a more obvious manner.

12. Instead of a fixed bar on the concourse, allow different beer tents to be pitched in the East Stand by local pubs/breweries on match days with a seating area. This would provide choice and once again another focal point without being tied in to a soulless catering company.

13. Get plasma screens on the councourses that actually work and that people can watch preview videos of the forthcoming game whilst enjoying some decent grub and beer.

Those are just some of my initial thoughts and I know some of the ideas sound a bit far fetched, but if we can get the fans back by improving the match day experience in a few simple ways and by generating a strong sense of unity around a few iconic themes then at least it's a start.

The club feels completely generic to me. We the fans, have very little to own and feel attached to. I'd like the club to think a little differently about it's marketing to the fans on matchday and how it can find a niche and a point of interest amongst the people of Barnsley that can make people proud and interested enough to come and visit the ground on a match day.

Obviously there are stacks of other commerical issues that need addressing too, but they are far to complex to even consider trying to solve on a message board.



Feel free to ridicule my ideas as you see fit - especially the Kes one

 

some really excellent ideas there. well thought out and eloquently put. did you attend the meeting with the Don? have you thought about emailing this to him?

 

I live abroad so can't get involved with the meetings etc. Although I work in marketing and really I just want a job at the club to try and make a difference

Does the Don read email suggestions from fans?

Back home for Blackpool match though. You reds.

 

ehjoyed your post ML good points and ideas i think with so many people being out of work money is the basic factor for crowd attendances

 

Extremely thoughtful and well presented.

BFC should give you a job

 

My idea for a Farmer's market was quite popular, but no-one really got my visionary plan for the world's biggest Scalextric circuit.

 

You're just before your time. A visionary. Hang in there and the world will eventually catch up.

 

I think a lot of blokes stay away from footy nowadays because of this new fangled, touch-feely trend towards 'more family oriented activities'. It's not anymore like "I'm off tut match luv, then t pub, dunt wait up, sithi." Unfortunately those days have gone, she wants to go to Meadow Hall and other such 'alternatives'.

I've said this before, BFC should offer activities for the wives and little lasses to do while Dad and the lad go to the match. Don't ask me what -sewing or something. In that way the family spends the day together which there is now pressure on the modern family to do, but the y can do their own thing once they get there and then go home happy together, unless we've lost of course. It has to be more than a football club and have a wider appeal to the community with other activities that could even generate income. We're fortunate that we have the space and facilities. What about a hockey team? Worrrr - An archery club! Brilliant.

There's the solution, Sumbdy else can run with it, I've got an energy crisis to solve before bed time.

 

Some excellent points made, maybe we could get Gally to send them to Mr Rowing and get things moving quickly?

The Kes idea is good, it would certainly make us unique and would be great to see.

Come on BFC, the fans are always putting their ideas forward. Now we need a spokesperson at the club to come forward and genuinely review what we have been saying, maybe a small piece in the programme or article online?

You reds.

 

Some good ideas there and some of them have been discussed already and there will be news about them shortly. I like the idea of kes, the only problem is that a kestrel is such a small bird it might be missed. Crystal palace often have an eagle...now that was impressive when they were flying that round the pitch before the game. I am sure Gally will take note and pass info on.

Owen

 

really like this idea. depends on if bands would play for free? local ones probs would to gain exposer

 

Don't mean to **** on your parade, because I think you have some really good ideas in there, but Crystal Palace already do the Eagle thing. It flys from crossbar to crossbar. Not sure its a great spectacle anyways after seeing it there last season. Love the band pre-match gig, but getting a band to suit all tastes might be tricky, unless they do good covers?

Love your thinking overall though mate!! Get it put forward!

 

No worries , just some initial ideas that I came up with tonight. I've got loads more where they came from. Bound to be hit and miss but you've got to get the ideas out there and then reign them in if necessary. Blue sky and all that.

 

Totally on your wavelength with those ideas pal, none are too far fetched either...I very much doubt the Don knows what email is, probably only just learnt that it doesn't matter which way round you put a piece of paper in the fax machine.

Joking aside, unfortunately Barnsley's only marketing outlet is their facebook page, they must think every facebook user in the world gets to read what they post and not the paltry 13000 or so 'likes' they have. I could make a page about fart noises and have that many likes within days...

I actually think the club are averse to any outside influence whatsoever, I've sent several (what I would consider to be) very concise and helpful emails to the club with practical, low-cost ideas and have never even received a reply.

 

Facebook Fan Fart page is the best idea I've read so far

 

Why should bands play for free? Should the food outlets give their pies away too and beer be gratis? Bands are not expensive; a decent local band would charge around the price of a season ticket for a 45 minute set. 23 extra season tickets = music paid for.

 

They play for free because they get a large audience to promote themselves,their gigs and CD's

 

This is the same argument that low budget TV shows, movie producers and bar owners use to not pay contributing musicians. I think the bands thing is a great idea, but they should get paid.

 

Fair enough, pay them in tickets for the game