Morecambe offer free entry for Dagenham & Redbridge fixture. Would it work for us?

Boss Jim Bentley has expressed concern with falling attendances at the Globe Arena, admitting a lack of funds have left him unable to add any new players.

In League Two, only Dagenham and Accrington have a lower average gate than Morecambe's 1,961 in 2012-13. Their ground holds around 6,400.

Bentley hopes the initiative will entice people to future home matches.
"It's a chance to get the community behind the team and see if we can generate some atmosphere," Bentley told BBC Radio Lancashire.

“The situation that the club's in is not ideal. Everyone's feeling the pinch and attendances haven't been what we predicted.”

"If we can get three points and play well, hopefully they'll come back as paying customers."

Sounds like they're in a very similar situation to ourselves: ground less than half full, no money coming in, no money to spend on players, falling attendances, poor atmosphere, the club not being a big part of the community any more, except we're in the Championship and they're league 2. Fair play to them for actually taking positive steps in order to hopefully increase their attendances for future games, and I really hope it works out for them.

Is it something that is worth trying here?

I know there's all the stuff about its not being 'feasible' for us and that It won't help. But if we don't take any risks then how do we know that it won't have benefits for the future? Elsewhere in the article it says that: Bentley hopes the initiative will entice people to future home matches.
"It's a chance to get the community behind the team and see if we can generate some atmosphere"

The parallels between Morecambe and ourselves is staggering. It could be written about our Barnsley FC.

The only difference is Morecambe are trying to do something about it.

(Link to article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20912844)

 

Re: Morecambe offer free entry for Dagenham & Redbridge fixture. Would it work for us

Johnstone Paint Trophy next season maybe.

 

Re: Morecambe offer free entry for Dagenham & Redbridge fixture. Would it work for us

It wouldn't work for us. If it was free against Millwall and there were an extra 8-9,000 Barnsley fans in attendance, no matter how good the game might be (very doubtful), what percentage of these people would then pay £28 to watch Brighton? One percent if we're lucky.

 

Re: Morecambe offer free entry for Dagenham & Redbridge fixture. Would it work for us

There was a thread a bit ago about if Barnsley 'deserves to have a Championship football team'.

A comment from the Morecambe forum mirrors what that thread was about (do the people of Barnsley even care about it's team):

"IF the town don't react positively then it's an indication of where the club stands in the minds of many going forward. I could be wrong, but I suspect that the Board have thrown down the gauntlet to see how the town responds to its OWN Football Club."

At least they're throwing down a 'gauntlet', see if the Club actually has the interests of local people.

Again, there's parallels all over with this subject.

 

Re: Morecambe offer free entry for Dagenham & Redbridge fixture. Would it work for us

No, people would still moan if BFC let them in for free. Fckwits.

 

Re: Morecambe offer free entry for Dagenham & Redbridge fixture. Would it work for us

It would be interesting to see the result. As you say, we're in comparable situations. I think the club could do more to drum up interest for games such as the FA cup, I mean 5,000 is a pretty poor showing even by our standards. There's just no incentive for season ticket holders or casual supporters alike to justify the cost, even if it was only £15.

 

Re: Morecambe offer free entry for Dagenham & Redbridge fixture. Would it work for us

I have every confidence that the offer of FREE Championship football would see Oakwell filled. Charlton sold out vs us when it was football for a fiver.

Unfortunately, I am equally confident that the club would make a balls up of such an opportunity, e.g. only open one turnstyle, shut the club shop, run out of beer/pies before halftime.

 

Re: Morecambe offer free entry for Dagenham & Redbridge fixture. Would it work for us

There was a lot of coverage of this on Sky last night, and I was waiting for something to appear on here about it.

The key difference with Morecambe, from their Chairman's comments was that they were talking in terms of an increase in attendance from c1200 to 2500 as a result. On that scale, with a lot of the underlying attendance being from season ticket holders, they felt they could make a lot of the cost back via catering and other sales so the 'cost' to them was believed to be minor.

It's very different at Oakwell as there'd be a much bigger revenue gap to make up from lost ticket receipts and we wouldn't get any residual benefit from increased activity from catering or the club shop as these have been contracted out to 3rd parties. Consequently, it'd be a massive loss-leader for BFC, so the only real benefit would come from how many of the additional supporter we could attract back for future games who are currently not coming to matches.

Fair play to Morecambe though. I hope it works out for them (and I bet the travelling Dagenham fans are well pleased!)

 

Re: Morecambe offer free entry for Dagenham & Redbridge fixture. Would it work for us

I mentioned it yesterday but everybody ignored me

 

Re: Morecambe offer free entry for Dagenham & Redbridge fixture. Would it work for us

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Re: Morecambe offer free entry for Dagenham & Redbridge fixture. Would it work for us

So due to poor commercial management the club have made it 'impossible' to derive any gains from promotional activity. What a farce. You couldn't make it up. Rowing out.

 

Re: Morecambe offer free entry for Dagenham & Redbridge fixture. Would it work for us

Why not ask Linley etc to help cover some of the shortfall? It is clearly in their interests to get more punters in to Oakwell.

 

Re: Morecambe offer free entry for Dagenham & Redbridge fixture. Would it work for us

It would be an embarasment if we offered free entry. If that happened i'd hope the people I know wouldn't find out because i'd have no comeback for the pisstaking they would do.

 

Re: Morecambe offer free entry for Dagenham & Redbridge fixture. Would it work for us

Precious.

 

Re: Morecambe offer free entry for Dagenham & Redbridge fixture. Would it work for us

If not free then for £5.

It's not about covering losses etc. (although I acknowledge that the finance gaps are huge).

It's about reconnecting with the community, showing the community that the club want their support and are willing to do something to prove it.

What are they doing now to prove it,to try and get people back in?

Have football for a fiver, and properly advertise it .I don't just mean put it on facebook/ in chronicle; put posters up everywhere in every shop in town, adverts on the electric signs on way into tarn (if thats possible), adverts on the radio, pop into some assemblies at school with a player to drum up young support, make people aware that its our club and that it needs our support.

 

Re: Morecambe offer free entry for Dagenham & Redbridge fixture. Would it work for us

Lindleys benefit from selling more in catering.
Nike benefit from selling more in club shop.
Programme makers benefit from selling more matchday programmes.
We on the otherhand are left losing money from higher policing costs and in the very next game crowds will be back to normal.

 

Re: Morecambe offer free entry for Dagenham & Redbridge fixture. Would it work for us

What do you suggest then?

Sit here and do nowt while our stadium is less than 45% full, dreadful atmosphere and with the community feeling detached from it's football club?

 

Re: Morecambe offer free entry for Dagenham & Redbridge fixture. Would it work for us

good way to introduce the new manager to the supporters and the community,,football for a fiver...but not the leeds match,the club needs some money from the turnstyles.

 

Re: Morecambe offer free entry for Dagenham & Redbridge fixture. Would it work for us

I agree It shouldn't be for the leeds match, try and get as much out of those dirty b@stards as possible.

Something needs to be done though, and people suggesting its not financially viable what do they suggest? Do nothing and watch the clubs support decline?

 

Re: Morecambe offer free entry for Dagenham & Redbridge fixture. Would it work for us

I wouldn't have promotions and one of offers and the time consuming and cost of printing posters and the like. I'd make every home game until the end of season Twenty Is Plenty and wouldn't charge school children 18 quid to get in. I'd rip up the Lindleys contract and bring food in house, get rid of Nike so we control our own clubshop again, when there is only around 1k away fans stick them in west stand, when there is more than that position them bang behind the north stand goal away from the tunnel so it's not like an home game for them, betting pre match entertainment. There are so many other things i'd do.