Crowds in NL

[tonyd]

Oct 5, 2013 0:58:22 GMT medibot said:

Myself and numerous other Sutton fans are Sutton United fans and nothing else and as much as we will always benefit and draw many good things from disenfranchised Premier League/Pro Club supporters who have found great pleasure in supporting Sutton United, this is only a short term stop gap.

Our attendances will only really rise when our support is made up of a majority of people who only support Sutton United.

Whilst I have some sympathy for this view, with football the way it is, it is pie in the sky. The best efforts of supporters to advertise the games, indeed even the presence of the club, cannot compare with the millions that Sky and BT are throwing at advertising the Premiership and the Football League. Their member clubs will naturally draw in the majority of supporters leaving little left for clubs like Sutton. We should accept that and make every effort to get them to watch Sutton as well, not instead. I speak as a Palace supporter, however my support for Sutton through entrance fees, strikers are key, sponsorship etc, I think is more important than just a "short term stop gap".

[Amber Aleman]

Support for a football team manifests itself in different ways. Most fans who claim to support a Premier League side (particularly the bigger ones) will rarely if ever go to see their team play live. That's down to factors such as difficulty in getting to games, shortage of tickets, and sheer expense. Some of those fans will sometimes go to matches that don't involve their 'first choice' team.

There will be thousands of football fans in the Borough of Sutton who are like that. Most will have heard of Sutton Utd but few will have been to see us except perhaps the occasional big match. Yet the fact that we pulled in over 3,000 for the televised Notts Co Cup tie two seasons ago gives an idea of the potential out there. Publicity can certainly help, but it's the product itself that counts for most. If the fixture is sufficiently attractive, word will get around and people will come. That's why attendances rise when a club is closing in on promotion. If Sutton are seen as pushing for a place in the Conference Premier - or actually playing at that level - then our crowds will go up. Some of those new people will become fans, others will drift away when success comes to an end.

[baboonfish]

Great to see a bumper attendance today even if the kids are mostly disinterested. How about choosing a different school every home game and give free entry to every child at that school? At a rough guess there are probably enough schools for 1 game each per season, and the kids would be more likely to go if their mates are going.

[Stewart]

Oct 5, 2013 17:03:04 GMT baboonfish said:

Great to see a bumper attendance today even if the kids are mostly disinterested. How about choosing a different school every home game and give free entry to every child at that school? At a rough guess there are probably enough schools for 1 game each per season, and the kids would be more likely to go if their mates are going.

That is a good suggestion. It would be better to see a few older kids attend games, so targeting senior schools would be a better option.

[DaveF]

Hi Baboonfish, we are already doing that but I think today may have been the first game since the new term started. We are also trying to feature one of our junior teams each week.

We are open to any ideas, so keep them coming, but as has been mentioned the best advert is performances like today.

[billy]

Oct 4, 2013 12:55:09 GMT billy said:

As someone who has followed the fortunes of the club since I moved to the area in 1964 , may I respectfully ask that someone from the club comes on here and tells me why 60 year olds are asked to pay full price ?

Thankyou

Bill




Any chance of a reply please ? Two others i know , in their sixties and living in close proximity to the ground , would like to pay £6 at the start instead of going in at half time for nothing.

Thankyou

Bill

[stephen]

I'll certainly be coming to a few more games in future.

I also support one of those big horrible premier league teams but unlike a lot of my Cockney Red compatriates I have actually held a Manchester United season ticket for 4 years only missing 4 games home/away (excluding Euro aways!) in that time. There's only so much you can do before you can no longer afford to go. Now that I've stopped my support of Hayes & Y****** I will have a few more saturdays free. As Sutton are the only other team I have any amount of a liking to I will be coming more often from now on.

I've also started going to London Lions games at the Copperbox in the British Basketball League. Cheap (compared to football at only £12!), a lot of action, plus cheerleaders which always helps in that kind of sport!

[davef]

Hello Billy,
sorry for any delay in responding but I have been on holiday.

The concession for older supporters is aimed at people receiving the old age pension. It is a bit hit and miss at present given the current range of ages over which people qualify for this but, as you will know, the trend is upwards and the aim I believe is for pensions for men and women to eventually commence at age 70.

In our view, 65 was the correct age to commence this concession. Others may disagree. Another option might be proof of receiving the state pension, whatever age a person might be. That's perhaps an option we could consider in future.

[billy]

Thanks for the explanation Dave. While it's by no means a comprehensive study , as far as i can ascertain , virtually every club (football and cricket) seem happy to start concessions at sixty. For example , at Horsham earlier this year i told the bloke on the gate that i was 60 in September.His response was "That's close enough."

It seems strange that Sutton United can turn away paying customers while letting 500 in for nothing !

Thanks again

Bill

[medibot]

The club is not turning away paying customers though are they Billy?

They're turning away people of working age who feel some sort of entitlement to a cheap entry that they don't actually qualify for simply because they've been knocking around this planet for a few years longer than others have.

It's no different to a 17 year old complaining that they can't get in for £2 because we've decided that a child rate stops at 16.

Besides, your virtually every club statement is cack, as a little online research proves...

Basingstoke - £8 Concession available to over 60s, students, registered disabled, unemployed, acting servicemen and all emergency services showing a current valid ID.

Bath - £8 Senior standing, does not specify at what age you qualify. £6 Students.

Bishop Stortford - £7 Concession, does not specify who qualifies for a concession and at what age if Senior/O.A.P.. £6 Students.

Bromley - £6 concession, does not specify who qualifies for a concession and at what age if Senior/O.A.P. Students/U16's £5 Armed Forces/ Emergency Services £6

Boreham Wood - £12 No advertised concession rate. Children £6.

Chelmsford City - Concessions £9.00 (over 65s and students with an NUS Card) Youths (17 to 18 years) £9.00 Children (12 to 16 years) £5.00

Concord - No information on their website on ticket prices.

Dorchester - £8 Concession rates apply to Armed Forces Personnel, N.H.S Employees, Emergency Services, Disabled (carers free) and Students on production of valid ID card.

Dover Athletic - £10 Over 60's Under 18's £6

Eastbourne Borough - £8 Concession, does not specify who qualifies for a concession and at what age if Senior/O.A.P

Eastleigh - Senior Citizens (Doesn't specify an age) £7.50 Students £7.50

Ebbsfleet - £8 Over 60's Students.

Farnborough - £5 Concession, does not specify who qualifies for a concession and at what age if Senior/O.A.P.

Gosport Borough - £8 Concession, does not specify who qualifies for a concession and at what age if Senior/O.A.P.

Havant & Waterlooville - £8 Concession, does not specify who qualifies for a concession and at what age if Senior/O.A.P.

Hayes & Yeading United - £8 "Senior Citizen", does not specify what age you become a "Senior Citizen".
Maidenhead United - £6 O.A.P. but does not specify at what age you qualify.

Staines - £6 O.A.P. but does not specify at what age you qualify.

Tonbridge Angels - £6 Concession, does not specify who qualifies for a concession and at what age if Senior/O.A.P.

Weston-super-Mare - £8 "Senior Citizen", does not specify what age you become a "Senior Citizen".
Whitehawk - £5 O.A.P. but does not specify at what age you qualify.

[SpiderBee]

With many people being given revised retirement ages (ie 65 will be 70) it will be interesting to see what clubs do about "OAP" concessions. Many people can't get a job at 40 let alone 70!

[billy]

Thankyou for furnishing all that information medibot ! I'm a bit confused though , have i got this right ?

You mention 21 teams

15 are "don't knows" 16 if you include Boreham Wood

3 start concessions at 60

2 start at 65 (i include Dorchester though it's unclear)

[billy]

Oct 9, 2013 9:32:22 GMT SpiderBee said:

With many people being given revised retirement ages (ie 65 will be 70) it will be interesting to see what clubs do about "OAP" concessions. Many people can't get a job at 40 let alone 70!

Can i politely suggest that Sutton United allow free admittance to those who are 100 years old or over ?

[Stewart]

Oct 9, 2013 10:05:50 GMT billy said:

Oct 9, 2013 9:32:22 GMT SpiderBee said:

With many people being given revised retirement ages (ie 65 will be 70) it will be interesting to see what clubs do about "OAP" concessions. Many people can't get a job at 40 let alone 70!

Can i politely suggest that Sutton United allow free admittance to those who are 100 years old or over ?

Forward planning! I like it Billy.

[billy]

Oct 9, 2013 10:17:27 GMT Stewart said:

Oct 9, 2013 10:05:50 GMT billy said:

Can i politely suggest that Sutton United allow free admittance to those who are 100 years old or over ?

Forward planning! I like it Billy.

I'll be pleased to get to 70 Stewart !