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Crowd V Killie


Auld Jag
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The pernickety factor has increased.

 

Was a great game show back in the day.

 

It's a shame we don't get more fans through the gates at the moment. I don't believe there is a quick fix for it and we can't just urge everyone to turn up or demand that they should. Hopefully, the club will continue on their quest to improve the match day experience and that will play a part.

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Some of the issues we face are symptomatic of Scottish Football in general. But tell me how many other teams in the whole country had a drop of 24% in the home gates last season? The answer is of course none, and I have checked.

 

PTFC have a massive problem here and it is ours alone. The club have to address this. I actually think that increasing the gate price to over £20 is quite a symbolic increase and part of the reason for the drop. £20 is probably a thresh hold that a lot of people aren't willing to cross, especially the casual fan/neutral.

 

Also, the North Stand should be cheaper than the JH, it's a no brainer. This has to change.

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Some of the issues we face are symptomatic of Scottish Football in general. But tell me how many other teams in the whole country had a drop of 24% in the home gates last season? The answer is of course none, and I have checked.

 

PTFC have a massive problem here and it is ours alone. The club have to address this. I actually think that increasing the gate price to over £20 is quite a symbolic increase and part of the reason for the drop. £20 is probably a thresh hold that a lot of people aren't willing to cross, especially the casual fan/neutral.

 

Also, the North Stand should be cheaper than the JH, it's a no brainer. This has to change.

 

I agree I also think the price going over £20 does affect the casual fan and the NS should be cheaper. But the large drop in attendance from 13-13 to 14/15 was inevitable.

 

When you replace a 2nd home game with Celtic with a 2nd home game with Inverness.

A 2nd Aberdeen with a second St Johnstone.

2 Hearts with 2 Hamilton

2 Hibs with 1 Dundee 1 Ross Co

Add in the one Celtic game with Celtic was a midweek February game and the bumper 7800 v Dundee united in our first game back in the Premier league and you've accounted for over 20000 of the 27000 missing supporters. That leaves about 350 a game. Most of that imo is down to the novelty visits from teams we hadn't played in a while. Home and visiting supporters.

 

I'm sure the board would have expected this as soon as the fixtures were announced.

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I've heard all of those excuses, and yes I'm sure we all expected a drop in the gate from 13/14 to last season, but not on that scale. Have a look at the other teams in our league and their attendances - 24% is a monumental drop in crowds.

 

It really doesn't help either when the club can't run basic supporter engagement schemes properly. TAG and the centenary fund being prime examples. Those things on their own won't turn people off but when little things start to mount up then of course it affects the average fan's motivation to get along and support the team.

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And Motherwell had 1200 more home fans than us on Saturday, Ross County 700, I'd say that's more than "not too far ahead".

 

 

If Aberdeen and Hearts (Well and County opponents on Saturday) come to Firhill on the same form they're on at the moment, what do you think the crowds will be at Firhill

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Some of the issues we face are symptomatic of Scottish Football in general. But tell me how many other teams in the whole country had a drop of 24% in the home gates last season? The answer is of course none, and I have checked.

 

PTFC have a massive problem here and it is ours alone. The club have to address this. I actually think that increasing the gate price to over £20 is quite a symbolic increase and part of the reason for the drop. £20 is probably a thresh hold that a lot of people aren't willing to cross, especially the casual fan/neutral.

 

Also, the North Stand should be cheaper than the JH, it's a no brainer. This has to change.

 

Ok any actual evidence for this I think speculation ?

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The problem here is not specific to us

In terms of the percentage of the population who go to watch football Scotland is pretty high

The problem is that due to religious sectarianism we have a distorted football market

The consequences if that are obvious

Check out the French league at the momgnt

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Firstly. How are attendances calculated?

 

Does it include kids go free?

 

If it does, how do you know the % drop isn't accounted there?

 

If it doesn't include kids go free, then you can't compare vs previous years, since kids would have been incorporated in figures pre dating Kids go free?

 

Also Ian is looking purely at a single adult paying in. If it's a family or an adult and child Firhill is still competitive.

 

Edited by La Scimmia Rossa
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Look at the crowds from 03/04 first 3 games at home. We've lost a minimum of 600.

 

4220 v Livi - 600 more than Saturday

9045 v Celtic - 2000 down

3rd game of that season at home v Dundee Utd - 4711, the last game v them drew 3761

 

And Motherwell had 1200 more home fans than us on Saturday, Ross County 700, I'd say that's more than "not too far ahead".

 

But who did Motherwell and Ross County have visiting - probably 2 of the top 3 in taking away support.

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Look at the crowds from 03/04 first 3 games at home. We've lost a minimum of 600. 4220 v Livi - 600 more than Saturday 9045 v Celtic - 2000 down 3rd game of that season at home v Dundee Utd - 4711, the last game v them drew 3761 And Motherwell had 1200 more home fans than us on Saturday, Ross County 700, I'd say that's more than "not too far ahead".

 

Not wanting to argue against your general points but I'd always take County's reported home attendances with a rather large pinch of salt.

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A few years ago will did a massive survey. I don't recall if the results were published, it would be interesting to read the democratic graphic across age groups.

 

I'd say, looking round the crowds, we are very much a 30+ crowd. With with a lot in the 65+ bracket. Does mortality become a factor?

 

We might have a small crowd now. But what about in 10 years? Is there enough crowds coming through (and staying) to cover those who pass away?

 

Of course in 10 years, football might be more affordable and we see crowds growing to 5 and 6 thousand at Firhill.

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A few years ago will did a massive survey. I don't recall if the results were published, it would be interesting to read the democratic graphic across age groups.

 

I'd say, looking round the crowds, we are very much a 30+ crowd. With with a lot in the 65+ bracket. Does mortality become a factor?

 

We might have a small crowd now. But what about in 10 years? Is there enough crowds coming through (and staying) to cover those who pass away?

 

Of course in 10 years, football might be more affordable and we see crowds growing to 5 and 6 thousand at Firhill.

 

Excellent point. I remember when Jordanhill Jag posted on here on a more regular basis that he stated we had a support with a high percentage over 60 hence the big push on under 16s to get a new generation involved. When I am standing outside the JH Stand selling the 50/50 tickets it is quite noticeable. It often looks like grandad is bringing the grandkids but the parent has stayed at home.

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I can confidently predict we won't see 5 or 6000 Thistle fans at games. Not unless the Weirs unleash their wealth and take us to the Champions League.

 

There's too many competing factors. Football also makes life difficult by playing at the wrong time of year. It's facilities are stone-age-(try taking your daughter to a game) and it totally ignores the trend towards healthier food and drinks by serving up the same stuff it has for 20 years.

 

2500-3500 regular/irregular Thistle fans should be the aim imo

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I can confidently predict we won't see 5 or 6000 Thistle fans at games. Not unless the Weirs unleash their wealth and take us to the Champions League.

 

There's too many competing factors. Football also makes life difficult by playing at the wrong time of year. It's facilities are stone-age-(try taking your daughter to a game) and it totally ignores the trend towards healthier food and drinks by serving up the same stuff it has for 20 years.

 

2500-3500 regular/irregular Thistle fans should be the aim imo

 

We've had periods in the game where such figures were achieved across the board though, surely? The early 90s maybe?

 

Just like you showed us poor figures at the start of the 80s. There must have been an opposite end of the spectrum recently?

 

There's no reason why those figures won't be achieved again at some point.

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Excellent point. I remember when Jordanhill Jag posted on here on a more regular basis that he stated we had a support with a high percentage over 60 hence the big push on under 16s to get a new generation involved. When I am standing outside the JH Stand selling the 50/50 tickets it is quite noticeable. It often looks like grandad is bringing the grandkids but the parent has stayed at home.

 

You must be thinking of me, FT. My eldest (now 9) was born when I was 51.

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Every team in the Premiership charges over 20 quid for a game, so why should 20 quid be a psychological (or economic) barrier that results in a sizeable chunk of Thistle fans staying away but not those of other clubs?

 

Could it be something to do with Firhill being effectively only 2-sided (JH and north stand) stadium that is not especially conducive to an enjoyable match day experience ? The main stand is not fit for purpose in the 21st century, and the bing is simply an embarrassing eyesore.

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