i used to be sc_owl Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 Despite the fact we've had a strong run of form at home at the back end of last season, and the start of this season, we have had a poor crowd for the last two games. A rough look a the figures would suggest there is hardly anyone paying on the gate or buying a ticket for that match specifically. On Owlstalk we've often talked about the various reasons for people not attending, but then again the posters on this site tend to be the "hardcore" or the serious fans - fans who will attend however we are doing if they have the chance. We can only speculate as to why other fans do not attend. The popular reasons given are money, signings and team performance. Well, our signings look very impressive but one would only discover this if they go to a match. We have a 100% league record at home so far against creditable League One opposition. As for money, I do not accept that there are no Sheffield Wednesday fans out there who don't go to games and cannot afford to do so. There will be some people out there with plenty of disposable income who do not go to the match even though they could. So - why doesn't the club simply ask them? I'm not talking about a simple questionnaire that lets people tick a box here and there, I'm talking about writing to lapsed fans, and calling lapsed fans, and asking them why they don't attend anymore. Is it poor facilities at the ground? Is it a percieved lack of family facilities? Is it something as simple as a lack of parking? Do some fans struggle to get down to the ticket office and not feel comfortable booking online? If you put together a questionnaire that just has a few boxes for people to tick then you will not find out about other reasons fans have that are not on the form. As an incentive to fans who agree to have a chat with the club, they could recieve a free ticket (puts tin hat on) or a gift voucher from the shop. Some fans might just be happy they had a chance to air their views to the club. Yeah, it might be a bit of a ballache to arrange, but come on; seeing 16,000 at Hillsborough in the league is poor and not good for anyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Deleted member Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 On Owlstalk we've often talked about the various reasons for people not attending, but then again the posters on this site tend to be the "hardcore" or the serious fans - fans who will attend however we are doing if they have the chance. Good post - but I disagree with this bit. I reckon a large proportion of Owlstalkers dont go - but pretend they do Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i used to be sc_owl Posted August 28, 2011 Author Share Posted August 28, 2011 Good post - but I disagree with this bit. I reckon a large proportion of Owlstalkers dont go - but pretend they do Well that's a bit sad really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@owlstalk Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 I think most Owlstalk users are dirty blades with soiled pants on Owlstalk Shop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Bach Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 Well that's a bit sad really. Have a look at the official matchday threads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markowl Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 I don't go cos I can't afford it. Simple as that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owls maniac Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 We know the fans are still there by the fact that there was over 20,000 against Rochdale. I think a lot of it is down to league position. If we start winning consistently and are near the top come the new year the crowds will begin to grow again. 10 years of failure takes it's toll on people's loyalty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i used to be sc_owl Posted August 28, 2011 Author Share Posted August 28, 2011 Have a look at the official matchday threads. A lot of fans who can't get because of distance isn't it? And a few who haven't gone that day. Also, yesterday I posted in there once at half time from my phone from my seat on the grandstand. What's to say other people don't do the same? But to clarify - when I referred to posters on here being the "hardcore" I meant the regular posters on here that do attend such as (but not limited to); Edinburgh, Grandad, Barmyowl etc.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lees Tom Cat Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 I once posted in the Matchday thread from my phone whilst sat in the ground..I feel dirty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawkeye Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 i used to work at wednesday, one of my jobs was to try and get people who had stopped contributing to things like the lotterys, season tickets etc to start again. Although there were some reasonable objections thrown up, the vast majority of reasons were complete gonads. for every one fan with a sane and sensible reason, theres 20 who talk utter poo . weeding out the decent responses for the crap is serious hard work. mandaric has brought a lot of people into the club in back office roles - i would expect them to have spotted the issues and start fixing them TBH. Nice idea though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Deleted member Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 But to clarify - when I referred to posters on here being the "hardcore" I meant the regular posters on here that do attend such as (but not limited to); Edinburgh, Grandad (TrueFan ), Barmyowl etc.... Corrected it for you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owls maniac Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 And it's not like the lower crowds haven't had an effect on the team. Just the balance sheet. Not like the lower crowds have had an effect I should say Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawkeye Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 Lee Strafford was good at getting our attendances up, for some games in the Kop a student go for £8. And then they let unemployed people get a ticket for a fiver, Armed forces were aloud in at discount. Maybe MM needs to look at doing something to getting an extra few thousand on the gate.But tbh at least we know the 16,000 that have been at Hillsborough the last 2 Home games are die hards! one of the benefits of letting people in cheap, is that they will spend whilst they are in the ground - a pie, a pint, a shirt, program etc. iv seen a few people on here complain about the quality and cost of all this as well. The whole thing needs looking into, its an expensive day for mum, dad and two kids, and if your talking £40 a pop for the average fan as well, it all mounts up. no half time entertainment either any more.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weshallovercome Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 If the club or some kind benefactor bought me one of these I'd go to every game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
31Dec1966 Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 I've said it before and I'll say it again, Lee Strafford was brilliant at getting the fans onside (at a worse time than this). Little things that didn't cost much but made the fans feel the club cared about them again. Letting staff come on owlstalk and answer queries, the beamback, £1 for kids, free tickets for SCH, half time entertainment, ex-players invited back, free stickers/clapperboards, lighting up the West Stand neons, meeting the fans etc. All these things cost little but fans appreciated it and it conributed to an all in it together feel. Could MM invite Lee back on a voluntary basis to reinstate some of these initiatives? Would Lee do it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawkeye Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 I've said it before and I'll say it again, Lee Strafford was brilliant at getting the fans onside (at a worse time than this). Little things that didn't cost much but made the fans feel the club cared about them again. Letting staff come on owlstalk and answer queries, the beamback, £1 for kids, free tickets for SCH, half time entertainment, ex-players invited back, free stickers/clapperboards, lighting up the West Stand neons, meeting the fans etc. All these things cost little but fans appreciated it and it conributed to an all in it together feel.Could MM invite Lee back on a voluntary basis to reinstate some of these initiatives? Would Lee do it? i liked a lot of what Lee did and appreciated everything he did and tried to do for the club. but i would rather we moved on from that episode and had fresh faces and fresh ideas running the club. and im sure Lee would agree. too much water under the bridge, and not good for either party tbf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReadingOwl Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 A lot of fans who can't get because of distance isn't it? I haven't been yet this season because of holiday/wife in plaster from broken leg and can't drive. We are not family to 'not get on with it' but the dogs would be stuck in (with the wife) so I haven't travelled. Not worth the hassle. Hopefully, the cast will be off this Friday (just as soon as she is about to go back to school/work) and I can spend 12 hours travelling to Sheffield and back in the day. I will then attend, but I tend to attend regardless of things on the pitch. But I musy say, after the Bournemouth and Bury fiasco's I can't say that I have been particularly cut up about not attending. Not at £80.00 a go. It is a long drive home when you have seen a lot of rubbish. The answer is success on the pitch = momentum = good attendances. The current squad and lack of strikers haven't filled me for optimism this season - and I have an emotional attachment. I can see why casuals are not attending. All on here claim 'it is a new dawn' but I don't think others see it that way. And, at the moment, I don't see it that way either. I reckon with diesel and ticket (no extras) it costs approx £80.00 a trip. Say what you like but most casuals will think 'here we go again'. The early losses and lack of ambition with signings will have cost the club dearly IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lees Tom Cat Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 What is a clapperboard?? I know Big Guns will most likely say owlstalk...But what is one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest thetruthisoutthere Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 10 wins on the bounce would do it ! On a serious note the Televised Blackpool match did not help. Stay away fans and the indeed the whole country would have seen a load of new names on the team sheet and thought oh look at this wednesday have a new side. After the game they would have thought what a load of poo them players are, how the feck did Blackpool not win 10-1 I will never know If you were a stay away fan and you had the Blackpool game to go on as your decision maker, would you spend your hard earned cash on watching us or would you wait till we were on the telly again and wait until you saw a distinct improvement. Or at the very least watch our results and wait until you saw us put a monster run together before gambling on going to Hillsborough again Unfortunately this is the way that stay away or casual fans think. They will all be back when we get to the promissed land mind, you watch em all come flooding back and claiming I was there when we were in the 3rd Tier. There won't be a casual or part timer to be seen. If united are good for 31k in the prem then we are good for 38k up there Unfortunately it looks like 16k to 21k is the level both us and the Blunts will have to get used to until we get back up another level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReadingOwl Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 What is a clapperboard?? I know Big Guns will most likely say owlstalk...But what is one? The clapping hand things that were given away (to the kids mostly?). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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