Our fanbase from the City of Cardiff (again)

[horse_face]

Re: Our fanbase from the City of Cardiff (again)

Thanks.

Makes you wonder why the marketing team at the club have never cracked it or made efforts to affect the people who live in the city itself.

[goats]

Re: Our fanbase from the City of Cardiff (again)

Afternoon all

I know it's posted every year but I'm genuinely intrigued as to why there's a lack of support for the club in the City of Cardiff itself? Wandering around you'd never know there was a match on and that's reflected in the attendances. Can't think of any other cities of a similar size which struggle as much as we do. Is it a lack of identity? Are the people of Cardiff not arsed?

I do understand the generational element of people moving out (I left Cathays 20 years ago) but I still can't put my finger on it, particularly as people travel from further afield to the games?

I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts..?

Been mentioned many times a city approaching 400,000 people, half a million if you throw in penarth and Barry, how many regularly go? 10,000 max. It’s. Shocker but I’m not surprised. The club are useless. Will think of an initiative to attract new fans, let’s run a bus from somewhere else in the valleys? Somewhere people are skint and life’s tough….Meanwhile 1000’s of people who can afford it choose to do other things within 5 miles of the ground.

[horse_face]

Re: Our fanbase from the City of Cardiff (again)

Exactly Goats, it's mind blowing that potentially 1000s of fans could walk home easily from the ground or get a bus back up to Ely or Roath.

[TWGL1]

Re: Our fanbase from the City of Cardiff (again)

Been mentioned many times a city approaching 400,000 people, half a million if you throw in penarth and Barry, how many regularly go? 10,000 max. It’s. Shocker but I’m not surprised. The club are useless. Will think of an initiative to attract new fans, let’s run a bus from somewhere else in the valleys? Somewhere people are skint and life’s tough….Meanwhile 1000’s of people who can afford it choose to do other things within 5 miles of the ground.

The general attitude of the club’s employees towards its customers leaves a lot to be desired if you ask me. Puts floaters off from what I’ve been told.

[Stanmore Bluebird]

Re: Our fanbase from the City of Cardiff (again)

The football we play is often very dull, all this playing out from the back and passing to one another amongst the back four. It is so tedious; the first half v Millwall was akin to watching paint dry.

Too much of each game we play in our defensive third near our own goal. More attacking football and less passing between the defenders would make us more exciting and possibly encourage more fans to attend.

For myself living in London, I don’t want to pay for a hotel and meals especially when the games are so poor. If the trains ran later out of Cardiff Central, then I would come to every game. The last train leave too early; expect it is the same travelling to other locations after 10pm from Cardiff on the Tuesday/Wednesday night. As it is at present, I can only make the Saturday fixtures. There must be lots of other season ticket holders like myself whose absence mid week makes the stadium look so bare.

Primarily though, more exciting football is needed before supporters show up in their droves, plus better music in the ground pre match and at half time and just an improved atmosphere from the marketing side of the club in general.

[Canton Kev]

Re: Our fanbase from the City of Cardiff (again)

Plenty of reasons that don’t require a sociological degree.

Up until 15-20 years ago we were awful and had a horrible hooligan reputation. There are plenty of people in their 30’s and 40’s who weren’t raised as Cardiff fans and subsequently aren’t raising their children as fans. Most people are hooked as children. It takes a lot more effort to convert an adult into a fan than a child.

We were very very late to the Premier League party and the explosion in national exposure to football for the casual fan. Just look at some of the crowds the big teams were getting before 1992. In the 32 years since the PL’s conception we have only been there twice. And for the first 15 years we were in the lower leagues so weren’t even in the peripheral as promotion contenders.

We are not historically a big or successful club. The 2010’s has arguably been our most successful period since the 1920’s. In the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s most other clubs can at least boast league titles, cup wins or a sustained top flight status.

Success brings fans, which is why we’re now getting average attendances of ~20k each season compared to the 90’s when we were averaging 3k-5k.

And on top of all that you can chuck in the fact that Wales simply isn’t into football as much as England.

[horse_face]

Re: Our fanbase from the City of Cardiff (again)

Plenty of reasons that don’t require a sociological degree.

Up until 15-20 years ago we were awful and had a horrible hooligan reputation. There are plenty of people in their 30’s and 40’s who weren’t raised as Cardiff fans and subsequently aren’t raising their children as fans. Most people are hooked as children. It takes a lot more effort to convert an adult into a fan than a child.

We were very very late to the Premier League party and the explosion in national exposure to football for the casual fan. Just look at some of the crowds the big teams were getting before 1992. In the 32 years since the PL’s conception we have only been there twice. And for the first 15 years we were in the lower leagues so weren’t even in the peripheral as promotion contenders.

We are not historically a big or successful club. The 2010’s has arguably been our most successful period since the 1920’s. In the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s most other clubs can at least boast league titles, cup wins or a sustained top flight status.

Success brings fans, which is why we’re now getting average attendances of ~20k each season compared to the 90’s when we were averaging 3k-5k.

And on top of all that you can chuck in the fact that Wales simply isn’t into football as much as England.

Some valid points but we had bumper crowds in the 60s and 70s: My family all from Cardiff can recount excitement around games.

We also aren’t the only club who’ve recovered from a reputational issue or lack of success

There is no other club in the UK where the city with one club doesn’t follow the team.

It’s a unique and strictly Cardiff problem.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Re: Our fanbase from the City of Cardiff (again)

Plenty of reasons that don’t require a sociological degree.

Up until 15-20 years ago we were awful and had a horrible hooligan reputation. There are plenty of people in their 30’s and 40’s who weren’t raised as Cardiff fans and subsequently aren’t raising their children as fans. Most people are hooked as children. It takes a lot more effort to convert an adult into a fan than a child.

We were very very late to the Premier League party and the explosion in national exposure to football for the casual fan. Just look at some of the crowds the big teams were getting before 1992. In the 32 years since the PL’s conception we have only been there twice. And for the first 15 years we were in the lower leagues so weren’t even in the peripheral as promotion contenders.

We are not historically a big or successful club. The 2010’s has arguably been our most successful period since the 1920’s. In the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s most other clubs can at least boast league titles, cup wins or a sustained top flight status.

Success brings fans, which is why we’re now getting average attendances of ~20k each season compared to the 90’s when we were averaging 3k-5k.

And on top of all that you can chuck in the fact that Wales simply isn’t into football as much as England.

The Welsh are definitely into football

The problem for us is that they like success so they are more likely to support Liverpool or Man United than Cardiff City , Swansea , County etc

It's fecking pathetic to see adults poncing around in Liverpool tops but the only way to change it is for ccfc to be in the top flight and to stay there

It's absolutely incredible that Bournemouth, Brentford etc make a fist of it but we screw it up

If we did get successful people would be lining up to get in and the weather, traffic , shopping , the wife's sisters got flu and all the other nonsense wouldn't even be mentioned

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Re: Our fanbase from the City of Cardiff (again)

Some valid points but we had bumper crowds in the 60s and 70s: My family all from Cardiff can recount excitement around games.

We also aren’t the only club who’ve recovered from a reputational issue or lack of success

There is no other club in the UK where the city with one club doesn’t follow the team.

It’s a unique and strictly Cardiff problem.

We had big crowds and we have always been able to pull big numbers

But they don't stick around

And that's our problem

[Canton Kev]

Re: Our fanbase from the City of Cardiff (again)

Some valid points but we had bumper crowds in the 60s and 70s: My family all from Cardiff can recount excitement around games.

We also aren’t the only club who’ve recovered from a reputational issue or lack of success

There is no other club in the UK where the city with one club doesn’t follow the team.

It’s a unique and strictly Cardiff problem.

The 60’s and 70’s saw bumper crowds all across the UK and up and down the pyramid.

Avg attendance in Division 1
1960 - 1970 was ~31k.
1970 - 1980 was ~27k
1980 - 1990 was ~ 20k

Then in 1992, the first year of the Premier League, the average attendance was 21,600. A decade later the average was 35,500. Last season the average hit 40,000+ for the first time ever.

If you compare that first decade of the PL with the rest of the pyramid you can see why we lagged behind.

1st tier. 21,400 > 35,500
2nd tier. 10,500 > 15,400
3rd tier. 5,400 > 7,000
4th tier. 3,400 > 4,500

Premier League teams on average saw their crowds grow by 2/3rds. 3rd and 4th tier teams by less than 1/3rd.

We missed out and have been stuck playing catch-up.

[horse_face]

Re: Our fanbase from the City of Cardiff (again)

The 60’s and 70’s saw bumper crowds all across the UK and up and down the pyramid.

Avg attendance in Division 1
1960 - 1970 was ~31k.
1970 - 1980 was ~27k
1980 - 1990 was ~ 20k

Then in 1992, the first year of the Premier League, the average attendance was 21,600. A decade later the average was 35,500. Last season the average hit 40,000+ for the first time ever.

If you compare that first decade of the PL with the rest of the pyramid you can see why we lagged behind.

1st tier. 21,400 > 35,500
2nd tier. 10,500 > 15,400
3rd tier. 5,400 > 7,000
4th tier. 3,400 > 4,500

Premier League teams on average saw their crowds grow by 2/3rds. 3rd and 4th tier teams by less than 1/3rd.

We missed out and have been stuck playing catch-up.

Excellent thanks.

Our crowds grew in the last ten years but have since regressed.

My question still remains, why isn’t there widespread support in the city of Cardiff itself?

The valleys, Barry, Bridgend, Caerphilly all heartlands yet Cardiff seems to be people disinterested. Must be the only city in Europe with such an issue, where we do the hard bit of convincing fans to travel to home games but not those fans who are close to the ground.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Re: Our fanbase from the City of Cardiff (again)

South Wales will support Cardiff City if we are doing well but these days that means being in the Premier league

Finally the penny drops. Look at clubs who have kept similar crowds in the Championship when they've been relegated from the top flight and you'll find that they're all massive clubs with many years spent at that level.

What do you expect, similar crowds in the Prem and Championship? Really?

[horse_face]

Re: Our fanbase from the City of Cardiff (again)

Finally the penny drops. Look at clubs who have kept similar crowds in the Championship when they've been relegated from the top flight and you'll find that they're all massive clubs with many years spent at that level.

What do you expect, similar crowds in the Prem and Championship? Really?

Bristol city and Stoke have bigger average attendances than us.Ipswich had bigger in league one as did Derby.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Re: Our fanbase from the City of Cardiff (again)

Bristol city and Stoke have bigger average attendances than us.Ipswich had bigger in league one as did Derby.

And?

We've spent 2 seasons staving off relegation battles yet our average this season is over 1.5k bigger than last season and higher than when we won promotion under Warnock.

[insider]

Re: Our fanbase from the City of Cardiff (again)

All these other clubs had 10 20 or 30 years in the top flight before coming down to this level it's those long periods of time which then generate generations of families that stick with their home town club and not latch on to the top six.
It's as simple as that.
Cardiff is infested with these tossers sadly due to 17 years in the bottom 2 leagues