How could home matchday experiences be improved?

[blue lewj]

Many, including myself, grumble about the home matchday experience but how could it be improved for you as fans?

I'll start. I'd like better quality lager, beer and cider in all areas of the ground. Also at better prices.

I'd also introduce stadium cards, these could be in the same way as membership/season ticket cards also (although not everybody is a member or ST holder),that are used to pay much like they do in some foreign grounds.
Much quicker experience at drink and food outlets as it involves the customer getting their food and drink, placing a card and accepting the charge at the counter. No change to be messed about with. Cards can be topped up by machine or online.

[Jordi Culé]

Re: How could home matchday experiences be improved?

I dunno, how about, passing the ball about with the intent of scoring a few more goals?

Not collapsing at home to them waankers from down West would be good.

Simple things really.

[JumpersforGoalposts]

Re: How could home matchday experiences be improved?

The biggest problem IMHO is not the matchday experience as such but the transport infrastructure issues around attending the matches. No matchday transport to the stadium either from the City centre or from any "Park and Ride" schemes; limited parking around the ground; no traffic management pre and especially post game. Most importantly no communication with fans on such issues or any evidence of communication with relevant authorities.

Re "stadium cards", they tried this last season with their reward charge card and presumably it was not a success.

[Canton Kev]

Re: How could home matchday experiences be improved?

I’m one of the fans that gets to the ground 10mins to KO and head straight to my seat.
I almost never buy anything from the concourse because of the price. Occasionally I might get a bovril or hot choc if it’s cold. Cheaper food and drink would be nice but I think that’s out of the club’s hands. The catering company decides on the price unless I’m mistaken. Apparently a pint at Old Trafford is £3.

More chairs and tables under the stands. We’ve got the most spacious concourse of any club I’ve been too. A few picnic benches scattered about would probably encourage more people to eat and drink pre match.

Those would be the main things that could convince me to hang around under the stands.

[blue lewj]

Re: How could home matchday experiences be improved?

The biggest problem IMHO is not the matchday experience as such but the transport infrastructure issues around attending the matches. No matchday transport to the stadium either from the City centre or from any "Park and Ride" schemes; limited parking around the ground; no traffic management pre and especially post game. Most importantly no communication with fans on such issues or any evidence of communication with relevant authorities.

Re "stadium cards", they tried this last season with their reward charge card and presumably it was not a success.

It is the first I'd heard of the reward charge card.

Suppose that goes hand in hand with the communication aspect.

For the cards to work it would be stadium card only.
If given the choice people just use cash but this way you don't see the benefits of the card system.
My experience of them is that the queues fly down at a very quick rate. It put many off at City that if you queue at half time you've not normally got your food or drink until half time has gone.

[JumpersforGoalposts]

Re: How could home matchday experiences be improved?

It is the first I'd heard of the reward charge card.

Suppose that goes hand in hand with the communication aspect.

For the cards to work it would be stadium card only.
If given the choice people just use cash but this way you don't see the benefits of the card system.
My experience of them is that the queues fly down at a very quick rate. It put many off at City that if you queue at half time you've not normally got your food or drink until half time has gone.

https://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/news/my-bluebirds-rewards

[blue lewj]

Re: How could home matchday experiences be improved?

I’m one of the fans that gets to the ground 10mins to KO and head straight to my seat.
I almost never buy anything from the concourse because of the price. Occasionally I might get a bovril or hot choc if it’s cold. Cheaper food and drink would be nice but I think that’s out of the club’s hands. The catering company decides on the price unless I’m mistaken. Apparently a pint at Old Trafford is £3.

More chairs and tables under the stands. We’ve got the most spacious concourse of any club I’ve been too. A few picnic benches scattered about would probably encourage more people to eat and drink pre match.

Those would be the main things that could convince me to hang around under the stands.

The prices are out of the clubs hands because of the catering company they sold the matchday rights to.

The catering and prices could be overseen by the club but they choose not to.

If things were more comfortable with cheaper prices then they could televise earlier games and it would be an option for some at least.

[blue lewj]

Re: How could home matchday experiences be improved?

https://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/news...ebirds-rewards

I'm not saying it wasn't a thing. I just didn't see it.

As said above it needs to be stadium card only or not at all.

[City123]

Re: How could home matchday experiences be improved?

Stop playing music incredibly loudly at any given opportunity. Kills any kind of atmosphere. If you must play some music have it be music that is linked to the club and city in some way, songs from the past mixed with newer songs from local artists

[Undercoverinwurzelland]

Re: How could home matchday experiences be improved?

The prices are out of the clubs hands because of the catering company they sold the matchday rights to.

The catering and prices could be overseen by the club but they choose not to.

If things were more comfortable with cheaper prices then they could televise earlier games and it would be an option for some at least.

Presumably the caterers base their prices on the amount they pay the club for the concession, so maybe the club should charge less. Sell the stadium naming rights and use it to offset the cost of food and drink at the ground?

[TWGL1]

Re: How could home matchday experiences be improved?

There are too many petty rules still in place which haven’t been removed since the 80’s .

The worse one is on level three where they close the blinds when the match starts whilst you’re having a pint ( so you can’t see the pitch) yet the T.V’s are on , very odd.

[JamesWales]

Re: How could home matchday experiences be improved?

Great thread!

Off the top of my head:

1 – Better co-ordination with transport for Wales. There is next to zero communication about train and bus transport and more fans should be arriving this way
2 – There should be a cash bar on each concourse. It is totally wrong that you are forced into using a card, and anecdotally queues are worse than ever so that’s not an issue. It’s also ridiculous you can’t buy a programme with cash
3 – Prices of food and drink. It’s too much. I know that’s easy to say, but it really is. Leaves a sour taste in the mouth, but more importantly many just refuse to pay it.
4 – Linked to the above – a happy hour from 1-2 or something would make sense
5 – Allow standing in the Ninian Stand by away fans. This would help to recreate the atmosphere of Ninian Park
6 – Give more opportunities to local companies to sell things – concessions, food and drink, whatever.
7 – Have a better post game offer. I’m sure some fans would welcome allowing the crowds to pass whilst watching the scores, having a drink etc. Can we do that? I am not sure. Should be able to do so.
8 – More seating in the concourse for older fans or fans that need it.
9 – Sort the queues out outside. It never used to take that long to get in the Canton, now it does.
10 – Don’t charge extra for physical tickets if you pick them up.
11 – More interesting music. Play a bit of Hennesseys, or something to get people going.
12 – Also, turn the music off 5 mins before kick off.
13 – Club can’t do this, but a fanzine wouldn’t go amiss. Really miss that.
14 – More cycle parking
15 – Student ticket prices
16 - Big Issue sellers should be invited outside and invited to attend games. I'd love to see the club really reach out to certain groups far more and emphasise how we are Cardiff club for all of Cardiff etc.


Generally for me the club just feels more and more corporate. The prices and lack of cash acceptance really do my head in. Just makes me feel like I’m being exploited a bit. Which is nothing new, we are being exploited, it just amplifies it for me.

It should be noted, the club gets some stuff right:
The bluebird mascot is loved by kids
The band in the Canton Is great
Ticket prices are fair, especially in the family stand
The club has put in some safe standing
We still produce a programme, whereas some don’t.
stewarding seems fair
The ground is comfortable enough I suppose (though give me a clump of concrete on the bob bank in the drizzle any day)

[Captain_Sensible]

Re: How could home matchday experiences be improved?

Great thread!

Off the top of my head:

1 – Better co-ordination with transport for Wales. There is next to zero communication about train and bus transport and more fans should be arriving this way
2 – There should be a cash bar on each concourse. It is totally wrong that you are forced into using a card, and anecdotally queues are worse than ever so that’s not an issue. It’s also ridiculous you can’t buy a programme with cash
3 – Prices of food and drink. It’s too much. I know that’s easy to say, but it really is. Leaves a sour taste in the mouth, but more importantly many just refuse to pay it.
4 – Linked to the above – a happy hour from 1-2 or something would make sense
5 – Allow standing in the Ninian Stand by away fans. This would help to recreate the atmosphere of Ninian Park
6 – Give more opportunities to local companies to sell things – concessions, food and drink, whatever.
7 – Have a better post game offer. I’m sure some fans would welcome allowing the crowds to pass whilst watching the scores, having a drink etc. Can we do that? I am not sure. Should be able to do so.
8 – More seating in the concourse for older fans or fans that need it.
9 – Sort the queues out outside. It never used to take that long to get in the Canton, now it does.
10 – Don’t charge extra for physical tickets if you pick them up.
11 – More interesting music. Play a bit of Hennesseys, or something to get people going.
12 – Also, turn the music off 5 mins before kick off.
13 – Club can’t do this, but a fanzine wouldn’t go amiss. Really miss that.
14 – More cycle parking
15 – Student ticket prices
16 - Big Issue sellers should be invited outside and invited to attend games. I'd love to see the club really reach out to certain groups far more and emphasise how we are Cardiff club for all of Cardiff etc.


Generally for me the club just feels more and more corporate. The prices and lack of cash acceptance really do my head in. Just makes me feel like I’m being exploited a bit. Which is nothing new, we are being exploited, it just amplifies it for me.

It should be noted, the club gets some stuff right:
The bluebird mascot is loved by kids
The band in the Canton Is great
Ticket prices are fair, especially in the family stand
The club has put in some safe standing
We still produce a programme, whereas some don’t.
stewarding seems fair
The ground is comfortable enough I suppose (though give me a clump of concrete on the bob bank in the drizzle any day)

Love these suggestions, always thought number 7 would be an easy money-spinner. Plenty would want a pint to look at the scores, chat about the match while they wait for a later train for example.

[Captain_Sensible]

Re: How could home matchday experiences be improved?

Oh and bring back Hey Jude and I'll be there before the match.

And lose 'The Game' by Motorhead. Great tune but sounds awful on our PA system.

[insider]

Re: How could home matchday experiences be improved?

Just wish our fans would stop moaning and crack on with supporting.
Ffs