I am not doubting the loyalty of our away support I am saying it should be more and plenty of fans think so tooQuote:
Originally Posted by Pedro de la Rosa
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I am not doubting the loyalty of our away support I am saying it should be more and plenty of fans think so tooQuote:
Originally Posted by Pedro de la Rosa
Maesteg supporters club come down through there and pick up at coytrahen and Tondu I think ?Quote:
Originally Posted by fingers
Max at the crown should know ?
Will that help ?
The club has always been pretty poor at advertising itself. When’s the last time you saw a CCFC billboard, poster, TV/internet ad, etc in and around the city centre?
I can’t think of anything in the last couple years advertising upcoming fixtures, ticket prices, kit releases, etc.
I’m sure a few posters in central station with the dates for the next 5 home fixtures and the prices would pay for itself with increased sales.
I think there’s a bit of a preconception at the moment that football in the UK is an expensive day out but our prices are actually very reasonable, especially for families. Central station has a huge range of people going through it on a daily basis from all over Cardiff and beyond. I’d wager there’s a few in that crowd looking for something to fill their weekend with.
The club have to become more active in the community and wider areas. I don't think that they understand that if they want people to support the club then they have to go out and work their nuts off in order to get more people watching, and more importantly, getting the bug that has the side affect of ruining or making your Saturday evening and Sunday morning.
It would have to be a sustained effort, over a long period of time, they have to understand that it's up to the club to entice people, offer incentives, sell the bloody product. There are plenty of boys and girls junior leagues where the club could get involved in coaching, putting things on that aren't directly involved in football. We have NHS workers, Council Workers, Shop Workers etc. Surely the club could offer incentives for people who work in these places to get cheap tickets, bring family members, friends etc. The club could do deals with shops, so if someone buys a product over a certain amount then they can get a Ticket half price.
Leaflet the City centre, or atleast have a presence in the centre of the city with amusement type things that attract kids and parents, where they can speak to people who work for the club. Make the kids feel special, wanted, be interested in them, then sell their parents a ticket or two at a reduced price. There's loads of events in South Wales where the club could have a presence. This would take years to work, but it's the only way to get people involved. Make them feel wanted and offer incentives.
Why have you never mentioned this a thousand times before?Quote:
Originally Posted by SLUDGE FACTORY
Well if people want to try and get more bums on seats they need to know what has been tried , what worked and what didn'tQuote:
Originally Posted by Taunton Blue Genie
Feel free to offer suggestions you old prune
There was an advert for season tickets on the electronic hoarding in Adam Street by the railway bridge a couple of months agoQuote:
Originally Posted by Canton Kev
Why are loyal away fans charged a pound to purchase an away ticket ?
Too far the other way mate, I’m in Cefn Glas, but thanks anywayQuote:
Originally Posted by SLUDGE FACTORY
I would say the club gets a lot right, more than most clubs, and the general ticket prices are decent really, and things in the family stand are great, as are the bands in the Canton etc. But still, the following are a few ideas off the top of my head;
Get fans in earlier. Have deals on beer, make the concourses more pleasant. Some drop down seats, some more decoration etc. Just do it up a bit.
Overhaul the prices and service at the food and drink stands. I hate feeling ripped off by my football club. Get better prices, have a cash bar too for people that want to pay that way. Just be less corporate.
The £2 per ticket fee leaves a sour note.
Allow standing in the Ninian lower near away fans
Link up with TfW to better advertise the services from Grangetown and Ninian Park. Maybe even get extra services or price deals
Try and get some fans to volunteer tidying up with litter etc around the ground after games
Improve the pre match music a bit.
Offer a better post match experience to watch results or the next game etc - tied into making concourses better.
Become more of a 24/7 venue for City fans. Show away games in concourses, have the odd gig under the stands etc, maybe offer space for fans with start up businesses etc
Change the shirts every two seasons, not every season, so one summer a new home kit, the next summer a new away kit etc..
Let fans display flags in the ground more.
Introduce more student prices to attract them
Invite more local schools
Reduce the price for mascots.
More parking for disabled fans. This is a big issue for some.
Lots of this stuff costs money but I think in many cases it would result in greater income, better relationships between fans and club etc.
I get the club is a business but I always resent feeling exploited by them, which I sometimes do.
That's a point. Bristol City have loads of billboard posters around the city centre. No way of knowing whether they get any value from them. Might be worth a try.Quote:
Originally Posted by Canton Kev
They pick up in town too , by the council offices I thinkQuote:
Originally Posted by fingers
Public transport is my biggest gripe as well. It's like the old days of First Customer panel meetings lol!Quote:
Originally Posted by fingers
Getting to and from the ground on a Saturday isn't too bad from Aberdare. Direct train to Grangetown or change in Radyr for Ninian Park. I usually get off in Central and get a bus to Canton to meet with friends.
Getting home from an evening kickoff is far from ideal. There's one train, resulting in a long wait in Grangetown. Not nice in the bad weather. If I can't get on it, I'm stuck in Cardiff, or there's a later train to Ponty and still a hefty taxi fare.
I used the Zeelo bus quite a bit, not often to go down, but certainly to get home. The only issue I had with it is that it didn't go through the village where I live (and another half a dozen or so who used the bus do), when it could have done as it was en route and would have taken an extra couple of minutes. A few of us emailed Zeelo, who weren't interested.
Free buses every 15 mins from The Train Station a hour or 2 before and after the game would help.
After the Swansea game I got a taxi by Jeff Whites because I couldn’t be arsed to walk down Tudor Street if the rain started lashing again.
Engagement and offers with the local communities should be welcome as well and balls to the whiners!
Maybe 100 or so free season tickets handed out to community leaders for them to give away each home game.
Most of that actually makes sense.Quote:
Originally Posted by JamesWales
(You can make valuable contributions when you aren't on your one-eyed Tory hobby horse.)
Corky, why doesn't the club hire marketing experts who understand yield management (no disrespect meant to any current incumbents)? There's at least one with football experience lurking on here...
the cardiff city fc Foundation do sterling work in this area something we should be proud ofQuote:
Originally Posted by Tuerto
imagine our crowds if we went down to league 1 last season !
The second comment was unnecessary, but you were almost kind, so thanks. All doable too, with some effort. 👍Quote:
Originally Posted by az city
A few general gripes:
1. Transportation to/from the stadium is truly horrendous. I cycled when I was back in the summer and security had cordoned off the cycle rack and moaned when I wanted to use it. The bus situation is a joke. No buses run near the stadium until around an hour after the game. The bus depot is 100 meters away FFS...
2. The general matchday "experience" is drab and boring. There is very little on offer underneath the stands and the prices are silly. (The music played always makes me laugh too - does the club not know anything about the demographics of the early arrivers at games? These are not teens into Taylor Swift, they're old farts.) I'm sure there are a lot of people on here who have been to a US sporting event at a newer stadium and been shocked by higher quality "experience".
3. I'm guessing the walk-up attendance on a match day is low. The reason for this is the club (and indeed most football clubs) have this all wrong - these are discretionary purchasers, not those who have no alternative for their $, like late flight bookers. The club should be discounting last minute customers, not penalizing them. Every empty seat is a wasted revenue opportunity with most costs of attendance being fixed.
Nah, you need to know your place.:hehe:Quote:
Originally Posted by JamesWales
J33 waste ground ? If going to build houses eventually but in the meantime Turn that into a free P+R
If you offer discounts for last minute customers, lots of fans would leave buying tickets until the last moment, creating a big problem.Quote:
Originally Posted by az city
Some good ideas in here.
I have to say more / advertised supporters buses from the valleys would be good.
It’s a pain going if you want a few beers.
I generally drive because the transport links are so bad, but I can see why people who aren’t as fussed about being there won’t bother
Whenever Wales play rugby, Arriva and now Transport for Wales, make changes to get supporters home.Quote:
Originally Posted by superfeathers
I know Cardiff City, or even Swansea, Wrexham etc don't generate that amount of passengers, but it's still an issue. I remember some years ago waiting for a train in Pyle on a Sunday. Every 2 hours. One turns up, 2 carriages, full of Man City fans. I couldn't get on it.
Would it be such a problem if train capacity could be increased when needed to get fans home safely, without hoarding them onto trains like cattle?
Man City fans on a train in Pyle on a Saturday morning ?Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric the Half a Bee
What's all that about
Yeah thats the risk. Loads buy early cos it's cheaper but leave it until the day and some won't bother esp if weather is poor.Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric the Half a Bee
That said, I can also see how high match day prices put off potential casual fans too.
I don’t even bother trying to get on in ninian park/Grangetown to get home anymore. Just too full. So if I’ve gone by train it’s the walk to town then wait. Fun on the way, but not the way home. I can see why people would be put offQuote:
Originally Posted by Eric the Half a Bee
When I didn’t have a season ticket, I didn’t go a few times at the last minute because I felt a bit aggrieved paying match day prices. Not sure there’s much of a way around that thoughQuote:
Originally Posted by JamesWales
As in walking through Riverside to central ?Quote:
Originally Posted by superfeathers
No, it was a Sunday afternoon. Found it. Sunday 11 March, 2012. They won 1-0. 2pm kick off. I tried to get a train around 6pm from Pyle back to Cardiff and it was rammed with Man City fans going home. Given the nature of the game, why on earth did Arriva not put on extra carriages? Not just for me, but I reckon that train left Swansea like that and anyone from Neath and Port Talbot wanting a train were fecked. Crap service.Quote:
Originally Posted by SLUDGE FACTORY
Keep them the same price as early ones I assume?Quote:
Originally Posted by superfeathers
If you do that then people will wait and see if they fancy it on the day. If it’s pissing down you’ll lose a lotQuote:
Originally Posted by Dave Blue
In these hard up times I don’t know who has the cash to give out £100 or more every other Saturday for an away trip.Quote:
Originally Posted by SLUDGE FACTORY
I agreeQuote:
Originally Posted by Dave Blue
But how come most fans in the Championship who travel similar distances to us are doing so ?
Yeah, doesn’t sound much but when that’s before you start your actual journey, then a long walk the other end of the train (presuming they run ok) it’s a ballache going by public transportQuote:
Originally Posted by SLUDGE FACTORY
Crystal Palace are about as close as it gets in this country to the German fan culture , with their ‘ultra’ section behind the goal (Holmsdale end??)
They seem to have nailed the home atmosphere… I think I would be looking to try and replicate what they have… ringfence area behind the goal… the club could actively ‘recruit’ supporters into it initially (and if it took off people would naturally gravitate towards it).
Not for everyone, probably more so for the youngsters… but it’s the atmosphere and experience we need to be working on.
I’d also be working with primary /high schools in south east wales… free tickets, discounted bundles etc. The hundreds of clubs that play Saturday mornings… these kids love footy already, it’s just a case of trying to draw them in.
Are you thinking of congestion? Surely that's not really an issue in a world without cash. If you can buy coffee without even taking your wallet out even Cardiff City could organize something.Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric the Half a Bee
A few ideas;
Tying into a uni student point above, what “night” is student night in Cardiff now? We could partner with bars/clubs in the city, buy a match ticket and get free entry/reduced prices in the bars/clubs etc or vice-versa.
Do a spontaneous all remaining tickets £2 on 1/2 random games in the season, announce 2-3 days before the match. Targeting games that are early season when the weather is good or end of year when people have more time off/HY season tickets. It would create more of a rush for tickets and the experience is always much better when there is a high capacity ground, even if the game isn’t great.
Other than that give tickets to schools, charities etc. If the seats are empty then there is no income, there are enough of the above doing it tough, even if 2% stick around then they’ll earn it back.
Wonder of wonders, I actually saw a train on the Treherbert line yesterday and there were a few signs that all of the building work throughout 2023 may be coming to an end. The trouble is though that, even when the trains start running again, the service offered is wholly inadequate. For a start, there is no service at all on a Sunday and we're talking about something like 15 to 25 per cent of a home league programme there these days. For Saturday games. the one or two carriage trains you get more often than not are not fit for purpose - in a few weeks time, we'll be getting Christmas shoppers wanting to go to Cardiff and those trains aren't big enough for them, never mind the football fans who want to use them as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric the Half a Bee
Back in 2021, I can remember catching a train to a game about three weeks before Christmas at a time when Covid was on the rise again and people were packed in like sardines into the two carriage train with no one being allowed onto it at stops like Llandaff and Cathays because the train was so full - it was a horrendous journey and, of course, you then had to change at Queen Street or Cardiff Central to get a train to Ninian Park. It's ironic that at a time when many grounds built these days have a new station opened alongside them to improve access, Cardiff already has a station no more than five minutes walk from their ground and yet there is no direct service there for passengers living outside of Cardiff on match days and, apart from when we were in the Premier League second time around (proof that it can be done), there never has been in the recent past in my experience.
I'll admit I never used to give the problems those living outside of Cardiff faced when I lived there, but it's a fact that it is so much easier for me to drive to a Swansea home game from the top of the Rhondda valley than it is a Cardiff one - there is a far better quality road to Neath and then on to Swansea than there is to Cardiff and then when you finally reach the capital, you have a situation which can resemble gridlock, especially as Christmas approaches, followed by a at least a twenty minute walk to the ground (I remember parking in the athletics stadium car park once for a game and it was an hour before the roads cleared - my journey home, which would have taken about twenty minutes normally, took an hour and a half).
I feel guilty moaning about travel problems to games when I live just twenty miles away and others come from hundreds of miles away to watch every home game, but, even for those living in Cardiff, access to the ground on match days can be a problem - I'm not expecting a return to the days of the seventies when I used to be able to drive to Sloper Road, park in one of the car parks of the factiories and car showrooms across the road from Ninian Park at about ten to three and still be in place on the Bob Bank to watch kick off in times when we used to average about 10.000 per game, but there has to be ways of improving transport to and from games surely?
Yet Lee Waters thinks we have a marvellous transport system that doesn't require any more roads to be built