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Attendances
Views: 787
With only 106 at Saturdays game, following a couple of very good cup performances, we have to wonder what has happened to attendances at the Borough. Where have the missing 80 gone ?
Are fans being ultra cautious about the Covid risk ?
Have they just changed their habit of going to football, following the long lay-off ?
We cannot put it down to results or the weather, so something fundamental may have changed.
Elsewhere, non-league attendances seem to be holding up well.
(Wealdstone seem to be concerned at what they regard as poor attendances too, while Uxbridge had only 64 on Saturday, so is it something local ?).
Any views anyone ?
Edited by geemickey at 10:13:56 on 13th September 2021
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Re: Attendances
Views: 762
I would also suggest the demographic of the local area is a disadvantage.
I still think that a large percentage of people living in South Harrow don’t even know the club exists. We have no local community presence. RR link helps but they’re based out in Ruislip Manor.
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Re: Attendances
Views: 952
Hello HarrowRed.
Some Excellent Views Here On The Forum As Always.
I Myself Am Not a Native Of The Borough Of Harrow!
I Have Lived Most Of My Life Just Over The Border In South Ruislip.
When We Lost The Harrow Observer A Few Years Now I Think That Was A Definite Blow Because It Give Invaluable Coverage To Borough and Wealdstone With Good Match Reports and Photos.
You Mention South Harrow And It’s A Far More Diverse Place Than South Ruislip.
To Get New Fans And Keep Them Is Never Easy.
Hopefully A Good Cup Run May Help Us In That Regard.
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Re: Attendances
Views: 701
Hello Gee-Mickey.It’s a Bit Of A Conundrum About Attendance's Because Normally With A Good Away Fan Following We Could Hope For A League Attendence Of Around 200 For A Game Such As Weston Super Mare On Saturday.
I Personally Would Have Capped The Admission Fee At £10 For Adults and A Fiver For Oaps and Under 16s For This Seasons Matches.
I’m Lucky To Be Comfortably Off But For Some Of Our Fans With Uncertain Work And Commitments Literally Every Penny Counts.
There Are A Lot Of Other Issues About Marketing The Club And A Better Online Reach Which Have Been Debated Before On The Forum.
Such A Great Game Non League Football So Much Better Than The So Called “Stars” Of The Pro Game!
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Re: Attendances
Views: 961
There's definitely a lot of variable's coming in play with regard to attendances.
As u say Covid worries, an aging fan base. All the things u have mentioned.
Plenty of other ( probably the vast majority of ordinary folk ) would say there are better things to do than watch non-league football.
Have I got an answer, no not really, but it definitely helps being successful, even at our level.
Winning most of yr matches definitely helps with crowd numbers IMO.
A struggling team year after year won't attract new fans .
Any in our area would surely watch Wealdstone than any other non- league club purely because they have been the most successful the last few years .
I think our link up with Ruislip Rangers is a step in the right direction.
But clearly there is no magic bullet.
That's my two cents worth anyway .
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Re: Attendances
Views: 780
Some Very Good Points From Both Middlesex Wanderer and Earlsmead Part Timer.
Nothing Succeeds Like Success As Our Great British Tennis Champ Emma Showed In New York!
No Doubt Covid Has Had Some Sort Of Impact And With Cost Of Basics Like Food People Are Being Careful With The Cash.
I Would Say We Are At Least 30-40 Down On Home Fans From Before Lockdowns And Thats Not Just Gate Money But Programmes and Refreshments Too.
There’s No Easy Solution.
People Are Free To Spend Their Money As They Choose.
Harrow Is A Diverse Borough But To Get Different Communties To Come Along Maybe Easier Said Than Done.
Ruislip Rangers Link Up Is Excellent and Let’s Hope We Get Those Regulars Back Soon And Some New Fans So They Can Watch Our Winning Run!!!
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Re: Attendances
Views: 823
There are certainly a number of our mature supporters that have not been to a game since lockdown.
While others work patterns have changed. Others live out of the area but still attend occasionally
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Re: Attendances
Views: 742
I haven't even glanced at overall attendance figures, though I've noticed some hugely impressive ones at this level. Worthing v. Bognor pulled 2,000+ on Bank Holiday Monday.
I expected the long lockdown to cull numbers significantly down here. TV coverage and the media hype machine has kept Premier League fans' underwear moist. Games at professional level have continued to be played.
Sadly, down here, it probably doesn't take too long without a Saturday "hit" of football for the habit of attending games to wear off for many semi-casual fans. Some may drift back in ones and twos as the season wears on. Others are likely to have found equally rewarding pastimes, from learning violin / cookery / pottery / Spanish to playing darts or bridge online. They may not be back. Without the media hype machine and peer pressure, falling out of love with football is quite easy to do.
Most fans I know in the "I'll never go to another game if my lot take the knee!" brigade have returned. I know at least three, including two non-renewing ex-long-term ST holders at pro clubs, who definitely haven't. I don't expect any of that trio to enter any football stadium for a long time.
As has been said, not since Alastair Campbell was Minister for Propaganda has a UK government been as successful with any public information campaign as this administration has been with their "Let's Scare The Bejayus Out Of The Elderly!" campaign during Covid-19. Precisely what the point of this has been is difficult to see.
I'm old enough - and from a rural enough area - to remember the days when almost any elderly relative or acquaintance who heard the word "cancer" from their doctor was convinced they were as good as dead the moment the c-word left the physician's lips. The diagnosis alone was enough to kill them. Instilling blind terror into the elderly has had far worse consequences than lowering attendances at Non-League football matches, but it must have played a part.
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Re: Attendances
Views: 644
We can't put the fall in attendances down to demographics.
The 'new' locals may not be interested in football - but numbers won't have changed significantly in the past 12 months.
All the other points must be factors but the question is 'what should the c;lub be doing about the problem now ?'
One thought I had years back was to involve the local college and offer a cash prize (£100 ?) to their business students for the best marketing suggestions to stimulate attendances at Harrow Borough FC.
This in itself would get the club some local exposure with the younger generation and may produce some new ideas.
But then you need volunteers to make things happen !
In addition, surely local Asian lads play football ?
Find the promising players among them and develop some good enough for the first team.
The initiative with Ruislip R. is a move in that direction.
The best solution of all is surely a winning HB team playing attractive football and enjoying an FA Cup run !
Edited by geemickey at 09:36:14 on 14th September 2021
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Re: Attendances
Views: 750
Attractive football? Don't let Terry hear you say that!
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Re: Attendances
Views: 736
Cheers Cappers And Gee-Mickey.
I Would Say Effective Football That Brings Winning Results As We Have Seen In The Last 3 Games Cappers My Friend.
As For Marketing The Club That’s Something The Board Would Have To Sit Down And Make A Plan For.
Gee-Mickey Mentioned About Getting Harrow College Involved and I Agree Many Diverse Groups In The Borough Of Harrow and My Borough Of Hillingdon That Could Be Informed Maybe Through Social Media.
I Know The Boro Fans Do An Excellent Job On Match Days With Frequent Updates Live On Twitter And Also The Club Website Is Updated Frequently.
Not Forgetting Our Great Fans Forum!!!
All Us Fans As Well Can Spread The Words To Friends And Family How Great Non League Is And Come Along To The Games.
Excellent Debate This and Thank Gee-Mickey For Starting It!!!
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Previous thread: Weston Super Mare by geemickey11/9/2021 09:29Sat Sep 11 09:29:36 2021view thread