How to fill the Amex

[Albion Dan]

The reality is that there are probably more people actually in the ground over last season. It certainly feels like it where we sit. Ridiculous numbers of STH weren't actually attending last season and many of them wouldn't have renewed so are now not included in the Pretendance.

 

[el punal]

Preston will bring a few too, right? They've not been here before have they?

And when you live in Preston, Brighton in October is pretty much a Summer holiday.

Not when you've got the cultural delights of Blackpool just down the road.

 

[Barham's tash]

Excrement.

I have a friend who's a dead ringer for Corbyn who was stroking his beard about Saturday. Looks like a nice early beery start on the cards then.

Can't help but read this entire post in Montgomery Burns voice....

But getting back OT I think what we're seeing this season is that the match day ticket sales (ie non STs) are broadly in line @ c4,000 but that given ST numbers were down a similar level you'd need to look at discrete booking details to know whether we lost floating voters or the product this season is attracting new first time attendees.

Either way I still think we were marginally spoilt with c27k averages and it will come back to that even if we maybe fail to gain promotion this time around.

I can't wait to see the games around the business end as I genuinely feel that if we're in the mix post Christmas that we'll see a marked increase to the casual attendees.

 

[Horses Arse]

The moral of this story is don't piss off your fans and expect them to come back for more regardless. Hopefully it will be realised that it wasn't performances that resulted in people cancelling season tickets, it was the way people were treated. Perhaps also the ridiculous plastics tag will now be realised as a complete palace jealousy fabrication.

 

[AZ Gull]

I'm certainly not disputing any of that. But, for this time of year, we really have "never had it so good", have we?

20/10/12 v Middlesbrough - we were 5th going into that. Crowd of 26,293
28/10/13 v Watford - we were 16th going into that. Crowd of 27,657 on a Monday night.
9/11/13 v Blackburn - we were 12th going into that. Crowd of 27,912


Logistics isn't an excuse. You can stroll up to the Amex at 2:50 on Saturday and buy a ticket and go in. It's like old skool going to football.

Saturday's tickets sold will certainly be an interesting figure. The number of "home" tickets sold (ie total announced figure less away figure) for the first Saturday game of the season (Blackburn) was 22,096.

The next Saturday game (Hull, three weeks later) was, of course, special, due to the emotional nature of the commemoration of those lost locally. The number of home tickets sold increased by 1,827.

Saturday three weeks later, Cardiff, the club did the "bring two friends for a tenner each" promotion and added a further 1,314 home tickets sold, now up to 25,237.

The Preston game on Saturday has neither the emotional "draw" of Hull or the cheap ticket marketing of Cardiff, so it will be a strong indication of the floating voter response to the season so far (eg how many additional season ticket holders have been added since late August and how many match-by-matchers are prepared to cough up to see a top-of-the-table team).

 

[Postman Pat]

Aren't we reporting actual attendances now rather than tickets sold? Therefore there are probably more people in the ground than last season.

The mate for £10 was a step in the right direction to get some disaffected fans back, and I would expect a bump post Xmas if we are still near the top and the 1/2 season tickets kick in.

 

[atomised]

The 15 quid a.ticket offer for students on Tuesday night seemed to have encouraged a few in the south west corner, some of whom I spoke to and.seemed keen on returning. Don't know whether it will be offered again though

 

[atomised]

There was.a student offer on Tuesday that I assume was marketed at the uni. It seemed quite successful. Hopefully those that came will spread the word.

 

[dazzer6666]

Looking back at this time of year...

25/10/14 Home to Rotherham 24,370
28/10/13 (Monday night) Home to Watford 27,657
09/11/13 (closest Saturday to above) Home to Blackburn 27,912
20/10/12 Home to Middlesbrough 26,293

From what I can see we are averaging just under 24k so far this season. Are another 4,000 or so going to come out to get close to that Blackburn attendance? It doesn't feel like it.

Problem with those numbers is we all know they aren't remotely accurate - tickets sold maybe, but not actual attendances. Given we are supposedly 3-4,000 STH down on the peak number, taking the no-shows at those games into account we've probably got more going now than then.

I don't quite get the obsession with attendances - we're doing pretty well compared with the 'big' clubs in the division. If we carry on as we are we'll be selling out most weeks next season - there will also be an almighty scramble for STs in the close season if we're up.

 

[dazzer6666]

Problem with those numbers is we all know they aren't remotely accurate - tickets sold maybe, but not actual attendances. Given we are supposedly 3-4,000 STH down on the peak number, taking the no-shows at those games into account we've probably got more going now than then.

I don't quite get the obsession with attendances - we're doing pretty well compared with the 'big' clubs in the division. If we carry on as we are we'll be selling out most weeks next season - there will also be an almighty scramble for STs in the close season if we're up.

 

[Hastings gull]

Make him commit early - buy online and print at home (or bring his phone and scan the barcode on the email).

Not quite fitting in with the thread, but when I printed out a ticket for Tuesday, the normal A4 size was too small for the barcode to be read and very annoyingly, I had to go back to the ticket office and get a proper card ticket.No problem there but what is the point of printing out?

 

[Rogero]

T

answer to the original question - Give tickets to local schools and businesses; no brainer for me as costs nothing but could be food/drink revenue. Fill it, and create a future fanbase.

In answer to Bozza's questions - I didn't see my arsenal season ticket holder mates in 2011 in H block in the cold. But don't let it stop the pride, it's a good time to be a Seagull.

Fully agree with this. Give tickets to local schools and kids football clubs. Any accompanying parents pay 10 pounds. I used to be a youth football team manager and this used to happen at the Goldstone. It plants a seed for life and this is the time to do this. There is the opportunity to watch a winning team.there should be very few empty sheets at the moment if this is done right.

 

[Hastings gull]

1) People are quick to forget we extended the Amex by 8k - even last nights attendances would have filled the original Amex.

2) 23k is bloody good. I looked at the other attendances last night and we were comfortably top! And that included like 13k I so for the likes of Cardiff & Hull who have recently been in the prem. and it's been like that for 5 seasons now - us with huge attendances compared to most clubs in the league. Appreciate it for what it is - a bloody huge crowd for BHA. Who would have thought we'd be getting 25k consistently for year after year when we were at Withdean - I know I'd have laughed at anyone telling me that!

Yes, I fully agree but the point is the reduction in ticket sales, good as they are compared to other teams. Lets hope for a bumper crowd on Saturday. Two people along our road did not renew -they were not huge fans anyway, but have not been persuaded to come back after last season -pity.

 

[One hot tub one ambition]

Don't want to ruin anything, or stop any fans coming to the AMEX, but this season we have averaged 2.777778 points in which the attendance has been above 15,001 but below 25,000. We average 1 point a game above 25,000 (the draw with Cardiff), and 1 point a game below 15,000. Overall, we average 0.88889 points in games with 25000+ attending, under Chris Hughton.

 

[desprateseagull]

1- Club needs to advertise that spare tickets are available..
2- Make them easier to buy. Was crazy to close town centre shop, imo- missing out on a lot of walk-by's, and impulse purchases-
go in, pay money, get ticket in yer hand..

 

[desprateseagull]

1- Club needs to advertise that spare tickets are available..
2- Make them easier to buy. Was crazy to close town centre shop, imo- missing out on a lot of walk-by's, and impulse purchases-

go in, pay money, get ticket in yer hand..

 

[The Birdman]

It was the first time our coach was full and we have full list and a waiting list I agree with some of these post let's take each game as it comes and enjoy the postion we are in and let's hope come May we are still leading the pack.
I belive in TB 5 year plan let's enjoy and do our bit getting behind the team and club.
Just one thing can they put a sign up saying which counter is serving the Specail pie so fans don't waste time. Oh dear
I would like to see the shelf in the NW corner full of clubs ie football teams girls /boys schools students,language schools etc as we need to get new fans in early to help build our fan base.

 

[desprateseagull]

not sure if this getting on.. seeing database error message, when I post..?

1- Club needs to advertise that spare tickets are available..
2- Make them easier to buy. Was crazy to close town centre shop, imo- missing out on a lot of walk-by's, and impulse purchases-
go in, pay money, get ticket in yer hand..

 

[Return of the Rev]

A- sort out transport
B-cheaper walk up tickets
C-allow drums/flags
D-make north stand an under 25 stand only and £20

Not sure even top of the league we will fill the amex apart from clashes with well supported contenders! I did warn that when you lose a season ticket holder they might not attend too many games at the match by match prices. Gave up season ticket 13/14 season and have attended 4 games since and those were at mates rates. There are no big games at the amex due to the fact that attendances are pretty high already,the old days at the goldstone crowds could rocket from 17,000 to 30,000 for a big game,until you turned the corner by the church you didn't know what to expect,the amex is all too predictable but that's modern footie for you.

 

[The Birdman]

It was the first time our coach was full membership and also have a waiting list I agree with some of these post let's take each game as it comes and enjoy the postion we are in and let's hope come May we are still leading the pack.
I belive in TB 5 year plan let's enjoy and do our bit getting behind the team and club.
Just one thing can they put a sign up saying which counter is serving the Specail pie so fans don't waste time. Oh dear
I would like to see the shelf in the NW corner full of clubs ie football teams girls /boys schools students,language schools etc as we need to get new fans in early to help build our fan base.