Extra fans

[rudemedic]

Well, if they'd been paid £2m with a nil percentage I'd disagree.

Without knowing any detail we don't know if it's a good deal or a bad deal.

It does seem to be a consistent theme that they run out regularly though. Perhaps the next contract should have an availability of stock clause.

To which they can point out, we can only provide so many due to your poor catering facilities.

 

FWIW I don't think they have run out in the Paddock as often this season- as I don't eat any of their catering I can't tell you for certain though.

[rudemedic]

How do we know that a lot of the extra fans there yesterday were staying away due to them being City/United and us being bad? I wouldn't mind betting a decent percentage were Oldham fans who can't afford £20 at least twice a month or can't justify spending that much.

£20/£22 is a lot for third division football- especially if political pressure dictates the Premier Greed reduce their prices thanks to their massive new TV deal, however, our ticket prices for a seat are not that expensive compared to the rest of the division.

[NewBlue]

These deals and offers are really pointless. If we'd won 5-0 yesterday there still wouldn't have been a significant increase on next week's crowd. The only benefit they have is just the superficial fact we get to see a lively BP again, which is better than looking at a 1/3 (soon to be 1/4) empty stadium with a crap atmosphere.

 

The only way BP will ever see crowds of 5500+ regularly without promotions is if we're promoted or top of the league for a considerable period. Nobody outside the hardcore are arsed anymore about a slight improvement in form.

 

Even if we stuck prices at a fiver a week you'd probably still see the crowd filtered back the hardcore 3500 in no time. Best off getting used to trying to do it with the terrible crowds we're currently getting.

Edited February 15, 2015 by NewBlue

[oafc1955]

I thought the increase in crowd yesterday was disappointing and expected a lot more to take up the £5 offer. After a good win last week I reckon a crowd of around 3600 would have been the norm so roughly 2000 extra fans turned up.

 

I would guess that not a single lapsed / neutral punter would be expected to return any time soon after that sorry showing..... That was just about as bad as it can get and a very poor advert for 2nd div football.

 

It's been so long since we've had any success on the pitch I don't think we would/could attract 5000+ even if we were established in the automatic promotion slots.

 

I was looking at the impressive new stand yesterday and wondering how the hell we intend to fill it.....3500 fans spread over 4 stands is not going to improve the atmosphere very much.

 

Once Corney has sold up and Johnson has moved on I really fear the worst and can see a real possibility of a drop into the basement division.

 

We've played some lovely stuff this season and I believe Johnson will be a top manager in the future, Corney has again backed his manager finding cash for both Poleon and Murphy but we still fail to increase the fanbase.

 

With the new mega deal for live football in place and the premiership gravy train increasing still further the town's folk are simply not interested in Oldham Athletic anymore and I fail to see how the appointment of a new Commercial manager is going to be able to buck the trend.

 

Reality set in with me yesterday and I just cannot see a long term future for my club outside of the Championship!!

[opinions4u]

These deals and offers are really pointless.

They're not. Some people end up being season ticket holders after getting hooked on it. They've had c£2,000 out of me in return for a £2 admission when I'd not been to a football match for years.

 

3,000 people paid a fiver yesterday. That's £15,000. Normally 1,000 would have paid an average of around £16 each (kids and OAPS remember). That's £16,000. The promotion cost around £1,000 (before increased programme sales and car park proceeds are factored in). One new season ticket from a previous non-attendee recoups the investment over a three year period.

 

If we'd won 5-0 yesterday there still wouldn't have been a significant increase on next week's crowd.

It doesn't need to be significant to be worthwhile. Edited February 15, 2015 by opinions4u

[NewBlue]

It's negligible. I don't blame them for trying, but 1 or 2 fans don't make a difference - the club have lost 2000 or more regulars in the space of 6 years or so - and that's all you can expect from these deals.

 

If you subscribe to the idea that the crowd contributed to losing then it wasn't worthwhile (I don't personally believe that but some do).

[opinions4u]

It's negligible

Unless you've got a radical and workable plan what else is there.

 

Small steps like yesterday or don't bleedin' bother. If it's the latter we might as well make a few staff redundant now.

[JoeP]

They're not. Some people end up being season ticket holders after getting hooked on it. They've had c£2,000 out of me in return for a £2 admission when I'd not been to a football match for years.

 

3,000 people paid a fiver yesterday. That's £15,000. Normally 1,000 would have paid an average of around £16 each (kids and OAPS remember). That's £16,000. The promotion cost around £1,000 (before increased programme sales and car park proceeds are factored in). One new season ticket from a previous non-attendee recoups the investment over a three year period.

 

It doesn't need to be significant to be worthwhile.

 

I don't know - for the bigger picture I think it needs to be fairly significant. We're looking for evidence that there's a larger, consistant support the club, to make us competitive at the next level up. The evidence for this on the back of the offers has been disappointing.

 

If we can't do anything about the crowds - and I don't think we can, unless the team improves a lot - I think efforts would be better spent elsewhere.

[opinions4u]

The evidence for this on the back of the offers has been disappointing.

Didn't we get 8,000 v Carlisle? Take 6,000 to Anfield? Magic up an extra couple of thousand yesterday?

 

There are more out there.

[rudemedic]

FWIW the car park did look a lot fuller than it would normally. Unless ALL the Colchester fans came by 2 cars each (hat tip to a former Oldham Councillor) then the home increase accounted for quite a few extra fivers.

 

Judging by the prize fund we took in a bit more on Strike-It-Lucky too. I think yesterday may have proven to be a financial success. Like O4u says if one of those who went yesterday who hadn't gone to an Oldham football game for a while or ever, stays on the back of yesterday and remains loyal that probably pays for the price drop itself.

 

It's just a pity that not only did we play not well the game was dire.

[Monty Burns]

I don't blame them for trying

Could have fooled me, pal.

[Tommy_Fent]

I want to see crowds like yesterday paying full-price again and unlike other posters I believe it can be achieved.

[opinions4u]

I want to see crowds like yesterday paying full-price again and unlike other posters I believe it can be achieved.

How would you achieve it Tom?

[oafcmetty]

Semi competent owners would be a start

[BP1960]

It was in the papers today the billionaire American who wanted to buy Rangers is on the lookout for an English club. Isn't this the one who's an aquantence of Simon Corney in New York?

[deyres42]

It was in the papers today the billionaire American who wanted to buy Rangers is on the lookout for an English club. Isn't this the one who's an aquantence of Simon Corney in New York?

Who cares, he won't be buying Oldham.

[JoeP]

Didn't we get 8,000 v Carlisle? Take 6,000 to Anfield? Magic up an extra couple of thousand yesterday?

 

There are more out there.

 

I'm not sure there are more out there. If there are, then we haven't tapped into them yet. At the moment we might as well just revel in the fact in we're a small team punching above our weight and stop worrying about the fact we can do nothing about the numbers that come through the turnstile.

 

The Anfield game, for example - I know for a fact there were at least 30 totally die-hard Latics fans that went to this match, who would never be able to make it to Boundary Park every home game, for reasons beyond their control. However, they went to this game because they couldn't miss seeing Latics play at Anfield. There were probably many more in that crowd that were in the same situation and so the 6,000 that attended for that game were in no way an indication of our potential regular support - it was an indication of our maximum support.

 

We should stop worrying about crowds. We seem to play better when there's less people there, anyway..

[Scapegoat]

Latics averaged 5,400 over the first 4 seasons in this division when were finishing in the bottom half of the table. Probably still retaining supporters from our Permier and Championship years.

 

Our average increased to just over 6,000 over the next 8 seasons when on 6 occassions we finished in the top half (2 of which resulted in a Play-Off finish). Which indicates that success of a kind will increase attendances.

 

This dropped to 4,400 over the last 5 seasons where we have on average had our worst league positions and for the most part been fighting relegation (and arguably some of the worst football played on the pitch).

 

 

 

The time since we were in the top 2 divisions feels further and further away, and regulars will get disheartend and start to fade away (happens with every team). Also, there is an entire generation that has grown up with a 3rd teir local football team in a 3 sided stadium - and that simply is a harder product to sell.

 

When I started watching, Latics were an established 2nd division side playing some big-ish teams on a regular basis (Leeds, Blackburn, Newcastle, Wolves, Birmingham etc) who had players I knew.

 

We have to be honest, and it is a harder sell to get your child to come and watch Colchester, Crawley and Fleetwood in a tatty stadium and full of largely annonymous players. Especially with the publicity and draw associated with the top league as well.

 

 

For Latics to be getting crowds of 5-6,000 again in this division I think we'd need to finish in the Play-Offs one season, and then back that up with another successful season where we were comfortably in them and flirting with automatic.

 

To get more than this needs promotion. And then that to be followed by an OK season where we stay up reasonably comfortably.

 

 

Back in the late 80s Royle proved it was possible to get a successful squad together in a division where you had less money and less crowds. We are in the same position again. Johnson could do the same I feel. If we can keep in the Play-off hunt this season and still be in with a chance with a game or so to go, then we back it up with another good go next season - we will start to get 5,000 on a more regular basis.

[Dave_Og]

I think I'm right in saying we couldn't sell out against Everton a couple of years back. Doesn't smack of a huge latent support waiting to be tempted back.

[IceStationLatic]

I think the only way that's been shown, in the era of the Premier League/Sky Sports/computer games beast, was a tidy new ground, a la Chesterfield and Rotherham - with a promotion to boost.

Next season, with the new stand, may be the time. If just the new stand, rather than a new ground, can be enough. Who will sit in the new stand... Mainly already regular season ticket holders? don't think that many more would come just for a view of the new stand?!

[al_bro]

Latics averaged 5,400 over the first 4 seasons in this division when were finishing in the bottom half of the table. Probably still retaining supporters from our Permier and Championship years.

 

Our average increased to just over 6,000 over the next 8 seasons when on 6 occassions we finished in the top half (2 of which resulted in a Play-Off finish). Which indicates that success of a kind will increase attendances.

 

This dropped to 4,400 over the last 5 seasons where we have on average had our worst league positions and for the most part been fighting relegation (and arguably some of the worst football played on the pitch).

 

 

 

The time since we were in the top 2 divisions feels further and further away, and regulars will get disheartend and start to fade away (happens with every team). Also, there is an entire generation that has grown up with a 3rd teir local football team in a 3 sided stadium - and that simply is a harder product to sell.

 

When I started watching, Latics were an established 2nd division side playing some big-ish teams on a regular basis (Leeds, Blackburn, Newcastle, Wolves, Birmingham etc) who had players I knew.

 

We have to be honest, and it is a harder sell to get your child to come and watch Colchester, Crawley and Fleetwood in a tatty stadium and full of largely annonymous players. Especially with the publicity and draw associated with the top league as well.

 

 

For Latics to be getting crowds of 5-6,000 again in this division I think we'd need to finish in the Play-Offs one season, and then back that up with another successful season where we were comfortably in them and flirting with automatic.

 

To get more than this needs promotion. And then that to be followed by an OK season where we stay up reasonably comfortably.

 

 

Back in the late 80s Royle proved it was possible to get a successful squad together in a division where you had less money and less crowds. We are in the same position again. Johnson could do the same I feel. If we can keep in the Play-off hunt this season and still be in with a chance with a game or so to go, then we back it up with another good go next season - we will start to get 5,000 on a more regular basis.

Joe Royle didn't have to put up with the Bosman ruling and the enormous money paid to Championship players these days, let alone the Premiership players. If we get a good player, say Kelly, we have to sell them before their contract ends or lose out. Royle didn't have to do that. He was able to keep his better players and add to them.

[Monty Burns]

I think I'm right in saying we couldn't sell out against Everton a couple of years back. Doesn't smack of a huge latent support waiting to be tempted back.

 

Or you could say we sold 5000+ in just a couple of days for a hastily arranged replay at Everton a couple of years back.

[BP1960]

Joe Royle didn't have to put up with the Bosman ruling and the enormous money paid to Championship players these days, let alone the Premiership players. If we get a good player, say Kelly, we have to sell them before their contract ends or lose out. Royle didn't have to do that. He was able to keep his better players and add to them.

 

Almost all Big Joe's good players were sold, some cheaply like Denis Irwin, unfortunately until the club lands a billionaire owner we will remain a selling club.

[Matt]

Also, there is an entire generation that has grown up with a 3rd teir local football team in a 3 sided stadium - and that simply is a harder product to sell.......We have to be honest, and it is a harder sell to get your child to come and watch Colchester, Crawley and Fleetwood in a tatty stadium and full of largely annonymous players. Especially with the publicity and draw associated with the top league as well.

 

Both of my lads (12 and 8) love visiting non-league grounds and watching the football - I've taken them (and they've wanted to go) to the likes of Kendal, Frickley, Marine and beyond.

[Diego_Sideburns]

Jim McMahon OBE ‏@CllrJimMcMahon 59m59 minutes ago

According to Office of National Statistics the population of Oldham now stands at 228,765

 

 

Last season’s average home attendance was 4,349 including away fans. The hard core home supporters equate to approximately 1.5% of the population figure.