|
Post by ontheup on Feb 12, 2014 13:44:13 GMT
Without wishing to ignite the 3G debate again I was slightly surprised and disappointed with the crowd last night, which shows just how far we have come considering we would never have dreamt of such a crowd at Sittingbourne for a midweek game against the bottom of the table side.
Having compared it to the corresponding fixture last year (against Whitstable) it was actually up, and nowhere near our lowest league crowd from last season when we played Folkestone, when were competing against Real Madrid v Man Utd on the box.
But considering this was a scheduled league fixture and not a rearranged one doesn't this again highlight the impact all these postponements are going to have on other clubs.
I stress, this is in no way 3G related, but considering I was slightly worried last night and wondering what were the circumstance surrounding the low crowd I checked other games from last night and 356 at Dover? 488 at Dulwich? 290 at Gosport? 208 at Dorchester?......all for scheduled games, when there was little competition from games on the box.
So costs of hosting a game midweek I imagine rise (because of floodlights) and the revenue drops significantly, these postponements are going to cause havoc with the clubs finances.
As much as I was disappointed with the crowd last night, I think it probably shows how many youngsters (who have school in the morning) we attract for weekend games, who can't attend games during the week.
I fear for the future of the clubs playing catch up (genuinely)
|
|
|
Post by tooloow on Feb 12, 2014 16:54:30 GMT
I thought I'd chuck some data into Excel to see how big a difference it really was - but I got bored half way though, and gave up - but this is as far as I got. Crowds typically appear to be about 80% of a Saturday Crowd on a Tuesday. Maidstones 3 Tuesday Night games have cost them about 3% of their seasons attendance. Teams like Hornchurch, Billericay, Bury and Canvey (all of whom have failed to play more Saturday games than Tuesday night games) have lost a double digit percentage of their fans for the season (to date - I'd imagine the figures will only get worse for them, and others, as more midweek games are played). Ignore the 61% total for Tuesdays games as a percentage of Saturdays games - that's an anomaly skewed by Maidstones comparatively large attendances and comparatively high Saturday games.
|
|
|
Post by townendphil on Feb 12, 2014 19:32:24 GMT
Good work tooloow if I need my books doin I know who to call!!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Crowds
Feb 12, 2014 19:47:07 GMT
Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2014 19:47:07 GMT
I think it's a combination of reasons for lower mid-week attendances including:- fewer juniors/families, lack of public transport(last night I stood next to someone who travels in by bus on a Saturday but mid-week it has to be by car), expectation of bad weather last night, disappointing result on Saturday then next opponents who are bottom of the league, difficulties getting to the match after work etc.
|
|
|
Crowds
Feb 12, 2014 20:24:53 GMT
Post by jdl on Feb 12, 2014 20:24:53 GMT
Interesting. In Bognor they are quite happy to go to games on Tuesdays, but in Billericay, they hate Tuesday games!
|
|
|
Crowds
Feb 12, 2014 20:28:19 GMT
Post by jdl on Feb 12, 2014 20:28:19 GMT
Midweek just isn't the same. Don't really know why, but it's always been like that.
At West Ham they always go on about the atmosphere under the lights for mid-week games, but I can't say I've ever noticed the difference. And these days the lights are on all the time anyway.
|
|
|
Post by daveu on Feb 12, 2014 21:01:08 GMT
Midweek just isn't the same. Don't really know why, but it's always been like that. At West Ham they always go on about the atmosphere under the lights for mid-week games, but I can't say I've ever noticed the difference. And these days the lights are on all the time anyway. Actually I like a night game under lights.
|
|
|
Crowds
Feb 12, 2014 21:13:18 GMT
Post by jdl on Feb 12, 2014 21:13:18 GMT
I wasn't so keen on them at UP, as I couldn't get home afterwards!
I tried crashing at a mate's once, but was woken up by his greyhound licking my face at 3 in the morning!
I think, as well as the various reasons that have already been given, there's some basic psychology going on here. Saturday afternoon IS football, you look forward to it, you keep that time free (even if you're not going to a match) - what else would you do at that time on a Saturday? But weekday evenings are for getting home from work, having a bit of tea, watching the telly and snuggling up with the wife. Your body clock isn't exactly shouting 'Football!' at you. So it's easy to think, well I am a bit tired, or feeling under the weather, or I've got to get up early tomorrow, or the wife was acting a bit frisky in the kitchen earlier...
Unless it's a really big game, you're just not going to get the same dedication to turning out on a Tuesday night as you would do on a Saturday afternoon.
|
|
|
Crowds
Feb 13, 2014 10:24:14 GMT
Post by tim on Feb 13, 2014 10:24:14 GMT
Midweek just isn't the same. Saturday games for me are more of a social event, whereas mid week is more of a rush!
|
|
|
Crowds
Feb 13, 2014 11:20:07 GMT
Post by toonarmy on Feb 13, 2014 11:20:07 GMT
Midweek just isn't the same. Saturday games for me are more of a social event, whereas mid week is more of a rush! Yes i find a midweek game is all too rushed, there is little time to have a good meal prior to the game
|
|
|
Post by daveu on Feb 13, 2014 12:54:32 GMT
Saturday games for me are more of a social event, whereas mid week is more of a rush! Yes i find a midweek game is all too rushed, there is little time to have a good meal prior to the game That's what the Steak and Ale meal deal is for
|
|
|
Post by tim on Feb 13, 2014 13:06:16 GMT
I think Toon was thinking more Ale than Steak! Mind you Ant always manages several 'nice meals' before KO!
|
|
|
Crowds
Feb 13, 2014 13:13:52 GMT
Post by sharpy on Feb 13, 2014 13:13:52 GMT
Love a game of football under the lights me.
All this talk of can`t, won`t, don`t want to go on a Tuesday night is a load of old rubbish. Seem to remember not so long ago a couple of evening games drawing our largest gates of the season.
|
|
|
Post by frankinstone on Feb 13, 2014 13:24:12 GMT
Interesting. In Bognor they are quite happy to go to games on Tuesdays, but in Billericay, they hate Tuesday games! Butlins is closed on a Tuesday....
|
|
|
Crowds
Feb 13, 2014 14:21:01 GMT
Post by Sennockian69 on Feb 13, 2014 14:21:01 GMT
I think it's a combination of reasons for lower mid-week attendances including:- fewer juniors/families, lack of public transport(last night I stood next to someone who travels in by bus on a Saturday but mid-week it has to be by car), expectation of bad weather last night, disappointing result on Saturday then next opponents who are bottom of the league, difficulties getting to the match after work etc. Also a lot of people go to sleep around 10pm or so midweek especially if they have young children.
|
|