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Author Topic: How do we change the 'cultural' make up of football crowds?  (Read 65187 times)

Online dave.woodhall

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Re: How do we change the 'cultural' make up of football crowds?
« Reply #15 on: September 13, 2011, 01:02:57 AM »
Most blacks and Asians don't support a local club anyway...

We'll have to get them started then.

Well I guess we should aim for the really young kids (i.e. 5 or 6 year olds.)

Got to look at free tickets for local children (especially in the black and Asian areas.)

Like the whole class gets a free 'school trip' to Villa Park.

By the time they get into football they will probably already be supporting Man U, Liverpool or Arsenal.

And then we change them. It's easier to get someone who 'supports' a Sky team on TV to support us than it is to get someone with no interest in football.

I dunno.

If they support a Sky 4 team, I can't see them changing to Villa who they would just see as an average team/club.

They like football. One day someone at work/school/whatever says "Fancy going to a match?" They go out of curiosity or free ticket and they realise the difference between watching TV and being there.

Offline The Laughing Policeman

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Re: How do we change the 'cultural' make up of football crowds?
« Reply #16 on: September 13, 2011, 01:04:31 AM »
Most blacks and Asians don't support a local club anyway...

We'll have to get them started then.
I agree with you Dave, but it's easier said than done.
When I posed this question it came from a conversation I had with a friend who happens to be British born of Bangladeshi parents. The man is a proud Brummie and a Villa fan to boot. He goes to as many games as he can but he doesn't take his two kids with him. When I asked him about this he told me that he didn't want his kids to get the idea that hating someone simply because of the team they support or where they come from was a good idea. This all stems from the songs and chants that we have  about which ever team we are playing. I'll plead guilty to singing s**t on the city, and my old man etc, plus all the other songs and chants we have about other teams. But this conversation gave me pause for thought.
This isn't just about The Villa, it's about opening up access to football fans in Britain regardless of faith, colour, or politics.
   


Offline pig

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Re: How do we change the 'cultural' make up of football crowds?
« Reply #17 on: September 13, 2011, 02:54:49 AM »
My flatmate is a teacher and he works at a school in Fulham. Most of the kids are Chelsea and arsenal fans, but a few times a year Fulham football club give tickets to the school so kids can go and watch. He says the the effect is massive. Those who haven't been to a football match fall in love with the game compared to the sky package, and if they haven't been to say a Chelsea game (which most can't afford) then they often become Fulham fans.

Fulham may be run by an idiot, but they do a lot of good for the community. Actually in all fairness to Chelsea (I live spitting distance to Stamford bridge) they are good as well. I remember reading in the local paper Chelsea doing an Asian star finder, where Asian kids are encouraged to come along and kick a ball around with the best being offered a place in the academy. It was well received from the sounds of it with a lot of kids from hounslow and southall turning up.

In the local park Chelsea have also built a few five a side pitches and after school there are coaches there teaching the kids and monitoring games. The pitches are also used by local schools in association with Chelsea during the day. Most of the kids are from a non White background and to be quite honest most of them are Chelsea fans.

I think the key is easy access to games and the club reaching out to the community, if you could combine Chelsea and Fulham you might have the perfect system!

Offline KRS

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Re: How do we change the 'cultural' make up of football crowds?
« Reply #18 on: September 13, 2011, 03:01:35 AM »
The problem and answer to this question is so deep rooted within community and society on so many levels that it would be impossible to state the issues without being accused of being racist. There are obvious differences in the cultural background of ethnic groups that play a big part, and one discussion point that can be thrown into the mix would be "segregation" in all of it forms on a social level. The only real way to get the answers though would be to simply ask representative community leaders why they dont attend and if there is anything the clubs can do to change this.
« Last Edit: September 13, 2011, 03:10:31 AM by KRS »

Offline martin

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Re: How do we change the 'cultural' make up of football crowds?
« Reply #19 on: September 13, 2011, 03:38:33 AM »
Not sure football can adequately provide what the modern consumer wants. And these new followers would likely be just that: consumers.

And in the modern world, if you want a crowd that is 50% female and (in the context of Brum) 30% Black and Asian - i.e. a representative local sample - you'd have to start with guaranteed success, decent food and the kind of comfy seats that don't induce deep-vein thrombosis in anyone taller than Ronnie Corbett.

Implicit in supporting most football clubs are the likely chances of failure, pain, discomfort and disappointment. Who wants to shell out hundreds to thousands of pounds a year for that unless it's ingrained?

The local community will come whenever the club do one of their discount days; they're neither committed nor dumb enough to do it every week.

As mentioned, we could start by recognising football's limitations as a leisure option and making it much, much  cheaper.
« Last Edit: September 13, 2011, 03:44:08 AM by martin »

Offline philthebar

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Re: How do we change the 'cultural' make up of football crowds?
« Reply #20 on: September 13, 2011, 07:07:42 AM »
Who is this 'they' people are referring to?

I hate racial targets of any type, we should be reaching out/encouraging all youngsters, regardless of race, creed or colour.

Offline spk

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Re: How do we change the 'cultural' make up of football crowds?
« Reply #21 on: September 13, 2011, 07:30:42 AM »
Tis funny that on the pitch about 30 per cent of the players are black,but in the crowd its far far less,obvoiusly black folk like football,but would rather play it than watch it ?

Offline Lambert and Payne

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Re: How do we change the 'cultural' make up of football crowds?
« Reply #22 on: September 13, 2011, 07:47:57 AM »
I don't think there's anything we as fans can really do? I'm not racist and don't mind anyone turning up to watch the Villa.
Its the club that can make the difference, free stadium tours, a trophey room showing everything we've won to show people how big a club we have been. And kids for a quid/free tickets for local schools. I don't know why the don't do something like u 10's go free with a full paying adult if bought in advance at the category c games (or villa value games - whatever its called). I reckon we could add around 10k to the attendance all together with sensible pricing

Offline bertlambshank

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Re: How do we change the 'cultural' make up of football crowds?
« Reply #23 on: September 13, 2011, 08:54:18 AM »
A lot of Asians I know  support Brazil.
They do like football,but when I ask them it's cricket every time.
Get some Indian cricketers on the pitch at half time they would come.


Offline andrew08

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Re: How do we change the 'cultural' make up of football crowds?
« Reply #24 on: September 13, 2011, 08:55:10 AM »
I find it hard to get lapsed fans to go with their kids let alone people from other cultures. Firstly there is the hurdle of the MOTD footy fan who sees a goal every few mins and find live footy boring.Then there is the price, I can take a kid this weekend for a £1 but it's parent will pay £40 odd. Then its the endless swearing which parents hate.the expensive food. The terrible toilets. Drunk people.

Now my kids see beyond all that, mainly because they've had no bloody choice and 'get' the joy of the late winner and the unexpected win, but I wouldn't expose them to any let alone all of the above in any other aspect of life. In fairness to the Asian community their asperations for their kids are probably slightly higher than the back of the Holte End !

Offline Vanilla

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Re: How do we change the 'cultural' make up of football crowds?
« Reply #25 on: September 13, 2011, 09:50:35 AM »
A lot of Asians I know  support Brazil.
They do like football,but when I ask them it's cricket every time.
Get some Indian cricketers on the pitch at half time they would come.

Don't know what the last sentence means, but the fact they are 'supporting' Brazil shows they are new to being interested in the sport, and don't understand the culture of football, that is all.

If someone suddenly moved to the US, or just wanted to support an American Football team, more often than not, people would initially pick out the most successful team to follow initially, until you learnt more about the sport.

Offline sidcowans10

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Re: How do we change the 'cultural' make up of football crowds?
« Reply #26 on: September 13, 2011, 10:12:27 AM »
Didn't/don't Villa offer Halal food now on matchday? I remember a discussion on here about it ? Whilst not specifically making Muslims wanting to come to Villa at least the club has made an effort?

I think free tickets for schools is definitely the way forward especially as we are unlikely to sell out for many games this season

Offline Archbishop Herbert Cockthrottle

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Re: How do we change the 'cultural' make up of football crowds?
« Reply #27 on: September 13, 2011, 10:12:44 AM »
Win a cup or two and 'they' will come....

Offline UsualSuspect

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Re: How do we change the 'cultural' make up of football crowds?
« Reply #28 on: September 13, 2011, 10:19:01 AM »
Why do we need to change the cultural make up of the club?

We have never been overly tarred with the racist/violence brush, if people want to come they come.

What next cheaper tickets for someone because of their ethnicity or sex?

Offline drisaac

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Re: How do we change the 'cultural' make up of football crowds?
« Reply #29 on: September 13, 2011, 10:39:37 AM »
We could stop singing "My Old Man..." and "Shit Support My Lord..."

How we expect to attract fans from anywhere while we're singing "... you're a ******", is beyond me.


 


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