How do we change the 'cultural' make up of football crowds?

[Legion]

We did.

[KevinGage]

If the club are being proactive, they shouldn't wait until schools ask. 

Much is made of Sunderland's big gates despite continuously struggling, but the Mackems dish out thousands of free tickets each game.  I get the argument that there needs to be a balance, that too many freebies damages value.

But we all know the games that draw less than spectacular crowds, and we all know the stands that struggle to sell out regardless of the occassion. 

The benefit -as I see it- would be two fold. Firtsly, in the short-term, we do away with large swathes of empty blue seats. Cosmetic, maybe.  But free tickets is not as bad for our image as empty seats m'lord.

 Secondly, we're introducing the Villa to kids whose parents might not be able to afford the expense of top flight football.  The genuine real match experience pisses all over watching Yanited and co on telly. Catch 'em early and catch enough of them (hopefully) for life.

[Legion]

I believe the club actively target specific areas but are open to requests from the wider community. My school, for example, is in Leamore, Walsall and we have been included on the scheme which is extremely popular indeed. The people behind the initiative have provided a presence at school events and the children loved meeting Chip 'in person'.

[el león Benidorm]

I have thought about this for some time.

The club marketing team needs to looking at a twenty mile radius and contacting all the schools in that area.

Firstly choosing twenty schools each time we are at home and giving them 50 tickets each so that they can 'reward' good behaviour to students, raise money with them or whatever. Yes I know it's 1000 tickets per match, but we're hardly rocking it at the moment.

Secondly, getting every school within that twenty mile radius to register every pupil from the first year up (I think they call it year 7 now). Every registered child will receive a monthly newsletter - probably electronically - and the option to buy a ticket anywhere in the ground for a fiver, for any match. For every childs ticket, an accompanying adult ticket should be made available at a discount of 50%. Yes this will have an impact on revenue, however a half empty stadium also has a huge impact on revenue.

The club will start taking players around to the schools on PR visits, doing skills days and photo opportunities.

Hopefully, with local kids seeing the SKY4 as teams that are difficult to support and get to see them (other than on a Sunday afternoon) it may sway their opinionand they start supporting their local team.

just my opinion...

[eastie]

I really agree with this-


: Not bile, not anger, not money, just this  http://t.co/4rJPFIqq”

[danlanza]

I have thought about this for some time.

The club marketing team needs to looking at a twenty mile radius and contacting all the schools in that area.

Firstly choosing twenty schools each time we are at home and giving them 50 tickets each so that they can 'reward' good behaviour to students, raise money with them or whatever. Yes I know it's 1000 tickets per match, but we're hardly rocking it at the moment.

Secondly, getting every school within that twenty mile radius to register every pupil from the first year up (I think they call it year 7 now). Every registered child will receive a monthly newsletter - probably electronically - and the option to buy a ticket anywhere in the ground for a fiver, for any match. For every childs ticket, an accompanying adult ticket should be made available at a discount of 50%. Yes this will have an impact on revenue, however a half empty stadium also has a huge impact on revenue.

The club will start taking players around to the schools on PR visits, doing skills days and photo opportunities.

Hopefully, with local kids seeing the SKY4 as teams that are difficult to support and get to see them (other than on a Sunday afternoon) it may sway their opinionand they start supporting their local team.

just my opinion...

That is a very good idea. So many families are priced out of the game nowadays that this suggestion makes perfect sense. A fantastic idea.

[peter w]

Good idea. I do think the club is trying to think along these lines. However 20 miles is far too big. 3 miles or so is sufficient. The club still has to invest in this so you have to have realistic expectations.

[VillaBobby]

Good idea. I do think the club is trying to think along these lines. However 20 miles is far too big. 3 miles or so is sufficient. The club still has to invest in this so you have to have realistic expectations.

I doubt 3 miles is far enough. Kids from all over Brum should be given the opportunity to see a live game. It doesn't have to just be Villa either. The uptake will still be restricted by the ability to attend for varying reasons.

The average age of the crowd is rising and there are not enough youngsters with vigour and excitement attending football matches. Invariably they are the ones who make the most noise and will feed of songs from the Holte. In 3-5 years they will be the ones conducting the atmosphere.

Only speaking from my experience, but the aura of Villa Park with AV floodlights and the noise of the crowd had me hooked as much as the actual spectacle on the pitch.

If we could encourage 1,000 youngsters to visit Villa Park I bet at least 200 would become life long Villa fans.

[el león Benidorm]

Good idea. I do think the club is trying to think along these lines. However 20 miles is far too big. 3 miles or so is sufficient. The club still has to invest in this so you have to have realistic expectations.

Three miles just about takes us to Small heath and Great Barr. I grew up in Redditch and that was getting on for 20 miles.

[Stu]

Good idea. I do think the club is trying to think along these lines. However 20 miles is far too big. 3 miles or so is sufficient. The club still has to invest in this so you have to have realistic expectations.

Three miles just about takes us to Small heath and Great Barr. I grew up in Redditch and that was getting on for 20 miles.

Yep. Lots of Villa fans stretching way out into Warwickshire as well. Have a look around Leamington Spa and Warwick in the summer - you'll see Villa tops everywhere.