Bums on seats

[jaypee]

kanu is looking for a stint???

Not sure he would be "name" enough for the Thugbies....

When Aloisi was here he had the "Goal that got us to the World cup" (don't get me started on Schwarzers saves - I thought he was the guy that got us there) thing so he had credability as well.

SO it would need to be more of a name like Henry etc... and yes its possibly a waste of money but look at the amount of people that turned up when Fowler was playing....

This is probably where Harry and Emmo are different. Harry is polarising and Emmo is just Emmo...

 

[Bladesman]

When I look at all the mariners do from a promotion and free tickets point of view I don’t really know what else the mariners can do. They do a great job on match day, there is always plenty going on outside the stadium, face painting for the kids as well as all the half time entertainment.

There are always plenty of free tickets with the Ausgrid kids memberships, the 4 bring a mate vouchers we all got with the memberships as well as tickets through clubs, schools, work etc, I know a lot of the time people actually have trouble finding people to give the tickets too.

The New Year’s Eve promotion is always fantastic and a great night out.

A couple of things I think have impacted people as previously mentioned – the Canberra debacle I gave way my membership that season but have got it back since and I know a number of others who did the same in protest.

Whenever we do get a big crowd our performance seems to fall flat, this season if we had put in a good performance against the victory I think the crowds in the games after would have been bigger.

I know that we are a little financially strapped at the minute but if the club did some sort of sponsorship deal either with the CCF or with each club to become a shirt sponsor for each of the clubs 1st grade teams (maybe Hummel could provide kits) or provide an equipment package or something similar I certainly think that would raise the profile and connection. They could also do a deal with the clubs around selling mariners merchandise so both the mariners and the clubs could benefit.

They could also do a club challenge a bit like the optus one for the a-league clubs where they offer a prize (say $3000) to the local club with the most mariners members next season.

 

[curious]

A legit question.
The derby had much anticipation and perhaps from those in the past, some apprehension at the thought of dodging hundreds of hostile visitors marching to the ground like pack of adolescent hyenas, chanting abuse (causing damage?) and throwing flares ect. Playing dodge the idiots and abuse in trying to leave the ground following the game and the rubbish going on during the game. A casual could be excused for thinking the game on the pitch is secondary to the happenings off it.

Being a rather conservative area and relatively new to this level of football, could this be causing some trepidation with young families in particular not wanting to risk running the gauntlet in a hostile environment?

Again, a legit question.

 

[nomad]

Absolutely! I just posted my game day experience on this http://ccmfans.net/board/index.php/topic/4737-r10-bring-on-the-bogan-scum/page__st__140

 

[bikinigirl]

. all this talk is very good - some good explanations and some good suggestions

. unfortunately many of the suggestions require the club to take action, or implement something which we are generally powerless to do. so might i suggest that if you have an idea or feedback please contact the club with it. some may be simple to implement, some prohibitive (especialy at the moment) but direct communication is needed

. a few have highlighted the dark year of the 'canberra debacle' ... and the club knew they had a problem. my response to their survey went for 4 pages and a reply was forthcoming ... many of the things discussed have been addressed in some way

. the split in the fanbase is the thing which i really struggle with. i consider myself to be a passionate fan but have never identified myself as a marinator/yellow army/coastie boys/whoever else member. I don't understand what has gone on and don't really care - i am just a fan of the mariners ... and we need more - dividing the fanbase won't give us more (i don't think)

. another thought i have is what effect pay tv may have on crowds. no free to air matches means a fair portion of our community has no 'soft introduction'. then there are those that won't come to a game because they are already paying to see it on tv (which is more convenient). this may, or may not be significant but i think it has an impact

 

[Jesus]

I think 7:30 on saturday will always give us better crowds than 5:30 saturday

 

[curious]

Absolutely! I just posted my game day experience on this http://ccmfans.net/board/index.php/topic/4737-r10-bring-on-the-bogan-scum/page__st__140

Then can it be prevented and how? If not, do those with a similar apprehension simply surrender the game to the teeny bopper hyenas that appear to be gaining in numbers and boldness to further push the limits, and just give up on it and spend their money elswhere?

 

[Ancient Mariner]

I think most of the things I am about to say have already been mentioned, however as I see it in order of importance.

Negatives

1)Most important is the financial situation of the club at present. This problem has a massive effect on existing fans as well as future possible. In this case the saying "all publicity is good publicity" does not apply.
I have had 2 clubs that I was passionate about dumped (NS Bears and Spirit). I have never watched a game of League since the Bears were dumped and never will again. I was the 3rd generation of my family to sit in the rain every weekend and never giving up hope of seeing 1921 and 22 repeated. Gutted.
The only positive out of this was that I discovered football, but only to see it all happen again, luckily I could follow the team to the Central Coast.
I am well and truly "rusted on" however when you hear talk of the club collapsing you start to get concerned and no matter how positive or determined you are you begin to subconsciously to prepare for the worst to protect your emotional wellbeing.
I am rusted on but feel that commitment waning for that reason. For example last week I was committed in Sydney til 5pm and watched the game on tv. In the past I would have driven up to watch the second half live.

No newbie will commit to a team while the future is bleak.

Solution fix the financial situation. If that is sorted the core fanbase will build with the team playing attractively and winning.

Positives
If the above is fixed what is then needed is to get newbies to the game to enjoy the experience and come back.

1) Get a Marguee, this was demonstrated with Aloisi. This got bums on seats, many stayed.

Make the matchday experience positive and fun.

2) The half time entertainment is ok but I would like to see the continuous noise over the pa turned off so that I can discuss the game so far, with the people around me.

3) Get rid of the ground announcer trying to rev up the fans. This not only fails miserably but has a distinctly negative effect. I cringe and it is very embarrassing if you have brought someone to their first game of football, very uncool and unproductive.

4) A brilliant suggestion not seen elsewhere on this thread. Replace the ground announcer rev ups with an organ over the pa like the US sports have. If you have never heard this live you have missed out.
It can be immensely entertaining especially when used to laugh at the ref and to rev the fans in the many short breaks in play.
It is not traditionally Australian, nor traditionally football, but meh. Can you imagine a couple of bars of the funeral march when a player is faking an injury to waste time. How about playing in time with the oppostion goalie walking back for a free kick. Magic. The possibilities are endless.

5) Generate converstaion about the upcoming/past game whenever you get the chance as though everyone should know about it. eg "How do you think Mariners will go this week against Brisbane?" Do it:
In the pub,
Between balls while fielding in slips,
At work,
Generate interest.

6) Use your free passes to bring friends along. If you do not have free passes become a member so you do.

 

[style_cafe]

You're spot on MF. I play in a 35's team where the post match discussion over a beer is usually about the NRL and barely a word is said about the Mariners. All these guys have kids that play soccer and have access to the free memberships, yet only a couple take their kids to the games.

I dont know how to make the connection with my team mates. They all like sport, the are interested in the Mariners and they monitor their performances. They just dont go to the matches.

One suggestion may be.... maybe the Mariners can put together some kind of package where a 35's team can do something with the Mariners which is a bit of a novelty... perhaps have a kick around one evening, followed by a meal. I honestly dont know what a good package would be, but if the fathers' could engage directly with the players and staff, then that may draw them to the games.

What we seem to be forgetting here is that the Coast doesn't have a rich footballing heritage. Argue the point all you want, but the Central Coast is NRL territory. Generation X (i.e. me) are starting from square 1 when it comes to emotionally investing in the Mariners, whereas I've had generations of my family follow rugby league.

The point is, you cant expect people to switch on overnight (or in the space of 7 seasons). Telling people to harden the f**k up and just get to the games is just dumb. At least this season, we are heading in the right direction... not 100% in the right direction, but moving forward nonetheless.

RESOLVE OUR FINANCIAL ISSUES!!! That would be a big step. What is Joe Average thinking when deciding to go to see this team called the "Mariners" for the first time??? "Who wants to start following a team that might not exist next season?" The Coast was burnt by the ill-fated Northern Eagles debarcle, so why expend energy on another entity that may go bankrupt? So, Solve the financial problems of the Club and you'll go a long way to getting bums on seats.

Some unique problems.
The first, with talk mainly of NRL, is probably due to the A-League being summer so we can`t change that.
In the past each player has been aligned to a local club,does this still happen?
it`s a great iniative as the grass roots players get to know at least one Mariner in a more personal way,
Mariners at presentations is another good PR exercise.

The second problem you identified might be more easily solved.We have a sponsor in SOCCER5s that is trying to promote itself in the region.We need to connect the older guys as Atomic says.
So why not a SOCCER5s over 35 half time comp.
The kids can play in two corners with the 35s diagonally to them.Thus we have a promotion that shows the start of a Football career & the twilight whilst promoting our sponsor & connecting the clubs with the Mariners.
Give a decent prize & I`m sure the 35`s would be in it & the rest of the team would come to support their mates.

 

[Atomic]

Some unique problems.
The first, with talk mainly of NRL, is probably due to the A-League being summer so we can`t change that.
In the past each player has been aligned to a local club,does this still happen?
it`s a great iniative as the grass roots players get to know at least one Mariner in a more personal way,
Mariners at presentations is another good PR exercise.

The second problem you identified might be more easily solved.We have a sponsor in SOCCER5s that is trying to promote itself in the region.We need to connect the older guys as Atomic says.
So why not a SOCCER5s over 35 half time comp.The kids can play in two corners with the 35s diagonally to them.Thus we have a promotion that shows the start of a Football career & the twilight whilst promoting our sponsor & connecting the clubs with the Mariners.
Give a decent prize & I`m sure the 35`s would be in it & the rest of the team would come to support their mates.

BINGO!!!!

That is a fantastic idea.

 

[midfielder]

Some unique problems.
The first, with talk mainly of NRL, is probably due to the A-League being summer so we can`t change that.
In the past each player has been aligned to a local club,does this still happen?
it`s a great iniative as the grass roots players get to know at least one Mariner in a more personal way,
Mariners at presentations is another good PR exercise.

The second problem you identified might be more easily solved.We have a sponsor in SOCCER5s that is trying to promote itself in the region.We need to connect the older guys as Atomic says.
So why not a SOCCER5s over 35 half time comp.
The kids can play in two corners with the 35s diagonally to them.Thus we have a promotion that shows the start of a Football career & the twilight whilst promoting our sponsor & connecting the clubs with the Mariners.
Give a decent prize & I`m sure the 35`s would be in it & the rest of the team would come to support their mates.

As Atomic says BINGO..... maybe even extend it to invite each local park team to pick their best five for a Mariners cup in a knock out comp.....

 

[yellowcake]

Just rethinking Arnie's "it was disappointing to see that the crowd numbers were only around the 10 000 mark"

While not disagreeing now, think yourself back to 2005 - and it's pleasing to imagine this being said in the future...

 

[Wombat]

Yep....how far we have come to be winging about 10.5k crowds!!!!

 

[Forum Phoenix]

I think 7:30 on saturday will always give us better crowds than 5:30 saturday

THIS.

O 35's 5 aside would be great at HT.

And Yellow cakes right. Must have been at least 9K yellow there. We have come aways when this is considered disappointing.

 

[bikinigirl]

O 35's 5 aside would be great at HT.

. i reckon they would be concerned about the damage that may be done to the worlds most delicate pitch

 

[hasbeen]

. i reckon they would be concerned about the damage that may be done to the worlds most delicate pitch

I agree. Some of the boys in the O35's are hardly skin & bone, so maybe a weight restriction could be put on the players ... ?

 

[shipwreck]

Hahaha, noooooo

 

[Nathan Byrn]

1oo kgs. max boot size 1o

 

[Atomic]

1oo kgs. max boot size 1o

Counts me out :angry:

 

[Mumbles]

Traveling in the UK at the moment and catching a few UCL & EPL games.
Sold out stadiums, 40k to 50k crowds with fans begging for tickets in the streets before the game. You'd have to say it's the ultimate in fan loyalty a club could imagine.
Quite often you see two and three generations of one family going to watch their favorite team play. Talking to one guy, to him it's two days wages to go to a game.
The football culture here is like a religion. Some of these clubs are over 100 years old and have monuments to heroes of the past. While I doubt we'll ever get to this level of dedication in Australia the potential to grow is there. It just takes time, generations. All I can suggest is make a long term plan and stick to it.

Lawrie made CCM a family club and always seemed to have the boys out at shopping centers, on the radio and generally getting involved with the community. That was when my kids got hooked and the legends were Andre, Hutch, Wilko and Danny. Not because they were superstars who played in Europe but because they gave their time back to the community and the kids could connect with them. After each game these same players would come over and sign autographs and chat to the kids often remembering their names. Andre, love him or hate him was a champion at connecting with the young ones. My family went to games because of this culture and we would bring others with us. Yes, families made up only a portion of the targeted demo but it's the one that builds the long term culture.

The community connection seemed to fade around Lawrie's last year. No idea why but it was totally undervalued and the dip sh!ts who let it go should have a rocket put up them. My kids don't ask to go to the games anymore and therefore we don't take them. You don't need and overpaid superstar to shake a kids hand and sign a shirt or cap.

A suggestion for the Mariners Vs Jets game; In the UK the away team is segregated of course with an entourage of security and each guest is video taped in their assigned seats for later identification. Video tape the spineless clowns before the antics begin and you might find they behave a little better.

P.S Everton Vs Arsenal - not much better than watching two top four A League teams at home. . Sorry guys!