GA and the Russians

[Ancient Mariner]

All other issues aside ... how do we increase our crowd by a third ... and if we have a slack year how do maintain that level of interest...

As for RL heartland stuff ....... HHHHHHHMMMMMMM maybe ... BUT being on Ch 9, and with daily news on TV, Radio and maybe 100 pages weekly in the TerrOR helps a little as well ... add many of the fans travel from Sydney ...

But all of this is outside our control... what we do have is 15, 000 players up from 10, 000 when the Mariners first arrived [I have read these figures so correct if wrong] with RL player numbers falling [again what I have read] ....

BUT we have 15, 000 park players, plus their extended families, the common factor used 6 [no idea how 6 was arrived at] made up of Mum, Dad, brothers, sisters, grand parents, cousins and close friends... meaning 15, 000 * 6 is 90, 000 locals involved or knowing someone involved in some way with football...

My experience is after a match I am often asked what the score was by locals who see me in a Mariner shirt... I often feel like saying why don't you come and watch you obviously feel the Mariners represent the CC...

It is a paradox that at park level the game can be so well received and yet at the professional level the support falls away... While the Socceroos are considered by many as Australia's main sporting team...

So I repeat my original question how can we grow the crowd.... I guess the problem is A-League wide as well not restricted to the CC... however unlike most A-League teams we are part of a an area we can define and manage unlike SFC were the number of park teams is so great to touch and feel is almost impossible ...

More complimentary tickets to the junior players.

Preferably 8 - 10 years which is a good age to get children bonding with a parent at sport. Any younger most have difficulty following the game and have limited attention span. Older already have made their allegiances.

Needs to be thought out and targeted. Just throwing free tickets at clubs is a waste.

It will take time, but after a few seasons results will happen. Should have started years ago.

 

[FFC Mariner]

Just on the NRL, a large % of that crowd seemed to come up from Sydney. Kariong Hill was chock a block with various twats showing their silly flags - Im sure if the Mariners could attract as many from N Sydney region, our extra 2 or 3 k per game would be sorted.

 

[Wombat]

they always have .but the phyiscally superior kids always played league expect for the ski's and papadopolis

Meat head kids and fat kids with no ability to play Football....that's who play league.

My son has played Football and League and enjoyed both but it's still cooler as a kid to play league. But don't fret when I first came to Oz more than 20 years ago NO kids played football. You would never see kids with a round ball the beach or picnic area. We would start kicked the ball around 5 a side and after a while a few chockos would ask to join in. Now it's more common than Seeing kids with a rugby ball.

Football has come a long way in a short time....in time it will be the dominant code.

 

[bikinigirl]

My experience is after a match I am often asked what the score was by locals who see me in a Mariner shirt... I often feel like saying why don't you come and watch you obviously feel the Mariners represent the CC...

. might i suggest that you do put the had word on them to attend. if they decline, then ask them why ... they are the only ones with the answer. no point trying to guess why they don't come when you can simply ask them ... the answer to our crowd problems may be a simple one

. incidentally the only involvement i have with football on the coast is as a mariners fan. the only people i know that play the game on the coast i have met through the mariners

 

[Ancient Mariner]

Remember the crowds we got in season 3? Much better than last year or this.

What was the difference?

The only one I can think of is John Aloisi and the surrounding publicity.

I guess it will be a long time before we see a marquee of any type on the Coast.

Think about it:

"I am getting tired of watching the team that plays good solid football and always punches above its weight and almost defeats the favorites.

I want some excitement, I want Harry or Beckham or Cahill."

or:

"I want to see the local boy Matty Simon make goals out of nothing and stick it to these top teams."

What have we now got to offer?

"Come and watch Mariners the team of the future. We have uncovered two new upcoming and exciting number 10s but they are going to leave at the end of the season.

We used to have an exciting local made good but we sold him.

It is our policy to uncover exciting talent but it would be unfair to them to try and hang on to them and not let them make money elsewhere.

We were going to have oodles of money with rich owners, but the deals keep falling through, but come along anyway it may happen.

Please won't you come to the game we need your support and money to stop the club going further into debt."




We used the underdog tag, which is very appealing for many years but does not work now.

We are now trying to sell a top team, that halfway through the season was expected to win the premiership in a canter but is now struggling.

We are trying to sell a club that is struggling financially without billionaire backers to give hope for the future. Look at Sydney and Melbourne, crap this year but the fans expect that to be fixed for next season. We are hoping to hang on to most of our squad without losing the coach or too many players.

I wonder why we are not attracting new crowds?

Mind you the club has made a good move to get existing valued members along next week by making those that have renewed to come to the game to pick up their tickets to the ACL games and not post them.







Come and follow the Mariners

 

[scottmac]

Wish we had that red post score back. It would have got an absolute workout over the last few weeks.

 

[dibo]

I'd have been in the shit something savage.

 

[Ancient Mariner]

Wish we had that red post score back. It would have got an absolute workout over the last few weeks.

Do you disagree with my post?

What part?

The club has we rusted on supporters, but what at the moment is there to attract new ones?

 

[neverwozza]

they always have .but the phyiscally superior kids always played league expect for the ski's and papadopolis

Disagree. At my kids school most of the school "athletes" are all football players. Probably 7 out of the top 10 cross country runners in each age group play football and and similiar numbers for the 100m sprint. Compared to when I was a kid it would have been 0 and 0 on both counts.

 

[marinermick]

Mate of mine who is well connected in the media and Mariners said GA signed for Sydney ...dunno how truthfull it will be ...to be announced in next couple of weeks ..I hope for our sake he is blowing hot air ...-also said Russians attention has moved to the WS bid

Looks like both these statements are not true.

GA is waiting for final word about the Russians.

From what I understand a contract has been signed for a takeover. Mind you the Mariners will hardly go and pursue a court case in Russia if the deal gets broken.

 

[scottmac]

so not all doom and gloom then? a glimmer of hope maybe?

I find it funny that in the same post you tell everyone about a takeover contract being signed you forsee it falling over. Way to kill a buzz before it takes hold.

 

[pjennings]

so not all doom and gloom then? a glimmer of hope maybe?

I find it funny that in the same post you tell everyone about a takeover contract being signed you forsee it falling over. Way to kill a buzz before it takes hold.

I think Mick is a glass half empty kind of guy

 

[midfielder]

Looks like both these statements are not true.

GA is waiting for final word about the Russians.

From what I understand a contract has been signed for a takeover. Mind you the Mariners will hardly go and pursue a court case in Russia if the deal gets broken.

Sounds positive any idea why the delay in announcing the deal...

 

[marinermick]

I think Mick is a glass half empty kind of guy

Nah, just a realist and have seen many business deals fall over at this stage

 

[scottmac]

Nah, just a realist and have seen many business deals fall over at this stage

But to get this far is a positive is it not? There must be a fairly high level of interest to actually sign a contract.

Would love to see that contract.

 

[style_cafe]

Sounds positive any idea why the delay in announcing the deal...

They`re trying to work out the correct pronounciation of the Russian names...

 

[Forum Phoenix]

Sounds promising.

Leaving to go cross every possible part of my anatomy.

 

[finally retired]

They`re trying to work out the correct pronounciation of the Russian names...

ha ha ha......
perhaps they are waiting for us to lift the Plate first

 

[Nathan Byrn]

Sounds promising.. Maybe an announcemnet soon then??

 

[Bex]

That's a definite maybe...