Growing fan base

[Topper 123]

Is it me or is our fan base steadily growing season after season , do you think it’s because of the quality of teams dropping from prem ie this season still a possibility of Leeds/ Everton / West Ham joining Southampton and with Ipswich and Plymouth coming up Next season looks very appealing.

season ticket sales on the up 

COYR 

[22A]

It may of course be that those interested in football realise there's oly one team in Bristol!

[Silvio Dante]

Just now, Magger1 said:

Is it me or is our fan base steadily growing season after season , do you think it’s because of the quality of teams dropping from prem ie this season still a possibility of Leeds/ Everton / West Ham joining Southampton and with Ipswich and Plymouth coming up Next season looks very appealing.

season ticket sales on the up 

COYR 

I think what you have to look at is the nature of the experience and cost. When I started going in the 80s it was standing and piss soaked terraces. It’s now a good, family experience in a pleasant stadium and kids tickets are less than a fiver a game on season tickets. When my son was mascot a few years back my parents in law came - they were expecting something a bit more ramshackle but enjoyed the overall experience hugely.

It’s now a day which people enjoy. And once you enjoy the day you come more and more frequently.

Compare and contrast to Rovers and you get the idea. I’d be adamant we’re picking up a vast majority of new as opposed to legacy fans

[Major Isewater]

It’s interesting to see. Even in our successful moments getting promotion to the top flight Alan Dicks criticised the apathetic Bristol public and hoped that we would turn up to support the team. 
We have successfully avoided any Premier league unpleasantness and with only snippets of cup glory and some success of getting promoted into the division we seem to have a swollen fan base ( oh matron! ) 

Is it because the population of Bristol is growing ? The top class match day experience at the Gate? I think the club have been working very hard in the community and this appears to be bearing fruit. A ‘family’ club if you like. There is something building at the club and I believe people sense it. 

[Topper 123]

4 minutes ago, Silvio Dante said:

I think what you have to look at is the nature of the experience and cost. When I started going in the 80s it was standing and piss soaked terraces. It’s now a good, family experience in a pleasant stadium and kids tickets are less than a fiver a game on season tickets. When my son was mascot a few years back my parents in law came - they were expecting something a bit more ramshackle but enjoyed the overall experience hugely.

It’s now a day which people enjoy. And once you enjoy the day you come more and more frequently.

Compare and contrast to Rovers and you get the idea. I’d be adamant we’re picking up a vast majority of new as opposed to legacy fans

Yes I think your probably right the experience of a good family day out along with the fact there’s no trouble at football nowadays families are trying and enjoying and then spreading the word Steve Lansdown has built a magical stadium and once the team click it will be near on impossible to get a ticket unless your renewing 

[Super]

I think we have Lee Johnson to thank it all took off after beating Man U.

[Major Isewater]

9 minutes ago, Super said:

I think we have Lee Johnson to thank it all took off after beating Man U.

[Winterstoke toad]

The fan base has definitely grown over the last few years and not trying to be critical but it could be a hell of a lot bigger if we didn’t have the most expensive home non Member tickets in the efl ( By about £10 in most the ground 

Edited May 4, 2023 by Winterstoke toad

[Kid in the Riot]

Been noticeable in recent years to me, having kids going through school not far from AG, at how many kids and parents go to City who support/supported other clubs before they moved to the area.

I know City season ticket holders/regular attendees who support: Sheff Wed, Wycombe, Spurs, Torquay United, Bristol Rovers, Leeds, Newcastle, Arsenal and Cardiff City to name a few. 

I think because it's such a good and safe experience at AG, and through the work of Bristol Sport in local schools and sports clubs, we've tapped into an entire new demographic of fanbase.

This particular aspect of the club has been a huge success. 

[cidered abroad]

2 hours ago, Super said:

I think we have Lee Johnson to thank it all took off after beating Man U.

You really are joking! We were second in the league after the Manure win.

Followed quickly by a stupid and inept defeat by Wolves after leading their ten men with 20 minutes to go.

Ignoring the Semi Final defeat by Man City, didn't we gather a magnificent total of 11 points from the next SIXTY NINE on offer!

Any other club in the country would have dispensed their manager. But not BCFC. Oh no he was still here a couple of years later, still bumbling along.

 

[2015]

I remember the days of 10k in League 1 being generally the average. Our support has grown exponentially since those days. I think Football clubs across the UK that are not traditionally 'big' clubs are seeing a recent surge in supporter growth in recent seasons. 

The chance to watch live football is far more worth the money than a sky tv package to most families. The matchday experience is massive for this demographic.

I also think regarding City, we've always had a fairly large following, not necessarily attendees though. 

[Selred]

Good “experience” ground, well priced kids tickets (especially season tickets), growing city, also the fact we are Championship so a better quality of game. 

[TheReds]

11 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

Ignoring the Semi Final defeat by Man City, didn't we gather a magnificent total of 11 points from the next SIXTY NINE on offer!

Where exactly did you get that stat from?

After the second Man City defeat we got 13 points from our next 11 League games:, so unsure where you are getting 11 points from 23 games?

QPR W

Bolton L

Sunderland D

Leeds D

Fulham D

Cardiff L

Sheff W W

Preston L

Burton D

Ipswich W

[cidered abroad]

6 minutes ago, TheReds said:

Where exactly did you get that stat from?

After the second Man City defeat we got 13 points from our next 11 League games:, so unsure where you are getting 11 points from 23 games?

QPR W

Bolton L

Sunderland D

Leeds D

Fulham D

Cardiff L

Sheff W W

Preston L

Burton D

Ipswich W

I might have the season wrong. It could have been the season before or the one after. That manager, and I use the word loosely, had these very long periods of minimal points gathering almost every season.

And he certainly has not had any influence on the increases over the last two years. Those are due to the  management of Pearson and Gould. And the use of our own Academy boys instead of loaning them all out and buying expensive Premier league reserves.

 

Edited May 4, 2023 by cidered abroad

[Rudolf Hucker]

11 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

I know City season ticket holders/regular attendees who support: Sheff Wed, Wycombe, Spurs, Torquay United, Bristol Rovers, Leeds, Newcastle, Arsenal and Cardiff City to name a few

I guess that the 15er who regularly watches City home matches at least doesn’t have to keep checking his phone to see how we’re getting on. 

[Leveller]

8 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

I might have the season wrong. It could have been the season before or the one after. That manager, and I use the word loosely, had these very long periods of minimal points gathering almost every season.

 

Yeah, don’t let any actual facts intrude on your irrational hatred.

[Super]

48 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

You really are joking! We were second in the league after the Manure win.

Followed quickly by a stupid and inept defeat by Wolves after leading their ten men with 20 minutes to go.

Ignoring the Semi Final defeat by Man City, didn't we gather a magnificent total of 11 points from the next SIXTY NINE on offer!

Any other club in the country would have dispensed their manager. But not BCFC. Oh no he was still here a couple of years later, still bumbling along.

 

I was joking i meant Mark Ashton...

[Port Said Red]

I am worried how these figures will be dwarfed when the Gas announce how many they have sold so far, to great fanfare no doubt. 

Didn't they boast they had sold 500 more this season after a promotion season, like it was some huge achievement?

[Barrs Court Red]

I’ve said it before, but one of the things SL has got 100% right is attracting fans of the future. From giving away 1000s if not 10000s of tickets to schools over the years, to extremely well priced kids tickets  this had born fruit.

I remember when 12k was a good Gate, we now shift more than that in Season tickets.  

The stadium and matchday transport lends itself to bringing the family.  

[mozo]

2 minutes ago, Barrs Court Red said:

I’ve said it before, but one of the things SL has got 100% right is attracting fans of the future. From giving away 1000s if not 10000s of tickets to schools over the years, to extremely well priced kids tickets  this had born fruit.

I remember when 12k was a good Gate, we now shift more than that in Season tickets.  

The stadium and matchday transport lends itself to bringing the family.  

So really both Steve and Jon deserve the credit

[Bristol Oil Services]

25 minutes ago, Barrs Court Red said:

I’ve said it before, but one of the things SL has got 100% right is attracting fans of the future. From giving away 1000s if not 10000s of tickets to schools over the years, to extremely well priced kids tickets  this had born fruit.

I remember when 12k was a good Gate, we now shift more than that in Season tickets.  

The stadium and matchday transport lends itself to bringing the family.  

 

22 minutes ago, mozo said:

So really both Steve and Jon deserve the credit

Well, there's also a wider trend across the country with attendances high at all levels, including sub L2. People are just going to football in numbers everywhere currently. 

Whisper it, but Rovers are getting as many, or more, at third tier level than we got under Osman in the second tier. Which tells you something (but not necessarily what a Fewer might tell you)

[myol'man]

In my 50 years or so of supporting City, we get, on average, one successful season per decade. So it's coming soon! Then the numbers will really take off.

You can understand why potential investors are concerned about the size of the stadium. 

[Sleepy1968]

1 hour ago, Rudolf Hucker said:

I guess that the 15er who regularly watches City home matches at least doesn’t have to keep checking his phone to see how we’re getting on. 

I think I've seen him wandering around with a mallet, muttering something about guy ropes and tent pegs.

You can take the deluded from the Mem, but you can't take the Mem from the deluded.

[cidered abroad]

52 minutes ago, Bristol Oil Services said:

 

Well, there's also a wider trend across the country with attendances high at all levels, including sub L2. People are just going to football in numbers everywhere currently. 

Whisper it, but Rovers are getting as many, or more, at third tier level than we got under Osman in the second tier. Which tells you something (but not necessarily what a Fewer might tell you)

Osman was a manager? Not in my book!

[Mr Popodopolous]

Been growing in the wider game since the low point of the mid 1980s.

Here I would say definitely it has been, when I started following it was 10-15k average, now it is 20k.

Also have to factor in how attendances are counted now too and again this is a game wide all tickets sold vs all actual in attendance- clubs will have both figures.

[cidered abroad]

43 minutes ago, myol'man said:

In my 50 years or so of supporting City, we get, on average, one successful season per decade. So it's coming soon! Then the numbers will really take off.

You can understand why potential investors are concerned about the size of the stadium. 

Only problem is we also have had one drop per ten years.

PS. Except for the 1980's when we went mad with three drops

Also the first team to go from First to Fourth Division in three seasons. One of which we had the Gas for company. And in 1990 we both went up in the same division. I have never been able to find any provincial city, IE outside of Greater London, which has had both it's clubs promoted and relegated in the same league and same season.

 

[cidered abroad]

7 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Been growing in the wider game since the low point of the mid 1980s.

Here I would say definitely it has been, when I started following it was 10-15k average, now it is 20k.

Also have to factor in how attendances are counted now too and again this is a game wide all tickets sold vs all actual in attendance- clubs will have both figures.

Attendances may have been higher before all seating and no payment at turnstiles, due to fiddling by every stage of the chain - turnstile operator through to Board Room.

[Mr Popodopolous]

1 minute ago, cidered abroad said:

Attendances may have been higher before all seating and no payment at turnstiles, due to fiddling by every stage of the chain - turnstile operator through to Board Room.

Yep that too, lots of little things all add to it but during the 1980s attendances fell for a host of reasons across the country without a doubt and it did take longer to recover. Some of the mid to late 1990s ones are startlingly low.

Edited May 4, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[Ron W]

6 hours ago, Silvio Dante said:

I think what you have to look at is the nature of the experience and cost. When I started going in the 80s it was standing and piss soaked terraces. It’s now a good, family experience in a pleasant stadium and kids tickets are less than a fiver a game on season tickets. When my son was mascot a few years back my parents in law came - they were expecting something a bit more ramshackle but enjoyed the overall experience hugely.

It’s now a day which people enjoy. And once you enjoy the day you come more and more frequently.

Compare and contrast to Rovers and you get the idea. I’d be adamant we’re picking up a vast majority of new as opposed to legacy fans

I'm not an SL apologist but if this is his legacy over Premier League football, it's not a bad one to have.

[Street red]

Our season ticket for championship football is very good I know a regular season ticket at Weymouth is £320 to put that into perspective, So by our prices the fan base continues to increase.