Stadium atmosphere

[Daggers]

6 minutes ago, Daggers said:

Football has a problem, a massive problem. 
 

 

Just look at the gaping chasm of empty seats. 
 

This is a nation that is rapidly falling out of love with the live game, a nation of clubs who no longer value fans. 
 

“Football is nothing without fans”, and yet clubs and television think they can cope - they can’t.  You can argue about league position and the time of the goals, but today’s match saw a plethora of red chairs lying vacant from the off. 
 

Honestly, if this isn’t addressed, if real fans aren’t encouraged, professional football dies. The connection has been ruptured.
 

Warning bells are sounding - albeit quietly…and completely silent at 85 minutes. 

Blackburn

 

 

[Daggers]

Preston 3-2 winning and yet the ground is 3/4 full

Baggies - Blues and it’s not a sellout from kick off

 

Its a disease, football needs a cure, it’s dying. 

[Foxin_Mad]

Stoke, Blackburn and Preston haven't sold out their grounds for years to be honest!

 

I don't disagree football has a number l of issues, and for me it's not what it was in the 90s early 2000s. However, correct me if I am wrong aren't attendances generally on an upwards trent in the english divisions?

[Gamble92]

47 minutes ago, Daggers said:

Football has a problem, a massive problem. 
 

 

Just look at the gaping chasm of empty seats. 
 

This is a nation that is rapidly falling out of love with the live game, a nation of clubs who no longer value fans. 
 

“Football is nothing without fans”, and yet clubs and television think they can cope - they can’t.  You can argue about league position and the time of the goals, but today’s match saw a plethora of red chairs lying vacant from the off. 
 

Honestly, if this isn’t addressed, if real fans aren’t encouraged, professional football dies. The connection has been ruptured.
 

Warning bells are sounding - albeit quietly…and completely silent at 85 minutes. 

Or they're just shit 

[Trekerz]

1 hour ago, Daggers said:

Football has a problem, a massive problem. 
 

 

Just look at the gaping chasm of empty seats. 
 

This is a nation that is rapidly falling out of love with the live game, a nation of clubs who no longer value fans. 
 

“Football is nothing without fans”, and yet clubs and television think they can cope - they can’t.  You can argue about league position and the time of the goals, but today’s match saw a plethora of red chairs lying vacant from the off. 
 

Honestly, if this isn’t addressed, if real fans aren’t encouraged, professional football dies. The connection has been ruptured.
 

Warning bells are sounding - albeit quietly…and completely silent at 85 minutes. 

Correct but when you have clubs (including ours) charging you upwards of £40 for an adult ticket for a championship game at home why would people bother? Clubs are getting majority of their money from the TV money now so not sure they’re bothered in the slightest tbf. 

[Heathrow fox]

59 minutes ago, Foxin_Mad said:

Stoke, Blackburn and Preston haven't sold out their grounds for years to be honest!

 

I don't disagree football has a number l of issues, and for me it's not what it was in the 90s early 2000s. However, correct me if I am wrong aren't attendances generally on an upwards trent in the english divisions?

On paper yes.The reality is different.

Yesterday I went to Charlton v Derby 

Official attendance just over 16000.Derby filled the 3200 away end.No way was there 13000 Charlton fans in that ground.8/9000 max.
This has been going on for years throughout the Football League.I know they count season tickets and pre booked seats as part of the gate regardless of attendance,but thousands of no shows.Really??

Having said that non league seems to be thriving.

[Viktor-LCFC]

In other news the Leicester fans sounded fantastic at Stoke👏. I can only imagine Enzo and the players prefer away games.

[grobyfox1990]

6 hours ago, Daggers said:

Football has a problem, a massive problem. 
 

 

Just look at the gaping chasm of empty seats. 
 

This is a nation that is rapidly falling out of love with the live game, a nation of clubs who no longer value fans. 
 

“Football is nothing without fans”, and yet clubs and television think they can cope - they can’t.  You can argue about league position and the time of the goals, but today’s match saw a plethora of red chairs lying vacant from the off. 
 

Honestly, if this isn’t addressed, if real fans aren’t encouraged, professional football dies. The connection has been ruptured.
 

Warning bells are sounding - albeit quietly…and completely silent at 85 minutes. 

All leagues in the efl have >30% growth in attendances in the last 20 years. A 12% increase from 21/22 - 22/23 alone. The championship is the 10th most attended football league in the world. Football is in boom time.

This is proper low grade fake news, showing a screenshot of a ground where they’ve just gone 5-0 down and not won since end of oct. 

[SemperEadem]

7 hours ago, bobtickle said:

Sorry not read the thread, controversial comment maybe, firstly 100% respect to ufs, but i think the split to that corner of the ground away from next to the away fans has created two quiet pockets and has resulted in a worst atmosphere. Not taking anything away from them as they are the only ones trying to create an atmosphere. Just seems like the result has been a bit of an own goal to me. 

There has been two singing areas in our ground for well over ten years, its not a new thing at all.

UFS were singing just as much 20 rows back than where they are situated now. It’s now seen as a problem or perhaps more noticeable than it was as far less others in the ground now choose to sing.

[worth_the_wait]

10 minutes ago, SemperEadem said:

There has been two singing areas in our ground for well over ten years, its not a new thing at all.

UFS were singing just as much 20 rows back than where they are situated now. It’s now seen as a problem or perhaps more noticeable than it was as far less others in the ground now choose to sing.

 

And having multiple singing areas was nothing new (even in the "good old days").

 

At Filbert Street it may have started off all in the Kop 60's and 70's.  But from the early 80's, it split out .... and at times we had 3 sections of lads/blokes/singers ...   Pen2/Pen3 (Kop), East Stand seats and the Main Stand enclosure.

 

[Matt]

7 hours ago, Daggers said:

Football has a problem, a massive problem. 
 

 

Just look at the gaping chasm of empty seats. 
 

This is a nation that is rapidly falling out of love with the live game, a nation of clubs who no longer value fans. 
 

“Football is nothing without fans”, and yet clubs and television think they can cope - they can’t.  You can argue about league position and the time of the goals, but today’s match saw a plethora of red chairs lying vacant from the off. 
 

Honestly, if this isn’t addressed, if real fans aren’t encouraged, professional football dies. The connection has been ruptured.
 

Warning bells are sounding - albeit quietly…and completely silent at 85 minutes. 

Firstly, I agree entirely.

 

But I think someone replied to one of my "The modern game is boring", "Football has been ruined", "Football at the higher level is dying/dead", "All fans are complaining of the same thing - it's boring" rants and someone claimed football attendances are actually thriving, now i've not cross checked and verified that.

 

They may well (or may not) be thriving but as i've read a few times I think its more about FOMO and people going for an 'event' where people just go to turn up and won't think twice about leaving early if they're bored; of which alot of football nowadays/the modern game is generally boring, or people turning up out of habit/routine (of which i've been guilty of in the past). It's stale.

 

You only have to speak to fans of other clubs, listen to phone in's, most claim the games boring or they are bored of their team, it's not exclusive to us - although we might be worse/think we're worse than other clubs.

 

For the record i'm not saying this season is boring for us and there is no excuse for our atmospheres this season, i'm just talking about the game, certainly at the higher levels, in general.

 

I don't have figures to back my opinion or theory up but I believe non-league attendances are rising (maybe not dramatically but still, rising to an extent) because there's less nonsense, it's more real, they're not being fucked about by TV schedules or a pantomime, people are being turned off and turned away by the professional game at the higher levels.

 

Edited 4 February by Matt

[grobyfox1990]

4 minutes ago, Matt said:

Firstly, I agree entirely.

 

But I think someone replied to one of my "The modern game is boring", "Football has been ruined", "Football at the higher level is dying/dead", "All fans are complaining of the same thing - it's boring" rants and someone claimed football attendances are actually thriving, now i've not cross checked and verified that.

 

They may well (or may not) be thriving but as i've read a few times I think its more about FOMO and people going for an 'event' where people just go to turn up and won't think twice about leaving early if they're bored; of which alot of football nowadays/the modern game is generally boring, or people turning up out of habit/routine (of which i've been guilty of in the past). It's stale.

 

You only have to speak to fans of other clubs, listen to phone in's, most claim the games boring or they are bored of their team, it's not exclusive to us - although we might be worse/think we're worse than other clubs. For the record i'm not saying this season is boring for us and there is no excuse for our atmospheres this season, i'm just talking about the game, certainly at the higher levels, in general.

 

I don't have figures to back my opinion or theory up but I believe non-league attendances are rising (maybe not dramatically but still, rising to an extent) because there's less nonsense, it's more real, they're not being fucked about by TV schedules or a pantomime, people are being turned off and turned away by the professional game at the higher levels.

 

This is a captive audience tho. Like in most parts of life, those who are negative/see the worst in everything shout loudest. The hordes of people who enjoy football and attending are not going to participate in phone ins to confirm this. For some reason those who are dead against the game feel they need to shout about how right they are and how righteous they are for not following it anymore. 

Football attendances are thriving. Non league attendances may be thriving too. They don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Posts showing an empty ground at 5-0 as are as good as buses promising us money if we vote a certain way 

[whoareyaaa]

15 minutes ago, Matt said:

Firstly, I agree entirely.

 

But I think someone replied to one of my "The modern game is boring", "Football has been ruined", "Football at the higher level is dying/dead", "All fans are complaining of the same thing - it's boring" rants and someone claimed football attendances are actually thriving, now i've not cross checked and verified that.

 

They may well (or may not) be thriving but as i've read a few times I think its more about FOMO and people going for an 'event' where people just go to turn up and won't think twice about leaving early if they're bored; of which alot of football nowadays/the modern game is generally boring, or people turning up out of habit/routine (of which i've been guilty of in the past). It's stale.

 

You only have to speak to fans of other clubs, listen to phone in's, most claim the games boring or they are bored of their team, it's not exclusive to us - although we might be worse/think we're worse than other clubs.

 

For the record i'm not saying this season is boring for us and there is no excuse for our atmospheres this season, i'm just talking about the game, certainly at the higher levels, in general.

 

I don't have figures to back my opinion or theory up but I believe non-league attendances are rising (maybe not dramatically but still, rising to an extent) because there's less nonsense, it's more real, they're not being fucked about by TV schedules or a pantomime, people are being turned off and turned away by the professional game at the higher levels.

 

It all comes down to money and ticket prices.

 

If all tickets where £10 then you would see these stadium fill up I don't think it has anything to do with the football being boring tbh.

 

Plus its January and we have been in a cost of living crisis, people would rather feed there kids than pay over the price for a football ticket.

Edited 4 February by whoareyaaa

[Matt]

8 minutes ago, whoareyaaa said:

It all comes down to money and ticket prices.

 

If all tickets where £10 then you would see these stadium fill up I don't think it has anything to do with the football being boring tbh.

 

Plus its January and we have been in a cost of living crisis, people would rather feed there kids than pay over the price for a football ticket.

I appreciate Stoke didn't sell out yesterday and believe there were many empty seats anyway but the point I was making and @Daggers I think was making is the empty stadium come the latter stages of the game and mute atmospheres.

 

For us, our attendances are pretty good (Despite pricing) but i'm speaking more of the poor atmosphere and mass exoduses. 

[purpleronnie]

5 minutes ago, Matt said:

I appreciate Stoke didn't sell out yesterday and believe there were many empty seats anyway but the point I was making and @Daggers I think was making is the empty stadium come the latter stages of the game and mute atmospheres.

 

For us, our attendances are pretty good (Despite pricing) but i'm speaking more of the poor atmosphere and mass exoduses. 

Until attendances nose dive clubs wont care.

[CosbehFox]

8 hours ago, Daggers said:

Football has a problem, a massive problem. 
 

 

Just look at the gaping chasm of empty seats. 
 

This is a nation that is rapidly falling out of love with the live game, a nation of clubs who no longer value fans. 
 

“Football is nothing without fans”, and yet clubs and television think they can cope - they can’t.  You can argue about league position and the time of the goals, but today’s match saw a plethora of red chairs lying vacant from the off. 
 

Honestly, if this isn’t addressed, if real fans aren’t encouraged, professional football dies. The connection has been ruptured.
 

Warning bells are sounding - albeit quietly…and completely silent at 85 minutes. 

Attendance figures say otherwise - it’s up on pre covid figures. 
 

But Stoke are an example of exactly what happens you fcuk your parachute payment and owners. 

Matt’s point about FOMO is bang on. Football grounds aren’t evolving in those who attend. The popularity and priority systems means you have fan base lodged with no fresh blood come in and those who’ve lost interest going out. 
 

That and the ‘second generation’ of silly marketing twats haven’t got a clue about what football fans actually care about 

 

[Aus Fox]

8 hours ago, Daggers said:

Football has a problem, a massive problem. 
 

 

Just look at the gaping chasm of empty seats. 
 

This is a nation that is rapidly falling out of love with the live game, a nation of clubs who no longer value fans. 
 

“Football is nothing without fans”, and yet clubs and television think they can cope - they can’t.  You can argue about league position and the time of the goals, but today’s match saw a plethora of red chairs lying vacant from the off. 
 

Honestly, if this isn’t addressed, if real fans aren’t encouraged, professional football dies. The connection has been ruptured.
 

Warning bells are sounding - albeit quietly…and completely silent at 85 minutes. 

To be fair, this photo was taken as Vardy had just scored a penalty late on to make it 5-0.

I think fans can be excused leaving early when 4-0 down and the opposition has a penalty.

[jonthefox]

25 minutes ago, purpleronnie said:

Until attendances nose dive clubs wont care.

Even then they won’t care that much.  This is what it means to a top club. Important, but not crucial.

[when_you're_smiling]

8 hours ago, Foxin_Mad said:

Stoke, Blackburn and Preston haven't sold out their grounds for years to be honest!

 

I don't disagree football has a number l of issues, and for me it's not what it was in the 90s early 2000s. However, correct me if I am wrong aren't attendances generally on an upwards trent in the english divisions?

When we were in their position mid 00s, ie flailing around miserably in mid-table for years, we too were only getting about 23,000 a game and dipping below 20,000 sometimes.

 

Even in the 90s, at Euro 96 there were

loads of empty seats for most of the games. That’s unthinkable now.

 

As others have said, attendances are up and they’re even more impressively up in non-league. 

[Izzy]

1 hour ago, worth_the_wait said:

 

And having multiple singing areas was nothing new (even in the "good old days").

 

At Filbert Street it may have started off all in the Kop 60's and 70's.  But from the early 80's, it split out .... and at times we had 3 sections of lads/blokes/singers ...   Pen2/Pen3 (Kop), East Stand seats and the Main Stand enclosure.

 

"East stand, start the wave. East stand, east stand start the wave"

 

"Main stand, give us a song. Main stand, main stand give us a song"

[Daggers]

14 minutes ago, Aus Fox said:

To be fair, this photo was taken as Vardy had just scored a penalty late on to make it 5-0.

I think fans can be excused leaving early when 4-0 down and the opposition has a penalty.

True for Stoke, not for Preston, Baggies and Blackburn. I commented in the other thread a quote from the Sheffield Utd commentary - same thing. I didn’t go back to check the earlier matches and turned off the TV soon after the Stoke match.

 

It’s ticket prices, it’s kick off time of day, it’s saturation TV coverage, it’s marketing departments, it’s no terraces, it’s the product and consumer mentality - the commodification of community, it’s last minute fixture changes, it’s financial clout imbalance, it’s multimillionaire twats with bags and Bentleys and drink driving charges, it’s owners taking the piss and incompetent senior management…

 

It’s because I never watch these shows or have 5 Live on as a rule. I never see these scenes and it was striking last night. Libraries and empty seats. The situation is only going to get worse.

[MS0204]

31 minutes ago, Aus Fox said:

To be fair, this photo was taken as Vardy had just scored a penalty late on to make it 5-0.

I think fans can be excused leaving early when 4-0 down and the opposition has a penalty.

Would it have looked like that Stoke being 4-0 up and having a penalty? Or is it just a Leicester thing 

[Daggers]

Gone back to look…and it wasn’t leaving early

 

 

[Pliskin]

Just now, Daggers said:

Gone back to look…and it wasn’t leaving early

 

 

I agree with a lot of the above posts. 
 

Football is a victim of its own success….. how can clubs outside of the premier league charge as much as they do? 
 

It's purely financial, clubs can’t afford to drop their prices due to losing revenue. The championship is a horrible league, it’s so close to the PL but also so far….. none of footballs upper echelons give a **** about it, it’s all about the PL……. So financially it’s a very tough league to move in, and the longer you’re in it the more difficult it gets, especially if you’ve fallen from the premier league. 
 

Leagues 1 and 2 there’s possibly a little less pressure, £18 will see you to a Burton Albion game, which is probably about right…..

 

You can’t criticise people for spending money on shit football, would you pay £30 to watch Stoke? Absolutely not. Not in this climate, and you won’t win any medals for boasting of you do. 
 

Football no longer reflects the communities they serve. 

[Fox92]

Yesterday was great, I enjoyed it the atmosphere.