How can the club appeal to more fans?

[mark387]

Afternoon guys,

Not sure which of the forums this should go in as it's only a bit of fun but feel free to move it Mods/Admin.

Looking at a few posts on here it looks like a few of you have some opinions on how the club should be run. So for fun I thought I'd post this up for you guys to to air your views on how the club could appeal to more fans and debate.

Ok so I'm currently doing a business and marketing course and one of projects late last year was to take an existing company and submit a proposal to improve its turnover by 10%. The company I chose was Southend United Football Club. I really wish I hadn't lol. I've since chosen another company and did quite well. This is just a snippet of what the the overall proposal would have been but lets see what you guys think of this proposal and see if you can spot (amongst other things) what the main problem with this proposal is.

Match day prices

18+ - £15
7 to 17 - £5
6 and under - £1

Season tickets

Perks
*Guaranteed same seat if renewed within 1 month of the start of the season
*1/3 off your seat at cup games

Prices
18+ - £299
7 to 17 - £99
6 and under - £20

Promotions

Individual match day promos
Kids go free – 2 free kids tickets with each full paying Adult
Bring a friend – Buy one get one free on Adult tickets
This ones on us – Free Pint with every full paying Adult ticket
Food and Pint for a Fiver – Burger, Chips and a Pint £5 with each full paying adult ticket
Pound Land – All tickets £1

Annual promos
1x free ticket with every full priced Replica shirt bought.

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

The Martini Dunking Stool
At halftime Blues fans line up to take a turn at throwing a ball at a target, if they hit it Ron goes in the drink. £5 a go. We'll be minted in no time.

 

[mark387]

The Martini Dunking Stool
At halftime Blues fans line up to take a turn at throwing a ball at a target, if they hit it Ron goes in the drink. £5 a go. We'll be minted in no time.

Brilliant, can I have more than 1 go?

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

Why full price for 17 year olds? Due to the new school leaving age children will have to be in full time education until they are 18. Bit harsh to make 17 year olds pay full price especially when they can't have a full time job.

 

[mark387]

Why full price for 17 year olds? Due to the new school leaving age children will have to be in full time education until they are 18. Bit harsh to make 17 year olds pay full price especially when they can't have a full time job.

Sorry I think thats my cackhanded way of writing it out. Its full price for over 17s meaning 18 and over.

Edited my opening post for clarity

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

Sorry I think thats my cackhanded way of writing it out. Its full price for over 17s meaning 18 and over.

Edited my opening post for clarity

O.K. thats better!

Think you might need some sort of family season ticket deal. As at the moment I think it's £360 for an Adult and 1 child in the family stand. With your prices some people would be paying nearly £400. Southend have not shifted many family season tickets this season even at £360 so you would need to look at that.

 

[mark387]

O.K. thats better!

Think you might need some sort of family season ticket deal. As at the moment I think it's £360 for an Adult and 1 child in the family stand. With your prices some people would be paying nearly £400. Southend have not shifted many family season tickets this season even at £360 so you would need to look at that.

Ah yes that's definitely something I overlooked. How about £325 (1 Adult + 1 under 18), each additional Adult £225 and each additional under 18 £60?

 

[Pak Power]

Play football like Barcelona

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

Taking things a little more seriously....
* Club Shop/Merchandise. Always thought the range limited and dull - yes I know a wider range would cost more - most football clubs are. I've always wanted sew on club logo patches, so you could put them on bags/coats/scarves etc. generally thinking outside the box, like being the first club to bring a company like CultZeros instore.
* Using the internet better. Is it just me or has the Email Newsletter gone missing? The Club shop has a twitter account but rarely uses it. These things keep the club in people's minds.
* Food / Bars. This may improve if the new stadium is built, current bars are small and most people I know don't bother. Food range is too narrow for todays customer, more women attend, families too who may well not want the narrow range of junk food. These are about the experience I guess, but if the experience is better the club will appeal more.

 

[mark387]

Taking things a little more seriously....
* Club Shop/Merchandise. Always thought the range limited and dull - yes I know a wider range would cost more - most football clubs are. I've always wanted sew on club logo patches, so you could put them on bags/coats/scarves etc. generally thinking outside the box, like being the first club to bring a company like CultZeros instore.
* Using the internet better. Is it just me or has the Email Newsletter gone missing? The Club shop has a twitter account but rarely uses it. These things keep the club in people's minds.
* Food / Bars. This may improve if the new stadium is built, current bars are small and most people I know don't bother. Food range is too narrow for todays customer, more women attend, families too who may well not want the narrow range of junk food. These are about the experience I guess, but if the experience is better the club will appeal more.

Good shouts there.

Not sure why clubs haven't jumped on the CultZero bandwagon yet but that's a good idea.

I'm not a huge fan of these generic websites but while the clubs are stuck with them I would like to see SUFC use it better and engage the fans online more.

Ahh food, my best friend. But how many people want to hang around for proper food? Cheap junk food as far as I can see is the most efficient way of dispensing food at volume and speed

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

Good shouts there.

Not sure why clubs haven't jumped on the CultZero bandwagon yet but that's a good idea.

I'm not a huge fan of these generic websites but while the clubs are stuck with them I would like to see SUFC use it better and engage the fans online more.

Ahh food, my best friend. But how many people want to hang around for proper food? Cheap junk food as far as I can see is the most efficient way of dispensing food at volume and speed

Not strictly true, been to plenty of music festivals where there are all sorts of food stalls churning out far more interesting food, just as fast. At present I never buy food at RH, and plenty of others don't either, there's a significant untapped market. imho.

 

[Gt Yarmouth Shrimper]

Taking things a little more seriously....
* Club Shop/Merchandise. Always thought the range limited and dull - yes I know a wider range would cost more - most football clubs are. I've always wanted sew on club logo patches, so you could put them on bags/coats/scarves etc. generally thinking outside the box, like being the first club to bring a company like CultZeros instore.
* Using the internet better. Is it just me or has the Email Newsletter gone missing? The Club shop has a twitter account but rarely uses it. These things keep the club in people's minds.
* Food / Bars. This may improve if the new stadium is built, current bars are small and most people I know don't bother. Food range is too narrow for todays customer, more women attend, families too who may well not want the narrow range of junk food. These are about the experience I guess, but if the experience is better the club will appeal more.

Not so, got one this morning. Food is a good issue to bring up. Do they sell proper beer or is it all p***water lager?

 

[mark387]

Not strictly true, been to plenty of music festivals where there are all sorts of food stalls churning out far more interesting food, just as fast. At present I never buy food at RH, and plenty of others don't either, there's a significant untapped market. imho.

I suppose

What sort of food do you think we could churn out at speed that people would want at reasonable prices?

 

[mark387]

Not so, got one this morning. Food is a good issue to bring up. Do they sell proper beer or is it all p***water lager?

Nope ****water about sums it up

 

[matt1]

A section of the ground where you can drink in view of the pitch (with plastic glasses). Realise its against the law but its a theoretic question isn't it and Hillsborough was nothing to do with drinking inside the stadium so its about time the law was changed....

Bound to bring the punters in who are instead having a beer on a friday or saturday....

 

[McNasty]

Serve up food like Kidderminster. Top class at good prices.

 

[Clinton Baptiste]

Bring back tilly and eastwood.

 

[Smiffy]

Serve up food like Kidderminster. Top class at good prices.

Or Daggers for that matter.

 

[IloveShrimp]

I suppose

What sort of food do you think we could churn out at speed that people would want at reasonable prices?

Curry n Rice, pie mash liquor, noodles, pasta n sauce, shepherds pie, corn on the cob

 

[mark387]

A section of the ground where you can drink in view of the pitch (with plastic glasses). Realise its against the law but its a theoretic question isn't it and Hillsborough was nothing to do with drinking inside the stadium so its about time the law was changed....

Bound to bring the punters in who are instead having a beer on a friday or saturday....

Well maybe the deregulation in Poland will affect our laws depending on the the outcome over the next year or so?