Missing Fans

[banburybee]

MA has written twice now about the missing fans and the need to bring people along to games but when we do the result is invariably rubbish. As a big MA fan I am a bit tired of our tactics which are to say the least minimalist. We are rough tough and hard to beat but also rough tough and hard to take. Entertainment wise its been appalling for most of last season and this. Really we are a side that only a committed fan can love and anyone potential converts look at and say 'I ve got other things to do with my money thanks very much I will come back for the big games OR when its entertaining i.e you score some goals'
I know the table does not lie and we have done fantastically well to be where we are with the injuries but that means nothing to those undecided souls on a Saturday afternoon who need to be entertained if they are to create a new habit of coming to GP.

 

[Brentford Bob]

Not sure you can blame anyone to be honest.

It's just plss poor luck. I brought 3 non regulars with me yesterday and one of my mates brought another 3 with him.

I don't suppose any of them will be returning in a hurry.

 

[Willo]

Best thing is to start them off with away games rather than bring em to GP, as the poor football can be masked with the experience that is 'Brentford away' :beer: :bound: We have converted 2 Arsenal fans using this method

 

[coconino]

I brought 3 non regulars with me yesterday and one of my mates brought another 3 with him.

I don't suppose any of them will be returning in a hurry.

My mate and I brought a friend and his kids for their second visit—the dad left saying it was a waste of money and he wouldn't be back. I'd spent some of the morning trying to convince kids at my son's club that it would be worth coming. I'm glad none of them took me up.

 

[nocoat]

well he is a tight arse then to bee honest ...how the **** can he entertain his kids at prime time on a saturday for two hours for £3 a pop anywhere else. ...

 

[coconino]

well he is a tight arse then to bee honest ...how the **** can he entertain his kids at prime time on a saturday for two hours for £3 a pop anywhere else. ...

I think what hurt was the £17 he'd spent getting himself through the turnstile.

 

[nocoat]

Yeah but if you average it all out it is a cheap day out.... Don't tell him what they charge at Oldham or Swindon he will have a coronary

 

[banburybee]

Does not change the fact that we are not entertaining, not now, not last season - is MA a manager that can build a side that is difficult to beat i.e very organised but does not know how to create a team that can express itself? Command and control I think is his style so god help those who try to change the plan mid game, it does not worry me as i will come if they are just booting the ball into the stand but it will not bring others with £17 to spend.
As for the other comments there are plent of things a dad can do on a Saturday afternoon with his 2 kids that cost less than £23 and entertainment is guaranteed eg cinema, swimming, ice skating, going to the park etc etc.
My own message is - come on MA if you want more people to come give us something to sell.

 

[coconino]

A home goal might have made a difference. I don't know if we're the cheapest in league one—we must be pretty close—but is it the absolute price which matters or the relationship between price and entertainment? In a nearby match yesterday there were apparently four goals in nine minutes—it would have been an expensive ticket but (for the neutral visitor) it provides many times the entertainment value. It could be interesting to compare what it costs per goal to watch various clubs and see where we rank on that scale.

 

[Jimbee]

They can go there if they would prefer and they have my full blessing.

 

[nocoat]

£48 a ticket and no discounts for kids

 

[coconino]

£48 a ticket and no discounts for kids

It's astonishing, isn't it! I suppose if one were serious about it membership for the kids would make sense as it brings the match-day price down, but for a one-off game it would be a daunting sum for many people. I'll mention it to my friend next time the subject arises.

 

[abee]

I've got an American Express Black Card (Centurion) for what it's worth and one advantage is that Amex can get me seats for just about any sporting event or a table at most restaurants and seats for "sold out" pop concerts at virtually zero notice. It's not a big deal but on the footy side they have offered me seats for coming matches at both Arsenal and Man Utd (for example) and I've taken at random some of the costs per ticket for the VIP package which are :-

Man Utd v Chelsea £500 plus VAT
Arsenal v Man Utd £588 (inc VAT)
Arsenal v Wigan £600 plus VAT...... (last ever match at Highbury I believe)

Okay, so it's handy if I have a guest who wants a real treat but bloody heck......take a mate to Arsenal v Wigan and it costs £1410. Life at the other end of the footy scale eh??

Makes the sponsorship deals on offer at Griffin Park look damn reasonable.

So if anyone is interested don't hesitate to approach me and I'll wrap up the tickets for you.......as long as you don't mind me asking for the cash in advance......not that I don't trust you all of course but........ lol


For Manchester United matches, match day starts with a Champagne reception in the VIP Europa Suite, then an Executive seat in Old Trafford's South Stand. Guest speakers provide half-time entertainment and players from the first team squad will be popping in throughout the season with changing room stories.

Arsenal matches will be seated in the West Upper Stand at Highbury. The match day hospitality takes place in the Mezzanine Suite, which is situated in the South Stand. Guest speakers will also drop by to share insights and anecdotes.

At both venues you'll enjoy a four course meal, half-time refreshments and a post match buffet, plus unlimited drinks from a complimentary bar.*

 

[JTofBFC]

...........even though yesterdays attendance of 6969 was well over "budget". Rumours I heard yesterday were that around 1000 free tickets were included in the total. Presumably mostly to do with the "kick racism out of football day". I wonder if all the freebies were included in the total.

 

[nocoat]

Of course they were , its bullshit really... we were probably still only just on budget in reality with one of the bigger away attendences ... but least it gave us the chance of two funny numbers next to each other sixty nine sixty nine :blush :laugh: :laugh:

 

[abee]

...........even though yesterdays attendance of 6969 was well over "budget". Rumours I heard yesterday were that around 1000 free tickets were included in the total. Presumably mostly to do with the "kick racism out of football day". I wonder if all the freebies were included in the total.

Yes they were........600 freebies many in New Road......in "Love Corner".........even Bigbee had no room to fall down the stairs and was in the Paddock....... lol

 

[Edmundo]

...........even though yesterdays attendance of 6969 was well over "budget". Rumours I heard yesterday were that around 1000 free tickets were included in the total. Presumably mostly to do with the "kick racism out of football day". I wonder if all the freebies were included in the total.

Who says it was over budget? We had 6969 against Gillingham too, but Callen had budgeted 7500 for that match.

 

[JTofBFC]

6969 twice in one season eh. Whats the chances of that. Or is it just "think of a number to anounce " and that one slips off the tongue..............

 

[Streetboy]

6969 ... " and that one slips off the tongue..............

Naughty JT lol

 

[Swinedonbee]

I don't begrudge the money and my kids are almost ready to make their debut at Griifin Park - but I am taking out a second mortgage. At half-time, a friend queued up to get some drinks - I was treated to ten minutes in a cage drinking a bottle of Carlsberg which cost £2.90. :yuck: Bring the kids along with their "I'm hungry, I'm thirsty" - you have got to be really committed to the cause.

 

[Brickie Chap]

I've got an American Express Black Card (Centurion) for what it's worth [/I]

For the confused....this means abee has enough money to wipe out Man U's debts

 

[abee]

For the confused....this means abee has enough money to wipe out Man U's debts

For the further confused Brickie always puts his own spin on things which is why he is an avid supporter of Doug White.

Where in my post does it say that the card has my name on it??

In fact I found it on the stairs leading to the BFC boardroom.

 

[hanworthbee]

For the confused....this means abee has enough money to wipe out Man U's debts

wipe out ours then

 

[Brickie Chap]

For the further confused Brickie always puts his own spin on things which is why he is an avid supporter of Doug White.

Where in my post does it say that the card has my name on it??

In fact I found it on the stairs leading to the BFC boardroom.

Still hiding all the wealth in Mrs abee's name, clever chappie

 

[The H]

Bring the kids along with their "I'm hungry, I'm thirsty" - you have got to be really committed to the cause.

bring sandwiches and cartons of Ribena

well that's how i survived my early years

 

[hanworthbee]

as a kid i seem to remember my pockets being filled with such things as chomps and penguins, once youve done it a few times they wont even ask.

 

[Simon C]

Bring the kids along with their "I'm hungry, I'm thirsty" - you have got to be really committed to the cause.

My boy slept through the first half on Saturday. At least he got in free though.

 

[Paul O'Brien]

I know you can never compare like for like, but Saturday's attendance was well above any other Griffin Park attendance against Swindon since 1995.

Trouble is, as others have said: a) how many freebies and b) how many will bother to come back?

If you look at West Ham, for example, they've relatively few trophies to their name but have still they've traditionally punched above their weight attendance-wise in part because of their alleged positioning as the 'Academy of Football' (ie go there and you'll see great skill even if they don't win). Now if we could only nick some kind of smart positioning like that - the recent drive towards putting Bees forward as 'Your other team' seems a move in the right direction. But we've got to play decent football to make it come true.

 

[Simon C]

There were a hell of a lot of freebies in New Road. I think this was an average attendance.

 

[coconino]

bring sandwiches and cartons of Ribena

I bring sandwiches and drinks for myself and the kids, but lately the sandwiches have been coming home again since the kids found out about that great chippie on Albany Road. Personally, I'm looking forward to it being cold enough for the cocoa flask.

The cost of snacks and refreshments within the ground was something else my friend remarked upon—for instance a small bottle of water costing £1.60—but in my view this is something for which one has to take personal responsibility; if someone cannot bother to pack a sandwich or fill a bottle from the tap before leaving home they can expect to be fleeced when they want victuals.

 

[Andrew]

I recently introuduced a friend to Brentford (thankfully he saw the Rotherham game) and he loved the experience and has promised to come back when work allows. I think half the problem is that people go to GP and expect to see Arsenal or Man UTD play and that simply isn't going to happen. All the people who moan about spending money on one off visits need to ask themselves if the ticket prices would be so high if they bothered to turn up more than once in a blue moon.

While i was very upset with the performance against Swindon i still love the team and love the club and as long as they continue to try i'll be doing all i can to support them.

 

[fencer/bee]

keep comeing andrew,, one day you may well see man utd or arsenal here in a league game,, i hope you do

keep up the good work mate, bring your mates down

 

[Andrew]

keep comeing andrew,, one day you may well see man utd or arsenal here in a league game,, i hope you do

keep up the good work mate, bring your mates down

Hopefully it wont be that far off.

Come on you bees.

 

[The H]

I bring sandwiches and drinks for myself and the kids, but lately the sandwiches have been coming home again since the kids found out about that great chippie on Albany Road. Personally, I'm looking forward to it being cold enough for the cocoa flask.

say you'll treat them to chips if Brentford score 3 goals...... that should keep them interested in an ultimately futile attempt for fortnightly chips..

 

[SCBee]

West Ham, the 'Academy of Football' (ie go there and you'll see great skill even if they don't win).

Based on that we must now be the failing sink-estate comprehensive of football, ready for demolition

 

[Nurse Betty]

I recently introuduced a friend to Brentford (thankfully he saw the Rotherham game) and he loved the experience and has promised to come back when work allows. I think half the problem is that people go to GP and expect to see Arsenal or Man UTD play and that simply isn't going to happen. All the people who moan about spending money on one off visits need to ask themselves if the ticket prices would be so high if they bothered to turn up more than once in a blue moon.

While i was very upset with the performance against Swindon i still love the team and love the club and as long as they continue to try i'll be doing all i can to support them.

Andrew, apart from the stunningly good looking women in New Road, what was it your friend liked about the experience?

 

[hanworthbee]

There were a hell of a lot of freebies in New Road. I think this was an average attendance.

why not keep the attendances similar to SAT with the freebees and sooner or later we may just play well and win infront of a big crowd and they may come back as fans.

 

[JoKeR100]

Southampton home and away, and sheff wed home converted a chelsea and 2 man utd fans who are now season ticket holders.

 

[nocoat]

saints home and away ...deserving cases I see Wonder how many were unconverted that day

 

[Andrew]

Andrew, apart from the stunningly good looking women in New Road, what was it your friend liked about the experience?

I think i just took him to the right game to be honest. Brentford were probably playing as well as i (in my short time as a fan) have seen them play, the atmosphere was very good, he did mention how much he enjoyed seeing the team battle.

When we went down i told him to carry on cheering because they'd pull it back and win the game and that they did.

He's an Arsenal fan so i think the biggest seller is being able to get tickets to see a decent game of football, not all this diving stuff you get in the premiership.

Ewwwwww, he also liked the burgers from the New Road burger bar.