10 Tips for attracting more fans and supporters to games
“Football without fans is nothing. It could be the greatest game in the world but if there are no people to watch it, it becomes nothing. Fans are the livelihood of the game”- Jock Stein.
There is nothing like live sport, and having fans and supporters fill the stadium on match day should be an essential feature of any thriving football club. The spectator experience is one that amateur clubs should strive to make their supporter's highlight of the week. Yet unfortunately I often see empty stadiums and a lack of supporter engagement at local weekly fixtures.
We can assume that societal changes have had an impact on live sports consumption. With increasingly busy lives and less leisure time in general, people are selective about how they choose to spend it. The regular provision of streamed games online or through television coverage may also have contributed to a decrease in supporters attending games in person and while this should be seen as a viable revenue generator and a positive way for supporters to view matches from afar, clubs should still be encouraging viewers to attend games in person primarily. As we know, a large following of spectators can also increase the motivation of players and promote better performances on the field as well.
Whilst ultimately the success on the field may be the determining factor in a supporter's decision to attend, the goal should be to drive support back to the stands. To do this amateur clubs must develop a plan of action that involves deploying targeted marketing strategies to attract and maintain a strong and active following, regardless of the division or league they participate in.
Building communities and supporter groups around your club can not only improve the live atmosphere but also bring in essential new revenue through sponsorship, merchandise, food and beverage sales and in some cases entry fees through ticket sales.
The aim for all football clubs should be to establish themselves as a community hub for all football families.
How? Here are “10 Tips for attracting more fans and supporters to games” (in no particular order of importance or impact).
1. All match day and wider club staff should be reminded to maintain a welcoming environment. Club staff matter. They are often the public face of any interaction that supporters have with the club on match days. This positive impression will help build the overall fan experience, providing helpful assistance and information as well as contributing to the feel-good atmosphere of the occasion. Any operational staff should be reminded of the impact that they can have in the lead-up to game days and should make the extra effort to be courteous to any patrons at the match venue. Kindness counts!
2. Ensure the match day environment and the surrounding venue is safe and secure, including car parking. This may involve providing any necessary security requirements and in some cases, there will be compliance obligations that will need to be met as tenants of the building or sports ground. Whilst in many clubs, the carparks may be council property, any victims of crime may not look so favourably on the reputation of your club if any damage or incidents were to occur on match day and it may even result in negative publicity for the club.
3. Supporters want to attend a comfortable and well-presented match venue, so the development of the existing or new Stadium Infrastructure should remain a long standing priority. Offer covered seating or at least covered areas for spectators to stand throughout the game. Not only does it provide protection from the elements, but assists with safety maximises supporter contact time spent at the club and enhances the overall fan experience.
Even the most diehard supporters will find it hard to stand outside in the rain during the winter months, and given football is a winter sport here in NZ, this is a clear deterrent for many.
Whilst this may be a significant investment it will be a worthwhile investment in the long run as it will create a more welcoming and comfortable environment for the fans and may encourage more supporters to turn up. Additionally, clubs can also explore routes to secure funding through the local council, Regional Sports Trusts or Private Investment.
Personally, I enjoy the covered seating made from repurposed shipping containers. This is a growing market given the need for lower-cost infrastructure upgrades and there are many providers you can reach out to (see the example linked below). This would be my preference over a balcony, deck or any other standing viewing platform that may be commonplace in amateur sport, given the optics that this seating enables.
https://www.bigboxcontainers.co.za/blog/stadium-seating-for-schools-and-sports-clubs-made-from-shipping-containers
4. Ensure match venue accessibility and ensure that the club offers disabled and assisted access to both the carpark, clubrooms and spectator area within view of the field of play. Not only does this ensure that all supporters, regardless of access or ability can engage with your organisation but will also help to promote inclusivity within your local community.
In 2021, DJS research found that “30% of disabled supporters feel unable to attend certain sports venues due to a lack of accessibility.”
To assist clubs in addressing this, there are many strategies and tactics that can be referenced when considering your venue design and match day operational flow. These can be used as an operational checklist to ensure that fans of all abilities have equal opportunities to be a part of your club.
https://www.djsresearch.co.uk/SportLeisureAndTourismMarketResearchInsightsAndFindings/article/30percent-of-disabled-fans-feel-unable-to-attend-certain-sports-or-venues-due-to-lack-of-accessibility-finds-survey-04913
https://www.footballvictoria.com.au/sites/ffv/files/2019-06/Access%20for%20All%20Promoting%20Disability%20Inclusion%20in%20Sport%20-%20Darebin.pdf
5. Make it easy to arrive at your match venue by publicising public transport. Encourage fans to use public transport by providing information on local bus and train services before each of your home games including any initiatives by agencies such as Auckland Transport that may be offering free or reduced-priced travel to games.
By regularly publishing transport options, your sports club can demonstrate its commitment to social responsibility and sustainability, in turn enhancing your club’s reputation and attracting positive media coverage during certain campaigns if well advertised.
In a previous article on “10 ways your club could become a social champion”, I also highlight how cycling to the club is another great alternative (though be sure to offer safe and secure bicycle storage).
Not only will this help keep cars off the road, but it could also alleviate some congestion in the club car park/surrounding streets whilst encouraging an active lifestyle for members and visitors. These initiatives may even gain support from Regional Sports Trusts and other key partners.
6. Provide food and beverage options that keep your supporters well-fed. Offer suitable and enticing food menu options that will not only keep people satisfied, but can be a significant revenue generator as well as an opportunity to either employ kitchen staff or collaborate with a local caterer when demand grows.
Note I also mention the importance of food and beverage in the creation of a socially responsible club in the aforementioned article.
You never know, you may even feature on Footy Scran!
7. Offering half-time entertainment could be a great opportunity to provide a fun experience for young players by engaging them on the field for skills competitions, challenges or other football-based activities. Off the field, you could invite a local artist (and pay them!) to perform a small gig or collection of their songs.
This extra thought around the entertainment factor of your club not only enhances your fan experience but is a great way to increase attendance if you have exciting supporter-based events going on before and during the games to keep them engaged.
8. Actively promote your games on social media. With the growing use of social media in football in New Zealand, well-run social media pages have become a powerful tool for reaching a large and engaged audience. There are examples of several clubs expanding their offerings with success, though I would recommend that clubs ensure they have optimised the club website first and foremost.
By promoting your games on social media, you can reach a wider audience than through traditional marketing methods and engage with fans in real time with score updates. This can help to increase attendance at your games, generate buzz and excitement around your team, and ultimately lead to increased revenue.
Additionally, social media provides a platform for building and maintaining relationships with more passionate fans, sharing behind-the-scenes content and providing updates and information about your team. Sports organisations should avoid becoming ‘admin’ persona accounts, and should be a professional reflection of the organisation that they are designed to represent.
9. Track your supporters and your supporter growth progress by making accurate crowd counts and publishing estimations on attendances. The collection of supporter information will enable you to build up a club database and in turn will allow you to establish initiatives such as club memberships, which will become another vital stream of revenue for the club. This supporter database can enable you to drum up support in the lead-up to each season and game, as well as help to identify any opportunities from the demographic information insights you collect.
10. Promote your supporters and recognise their contributions. Let the supporters know that you see them. This could be as simple as awarding ‘fan of the week’ and ‘fan of the year’ at the post-season celebration or as ongoing general recognition on social media.
It is possible to build a strong supporter culture, even in amateur sports.
A great example of this is the thriving football community on Waiheke Island, home of Waiheke United AFC who have proven that even a small group of passionate fans can be noticed.
In 2016, Waiheke United was featured on ESPN thanks to their fanatical Argentinan supporters, La Banda.
Truly global coverage for an amateur football club in New Zealand. Priceless.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-uylWLPz8g
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2017/09/waiheke-united-making-noise-on-their-way-to-northern-region-division-one.html
—
All of the above will need careful consideration by club boards, committees and operations teams and should be devised in conjunction with their Football Strategy and overall Club Development Plan.
For more ideas on how to generate revenue, check out my recent article here: https://medium.com/@stevenleedillon/10-tips-for-club-revenue-generation-in-amateur-football-e971ff30dbbe
