The Swan Dive: why Swansea’s attendances have taken a plunge?

[BendJack]

How about selling tickets at half price 24 hours or so before kick off. Maybe that will put bums on seats, or is that a silly idea.

Wouldn't be worth it for season ticket holders - And these sales are essential as advanced funds for the club.

Better off making season tickets better value. They don't have to be significantly cheaper... Just better value (partner and local business discounts, offers, freebies, competitions, cheaper away travel, exclusive events, meet the team/autographs, etc..) . If the club can increase season ticket sales by making them a much better proposition to supporters, then it also creates a commitment to attend more matches due to the investment/purchase by the supporter...

A much cheaper season ticket for children could also be a benefit too - for nurturing the next generation of supporters.

Improved events before the match and at half time for supporter engagement.

Even if a supporter can't attend every game - like myself as I need to travel from the US - an offer on advanced 'bulk' tickets with dates you can make it may even be considered... Like a 10-game ticket book for selected dates, maybe. The club would do well to research this issue... Any source of extra funds, without increasing prices, is a big win, surely!

More butts on seats, I say! We may never have the largest stadium in the Championship (potentially the Prem, too!) , but the Swans deserve a packed one!

 

[swanskdb]

There should be flyers going through every letterbox in Swansea and surrounding areas giving the price list for season tickets. A gentle push and the numbers would be there imo

 

[PSumbler]

How about selling tickets at half price 24 hours or so before kick off. Maybe that will put bums on seats, or is that a silly idea.

I cant see the logic but the downside of that would be the fact that those buying a match on match basis would end up paying less than a season ticket holder. Almost everyone would wait to the last 24 hours given that a sell out is very rare ?

That said there has to be things we can do to encourage the sale - kids for a quid is the one I would suggest

 

[Ringwood]

There should be themed based activities for families in the South Stand. Kids get bored if there is nothing to engage them especially on the pitch. Also an opportunity to offer tickets to schools to get them hooked at a young age. We also lost a generation of fans during the prem years with home sell outs. Commercially, the South is a blank canvas for somebody creative within the club to improve attendances.

 

[Dr. Winston]

Unless there are expenses involved that make it non-cost effective, taking season tickets off sale makes no sense. Keep them on sale, but reduce the price by £20 for every game that passes.

Plus I'd certainly look at the kids pricing. Considering how much we've spent over and above our entire likely match day income this window there wouldn't appear to be much to lose by making serious reductions in the cost of a child's season ticket.

 

[Professor]

Unless there are expenses involved that make it non-cost effective, taking season tickets off sale makes no sense. Keep them on sale, but reduce the price by £20 for every game that passes.

Plus I'd certainly look at the kids pricing. Considering how much we've spent over and above our entire likely match day income this window there wouldn't appear to be much to lose by making serious reductions in the cost of a child's season ticket.

As both you and Phil say the pricing for kids is an absolute no brainer. My daughter came for kids for a quid, face-painted and met Cyril and Cybil back in the Martinez and Sousa days. She came to the last two games with me. Twenty three and straight to Swansea from her overnight shift at BCH and downed two pints of Madri. There's over £50 of income based on a fan created by kids for a quid. And Phil took a lovely picture of here and two other girls that ended up in the Evening Post.

 

[Jack2jack]

I cant see the logic but the downside of that would be the fact that those buying a match on match basis would end up paying less than a season ticket holder. Almost everyone would wait to the last 24 hours given that a sell out is very rare ?

That said there has to be things we can do to encourage the sale - kids for a quid is the one I would suggest

I get your point, and kids for a quid is a great idea.
I'm wondering if my idea, would work if say, you had to register with the club and you were limited to say 6 half price tickets a season, which wouldn't p!ss off ST holders and give everyone a chance of getting hold of reasonably priced tickets.
I'm sure theres a way of filling the empty seats. Just a thought.

 

[PSumbler]

I get your point, and kids for a quid is a great idea.
I'm wondering if my idea, would work if say, you had to register with the club and you were limited to say 6 half price tickets a season, which wouldn't p!ss off ST holders and give everyone a chance of getting hold of reasonably priced tickets.
I'm sure theres a way of filling the empty seats. Just a thought.

That's a decent shout to be fair and keeps it fair for everyone so could work
I do know that there is no point in having an empty seat if we can fill it even at a reduced fee!!

 

[Flash]

The season ticket offer for the south stand is is great the problem is with young kids you can’t take them to all the games, especially mid week games when they’re in bed. And in the middle of winter where they’re not able to sit around for 90 in the freezing cold. There’s a host of reasons why it’s difficult to make it week in week out with children a bit more flexibility should be allowed. I don’t think many people would complain if the on the day prices were closer matched to the season ticket prices just to fill it out the stand.

 

[Dillwyn the Dog]

Our catchment area is bigger than Swansea if we commercially market the club correctly and provide entertainment on the pitch.

I think for midweek games especially transport could be an issue. The local buses are bad enough but the trains don’t run that late do they

 

[cadleigh]

Comparison I keep making is with Norwich. They had an attendance of under 20k, expanded the ground with financial support from their supporters and have pretty much averaged 25k ever since, whatever division they are in. We need to study how they did it and try to emulate them, because it has enabled them to be a yo-yo team.

 

[Professor]

Comparison I keep making is with Norwich. They had an attendance of under 20k, expanded the ground with financial support from their supporters and have pretty much averaged 25k ever since, whatever division they are in. We need to study how they did it and try to emulate them, because it has enabled them to be a yo-yo team.

Norwich is a much wealthier city than Swansea. Large Science Park as well as providing services for much of East Anglia.

 

[Flash]

I think for midweek games especially transport could be an issue. The local buses are bad enough but the trains don’t run that late do they

Yeah and the train station is a fair walk to do late at night, why they didn’t build a small station for the stadium I don’t know. The line goes right past it, and you could just do stops for match days.

 

[Jackareme]

Cant we just allow the kids to buy Madri

 

[Longlostjack]

Was at a game against Hartlepool sometime between 76 and 78 and the attendance was about 2,500. Remember getting enthusiastic when the attendance was over 4,000 back then. This is a really interesting thread. Absolute priority to make sure that everything is done at a local level to expand the fan base. Free tickets for schools etc if they know a game is unlikely to be sold out. It’s equally important as attracting a global fan base.