Attention: Please take a moment to consider our terms and conditions before posting.

Ageing fan base

ChrisWhytesBaldheadChrisWhytesBaldhead
in General Charlton
Was just reading an article about us getting in trouble for the 'score of the Valley pitch' video - http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/jun/03/charlton-athletic-sex-ad-shown-red-card-by-watchdog

I thought this was quite interesting -

The club said it used the risque advertising approach because it had an ageing fan base and needed to connect with a younger audience to “ensure the future commercial sustainability of the club”.

I have my own thoughts on the make up of the crowd, but had thought about an aging fanbase before.
«13

Comments

  • cafctomcafctom
    I think there is an element of truth in it. I remember being stood outside the East Stand with my Dad before a game last season and commenting that I could hardly see anyone there, half an hour before the game, that was my age or younger.

    Also think it is a big factor behind why our home/away followings are so contrasting compared to what they should be.
  • BedsaddickBedsaddick
    edited June 2015
    It definitely seems that way. I heard they were fitting Stannah stair lifts in the east stand.
  • BlucherBlucher
    I prefer to call it a 'mature' fan base (although the smell of stale urine can occasionally be a little overpowering in the East Stand).
  • MuttleyCAFCMuttleyCAFC
    edited June 2015
    Bedsaddick said:

    It definitely seems that way. I heard they were fitting Stannah stair lifts in the east stand.

    I could do with that with my knees!

    The way to solve they aging fan base issue is to make a matchday more attractive to younger people. So if match is boring, they have other memories. For me this is around half time entertainment you can target at younger ages. I have some ideas for this but I wouldn’t be able to sell them to anybody on here as they are for kids. More kids come,. More future fans result!!!!!
  • bobmunrobobmunro
    Blucher said:

    I prefer to call it a 'mature' fan base (although the smell of stale urine can occasionally be a little overpowering in the East Stand).

    My personal preference is 'experienced' or 'wise' rather than mature or ageing!
  • msomertonmsomerton
    You can tell that charlton has an older fan base than the average club by looking at the away support. There a far more over50`s like me than under25`s at away games, other clubs seem to have the reverse.
  • Folev the redFolev the red
    A fews times I've taken a mate who doesn't support us and they've pointed out that people around the ground seem to be much older than at other clubs.

    To be honest, and without meaning to upset anyone on here, I've found the 'match-day experience' just to be really dull as i've grown up. I'm 20 now, and was a season ticket holder until 17, but gave it up as me and my friends just had other things that seemed more exciting on a Saturday afternoon, such as playing amateur 11 a-side football. I went once last season, twice the season before that, and I really don't have any interest in getting a season-ticket any time in the near future.
    But obviously there are probably other people my age who think completely different to me and really enjoy going, but I'm confident that I'm not alone in just finding Saturday afternoons at Charlton a bit boring.
  • stonewallpenaltystonewallpenalty
    Folev the red said:

    A fews times I've taken a mate who doesn't support us and they've pointed out that people around the ground seem to be much older than at other clubs.

    To be honest, and without meaning to upset anyone on here, I've found the 'match-day experience' just to be really dull as i've grown up. I'm 20 now, and was a season ticket holder until 17, but gave it up as me and my friends just had other things that seemed more exciting on a Saturday afternoon, such as playing amateur 11 a-side football. I went once last season, twice the season before that, and I really don't have any interest in getting a season-ticket any time in the near future.
    But obviously there are probably other people my age who think completely different to me and really enjoy going, but I'm confident that I'm not alone in just finding Saturday afternoons at Charlton a bit boring.

    I am out for 7 hours normally at the very least on match days. I spend nearly 2 hours of that at the ground. If i was to go straight to the game and straight home i wouldn't get a season ticket or go very often either.
  • ElfsborgAddickElfsborgAddick
    Average age of the away supporter I reckon is quite high.

    Certainly noticeable when we have a small turnout like Middlesbrough.
  • Sponsored links:


  • cafcdave123cafcdave123
    when I was younger, the JNR Reds used to be able to go to Woolwich swimming pool and for 30 bob you would play the away team's JNR's, go swimming and get burger and chips.

    Also, the JNR reds coach was £10 for ticket and travel and you played against the home teams JNR's

    do they still offer something similar?

    I believe that things like this would encourage youngsters to go both home and away rather than a hoax video of a couple shagging on the pitch.
  • LincsaddickLincsaddick
    edited June 2015
    It's prices .. young folk at college or in poor paid jobs can't afford it .. also, many young people still love their football but are now armchair fans, they have manifold interests other than spectating at live sports events, other demands on their cash
  • AddictedAddicted
    Read the title as "Ageing face ban" - thought it sounded a bit harsh
  • HalixHalix
    Who needs youngsters anyway, waking you up, running around, making noise, knocking over your thermos.......BAH
  • MuttleyCAFCMuttleyCAFC
    I think we lost a lot of younger supporters with our poor run in recent years. I had to literally drag my son along, although he loves going now (he is 14). But some sort of kids competition at half time between a Charlton Junior Reds youngster and an away team youngster with a decent prize would entertain 7 to 12 year olds. Maybe we could get Smyths toyshop to sponsor. I’d have a couple of rounds – first being a penalty shoot-out type thing, then a half time score competition where they are told the home score and they have to guess the away one and the more points they get the nearer they can stand to the centre spot. They then have to kick the ball the nearest to the spot to win the prize. Even if a Nil-Nil draw in the football – the kids will lap this up and it would encourage Junior red membership too.
  • ElfsborgAddickElfsborgAddick
    MuttleyCAFC said:

    I think we lost a lot of younger supporters with our poor run in recent years. I had to literally drag my son along, although he loves going now (he is 14). But some sort of kids competition at half time between a Charlton Junior Reds youngster and an away team youngster with a decent prize would entertain 7 to 12 year olds. Maybe we could get Smyths toyshop to sponsor. I’d have a couple of rounds – first being a penalty shoot-out type thing, then a half time score competition where they are told the home score and they have to guess the away one and the more points they get the nearer they can stand to the centre spot. They then have to kick the ball the nearest to the spot to win the prize. Even if a Nil-Nil draw in the football – the kids will lap this up and it would encourage Junior red membership too.

    The Selhurst years has a lot to do with it.

    Reckon we lost a generation of supporters ultimately.
  • IlovelondontownIlovelondontown
    As someone else said, for a youngster, from early teen age I think they want to go and have a laugh, have a singsong, have a bit of banter, and in between support cafc, the support bit takes time!!!
    but 99% of the time it is / can be boring with a lack of all the above, modern day football has also helped, also the attraction of our neighbours, reputation, and the others (noisiest) ground in England! takes some away.
  • SantaClausSantaClaus
    We should set up a group for young, passionate Charlton fans. If we encouraged them to sing their songs and wind up the opposition a bit there'd be a better atmosphere and it would offer a pathway into supporting the club. Oh wait.
  • Sponsored links:


  • LincsaddickLincsaddick
    stonewallpenalty said:

    Lincsaddick said:

    It's prices .. young folk at college or in poor paid jobs can't afford it .. also, many young people still love their football but are now armchair fans, they have manifold interests other than spectating at live sports events, other demands on their cash

    Surely thats every club's problem.
    of course it is, I was making a general statement, many clubs are experiencing low attendances amongst the 18-25 age group especially
  • cafctomcafctom
    Young people these days also have top quality football from all around the world at their fingertips. It seems as though everyone I know who is my age or younger rarely goes to a football match these days, as they support teams like Arsenal or Chelsea and just watch everything in their front room for a cheaper cost and they don't really seem bothered about the 'live experience' anyway.

    Doesn't matter how many marketing campaigns we pull, our long term fan base isn't going to grow whilst we are a Championship club competing with the likes of Sky Television.
  • seth plumseth plum
    So shagging on the pitch is aimed at the 'younger' fan is it?
    Like the young will be the only ones who recognise what the couple were doing, and the old think the couple are rehearsing for Britain's Got Talent?
    Being aged means there is no rumpy pumpy does it? Or being aged means that they're too old to have a kick about at the Valley?
    I reckon the younger target audience are less likely to be able to pay the hire fee than the old gits and gitesses.
    Anyway the action shown would be a bit too tame for the older generation who would prefer to see it done on a descending parachute, or a trapeze, or a trampoline dressed as Tristan and Isolde.
    Who thinks this stuff up?
  • J BLOCKJ BLOCK
    Lincsaddick said:

    It's prices .. young folk at college or in poor paid jobs can't afford it .. also, many young people still love their football but are now armchair fans, they have manifold interests other than spectating at live sports events, other demands on their cash

    There are a number of clubs who have younger fan bases and manage to get them in, so I disagree with you this
  • Fanny FanackapanFanny Fanackapan
    seth plum said:

    So shagging on the pitch is aimed at the 'younger' fan is it?
    Like the young will be the only ones who recognise what the couple were doing, and the old think the couple are rehearsing for Britain's Got Talent?
    Being aged means there is no rumpy pumpy does it? Or being aged means that they're too old to have a kick about at the Valley?
    I reckon the younger target audience are less likely to be able to pay the hire fee than the old gits and gitesses.
    Anyway the action shown would be a bit too tame for the older generation who would prefer to see it done on a descending parachute, or a trapeze, or a trampoline dressed as Tristan and Isolde.
    Who thinks this stuff up?

    Vacancy for Commercial Manager, Seth.....

    I'd give you a good reference.

  • LenGloverLenGlover
    edited June 2015
    Fanny Fanackapan said:

    seth plum said:

    So shagging on the pitch is aimed at the 'younger' fan is it?
    Like the young will be the only ones who recognise what the couple were doing, and the old think the couple are rehearsing for Britain's Got Talent?
    Being aged means there is no rumpy pumpy does it? Or being aged means that they're too old to have a kick about at the Valley?
    I reckon the younger target audience are less likely to be able to pay the hire fee than the old gits and gitesses.
    Anyway the action shown would be a bit too tame for the older generation who would prefer to see it done on a descending parachute, or a trapeze, or a trampoline dressed as Tristan and Isolde.
    Who thinks this stuff up?

    Vacancy for Commercial Manager, Seth.....

    I'd give you a good reference.

    Would you write it whilst on the trapeze or the parachute?
  • LincsaddickLincsaddick
    J BLOCK said:

    Lincsaddick said:

    It's prices .. young folk at college or in poor paid jobs can't afford it .. also, many young people still love their football but are now armchair fans, they have manifold interests other than spectating at live sports events, other demands on their cash

    There are a number of clubs who have younger fan bases and manage to get them in, so I disagree with you this
    what are you disagreeing with ? .. yes a number of clubs have a big fan base of youngsters and a number of clubs are experiencing a loss in young followers .. this is what I was getting at in the previous two posts, notice the use of the word 'many' and that I did not use 'most' or 'all' .. are you suggesting that a number of clubs are increasing their young fanbases, if so .. which ones? ..
    I can see that, for example, a club like Southampton with a rapid rise from Div 1 to Prem success might increase their youthful following, I suggest that such cases are rare and that there is a GENERAL decrease in young(er) people attending professional football matches as spectators
  • BlucherBlucher
    Two immediate thoughts, which echo those expressed above. First, young people have many more options now in terms of leisure time. Secondly, the attraction of following your local team - and, more fundamentally, of watching live football - has been diluted by the glamorisation and incessant marketing of the Premier League. It must be more difficult to attract people to the ground when, on a typical Saturday, they can watch a Premier League game at lunchtime and again at 5.30 (not to mention 'Super Sunday' and the raft of la Liga and other matches televised every weekend).

    Subject to interesting initiatives of the type described by Muttley, I think we just have to keep plugging away on all fronts and get as many kids into the ground as we can in the hope of getting them 'hooked.'
  • Saga LoutSaga Lout
    I know a group of guys who used to go to the Valley but were not hardcore Charlton fans, well a couple of years ago they stopped going and instead started going to Dartford. Their day was: watch the early match on SKY with a beer or two, watch the Dartford game, then watch the late game on SKY with a couple more beers. I must say the bar area there is rather nice and the beer is decent so I can see why they'd do that.

    Not sure this could be emulated at the Valley - would need to really improve the concourse areas and the size and quality of the TVs. Oh and the quality and price of the beer.
  • killerandflashkillerandflash
    Are there any comparative statistics that show the average age of supporters in football generally, and whether we are unusual when compared to similar clubs (Reading, Watford Ipswich for example)?
Sign In or Register to comment.

Roland Out Forever!