Good luck with that , i personally think you need a team and manager that the fans can hang their hats on and relate to (just a little bit) rather than a revolving door of in and outs before this sort of idea will have any chance of heading in the right direction if we ever get an average of 20k for a season outside the premiership I'll pay for PL54's season ticket the following season
To be fair, it is a small step but the tone of the communication seems much improved to me and it is following through on one of the commitments made at the fans' meeting.
Obviously the best way to 20k fans is to improve the strategy governing the football side of the club but it's harsh to be overly critical on this piece in itself which I think is a baby step in the right direction.
To an extent, I can see the merit in having a tick-box list - especially having younger people on it - though I'd question some of the categories on it (why not family stand ST holders, to see what can be done to make it easier for families to come?).
But once the thought ghosts across my mind, it's hard not to reach the conclusion that KM and RD, even if only sub-consciously, see existing supporters over 35 as a problem. I can see why she'd want to diversify things away from "the usual suspects", for want of a better phrase, but many of those people have a huge deal of experience and need to be part of the process.
And obviously, if the football's crap and you're doing nothing to change that, then you're always going to face an uphill task. How does any Championship club market itself in the face of the Premier League juggernaut? Always good to aim for the stars, but even tourist-friendly Fulham haven't topped 19,969 this season.
The thing is that Target 10,000 / Target 40,000 was a device to bring expertise and experience to the table to assist the club at no cost. This structure places a premium on representation, which may be what the fans' forum should look like but is not suitable for a group that ought to work up recommendations based on detailed data analysis and understanding of the business. It is not a job for a focus group.
The club is well aware that I will help out if wanted. I was asked, as were others, and I said I would.
Unfortunately, the goalposts have since been moved in order to exclude people with experience. There are reasons for that, but they have nothing to do with achieving the best outcomes for Charlton.
How will getting more people in no matter how unlikely help progress the club, which is held back by one thing only and that is the Duchatalet model that won't change. They must be laughing their heads off. The aim for addicks should be target 5000 to help push the virus from the Valley. Persuade people not to go. Spread the word of how things can only improve with new owners.
Could be great news this. If a CEO completely fails to meet their targets they generally get sacked, so the 14 fans we're bringing in by May might even spell the end for Katrien. Somehow I doubt RD is quite so trigger happy with CEOs as he is with managers though
The club is well aware that I will help out if wanted. I was asked, as were others, and I said I would.
Unfortunately, the goalposts have since been moved in order to exclude people with experience. There are reasons for that, but they have nothing to do with achieving the best outcomes for Charlton.
Here's an idea. How about investing into a winning team? NO ONE WANTS TO WATCH BARGAIN BASEMENT FOOTBALL.
Here lies the major problem with KM & RD and their approach to running CAFC.
The main driver for attracting larger crowds to watch football at any level is success on the pitch or a team that the fans can really relate to.
It is all well and good spending x amount of money on the club infrastructure but if they are going to cut corners on first team squad investment and try to do this on the cheap then the entire project is majorly flawed!
Get the first team squad investment right and a decent level of success on the pitch and the crowds will return in time. Once you have got that aspect right and the fans are engaged then look to build out the club infrastructure and focus on increasing crowds.
Shows complete lack of understanding in running a football club!
Keep the fans you have. Get the fans you have to actually attend. Get the fans you have, who have actually attended, to come back again. Get the fans you have to bring a lapsed supporter back for one game. Get the fans you have to bring a lapsed supporter back for more than one game. Get the fans you have to bring somebody for the first time. Get the fans you have to bring somebody for the first time a second and more times. Get the regular fans to become season ticket holders. Get new fans in for the first time. Get 'new' fans to come back. Get new fans to become regulars then season ticket holders.
To do this you need decent football played by players who demonstrably care about the result in the context of a club that is wholly geared up to supporting the first team in getting results.
To do this you also need to make it:
Affordable. Easy to get tickets, to get to, and get in. Catering, programmes and peripherals to be affordable and what the fans enjoy, want, and accept. (note to Katrien, the Crossbars disco might have been what you want, but was it what the fans want?). Make the fans feel wanted and appreciated. Allow for people being people. Create a narrative that gives the club some identity and sense of purpose.
Good luck with that , i personally think you need a team and manager that the fans can hang their hats on and relate to (just a little bit) rather than a revolving door of in and outs before this sort of idea will have any chance of heading in the right direction if we ever get an average of 20k for a season outside the premiership I'll pay for PL54's season ticket the following season
Bring in a UK manager and give him a budget that isn't on a par with Barnsley.
The list of people that the club are looking to recruit could be a good focus group to sound out the ideas from an *actual* Target 20,000 team but clearly not the ones to steer it.
Getting the views of younger fans and from minority groups is obviously welcome but that doesn't make them best placed to suggest strategies for growing the matchday attendances.
If only we had a group of experienced fans who had been through this before and were willing to help out, we could ask them... oh hang on a minute...
All a bit of a joke really, but what I've come to expect from Comical Katrien our esteemed CEO.
Why is this even something that was brought up to her? She now thinks that this is a priority of ours when really it shouldn't be considering the way the football operations are being run.
The basic underlying problema is that the football part of the club is being mismanaged. A lot of fans can see it so they don't come. That is the part the CEO needs to address. I honestly can't see what else will bring the fans back. Posting video's of people having sex on the pitch is not likely to bring a single new supporter through the turnstyles, and of that is the level the CEO is working at, maybe we need a new CEO. Just an afterthought. If any of our fans are in touch with the 'other side', maybe we could have a médium on the commitee to ask dead fans what they think about target 20,000?
Whilst I agree that the experienced guys such as the obvious ones should be on board with this, I feel that some people are being under estimated here.
They don't quite realise how much they have pissed people off both on and off the field. Encouraging people, particularly kids, to go at the moment is more likely to put them off Charlton for life. I don't think my first proposal of KM stepping down will be very well accepted so I wont be putting myself forward. Having recently retired and with 40 years of business experience, much in consumer orientated businesses, is something I would have seriously considered. Too old for KM's dream of 20,000 under 25's anyway. it is just another example of a decent idea badly thought through and badly presented.
can do all you like but until there is a decent product to watch on the pitch they are banging their collective heads against a brick wall.
Amazed that there isn't Valley Express representation seeing as many initiatives put forward, or that should be put forward, would rely heavily on the Valley Express service.
Comments
Trust not mentioned either.
No 2% representative
Obviously the best way to 20k fans is to improve the strategy governing the football side of the club but it's harsh to be overly critical on this piece in itself which I think is a baby step in the right direction.
But once the thought ghosts across my mind, it's hard not to reach the conclusion that KM and RD, even if only sub-consciously, see existing supporters over 35 as a problem. I can see why she'd want to diversify things away from "the usual suspects", for want of a better phrase, but many of those people have a huge deal of experience and need to be part of the process.
And obviously, if the football's crap and you're doing nothing to change that, then you're always going to face an uphill task. How does any Championship club market itself in the face of the Premier League juggernaut? Always good to aim for the stars, but even tourist-friendly Fulham haven't topped 19,969 this season.
This was one of the four original aims for SIO.
Marathon not a sprint.
Unfortunately, the goalposts have since been moved in order to exclude people with experience. There are reasons for that, but they have nothing to do with achieving the best outcomes for Charlton.
They must be laughing their heads off.
The aim for addicks should be target 5000 to help push the virus from the Valley. Persuade people not to go. Spread the word of how things can only improve with new owners.
The main driver for attracting larger crowds to watch football at any level is success on the pitch or a team that the fans can really relate to.
It is all well and good spending x amount of money on the club infrastructure but if they are going to cut corners on first team squad investment and try to do this on the cheap then the entire project is majorly flawed!
Get the first team squad investment right and a decent level of success on the pitch and the crowds will return in time. Once you have got that aspect right and the fans are engaged then look to build out the club infrastructure and focus on increasing crowds.
Shows complete lack of understanding in running a football club!
Keep the fans you have.
Get the fans you have to actually attend.
Get the fans you have, who have actually attended, to come back again.
Get the fans you have to bring a lapsed supporter back for one game.
Get the fans you have to bring a lapsed supporter back for more than one game.
Get the fans you have to bring somebody for the first time.
Get the fans you have to bring somebody for the first time a second and more times.
Get the regular fans to become season ticket holders.
Get new fans in for the first time.
Get 'new' fans to come back.
Get new fans to become regulars then season ticket holders.
To do this you need decent football played by players who demonstrably care about the result in the context of a club that is wholly geared up to supporting the first team in getting results.
To do this you also need to make it:
Affordable.
Easy to get tickets, to get to, and get in.
Catering, programmes and peripherals to be affordable and what the fans enjoy, want, and accept.
(note to Katrien, the Crossbars disco might have been what you want, but was it what the fans want?).
Make the fans feel wanted and appreciated. Allow for people being people.
Create a narrative that gives the club some identity and sense of purpose.
Getting the views of younger fans and from minority groups is obviously welcome but that doesn't make them best placed to suggest strategies for growing the matchday attendances.
If only we had a group of experienced fans who had been through this before and were willing to help out, we could ask them... oh hang on a minute...
All a bit of a joke really, but what I've come to expect from
Comical Katrienour esteemed CEO.We don't help ourselves sometimes
Just an afterthought. If any of our fans are in touch with the 'other side', maybe we could have a médium on the commitee to ask dead fans what they think about target 20,000?
I don't think my first proposal of KM stepping down will be very well accepted so I wont be putting myself forward. Having recently retired and with 40 years of business experience, much in consumer orientated businesses, is something I would have seriously considered.
Too old for KM's dream of 20,000 under 25's anyway.
it is just another example of a decent idea badly thought through and badly presented.
Amazed that there isn't Valley Express representation seeing as many initiatives put forward, or that should be put forward, would rely heavily on the Valley Express service.