TOPIC: Worst Attendance %

The unwanted record for the lowest percentage in English football goes to Carlisle United, who sold, on average, just 4,376 tickets for their League Two fixtures at 18,202-capacity Brunton Park.

What a great title to have.

Should be looking to give tickets away, to schools. After all they are the next generation. If you think there are 1,700 pupils at Trinity alone. These kids would need adults a supervise, but not 1 adult per child, like the current offer. I am not saying do this every week, but a few times a season, when your ground is only a quarter full.

You would think the club could also go down the same route as Bradford, who are/were a shining beacon with season tickets for £1. They play in front of bigger crowds. Ok, the revenue might not be as much, but you can make this up with program, drinks, chocolate, pies, hot dogs inside and around the ground.

It just seems a bit of a waste having 3/4 of the ground empty every week! All a little short sighted by the club.

Think we might just be able to hold on to that title for another year after the last official statement from the club.

It's a silly survey really. All it means is we've a sh!t team and a big stadium.

IF Blue Yonder is still a pipe dream then realistically we need a stadium at 10k max

******* DISGRACEFUL LACK OF AMBITION KLAXON *******

They do give tix to Schools/Sports Teams, problem is finding people to accompany kids on a Sat, has to be certain ratios etc.

Do they get included in attendance as don't pay?

I don't know CCU, but you're right about numbers of supervisors.

I'd love there to be more kids turning up, it would be great to have potential new fans regularly coming to the ground. From what I've seen and heard the kids genuinely seem to really enjoy it as well.

Inviting more people in would go against the gruesome twosomes plans of killing off what little atmosphere remains around the club. Getting young fans interested goes against their remit.

The ones they do offer now probably only comes down what they have to do given by an edict from the Football League.

Thought the BP capacity as 16,000

pacirv wrote:
17,949 according to the official site.

CCU wrote:
Yes the official attendance is all that come through the turnstiles paid or free.

On the other note. Like childminders, I think it is 1 adult to 6 children or something like this, but I am sure that 2 teachers supervise a day trip to the museum, this normally 25/30 children. You would need to be checked, which I am as a referee and would be willing to do this for a cut price season ticket.

The club just need to think outside the box, so that Carlisle United can move forwards!

nobbyblue wrote:
This is a little bit short sighted, as it means we have more potential to drive the club forwards. We are failing as a club, or should I say the owners are. They seem to be very narrow minded. If they put it out there, I am sure the club could find people to look after children for a couple of hours on a Saturnday for cut prices (for the adult). I know for sure I could find 3/4 people to help out and I do not move to Carlisle until next week, give me a few weeks and I could market the idea. There are plenty of people that would go out of there way for the benefit of the community, which the club seem to have forgotten that Carlisle United are the hub of!

It's all well and good saying give kids/schools free tickets they are the future etc but that's not worth any £££ in the bank at this current time and when you look at ticket prices we already let under 11s in for free with an adult. The fact they spend money at the catering outlets means nothing as this is contracted out anyways and anyone who tries to use the catering outside Bstand will know the influx of kids with meal deal vouchers means there is no chance of a paying adult getting a coffee within the half time break.

They have the space to do it so should be looking to entice people with disposible income and time down to matches, and don't just stick them in the cheap seats, give them good seats and service to make them want to return to games because they enjoyed the experience.
Send out invited to local businesses around the city to bring their employees down workers this could be as a reward for hard work or some of us would say it's more a punishment. There is a lot of the local business community to be seen round town on race days who you never see on a matchday, though a day at the races costs nearer a tenner than twenty may be the reason behind this.

mattcufc wrote:
Yes, I agree with what you are saying, but there does need to be more than 1 idea at a time going on. Let's face it there are only 4,500 paying to watch the football at this time out of 18,000, so there is plenty of scope and room for bringing people through the turnstiles, with a population of just over 100,000 in Carlisle alone. Also Carlisle's location is a almost perfect catchment area (the Scottish boarder excluded). The biggest club of course is Newcastle along the way, but South, you are going to choose a Manchester or Liverpool.

The argument about the time taken to get refreshments is a strange one, as the capacity is 18,000, what would happen if 18,000 supporters where in the ground? If they are struggling to cater for 4,000.

My point was that the club need to plan for the future and by bringing in youngsters before they choose Newcastle, Man U.... As they would be talking to their mates about the Carlisle game they went to at the weekend, rather than the Man U v Liverpool game that was on Sky. Also they will be buying from the club in replica shirts and other merchandise. Christmas would be completely different and turn that Man U shirt into a Carlsle one. Also the problem with the 1 adult bring a child for free, is that you need an adult that is interested in the first place and it is only one child. I am not sure how many children an adult supervisor can have 8/10? This is far more productive. This adult would not probably go on their own or with their child, but if it is helping a group outing, then they will.

How about for the catering, the adult takes the order in advance, for their children under their supervision for the day? This way an area is set aside for half time to collect your preordered meal.

Ok a lot of this is dreaming and will not happen over night, but it is better than doing nothing and leave 3/4 of the ground empty and not planning for the future.

As you mentioned, there are many ways of 'trying' to drum up support. I have written to the club with regards to this idea, as I know plenty of CRB checked people that work in childcare/education that would be willing to volunteer for the club/kids benefit. I am CRB checked as I am a qualified referee, so I will help, as long as they supply a guide dog!

Even if we could get the average up to 6/7k it would be good progress.

It wasn't an argument about catering just an observation the days when lots of kids in Astand means long waits at half time for refreshments.
As you say there needs to be lots of diffrent things going on to entice diffrent people down every match but at the same time not alienating the supporter who is paying full price or season ticket holders. Unfortunately the poor value season ticket prices means that there is not a lot of room for manoeuvre in matchday pricing without pissing these people off. Some will accept it as it is helping the club but majority will wonder why they should pay more for their loyalty. Good luck to Phil King think he's going to need it.

mattcufc wrote:
No I used the wrong word, not argument, discussion, but writing in a forum can come across the wrong way. I really do come in peace and I am looking at ideas for the club, with a balanced view.

Yes, I was thinking about getting a season ticket, but would not be able to get one until after the deadline, but on the other hand, as you say there are very little benefits for purchasing one, so I will just pay on the day, as you know you will get in. Season ticket holders will not miss out, or not be getting the best deals as it will only be children getting in for free.