Re: Story in Guardian today : Sun Jun 26, 2011 2:06 pm  

Riverside Red wrote:

Saturday afternoons are probably the best for the club IMO, not having access to all the data that the club does.

A three o'clock kickoff allows opposition fans to come down for the day. The top 4 will double our attendences.

Friday evenings require them to take time off work, and Sundays puts pressure on families with kids going to school on Monday mornings.

If you have to drive around the M25 on a summer Saturday afternoon you would not say that. This is one reason why we don't come to the games anymore as it takes twice as long as it usually does on a Sunday.

Re: Story in Guardian today : Sun Jun 26, 2011 3:37 pm  

I also would prefer Sunday afternoon kick-offs. My reason? Purely selfish, I'm afraid -
Work Fridays
Work Saturday until around 13.30
Not many people driving to Lahndin on Sunday lunchtime
After the match (and post-match debate in the Kings), most of the traffics heading the other way
I live 96 miles away. Calculate journey time
Seeing as a lot of us live somewhere called 'other', I'd imagine this reasoning is not uncommon.

As I said, Selfish. And I am prepared to go at whatever day/time is most likely to create the largest gate, but still prefer Sunday.

Re: Story in Guardian today : Sun Jun 26, 2011 3:47 pm  

For a more productive discussion what should be our target audience?

Should it be scatter gun - I think not as we don't have the resources it has to be targeted.

It all depends whether we stay at the Stoop, but there has been little response from the little marketing we have done in the area. I think it should be soccer fans who can't afford Premier League prices, we have had success before from Fulham and Brentford fans and the gate against PSG in 1996 was based on ads in football programmes. I think we have scraped the barrel dry with Quins RU fans.

Re: Story in Guardian today : Sun Jun 26, 2011 4:58 pm  

poplar panther wrote:

For a more productive discussion what should be our target audience?

Should it be scatter gun - I think not as we don't have the resources it has to be targeted.

It all depends whether we stay at the Stoop, but there has been little response from the little marketing we have done in the area. I think it should be soccer fans who can't afford Premier League prices, we have had success before from Fulham and Brentford fans and the gate against PSG in 1996 was based on ads in football programmes. I think we have scraped the barrel dry with Quins RU fans.

In particular those footie fans with kids - just read a post from a KR fan about what a great time he had with his kid at the Stoop(and not just the result). Although my kids are older now the Stoop is a great family day out and good value too. I reckon one of the stands , or at least half of one could be designated a family stand, perhaps the part of the East stand where the kids zone is?

Re: Story in Guardian today : Sun Jun 26, 2011 10:27 pm  

poplar panther wrote:

Blimey, I hated the change to Quins and said in the Guardian that it would not work and got lambasted for it, I got fully behind it but I hate to say I told you so...................

Hate to burst your bubble, but it hasn't "failed" because of the Quins tie in........it has "failed" because the club, yet again, did nothing to market itself. It's easy to jump on the Rupe1 bandwagon, but the fact remains that average gates at the stoop are no worse than they were at Griffin park.

As has been suggested by others, regardless of what the club decides, if they are awarded another 3 years next month they need to throw some serious wonga at the "launch". If they fail to grasp this nettle they will again be floundering around licence announcement time in 2014.

If we are to remain at the Stoop and if there is no interest in a 'BRANDING" deal with a decent sponsor, then I for one would like the team to be called West London _________ or Thames ___________ . London is huge and the club don't need to look at attracting new fans from Bethnal Green or Mill Hill. They need to attract fans from West London.

West London Titans or as suggested elsewhere, Thames Titans? Play in the fulham colours and get a decent kit designed...black kits sell well. Club badge needs to maybe have a map of the river (eastendersesque).

Re: Story in Guardian today : Sun Jun 26, 2011 11:28 pm  

Riverside Red wrote:

A three o'clock kickoff allows opposition fans to come down for the day. The top 4 will double our attendences.

Friday evenings require them to take time off work, and Sundays puts pressure on families with kids going to school on Monday mornings.

Totally irrelevant. I'm not experessing any personal preference for match day/time, but we will NEVER progress by catering to away supporters. Don't even think about them. After all, nobody else does, and that doesn't stop other clubs from being successful. Wigan play on Friday nights, they get the biggest crowds, that's not a great time for any of the seven Yorkshire clubs' supporters visiting them, but who cares? It suits Wigan, and they rightly play at a time that suits themselves. Play at 6am on a Monday morning if it pulls the crowds, but don't EVER pander to visiting supporters.

Re: Story in Guardian today : Mon Jun 27, 2011 2:03 am  

Prince of Denmark wrote:

Totally irrelevant. I'm not experessing any personal preference for match day/time, but we will NEVER progress by catering to away supporters.

Yes....and No
I agree....it is the Local fans that we need to attract, but don't lose sight of the fact that the big 4 or 5 clubs are the biggest draw and not all of these "northern" fans come 200 miles south for the games. There are a load of ex-pat norvuners in London...HK Bronco and Wire-quin being examples.
....but in general, your comment about the audience is spot on, but I would go so far as to say we should look at working "with" the marketing teams at other clubs and putting together "offers" to attract them down as well. I bet HKA had a loud lot on Sunday and a decent offer might even entice "roofs" down

Saturday 3pm is the most popular time historically. 8 of our top 10 crowds in the last 11 years have been at this time. I know it's not good for some and during the Union Season, not always possible, but we could look at liaising with the Union lot when their fixtures come out and then ensuring that the RFL play ball,.........you never know, alternate weekends might get us some more Union fans......

Re: Story in Guardian today : Mon Jun 27, 2011 7:40 am  

Rob from Erith wrote:

In particular those footie fans with kids

I never forget that first game at Fulham, sat in the stand and looking around I saw some real London Families with their children, even with Grandma, and though they knew little about the game they enjoyed it so much and got so excited, they seemed to like the physical side of the game and you could tell they were footie fans, also so friendly.

Re: Story in Guardian today : Mon Jun 27, 2011 9:01 am  

gutterfax wrote:

Hate to burst your bubble, but it hasn't "failed" because of the Quins tie in........it has "failed" because the club, yet again, did nothing to market itself. It's easy to jump on the Rupe1 bandwagon, but the fact remains that average gates at the stoop are no worse than they were at Griffin park.

As has been suggested by others, regardless of what the club decides, if they are awarded another 3 years next month they need to throw some serious wonga at the "launch". If they fail to grasp this nettle they will again be floundering around licence announcement time in 2014.

If we are to remain at the Stoop and if there is no interest in a 'BRANDING" deal with a decent sponsor, then I for one would like the team to be called West London _________ or Thames ___________ . London is huge and the club don't need to look at attracting new fans from Bethnal Green or Mill Hill. They need to attract fans from West London.

West London Titans or as suggested elsewhere, Thames Titans? Play in the fulham colours and get a decent kit designed...black kits sell well. Club badge needs to maybe have a map of the river (eastendersesque).

Hell's teeth, I'm agreeing with you! West London Titans sounds good to me and I've always thought that the old Fulham kit was the best we had.

Re: Story in Guardian today : Mon Jun 27, 2011 9:28 am  

Why must we have a moniker? 'Titans'? 'Broncos'? Is there anything proven in marketing land that these have any impact whatsoever?