Crowds next season (5 Viewers)

[Tile Hill Phil]

When we,re eventually let back into grounds,hopefully next season, what does everyone think attendances will be like. Will they boom or do you think people have got out of the habit of going now. Personally I think we will get good crowds, especially away as I reckon most fans,even people who don't go often,will be wanting to support the team again

 

---

[Evo1883]

When we,re eventually let back into grounds,hopefully next season, what does everyone think attendances will be like. Will they boom or do you think people have got out of the habit of going now. Personally I think we will get good crowds, especially away as I reckon most fans,even people who don't go often,will be wanting to support the team again

The away followings will be mental if they let us go

At the Ricoh in the championship 16-22000 every week

St Andrews , not so sure

 

[NortonSkyBlue]

My fear is that people will have got out of the habit and for the young kids not got in to the habit of going to games. I hope I am wrong.

 

[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

When we,re eventually let back into grounds,hopefully next season, what does everyone think attendances will be like. Will they boom or do you think people have got out of the habit of going now. Personally I think we will get good crowds, especially away as I reckon most fans,even people who don't go often,will be wanting to support the team again

Really not sure. having been cooped up for so long I think a lot of people will just want to do almost anything to socialise so no reason why football wouldn't be part of that. Depending on the response clubs will of course be willing to use pricing strategies to entice people back into the routine and we may see some cheap tickets at some point, say £10 and kids for a quid.Some may stay away longer just as a precaution and a few would be "I haven't been for ages and I'm used to not going so I'll save myself the money" Others may think that ifollow is a fine alternative and continue using that.

I think the biggest factor will be finance and how the job market reacts. It should be very quick 'growth' given most things have been shut and those out of work will be able to reenter employment relatively quickly.

So I reckon attendances will be at capacity at the start due to everyone wanting to do things and reduced capacity as a precaution then level off again as it gets colder.

 

[Terry Gibson's perm]

A lot will depend on people’s confidence, I have enjoyed this year being able to watch the away games on iFollow and have spent more than I normally would as I would only go to a couple of away games.

 

[Legia Sky Blue]

This question is difficult to call either way, while there could also be other factors that come into play, like whether the authorities only allow crowds back with reduced capacities, and if so what percentage that reduction might be set at.

On a side issue I think we have been hit more by the absence of crowds this season than most of our rivals, as on the back of last season's success our support would have been a positive factor, even going back to the first game of the season at Bristol City, when I think if we had the backing of 4,000 or so fans we would not have lost that game. The opposite would have happened at the likes of Derby & Forest where their crowds would have turned toxic, which would have then made it much harder for them to climb out of their slumps.

 

[Terry Gibson's perm]

This question is difficult to call either way, while there could also be other factors that come into play, like whether the authorities only allow crowds back with reduced capacities, and if so what percentage that reduction might be set at.

On a side issue I think we have been hit more by the absence of crowds this season than most of our rivals, as on the back of last season's success our support would have been a positive factor, even going back to the first game of the season at Bristol City, when I think if we had the backing of 4,000 or so fans we would not have lost that game. The opposite would have happened at the likes of Derby & Forest where their crowds would have turned toxic, which would have then made it much harder for them to climb out of their slumps.

I think our fans might have turned toxic at some stages

 

[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

On a side issue I think we have been hit more by the absence of crowds this season than most of our rivals, as on the back of last season's success our support would have been a positive factor, even going back to the first game of the season at Bristol City, when I think if we had the backing of 4,000 or so fans we would not have lost that game. The opposite would have happened at the likes of Derby & Forest where their crowds would have turned toxic, which would have then made it much harder for them to climb out of their slumps.

I think we've benefited slightly from he lack of crowds relatively, esp financially as other teams will be losing far more in gate receipts than we have. Even with last season being in Birmingham would've still meant crowds being low in comparison to many other Championship clubs.

The break may also help as fans haven't been able to see a game since before we went up so the interest will be there, and with likely reduced capacity that could mean the crowds are maintained for longer as fans have to wait for a game they can attend. (There are public health issues related to travel to and from Birmingham but that's a separate issue).

As has been mentioned sometimes us having a crowd can actually affect the players negatively - some of our poorest performances/results at home have been when we've had large crowds in. They fear fans getting on their backs and retreat into their shells.

 

[Magwitch]

I doubt crowds will be in the thousands for a long time, might start a bit like last time perhaps a percentage per stand. As for away support long way off. Boris is talking about releasing things bit by bit First big sporting event is Wimbledon in June, then the Open in July will be interesting what crowds are allowed for that, personally I think we are twelve months away from anything like normality

 

[tommy hutch legend]

I think about 11 to 12 thousand home plus away so about 14 on average got to remember a lot of people just don't seem to bother

 

[Colin Steins Smile]

I think about 11 to 12 thousand home plus away so about 14 on average got to remember a lot of people just don't seem to bother

History suggests that your projection could be correct.
Factors that will affect the level will include:
1. Whether we are in the championship and at the Ricoh or St.A.
I would guess attendances at StA would average at 9 - 10k. 8k Cov fans in the Championship and 6k back in Div 1 with average of 7-8k overall.
2. The state of the employment in the region. There are a lot of people on furlough who may not have a job to return to when that scheme ends.
3. Whether positive engagement with the fan base is attempted, including a firm commitment to a new stadium.
4. Retention of our best players and recruitment of more quality to build on the current squad.
5. Retention of MR & AV.

 

[skybluesam66]

10k from mid may (just after the end of the season)

 

[AOM]

Would be so lovely to get 15,000 or so for the first game next season in the Championship back in Coventry

One can dream...

 

[chiefdave]

Would be so lovely to get 15,000 or so for the first game next season in the Championship back in Coventry

One can dream...

Reckon the club should get all the promotion side together at one of our pre-season games so we have a belated celebration. Don't mean for them to play obviously but do a lap of honour with the trophy or something similar.

 

[SBT]

Would be so lovely to get 15,000 or so for the first game next season in the Championship back in Coventry

One can dream...

Assuming coronavirus rules allow it, our first home game of next season (in the Championship, at the Ricoh) would be a sell-out, no question.

 

[Grendel]

Assuming coronavirus rules allow it, our first home game of next season (in the Championship, at the Ricoh) would be a sell-out, no question.

A midweek game versus Accrington Stanley?

 

[BornSlippySkyBlue]

A midweek game versus Accrington Stanley?

Doubt Accy will get promoted...

edit: thought I’d better check after saying that and it turns out they’re only 1 point off playoffs with a game in hand. Maybe we will play Accy next season

 

[Sky Blue Harry H]

I want whoever comes up from L1 to be as weak as possible, for obvious reasons (on the assumption that we stay up). So on that basis, Accrington Stanley and perhaps Posh (naff crowds) - not Sunderland, as despite having a bang average team, they could well have some spending power next season. Whoever, the other team is, I'm not too fussed, as L1 is really poor this season, with no standout teams)

 

[SBT]

A midweek game versus Accrington Stanley?

If we managed it for a Friday night against Gillingham in L1, then I think so!

I expect crowds will tail off quite quickly, but the anticipation for the first game back will be a huge good news story, especially now that it doesn't look like we'll be hosting any games with a limited capacity before then.

This is also the only acceptable use of the 'can they do it on a wet Tuesday' etc etc

 

[Grendel]

If we managed it for a Friday night against Gillingham in L1, then I think so!

I expect crowds will tail off quite quickly, but the anticipation for the first game back will be a huge good news story, especially now that it doesn't look like we'll be hosting any games with a limited capacity before then.

This is also the only acceptable use of the 'can they do it on a wet Tuesday' etc etc

That was a reduced price

 

[pusbccfc]

In the Championship...

St Andrews 7000 home fans most weeks.

Ricoh 15,000 most weeks but big numbers against the local sides. Based on that, the average attendance for the season would be around 20,000. A lot of clubs would be huge away followings.

 

[better days]

It's going to be a really interesting time
Initially there will be a sizeable minority who will be scared to attend
But once covid numbers decline to the level of a seasonal flu and the media loses interest confidence will return

 

[fernandopartridge]

Posted this on the corona thread but it's relevant here too. If a one shot vaccine is as effective as this then I think it should be pretty much unrestricted next season given the intention to vaccinate everybody by July:

UK data shows 70% decline in infections after first Pfizer shot
England’s coronavirus vaccine campaign is significantly reducing cases of Covid-19, with a drop of around 70% in infections among healthcare workers who have had a first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech shot, British health officials said on Monday.
Reuters reports:

Data analysed by Public Health England (PHE) showed the Pfizer provided high levels of protection against infection and symptomatic disease from a single dose, and that hospitalisation and death from Covid-19 will be reduced by more 75% in elderly people who have had a first dose.
“Overall, we’re seeing a really strong effect to reducing any infection, asymptomatic and symptomatic,” PHE’s strategic response director Susan Hopkins told a media briefing.
PHE’s head of immunisation Mary Ramsay described the data as “strong evidence that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is stopping people from getting infected, while also protecting cases against hospitalisation and death”.
“We should be very encouraged by these initial findings,” she said.
PHE’s findings came from two separate analyses - one is an ongoing study in healthcare workers, and the second is an assessment of testing data in people aged 80 and over.
Evidence from the elderly group showed that one dose of the Pfizer shot is 57% effective against symptomatic Covid-19 disease, PHE said, and early data suggest the second dose improves protection to more than 85%.
“Hospitalisation and deaths rates are falling in all age groups, but the oldest age groups are seeing the fastest decline since the peak in mid-January,” a PHE statement said.
The vaccine also provides protection against the so-called British variant of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, it added.