Crowds staying away?
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That increasingly old chestnut about the FA Cup losing its appeal to the fans came up again on 606 at the weekend. As far as Everton were concerned, I thought a 30k+ attendance was reasonable in the circumstances.
I looked back, just over the Moyes era, and the pattern is pretty consistent for 3rd and 4th Round home ties: ±30k. Yet we have people like Chris Butler on previous threads insisting that the crowds are deserting Goodison in their droves.
Personally, I think the crowds are currently holding up remarkably well, given the lack of key players and the rather insipid football. (That gal Vicki on 606 had a pretty good go at how poor we are to watch!)
Michael Kenrick,
ToffeeWeb Towers Posted 04/01/2010 at 12:49:26
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The attendance was roughly the amount of unobstructed seats. I think it was a fair turnout considering who we played and the time of year
I went, it was a shit game but I’m delighted we won. I don’t care how we play in cup games providing we win. That’s all that matters and I want some silverware.
The attendance wasn’t bad, we’ve always had lower attendances in the 3rd round — Swindon, Woking, Oldham in the past. What amazes me though is all these fans who weren’t arsed going will all be on here moaning they can’t get a ticket come May if we make the final. You can blame ticket prices all you like but those fans who use that excuse will all be able to find the money for cup final tickets.
Well, we should get far more in my opinion and would if we could move to a 60,000 capacity ground and fill it. All I said was that I personally knew many who are giving up. Many people have complained on here about unsatisfactory issues and GP this year.
I don’t see why that amazes you Alan. I’d happily pay £100 to see Everton in a once-a-decade (if we’re lucky!) match at the greatest stadium in the world! £35 for an obstructed view on a cold January day, against a team from League One at Goodison? No ta...
The only people who say the magic of the cup is still there, just so hapen to be those who hold the TV rights.
Trophies used to resonate their own prestige. Now an obvious hiararchy has made the FA Cup a poor relation to anything other than the League Cup... and following on from the League Cup, it only becomes important when in sight of Wembley... and then not that important at all.
I have noticed at home games where we play lesser teams in league terms in early rounds, and Euro ties against unknowns with little on them, a lot of the familier faces I have come to know over the years, whether in the ground or in the pub, don't go. Instead, their seats are taken up by dads and sons and/or daughters plus people taking up good seats not used by the seat holder. This trend keeps attendances quite reasonable and at the same time introduces the next generations of Blues.
At Euro matches, the cheap prices help this trend as they are set by the club. If the FA didn’t insist on clubs charging the FA minimum prices per round then clubs would be able to attract even more fans if they were allowed to set their own price for cup-ties.
I agree Ken, useful for people like me who live away and get to come back home a few times a year and go the match. I took the girlfriend (apparently a Red) to her first ever game and she loved it and is going on about the next time we can go and take her nephews... and that was Carlisle! Helped we where front row UG, I am guessing she will not enjoy watching a game behind a post in the LB!
The prices for the Carlisle game were £20 for season ticket holders and £25 for non-season ticket holders, not the £35 quoted, so I think EFC got their sales strategy right on this occasion. The club also bumped up the bonus points to 25 for this match which could be a clincher if we do get back to Wembley. The club are learning...
It will be interesting to see the RS attendance in the replay next week.
That’s the spirit Gary. There’s a term for you - fair weather.
I see a lot of matches on televison here in the USA (almost all the Everton matches are shown) and I always see more young people and children in our ground then anywhere else in the league. Is that true, or is it just rose colored glasses?
I don’t think that fans are losing interest in the FA Cup.
If there was no such thing as a season ticket and all games were to be bought individually, then league games against the likes of Hull would get about 15,000.
Well I’m thinking of giving up as its no longer a social activity and many of my friends no longer go and other people I know for a variety of reasons.
In 1974, exactly 35 years ago, we played Blackburn Rovers (then not a top-flight club, presumably in the old Div 2) at home in the FA Cup 3rd round. The attendance? The same as Saturday’s - 31,000.
Maybe there was a golden age of Cup attendances. But it was a long, long time ago now.
Michael Kenrick
Editorial Team
Posted 05/01/2010 at 15:49:54
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Oh, I see now, Chris... so because YOU’RE thinking of giving up going, and some of your mates have done already, you told us on other threads that crowds are dropping and people are staying away in droves.
Yet, strangely, the attendance figures simply don’t support that contention. If anything, crowds at Goodison are holding up pretty well considering the credit crunch, economic recession, and some rather inclement weather.
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1 Posted 04/01/2010 at 17:41:33
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