Edinburgh Football attendances

[Since90+2]

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Thanks - very much appreciated!

I think if we were successful for more than a couple of years we’d be able to fill a 30k stadium. If we pushed that to 8-10 years of sustained success (bear in mind that would bring regular Champions League football) then i think we’d get 50-60k if the stadium could hold it. Same for Hearts, to be honest.

I totally agree about the potential, by the way. I’ve set out an argument for that on here before and i think we’re ideally placed for it

It wouldn't necessarily bring regular Champions League football.

Celtic, despite their almost complete dominance of the Scottish game, have only played in the Champions League 4 out of the last 10 years.

Celtic have huge revenues, bigger than we'd ever have even if we were successful,and if they can't get in it more often than the don't, I wouldn't be confident we could do otherwise.

[matty_f]

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It wouldn't necessarily bring regular Champions League football.

Celtic, despite their almost complete dominance of the Scottish game, have only played in the Champions League 4 out of the last 10 years.

Celtic have huge revenues, bigger than we'd ever have even if we were successful,and if they can't get in it more often than the don't, I wouldn't be confident we could do otherwise.

They are guaranteed group stages now, and we’d be better than Celtic if we were winning the league. :

[Since90+2]

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They are guaranteed group stages now, and we’d be better than Celtic if we were winning the league. :

At the moment, there's a good chance we'll lose that guaranteed spot once Rangers run to the Europa League final falls off the coefficient.

[DIXIHIBS]

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Thanks - very much appreciated!

I think if we were successful for more than a couple of years we’d be able to fill a 30k stadium. If we pushed that to 8-10 years of sustained success (bear in mind that would bring regular Champions League football) then i think we’d get 50-60k if the stadium could hold it. Same for Hearts, to be honest.

I totally agree about the potential, by the way. I’ve set out an argument for that on here before and i think we’re ideally placed for it

I agree their is potential for higher crowds but nothing like you are quoting imo. Hibs highest average was about 32k and that was early 50s after years of success with Famous Five. That also included several huge crowds including 65k v hertz i think. Weekly crowds just now are not far off capacity (i know more empty seats etc) and i can see full houses every week with more success...maybe even up to 25k, but 50-60k...never.

[itslegaltender]

We had stalls at freshers events for first time last year, hopefully the club does more of that this year. Student prices are fairly reasonable, grabbing the influx of students and turning into Hibees will help us in short as well as long term. We are seen as far more inclusive than the Sevcousins, we should make as much of that as possible.

[matty_f]

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We had stalls at freshers events for first time last year, hopefully the club does more of that this year. Student prices are fairly reasonable, grabbing the influx of students and turning into Hibees will help us in short as well as long term. We are seen as far more inclusive than the Sevcousins, we should make as much of that as possible.

I was picking up my folks from Edinburgh Airport last week, i logged into the wifi and the landing page had a “things to do in Edinburgh” list, top of which was “Good to Easter Road to watch Hibernian”.

[matty_f]

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I agree their is potential for higher crowds but nothing like you are quoting imo. Hibs highest average was about 32k and that was early 50s after years of success with Famous Five. That also included several huge crowds including 65k v hertz i think. Weekly crowds just now are not far off capacity (i know more empty seats etc) and i can see full houses every week with more success...maybe even up to 25k, but 50-60k...never.

Would be interesting to see Rangers and Celtic’s averages at that time.

I know Celtic and Rangers didn’t get anywhere near their current attendance regularly when they were going through leaner times.

[Since452]

We'd comfortably be selling out ER every week if the league was a genuine possibility. Wasn't so long ago we were averaging over 18k in a two horse race.

[Ringothedog]

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Would be interesting to see Rangers and Celtic’s averages at that time.

I know Celtic and Rangers didn’t get anywhere near their current attendance regularly when they were going through leaner times.

In the 50’s
Celtic lowest average 17706
Celtic highest average 30587
Rangers lowest average 31200
Rangers highest average 39667
Hearts lowest average 21000
Hearts Highest average 28000
Hibs Lowest average 14618
Hibs Highest average 31567

[NAE NOOKIE]

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I agree their is potential for higher crowds but nothing like you are quoting imo. Hibs highest average was about 32k and that was early 50s after years of success with Famous Five. That also included several huge crowds including 65k v hertz i think. Weekly crowds just now are not far off capacity (i know more empty seats etc) and i can see full houses every week with more success...maybe even up to 25k, but 50-60k...never.

Kind of where I am with this. Things are different from the 50s with far more distractions away from football than there was then, but on the other hand the population of Edinburgh, the Lothians and the Borders is growing all the time.

Folk shouldn't kid themselves with what the Uglies get, they attract support from all over Scotland, which no matter how well Hibs or Hearts do we could never match. But I see absolutely no reason why both Edinburgh premiership clubs couldn't average well over 20,000 in the right circumstances. Hibs hit over 20,000 for a Friday night game with St Johnstone for what was a bog standard league game, reduced prices or not it shows our potential.

The massive gap in finances between two clubs and everybody else is a huge stumbling block to future growth, how you address that with UEFA's FFP policy is the question .... I simply can't believe that a club like Man City hasn't challenged it in court .... I would fully support a policy which stops an owner from lending their club money and then simply being able to walk away leaving said club with a huge debt.
But if an owner wants to gift the club they own any amount of money in a search for success then let them get on with it, failing that introduce a wage cap worldwide through FIFA along the lines of the NFL. Without that possibility all you have is a situation where the giants with the most fans and global reach remain the giants forever.

Finally, I've said it before on this subject. In my opinion the Uglies rivals like Hibs are far too passive when it comes to the number of 'fans' these two clubs leech from the rest of Scottish football. For me it's well past time that the part these glory hunters play in maintaining a status quo we never tire of moaning about was highlighted by the other clubs, even to the extent of an advertising campaign on the telly. There's brighter folk than me out there who could find a way to construct such a campaign that could shame folk into giving the Uglies a body swerve without putting them off football entirely.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm sure a few years back Kilmarnock had an amnesty, where they would give a scarf or Killie top free to any fan who was willing to swap a Celtic or Rangers one for it and switch to supporting Killie ... there's no evidence that it had the desired effect, but it does show that there was thinking by at least one club that it's a situation that can and should be addressed past the point of simply bitching about it or shrugging your shoulders and taking an 'it is what it is' attitude.

[ancient hibee]

I

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In the 50’s
Celtic lowest average 17706
Celtic highest average 30587
Rangers lowest average 31200
Rangers highest average 39667
Hearts lowest average 21000
Hearts Highest average 28000
Hibs Lowest average 14618
Hibs Highest average 31567

Clubs in the 50s never published their attendances because of the entertainment tax situation. The papers used to guesstimate for publication-always round figures. Your figures will certainly be thereabouts particularly the high ones.

[Wakeyhibee]

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I

Clubs in the 50s never published their attendances because of the entertainment tax situation. The papers used to guesstimate for publication-always round figures. Your figures will certainly be thereabouts particularly the high ones.

Think these are from "Roar Of the Crowd" book. They had to declare Cup game attendances in the 50s. League was 60s onwards iirrc

Both Hibs & Hearts have hit a ceiling where the cost of expansion outweighs the possible gains. ER's footprint has shrunk considerably & Tynnie has always been tiny, I doubt its worth it now for either.


In the 80s and 90s no one would have predicted 16k+ vs St Mirren for eg in 20/30 years time. Footballs changed immeasurably in that time with facilities, ST take up making regular attendance more likely.

It's a shame, but it's where we are. Could both Edinburgh teams average 25k? Yes I think so but the circumstances don't allow.

[Since90+2]

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We'd comfortably be selling out ER every week if the league was a genuine possibility. Wasn't so long ago we were averaging over 18k in a two horse race.

It's a bit of a chicken and egg scenario. If we were selling out every week the club would be more successful, perhaps not challenging for the league, but regular European qualification.