FAO Hibs Board :- Incentives for the fans to back the team

[The Sea-gull]

I don't want to start a debate about how as fans we should not need an incentive to back the team at any time but it does strike me that a lot of fans will have fallen out of love with Hibs for one reason or another.

We all know that times are tough and going to the games is no longer the automatic choice for folks it once was.

Will there be an incentives to get more fans behind the team when it needs our support?

What about free or subsidised supporters buses to our away games v St Mirren (which is on the telly any way so the away support will be low and they could use the tv money) in February and to the mid week game (again a low away support likely) v Hamilton in March.

Reduced prices for key home games?

Games post split could be even more crucial.

I am sure there were free buses etc when we battled relegation in 96/97 and 97/98. I remember going to Raith and maybe Killie under some sort of scheme like this.

[Beefster]

I don't want to start a debate about how as fans we should not need an incentive to back the team at any time but it does strike me that a lot of fans will have fallen out of love with Hibs for one reason or another.

We all know that times are tough and going to the games is no longer the automatic choice for folks it once was.

Will there be an incentives to get more fans behind the team when it needs our support?

What about free or subsidised supporters buses to our away games v St Mirren (which is on the telly any way so the away support will be low and they could use the tv money) in February and to the mid week game (again a low away support likely) v Hamilton in March.

Reduced prices for key home games?

Games post split could be even more crucial.

I am sure there were free buses etc when we battled relegation in 96/97 and 97/98. I remember going to Raith and maybe Killie under some sort of scheme like this.

The Board should be doing stuff like this but I suspect that they won't do much beyond repeating the politician-like mantra "Together, we're stronger" or whatever the meaningless phrase is.

[bingo70]

I don't want to start a debate about how as fans we should not need an incentive to back the team at any time but it does strike me that a lot of fans will have fallen out of love with Hibs for one reason or another.

We all know that times are tough and going to the games is no longer the automatic choice for folks it once was.

Will there be an incentives to get more fans behind the team when it needs our support?

What about free or subsidised supporters buses to our away games v St Mirren (which is on the telly any way so the away support will be low and they could use the tv money) in February and to the mid week game (again a low away support likely) v Hamilton in March.

Reduced prices for key home games?

Games post split could be even more crucial.

I am sure there were free buses etc when we battled relegation in 96/97 and 97/98. I remember going to Raith and maybe Killie under some sort of scheme like this.

I think the problem with reduced prices for home games is that it devalues a season ticket, i think it already works out cheaper to just pay at the gate if you miss about 2 games a season, which i think a lot of people do, so to make it even cheaper for walk up prices then they'd be running the risk of putting people of buying season tickets.

I agree with busses to away games would be a good idea, but IIRC petrie came out with a reason why the club wouldn't be doing that, can't remember what the reasons were but not wanting to stand on the toes of supporters club busses that run every week is ringing a bell, although i could be talking pish with that.

[CabbageBoy]

I think the problem with reduced prices for home games is that it devalues a season ticket, i think it already works out cheaper to just pay at the gate if you miss about 2 games a season, which i think a lot of people do, so to make it even cheaper for walk up prices then they'd be running the risk of putting people of buying season tickets.



Who are these people going to be buying season tickets next year? Whatever division we end up playing in, other than those with the three year deal, they will be lucky to shift 4,000 of them. A huge empty stand that you can walk up to for most games, with no pressure on tickets even at the big 6 fixtures....

After 23 years I'm likely to not have a ST next year. Would like to get out of the West Stand morgue in any case.

[marinello59]

Who are these people going to be buying season tickets next year? Whatever division we end up playing in, other than those with the three year deal, they will be lucky to shift 4,000 of them. A huge empty stand that you can walk up to for most games, with no pressure on tickets even at the big 6 fixtures....

After 23 years I'm likely to not have a ST next year. Would like to get out of the West Stand morgue in any case.

So what do you suggest? Reduce walk up prices, reduce season ticket prices and reduce the player budget?

[Keith_M]

Occasionally winning a game would probably be incentive for most of us........

[CabbageBoy]

So what do you suggest? Reduce walk up prices, reduce season ticket prices and reduce the player budget?

Play attractive football, win or lose. Enough of the 'we'll try harder' nonsense. Remove the embarrassing new announcer. Engage with the support. Stop pretending that 'we are too good to go down' Play the same back 4 at least in two games running. Stop playing Smith. Dont sign any more journeymen who contribute less than an U-19 would.

In the current position, the cost of relegation is likely to be several million pounds. An investment of a quarter of that on Steven Thomson and Adam Rooney at a minimum would keep us up.

[J-C]

They could do a buy on get one half price ticket and introduce cheaper tickets for oap's and students, say maybe £10 each.

[marinello59]

Play attractive football, win or lose. Enough of the 'we'll try harder' nonsense. Remove the embarrassing new announcer. Engage with the support. Stop pretending that 'we are too good to go down' Play the same back 4 at least in two games running. Stop playing Smith. Dont sign any more journeymen who contribute less than an U-19 would.

In the current position, the cost of relegation is likely to be several million pounds. An investment of a quarter of that on Steven Thomson and Adam Rooney at a minimum would keep us up.

Is anybody doing that?
What is a quarter of several million pounds by the way?

[marinello59]

Occasionally winning a game would probably be incentive for most of us........

:agree:

[Sir David Gray]

Occasionally winning a game would probably be incentive for most of us........

Nah, that'll never catch on! :greengrin

I certainly think the club should at least consider laying on free buses for fans to get to the away games at St Mirren and Hamilton. I don't think anyone can really overstate just how important these matches really are for the future of our club and we need as many fans at these games as possible.

Considering that the St Mirren game is on TV and the Hamilton match is in midweek, there is a real danger of just a couple of hundred Hibs fans turning up for these games but if the club puts on a few buses, quite a lot of people may be persuaded into going.

However, I wouldn't hold my breath, they should have done that last week to get folk to the replay at Ayr and they didn't bother then so I don't see them doing it this time either.

[Jack]

I think the problem with reduced prices for home games is that it devalues a season ticket, i think it already works out cheaper to just pay at the gate if you miss about 2 games a season, which i think a lot of people do, so to make it even cheaper for walk up prices then they'd be running the risk of putting people of buying season tickets.

I agree with busses to away games would be a good idea, but IIRC petrie came out with a reason why the club wouldn't be doing that, can't remember what the reasons were but not wanting to stand on the toes of supporters club busses that run every week is ringing a bell, although i could be talking pish with that.

They could do the incentives through season ticket holders, bring along a pal for a fiver for example. I’ve said before the season ticket holder is already one of the ‘converted’ and should be used as ambassadors to encourage others along.

With respect to the supporters busses the Club could incentivise through the structures already in place; liaise with the people who already run busses. Not only does that not step on anyone's toes it would recognise their contribution to our Club and their expertise in the area.

All too often people, not just the Club, look for ways / reasons things cannot be done instead of looking at ways to make them happen. More often than not the ways of making them happen are simpler than people think and the benefits bigger.

[Franck is God]

Hibs very rarely perform is front of large expectant travelling supports, certainly not in my experience.

When we get our unexpected results particularly away from home it tends to be the die hards or the stupid among us that see it so maybe we are better off that the 500-1000 of our best fans are there and the ones that bugger off as soon as it gets difficult stay away.