Will Covid-19 see fans lost to the game for good?

[G B Young]

While we have to assume that, very sadly, there will be many fans around the world who will no longer be with us whenever football is able to return as a spectator sport, what I mean is do you think that by then there will be fans who have simply drifted away from the game, found that they don't miss it that much, have found other interests or who just can't be bothered with whatever social distancing measures may remain in place?

I don't mind admitting that the longer the game is shelved, the less I actually think about it - and I'd go to far as to say that while the Hibs score used to be a key pillar of my weekends I'm starting to wonder if I'm all round more relaxed without having to think about it or fret my way through games!

[Since90+2]

While we have to assume that, very sadly, there will be many fans around the world who will no longer be with us whenever football is able to return as a spectator sport, what I mean is do you think that by then there will be fans who have simply drifted away from the game, found that they don't miss it that much, have found other interests or who just can't be bothered with whatever social distancing measures may remain in place?

I don't mind admitting that the longer the game is shelved, the less I actually think about it - and I'd go to far as to say that while the Hibs score used to be a key pillar of my weekends I'm starting to wonder if I'm all round more relaxed without having to think about it or fret my way through games!

No.

If anything it will make people appreciate more how much they enjoy going to the football.

[The 90+2]

Older fans may get used to being indoors constantly and get used to the routine/won’t ever want to take the risk.

[jax67]

No.

If anything it will make people appreciate more how much they enjoy going to the football.

That's where I'm at, really missing the Saturday, meeting up with the lads, bit of a craic, few beers, the game and the post mortam afterwards. Miss the whole day. GGTTH!!

[stuart-farquhar]

Older fans may get used to being indoors constantly and get used to the routine/won’t ever want to take the risk.

Seriously? What age are those older people in your view.

Certainly not my view. Can't wait to travel and roam freely again. "Older" people my friend are always 15 years older (at least) than I am. Contrary to what younger people try to tell me or anyone else.

So there! And the next person to call me an OAP is getting called up for a square go! Lol.

[Keith_M]

I have a felling it will be the opposite.

The largest overall attendances in the history of Scottish Football was the first few years after the second world war.

---

For instance, the average attendances for the following clubs in season 1948-49:

Aberdeen: 24,200
Dundee: 24,532
Hearts: 28,196
Hibernian: 27,627


Compared to season 1938/39*

Aberdeen: 15,667
Dundee: 12,800
Hearts: 19,541
Hibernian: 13,722



* Dundee's figure is from one season before.

[The 90+2]

Seriously? What age are those older people in your view.

Certainly not my view. Can't wait to travel and roam freely again. "Older" people my friend are always 15 years older (at least) than I am. Contrary to what younger people try to tell me or anyone else.

So there! And the next person to call me an OAP is getting called up for a square go! Lol.

Sorry Stuart, I meant some elderly supporters, radges like you don’t count 😁

I meant the over 70s who are high risk at the moment who are stuck in a lot just now, the equivalent of a lot of people staying in doors a lot more when retirement started.

Overall though I think support will go up.

[Antifa Hibs]

Can see us definitely losing some fans. Other than Celtic and Rangers who are both gonna be pre-occupied with the 10 in a row stuff I think all clubs will.

There's the financial situation - alot of people on reduced income or none at all. Then who knows what the economy will be like. Then there's the fact 6-9 month maybe even longer without going to a match is a long time. A long time for people to fall out of the habit, fitba can be costly and time consuming.

Football is going to be competing with golf courses, cinema/leisure, cycling etc.

[stuart-farquhar]

[QUOTE=90+2;6161493]Sorry Stuart, I meant some elderly supporters, radges like you don’t count 😁

I meant the over 70s who are high risk at the moment who are stuck in a lot just now, the equivalent of a lot of people staying in doors a lot more when retirement started.

I know what you meant. Some undoubtedly will stop going. But yeah, I'm cool with being called a radge but go ape at the OAP chat!

[Speedy]

While we have to assume that, very sadly, there will be many fans around the world who will no longer be with us whenever football is able to return as a spectator sport, what I mean is do you think that by then there will be fans who have simply drifted away from the game, found that they don't miss it that much, have found other interests or who just can't be bothered with whatever social distancing measures may remain in place?

I don't mind admitting that the longer the game is shelved, the less I actually think about it - and I'd go to far as to say that while the Hibs score used to be a key pillar of my weekends I'm starting to wonder if I'm all round more relaxed without having to think about it or fret my way through games!

Some yes, definitely. Many people buy their season ticket out of habit. If they go a year with the extra money in their pocket and find some different/better to do then they might not be back.


Others will miss it so make a point of coming back. Hard to say what the net impact will be.

[jacomo]

It’s possible some fans will get out of the habit of going to football altogether.

On the other hand, as the top team in Edinburgh we may well pick up new supporters.

[The 90+2]

[QUOTE=90+2;6161493]Sorry Stuart, I meant some elderly supporters, radges like you don’t count 😁

I meant the over 70s who are high risk at the moment who are stuck in a lot just now, the equivalent of a lot of people staying in doors a lot more when retirement started.

I know what you meant. Some undoubtedly will stop going. But yeah, I'm cool with being called a radge but go ape at the OAP chat!

Good man 😁

[lord bunberry]

I think the only hit in attendances will come from people struggling to afford it. Hopefully the economy will bounce back quickly and that won’t be the case.

[mim]

Some older fans, especially those with health issues, won't come back until there is a vaccine.

[Jones28]

I think the ripples will last for years but by and large supports will remain mostly the same. There’ll be a few folk who will have lost income and will have to sacrifice football, others will see it as too risky until a vaccine is developed.

Personally until a vaccine comes along I won’t be in a rush to get back to games.

[Bobby's Cinema]

Until there is a vaccine people will quite rightly have not only themselves to consider, but others in their household.

For instance in the scenario lockdown restrictions are lifted and stadiums reopen, I don’t Necessarily automatically see myself thinking oh good, I’ll go to The football now then. Going to be a slow burner, crowds will take time to return imo.

If you thought non-attending season ticket holders in the famous five lower was a problem before...

[ekhibee]

In answer to the OP, it's quite hard to say IMO. The economic reality of the situation has led to the loss of a lot of jobs/income which has a seriously damaging effect on peoples' finances. It's good to see ST renewals are over the 5k mark at least, but you have to wonder how damaging the long term effect of coronavirus will have on people, and with the continuation of social distancing, how many people will continue to pay money into the club when there are no games to go to. On a side note how would that work anyway? Would there be lots drawn before each fixture to see who is allowed to attend? But as other posters have quite rightly said, people's health comes before any football match.

[hibee]

I’ve been going regularly for more than 30 years and been buying three season tickets rather than one for nearly 15 years for me and the kids but I haven’t renewed yet and have found I’m not really missing it so yes I can see why some people might drift away.

I can’t see me renewing by Friday, it’s £665 for early bird but goes up to £765 after that. The rise of 5% for my ticket by missing early bird prices I can accept but 29% for the kids is crazy, not sure why there’s such a difference as have always renewed on the first day in the past.

I’m waiting on a refund for two missed holidays and wouldn’t book another with all this uncertainty so struggling to come up with a reason to spend even more cash with no guarantee that we will see any football for it.

Having said all that, if Hibs extend early bird I’ll more than likely renew mid to end of June once I know what’s happening with both this season and next but if they don’t it will probably push me more into not renewing.

[where'stheslope]

I’ve been going regularly for more than 30 years and been buying three season tickets rather than one for nearly 15 years for me and the kids but I haven’t renewed yet and have found I’m not really missing it so yes I can see why some people might drift away.

I can’t see me renewing by Friday, it’s £665 for early bird but goes up to £765 after that. The rise of 5% for my ticket by missing early bird prices I can accept but 29% for the kids is crazy, not sure why there’s such a difference as have always renewed on the first day in the past.

I’m waiting on a refund for two missed holidays and wouldn’t book another with all this uncertainty so struggling to come up with a reason to spend even more cash with no guarantee that we will see any football for it.

Having said all that, if Hibs extend early bird I’ll more than likely renew mid to end of June once I know what’s happening with both this season and next but if they don’t it will probably push me more into not renewing.
I think this will be the most likely reason for people stalling buying their season tickets.
Losing 8 games on last season, then not knowing what length of season to come, asking people to pay for what is unknown is unfair to say the least.
I know that the club will need the monies in, but it could all be spent before the start of a new season then what!!!!

[Lago]

While we have to assume that, very sadly, there will be many fans around the world who will no longer be with us whenever football is able to return as a spectator sport, what I mean is do you think that by then there will be fans who have simply drifted away from the game, found that they don't miss it that much, have found other interests or who just can't be bothered with whatever social distancing measures may remain in place?

I don't mind admitting that the longer the game is shelved, the less I actually think about it - and I'd go to far as to say that while the Hibs score used to be a key pillar of my weekends I'm starting to wonder if I'm all round more relaxed without having to think about it or fret my way through games!

It's inevitable, unfortunately.

[theonlywayisup]

While we have to assume that, very sadly, there will be many fans around the world who will no longer be with us whenever football is able to return as a spectator sport, what I mean is do you think that by then there will be fans who have simply drifted away from the game, found that they don't miss it that much, have found other interests or who just can't be bothered with whatever social distancing measures may remain in place?

I don't mind admitting that the longer the game is shelved, the less I actually think about it - and I'd go to far as to say that while the Hibs score used to be a key pillar of my weekends I'm starting to wonder if I'm all round more relaxed without having to think about it or fret my way through games!

As Lago has stated, I think it's inevitable too. Hibs were getting circa 18,000 post SC final win / pre-Covid 19. Crowds were already dropping and I sadly don't see us getting crowds of that magnitude for a long long time. I see a fair number of existing ST holders choosing not to purchase STs, whilst there is uncertainty as to when fans will be allowed to watch football again. Even when football fans are allowed to return, the social distancing restrictions will put many off. Add to that the view held by some that football is corrupt and favours the rich will turn some away from football.

It probably won't put me off going, but I can see many turning their back on watching football.

I fully understand the post-war analogy, but that's unlikely going to happen with the social distancing restrictions that will be put in place.

[PeeKay]

In the words of the late, great Bob Crampsey, "NOT going to football is habit forming".

I have renewed my ST, but I doubt very much that I will see many (any?) games for my money. I am fortunate to be able to afford what essentially may be no more than a donation to Hibs, but I suspect there will be many others for whom football will be a low priority as they juggle their family finances in the coming months.

[jacomo]

Some older fans, especially those with health issues, won't come back until there is a vaccine.


This is understandable. Unfortunately, I think that if football waits for a vaccine it might be in very serious trouble.

[scooby]

This is understandable. Unfortunately, I think that if football waits for a vaccine it might be in very serious trouble.

Anyone who takes the vaccine will be in serious trouble too.

[Scouse Hibee]

Even though I have renewed, I will not return until such time as I personally feel it is safe to do. Wearing PPE in a crowd environment may well be the precautions I take regardless of being advised to do so or not.

[Jamesie]

Came back to have a look at this thread as while I think I will still likely eventually renew my season ticket, I must say the news that the season could return on 1 August gave me no reaction at all. No excitement or spike of interest, or wondering when we might be able to attend games again. Part of that might be because it's behind closed doors; because I worry that we're potentially easing the lockdown too soon; because maybe covid has changed my priorities in life a bit. Perhaps a combination of all three.

[therealgavmac]

Anyone who takes the vaccine will be in serious trouble too.

Why?

[The Modfather]

Came back to have a look at this thread as while I think I will still likely eventually renew my season ticket, I must say the news that the season could return on 1 August gave me no reaction at all. No excitement or spike of interest, or wondering when we might be able to attend games again. Part of that might be because it's behind closed doors; because I worry that we're potentially easing the lockdown too soon; because maybe covid has changed my priorities in life a bit. Perhaps a combination of all three.

Good post and similar to where I am. Haven’t renewed yet but I will do at some point. Of my season ticket group 75% of us have, or are soon to have, young families so a season ticket is as much about the social side and catching up for me as it is about any real enjoyment of the football. The lockdown has helped me to realise the things I am actually missing, like taking my daughter swimming on a Saturday & Sunday morning, and playing 5s. Watching Hibs and other football is surprisingly further down my list than I thought it would be.

[ColintonHibs]

Why?

Because of what’s in it

[The dalmeny]

Because of what’s in it

what’s that then, bleach?

[G B Young]

Good post and similar to where I am. Haven’t renewed yet but I will do at some point. Of my season ticket group 75% of us have, or are soon to have, young families so a season ticket is as much about the social side and catching up for me as it is about any real enjoyment of the football. The lockdown has helped me to realise the things I am actually missing, like taking my daughter swimming on a Saturday & Sunday morning, and playing 5s. Watching Hibs and other football is surprisingly further down my list than I thought it would be.

Couldn't agree more. My own kids took part in a lot of weekend clubs and sports pre-lockdown and they are missing those way more than being taken to ER. The reason for that is pretty simple. It's way more fulfilling for kids to do something for themselves (often mixing with friends while doing so) than sitting at a football match hoping that it's a good game (or, more accurately, hoping that Hibs don't get beat). Like you, I also find it fun and uplifiting to see them enjoy themselves while also improving their skills - and I've also built up a good rapport with a lot of the other parents who attend.

Bottom line, while Easter Road bears no resemblance to the dump I started visiting as a kid and is now an excellent, family-friendly venue, the product on the pitch remains so inconsistent that even before lockdown I was starting to think twice about whether I could be bothered going. I know that football's all about ups and downs but I just find that as I get older I'm looking for something less haphazard and of a more consistent quality.

That doesn't mean I'm not going back, but I'd be lying if I said I was desperate to do so.

In saying all that, I'll be a lot more likely to go back to ER than even consider tuning in to a closed doors EPL match. I loathe the way it's being marketed as a wonderful thing that they're going to restart their season when in fact it just comes down to generating TV cash. Personally couldn't care less about it.