Hibs a Family Club?

***Dan Sarf*** · 15-08-2012 09:57 AM

The "Fan Experience Company" from Sunderland is offering to score clubs on everything from food, website, ticket office, the game itself, parking, etc. Great quote from the guy who runs it. "Some clubs can take the magic in their hands for granted." The Football League claims their efforts have added approx. 2 million to attendances.

How would we get on?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-19214385

**marinello59** · 15-08-2012 10:22 AM

We would probably come under the could do better category.
A 12% increase in family attendance in three years (if I read that right) is food for thought for all SPl clubs. The future of the game is going to lie in making football matches much more attractive to the whole family. (Some of the old school dinosaurs may not like that but how many of them are still going?) The Famous Five Stand should be given over completely to families IMHO. The club have made a start with it, they should make the packages even more attractive. If that area subsequently sells out then make a part of the East or West available. Include snack/drink vouchers in match packages. Have activities running in the concourse even whilst the match is on. Also, Aberdeen tried making their Family section open to visiting supporters several years back, I would love to see that done at ER. Maybe the next generation will be able to attend matches without the overly policed segregation we have to put up with because some fans can't be trusted to behave in the presence of our rivals.

**lEXO** · 15-08-2012 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by marinello59

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We would probably come under the could do better category.
A 12% increase in family attendance in three years (if I read that right) is food for thought for all SPl clubs. The future of the game is going to lie in making football matches much more attractive to the whole family. (Some of the old school dinosaurs may not like that but how many of them are still going?) The Famous Five Stand should be given over completely to families IMHO. The club have made a start with it, they should make the packages even more attractive. If that area subsequently sells out then make a part of the East or West available. Include snack/drink vouchers in match packages. Have activities running in the concourse even whilst the match is on. Also, Aberdeen tried making their Family section open to visiting supporters several years back, I would love to see that done at ER. Maybe the next generation will be able to attend matches without the overly policed segregation we have to put up with because some fans can't be trusted to behave in the presence of our rivals.

Some good points. My only issue is i sit in the FF upper and have done so for 7 or 8 years since i moved from the old East. I love my seat, my view, the folk who sit around me. Good loyal Hibs supporters who have continued to put money into the club when others have walked away. I would,nt be chuffed at being moved.

***Keith_M*** · 15-08-2012 06:10 PM

Originally Posted by lEXO

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Some good points. My only issue is i sit in the FF upper and have done so for 7 or 8 years since i moved from the old East. I love my seat, my view, the folk who sit around me. Good loyal Hibs supporters who have continued to put money into the club when others have walked away. I would,nt be chuffed at being moved.

I don't actually sit in the FF Upper (thought I did for one season) but I agree with that. As we can barely half fill the home end for a derby match, there's plenty of scope for opening up other areas of the ground to be family stands.

I've also tub-thumped for a while about having at least a small area of the stadium as an open to all Family Section. I realise people even in family areas can get a bit heated during games but if they announced this as a no-nonsense, chucked out at the first sign of bad behaviour agreement, I think it could work.

**~~Phil D. Rolls~~** · 16-08-2012 12:15 AM

Families are great. At the end of the day though, we live in a diverse society, and I think that respect has to be given to those who do not fit into that demographic. For that reason, I think that the pursuit of the family as a market is not necessarily the only option open to football. After all it got by for a long time appealing to the SWM.

**wearehibernian** · 16-08-2012 01:35 AM

Yeah even tonight for the scotland game there were people being asked invasive questions on the gate. Do they want our money or do you have to be means tested to have the honour of gaining a ticket nowadays? Jeez.... their incompetence is laughable!
Pay at the gate shoud be matter of fact unless its a definite sell out.
Pure and simple.

**HUTCHYHIBBY** · 16-08-2012 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by keekaboo

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I don't actually sit in the FF Upper (thought I did for one season) but I agree with that. As we can barely half fill the home end for a derby match, there's plenty of scope for opening up other areas of the ground to be family stands.

I've also tub-thumped for a while about having at least a small area of the stadium as an open to all Family Section. I realise people even in family areas can get a bit heated during games but if they announced this as a no-nonsense, chucked out at the first sign of bad behaviour agreement, I think it could work.

What does tub-thumped mean?

**marinello59** · 16-08-2012 08:58 AM

Originally Posted by Filled Rolls

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Families are great. At the end of the day though, we live in a diverse society, and I think that respect has to be given to those who do not fit into that demographic. For that reason, I think that the pursuit of the family as a market is not necessarily the only option open to football. After all it got by for a long time appealing to the SWM.

Of course it's not the only option. It's a market that has the potential to grow considerably though. Plenty of families went along to the Olympics fitba for instance that would never have been to a match before. The SPL/SFA/SPL/Administrators Popular Front should have been targetting those families as they arrived at and left Hampden. Nothing was done. As an aside I don't see how chasing after the family spend equates to not respecting others that do not fit that demographic?

As for appealing to the SWM.....surely you mean just M.