Daily Mail Article (Pep allegedly wants improved atmosphere)

[jrb]

Well this article is true as I was at one of the fan meetings this week. The club have teamed up with MMU to look at what can be done. The consensus was pretty much what was being said on here for years, in that it isn't just one thing but an accumulation of things (ticket prices, standing, stewards, beer, cheese, not having an end, tourists etc).

And no I didn't blab to the Mail.

Can you tell us anymore, Second Skin, or did you have to sign a non-disclosure agreement? :-)

Would be interesting to read what angle the club are coming from, and what you all said to the club.

That aside, the club reads BM, so they must know the level of discontent, apathy, and frustration on the terraces at the way the club is being run, and the on-going issues pissing the fans off.

 

[CityFan94]

Pep's right, but it won't change until the club stop fleecing the fans rather than connecting with them.

Stupidly high ticket prices, ridiculous schemes, too much emphasis on a 'matchday experience'. It's a game of football and should be £20 a ticket.

The working class are being priced out of football then people are confused why the atmosphere has gone. Makes you wonder how smart these people really are when they can't figure it out.

 

[city2]

Don't open the exit till the 93rd minute problem sorted.its peoples choices to leave for whatever reason it happens at every ground at every game.I've seen opposition fans leave in the early stages of the second half, the one that still gives me the most pleasure is the rags when we battered them 1-6 now that was fans embarrassing the club.

 

[wahablue]

Another example of our superb media,journalism at its finest,not one bloody quote.Editor to whoever,"Can you do a few paragraphs,half a page long,,slagging City or their fans".No problem,give me five minutes,then I will see you in the pub,says the scribbler.

 

[Kazzydeyna]

Shit journalism.

Watch out for the "Aguero to Madrid/Barcelona/Bayern for £25m" stories over the next few days. And/or "Jesus is struggling to adapt to life in Manchester".

There's a cup semi and a derby coming up remember. It's the same thing every year.

Ignore it.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

There are lots of things the club could do to help the atmosphere. Transport is one so they should, if necessary, pay for more trams to be available after a game if that's what it takes. They also need to look at exit arrangements for pedestrians and the official car parks. Personally I'd shut all the bars, including those inside the ground, 15 minutes before kick-off and not open them again. Half-time should be for going to the toilet and nothing else in my opinion.

But the key point is ticket pricing and the age demographic. Talking to one of my neighbours the other day and noticed her 17 year old son, who'd she''s just picked up from playing or training, had City shorts on. I asked if he went and she said he couldn't afford it any more after he passed 16. We need look at pricing and how we get and keep younger fans involved, who are most likely to generate an atmosphere and they need to know where to go in the ground to do that.

But as we've seen from them selling tickets to tourists for big away games and the increasing expansion of corporate areas, this money-grubbing club is now more interested in making a few quid from those prepared to pay at the expense of those prepared to actually support the team vocally through thick and thin.

 

[Second Skin]

Can you tell us anymore, Second Skin, or did you have to sign a non-disclosure agreement? :-)

Would be interesting to read what angle the club are coming from, and what you all said to the club.

That aside, the club reads BM, so they must know the level of discontent, apathy, and frustration on the terraces at the way the club is being run, and the on-going issues pissing the fans off.

I'll tell you what I can, but my brother is one of the MMU researchers running it as well (also a blue).

They were holding three groups, one was males who had been to Maine Rd and Etihad, the same but with females and another for people who had only gone to the Etihad. It was very much an open discussion and listening exercise with some specific questions to move the discussion along.

We talked about what is a good atmosphere, when we had experienced it, what it is like compared to Maine Rd, what hinders atmosphere, what could be done to improve it, stadium design and areas around the stadium.

The type of issues that we brought up were very much what has been said in this thread (echoing your posts):

Costs - ticket, beer, food, merchandise
Access - getting in/out
Stewarding
Areas around stadium - singing section, family stand
City Sq and the impact
Concourse
Safe standing and having an end
Etc


My understanding is that the researchers will collate the feedback and along with other work they are doing and put a proposal to the club.

I found it a positive experience in that the club recognises the problem and are looking at doing something about it.


I am off to do some shopping in Cheetham Hill (curry supplies) so will answer anything else when I get back

 

[GortonBlue62]

Me i leave because i pay the direct debit every month aand if i choose to leave 5mins earlier then i will.

It's your choice of course, but I'm genuinely interested in why you leave early.

It's a live event and often the outcome is decided in those last 10 minutes, why not stay and experience it?
Why not applaud the team off (whatever the score)?
If you go to a film or a play, do you leave early?
Why not just stay at home and get a subscription to Sky or BT?

(I'm not trying to be antagonistic, I just don't understand.)

 

[slicky202]

A atmosphere isn't just there it's a build up of a thousand different bits that come together to get that atmosphere. Club needs to look at what they can do to help rather than just throwing silly statements at the fans

 

[dickie davies]

The whole staying until the end situation won't change unless the Metrolink put on double if not treble the amount of trams going to and from the ground, which will never happen as other parts of Manchester will be left with huge public queues.
Also you can't really do much about the roads around the ground, the whole setup around the ground just isn't capable and built for the amount of traffic it has to bear on match-days.

Leaving early will be worse next season due to the new parking restrictions for up to three miles from the stadium