Etihad atmosphere

[Mike1984]

The demographic of the modern football fan has changed these days as has society. When we were kids there was hardly any football on the tv and no internet. Match of the day was one main match and i think...i may be wrong,brief highlights of a second match.You couldn't see the goals or any highlights of any other match played.So if you didn't go to the game you missed what happened forever. The Sunday games were the same.One local match and i think they showed a couple of other regional games.

Going to the match was a big event,the highlight of the week.You weren't saturated with sites like these,you tube,a main football site.You got snippets from newspapers and the football pink and odd magazines like shoot and goal.So you were starved of football,you looked forward to going to the game. Kids now have so much more to do and occupy their time.A lot don't feel the same affinity and loyalty to clubs as the older fans do.As we age and die i worry slightly who takes our place.I took a selfie of myself in the South stand and posted it on facebook,saying ''Blue army!'' I got the piss ripped out of me by a lot of mates saying ''Old army!'' and when i looked at it almost everyone was over 50 in the vicinity!

On to the price thing.Football becomes a habit as much as everything.So the price for the weekend games when everyone wants to go a lot are priced out.They lose the buzz and habit of going to games.The clubs could make some league cup game against Hull on a winters night in November £1 for everyone and i still doubt they would sell out. People can't be bothered.They can see it for free on a dodgy internet stream,not have to brave the weather,the travel cost and chaos,some getting home at midnight when they have work in the morning.If the game is shit they can watch tv,stay warm,grab a drink when they want or switch off and go to bed. Times have changed and like our youth we can't rewind and go back there.Clubs either learn this and address it or attendances and atmosphere will continue to fall and fail.

This is very true all of what you said I'm in my 30's so not young or old but I do think our fan base is more on the older side a loyal hard core old following we need more 15 to 25 year old I think because alot of our fans are 40/50+ or very young I think that contributes to the atmosphere too it's been better this year than last year but still a long way to go so hopefully will pick up again like at the start of the season chelsea game etc was great

 

[paulchapo]

This is very true all of what you said I'm in my 30's so not young or old but I do think our fan base is more on the older side a loyal hard core old following we need more 15 to 25 year old I think because alot of our fans are 40/50+ or very young I think that contributes to the atmosphere too it's been better this year than last year but still a long way to go so hopefully will pick up again like at the start of the season chelsea game etc was great

Also Mike is when we were kids or older going to a game could be a last minute decision. At 13:30pm a group of us who may have been dithering about going to a game,sometimes because a couple of us were scratching around for the money,would suddenly decide to go.We would jump on a bus,queue up and pay at the turnstiles and we would all stand together and have a good crack.Now you would have to try and get a ticket and probably be split up all over the ground.That is also killing football and the camaraderie it brings.

 

[mrtwiceaseason]

Agreed. I'm not the oldest (30) but I still recognise guys who've been going long before I grew a hair on my chest with many in their 60's/70's now still attending.

Pricing is an issue.
People would attend more if pricing is consistent, rather than dirt cheap one week then sky high the next week. People have developed habits such as staying at home/in the pub and not going, and even if the ticket was free some people wouldn't be bothered.

I don't attend much aways now.
I'll only go to stadiums I've never been to before now to tick off the box (such as Juve away)
But won't be going to Stoke tomorrow.
This is a financial decision.

There are far too manual casual fans in this country now and this is the byproduct of the Murdoch Operation with Sky which resulted in people switching to their sofas.

The same has happened with the advent of better TV's BluRay and NetFlix which has resulted in less people attending Cinema (except for the big blockbusters which one could relate to a FA Cup Final/Derby Day)

There are people willing to go, just their habits need changing and this is achievable with a consistent, affordable pricing structure across the whole leagues and clubs... Such as the Twentys Plenty idea from The FSF

You raise a good point about make it up as you go prices ,people hear its£58 at city loose a bit of interest and then miss out on the £20 tickets.
Going to the game is a habit I missed a few through an eye op last year ,the first one bothered me but the more I missed, it seemed to matter less ,and providing I could watch the game on a stream you could see how watching 90 mins at home and having the rest of the day free could appeal

 

[mrtwiceaseason]

Also Mike is when we were kids or older going to a game could be a last minute decision. At 13:30pm a group of us who may have been dithering about going to a game,sometimes because a couple of us were scratching around for the money,would suddenly decide to go.We would jump on a bus,queue up and pay at the turnstiles and we would all stand together and have a good crack.Now you would have to try and get a ticket and probably be split up all over the ground.That is also killing football and the camaraderie it brings.

This this and this^^^
Totally explains why the atmosphere is crap at ALL games now a days.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

The demographic of the modern football fan has changed these days as has society. When we were kids there was hardly any football on the tv and no internet. Match of the day was one main match and i think...i may be wrong,brief highlights of a second match.You couldn't see the goals or any highlights of any other match played.So if you didn't go to the game you missed what happened forever. The Sunday games were the same.One local match and i think they showed a couple of other regional games.

Going to the match was a big event,the highlight of the week.You weren't saturated with sites like these,you tube,a main football site.You got snippets from newspapers and the football pink and odd magazines like shoot and goal.So you were starved of football,you looked forward to going to the game. Kids now have so much more to do and occupy their time.A lot don't feel the same affinity and loyalty to clubs as the older fans do.As we age and die i worry slightly who takes our place.I took a selfie of myself in the South stand and posted it on facebook,saying ''Blue army!'' I got the piss ripped out of me by a lot of mates saying ''Old army!'' and when i looked at it almost everyone was over 50 in the vicinity!

On to the price thing.Football becomes a habit as much as everything.So the price for the weekend games when everyone wants to go a lot are priced out.They lose the buzz and habit of going to games.The clubs could make some league cup game against Hull on a winters night in November £1 for everyone and i still doubt they would sell out. People can't be bothered.They can see it for free on a dodgy internet stream,not have to brave the weather,the travel cost and chaos,some getting home at midnight when they have work in the morning.If the game is shit they can watch tv,stay warm,grab a drink when they want or switch off and go to bed. Times have changed and like our youth we can't rewind and go back there.Clubs either learn this and address it or attendances and atmosphere will continue to fall and fail.

i dont think thats true. price is the biggest issue for most young people especially in the 21-25 bracket you talk about - they can't afford 40 odd quid for match day tickets or the cost of season tickets. look at germany cheaper tickets and the stands are full with younger people. habit and not going with mates is the biggest thing for me, a lot of people my age (21) dont go to the match and would rather go on a night out, tbh i dont blame them its cheap and you can have a laugh. if most the people your age dont go you tend to not swell.

 

[paulchapo]

This this and this^^^
Totally explains why the atmosphere is crap at ALL games now a days.

Unless safe standing comes back we will probably never see the likes again. Out of being able to do this new and long standing fans and friendships were born. We often talked some dithering kid with no real loyalties into ''Coming to the match'' for a laugh and they got hooked. Could you imagine it now? ''No...i am not a member so can't buy a ticket''.... Or ''it is sold out in the South stand i can only get one in the East stand it is £10 dearer and i will be on my own.'' You see the problem and where football misses out attracting new fans.

 

[mrtwiceaseason]

Unless safe standing comes back we will probably never see the likes again. Out of being able to do this new and long standing fans and friendships were born. We often talked some dithering kid with no real loyalties into ''Coming to the match'' for a laugh and they got hooked. Could you imagine it now? ''No...i am not a member so can't buy a ticket''.... Or ''it is sold out in the South stand i can only get one in the East stand it is £10 dearer and i will be on my own.'' You see the problem and where football misses out attracting new fans.

Agree with 99% of that but if you can't buy your ticket on the day or you are allocated a row or block I don't think safe standing would make a blind bit of difference

 

[Why Always Ste]

Some good points raised here highlighting how the Pricing, lack of ability to impulse buy and also stand with your mates contributes significantly to the atmosphere, and let's not hide from the fact here - we are one (if not the) oldest fanbases in the Premier League.
I'm stood in the Kippax Corner (112) and there are many people of my age but averagely its quite obviously in the mid 40's range.

Health and Safety/New Technology put a stop to the ability to gain entry on the last minute.

if some system was put in place which allowed people to gain entry on the matchday without a ticket and just pay
And they could be placed in a specific block and stand where they wanted - this would encourage more people.

Impulse buying is key here especially with the youth in our society.
They will gather together with mates, be more likely to let themselves go and piss about/sing songs.
A nightmare for ShowSec but it would generate newer fans.
Little Scrotes yes - but we all grow up right?

Make it widely known throughout gtr manchester, in all the local clubs Youth attend and so on that they can turn up at the etihad and there is a section for them to gain entry for a few quid.
Guaranteed it will be full every home match.

More needs to be examined regarding the Citizens scheme as well.. it's £30 or something right?
I know this has put some friends off as they don't want to pay £30 when they may not even go to one or two games a season.

Youth should be able to watch the matches without having to buy some kind of membership.

City make enough money from the TV deals anyway to even turn around and say: fuck it, all the kids on all the estates around harpurhey/longsight/newton heath and so on can gain free entry.

But I'm confident in knowing this wouldn't happen as City would rather have a few thousand more prawn sandwich corporates in the stadium than some council estate kids.

 

[mancityvstoke]

Some good points raised here highlighting how the Pricing, lack of ability to impulse buy and also stand with your mates contributes significantly to the atmosphere, and let's not hide from the fact here - we are one (if not the) oldest fanbases in the Premier League.
I'm stood in the Kippax Corner (112) and there are many people of my age but averagely its quite obviously in the mid 40's range.

Health and Safety/New Technology put a stop to the ability to gain entry on the last minute.

if some system was put in place which allowed people to gain entry on the matchday without a ticket and just pay
And they could be placed in a specific block and stand where they wanted - this would encourage more people.

Impulse buying is key here especially with the youth in our society.
They will gather together with mates, be more likely to let themselves go and piss about/sing songs.
A nightmare for ShowSec but it would generate newer fans.
Little Scrotes yes - but we all grow up right?

Make it widely known throughout gtr manchester, in all the local clubs Youth attend and so on that they can turn up at the etihad and there is a section for them to gain entry for a few quid.
Guaranteed it will be full every home match.

More needs to be examined regarding the Citizens scheme as well.. it's £30 or something right?
I know this has put some friends off as they don't want to pay £30 when they may not even go to one or two games a season.

Youth should be able to watch the matches without having to buy some kind of membership.

City make enough money from the TV deals anyway to even turn around and say: fuck it, all the kids on all the estates around harpurhey/longsight/newton heath and so on can gain free entry.

But I'm confident in knowing this wouldn't happen as City would rather have a few thousand more prawn sandwich corporates in the stadium than some council estate kids.

It won't happen.......we used to pay on the turnstiles in the old days......it ended in mass scrapping honest

 

[Big Blue Mick]

I'm sure I read somewhere that when the premier league started the average age of a matchgoing fan was 24, it is now 42 and probably going to go even higher. It's the same everywhere and impacts on the atmosphere. The natural cycle for a young blue was get taken by your dad/grandad in the Platt Lane or North Stand until you hit teenage years then get cut loose with your mates on the Kippax. A load of young lads stood together every week generating noise and as paulchapo said you would drag your non blue mates along on the spur of the moment and they would love it. It's gone forever and I'm not sure what the answer is. Its a matchday experience now and not going the game with your mates. Going watching City away in the champions league is like going on a Saga holiday and that is worrying for the future.