Growing fan base

[Topper 123]

Is it me or is our fan base steadily growing season after season , do you think it’s because of the quality of teams dropping from prem ie this season still a possibility of Leeds/ Everton / West Ham joining Southampton and with Ipswich and Plymouth coming up Next season looks very appealing.

season ticket sales on the up 

COYR 

[22A]

It may of course be that those interested in football realise there's oly one team in Bristol!

[Silvio Dante]

Just now, Magger1 said:

Is it me or is our fan base steadily growing season after season , do you think it’s because of the quality of teams dropping from prem ie this season still a possibility of Leeds/ Everton / West Ham joining Southampton and with Ipswich and Plymouth coming up Next season looks very appealing.

season ticket sales on the up 

COYR 

I think what you have to look at is the nature of the experience and cost. When I started going in the 80s it was standing and piss soaked terraces. It’s now a good, family experience in a pleasant stadium and kids tickets are less than a fiver a game on season tickets. When my son was mascot a few years back my parents in law came - they were expecting something a bit more ramshackle but enjoyed the overall experience hugely.

It’s now a day which people enjoy. And once you enjoy the day you come more and more frequently.

Compare and contrast to Rovers and you get the idea. I’d be adamant we’re picking up a vast majority of new as opposed to legacy fans

[Major Isewater]

It’s interesting to see. Even in our successful moments getting promotion to the top flight Alan Dicks criticised the apathetic Bristol public and hoped that we would turn up to support the team. 
We have successfully avoided any Premier league unpleasantness and with only snippets of cup glory and some success of getting promoted into the division we seem to have a swollen fan base ( oh matron! ) 

Is it because the population of Bristol is growing ? The top class match day experience at the Gate? I think the club have been working very hard in the community and this appears to be bearing fruit. A ‘family’ club if you like. There is something building at the club and I believe people sense it. 

[Topper 123]

4 minutes ago, Silvio Dante said:

I think what you have to look at is the nature of the experience and cost. When I started going in the 80s it was standing and piss soaked terraces. It’s now a good, family experience in a pleasant stadium and kids tickets are less than a fiver a game on season tickets. When my son was mascot a few years back my parents in law came - they were expecting something a bit more ramshackle but enjoyed the overall experience hugely.

It’s now a day which people enjoy. And once you enjoy the day you come more and more frequently.

Compare and contrast to Rovers and you get the idea. I’d be adamant we’re picking up a vast majority of new as opposed to legacy fans

Yes I think your probably right the experience of a good family day out along with the fact there’s no trouble at football nowadays families are trying and enjoying and then spreading the word Steve Lansdown has built a magical stadium and once the team click it will be near on impossible to get a ticket unless your renewing 

[Super]

I think we have Lee Johnson to thank it all took off after beating Man U.

[Major Isewater]

9 minutes ago, Super said:

I think we have Lee Johnson to thank it all took off after beating Man U.

[Winterstoke toad]

The fan base has definitely grown over the last few years and not trying to be critical but it could be a hell of a lot bigger if we didn’t have the most expensive home non Member tickets in the efl ( By about £10 in most the ground 

Edited May 4, 2023 by Winterstoke toad

[Kid in the Riot]

Been noticeable in recent years to me, having kids going through school not far from AG, at how many kids and parents go to City who support/supported other clubs before they moved to the area.

I know City season ticket holders/regular attendees who support: Sheff Wed, Wycombe, Spurs, Torquay United, Bristol Rovers, Leeds, Newcastle, Arsenal and Cardiff City to name a few. 

I think because it's such a good and safe experience at AG, and through the work of Bristol Sport in local schools and sports clubs, we've tapped into an entire new demographic of fanbase.

This particular aspect of the club has been a huge success. 

[cidered abroad]

2 hours ago, Super said:

I think we have Lee Johnson to thank it all took off after beating Man U.

You really are joking! We were second in the league after the Manure win.

Followed quickly by a stupid and inept defeat by Wolves after leading their ten men with 20 minutes to go.

Ignoring the Semi Final defeat by Man City, didn't we gather a magnificent total of 11 points from the next SIXTY NINE on offer!

Any other club in the country would have dispensed their manager. But not BCFC. Oh no he was still here a couple of years later, still bumbling along.

 

[2015]

I remember the days of 10k in League 1 being generally the average. Our support has grown exponentially since those days. I think Football clubs across the UK that are not traditionally 'big' clubs are seeing a recent surge in supporter growth in recent seasons. 

The chance to watch live football is far more worth the money than a sky tv package to most families. The matchday experience is massive for this demographic.

I also think regarding City, we've always had a fairly large following, not necessarily attendees though. 

[Selred]

Good “experience” ground, well priced kids tickets (especially season tickets), growing city, also the fact we are Championship so a better quality of game. 

[TheReds]

11 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

Ignoring the Semi Final defeat by Man City, didn't we gather a magnificent total of 11 points from the next SIXTY NINE on offer!

Where exactly did you get that stat from?

After the second Man City defeat we got 13 points from our next 11 League games:, so unsure where you are getting 11 points from 23 games?

QPR W

Bolton L

Sunderland D

Leeds D

Fulham D

Cardiff L

Sheff W W

Preston L

Burton D

Ipswich W

[cidered abroad]

6 minutes ago, TheReds said:

Where exactly did you get that stat from?

After the second Man City defeat we got 13 points from our next 11 League games:, so unsure where you are getting 11 points from 23 games?

QPR W

Bolton L

Sunderland D

Leeds D

Fulham D

Cardiff L

Sheff W W

Preston L

Burton D

Ipswich W

I might have the season wrong. It could have been the season before or the one after. That manager, and I use the word loosely, had these very long periods of minimal points gathering almost every season.

And he certainly has not had any influence on the increases over the last two years. Those are due to the  management of Pearson and Gould. And the use of our own Academy boys instead of loaning them all out and buying expensive Premier league reserves.

 

Edited May 4, 2023 by cidered abroad

[Rudolf Hucker]

11 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

I know City season ticket holders/regular attendees who support: Sheff Wed, Wycombe, Spurs, Torquay United, Bristol Rovers, Leeds, Newcastle, Arsenal and Cardiff City to name a few

I guess that the 15er who regularly watches City home matches at least doesn’t have to keep checking his phone to see how we’re getting on. 

[Leveller]

8 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

I might have the season wrong. It could have been the season before or the one after. That manager, and I use the word loosely, had these very long periods of minimal points gathering almost every season.

 

Yeah, don’t let any actual facts intrude on your irrational hatred.

[Super]

48 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

You really are joking! We were second in the league after the Manure win.

Followed quickly by a stupid and inept defeat by Wolves after leading their ten men with 20 minutes to go.

Ignoring the Semi Final defeat by Man City, didn't we gather a magnificent total of 11 points from the next SIXTY NINE on offer!

Any other club in the country would have dispensed their manager. But not BCFC. Oh no he was still here a couple of years later, still bumbling along.

 

I was joking i meant Mark Ashton...

[Port Said Red]

I am worried how these figures will be dwarfed when the Gas announce how many they have sold so far, to great fanfare no doubt. 

Didn't they boast they had sold 500 more this season after a promotion season, like it was some huge achievement?

[Barrs Court Red]

I’ve said it before, but one of the things SL has got 100% right is attracting fans of the future. From giving away 1000s if not 10000s of tickets to schools over the years, to extremely well priced kids tickets  this had born fruit.

I remember when 12k was a good Gate, we now shift more than that in Season tickets.  

The stadium and matchday transport lends itself to bringing the family.  

[mozo]

2 minutes ago, Barrs Court Red said:

I’ve said it before, but one of the things SL has got 100% right is attracting fans of the future. From giving away 1000s if not 10000s of tickets to schools over the years, to extremely well priced kids tickets  this had born fruit.

I remember when 12k was a good Gate, we now shift more than that in Season tickets.  

The stadium and matchday transport lends itself to bringing the family.  

So really both Steve and Jon deserve the credit

[Bristol Oil Services]

25 minutes ago, Barrs Court Red said:

I’ve said it before, but one of the things SL has got 100% right is attracting fans of the future. From giving away 1000s if not 10000s of tickets to schools over the years, to extremely well priced kids tickets  this had born fruit.

I remember when 12k was a good Gate, we now shift more than that in Season tickets.  

The stadium and matchday transport lends itself to bringing the family.  

 

22 minutes ago, mozo said:

So really both Steve and Jon deserve the credit

Well, there's also a wider trend across the country with attendances high at all levels, including sub L2. People are just going to football in numbers everywhere currently. 

Whisper it, but Rovers are getting as many, or more, at third tier level than we got under Osman in the second tier. Which tells you something (but not necessarily what a Fewer might tell you)

[myol'man]

In my 50 years or so of supporting City, we get, on average, one successful season per decade. So it's coming soon! Then the numbers will really take off.

You can understand why potential investors are concerned about the size of the stadium. 

[Sleepy1968]

1 hour ago, Rudolf Hucker said:

I guess that the 15er who regularly watches City home matches at least doesn’t have to keep checking his phone to see how we’re getting on. 

I think I've seen him wandering around with a mallet, muttering something about guy ropes and tent pegs.

You can take the deluded from the Mem, but you can't take the Mem from the deluded.

[cidered abroad]

52 minutes ago, Bristol Oil Services said:

 

Well, there's also a wider trend across the country with attendances high at all levels, including sub L2. People are just going to football in numbers everywhere currently. 

Whisper it, but Rovers are getting as many, or more, at third tier level than we got under Osman in the second tier. Which tells you something (but not necessarily what a Fewer might tell you)

Osman was a manager? Not in my book!

[Mr Popodopolous]

Been growing in the wider game since the low point of the mid 1980s.

Here I would say definitely it has been, when I started following it was 10-15k average, now it is 20k.

Also have to factor in how attendances are counted now too and again this is a game wide all tickets sold vs all actual in attendance- clubs will have both figures.

[cidered abroad]

43 minutes ago, myol'man said:

In my 50 years or so of supporting City, we get, on average, one successful season per decade. So it's coming soon! Then the numbers will really take off.

You can understand why potential investors are concerned about the size of the stadium. 

Only problem is we also have had one drop per ten years.

PS. Except for the 1980's when we went mad with three drops

Also the first team to go from First to Fourth Division in three seasons. One of which we had the Gas for company. And in 1990 we both went up in the same division. I have never been able to find any provincial city, IE outside of Greater London, which has had both it's clubs promoted and relegated in the same league and same season.

 

[cidered abroad]

7 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Been growing in the wider game since the low point of the mid 1980s.

Here I would say definitely it has been, when I started following it was 10-15k average, now it is 20k.

Also have to factor in how attendances are counted now too and again this is a game wide all tickets sold vs all actual in attendance- clubs will have both figures.

Attendances may have been higher before all seating and no payment at turnstiles, due to fiddling by every stage of the chain - turnstile operator through to Board Room.

[Mr Popodopolous]

1 minute ago, cidered abroad said:

Attendances may have been higher before all seating and no payment at turnstiles, due to fiddling by every stage of the chain - turnstile operator through to Board Room.

Yep that too, lots of little things all add to it but during the 1980s attendances fell for a host of reasons across the country without a doubt and it did take longer to recover. Some of the mid to late 1990s ones are startlingly low.

Edited May 4, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[Ron W]

6 hours ago, Silvio Dante said:

I think what you have to look at is the nature of the experience and cost. When I started going in the 80s it was standing and piss soaked terraces. It’s now a good, family experience in a pleasant stadium and kids tickets are less than a fiver a game on season tickets. When my son was mascot a few years back my parents in law came - they were expecting something a bit more ramshackle but enjoyed the overall experience hugely.

It’s now a day which people enjoy. And once you enjoy the day you come more and more frequently.

Compare and contrast to Rovers and you get the idea. I’d be adamant we’re picking up a vast majority of new as opposed to legacy fans

I'm not an SL apologist but if this is his legacy over Premier League football, it's not a bad one to have.

[Street red]

Our season ticket for championship football is very good I know a regular season ticket at Weymouth is £320 to put that into perspective, So by our prices the fan base continues to increase.

[luke_bristol]

2 hours ago, TheReds said:

Where exactly did you get that stat from?

After the second Man City defeat we got 13 points from our next 11 League games:, so unsure where you are getting 11 points from 23 games?

QPR W

Bolton L

Sunderland D

Leeds D

Fulham D

Cardiff L

Sheff W W

Preston L

Burton D

Ipswich W

6 points against Sheffield does skew the stats somewhat 

Edited May 4, 2023 by luke_bristol

[Victory Park Reds]

I our home support is decent but I just wish we would take as many away as the funny people.(laugh)

Despite Marvellous Marvin and his gas head side kick trying to stop us getting to the South Bristol fun factory (parking issues/roads closed for months zero public transport)we manage to get there eventually.It’s what we do.

Fair play to everyone renewing their season tickets in these difficult time.coyr

[2015]

I think, talking to a lot of Bristolians (majority of City fans) on matchdays makes me think that a lot of our fanbase don't know the extent that our local support goes to. We have a big following in Somerset and parts of North and West Wiltshire and when I say where i'm from (Wilts) it's always met with surprise from our fans who are actually from Bristol. Bristol is in an area that means that within 20-25 miles we still have a big catchment area for fans. 

[Sir Colby-Tit]

7 hours ago, Magger1 said:

Is it me or is our fan base steadily growing season after season 

I've noticed it too. Personally, I blame pies, cakes, cider, and a lack of exercise 

[Kid in the Riot]

1 hour ago, Street red said:

Our season ticket for championship football is very good I know a regular season ticket at Weymouth is £320 to put that into perspective, So by our prices the fan base continues to increase.

Season ticket in National League south at Taunton next season is just over £300 I think

[Kodjias Wrist]

3 hours ago, myol'man said:

In my 50 years or so of supporting City, we get, on average, one successful season per decade. So it's coming soon! Then the numbers will really take off.

You can understand why potential investors are concerned about the size of the stadium. 

Where has it been said that the size of our stadium effects our investment? 

[W-S-M Seagull]

I think it's important for the club to remember that there is still lots more that can be done. 

Whilst kids tickets are cheap it still remains expensive for a family to take kids to a football game. Food and drink prices are ridiculously high. Yes OK it's a choice whether to buy food or drink but when you have kids nagging it can be hard to say no. 

Maybe they could look at introducing an affordable meal deal for kids? Chips, sausage, drink, couple of quid and cost pennies to make. 

[cidered abroad]

5 minutes ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

I think it's important for the club to remember that there is still lots more that can be done. 

Whilst kids tickets are cheap it still remains expensive for a family to take kids to a football game. Food and drink prices are ridiculously high. Yes OK it's a choice whether to buy food or drink but when you have kids nagging it can be hard to say no. 

Maybe they could look at introducing an affordable meal deal for kids? Chips, sausage, drink, couple of quid and cost pennies to make. 

Do the kids really need to feed and drink at a match? It's usually played between lunch and dinner time ( in old money, dinner and tea) so if they are stuffing calories down. No wonder that many of the young of today are overweight. I've survived to a month away from 80th without a pot belly from eating or drinking even water at a City match when I was growing up!

[weepywall]

AG is a great modern stadium with fantastic facilities, it's a safe, enjoyable ground that appeals to families, season ticket prices are good value aswell. Our home support has stood up really well all things considered. I struggle to think of a better set up in the Championship. I read a lot of comments from Burnley fans last week saying it was the best away ground they had visited all season and they hope to visit again soon ( in the Premier league obviously) if we were to make a serious assault on promotion I think we would be getting 25k every home game and if promoted we would sell out every home game and I don't mean to sound like a Gashead  with that statement  

[spudski]

1 hour ago, 2015 said:

I think, talking to a lot of Bristolians (majority of City fans) on matchdays makes me think that a lot of our fanbase don't know the extent that our local support goes to. We have a big following in Somerset and parts of North and West Wiltshire and when I say where i'm from (Wilts) it's always met with surprise from our fans who are actually from Bristol. Bristol is in an area that means that within 20-25 miles we still have a big catchment area for fans. 

From my experience,there are many City supporters in the Suburbs. Sadly the ones I know, don't go as often anymore. 

It's not down to price...but the ball ache in getting there and back. 

It's now a day out. Where in the past it could be an afternoon/evening entertainment. 

If parking and public transport was better...I'm sure far more would be in attendance on a regular basis. 

[Loosey Boy]

I’d be surprised and disappointed if we don’t have 15k-plus ST holders next season……especially if we make some early summer signings.

Hope I don’t regret saying it but…..I’m really looking forward to next season and seeing how we do, having given Nige some money to spend 

[redysteadygo]

6 hours ago, cidered abroad said:

You really are joking! We were second in the league after the Manure win.

Followed quickly by a stupid and inept defea Followedt by Wolves after leading their ten men with 20 minutes to go.

Ignoring the Semi Final defeat by Man City, didn't we gather a magnificent total of 11 points from the next SIXTY NINE on offer!

Any other club in the country would have dispensed their manager. But not BCFC. Oh no he was still here a couple of years later, still bumbling along.

 

Please don't keep reminding me of this debacle who heft me the most depressed I have ever been leaving a football ground.

[W-S-M Seagull]

1 hour ago, spudski said:

From my experience,there are many City supporters in the Suburbs. Sadly the ones I know, don't go as often anymore. 

It's not down to price...but the ball ache in getting there and back. 

It's now a day out. Where in the past it could be an afternoon/evening entertainment. 

If parking and public transport was better...I'm sure far more would be in attendance on a regular basis. 

I'm surprised they don't run a coach or two up from these parts. The support down here is huge. 

I used to either get the bus or the train but busses stop turning up and I got fed up of checking if the trains were on strike so I just drive up now. 

Bloody annoying now that they've turned one of the lanes on the a370 into a bus lane. Kinda ironic too considering the busses rarely turn up.

[Bris Red]

25 minutes ago, Loosey Boy said:

I’d be surprised and disappointed if we don’t have 15k-plus ST holders next season……especially if we make some early summer signings.

Hope I don’t regret saying it but…..I’m really looking forward to next season and seeing how we do, having given Nige some money to spend 

I can definitely see us hitting over 15k ST holders next season which would be a decent effort.

I’ve said it before and i’ll say it again to have the 8th highest home attendance in the division considering the absolute dross that has been served up at times over the past few season is fantastic. 
 

20 k home attendances are the norm for us now which shows how far we have come over the last decade or so. If we are pushing for play-offs in this league as we have seen over the years we can easily get 25k plus on a regularly basis aswell..
 

 

Edited May 4, 2023 by Bris Red

[redysteadygo]

16 minutes ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

I'm surprised they don't run a coach or two up from these parts. The support down here is huge. 

I used to either get the bus or the train but busses stop turning up and I got fed up of checking if the trains were on strike so I just drive up now. 

Bloody annoying now that they've turned one of the lanes on the a370 into a bus lane. Kinda ironic too considering the busses rarely turn up.

I catch the X1 that comes from W-S-M and don't find it aproblem.

[leader]

How many season tickets have we sold anyone know 

[weepywall]

13 minutes ago, leader said:

How many season tickets have we sold anyone know 

Think they were saying it was 11000 odd on Saturday 

[Bristol Oil Services]

5 hours ago, cidered abroad said:

Osman was a manager? Not in my book!

He was driving a Daimler

[myol'man]

5 hours ago, cidered abroad said:

Attendances may have been higher before all seating and no payment at turnstiles, due to fiddling by every stage of the chain - turnstile operator through to Board Room.

Still goes on not far from here.....allegedly

[sglosbcfc]

Nobody has mentioned the brilliant idea of giving a City shirt away with junior season tickets. I have three kids and watching them train and play in what was regarded traditional Gas territory, I'm always pleasantly surprised by the number of City shirts I see.  The free shirts have made a great difference and you see far more City shirts than you do Rovers, Man Utd, Liverpool, Barca, PSG etc.

[Kodjias Wrist]

14 hours ago, spudski said:

From my experience,there are many City supporters in the Suburbs. Sadly the ones I know, don't go as often anymore. 

It's not down to price...but the ball ache in getting there and back. 

It's now a day out. Where in the past it could be an afternoon/evening entertainment. 

If parking and public transport was better...I'm sure far more would be in attendance on a regular basis. 

Yes living in Bradley Stoke / Stoke Gifford area which is a huge city supported area, its difficult to get to and from the ground easily. A patchway train takes about 13mins to get to Parsons street however the issue on weekend and weeknight is the frequency of direct trains back!

[Barrs Court Red]

3 minutes ago, Kodjias Wrist said:

Yes living in Bradley Stoke / Stoke Gifford area which is a huge city supported area, its difficult to get to and from the ground easily. A patchway train takes about 13mins to get to Parsons street however the issue on weekend and weeknight is the frequency of direct trains back!

I can’t understand why they don’t run special metro bus services on a matchday,  preferably that run straight through rather than needing a change. 
 

As it is, the options from east Bristol are Bris P&R which is direct (and really good) or Metro Bus, needing at least one change and not running on an evening. 

[The Gasbuster]

18 minutes ago, Kodjias Wrist said:

Yes living in Bradley Stoke / Stoke Gifford area which is a huge city supported area, its difficult to get to and from the ground easily. A patchway train takes about 13mins to get to Parsons street however the issue on weekend and weeknight is the frequency of direct trains back!

I use the M1 and M2 metrobus for all games now, easy journey to and from AG. The new M4 metrobus has opened up a route for those living in Stoke Gifford as well.

M2 stops around 9.30 pm unfortunately, so night games means picking up M1 at Parson Street.

[spudski]

19 minutes ago, Kodjias Wrist said:

Yes living in Bradley Stoke / Stoke Gifford area which is a huge city supported area, its difficult to get to and from the ground easily. A patchway train takes about 13mins to get to Parsons street however the issue on weekend and weeknight is the frequency of direct trains back!

Exactly the same for the many fans in Sodbury and Yate. Reliability and frequency/times of public transport...or the ball ache of driving, and finding parking without it being full of stress. 

[ExiledAjax]

13 hours ago, Loosey Boy said:

15k-plus ST holders next season

 

13 hours ago, Bris Red said:

15k ST holders

15,000 STs at the start of the season would be huge. At the start of this season we had just under 13,500, so it would be an 11% increase. Couple that with the rise in prices and we'd have a pretty big bump in ST revenue.

I'd be cautious though as that is a big, big jump. Personally I suspect the Club would be happy to get 14,000 or more, then assuming we shift a few hundred half STs in the winter (although that's very dependent on league position) we'd have a very healthy number of STs this time next season.

Still quite a way off needing to expand the stadium though - remember that the total figures expressed for home attendances include both absent ST holders and away fans. I expect our true realistic average home gate is something around 17,500. Which don't get me wrong is brilliant, but it's a way off the level needed for expansion.

[Kodjias Wrist]

15 minutes ago, spudski said:

Exactly the same for the many fans in Sodbury and Yate. Reliability and frequency/times of public transport...or the ball ache of driving, and finding parking without it being full of stress. 

Parking has always been an issue since cumberland basin was double yellowed. Years ago you could park in the Aldi car park but now you have to find parking off of North Street somehwhere.

[spudski]

3 minutes ago, Kodjias Wrist said:

Parking has always been an issue since cumberland basin was double yellowed. Years ago you could park in the Aldi car park but now you have to find parking off of North Street somehwhere.

Yes, it always has been an ' issue' but you could always find somewhere to park. But since the parking restrictions on streets, it's nigh on impossible. 

[cidercity1987]

I'm the biggest attendance geek on here but I miss the days when I could rock up on Smyth Road at 14.55

[Betty Swallocks]

52 minutes ago, Kodjias Wrist said:

Yes living in Bradley Stoke / Stoke Gifford area which is a huge city supported area, its difficult to get to and from the ground easily. A patchway train takes about 13mins to get to Parsons street however the issue on weekend and weeknight is the frequency of direct trains back!

This would definitely be something that was popular. 
 

Maybe one to ask on Jerry’s (who’s a north Bristol bloke himself) sub-forum. 

[Davefevs]

13k+ STs sold so far.

[Bris Red]

41 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

 

15,000 STs at the start of the season would be huge. At the start of this season we had just under 13,500, so it would be an 11% increase. Couple that with the rise in prices and we'd have a pretty big bump in ST revenue.

I'd be cautious though as that is a big, big jump. Personally I suspect the Club would be happy to get 14,000 or more, then assuming we shift a few hundred half STs in the winter (although that's very dependent on league position) we'd have a very healthy number of STs this time next season.

Still quite a way off needing to expand the stadium though - remember that the total figures expressed for home attendances include both absent ST holders and away fans. I expect our true realistic average home gate is something around 17,500. Which don't get me wrong is brilliant, but it's a way off the level needed for expansion.

True, but in reality irrespective of if people physically turn up or not those seats are sold and can’t be released back into general sale.

I suppose the club will look at if things do go well next season and we are up around the top 6 (a big if i know!) then that's when the capacity does start to come into question.. 

[Red-Robbo]

Most seats where I sit are occupied by SC holders, but there are a couple that are free near our group, and I sometime chat to the people occupying them.

This season, we've had a Bristol Uni student from Southport who is a Liverpool fan but told me City are becoming his "second team" and his gf (for whom AG was her first visit to a match); a dad and son from Westbury in Wilts who had also never watched live football at this level and who were really enthused; two blokes in IT - one of whom had moved to Bristol from Kent - and who were new City fans, and a guy from Canada who had ancestors in Bristol and decided to watch a match on his visit to the UK.  Toronto FC were his main club, but he said he was going to try to watch City whenever he came to the UK.

A very unscientific sample, but it suggests that better facilities, a safer environment, larger crowds and second tier football is attracting those who've moved to or study in Bristol. We are building that fanbase.

Let's face it, if you were a neutral and you fancy watching a game in Bristol whatcha gonna do? Ashton  Gate or go to a set of embarrassing tents and temporary stands, eat stale crisps and unidentified flat fizzy pop while watching a team of on-loan cloggers, managed by an egotistical psychopath.

[ExiledAjax]

18 minutes ago, Bris Red said:

True, but in reality irrespective of if people physically turn up or not those seats are sold and can’t be released back into general sale.

I suppose the club will look at if things do go well next season and we are up around the top 6 (a big if i know!) then that's when the capacity does start to come into question.. 

If we're top 6 in January 2024 and look reasonably likely to make a play off push then I think you'd see at least 1,000 half STs sold (I'd probably buy one and I live 150 miles from AG). Were we to actually get promoted then (subject to pricing) yeh I expect we'd shift something like 17,500 - everyone would renew and I guess you'd see a decent number of new sign ups.

That first season up in the top flight I think we would see sell outs for all of the "Big 6" home games, and we'd get pretty close for the other 13 games.

I'd just add that personally I would rather we sold out AG as it is than add another 10,000 seats and only fill 80% of it. I went to the King Power the other day (32,000 cap) and it was full

[elhombrecito]

 

 

[Winterstoke toad]

17 hours ago, 2015 said:

I think, talking to a lot of Bristolians (majority of City fans) on matchdays makes me think that a lot of our fanbase don't know the extent that our local support goes to. We have a big following in Somerset and parts of North and West Wiltshire and when I say where i'm from (Wilts) it's always met with surprise from our fans who are actually from Bristol. Bristol is in an area that means that within 20-25 miles we still have a big catchment area for fans. 

There’s a fair few of us here in north Wiltshire. Bristols closer to parts of north Wiltshire than Swindon so around here there’s lots of us city fans but also prem plastics who would end up supporting City if they ever got to the prem .

[Red-Robbo]

I think plastics is just something you have to accept if you get sustained top-flight success.

I love how you get West Country Liverpool fans (who tend to be aged in their 50s and 40s), West Country Man U fans (40s and late 30s) and you are starting to see some West Country schoolkids identifying as Man City fans. Hell, there are even some 60-year-old West Country "Leeds fans" and I know one old-bloke in his 70s who has rarely travelled further north than Radstock, but who supports WBA, the big team when he first got into football in the mid-1950s. 

[Topper 123]

21 hours ago, Street red said:

Our season ticket for championship football is very good I know a regular season ticket at Weymouth is £320 to put that into perspective, So by our prices the fan base continues to increase.

Well today we’ve passed through the 13000 at pace but I think there’s still a trick missed and that’s the half season ticket , obviously you’ve fans that cannot afford to commit to £40 p/m for a season ticket or pull out £380 in one hit but a half ticket at £180 could entice a few more or even a 8 game batch it can’t be hard to load a card up with 8 passes on usable whenever, handy for people who can’t commit due to work commitment, just a thought for the club to get money up front and fans to get a decent match ticket price and ease of entry

[Davefevs]

48 minutes ago, Magger1 said:

Well today we’ve passed through the 13000 at pace but I think there’s still a trick missed and that’s the half season ticket , obviously you’ve fans that cannot afford to commit to £40 p/m for a season ticket or pull out £380 in one hit but a half ticket at £180 could entice a few more or even a 8 game batch it can’t be hard to load a card up with 8 passes on usable whenever, handy for people who can’t commit due to work commitment, just a thought for the club to get money up front and fans to get a decent match ticket price and ease of entry

Think recruitment will help drive ST sales too (or do the complete opposite)!

[Sleepy1968]

1 hour ago, Magger1 said:

Well today we’ve passed through the 13000 at pace but I think there’s still a trick missed and that’s the half season ticket , obviously you’ve fans that cannot afford to commit to £40 p/m for a season ticket or pull out £380 in one hit but a half ticket at £180 could entice a few more or even a 8 game batch it can’t be hard to load a card up with 8 passes on usable whenever, handy for people who can’t commit due to work commitment, just a thought for the club to get money up front and fans to get a decent match ticket price and ease of entry

Re half season tickets - might cannibalise the full season ticket sales a bit.

But if they offer this and similar to your suggestions nearer the start of the season to members, then I think it could drive some extra sales.

[CyderInACan]

5 hours ago, Red-Robbo said:

Let's face it, if you were a neutral and you fancy watching a game in Bristol whatcha gonna do? Ashton  Gate or go to a set of embarrassing tents and temporary stands, eat stale crisps and unidentified flat fizzy pop while watching a team of on-loan cloggers, managed by an egotistical psychopath.

Yeah but they do have Babestation on in the bar at half time, so, you know, swings and roundabouts eh.