BowenBoys Posted June 12, 2017 Report Share Posted June 12, 2017 Have been thinking about doing this for some time. Given the posts about player sponsorship recently, perhaps the time is right. The club is moving in the right direction. 'Debt free', top six, new academy, players on long contracts. It augurs well. Hopefully, it will attract more fans to Firhill. It's one thing getting punters through the gate, quite another to turn them into fans. Those who have supported Thistle for many years will know it's not an easy path to walk. As will those who witnessed the last couple of games at Firhill! The club needs to do all it can to promote itself to new customers but also to look after existing fans. What can the club do that it doesn't? What can it do better? One thread for all ideas and debate. I know there are stories of poor customer service and I expect them to appear here. But, please, let's try to be positive and not just bash the club. Let's debate and look for solutions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandy Posted June 12, 2017 Report Share Posted June 12, 2017 Some kind of fan loyalty scheme, rewarding those who buy season tickets, player sponsorship etc. Incentives, prizes etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metz Posted June 12, 2017 Report Share Posted June 12, 2017 Whilst I think the club has moved on considerably in the past few years there are some really obvious ways that they can improve. As well as fans we are also customers and if we want to grow the fan base we need to provide reasons for new or existing fans to spend their money with the club. The overall offer is better but we still let ourselves down in this area, an example of this being the complete lack of marketing of the new kit. These should have been on sale by now or the very least promoted heavily to create interest or even taking advance orders to generate cash during the close season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowenBoys Posted June 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2017 The lack of new kit is puzzling. The design has been known for some time. It's the same supplier as last season. A lot of clubs are quicker off the mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fearchar Posted June 12, 2017 Report Share Posted June 12, 2017 An electronic scoreboard/clock/temperature gauge/team display. They aren't expensive to buy or to run and are easy to position. I've seen moderately large ones at the ground of an amateur club in Germany. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sick in the basin Posted June 12, 2017 Report Share Posted June 12, 2017 Hopefully the delay is due to a rethink as both options were howling and I very much doubt I'd buy either. Sure it has been mentioned before but catering could be improved - would it be "that" difficult to add soup, pasta, fruit and kids boxes for example ? Big growth in woman's football we could tap into - e.g. Ladies day at a match. Would a crèche be feasible even for a small fee e.g. £25 gets admission and say 2 hrs childcare? Think that is worth trialling even if had to reserve to give idea of numbers I agree it's easy to be critical but let's hope we see some constructive comments here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted June 12, 2017 Report Share Posted June 12, 2017 (edited) Big growth in woman's football we could tap into - e.g. Ladies day at a match. I think we already have a Ladies Day tho' it may be different from what you have in mind. eta it was held recently Mar/Apr time. Edited June 12, 2017 by lady-isobel-barnett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motherwell Jag Posted June 12, 2017 Report Share Posted June 12, 2017 The club shop at the stadium is unsuitable. On match days it is too small. A larger store where people could enter and browse may result in better sales. The fact that the stadium shop doesn't open on non match days could also limit sales. The club could look into a larger stadium shop opening during the week possibly combined with a ticket office to share staff. Firhill is located near a popular tourist attraction (Queen Cross Church) Any mileage in opening certain parts of the stadium to locals and tourists. Could be done is a simple way e.g. Shop unit built at corner of Colin Weir Stand at the bing, staircase upstairs to a small museum with interactive screen showing 71 final highlights and an enclosed viewing platform constructed on the bing. Possible allowance to sit in the dug outs. May be delusional but if done right could boost sales of merchandise. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaggernaut Posted June 12, 2017 Report Share Posted June 12, 2017 The club shop at the stadium is unsuitable. On match days it is too small. A larger store where people could enter and browse may result in better sales. The fact that the stadium shop doesn't open on non match days could also limit sales. The club could look into a larger stadium shop opening during the week possibly combined with a ticket office to share staff. Firhill is located near a popular tourist attraction (Queen Cross Church) Any mileage in opening certain parts of the stadium to locals and tourists. Could be done is a simple way e.g. Shop unit built at corner of Colin Weir Stand at the bing, staircase upstairs to a small museum with interactive screen showing 71 final highlights and an enclosed viewing platform constructed on the bing. Possible allowance to sit in the dug outs. May be delusional but if done right could boost sales of merchandise. That's imaginative.... like it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camallain Posted June 13, 2017 Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 Regarding increasing the fan base / getting more bums on seats. I believe that the only way to do this with any degree of success is to get them young and get them for life. To that end the Kids go free scheme is fantastic, the best in Scottish football, but does it go far enough? Is it promoted properly, it’s one thing to be able to say kids go free but if the kids don’t know about it them what’s the point? To that end I believe the club should be blitzing primary schools, local and as far away as Bearsden & Milngavie, offering not just free tickets but free season tickets. Why? Well a free ticket gives a kid a great day out at Firhill but once it’s over it’s probably over, the parents have done their duty and everything goes back to normal, but a free season ticket keeps the pressure on mum or dad to continue taking said kid to the game. I know that can be countered by saying it’s free anyway but remember the onus here is on the kid to want to come back and there is something about having a physical card or ticket booklet as a constant reminder of what they are getting that might just tip the scales in our favour! 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted June 13, 2017 Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 Lot of sense there, Camallian. Every year there'll be some supposedly all encompassing survey or other re the cost of football (admission, pie, cup of tea, programme etc). We are usually made to look fair to middling with the kids go free initiative completely overlooked. We should perhaps be angling this incentive towards the parent/guardian who for instance, taking a couple of youngsters, will pay maybe around £50 to get into many games. At Firhill he/she wouldn't even be forking out half of that. Great initiative as it is like all on going special offers it requires constant marketing. willing to bet there'll be a considerable amount of potential punters, kids and adults alike that are either unaware of kids go free or have forgotten. Slightly off track perhaps but I liked the ST offer a few years back where for an additional sum you got a day's hospitality. I don't know why that initiative was dropped. I like the idea of a "Fans Day" held at a fixture not normally earmarked for hospitality. The fans get to pick and meet the MotM or even, if later on in the season, their Player of the Season. i can think of a few add ons to a Fans Day, which wouldn't cost the Club anything or at least be an inconsequential outlay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayfarer Posted June 13, 2017 Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 I hope that the concourses and seats in the Jackie and Northie have been cleaned over the summer, nothing less inviting than finding your seat covered in pigeon crap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaggy Posted June 13, 2017 Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 An electronic scoreboard/clock/temperature gauge/team display. They aren't expensive to buy or to run and are easy to position. I've seen moderately large ones at the ground of an amateur club in Germany. I've often thought that, maybe even located at the Bing end. We used to have a clock in the Northy I'm sure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Dastardly Posted June 13, 2017 Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 On the availability of the new shirt, could that be related to the shirt sponsor ? I believe that the Kingsford deal is due to end and I've not seen anything about a renewal or a new deal. I live in Lancashire, so I am not a regular at Firhill, due to the expense and time needed to make it for a game. The Jagzone is a great incentive for those like me who can't attend regularly, so an expansion of that might bring in more. Perhaps if there was a way to interact with others following a game online might enhance a "virtual matchday" experience. As for the real matchday experience, the catering needs some attention, both in quality and in the queue time. I also think that the whole place could do with a good clean to get rid of the bird shit that appears to be on all the seats. If all else fails, sex will always bring in the punters. Check out the Independiente chearleaders in Argentina (google for "independiente las diablitas") I like the idea of the kids season ticket, but if we can also get the kids wearing the colours it would maybe entice them more to be life long fans. Perhaps we could offer a free child season ticket with every kids top purchased could be a way to make it work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firhillista Posted June 13, 2017 Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 Win a cup. No amount of improvement in the'matchday experience' will make any difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowenBoys Posted June 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 Regarding increasing the fan base / getting more bums on seats. I believe that the only way to do this with any degree of success is to get them young and get them for life. To that end the Kids go free scheme is fantastic, the best in Scottish football, but does it go far enough? Is it promoted properly, it’s one thing to be able to say kids go free but if the kids don’t know about it them what’s the point? To that end I believe the club should be blitzing primary schools, local and as far away as Bearsden & Milngavie, offering not just free tickets but free season tickets. Why? Well a free ticket gives a kid a great day out at Firhill but once it’s over it’s probably over, the parents have done their duty and everything goes back to normal, but a free season ticket keeps the pressure on mum or dad to continue taking said kid to the game. I know that can be countered by saying it’s free anyway but remember the onus here is on the kid to want to come back and there is something about having a physical card or ticket booklet as a constant reminder of what they are getting that might just tip the scales in our favour! Great idea. Would be worth trying it with a pilot scheme. Do it now, pick one school. Monitor it over the season and if successful, get ready to widen the scheme the season after. Unfortunately, as well as welcoming kids for free, we expose them to advertising from McDonalds. It's money for the club, of course, but the juxtaposition of 'McDonalds' and 'Community Champion' makes me very unhappy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aber-Jag Posted June 13, 2017 Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 With regards to a clock. I took a family friend to Firhill for one game this season. He is from down south and it was his first Scottish Football experience. It was the first time he had been to a ground without a Clock. There is a perfect spot on the middle of the Main stand which must have at one point been a clock? Okay, it's not going to get extra ticket sales, but I believe little things like this, coupled with better info (as someone stated above a scoreboard or team display) would add a sense of technological improvement, and a sense of forward progression. Although things like this seem like a waste of money, times certainly move forward and we want the stadium experience to feel as modern and progressive as ever. For example I used to find going to places like Station Park and Gayfield back in the Early 00's when they still held up the chalkboards with the subs! That made our digital announcements really special. Moving forward with the kids for free scheme is simply the best long-term solution. It may even be worth adding a discount to the guardian(s) who have 2 or more kids with them? This may encourage the family members to travel to Firhill with the kids more often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellow & Redneck Posted June 13, 2017 Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 Going forwards, ground aesthetics is important. Looking onto a grassy bing, as well as having s!*t covered seats and a poor PA system isn't helping much. Most of all though, Thistle must be taking advantage of the fact that Glasgow is Scotland's university city (not to confound the stereotype). I'm at U of Stirling, and even Stirling Albion on the odd occasion have hobbled something together for students who could get into Forthbank free one match per season. Surely setting up a stall at a Fresher's Fayre, even though it may not boost attendances massively, would help. Some of the most dedicated Jags fans I know are people who moved to Glasgow for the 1st year of uni and stuck with us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elevenone Posted June 13, 2017 Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 Maybe some sort of loyalty card which gets swiped every transaction be it turnstyle,pie stall,hospitality or shop and at end of season points earned going towards some free stuff? Not a big social media fan but it is the modern way so more competitions and club news trending this way? Would also echo points already raised like cleaning up the seats/concourse and improving match day catering especially with view to better selection for vegeterians. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elevenone Posted June 13, 2017 Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 edit. Just noticed club are advertising for new experienced commercial manager so hopefully this individual will be full of ideas and will listen to some of the suggestions posted on this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagfaelivi Posted June 13, 2017 Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 Kids is definitely the way to go! Ideas 1) a card to be stamped every time they attend and they get rewards for five , ten and twenty-five games in a season - something like a red, black and yellow wrist band, a cap for ten and something more creative for the twenty-five one. 2) bring along two adults who have to be non Thistle supporters and one gets in free For the students, and remember there are three universities in the city as well as colleges 1) give them both league cup matches at home free entry on production of their matric card (remember they will be on holiday at that time but not beyond the wit of somebody at the club to get as much Thistle related advertising on to the various campuses for the season after this one) 2) there should be ongoing incentives for students to bring along a mate - two for the price of one at certain matches it would be. 3) we REALLY need a relationship with one of the academic institutions e.g. The Strathclyde team 4) a girl supporter bringing her boyfriend or vice versa would get a discount on production of matric card Would it be non PC to set up , for example , the Polish Jags Club or the Asian Red 'n' Yellas? We really have to look at "sections"/"groups" in society and see if we can think outside the box to attract them - have a teachers' club or an accountants' group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fawlty Towers Posted June 13, 2017 Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 Lots of good ideas here but, for me, the club needs to deal with how it does things rather than the things themselves. By that I mean firstly really think through ideas before they get unveiled - look at all the possible outcomes that it could through up so that issues get sorted out before and that then will prevent having to fire fight afterwards. Example being getting Jagzone for a reduced fee when you buy a season ticket - was how it would impact on those who already subscribe considered? Once an idea is launched it then has to be continually pushed not a big bang at the start then a trickle which eventually drys up totally (Players Fund for example). Ideally an additional member of the admin would be put in place and whilst it would take money out from another area I think that it is necessary step and ultimately if helps to get ideas up and running or just run better then it will pay for itself in the long term. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lithgaejag Posted June 13, 2017 Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 Kids is definitely the way to go! Ideas 1) a card to be stamped every time they attend and they get rewards for five , ten and twenty-five games in a season - something like a red, black and yellow wrist band, a cap for ten and something more creative for the twenty-five one. 2) bring along two adults who have to be non Thistle supporters and one gets in free For the students, and remember there are three universities in the city as well as colleges 1) give them both league cup matches at home free entry on production of their matric card (remember they will be on holiday at that time but not beyond the wit of somebody at the club to get as much Thistle related advertising on to the various campuses for the season after this one) 2) there should be ongoing incentives for students to bring along a mate - two for the price of one at certain matches it would be. 3) we REALLY need a relationship with one of the academic institutions e.g. The Strathclyde team 4) a girl supporter bringing her boyfriend or vice versa would get a discount on production of matric card Would it be non PC to set up , for example , the Polish Jags Club or the Asian Red 'n' Yellas? We really have to look at "sections"/"groups" in society and see if we can think outside the box to attract them - have a teachers' club or an accountants' group. I agree with all your ideas especially targeting School children and uni and college students but I also think a good idea is having a club youtube channel showing some stuff from jag zone as more and more children now watch youtube. Opinions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinny Posted June 13, 2017 Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 We had the YouTube question recently, with a number for and against it. The problem was that the content is available for a price and putting it online free makes that worth less, but there are already teasers posted on Facebook so for me it is a good advertising tool for JagZone. Some of the ideas above are interesting, but I am interested to know how people can prove they aren't a jags fan when they buy a ticket? The one for brining your girlfriend/boyfriend is weird (and also what about guys with boyfriends or girls with girlfriends?) Could I turn up with a mate and say he's my boyfriend to get 2 for the price of 1? Anyway, the point was not to be critical. I like that there are ideas to get new fans along to a game or two. We often focus on making people season ticket holders when that is unrealistic for someone attending no games or only a few currently. Glasgow is a massive city, so even if a small percentage of those in northwest Glasgow all came to a game each, that would increase gate money a fair bit. For this I feel the game needs to be an event or a day out. I don't know how to do this, but the club have tried this with certain games in the past. Giveaways or bigging up certain matches, though we often play badly when these are hyped up! But can we make these events something that can be enjoyed even if the performance is poor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowenBoys Posted June 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 Lots of good ideas here but, for me, the club needs to deal with how it does things rather than the things themselves. By that I mean firstly really think through ideas before they get unveiled - look at all the possible outcomes that it could through up so that issues get sorted out before and that then will prevent having to fire fight afterwards. Example being getting Jagzone for a reduced fee when you buy a season ticket - was how it would impact on those who already subscribe considered? Once an idea is launched it then has to be continually pushed not a big bang at the start then a trickle which eventually drys up totally (Players Fund for example). Ideally an additional member of the admin would be put in place and whilst it would take money out from another area I think that it is necessary step and ultimately if helps to get ideas up and running or just run better then it will pay for itself in the long term. Bullseye! Entirely agree about extra admin staff. My, fairly limited, dealings with the club suggest that everybody in the office is doing a good job. They each seem, though, to have too many areas of responsibility. The Player Sponsorship Dept. seems to be fire fighting last seasons sponsorship and we are way past last season's timing for announcing nest season's sponsorship. It's backing up... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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