What % of fans would disappear if we went down the divisions

What % of our fans will suddenly disappear if the premier league fades from view

0
3
2%
5
4
3%
10
17
12%
15
17
12%
20
23
17%
25
15
11%
25+
59
43%
 
Total votes: 138
User avatar
Gus the teenage cow
Hob Nob Regular
Posts: 1019
Joined: 28 Jul 2004 19:18
Location: "God is dead"-Nietzsche 1882................."Nietzsche is dead"-God 1900

What % of fans would disappear if we went down the divisions

by Gus the teenage cow » 26 Mar 2009 16:19

I've been looking at average attendances through the years and of course success brings more fans but the figures say the following:

at elm park we averaged about 10,000 when we were in the second/third tiers, the move to the madejski SAW NO NOTICEABLE INCREASE IN ATTENDANCE until we got promoted to the second tier where we averaged about 15,000 until our promotion season when we averaged 20,000 (suggests to me that 5,000 plastics appeared out of nowhere as they saw we were onto a good thing). We averaged just under 25,000 in the premier league for two seasons (another 5,000 plastics jumped on the bandwagon) and since dropping down a tier this season we are averaging about 18,000 so in one season we have lost more than 1 in 4 of our "devoted" fans, and this my friends is a season when we have been in the top three for months, worrying isn't it???


basically i am trying to decipher what is our solid group of dedicated fans who will follow us through thick and thin no matter if we drop down the divisions, i would put this hardcore group at around 10,000-12,000 i.e. we have had no discernible rise in hardcore fans in 10 years despite our sojourn in the premier and the increased exposure the game is getting

to conclude my deductions based on a thorough and well-researched study of attendance trends over the past 10 years conclude:

OF THE FOOTBALL SUPPORTERS IN OUR TOWN

Hardcore Base (will go no matter what)- 10,000
Strong Supporters(will go if we are in top 2 tiers, will be reluctant to go if we drop to third tier)-5,000
Fairweather Fannies (will go if we are in top tier or pressing at end of season from second tier)- 10,000

SHOCKING CONCLUSION IS OUR FAIRWEATHER FANNIES ARE AS BIG A GROUP AS OUR HARDCORE, THIS REALLY DUMBFOUNDS AND PAINS ME



to conclude please answer the anonymous poll above, I appreciate your time, co-operation and concern and I apologise if this post has shocked you, as an expose on Reading fan trends I have to admit it makes devastating reading
Last edited by Gus the teenage cow on 26 Mar 2009 16:32, edited 2 times in total.

Terminal Boardom
Hob Nob Addict
Posts: 7791
Joined: 15 Aug 2008 19:50
Location: No more egodome until the daft old coot leaves

Re: What % of fans would disappear if we went down the divisions

by Terminal Boardom » 26 Mar 2009 16:23

Gus the teenage cow at elm park we averaged about 10,000 when we were in the third tier,

When was that?

User avatar
TFF
Hob Nob Addict
Posts: 5321
Joined: 20 Jan 2006 09:17
Location: Running to the hills

Re: What % of fans would disappear if we went down the divisions

by TFF » 26 Mar 2009 16:26

Where is the 3% option?

CMRoyal
Hob Nob Regular
Posts: 2011
Joined: 18 Aug 2007 19:18

Re: What % of fans would disappear if we went down the divisions

by CMRoyal » 26 Mar 2009 16:41

Gus the teenage cow SHOCKING CONCLUSION IS OUR FAIRWEATHER FANNIES ARE AS BIG A GROUP AS OUR HARDCORE, THIS REALLY DUMBFOUNDS AND PAINS ME


Why's that shocking? A 50:50 ratio sounds pretty good to me.

User avatar
Silver Fox
Hob Nob Legend
Posts: 25702
Joined: 15 Apr 2004 10:02
Location: From the Andes to the indies in my undies

Re: What % of fans would disappear if we went down the divisions

by Silver Fox » 26 Mar 2009 16:48

7.2

although it could be higher

or lower even


User avatar
Gus the teenage cow
Hob Nob Regular
Posts: 1019
Joined: 28 Jul 2004 19:18
Location: "God is dead"-Nietzsche 1882................."Nietzsche is dead"-God 1900

Re: What % of fans would disappear if we went down the divisions

by Gus the teenage cow » 26 Mar 2009 16:49

CMRoyal
Gus the teenage cow SHOCKING CONCLUSION IS OUR FAIRWEATHER FANNIES ARE AS BIG A GROUP AS OUR HARDCORE, THIS REALLY DUMBFOUNDS AND PAINS ME


Why's that shocking? A 50:50 ratio sounds pretty good to me.


I think at most provincial clubs the hardcore outnumber the fairweather fannies, unfortuntaly it doesn't seem to be the case with us, thus i am forced to ask with such a large degree of apathy can we sustain a premier league club and worse still do we deserve a premier league club???? :( :( :(

The figures and the preponderance of Fairweather Fannies(not an expression you hear every day I'll grant you) seem to say NO. :cry:

West Stand Man
Hob Nob Regular
Posts: 3094
Joined: 14 Apr 2004 08:37
Location: Working my nuts off during early retirement

Re: What % of fans would disappear if we went down the divisions

by West Stand Man » 26 Mar 2009 16:52

Just a as piece of advice to anyone stupid enough to respond to a totally ridiculous poll, which of the 2 questions do you want answered? Is this a guess at the % who will be lost if we go down the divisions or the % who will be lost of the PL is no longer in sight?

User avatar
Gus the teenage cow
Hob Nob Regular
Posts: 1019
Joined: 28 Jul 2004 19:18
Location: "God is dead"-Nietzsche 1882................."Nietzsche is dead"-God 1900

Re: What % of fans would disappear if we went down the divisions

by Gus the teenage cow » 26 Mar 2009 16:53

also I'd like it if each poster stated to which group he belonged to at the beginning of his/her post

HF (Hardcore Fan)

SS (Strong Supporter)

FF (Fairweather Fanny)

Cheers and thanks again

User avatar
Royal Lady
Hob Nob Subscriber
Hob Nob Subscriber
Posts: 13760
Joined: 14 Apr 2004 10:17
Location: Don't mess with "my sort". Cheers then.

Re: What % of fans would disappear if we went down the divisions

by Royal Lady » 26 Mar 2009 17:03

I'd be surprised if any fairweather fanny's bothered to read this board as we're "only" in the Championship at the moment.


User avatar
Gus the teenage cow
Hob Nob Regular
Posts: 1019
Joined: 28 Jul 2004 19:18
Location: "God is dead"-Nietzsche 1882................."Nietzsche is dead"-God 1900

Re: What % of fans would disappear if we went down the divisions

by Gus the teenage cow » 26 Mar 2009 17:04

Royal Lady I'd be surprised if any fairweather fanny's bothered to read this board as we're "only" in the Championship at the moment.


well...you're reading it and that's evidence enough for me that the net encompasses fans from across the spectrum

User avatar
Royal Lady
Hob Nob Subscriber
Hob Nob Subscriber
Posts: 13760
Joined: 14 Apr 2004 10:17
Location: Don't mess with "my sort". Cheers then.

Re: What % of fans would disappear if we went down the divisions

by Royal Lady » 26 Mar 2009 17:10

I'm no fairweather fanny, you idiot. :roll:

User avatar
brendywendy
Hob Nob Super-Addict
Posts: 12060
Joined: 04 Aug 2006 15:29
Location: coming straight outa crowthorne

Re: What % of fans would disappear if we went down the divisions

by brendywendy » 26 Mar 2009 17:26

gus you idiot

if we had 15K average before promotion to top flight
and 18k average when we came back
surely that indicates some sort of rise

not sure how you can extrapolate anything to tell you what % is"hardcore" in fact i am sure you cant

Millsy
Hob Nob Super-Addict
Posts: 10022
Joined: 16 Jul 2004 18:36
Location: Running from The Left

Re: What % of fans would disappear if we went down the divisions

by Millsy » 26 Mar 2009 17:55

Good post Gus.

Don't know if I agree or disagree with your deduced numbers (I remember under Parj being one of only 6-7000 fans) but I don't disagree with your conclusion - that there are as many fannies as there are die hards.

But as Huntley and Palmer says this is just the way it is with a quickly growing side. It is no surprise that with us having grown so quickly around half our fans will be fannies. If we stay half decent long enough (i.e. for as long as Coppell is with us) more of those fannies will become diehards.

But there are many who only need a few games and they're hooked eg/ with me I became a diehard after just four or five games in 1995 and I'm sure the same is true for many of the new boys.

Another important consideration is the effect of a hike in ticket prices. I know of at least 3 fellow die hards who were in there week in week out alongside me chanting their arses off who due to our success simply haven't been able to afford coming to matches regularly but still go the odd game when they can and follow Reading passionately.

So I think we have to factor this in i.e. let's say we do have the same number of diehard fans as we did 10 years ago: it doesn't necessarily mean it's the same fans - a good proportion of them will be new, but the effect of people being priced out has counteracted somewhat making it look like we have no new diehards.


User avatar
Irvinchangeyaname
Member
Posts: 673
Joined: 01 Jan 2005 09:28
Location: Hove

Re: What % of fans would disappear if we went down the divisions

by Irvinchangeyaname » 26 Mar 2009 18:08

Terminal Boardom
Gus the teenage cow at elm park we averaged about 10,000 when we were in the third tier,

When was that?

I'd also like to know.

User avatar
Ian Royal
Hob Nob Legend
Posts: 35156
Joined: 15 Apr 2004 13:43
Location: Playing spot the pc*nt on HNA?

Re: What % of fans would disappear if we went down the divisions

by Ian Royal » 26 Mar 2009 18:22

If we were relegated to League 1 and didn't get immediate promotion I'd suspect something between 25% & 50% would stop going or go less regularly.

We certainly wouldn't average 15k plus for long. If we're just talking slumping to mid table or worse in this league then somewhere between 10% - 25%

In figures you'd be looking at 9-14k in league 1 and 12-17k in the Championship with no promotion challenges.

Millsy
Hob Nob Super-Addict
Posts: 10022
Joined: 16 Jul 2004 18:36
Location: Running from The Left

Re: What % of fans would disappear if we went down the divisions

by Millsy » 26 Mar 2009 18:23

Irvinchangeyaname
Terminal Boardom
Gus the teenage cow at elm park we averaged about 10,000 when we were in the third tier,

When was that?

I'd also like to know.

+1

User avatar
Ian Royal
Hob Nob Legend
Posts: 35156
Joined: 15 Apr 2004 13:43
Location: Playing spot the pc*nt on HNA?

Re: What % of fans would disappear if we went down the divisions

by Ian Royal » 26 Mar 2009 18:25

Irvinchangeyaname
Terminal Boardom
Gus the teenage cow at elm park we averaged about 10,000 when we were in the third tier,

When was that?

I'd also like to know.


Given we didn't average it in the second tier I'm also curious.

User avatar
SteveRoyal
Hob Nob Regular
Posts: 2441
Joined: 29 Jan 2008 17:48

Re: What % of fans would disappear if we went down the divisions

by SteveRoyal » 26 Mar 2009 18:34

There are more plastics @ RFC because, when we fail, there are plenty of other clubs to go crawling to.
There are multiple London clubs, just an hour or so up the motorway, Portsmouth, Cardiff, Southampton, etc. all a short journey away, too.
Simply put, if we drop divisions, the majority of our fans could easily go off and 'support' another club.

User avatar
Kieron1981
Member
Posts: 165
Joined: 14 Aug 2008 12:07
Location: Reading

Re: What % of fans would disappear if we went down the divisions

by Kieron1981 » 26 Mar 2009 18:35

im only 27 so cant say i have been a fan for 40 years lol but started liking football when i was around 11, and supported reading ever since... through think and thin and always will

bottom left hand corner
Member
Posts: 433
Joined: 30 Jan 2006 20:35
Location: At the game!

Re: What % of fans would disappear if we went down the divisions

by bottom left hand corner » 26 Mar 2009 18:40

tbh i would watch us in the Non-league but i wouldn't get a season ticket i would go to as many as i could

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 412 guests

It is currently 29 Mar 2024 08:16