Just read these interesting comments from our captain saying that he's disappointed by the lack of support the team are getting. Our crowds this season have been poor when you take into account how well the team have been doing and the potential catchment area that we have.

 

So, how do we improve this? Lets use this thread to think up ideas that the club could possibly explore to increase the crowds.

 

 

We have a loyal 2500-3000 support who will be here for a long time yet.

As much as would like to see more through the gates it would be them same people who would be negative if the form dips.

Loyalty in the long term is what we need no short term fixes.

 

As pointed out in article as a club do as much as can to appeal to people in Inverness.

Free tickets for schools every week works very well in particular Saturday as a great example.

TerryMo, it's something that the club and supporters groups (not just at ICT) have though about long and hard this year. Our attendances, like every other club in the SPL, have been hit hard by the fact that there's a recession on and money is tight. The latest SPL figures show an average league attendance of 4032 for this season and these are at the bottom end of the scale. However, they are not way out so it doesn't appear that there is something unique about us ( St Johnstone, C*unty and St Mirren are much and such) so outside of the main population centres there's a definite loss of attendances. Forget the stuff about the Rangers, that's a smokescreen and has made no difference at all to our overall crowds this year. Forget the stuff about the SPL being boring and substandard - we certainly can't subscribe to that this year! Away supports seem to have suffered greatly this year as well, so what evidence there is points to finances being the problem. So what can we do? The club can (and will) subsidise admission prices in an effort to get people in (£15 for the replay). Caley Jags Together will bang the drum and continue to fundraise and work our a*ses off in support of the club. The players and staff deliver a really cracking product week in, week out. We will continue to raise our media profile so that more and more people know about ICT and how good we are this year. So we do what we can, and will continue to do so but we need individuals to make the decision to come to TCS. We need you to persuade your partner, your mates, your neighbour to come along. We can't do that for you. My real fear is that we reach a point where the players who have reached historic highs for this club decide that their stock is sufficiently raised to go to places where bigger and noisier crowds will value and encourage them, and that would be a real shame. The solution is in the hands of the fans - and now they need to step up to the plate.

Edited December 10, 201212 yr by davie

Team

Average Attendance

11/12               12/13

Celtic

50904             45364

Rangers

46324

Hearts

13381             13184

Hibernian

9909               10660

Aberdeen

9297               11218

Dundee Utd

7482               8281

Motherwell

5946               5002

Kilmarnock

5537               5077

Dunfermline

4799

St Mirren

4493               4501

St Johnstone

4170               4040

Inverness CT

4023               4032

 

Our crowd figures for league games are actually up on last year. Data taken from SPL statistics at http://www.scotprem.com/content/default.asp?page=home_Statistics

Edited December 10, 201212 yr by Alex MacLeod

Damn, that was meant to be in table format.

If people put as much energy into praising the club/team when things are going well as they do in battering them when things aren't then that would be a very good start, IMO.

Well.....im moving next month, so it will in THEORY be a lot easier for me to get to games. So who knows, i might make at least any midweek games.

 

BUT.....to provide a little info into this thread. I used to go to the games every week, with about 4-5 freinds. Of that group, pretty much since the arrival of SPL football, there re only two from that crowd who manage to go to games now.

Edited December 10, 201212 yr by SMEE

I can pretty much guarantee that crowds for the next two home league games will be a lot bigger due to folk coming home for Christmas. Hopefully if the team do the business on the pitch in these games some of these fans will consider travelling home for games more regularly.

Turn Inverness into an ICT supporting  city,    we need to get more businesses aware of the wealth of our fan base, the club and local businesses could do wonders for each other, before you know it, you find places touting for ICT  trade,  ie if I had a restaurant I would be offering 10% off meals in  January for ST holders and 5% with a match ticket, I would increase my trade over a quiet month, or 5% off Mon to Fri for ST holders, Id pull in new customers and put myself across as being pro ICT, i might also we a wee bit cheeky and see if I could get a discounted  hospitality package and bring along a few business associates for a day out,  before you know it we have a lot of new allies on board promoting ICT, which is a must with regards to luring in new customers/fans. 

 

If Kilmarnock won a cup, everyone would be on the streets to see an open top bus and shops would be in donned blue and white colours.

We just need to be more proactive in raising the profile of ICT

 

How does this increase fan base?   when everywhere you look there are people promoting ICT, then supporting ICT is the norm. 

 

I would also be making phones call to get a minimum of 100 children in for free for each home game

 cost plays a big part. we are £15 a ticket for county replay. aberdeen - motherwell £12.

 

if i look out my front window  it goes like this,

next door to right  celtic fan

next door to left  rangers fan

across the road dundee fan

across the road to right hearts fan

across the road further to right county fan.

further up aberdeen fan

one or two others only watch english premier league

 

inverness has grown over the years due to people settling into the area from other parts of the uk with alliegance to other clubs.

if i moved to edinburgh/glasgow i certainly would not fork out 20-25 quid a skull to watch another team.

in fact if a game is live on tv and ict are not on it i get bored watching and switch off.

 

team playing best football ever just now but you cant demand people to spend their hard earned on football.

 

 

anyway dont listen to players talking about fans not turning up. ex players are the worst at not going to watch football unless they can get a freebie

 

a few weeks ago on sportcene craig gordon said he was at a hearts game as he got free tickets from a hearts player, the guy must be a millionaire after his multi million transfer from hearts.

 

 henry mcleish ex scotland first minister ex east fife player, compiler of report into scottish football confessed to tam cowan on off the bawl that he only goes to east fife because he is a honorary member ( eg freebies) and all cup finals and scotland games he gets freebies plus hospitality from the sfa.

 

how many ex ict players do you see in the crowd on a saturday

 

ah well at least it is minus 9 tonight and not tomorrow.

 

 

 

how many ex ict players do you see in the crowd on a saturday

 

 

Being as ICT are a very young club most ex players are still playing or coaching. Proctor was at Celtic though.

What I find extremely disturbing is the amount of County fans that live in Inverness, I've heard a rumour that they nearly have as many season ticket holders with an Inverness address as we do

The question id like answered is where are Inverness and Nairn enterprise now? Should they not have had a plan B to encourage more Inverness punters through the turnstiles?

Dougal

Before asking what others are doing, perhaps people should ask themselves what they are doing.

What I find extremely disturbing is the amount of County fans that live in Inverness, I've heard a rumour that they nearly have as many season ticket holders with an Inverness address as we do

The question id like answered is where are Inverness and Nairn enterprise now? Should they not have had a plan B to encourage more Inverness punters through the turnstiles?

Dougal

So disturbing that you go to County games yourself, just to check?

 

 

I like the way things are working out. We now have a core supporter of around 3k and at the Hibs game there was something approaching an atmosphere which was great to hear. I think, if the team continue to be successful, that this could be the season we turn into an established SPL club with a confident support. If we get that the rest will follow and stick with the team.

Definitely having a glass half full kind of day today.

 

if i look out my front window  it goes like this,

next door to right  celtic fan

next door to left  rangers fan

across the road dundee fan

across the road to right hearts fan

across the road further to right county fan.

further up aberdeen fan

one or two others only watch english premier league

 

I think you should move house!

If people put as much energy into praising the club/team when things are going well as they do in battering them when things aren't then that would be a very good start, IMO.

 

Totally agree but I would suggest that the same goes to Richie Foran - shure have a wee moan but praise the feckin faithful that do feckin go.

 

 

 

 

how many ex ict players do you see in the crowd on a saturday

 

 

Being as ICT are a very young club most ex players are still playing or coaching. Proctor was at Celtic though.

 

I saw Mike Teasdale there on Saturday. He even entered the sport bar pre-match too. I've seen Barry Wilson there a few times when he's not been playing through injury or whatever. Richie Hart too used to make games. Mike Noble is still actively involved with the club looking after the macots etc and even John Robertson, even when not involved with media tasks, makes games when he can. There are others too that I've seen around the stadium on match days.

In short, many former players have frequented our games. Darren Dods used to be spotted regularly amongst our fan-base, especially away from home. There's also those who support the club from afar. I'm sure Caley Jags Away Supporters Club can vouch for the likes of Juanjo!!

Personally I don't think any former player should be questioned as to their attendence. They've done their time for the club, reaped the plaudits (and in some cases the sarcasm) and no longer owe us.

 

Liam Keogh used to attend often, as do many former youth players as well. It's a shame some question their 'support' once they leave the club.

What I find extremely disturbing is the amount of County fans that live in Inverness, I've heard a rumour that they nearly have as many season ticket holders with an Inverness address as we do

The question id like answered is where are Inverness and Nairn enterprise now? Should they not have had a plan B to encourage more Inverness punters through the turnstiles?

Dougal

Only County fan I know of in Inverness is our Dougal. He keeps banging that County drum on our website, yet I know of no one who has joined him in his hatred of all things ICT

Edited December 10, 201212 yr by bauhaus

My mate scored free tix to Ross County Dundee utd game, so went along. He said in the area around him in the stand, he noticed about 8-10 faces he used to see at TCS.

 

I have to agree with Dougal to an extent.......i know of a disproportianate amount of people in Inverness, who now follow, and actively encourage their kids etc to follow County. These people used to cheer on Caley before 94

We need more in-crowd entertainment. How about getting this guy along...

On second thoughts, maybe not.

Edited December 11, 201212 yr by Top Six Next Year

he could do a duet with that Elgin fan that was shown on the SKY clip ..... just make sure its at the Global Warming Stadium .... that way we also solve the problem of former ICT fans going to their games .. surely no-one could put up with both !

 

 

 

 

 

how many ex ict players do you see in the crowd on a saturday

 

 

Being as ICT are a very young club most ex players are still playing or coaching. Proctor was at Celtic though.

 

I saw Mike Teasdale there on Saturday. He even entered the sport bar pre-match too. I've seen Barry Wilson there a few times when he's not been playing through injury or whatever. Richie Hart too used to make games. Mike Noble is still actively involved with the club looking after the macots etc and even John Robertson, even when not involved with media tasks, makes games when he can. There are others too that I've seen around the stadium on match days.

In short, many former players have frequented our games. Darren Dods used to be spotted regularly amongst our fan-base, especially away from home. There's also those who support the club from afar. I'm sure Caley Jags Away Supporters Club can vouch for the likes of Juanjo!!

Personally I don't think any former player should be questioned as to their attendence. They've done their time for the club, reaped the plaudits (and in some cases the sarcasm) and no longer owe us.

 

Liam Keogh used to attend often, as do many former youth players as well. It's a shame some question their 'support' once they leave the club.

 

yes but did you see them paying to get in

Poor response from CAleyD. Most people looking at this website probably do as I do. That is: 

Purchase 2 season tickets, use the Caley CLub, pay for the bus, buy a programme, eat pies, buy souveniers, half time raffles, have 2 centenary club numbers and generally promote the club buy boring everyone to death about how great we are.

 

SO looking at ourselves is good but not applicable here.

 

How about offering everyone who holds a season ticket for any other club, County, Celtic, Rangers, Clach etc, half price entry to our games?

When the team are playing well as they are now, it's harder to pin point the crowd numbers and athmisphere. I think that even when the team are doing well the match day experience is as poor as ever. Music choice, Announcer, facilities, consistency of these and other things aswell as pricing doesn't do the on field performance justice.

Poor response from CAleyD. Most people looking at this website probably do as I do. That is: 

Purchase 2 season tickets, use the Caley CLub, pay for the bus, buy a programme, eat pies, buy souveniers, half time raffles, have 2 centenary club numbers and generally promote the club buy boring everyone to death about how great we are.

 

SO looking at ourselves is good but not applicable here.

 

How about offering everyone who holds a season ticket for any other club, County, Celtic, Rangers, Clach etc, half price entry to our games?

 

Fail to see your problem, if you are doing as you say then that's great and you clearly are doing your bit and are quite entitled to ask others if they are doing the same.

 

My comment was aimed at those who are not season ticket holders, who seem to take pride in giving the club as little money as possible and spend all their time on here demanding that other people should be doing all the leg work when it comes to trying to improve crowds and waiting for the slightest reason to knock those efforts.