Many of us may know or not know that the Inverness Area is in economical terms the largest catchment area in the UK. So my question/point is this. Do ICT target any parts of the Highlands outwith Inverness in terms of attracting supporters/Finances to the club.

Certainly our noisy neighours across the bridge will probably have Easter Ross sown up, but are we targeting the likes of the West Coast/Skye/Stornaway etc etc.

Yes there are distances involved, but surely people living in these regions who support one of the OF travel to Glasgow for their games, so surely there will be those who would happily travel to support ICT if they had an incentive.

Are we looking at offering incentives etc etc. Also the school kids deal, is this promoted outwith the City?

I know a lot of people do travel down from say Skye for shopping at weekends, so it makes sense to attract them to the stadium for home games at least.

With a population of approx 200,000, even 1% of this is enough to fill up our ground and give us vital revenue/supporters

any thoughts?

I travel from Skye myself with a season ticket, but the vast majority of people here will travel would rather support Rangers or Celtic. Which is a shame because I've seen them play against Caley more than they've even seen Rangers or Celtic, but if they'd rather support a team from Glasgow rather than a more local team i suppose thats their choice.

So in skye theres only a few that I know have a season ticket, although there is more County fans here than Caley. Probobly because County used to come here and play against a Skye select team. So maybe there is something the club could do to get people form places like Skye to go to games to see football away from the TV.

While its a very valid point, I think that the club should be doing more to make the matchday experience more enjoyable so we can attract more from Inverness itself, once this is more attractive further afield could be looked at

Im from Aberlour in Moray and i go to all home and away games but ICT never have anything being advertised around here but Ross County has many things

I think that the club should be doing more to make the matchday experience more enjoyable so we can attract more from Inverness itself

Good point, should try to get more people to go from Inverness first. But I suppose that could be hard with a lot of Caley and Thistle choosing not to go to the football, but come on theres got to be more hiding somewhere!

Edited November 6, 200816 yr by Iain

I travel from Skye myself with a season ticket, but the vast majority of people here will travel would rather support Rangers or Celtic. Which is a shame because I've seen them play against Caley more than they've even seen Rangers or Celtic, but if they'd rather support a team from Glasgow rather than a more local team i suppose thats their choice.

So in skye theres only a few that I know have a season ticket, although there is more County fans here than Caley. Probobly because County used to come here and play against a Skye select team. So maybe there is something the club could do to get people form places like Skye to go to games to see football away from the TV.

Iain and any others who know more about it than I do, I will apologise in advance if there are any crass cultural generalisations here.

I've got a few friends wih roots in the Western Isles who say that Inverness is not looked on as representative of the Gaidhealtachd; that it is a non-Gaelic city which also sucks in and monopolises finances and resources that should be distributed more fairly around the whole Highlands and Islands area. The Western Isles also perhaps suffers from the same problem that we do in Inverness, namely that a lot of people already had their "big" team loyalty long before the merger and that that loyalty is something that is hard to break, particularly in the Outer Hebrides, where the affiliation of supporters to the Glasgow clubs along religious grounds is more pronounced.

Do you think either of these things are real factors (along with the travelling, of course) in preventing us getting support from the north-west?

It extends at least to Bristol

Wow - another great thread - and I am sober !!

This is just another pointing at an ICT deficiency - who is responsible for the PR an "advertising" of this club - who is responsible fer attracting the new fan and giving potential supporters a good deal or an incentive to at least have a peek - who is responsible for lookin at providing a social network to support this ?

The answer is a feckin non local numpty who appears to be happier not communicating with even the local community, taking down flags, enforcing the law on local sections of the ground, becoming involved in personal altercations, stopping peeple from enjoying themselves and taking a pride in throwing homefans out on the pavement or ridiculing them.

Yes there are distances involved, but surely people living in these regions who support one of the OF travel to Glasgow for their games, so surely there will be those who would happily travel to support ICT if they had an incentive.

There is currently no great incentive on the playing field at the moment that's for sure.

It extends at least to Bristol

....and Coventry Nil.

Cant see many from Stornoway willing to spend ?200 + for a return flight and whatever for two nights accomodation. also considering a day off work on monday. Targeted catchment has to be realistic and, I would say, concentrated in and close to the city.

iam from dornoch 50 miles from inverness and go to all home games and most awat games.

iam from dornoch 50 miles from inverness and go to all home games and most awat games.

So if the 10 replies to my post was a representation the 200,000 people in the Highlands, then the 3 posts who stated that the travel to ICT games, ( 30%) kinda proves my point in a non-scientifical/economical way that there is an untapped market for supporters in these places, who dont have an incentive to go to games.

I gaurantee there are thousands who travel to Inverness from around the Highlands for shopping throughout the year.

ICT could easily offer a lunch/match deal for couples/familys who do travel to the City for Shopping.

Trust me when i say there is an untapped supporter base out there, so i cant believe why ICT employ a commercial/Marketing team if they cant see this.

Edited November 7, 200816 yr by BornCaley

iam from dornoch 50 miles from inverness and go to all home games and most awat games.

So if the 10 replies to my post was a representation the 200,000 people in the Highlands, then the 3 posts who stated that the travel to ICT games, ( 30%) kinda proves my point in a non-scientifical/economical way that there is an untapped market for supporters in these places, who dont have an incentive to go to games.

I gaurantee there are thousands who travel to Inverness from around the Highlands for shopping throughout the year.

ICT could easily offer a lunch/match deal for couples/familys who do travel to the City for Shopping.

Trust me when i say there is an untapped supporter base out there, so i cant believe why ICT employ a commercial/Marketing team if they cant see this.

Where do you get your 200,000 from? Inverness population around 65,000. The next biggest, within the Shire is probably Fort William at around 11,000.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highland_(council_area)

says 217,000 there. Always thought the club should try and brand itself as a highland club and try and gain support from all over the highlands, maybe run some things in communities for kids, temp stall selling club merchandise etc.

And they could even run a few busses from north, south, east and west with pick up points in towns on the way to the ground. Could only help attract some new fans who would fancy jumping on a bus there and back for the day?

Highlands and Islands is about 400,000 people. Thats all the Islands, and going way way down to Argyll and Perth though.

Inner Moray firth is ICT catchment area, totalling 70,000. (includes Dingwall....)

maybe 10 people from Fort William might, might come but that is all. They come for the big games yes, but not in droves.

The catchment area is probably a 30 mile radius but cant see many making a journey over 15 miles. There is no draw, 20 quid, nightmare parking, traffic jams. sky high petrol costs/train costs/bus costs.

ICT have very few diehards, respect to them, i am not - through being far away and poor. Only diehards travel.

Highlands and Islands is about 400,000 people. Thats all the Islands, and going way way down to Argyll and Perth though.

Inner Moray firth is ICT catchment area, totalling 70,000. (includes Dingwall....)

maybe 10 people from Fort William might, might come but that is all. They come for the big games yes, but not in droves.

The catchment area is probably a 30 mile radius but cant see many making a journey over 15 miles. There is no draw, 20 quid, nightmare parking, traffic jams. sky high petrol costs/train costs/bus costs.

ICT have very few diehards, respect to them, i am not - through being far away and poor. Only diehards travel.

Where did you get this info?

Highlands and Islands is about 400,000 people.

My understanding was that in the Highland Council area there were about 200 000 ish peeps. 400 000 is a way higher figure than i have ever heard in my lifetime

Whats classified as the Highlands of Scotland ----take a line from Loch Fyne up through parts of Stirling-shire to Perth then up to West of Forres ---- has a population near to half million. Highland Council ------roughly a line from a little south of Fort William, up around Speyside to East of Nairn, and all the way to the North coast ----- population 217, 000.

Ross County have a big part of that whole catchment. We probably have as many travel from Dingwall and surrounding areas as we have from Inverness to them. Wick and Thurso folk prefer to go to Glasgow. Maybe one or two travel from Ullapool and the likes. Consider the cost for all those people to travel.

Highlands and Islands http://www.hie.co.uk/hie-economy.htm

Highland Council http://www.highland.gov.uk/yourcouncil/hig...landprofile.htm

The first link gave me my original figures, looks like the second one is more accurate.

iam from dornoch 50 miles from inverness and go to all home games and most awat games.

So if the 10 replies to my post was a representation the 200,000 people in the Highlands, then the 3 posts who stated that the travel to ICT games, ( 30%) kinda proves my point in a non-scientifical/economical way that there is an untapped market for supporters in these places, who dont have an incentive to go to games.

I gaurantee there are thousands who travel to Inverness from around the Highlands for shopping throughout the year.

ICT could easily offer a lunch/match deal for couples/familys who do travel to the City for Shopping.

Trust me when i say there is an untapped supporter base out there, so i cant believe why ICT employ a commercial/Marketing team if they cant see this.

Where do you get your 200,000 from? Inverness population around 65,000. The next biggest, within the Shire is probably Fort William at around 11,000.

Alex - I think i got the figure from the Highland Council website...Whether its 200,000 or 400,000 people in the Highlands, both show there is vast opportunites for the club to investigate...Yes i agree with some people who have stated that The club should be trying to attract as many people from Inverness....But i get the impression there is a level of complacency in the town with having an SPL team.

at least 70,000 people in Inverness itself and we cant even attract 10% of them to fill the ground. Somethings just not right with this picture...so lets look elsewhere at well

What about Chorley ? At least one inhabitant at Easter Road tomorro - and four at the Jam Tarts and two at the Killie and two at the Cellic and three on to the Midden.

If Caley made the effort they really could get a larger following in places like Skye, for example Ross County go all over the place in the highlands doing training in school holidays and distributing free tickets to the children. Come on Caley get into the schools here before they inevitably choose the team thats winning all the time to support.

The only way ICT could get people from Skye/ Fort William would be with a free bus/train.

The cost of that would cancel out any profit.

People from Skye, Portree having 2000 odd, rarely go to Inverness. No amount of advertising will get them in, its too far and too expensive.

By bus, takes three hours/four hours, costs 30 pound for the adult, 20 for the kid, have to leave at 9 and come back on 6 o clock bus, back at 10.

By car, faster and cheaper but still a significant journey. By train is best, if you can get to Kyle, takes roughly same time, and cheaper.

If ICT were to hook up with Scotrail and offer anyone with a match ticket free travel to Inverness from the Highland council area then maybe. But putting up a 1000 posters in Skye would do nothing, its too expensive to travel and takes too long!

Out of 70,000 people in the city only 5 percent generally attend. Its there where the focus should be.

But putting up a 1000 posters in Skye would do nothing, its too expensive to travel and takes too long!

If that was true, why then is it that there are bus loads of Old Firm Fans traveling further every week form the highlands to watch their teams?

But putting up a 1000 posters in Skye would do nothing, its too expensive to travel and takes too long!

If that was true, why then is it that there are bus loads of Old Firm Fans traveling further every week form the highlands to watch their teams?

Because those supporters clubs have been established for many, many years and they can offer subsidised buses because they can fill them. I cant see a Wick ICT supporters club forming and being able to provide 48 passengers on a bus no matter how much publicity ICT display around that area. We'd be lucky to be able to fill a bus from the Innes let alone further afield.

EXACTLY Alex! ICT does not generate anywhere near the level of intrest as many other teams. I do firmly believe that regular crowds at ICT home matches of 8000 should be acheivable. And i really think those in power at ICT should hold an in depth review of why their product is so unappealing. They wont tho...as they are clueless!