Crowds.

[collectiveaction]

We're on a crest of a wave just now and yet can't sell our allocation of tickets for a game V Rangers. What's the crack there?

[SMEE]

tickets cost too much....SIMPLES!

[RossP]

Attendances are down at every club, for reasons such as prices, team form, weather, lack of cash available in tough financial times...

I don't think our attendance is down on previous seasons in the SPL, in fact it may even be a little higher. All that considering the reduction in away support on previous seasons e.g. Hamilton when they were up at the start of the season, The Dons failing to sell out the away end.

Are the club still giving away tickets to local schools for the uncovered west stand??

When you see the attendances St Mirren and Hamilton are getting, I'm quite happy with ours. If the good form continues and the chances of a top 6 are cemented; then I imagine the crowds will continue to rise. A top 6 placing would be a huge financial boost to the club, with something like ?60-70k for each place higher we finish and the promise of 2 or 3 high home attendances in the final 5 games. Cash like this is invaluable in helping retain our best players.

[Yngwie]

You'd still hope we'd get a bigger crowd for Rangers' first visit in almost 2 years.

[+Gringo]

I think the weather and the uncertainty of the match going ahead would have put folk off buying tickets and making travel arrangements could have had a lot to do with it too.

[Georgeios]

It was an ok size, n there was noise, I know of five season ticket seats in G that were empty due to work commitments and family.... ******* part timers ;-)

[Govan Jaggie]

I believe the club are going to stop the allocation of free tickets to the disabled? Can someone confirm this? It makes no sense at all. Our crowds are bad enough as it is without discouraging people who can find it hard to make to games even harder. Is it true that the club are going to offer disabled people discounted season tickets instead? In certain weather etc it makes it difficult to attend to buying a season ticket is not worth while. Why still give free tickets to schools but not the disabled?

[L_G]

Govan Jaggie

You have half a story.

The Supporters Trust alongside an organisation called CAFE (Centre for Access to Football in Europe) have been working hard to form a Disabled Supporters Association.

It will be the disabled supporters association who will make recommendations for change and the Trust will liase on their behalf with the football club. Members of the new association will be welcome to attend meetings between the Trust and the football club where they have items to discuss.

I can assure you that ICT have not said that they want to stop offering the free tickets, however these are issued on a match to match basis and many feel that purchasing a season ticket at a reduced cost would be more convenient and promote a more social environment where you coud sit in the same seat every week.

The official launch of the new Disabled Supporters Association takes place Thursday 16th Dec, 7.30pm at the stadium. This meeting is open to all of our disabled fans, their families and carers, as well as any support workers or in fact anyone who is interested in finding out more.

I could go on and on and on, but don't want to bore those bot interested, but Govan Jaggie, you have my number if you want any more info.

[L_G]

GJ

I sould add that the tickets for schools initiative has been very worthwhile. The club have offered the West Stand to schools for some games and this in turn breeds new ICT fans, some who maybe attending their 1st ever match.

I have a friend who is a die hard Rangers fan, but now has to take his son to our games following a school visit which got him hooked. So despite his fathers attempts to have him a Rangers fan, he has turned this on it's head and now his Dad takes him to ICT games. One less (maybe 2) heading to support us instead of heading to Glasgow must be a good thing.

There are quite a few other similar stories I'm aware off

[CaleyD]

I believe the club are going to stop the allocation of free tickets to the disabled? Can someone confirm this? It makes no sense at all. Our crowds are bad enough as it is without discouraging people who can find it hard to make to games even harder. Is it true that the club are going to offer disabled people discounted season tickets instead? In certain weather etc it makes it difficult to attend to buying a season ticket is not worth while. Why still give free tickets to schools but not the disabled?

First off, I've not been involved in the work that's been happening with the Trust, CAFE and the Club, but I was at the Scottish Supporters Direct conference when CAFE gave a presentation and my comments are based on that alone.

One of the main things I took away from that presentation and conversation afterwards was that attendance cost was nowhere near the top of the list of priorities...quite the opposite. In fact, Disable Supporters Associations at many clubs promote the idea of them contributing in the same way as everyone else and dislike the presumption that "physically/mentally disabled = financially disabled".

What is important to them is that clubs have facilities which allow them, as much as possible, to enjoy the matchday experience the same as the rest of us. What's more, given the opportunity, they are more than happy to assist in the process of making that happen...from identifying the areas that need improved, to finding the funds to make it happen.

What will be achieved in the long run is anyone's guess, but I do know that we can all sit around and presume to know what the club should or should not be doing to make things more accessible for particular groups and you could could ask 100 fans and get 100 different answers....and still not get it right. I think it's great that we're now moving towards a way for one of those groups to give focused and meaningful input, and it's even better that the club are embracing the process.

[Alex MacLeod]

Just a point I'd like to make to what CD says and its something that many dont think about. First off, not all teams allow free access to disabled persons. My wife's work involves supporting persons with learning disabilities. One of the persons she supports has a season ticket to Ibrox. In fact he has two. One for him and one for his support worker. I believe one or two clubs allow free access to the support worker but the supported person still has to purchase a ticket.

As CD says these persons are not necessary financially disabled and many can afford to pay but the added cost of the support worker can be a problem.

[RiG]

You'd still hope we'd get a bigger crowd for Rangers' first visit in almost 2 years.

What was our attendance v Celtic on the opening day of the season? You could argue that the timing was bad what with the run up to Christmas etc. and money being tighter for most than ever. Personally I think part of the reason is that Rangers and Celtic don't offer the same "pull" as they used to.

[WeAreSPL]

I also believe that the behaviour of the Rangers supporters and their constant sectarian chants

make for an unpleasant experience for many which can be enough to make them want bto keep their families

well away from the game.

[Govan Jaggie]

Govan Jaggie

You have half a story.

The Supporters Trust alongside an organisation called CAFE (Centre for Access to Football in Europe) have been working hard to form a Disabled Supporters Association.

It will be the disabled supporters association who will make recommendations for change and the Trust will liase on their behalf with the football club. Members of the new association will be welcome to attend meetings between the Trust and the football club where they have items to discuss.

I can assure you that ICT have not said that they want to stop offering the free tickets, however these are issued on a match to match basis and many feel that purchasing a season ticket at a reduced cost would be more convenient and promote a more social environment where you coud sit in the same seat every week.

The official launch of the new Disabled Supporters Association takes place Thursday 16th Dec, 7.30pm at the stadium. This meeting is open to all of our disabled fans, their families and carers, as well as any support workers or in fact anyone who is interested in finding out more.

I could go on and on and on, but don't want to bore those bot interested, but Govan Jaggie, you have my number if you want any more info.

That is why I know I can come on here and get the full story. Reliable as always LG.

[bauhaus]

Have we not had slightly higher average attendances for the Rangers games compared to the Celtic ones. Opening day against Celticb was 7545, which is slightly less than a couple of Rangers games I think, but timimg just before xmas and weather uncertainty would have kept some away on Saturday.

Its only a guess but does that mean there are more Rangers fans in the North, or is it the other way about? Certainly have a better record against the blue half

[Scotty]

Have we not had slightly higher average attendances for the Rangers games compared to the Celtic ones.

seek and ye shall find ......

CELTIC: http://stats.caleythistleonline.com/opponent.php?opp=3

RANGERS: http://stats.caleythistleonline.com/opponent.php?opp=6

[Heilandee]

From a neutral viewing point of view several factors have seen me stop going to matches regularly, as i used to.If not going to a Dee match i would often be be at Telford street/Kingsmills then latterly ,TCS,but cost, closely followed by stewarding and the whole match day experience becoming much less enjoyable have seen my enthusiasm for taking in games wane.I would be more likely now to head off to see a Highland league game if i wanted a fix of live footy,where an afternoon with decent peh and bovril (without missing 15 mins of game in queues) and a pint or 2 after can still be had for ?15-?20 and banter is taken at face value without bigotry and bile.

The Scottish game is in a desperate state currently, with ICT bucking the general trend,but change way beyond the tinkering currently being proposed is required if the game is ever to be revived as a major spectator pastime in most provincial towns and cities,many good lads i know just dont bother going now or "watch it on Sky"

[CaleyT]

I normally bring 1 to 3 kids with me to matches which is no a bad price in the family section - however that option wasn't available to us on Saturday and all 3 wanted to come at a staggering cost of ?81.

Result: me and one child went.

Perhaps a bigger family section would have driven up the attendance.

[TSTtiger]

I normally bring 1 to 3 kids with me to matches which is no a bad price in the family section - however that option wasn't available to us on Saturday and all 3 wanted to come at a staggering cost of ?81.

Result: me and one child went.

Perhaps a bigger family section would have driven up the attendance.

That's pretty terrible, i know the club gives a decent price for kids season tickets but it'd be good if they could do a family season ticket offer.

[Row S]

The lunch-time kick off (a pain in the ass), it was on TV and Huns fans based in Inverness who normally get tickets for the "home" end would rather watch it in the comfort of their local pub or armchair.

[CaleyD]

I normally bring 1 to 3 kids with me to matches which is no a bad price in the family section - however that option wasn't available to us on Saturday and all 3 wanted to come at a staggering cost of ?81.

Result: me and one child went.

Perhaps a bigger family section would have driven up the attendance.

It's not possible to just increase the size of the Family Section for OF games, and the normal demand for the area wouldn't(currently) justify making it any bigger on a permanent basis.

Perhaps you should look at getting Season Tickets for the Family Enclosure...not sure what age your kids are, but with free U12's, Juniors at ?70 and Adults at only ?220 (?80 cheaper than anywhere else in the stadium) then any family going to more than 5 or 6 games in a season is getting tremendous value for money....in fact, if you have 1 U16 and 2 U12's...it will cost you less than an adult season ticket elsewhere in the stadium and you only have to take in 2 OF games and any 2 other games (at North Stand prices) to recoup your investment.

[caleyboy]

GJ

I sould add that the tickets for schools initiative has been very worthwhile. The club have offered the West Stand to schools for some games and this in turn breeds new ICT fans, some who maybe attending their 1st ever match.

I have a friend who is a die hard Rangers fan, but now has to take his son to our games following a school visit which got him hooked. So despite his fathers attempts to have him a Rangers fan, he has turned this on it's head and now his Dad takes him to ICT games. One less (maybe 2) heading to support us instead of heading to Glasgow must be a good thing.

There are quite a few other similar stories I'm aware off

Nothing new here LG. The club initiated free school tickets when we moved to the new stadium and, believe it or not, had exactly the same effect. I do however believe that there was a period when some n...ty decided to pull the plug because we were losing revenue!

[TopSix]

I've found the stewarding to have improved significantly over the past month or two. Hopefully this will see the attendances improve a bit.

[Scotty]

Have we not had slightly higher average attendances for the Rangers games compared to the Celtic ones.

seek and ye shall find ......

CELTIC: http://stats.caleythistleonline.com/opponent.php?opp=3

RANGERS: http://stats.caleythistleonline.com/opponent.php?opp=6

surprisingly .... no, Celtic have a higher average !!! helped by the 8736 (at pittodrie) and the first game this season being closer to a sellout than the Rangers game.

[Caley Stan]

From glancing at SPL attendances each week, we seem to be on course to finish 9th on the end of season average attendance table ahead of St. Johnstone, St. Mirren and Hamilton - our highest ever position. Our attendances are also a lot closer those posted by Kilmarnock and Motherwell than they were when we first arrived in the SPL.