Support

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

I agree. The merger has been a major influence.

[Charles Bannerman]

Johndo.... do you not mean that you were majorly under the influence for the entire duration of the merger!?

[CaleyJulz]

I have only being following ICT lately as my son loves them and really the merer dont bother me or my wee lad yes we ae seasson ticket holder as is my little girl. But i would cost a fortune fofr us to go to cup games by the time we pay tickets......food drinks at half time... transport.... it cost a fortune but we do make all home games and we do away games every so often if we can .

[buckett]

A rare show of emotion Mr. Bannerman - congratulations!

Soooo, what have we been on tonight, as Mr Beattie might say?

[clacher_holiday2]

sadly i think the only way we're ever likely to genuinely increase home support is with consistent success on the field, home and away.  that will never happen at a level thatd effect change.

where we can move forward is in the close season and with seaosn ticket sales, thats where the marketing should be targetted (starting now even), as we're never likely to increase pay-at-the-gate numbers without remarkable success in the spl.

a realistic target for next season should be 4,000, get the thinking caps on now and sort it

[Charles Bannerman]

Rhubarb and bananas Buckett! ... we were on nothing more interesting than an athletics meeting. Wood doesn't grow on trees laddie! (Readers who did not attend Inverness Royal Academy during the 60s or 70s should ignore this!)

[L_G]

Okay I'll ignore it.

I do still speak to a few who even go to support Ross County rather that a merged ICT.  But I do agree Charles that these are now in the minority.  Some of them don't go to football at all and will openly admit to missing it, but they can't swallow their pride enough to go after all these years.  As ICT have grown they have found it harder to stay away and I know a few who are 'using' their children or grandchildren as an excuse to come back, but that's fine.  Don't think it's making that big a difference.

The supporter's Trust meets with the club on a monthly basis and I know that this is an issue which is regularly discussed and our new Chairman is keen to work on this and has a few ideas.  The trust representatives at these meetings never miss an opportunity to mention the pricing and especially the cost for children. 

Oddly enough I find myself agreeing with Clacher (well a bit anyway).  The product on the field and the whole experience is what will bring people back week after week.  As Heilandee says, he enjoys taking his son to a game, but you do have to consider your options when the cost is so high.  As a family, attending away (and or cup) games is an expensive day out, so I can understand why some fans stay away.

[Guest cantbeatus]

Need to really understand the reasons behind this.

Yes it was a pretty poor crowd. Why?

Some reasons

Prices

Scotland England rugby on TV

Season tickets are not used for cup games.

We have roughly 3000 of a fanbase that will turn up because they have season tickets. The rest of the usual crowds are made up of pay at the gates and the away fans.

A lot of our further afield season ticket holders probably gave this one a miss.

Third home game in a row.

The biggest issue is that people in the North have still not realised that ICT are for real, maybe some expert marketing required here.

Well done to United for a decent away support. Not all away supports are so good, Killie and Well are lucky to have more than 100 when they come up for SPL games. Likewise, the last time I was at Well the crowd was pretty poor from ICT.

The club still has to sell itself to the general public, crowds like this take the edge off of games and kills any atmosphere, although I thought Saturday was okish.

Rugby on tv is no excuse for football fans not turning up, we were paying the same prices both home and away fans, just 2000 home fans is poor no matter what is said, its livingston type crowds.

[Guest]

Okay I'll ignore it.

I do still speak to a few who even go to support Ross County rather that a merged ICT.  But I do agree Charles that these are now in the minority.  Some of them don't go to football at all and will openly admit to missing it, but they can't swallow their pride enough to go after all these years .  As ICT have grown they have found it harder to stay away and I know a few who are 'using' their children or grandchildren as an excuse to come back, but that's fine.  Don't think it's making that big a difference.

The supporter's Trust meets with the club on a monthly basis and I know that this is an issue which is regularly discussed and our new Chairman is keen to work on this and has a few ideas.  The trust representatives at these meetings never miss an opportunity to mention the pricing and especially the cost for children. 

Oddly enough I find myself agreeing with Clacher (well a bit anyway).  The product on the field and the whole experience is what will bring people back week after week.  As Heilandee says, he enjoys taking his son to a game, but you do have to consider your options when the cost is so high.  As a family, attending away (and or cup) games is an expensive day out, so I can understand why some fans stay away.

Swallow their pride?  Don't think thats quite the term i would use! 

Selling their souls would be more appropriate........

[beachcomber]

There are presently whole  departments of highly paid consultants and researchers at the HIE

As long as it's no the highly paid IHE

I suppose, when you think about it, the new HIE office has a Howden End

[RiG]

Can't folk just accept that our support is rubbish and no one in Inverness really cares who ICT are playing unless it's one of the Old Filth?

[Kind of Blue]

Brand New Poster, I think you've just given yourself away with the remark: "selling their souls".  You're not on here as an ICT supporter are you?

Charles Bannerman has comprehensively nailed it as regards to the merger.  Those who were against it (and I count myself as one, originally, but saw the error of my ways) always exaggerated their numbers and importance.

[beachcomber]

Buenos noches BNP - as far as I can see, merger stayaways and Highland OF fans come out of the same prehistoric mould and ICT are better off without them. The Perth 6000 only seems to prove that there were previously 5500 fairweather football fans in inverness, of those, 3000 have been converted to regular attenders which is pretty good going.

[Guest Arab4Ever]

Your biggest problem is surely people like me who dont support their local team. Most of them are unloyal OF fans most of whom dont got to games and in extreme cases cant even name a few players. They still wear the top though as they think that makes a fan. Thats why if you talk a walk down Inverness High street you see mostly green and blue tops.

Surely if you can avoid doing a Livi and stay in the SPL for a few more years, the younger kids who would have supported the OF, will start following ICT instead. Heres hoping anyway... I hate glory hunters as much as you lot after all :007:

[Harry Chibber]

Can't folk just accept that our support is rubbish and no one in Inverness really cares who ICT are playing unless it's one of the Old Filth?

That's very harsh RIG... we may have an average support but that can only be expected for our current situation, it will take time before we can start pulling in decent crowds but progress can't be expected to instant.

at least 3,000 + care a great deal about the club and they shouldn't be overlooked

[RiG]

Harsh but true. Our support is rubbish but we are a young club. It will take a long time to build up an establish fan base. It won't happen over night. Look at Gretna and Livi for proof of that.

[Harry Chibber]

can't disagree with that but I would say that we are in a much better position in regards to both mentioned clubs from either geography or finances, if we manage to sustain success over the next few years there is definitely people around the highlands that the club will appeal to. 

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

All depends on the pricing of seats.  :023:

[Johnboy]

Especially for one off cup ties...... :018:

[Guest Icy T]

On more than a couple of occasions it has been said (no doubt correctly) that the prices for the United cup game were so high because Dundee United refused to agree to a reduction from standard league match prices.

Could it be that the league match prices are too high in the first place?! 

[RiG]

Yes!

It would cost (guess) around £90 for a family of 4 to watch ICT v St. Mirren in the Main Stand.

What could a family do with £90 instead of going to the football? Answer: A lot and I guess a lot of people feel the same about PATG prices - they aren't getting value for money or that it is simply to expensive.

[SMEE]

I see it like this. As an ex....er.......em......Caley fan ( am i allowed to say that?), why is it in the old Highland league days of the 1960s etc, you would get 8000+ turning up for games yet the population was prob a third of what it is today? Todays prices are a rip off, pure and simple! Considering the realities of all the money pressures on the "average" person. And am not reffering to the "average" person that the govt would have us believe that takes home £400 a week. I mean the real average person

[CaleyD]

Other than the fact the stadium only holds around 7500 you mean?  :016:

[SMEE]

Well, it wouldnt be the first ground that had more in it than its official capacity. Even 6000 should easily be achieve-able in Inverness on matchday. I would rather play to 6000 and take in lets say £30 000 at the gate, than take in the £30k and play in front of 3000

[cairngorm]

i dont know the answer to fans not turning up to league matches , i think the prices are reasonable for me Mrs C and young Master C what i don like is the price being raised for the  appearence of the O.F. we are all in the SPL , does that mean when Caley get in top three other clubs will raise their prices. Enough of that , back to the point, i like going to the games at Caley ground (wish atmosphere was better tho) i dont have to keep my eye on young Cairn all the time as it feels a safe envoirment,when i am not around, Mrs Cairn feels the same way as she will go up to the game on her own and feel safe there. Maybe if you can produce six home game stubs, Caley will give a free home game ticket for a child to get in free, children are the future of the club just a thought :024: