Black out the Heart

839 replies · 23,895 views

about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

The great thing is that the nix won, they scored three goals and there is a strong possibility that as a result the next game will also crack 10k

There was plenty of publicity around the game as far away as
Auckland. Some of it may have been negative (I.e lewis's editorial) but there is no such thing as bad publicity in that context

Despite the fact that everyone turned up, I think regardless of the crowd yesterday garreth was sowing a seed for next season when I have no doubt he will play more home games awayAucklandPhoenix2012-01-30 10:58:20

Auckland will rise once more

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Gareth's found traction with CloseUp tonight at 7pm too.

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

There was a bouncy castle around about aisle 15, which probably added about 2,000 to the crowd on its own.

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

ahmad wrote:

Grandadi wrote:

ahmad wrote:

I respectfully disagree that the marketing made "no difference whatsoever". We've gone on winning runs before. The home record has always been the envy of many teams in the league. This was the biggest crowd all season (by far).

Independent of winning form there were certainly other factors at play.

I respectfully disagree with your respectful disagreement

. You said it yourself, we've had great winning runs before (that's what got the crowds in). As per my original contention, winning=crowds.Unoriginal faux-Rugby marketing made next to bugger all difference. I will just need to confirm this with my sources though......

I'm happy that you agree we've had winning runs before. That's good common ground to find so we don't have to have a boring discussion about whether that's a fact or not.

So given that fact that we both agree on, pray tell the last time there were 13,000+ outside of final at Westpac?

14,000 + for the last home game before the playoff run. That win gave us the home semi. Mariniers0-nix 2 if i remember correctly

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

One of the pleasing things about the crowd, (whatever the reason for the size) was the fact that it was achieved without a promotion of free kids

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Junior82 wrote:

Also rather strange that we were asked to look for someone's credit card twice (didn't find it - twice).

Intrusive adverts during the game! Not on.

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

UKandy wrote:

Junior82 wrote:

Also rather strange that we were asked to look for someone's credit card twice (didn't find it - twice).

Intrusive adverts during the game! Not on.ï¿½

But the free Beer (any Tap Beer) went down well. Approx 1/2 the patrons stayed on after the TAB ran out. Great support of a Team sponsor.

Supporter For Ever - Keep The Faith - Foundation Member - Never Lets FAX Get In The Way Of A Good Yarn

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Previous regular season 14K+ crowds at Westpac (Adelaide game was part of the LA Galaxy promo)

November 2007 Wellington Phoenix

18,345

Adelaide United Westpac Stadium Round 15 2007-08 26 August 2007 Wellington Phoenix

14,421

Melbourne Victory Westpac Stadium Round 1 2007-08 12 February 2010 Wellington Phoenix

14,327

Central Coast Mariners Westpac Stadium Round 27 2009-10 4 January 2008 Wellington Phoenix

14,288

Sydney FC Westpac Stadium Round 19 2007-08

When Hibs, went up, to win the Scottish Cup - I wisnae there - furfuxake!

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Tegal wrote:

Yeah the TAB got a bloody sweet sponsorship deal, we were bombarded with them before during, at halftime, and after the match! It got a bit much..

my mate got one of the free bets from the girls first goalscorer he won in the first 3 minutes of the game $22.50 pretty much a free game for him.

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

$10 parking might have helped as well

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

sthn.jeff wrote:

One of the pleasing things about the crowd, (whatever the reason for the size) was the fact that it was achieved without a promotion of free kids

Free kids? Good God man, I'm still paying for mine. And their offspring.....

Nostalgia isnt what it used to be...........

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Who cares what it was that got the crowd along?

It worked. That's good.

Let the Phoenix/Gareth continue to blunderbus the game promotions. It's their job to worry about what works and what doesn't, not ours. They were bloody successful in growing the crowd yesterday, and many of 'us' said we thought they didn't know what they were doing, that this idea or that was spectacularly poorly thought through, or derivative, or whatever other angle we wanted to use to take a pot shot at it.

I think 'we' were shown, decisively, that we don't know what we are talking about.

Maybe the sudden massive jump in attendance was purely down to the team winning? Personally, I think that's drawing a rather long bow, because we've won before and it hasn't caused such a jump in attendances... although, admittedly we haven't won two in a row on the road before... but I would be quite surprised if the average casual punter who came along was even aware that we'd never done that before...

I don't care who is right and who is wrong. I care that we had a great attendance. Keep doing what you are doing Wellington Phoenix, and may the next home game be as successful at drawing a big crowd as this one was.

Incredible stamina. No shame. Yellow Fever.

Phoenix fans. We have to win them over one fan at a time.

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

It "matters" in so much as the activity you want the Phoenix to "carry on doing" is being dismissed by some here.

It "matters" therefore only in deciding what exactly it is you want the Club to "carry on" doing.

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

I haven't read all of the thread so don't know if this has been discussed but there was a promotion through football clubs for cheaper tickets with some of the revenue from them going to the club. I received an email from my junior club promoting the promotion and got tickets for $15 an adult and $5 a child. That must have had some impact.

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

cheaper tiickets - big impact

chance of winning some coin - minor impact, but generated interest.

threats from the owners - really only pissed off the regular fans, probably diod little to encourage the casuals to show up.

Winning on the day and showing how we can play - hopefully will encourage the newbies to come back.

Queenslander 3x a year.

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

ahmad wrote:

I don't think it matters. What they did for this game was not what I would have thought of. I posted on the first page of the Black out the Heart thread quite disillusioned that "they" (the club) were not in touch with "us" the Fever...

But they clearly understood what would move Joe Public. What "we" think they should keep on doing would have had much of what they did in the last fortnight not done. It worked. So I say stuff what "we" think they should keep doing and focus on what "they" think will get the casual punters along to the games. "They" are batting 1.000 so don't change anything. "We" will get over it.

Having (hopefully) ignited the interest of those extra 4,000 - 6,000 fans, I hope that by the end of the season a good number of them have bought stripeys. Or at least scarves and caps. Get them in, then get them hooked, then get them buying the merchandise, then get them buying season tickets...

bwtcf2012-01-30 14:03:49

Incredible stamina. No shame. Yellow Fever.

Phoenix fans. We have to win them over one fan at a time.

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

bwtcf wrote:

ahmad wrote:

But they clearly understood what would move Joe Public. What "we" think they should keep on doing would have had much of what they did in the last fortnight not done. It worked. So I say stuff what "We" think they should keep doing and focus on what "they" think will get the casual punters along to the games. "they" are batting 1.000 so don't change anything. "We" will get over it.

At best .500

Allegedly

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Whatever.

It worked.

Keep doing it.

Incredible stamina. No shame. Yellow Fever.

Phoenix fans. We have to win them over one fan at a time.

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

There were so many different aspects factoring in that you can't really say what was most successful or what worked and didn't work. Perhaps that is the way to go. Keep coming up with plenty of new ideas to keep getting media attention. I'm convinced the added media attention helped. Even if the game itself was an event that was similar to usual. Crowd numbers were up ~100% compared to average so that was a success.

I did get the feeling that a lot (but not 7k) of casual fans were getting ready to come to one anyway and would have to the previous ones this year but for a bad set of circumstances. My big issue is with the "success" of big wednessday. Because crowds were up a bit it might be viewed as good but I think that is the best time of the season to get a good crowd and if it had of been in the evening or weekend it would have been higher. Midafternoon on a working day is incredibly annoying and the only timeslot I can't stand.

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

bwtcf wrote:

Whatever.

It worked.

Keep doing it.

Not sure you quite understand what I'm saying. If you look back over the post-match posts here there is a huge variation in opinion about what the reason was for the bigger crowd, ranging from 100% down to recent form alone, to the above post which suggests a large number of different factors, including various efforts from the Club, made the difference.

Those that believe recent marketing efforts from the Club made little difference to the crowd could quite rightly question why they should keep doing these things (which are potentially alienating some of the hardcore).

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

bwtcf wrote:

Who cares what it was that got the crowd along?

It worked. That's good.

I think 'we' were shown, decisively, that we don't know what we are talking about.

Maybe the sudden massive jump in attendance was purely down to the team winning? Personally, I think that's drawing a rather long bow, because we've won before and it hasn't caused such a jump in attendances... although, admittedly we haven't won two in a row on the road before... but I would be quite surprised if the average casual punter who came along was even aware that we'd never done that before...

I think 'we' were shown, decisively, that we don't know what we are talking about

Speak for yourself, sunshine.

Maybe the sudden massive jump in attendance was purely down to the team winning

You answered your own point.

Next.......................

Nostalgia isnt what it used to be...........

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Really, so when we've won a couple of games in a row in the past, our crowd size has doubled too has it?

Allegedly

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

"Phoenix till they lose"

Posting 97% bollox, 8% lies and 3.658% genuine opinion.

Genuine opinion: FTFFA

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Tegal wrote:

Really, so when we've won a couple of games in a row in the past, our crowd size has doubled too has it?

Not. But two away wins with attendant free publicity might well have done

Nostalgia isnt what it used to be...........

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Grandadi wrote:

Tegal wrote:

Really, so when we've won a couple of games in a row in the past, our crowd size has doubled too has it?

Not. But two away wins with attendant free publicity might well have done

What do you think gained the free publicity?

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Think all of the ideas helped:

Move games from welly.....Up roar on here, feedback to media

More advertising ....Using Dompost website would have caught the eye of a few people

Promo with capital football.... Cheaper tickets would have swayed a few people

Winning...most of the time helps bring fans back

Weather... Great day for football.

One off kit/ themed game day... Maybe got people interested

$1000...Better odds than lotto.

To build on this I think should keep the cheaper tickets for rest of home games for the season(get people hooked).

Next season back to normal prices but season tickets to be made cheaper ie The Jests to encourage more people to buy season passes, which i would hope help increase our membership number idearly to @5000 -6000(or more) if marketed right. Think they had it right in season one with the poster on the bus stops around town.

Just an idea, feel free to shoot it to bits

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Dosnt matter what you call it,but it all pretty much comes under marketing whatever it is that was done.Also a fact that what was done for this game was way and above anything they had done earlier in the season.
So maybe the lesson for Gareth and the Phoenix is we shouldnt complain until we see the results of some half decent marketing.

For the first time all season i got through the lead up days to the game without friends and acquaintances asking when we were next playing.

GET YOUR SHIRTS OFF FOR THE BOYS

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Whose gonna buy season tickets next year if they keep discounting entry this year?

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

I'd pay double for a fridge magnet.

Just saying for the benefit of the marketers out there.

For Season Pin I might become a Welnix member.

"Phoenix till they lose"

Posting 97% bollox, 8% lies and 3.658% genuine opinion.

Genuine opinion: FTFFA

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Isn't a big part of it the fact that it was last week of school holidays, too?

a.haak

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

valeo wrote:

Isn't a big part of it the fact that it was last week of school holidays, too?

How much did this impact on crowd numbers in previous seasons? (honest question)

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Sauce: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Wellington_Phoenix_FC_records_and_statistics#Season_4_-_2010.E2.80.9311

2007ï¿½08 14,288 (Sydney FC, 4/1/2008) Ave: 11,683 2008ï¿½09 8,241 (Adelaide, 18 /1/2009) Ave: 7,193 2009ï¿½10 19,258 (Adelaide, 30/1/2010) 14,327 (CCM, 12/2/2010) Ave: 11,575 2010ï¿½11 10,917 (Jets, 30/1/2011) 12,731 (NQF, 13/2/2011) Ave: 8,017

Junior822012-01-30 17:37:18

"Phoenix till they lose"

Posting 97% bollox, 8% lies and 3.658% genuine opinion.

Genuine opinion: FTFFA

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

bwtcf wrote:

ahmad wrote:

Having (hopefully) ignited the interest of those extra 4,000 - 6,000 fans, I hope that by the end of the season a good number of them have bought stripeys. Or at least scarves and caps. Get them in, then get them hooked, then get them buying the merchandise, then get them buying season tickets...

Should have had merchandise on sale outside IMO. There's only that one little area inside that sells it is there not?

Selling scarves / caps / badges etc outside could've generated some more money due to little brats...I mean kids...getting their parents to buy them Phoenix stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe_B5CzbTJo - Caceres winning penalty v Perth - footage from the Fever Zone

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

valeo wrote:

Isn't a big part of it the fact that it was last week of school holidays, too?

No. Every time we win 2 in a row we get 13k fans at thevnext home game. Fact. Tegal2012-01-30 22:41:52

Allegedly

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Just watched the video of Dura, Brown and Bertos designing the one-off strip for the Heart game. I'd never knock such a generous donation to charity and I applaud the Phoenix for doing so. And I realise it was all part of a larger marketing campaign. But I had to have a wee giggle at when designing the strip the boys had the option of any colours in the world to take advantage of the Adidas miteam website, they were talking orange, silver etc etc...........and they chose black.Rosco2012-01-31 09:30:09

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Rosco wrote:

Like it or not, it is a colour NZ identifies with.

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

So the Phoenix players themselves chose the colour?

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

sthn.jeff wrote:

Rosco wrote:

Like it or not, it is a colour NZ identifies with.

Which is why Mark Paston got to wear Aussie colours.

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

UKandy wrote:

Whose gonna buy season tickets next year if they keep discounting entry this year?

I will. In a heart-beat.

Even if it was cheaper to buy tickets casually at every game than buy a season ticket, I would buy a season ticket. I want the club to get the money up front. I like not having to deal with Tickettek every game too.

Incredible stamina. No shame. Yellow Fever.

Phoenix fans. We have to win them over one fan at a time.

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about 14 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

bwtcf wrote:

Who cares what it was that got the crowd along?

It worked. That's good.

I think 'we' were shown, decisively, that we don't know what we are talking about.

100% agree bwtcf

You have to take your hat of to the Nix marketing people. The proof was there for all of us to see. A big crowd, the buzz coming into the ground was amazing....nice touch having live music on the concorse, great having the "score a goal" stuff for the kids....the TAB girls added to the atmosphere. Even the most cynical person would have to admit that it was avery succesful day.

I have talked to people at work who went...some of them were newbies, some had been only once or twice before....all of them were buzzing.....saying it was a great experiance and they would go again.

IMO there weremany factors involved in the success of the day but for me increased publicity is a huge huge factor. Out of sight is out of mind for most casuals. The Nix have been fairly low profile this season. Suddenly after Gareths comments the media was full of Nix stories. The team was back in the front of peoples minds.....following this up was a smart campaign to get people into the ground.

Obviously it will be hard to replicate the Black Heart experiance but if they can keep the publicity at a high level.....lots of Nix stories in the press etc then the level of awareness will be kept at a high level and hopefully lots of people will keep coming back

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