Setting aside the big picture influencers such as economic factors (i.e. affordability and confidence to spend), a tired poorly designed (for football) stadium with a poor value offering (e.g. shit food and drink at rip-off prices) I think scheduling has been the biggest negative influence on crowds.
It was always going to take time to win back casual fans after last year's load of dross but the schedule has:
- a pathetic 10 out of 27 games at home
- an initial home game then no home game for 6 weeks
- a home game late on a Sunday night
- a home game in the middle of a long weekend when the city empties out
- two home games then no home game for a month
With that cluster fuck of a schedule how exactly is momentum going to be created in the city so that it really buzzs with things Nix and casual fans get swept up ?
I think the schedule is the biggest screw up this year - the owners didn't understand: the importance of playing at home in terms of results (it's called home advantage for a reason), the nature of the relationship between supporters and their team and finally the need for continuity of home games to build momentum and win back supporters burnt off the last couple of seasons.
I really hope that lesson has been learnt.