How do we get people to games?

Just spit-balling, some of these would probably help (apologies if all these have already been said)

• Cheap kids tickets/kids go free days
• Give out family passes to schools
• maybe some kind of coffee card initiative? buy tickets to four home games throughout the season, get your 5th game free?
• step up media presence - the Victory are always doing videos with their players and letting their fans get to know the guys, easier to support a name on the team sheet when there is a face and personality behind it.

As for getting away fans, this one is a bit out there and would take a huge amount of organising, but - what if we paired with a club or two in aus and set up a proper relationship between two fan groups. It would rely heavily on cohesive communication and kindness of fans, but it would be cool to have something like a home-stay network set up where, lets just say Victory fans for example, are able to stay with Nix fans for a night or two, on the condition that they reciprocate (or are at least willing to) for our lot when we play over there. Free accommodation and potentially free transport to the games could sway many more fans from Australia to hop across the Tasman and help us fill up the cake tin. It's an expensive away trip already but this would greatly cut costs for both fansWould also be amazing PR for us in Australia and could help to get Aussie fans on side with the Nix remaining in the comp if we show them that actually we're nice people who are passionate about football and deserve to have a football team. We used to be everyone else's second team, This could be a way to get some of that back. It's pretty hard to not like people who welcome you into their home for a couple of nights. Not saying it is feasible, but I think it would be a really cool idea if it was given a proper chance. 

Only thing other than greed results that will bring in the numbers is signing a 'Name' marquee that people have heard of and would like to see. 

I reckon give Usain Bolt his shot. Even if he doesn't start, people will come to see him maybe play - or even do the lap of honour.

Does the FFA pay for the marquee or does the club? I read somewhere the FFA where bring back the marquee fund thing, So maybe its a smart move to get a known named signing.

Second promoting YF. It's the overall match day experience/sense of community that keeps people regularly going to games overseas. NZ has nothing like that. With the AB's, people go because they love rugby, their mates are going or it's the 'thing to do.' 

When the Nix are in Auckland, I'll always go to the YF Zone as it makes the game that much more enjoyable. I know the YF lads/lasses already do a heap of work, so maybe the club could help out in some capacity (if they don't already)?

Ok, so my earlier post about JAFA-land got hidden but I've been into trying to get attendances up for NL games. So I asked a mate back in the UK how they got attendances up from average 572 in 2013/14 to 1,454 in 2017/18 at their non-league club.

- get younger people in to make a racket in the stands and be inventive and colourful

- get photos of people having fun into the mainstream: blog about it, Tweet about it etc.

- get some underground stickers on every lamppost and bar in Wellington: make them quirky and attention grabbing

- ensure the Club welcomes ALL

- don't just put posters up on anti-discrimination, but go further - blue sky thinking. The friendly we had against Stonewall FC is a case in point.

- if you are under capacity, then fill that space with free tickets. Give them away to students, activity groups....anything you can think of.

- don't worry about people already going getting free tickets. The benefits outweigh any down points. People who fill empty space, spend once in ground and many will come again.

- send out press releases whenever you do one of these offers, and think of a hook for the media, e.g. free tickets for women's football teams on international women's day, tickets for students for start of term

Some good ideas there Balbi but is giving away tickets to anyone and everyone a good idea? 

I agree o some extent that its a good way to fill some extra seats however  its also a great way to alienate your members who fork out every season before a game has been played.

 Peraonally I think it would be very tricky to find a happy medium in this scenario.

I live in Masterton, coach my boy's team here and I'm a teacher in Greytown. I've only been living here since February but in that time I've seen no Nix promotion around this area whatsoever.

I would have junior tickets going out as Player of the Day prizes, with maybe a family pass for Committed Player of the Month. Kids love their PoD prizes - my lad wouldn't shut up about his free doughnut and cheeseburger - and I think many parents would come to the party and drag the family along to the game. Then, when they get there, make them feel special and valued.

Also, as someone mentioned earlier, get the players into schools and local clubs. Give them a profile, and when they're there they can hand out stuff that doesn't cost a lot to produce, posters, club pennants, player trading cards etc. There's a lot you can produce for not much money per unit.

Long-serving (and long suffering) Nix fans have put in, paid up and been there for it all. No argument there.

But if there's no upturn in attendances then it's two years left. The club has to do something, which is why they're asking.

Each game say 500 tickets get given away. Maybe there's a takeup of future paid tickets from that. But there's about 28,000 empty seats at the RoF at the minute - so it's costing the Nix nothing to do, and there's the added merch, food, drink stuff in there too.

I can see how fans can, and do, get 'well i've been here 10 years and i've never gotten anything for free'. 

But we're into the final two seasons of the license, we're hopelessly under-metrics and it comes down to this:

If the answer's no, then there's a horrible question of priorities here - survival of the club vs finding yourself out of pocket compared to others.

Or ideas - like 'seriously, what do you want the club to do?'

Cheaper tickets would be good. Kids for $1. All that. But whatever.

I like this. Refining and improving the zone's current lack of tolerance for bigoted chants and comments is a good start, as would be an official "Israel Folau Be Damned, All You Rainbow Peeps Are Welcome At The Nix" policy. (I could never understand how homophobia is such a big part of the men's game/fandom when, well, I don't need to go into detail about the women's game. And while it's great to see young lads getting into it in the Zone, let's make sure that the young girls feel welcome as well - they are the future just as much.)

Give it to all the other codes whom are playing at the time 

The student thing is a pain in the arse, but there's a way around it - sort of.

Here's when all the uni's kick out for the summer. The A League season kicks off about the time students hit the study break/exams. So how about this...

Stage 1: Late semester 2 appeal to all the students at uni's in wellington and designate a game an 'end of year student thing' with discounts for students who come along etc. One last blow out before exams/or when exams are finished.

Stage 2: Over the 2018 summer, online advertising etc 'Welcome Back For The Summer Of Football' providing similar discounts to any student attending any university in NZ or abroad. They'll be working summer jobs, have a bit of income and want to do something. Get them in.

Also go for the Summer School lot. They're in Summer School, they'll fancy a beer. 12 Pubs Of Lochhead?

Stage 3: O Week. If the 'Landers can do it with the Zoo, Nix should try and do an O-Week fancy dress thing or whatever at the RoF. Prizes - the works. Maybe a YF crawl involved there as well.

The season doesn't line up but you can pick them up across the October to May period in three sweeps. 

Doesn't mean you can't give out tickets - "this pass entitles the bearer to free entry at one Wellington Phoenix game at Westpac Stadium". Doesn't have to be specific.

During the "Save The Nix" campaign I bought 10 kids season tickets and 1 adult season ticket,   donated the to a decile 1 school (In a rugby/League strong hold) with the sports co-coordinator finding a parent to take a group to the games. About 1/3 of the parents went on to buy their own tickets for the family.   

Reignite that "Save the Nix" campaign this season. Find a different name for it if necessary, but basically promote heck out it from the first home game. This is a make or break season for the club with our HAL future on the line. 

Stress it's a big deal for Wellington, get the Mayor and WCC involved, plus push every local media contact we have to do stories. Give out tickets galore and try to start the season with a bang.

And even if we were to lose our opening home game, if we can turn in a spirited, gutsy, performance on the field, and show we're going to be really competitive, we might still win over some hearts and minds. 

Exactly. You could also have it as an incentive for clubs end of season awards. 

My club have an event every October once the seasons finished. 11 free tickets for the most improved/best team at the club.

Have one for the youth, one for the seniors. They all think it's a good larf and a few of them decide to do it again during the nix season.

It’s not a good idea as I know people now who don’t go UNLESS they have a free ticket. Too many freebies is a bad thing.

Out of interest, attended semi final (2nd leg) of Primera A league Colombia on weekend in Medellin. Home team Atlelico Nacional (Medellin) beat  Atlelico Huila on penalties, to make the final. Game finished 0-0 (1st leg also 0-0), but plenty of drama - crossbar hit about 3 times, plus a send off.

Stadium only half full, but pretty awesome atmosphere, and a shark load of fun.

For sure NZ ain't South America, so I'm not sure what Phoenix or YF could learn from what the Latinos, bring to a game pre match. I did love how folks ringed the field before the home team game out, and let off smoke from the canisters. NZ OH&S may not approve. Also big fan of the drums, and huge banners/flags. YF create a really good atmosphere at Nix games, though it's pretty similar to an English league game I feel. I say bring the noise and colour, the more the better - IF the Stadium rule makers will allow it. I can just imagine young NZ kids being wide eyed by some of stuff I saw at this game in Medellin, and begging Dad to go back next week.  

Perhaps someone should tell the Waiheke FC latino boys, that there is a nice pretty island in middle of Wellington Harbour, with a rich history, where they can relocate their team! The ROF will be clearly visible from their new home. Free season tickets, as long as they bring their drums, chants and flares to home games.

Anyway here's some videos pre and post match in Medellin. Being technologically incompetent I had to do it through FB.

https://www.facebook.com/andrew.penfold.52/videos/...

https://www.facebook.com/andrew.penfold.52/videos/...

Nacional were once owned by Paolo Escobar (once of the world's richest men) - so would have had few money worries back in the day.

Waiheke are an excellent example of how clubs can attract fans to games by changing the atmosphere. A first division club who have had to build a standing area for their supporters as they have become so popular. That's what the Phoenix need to do to grow their fan base, make it more about the atmosphere and event of going to the football, than just about watching the match. Not everyone likes football, but if you go along and have a good time, chances are you'll come back. 

Hats off to the YF crew put so much time and effort into it, it'd be great to see the club embrace that more. Below are some photos of the Waiheke supporters. 

Reminder:

No it does work, besides traditional winter football, there are lots of summer programs for kids. My nephew (9 years old) played for Onslow in the winter then played in the summer league every friday evening at Ian Galloway Park, not sure who it was actually run by  (Karori possibly) but there were 10 fields with 7v7 games every half hour so a couple of thousand kids. The Nix did turn up to this when they had a home game on and sold tickets for $15 (Adult) but also gave away tickets to the kids as Player of the day awards.

Not sure they sold too many to the adults but the kids would end up going when they won POD, or like in my nephews case when he won it but already had a season ticket, he'd give it to someone else. And once the kids won the prize the parents that didn;t have season tickets would go and buy them of the Nix

The biggest problem the nix have is no staff, at these friday things the staff I saw were almost the complete Nix staff, so was great they were doing the job but who was doing there usual day job while they were out?

Instead of "Save the Nix" try something that sounds positive or proactive. "Sharing the Dream" or something. .......

Really impressed with some of the suggestions so far, although I share the view that you can try almost anything you want, but if the team is shark, then it's likely people won't attend.

My only suggestion would be to somehow hype the cross-Tasman rivalry - be it on social media, advertisement, during the HT show etc.

Make it a 'us vs the world' type scenario where you can make a difference by turning up and supporting the team as they take on the Aussies.

Also, liked the idea of some sort of app where you can only play if you're at the stadium and you can win prizes (doesn't have to be cash, training, socialising or travelling to a game with the squad would draw enough people).

Reading some of these posts I get the impression that Nix HQ doesn't have enough people to do what needs to be done.

What about offering some work experience to students at Wgton Poly (whatever it's called) or Victoria Uni? Students usually jump at the chance of work experience and we might even find a bunch who are already football/Nix fans.

We could look for students who could bring IT or marketing, or other useful skills we could harness, who might have really good ideas about getting heard in the marketplace, and might know how to get through to the young, social-media-savvy audience who have not yet discovered football. 

This is a great idea. Nix might already be onto this a bit. I remember when YF interviewed Dome on a recent pod, and he mentioned their young long standing marketing guy, who had started off originally as a volunteer - was now off to work for NZ Rugby.

But yeah does seem like Nix HQ has staff limitations, so get in some students on work experience whether be marketing, social media or whatever. 

Even get in an overseas student/backpacker (offer free board or something), who has some great ideas on how to target those markets, and draw them to the ROF. Get them to setup some Nix social media pages in Mandarin or Spanish or whatever.

I note many of the MLS clubs have both English and Espanol language options on their websites. Obviously the US has a massive latino population, and many of the MLS sides have half or more of their starting eleven as latinos.

Reckon also the Nix could be using Sapreet Singh as a poster boy, to target Wellington's Indian community, and drag some more fans in. The boy is going to be a star, and maybe is only going to be at the Nix for a season or two more.

"Bend it like Beckham Sapreet".

Of course need to avoid the cultural cringe, but generally immigrant communities (noting the Indian community is very very longstanding in NZ) love to embrace the success of one of their own.

As they say "Sell the sizzle, not the sausage".

More could be done around marketing sure, but do something more interesting than just posters advertising the game. Get some local artists and writers on board (pay them), give them a brief to explore fan favourite moments, cult heroes, etc. Find walls to paint on, do a decent bill sticker campaign (and doesn't have to be colour, do black and white, but definitely A2 size), project some images or highlights on to a wall somewhere. Tie it all together with a nice little hashtag.

Banners etc at the game are good, but someone has to paint them. Doesn't just have to be a job for the Fever. They ran a banner competition in Dunedin for the U17 World Cup in 1999, maybe the Nix can do something similar. 

What happened to the people that used to turn up to games? Shouldn't we be asking them to come back?.

Love it, coochiee!

Picking up from that, do we have any players currently signed (or who should be signed) who are Maori or Pacific Islanders? Those communities are more rugby centric, but a few players they can relate to might get some attention.

Try contacting the local PI churches, which tend to have decent sized congregations, and offer them tickets which they can give away, or sell to their members (PI churches are always raising money to send back to the Islands). The Ministers at these churches usually have a lot of power, so try and get them onside. Maybe someone could sponsor a bus load of Island families - with kids - to come along and attend a Nix home game. If enough of them enjoy it, offer some kind of special discount for the rest of the season. 

And I assume there are a few enthic newspapers in Wellington, either online or in print. Those tend to have dedicated readers, and if the club can plant stories, angled at their readership, why not give it a try? And check out any ethnic radio stations. There's an Indian station in Auckland, and who knows what's out there online? 

I suspect if the club can get volunteers on work experience from a cross section of the community, they may be astonished at the networks those people can tap into. 

Ok, so how? We are after ideas to pass onto the Nix. I note someone earlier in the thread talked about getting players to ring past members to try get them to re-new. So that is one idea, any others?

One thing Aussie AFL clubs do very well is tap in the different ethnic communities. Of course Melbourne is 4M plus people with large communities of many races. One radio station there even commentates a game each week in Mandarin. But the teams are always out and about amongst the various communities. The AFL also has a designated indigenous round where the teams, wear jerseys with aboriginal designs.

I'm not sure how you confirm this stuff, but some of the AWs players I know with PI (sorry can't identify exact country) or Maori heritage. Of course most won't be at Nix any time soon -

Crocombe (Cook Islands) as someone told me last week.

Reid (Maori)

Howieson (Maori)

Tuiloma (PI)

Boxalls x2 (I think have PI or Maori heritage)

TAW (?)

Dyer (?)

Howieson (Maori)

I'm sure there could be more. But yes is a few, if none currently at Nix.

This is a definite. Our media presence needs to be huge, we do have a potential catchment area of almost 5 million people remember. This could also swing mainstream media like TV news etc. to extend coverage on us, increasing awareness, which is something which could happen to the National League too. This = more people turning up each weekend.

better of targeting British and Australian than PI or Asian

Target every group the club can think of. It's not an 'either/or' situation. 

Here’s our answer - close the thread 

There will be others better qualified then I to talk about this next point, but certain sports in this country (think rugby and league) have a very bad reputation when it comes to our gay community. With good reason.

Lead the charge,  get out there amongst this community, do a bit for hiv, get the players attending the parades on floats, be known as the club in the a league and in fact the world that is the rainbow club,

Heck even have a marriage at half time. 

Next game, curtain raiser with Ausi verses NZ. If a current player is gay, stand up and say I am.

Being mercenary, it attracts the pink dollar and whom is going to expel us from the league if we are the gay club of the world.

Possibly the Ausis if anyone but it would attract a lot of negative press from the rest of the world

All of this may appear radical but we need to do better then say target the back packers with leaflets.

And I want some payment and a job for the duration of the license for this idea David. Heck I may even take your job :)

While i like some of the suggestions made i just dont get the the call for  the student and backpacker markets to be targeted. Nothing in our past i think has shown that both these markets are ones that have been successful in attracting support from and who would spend money to regularly attend.

There is a real danger i think that in trying to reach to many demographics you actually dont achieve what you want.

I would really like them to pick 3/4 areas with a concerted attempt to win support something they have never really done.

First would be schools and  junior football both these have enormous untapped potential.

Secondly senior football clubs and supporters..How hard have the Phoenix tried over the years  to really promote it to these groups.

Thirdly as mentioned in a previous post target those fans who have let their memberships expire.They were fans once so maybe they can be enticed to join up again.

Given its acknowledged they dont have the staff to support some things maybe another reason not to try and focus on to many areas.Much better to do a small number well than a lot half arsed.