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Boosting The Numbers of Away Fans at SJP

Colesman Ballz

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Dec 28, 2014
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Ok now that we've finally got a proper away end (after 117 years) surely we need to be proactive in promoting it to away fans ?

The Club Website does have a page for visiting fans, but this urgently needs updating now the Redevelopment has been completed. Also it is definitely more "Baedecker" than "Rough Guide" or "Lonely Planet" as travel guides go. Extolling the virtues of cultural institutions such as the splendid museum, and the Cathedral are all very well, but don't actually address the priorities for the majority of fans. They would be far more interested to learn of plethora of restaurants, places to drink and variety of nightlife available. I can understand the Club wanting to plug Flybe, the Mercure hotel and even Apple taxis as their "partners", but surely we can do a bit better ?

One or two on these boards should be applauded for making a start by getting the ball rolling with news of redevelopment to general football sites, but there are plenty of other things that could be done. A few clubs in League 2 have volunteer Away Fan Liaison Officers, could the Trust or Supporters Club consider picking up the baton in this respect ?

Ideally it would be great to not only contact the visiting clubs but also post a guide on their fans forums a few weeks in advance of fixtures. There is plenty to be stressed, Fan owned Club, geared to fans, friendly welcome, the Centre Spot (definitely NOT forgetting Fecrace with it's range of real ale and ciders), Red Square, with great local food from Kenniford Farm, Club Shop, and outdoor bar etc and I am sure you can think of others. Avoid making it "starchy", light and humorous should be the order of the day, with click on links to accommodation providers etc to avoid it being too long.

Increased away followings would further boost the match day "experience" for all, but it's a long old way to come. We know Exeter is a great place, but lets get the message out there. The ultimate aim should be to make an away game at Exeter, a fixture that other fans look out for, and start planning for, when the fixtures come out. After all we have those ourselves (even if they do prove fruitless in terms of league points !).
 

fred binneys head

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That’s a great point - easy to do and would benefit the club. We could also give links to a range of hotels, B&Bs and a link to AirB&B. Simple stuff but would be very welcoming and might persuade a few more fans to come down.
 

Hants_red

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This is what the Club has at the moment

https://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/news/2018/august/firstvisit/
 

MerleyRed

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Axmouth
It is a simple point, but for me, the thing that should be stressed is the ease with which visiting fans using the 'M5' can park just off the motorway and use the Park and Ride service to get in and out of the City, with a convenient stop only a couple hundred yards from the ground.
 

elginCity

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Good points all. Geography dictates that 'making a weekend of it' would be a good angle to push; community club benefiting the wider community. Our season is generally out of season for hoteliers/guest house owners and say, organising a 10% discount for away fans with selected partners could be an incentive.
 

Jason H

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What other clubs will often do is their SLO will contact their upcoming visitors (and possibly associated supporters' groups) with a detailed guide (similar to our web link posted above) to visiting their godforsaken hellhole including transport, pubs etc.

Do we do this for visiting fans ahead of their matches in God's Own City?
 

Greyhound

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Good points all. Geography dictates that 'making a weekend of it' would be a good angle to push; community club benefiting the wider community. Our season is generally out of season for hoteliers/guest house owners and say, organising a 10% discount for away fans with selected partners could be an incentive.
I like this idea. The prospect of extra business would be sure to appeal to hoteliers in Exeter, and in nearby coastal towns, come to that.
 

Red Bill

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Dec 9, 2011
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Well that definitively needs some work! I think it would be good to have a section aimed solely at away fans as I think it presents a more welcoming image than just lumped in with 'first time visitors'.
 

Red Devon

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I think the best thing the club could do is make block A of the NOG available for ALL matches to provide a bit of value for money for away supporters...as much as the away end has been improved it’s still along way behind most away sections in league 2...most provide decent all seater stands with good views of the pitch....I don’t think we’re suddenly going to see a couple hundred more on the away following by trying to promote the restaurants and stuff like that that Exeter has to offer.
 
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Colesman Ballz

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I think the best thing the club could do is make block A of the NOG available for ALL matches to provide a bit of value for money for away supporters...as much as the away end has been improved it’s still along way behind most away sections in league 2...most provide decent all seater stands with good views of the pitch....I don’t think we’re suddenly going to see a couple hundred more on the away following by trying to promote the restaurants and stuff like that that Exeter has to offer.
Take your point RD. I don't expect for one moment that you are going to get that number show up, but lets say that you get 20 per game, that would result in an extra gate money alone of £4k plus, before accounting for secondary spend on programmes, catering outlets, and bars etc. The point of including info about the City in general, is really about the distance they have to come, and perhaps highlighting the possibilities of making a weekend of it. That way even if they get a hammering on the pitch, as long as they have a good time, they may be tempted to come back and even encourage a mate or two to join them. At present the perception could be coloured by past experience of getting soaked, never mind the rudimentary ancient toilet facilities !

It is something that requires very little effort. We have the improved offering, so why not market it effectively rather than do nothing, leaving it to chance whether they are aware or not ! In fact to do nothing is actually to go backwards, given the threat to attendances from i.follow, now creeping into Saturdays as well.
 
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