Why is the Supporters Trust Silent?

[i8cornwall]

Personally, I think that Community and Fan Engagement are two seperate, but linked, items - both equally as important as each other. What we do in the community creates a goodwill towards the Club around the city which you couldn't get from just focusing on the team and the fans. That brings with it a number of benefits, including politically (imagine if the City Council did something which ultimately led to the collapse of the CCT) but most importantly access to convert people who are not currently fans to being fans.

Without community engagement, we'll only maintain our fanbase over time through children of current fans going and then sticking with the club. Community engagement enables the club to reach people who aren't currently fans, but could be converted. Particularly with children who might end up nagging their parents to go to games if they been visited by a player, or attended one of the courses the CCT run.

Community Engagement is therefore all about accessing people who could be fans, but aren't yet, whereas Fan Engagement is ensuring retention of the fans we do have. Both require different strategies but are equally important if the aim is to grow the club, rather than standstill.

Very true and fully agree with what you have said, I had just never thought of it as two separate “issues”.

It is important to carry on the community engagement to get new fans through the door and it has lead to my two nephews becoming city mad which otherwise would not have happened as other then me know one in my in-laws is really into football. I do honestly feel that fan engagement for longer term fans is something lacking but there are only so many hours in a day that the club and trust can do things in.

sadly I have a few friends who have simply stopped coming to city over the last couple of years because of this and over the last year or so I have somewhat started to become more disillusioned Myself.

 

[Matt Russell]

Can you give some examples of how you would wish the club to engage with you as a longer-term fan?
What is it that they're not doing that would make a difference to you personally?

 

[i8cornwall]

Can you give some examples of how you would wish the club to engage with you as a longer-term fan?
What is it that they're not doing that would make a difference to you personally?

Honestly anything would be better then nothing but obviously it would need to be best for the club and a sort of you scratch my back I scratch yours so to speak. I know that money is tight at the club And we don’t have a system like this in place so this isn’t the best example but I know from when I’ve been to Bristol City a couple of times and seen that ST holders and fans with memberships get discounts on food and drink. I know trust members get money off at the centre spot before anyone says.

at the end of the day it really shouldn’t be down to me to say how the club looks after long term supporters, it should want to do it for to either say thank you/show some sort of appreciation or to encourage the new fans to keep coming back. I say this as someone who saw others trying in vain to get this point across during meetings but ultimately failing to achieve much.

 

[StudentGrecian]

Honestly anything would be better then nothing but obviously it would need to be best for the club and a sort of you scratch my back I scratch yours so to speak. I know that money is tight at the club And we don’t have a system like this in place so this isn’t the best example but I know from when I’ve been to Bristol City a couple of times and seen that ST holders and fans with memberships get discounts on food and drink. I know trust members get money off at the centre spot before anyone says.

at the end of the day it really shouldn’t be down to me to say how the club looks after long term supporters, it should want to do it for to either say thank you/show some sort of appreciation or to encourage the new fans to keep coming back. I say this as someone who saw others trying in vain to get this point across during meetings but ultimately failing to achieve much.

I guess it depends what you want from the club. Things like the Centre Spot, the real ale bar and even the shop have been improved significantly over the last few years to enhance fans match day experience. I get that it’s obviously in the Club’s interest, as it makes money for the club, but there is a community feel to everything they do there. Maybe there could be more benefits for the ST holders, who aren’t trust members.

I don’t use the Centre Spot myself, I turn up 10 mins before kick off and head straight home, but I’ve never really questioned why isn’t the club doing more for me as a long term fan as it’s always been my choice. I pay my money to support the club I fell in love with as a kid, I don’t really expect much back in the way of discounts or whatever.

I know you guys behind the RL had your issues with your engagement with the club, but if you’re not a Trust member, where you do get discounts in the shop and centre spot, what more can they do but try and enhance the match day experience for you?

 

[Matt Russell]

I may be wrong, but was under the impression that season ticket holders also got a club shop discount.

 

[Anonymous]

Ask not what the club can do for you, but what you can do for the club.

 

[John William]

I may be wrong, but was under the impression that season ticket holders also got a club shop discount.

You are correct, as I suspect you knew:

Exeter City Football Club: Season Tickets - Exeter City FC

www.exetercityfc.co.uk

"Season ticket holders also receive 10% off purchases in the club shop"

 

[Legohead]

Honestly anything would be better then nothing but obviously it would need to be best for the club and a sort of you scratch my back I scratch yours so to speak. I know that money is tight at the club And we don’t have a system like this in place so this isn’t the best example but I know from when I’ve been to Bristol City a couple of times and seen that ST holders and fans with memberships get discounts on food and drink. I know trust members get money off at the centre spot before anyone says.

at the end of the day it really shouldn’t be down to me to say how the club looks after long term supporters, it should want to do it for to either say thank you/show some sort of appreciation or to encourage the new fans to keep coming back. I say this as someone who saw others trying in vain to get this point across during meetings but ultimately failing to achieve much.

The last paragraph I broadly agree with and this is an area in which I think ALL clubs could do and need to do better in. That said, the resources at a club like Exeter aren't enough to be doling out freebies or generous incentives frequently but they could consider it now and again, if they don't already.

 

[Matt Russell]

You are correct, as I suspect you knew:

Exeter City Football Club: Season Tickets - Exeter City FC

www.exetercityfc.co.uk

"Season ticket holders also receive 10% off purchases in the club shop"

I thought it to be the case, but unlike some I think it important to only assert what you know to be true. Thanks for confirmation.

 

[i8cornwall]

I guess it depends what you want from the club. Things like the Centre Spot, the real ale bar and even the shop have been improved significantly over the last few years to enhance fans match day experience. I get that it’s obviously in the Club’s interest, as it makes money for the club, but there is a community feel to everything they do there. Maybe there could be more benefits for the ST holders, who aren’t trust members.

I don’t use the Centre Spot myself, I turn up 10 mins before kick off and head straight home, but I’ve never really questioned why isn’t the club doing more for me as a long term fan as it’s always been my choice. I pay my money to support the club I fell in love with as a kid, I don’t really expect much back in the way of discounts or whatever.

I know you guys behind the RL had your issues with your engagement with the club, but if you’re not a Trust member, where you do get discounts in the shop and centre spot, what more can they do but try and enhance the match day experience for you?

I’m pretty much the same, I turn up 10 mins before the start but I normally go else where for a pint before hand. there is nothing remotely tempting me to pay for the beer in the centre spot. Now say if once in a while ST holders or “long term supporters” got a deal of a pint and a pie or what ever I could see myself getting into the habit of going there week in week out.

as Lego has said once in while would be more then enough for the club to even show a small amount of appreciation, after all it was quick enough to do it for Flybe staff which was of course the right thing to do.

the RL was treated so poorly by the Club that it was boarding on a **** take. I now wish I hadn’t of bothered being part of it to be honest or giving it as much energy as I did.

that though has nothing to do with what I’m saying above as the club will need to find new ways to look after long term fans so they don’t go else where if money is tight and for the club to keep its head above water.