So 70% from a group of L1 football fans never watching a single episode confirms to me the huge ramp up in our attendance yesterday was much wider than just the ‘Wrexham’ impact
So what else are you putting it down to?
(Í’ve started watching it, btw🤣)
I think there were a few factors. The Wrexham thing undoubtedly was a big draw - the number of Americans there and the fact that our marketing team hammered that message over the weeks before confirms that for me. In addition, there was only one other match in London at 3pm on Saturday which was a sold out game at a tiny stadium (Brentford). I think lots of the ground hoppers, of which I met a few, were more there because they had no alternative fixture rather than to see Wrexham specifically. So in short I think the increased attendances was down to a few things:
1. the “Wrexham” effect bringing in people who love the documentary/have jumped on the bandwagon
2. Regular, but non-season ticket holding Charlton fans, prioritising this match because it’s one of the bigger games this season (we don’t have any derby matches so Wrexham, Birmingham etc are probably the more “glamorous” fixtures that you’ll come to if you’re only coming to a handful of matches
3. Lapsed Charlton fans who were attracted back for a “big” match (similar to the above the group)
4. Ground hoppers visiting London for the weekend with no alternative but to watch us at 3pm
What % of the increase goes to each group is impossible to determine, but I think combined this is what gave us the bumper attendance on Saturday. I don’t think anything like these numbers will be achievable again this season because most of the factors won’t be present for any other fixture unless we are talking about a “win and we’re up/in the playoffs” type scenario.
@paulsturgess again I think you are right on the money. Re your last para., it certainly occurred to me last night that their approach suits a town club. Rob talked convincingly about his NFL (?) club in Philly being a symbol of the community, just as we say about our clubs. And going back to 1990 we found that a bit of a stumbling block as a sell for the Valley Party campaign, because places like Eltham were already full of kids wearing Arsenal or Spurs shirts.
On the other hand though...I'm wondering about the Wrexham catchment area. The actual town isn't big. They are talking about building a new stand, but I can't see them getting much beyond 15k in the Championship if they get back there. And then when they just find themselves in mid-table (they might still, this season) how do you grow that fanbase further? London on the other hand has only carried on sucking people in, and now at last the SE corner has received some attention re housing and infra. So longer term I still think our location has more potential.
Possibly but I think clubs like Sunderland, Pompey, derby, even Plymouth, reading, Bournemouth, Oxford are arguably more appealing to a lot of investors where they have very large populations that they can reasonably hope to dominate the football landscape and culture of the area. You can build 100,000 flats on the peninsula but even in the impossible dream that we were back in 2004 in the premier league, many more of those people would support Arsenal or Tottenham or even possibly West Ham than Charlton.
I reckon probability wise even if a kid is born in the QE into a house on Charlton church lane, we are still only the 3rd most likely team for them to end up supporting.
So 70% from a group of L1 football fans never watching a single episode confirms to me the huge ramp up in our attendance yesterday was much wider than just the ‘Wrexham’ impact
So what else are you putting it down to?
(Í’ve started watching it, btw🤣)
I think there were a few factors. The Wrexham thing undoubtedly was a big draw - the number of Americans there and the fact that our marketing team hammered that message over the weeks before confirms that for me. In addition, there was only one other match in London at 3pm on Saturday which was a sold out game at a tiny stadium (Brentford). I think lots of the ground hoppers, of which I met a few, were more there because they had no alternative fixture rather than to see Wrexham specifically. So in short I think the increased attendances was down to a few things:
1. the “Wrexham” effect bringing in people who love the documentary/have jumped on the bandwagon
2. Regular, but non-season ticket holding Charlton fans, prioritising this match because it’s one of the bigger games this season (we don’t have any derby matches so Wrexham, Birmingham etc are probably the more “glamorous” fixtures that you’ll come to if you’re only coming to a handful of matches
3. Lapsed Charlton fans who were attracted back for a “big” match (similar to the above the group)
4. Ground hoppers visiting London for the weekend with no alternative but to watch us at 3pm
What % of the increase goes to each group is impossible to determine, but I think combined this is what gave us the bumper attendance on Saturday. I don’t think anything like these numbers will be achievable again this season because most of the factors won’t be present for any other fixture unless we are talking about a “win and we’re up/in the playoffs” type scenario.
my Valley Express coach was busier than usual so that I believe backs up point 2, people I recognised but whom come infreqently.
So 70% from a group of L1 football fans never watching a single episode confirms to me the huge ramp up in our attendance yesterday was much wider than just the ‘Wrexham’ impact
So what else are you putting it down to?
(Í’ve started watching it, btw🤣)
I think there were a few factors. The Wrexham thing undoubtedly was a big draw - the number of Americans there and the fact that our marketing team hammered that message over the weeks before confirms that for me. In addition, there was only one other match in London at 3pm on Saturday which was a sold out game at a tiny stadium (Brentford). I think lots of the ground hoppers, of which I met a few, were more there because they had no alternative fixture rather than to see Wrexham specifically. So in short I think the increased attendances was down to a few things:
1. the “Wrexham” effect bringing in people who love the documentary/have jumped on the bandwagon
2. Regular, but non-season ticket holding Charlton fans, prioritising this match because it’s one of the bigger games this season (we don’t have any derby matches so Wrexham, Birmingham etc are probably the more “glamorous” fixtures that you’ll come to if you’re only coming to a handful of matches
3. Lapsed Charlton fans who were attracted back for a “big” match (similar to the above the group)
4. Ground hoppers visiting London for the weekend with no alternative but to watch us at 3pm
What % of the increase goes to each group is impossible to determine, but I think combined this is what gave us the bumper attendance on Saturday. I don’t think anything like these numbers will be achievable again this season because most of the factors won’t be present for any other fixture unless we are talking about a “win and we’re up/in the playoffs” type scenario.
my Valley Express coach was busier than usual so that I believe backs up point 2, people I recognised but whom come infreqently.
Do you know if they put on extra Valley Express coaches for this match?
I saw the first series and some of the second, when it started to become a little repetitious.
Historically, I’ve had a bit of soft spot for Wrexham, as a very good friend of mine in the mid/late 1970s was an ardent supporter of theirs. I had a couple of trips to Wrexham, although the only game I attended at the Racecourse was the League Cup Quarter Final against Liverpool in January 1978. A very good game, which Liverpool won with a Kenny Dalglish hat-trick and a callow youth at the back called Alan Hansen in one of his early games.
One thing Wrexham do have in common with us (and, of course, many other clubs) is a history of crap owners. About 15 years ago, I had some involvement in the fallout arising from Alex Hamilton’s and Mark Gutterman’s ownership of the club. Bad owners attempting to strip clubs of their property assets are sadly pretty commonplace; what is less common is such individuals formally recording their intentions in a written agreement as these two characters did. The document stated that:
”The management and control of [Wrexham] Football Club is to be on an equal control basis with the main and sole objective to realise the maximum potential gain from the property assets of the Football Club for the benefit of Alex Hamilton and Mark Guterman."
Fortunately, the agreement came to the attention of the administrator and the duo’s acquisition of the ground and the termination of the club’s lease were set aside because of the flagrant breaches of fiduciary duty. The issue was covered in an episode in the first series and by the investigative journalist, David Conn - https://amp.theguardian.com/football/2006/apr/05/wrexham
I think the American owners are decent guys but the problem with Wrexham now is that the level of hype and publicity has got a bit out of hand and it tends to prompt a reaction which can range from weariness to an element of hostility.
I've watched all three series along with Sunderland Till I die and a few other of these football docu series. The first thing to remember is that it is not aimed at English football fans but Americans who only know soccer as some weird game where the players don't pick up the ball, so there is a lot of basic explanation going on, which is done simplistically and with some humour.
As said before the insight into players lives such as Mullins having a special needs child, the joy of a players partner getting pregnant and then losing the baby makes them more human, also the focus on some of the fans and they are not all squeaky clean.
It has led me to watch on You Tube Rugby explained to American Football fans and Cricket explained to Baseball fans great watches.
Its different from other docus and that makes it watchable. Finally, its a vehicle to get exposure for Wrexham and along with the personalities it brings in revenue, which keeps the wheels turning and consecutive promotions.
Ps Was a big fan of Parky when he was here and met him twice at Bromley Addicks, but what a potty mouth!!!
Comments
1. the “Wrexham” effect bringing in people who love the documentary/have jumped on the bandwagon
2. Regular, but non-season ticket holding Charlton fans, prioritising this match because it’s one of the bigger games this season (we don’t have any derby matches so Wrexham, Birmingham etc are probably the more “glamorous” fixtures that you’ll come to if you’re only coming to a handful of matches
3. Lapsed Charlton fans who were attracted back for a “big” match (similar to the above the group)
4. Ground hoppers visiting London for the weekend with no alternative but to watch us at 3pm
What % of the increase goes to each group is impossible to determine, but I think combined this is what gave us the bumper attendance on Saturday. I don’t think anything like these numbers will be achievable again this season because most of the factors won’t be present for any other fixture unless we are talking about a “win and we’re up/in the playoffs” type scenario.
my Valley Express coach was busier than usual so that I believe backs up point 2, people I recognised but whom come infreqently.
Can't believe we've got 180 more sleeps until we visit the Racecourse.
Historically, I’ve had a bit of soft spot for Wrexham, as a very good friend of mine in the mid/late 1970s was an ardent supporter of theirs. I had a couple of trips to Wrexham, although the only game I attended at the Racecourse was the League Cup Quarter Final against Liverpool in January 1978. A very good game, which Liverpool won with a Kenny Dalglish hat-trick and a callow youth at the back called Alan Hansen in one of his early games.
One thing Wrexham do have in common with us (and, of course, many other clubs) is a history of crap owners. About 15 years ago, I had some involvement in the fallout arising from Alex Hamilton’s and Mark Gutterman’s ownership of the club. Bad owners attempting to strip clubs of their property assets are sadly pretty commonplace; what is less common is such individuals formally recording their intentions in a written agreement as these two characters did. The document stated that:
”The management and control of [Wrexham] Football Club is to be on an equal control basis with the main and sole objective to realise the maximum potential gain from the property assets of the Football Club for the benefit of Alex Hamilton and Mark Guterman."
Fortunately, the agreement came to the attention of the administrator and the duo’s acquisition of the ground and the termination of the club’s lease were set aside because of the flagrant breaches of fiduciary duty. The issue was covered in an episode in the first series and by the investigative journalist, David Conn - https://amp.theguardian.com/football/2006/apr/05/wrexham
I think the American owners are decent guys but the problem with Wrexham now is that the level of hype and publicity has got a bit out of hand and it tends to prompt a reaction which can range from weariness to an element of hostility.
As said before the insight into players lives such as Mullins having a special needs child, the joy of a players partner getting pregnant and then losing the baby makes them more human, also the focus on some of the fans and they are not all squeaky clean.
It has led me to watch on You Tube Rugby explained to American Football fans and Cricket explained to Baseball fans great watches.
Its different from other docus and that makes it watchable. Finally, its a vehicle to get exposure for Wrexham and along with the personalities it brings in revenue, which keeps the wheels turning and consecutive promotions.
Ps Was a big fan of Parky when he was here and met him twice at Bromley Addicks, but what a potty mouth!!!