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THE SPURS OF MOTIVATION 19-12-05
Little has changed since my last column really. We are still sitting in thirteenth position in the league, we are still frustratingly inconsistent and we still have a near-flawless record in Europe.
We are still in the Carling Cup, we have the FA Cup to look forward to and we have a genuine chance of reaching the Uefa Cup final. So surely I am wasting my time even writing this? After all, if you want an account of the current Boro situation just copy and paste my last column and pretend you have short-term memory loss. It does the same trick. Honestly, there really seems to be no point. And maybe it is that attitude that is forming a large part of the Boro's current problems...
On the Malaise of the Fans
There was a time about a month ago when the fans were starting to come back to the club. November was a month which was framed in optimism. The fans started seeing more consistent and exciting performances, we were slowly climbing up the table and in the cups we were strong. We even gained credit for our solid performance at Stamford Bridge a fortnight ago, when Chelsea only managed to score one past us due to our spirited teamwork and defending.
But then we put in another can't be bothered display at Anfield last week - and then expected the fans to pay silly money to watch the Liteks Lovech match - and suddenly the supporters are starting to drift away again, perhaps this time for good. Because I cannot remember a time in Boro's recent history when so many fans have been so negative about the club, the team and the people in charge.
Maybe it's due to the success that we have enjoyed in the last few years not being realised this season? Maybe it's the underachievement of the side in the league and the lethargic performances on the pitch which people are interpreting as the club being interested only in the revenue that it receives from the fans? Strong words I know but ones that seem to echo the sentiments of many fans at the moment. And these sentiments need to be altered as soon as possible.
Last month I highlighted the club's commercial policies and stated that in the past they have appeared to take the fans for granted by charging ridiculous prices for getting into games that generate little interest. I also said that, through the media, they had failed to adequately convince the Teesside public to attend these fixtures and that this was a major reason why attendances were down.
Now I don't expect the media policies to change overnight. I accept that they probably can't because of the way the business contracts are structured. However I do believe that some of the commercial policies within the club could be changed rather quickly and could also foster greater support for the club by the fans. This may only be a short-term measure but it's one that could lay solid foundations for any further change in policy and at the rate things seem to be deteriorating, anything to lift the current downward trend would no doubt be welcomed by both parties.
In early November I commended the club for slashing its ticket prices for the Fulham and Crystal Palace games, seeing this as a step in the right direction to restore its dwindling relationship with the fans. Unfortunately, looking at the attendances for these games, this did not seem to work.
27,599 for the Fulham game is about average for a Premier League game at the Riverside this season. Meanwhile the 10,791 for Crystal Palace may have been expected anyway. However it is hard to tell as no like-for-like comparisons for earlier in the season exist, nor for previous seasons. Indeed all that can be done is to look at how other clubs have succeeded in implementing this policy and extrapolate this on to the prospective policies at Middlesbrough.
On a business level however this is fraught with flaws because the demographic in one place is often different from the demographic in another and this is only enhanced when football is considered as it generally involves a local and niche market. This does not mean however that the club should abandon its policy of discounting tickets. If anything, because the effects are still inconclusive, the club should further its policy and cut the ticket prices of some more games, like they have for Blackburn's visit to the Riverside on Wednesday night.
The Blackburn game is an interesting microcosm in itself. This game, I believe, is the most important of our season so far. This is because due to our poor and erratic League form (halfway to the golden 40 points mark with only two games left until we are halfway through the season), the League Cup represents our best chance of obtaining European qualification for the third season running.
It would also be nice to obtain some silverware, obviously, and in Blackburn at home, we have a favourable tie for our progression. However, one thing that would help us progress in this competition is a full crowd cheering the team on to victory. The club have reduced the price to £20 for an adult ticket for a tie that is only four days before Christmas and thus at the time of year when people's credit cards have already been stretched to the limit. Is this reduction enough?
Indeed the club need to accept that football is a luxury purchase rather than a necessary one and at this time of year they need to tempt the customer (I use the word customer because football is just another business, as was also highlighted last month) to spend their money there rather on that extra Christmas present for grandma. It's a harsh world, it's a harsh reality and it's even harsher in business.
But what really disappoints me about the club is its own admission of defeat. They have already said they are not going to open two of the stands for the game. This has two effects. Firstly, any season ticket holder whose regular seat is in one of those stands is required to switch seats if they want to see the game, which is contrary to the season ticket spiel about having your own seat all season I believe.
Although the logic behind the decision is easy to understand, it will generate further ill-will between the club and the fans who have to be moved, which will do no-one any favours. It may also reduce season ticket sales come May. Indeed I believe that some season ticket holders are protesting against this policy.
Secondly, the club in its realism are expecting and ACCEPTING another low attendance. Now I accept that if it's not profitable to open those stands then don't open them but equally if they were to say everyone in for a fiver then I would bet at least 20,000 fans would turn up, negating this necessity.
Furthermore many of these would be tempted to come back for fixtures in the New Year too, thus raising the future revenue of the club as well. But then maybe I'm wrong. Maybe it all reads well on paper but when it comes to practicalities, it doesn't quite work. Maybe that's what happened with the Fulham and Palace attendances but as I say, the result of this policy is still inconclusive.
So surely now is the time to experiment with this idea, particularly at a time when the team could do with our support. I bet Blackburn will be laughing all the way to the Riverside come Wednesday because all we are doing is playing into their hands by manufacturing such a low attendance. Fair enough. But if we get knocked-out on Wednesday, expect more fan disillusionment and a greater backlash against the club.
There is no reason why we should lose this tie and not progress and in the last four, anything could happen. Let's just hope apathy, along with Blackburn, don't win on Wednesday night. Because that would be a major tragedy.
FORWARD TO PART TWO...
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