There's something in the air
It was only natural, I suppose, to check and double-check the detail of Blues free admission offer to season ticket holders to the Wolves FA Cup game.
And what's all this '10 point pledge' stuff, the guarantee of a big screen, and free tickets for under-8s in the family stand?
This is Blues, right? Recently up for sale, recently relegated, where the customer care is measured by the regularity of the 'ker-ching' of the cash till.
Well, it does seem that even if it's not quite on the scale of a Damascus Road Conversion, there is change in the air at St Andrew's. And change for the better.
Blues have, as David Sullivan put it, lost their core support - the season ticket holders.
Since the last day of last season, when the confirmation of relegation was marked by anti-board protests and broken goals, there has been much introspection.
Remember Sullivan floated a request via these pages to find out why fans were unhappy and what could be done to get them on-side again? People didn't half let rip.
In fairness to the board and the senior management at the club, including the marketing and communications team, they have responded and realised a different outlook is
needed.
In my conversation with Sullivan about the 'New Year . . . New Start' campaign, he didn't bang on about by how much money the club was apparently overdrawn , he didn't moan
about fans not turning up, he didn't carp about quitting, he didn't slaughter players about performances or their wages. And believe me, he has in the past!
His tone was earnest and sincere; you sensed he genuinely wants the club to start over again in terms of working with fans - not least the season ticket holders, who have
suffered the thin end of the wedge too often - and implement policies to bring people back into the Blues 'family'.
I was told by another person at the club that Blues were keen to 'make amends' with the faithful and build for the future, hence the free under-8s plan.
When the '10 point pledge' is revealed in full in January, it should address a whole host of concerns/criticisms, not just monetary, but the whole match day experience itself and
the stadium surroundings.
Recently, Blues have been doing a lot of positive things in the community. Take the Christmas campaign, for example. And behind the scenes less high profile people like Alexa Stockham, head of marketing and communications, and Chris Kershaw, PR and communications officer, have been working tirelessly with their colleagues to put plans into place and promote the club. They care and want to do the right thing, believe it or not.
Certainly, it will be a slow-burning process if Blues are going to recapture the feel good factor and indeed the trust of many followers. Especially in the current economic climate.
Blues average attendance, compared to the same stage in the Championship two season ago, is down from 20,827 to 18,706. And this after the best ever start in history.
By the end of that promotion-winning campaign, Blues average gate stood at 22,274.
In the first Premier League season of 2002-2003, they had the maximum number of season ticket holders allowed, 22,500. Now there are about 10,000.
For this new beginning to stand a chance, it does have to go hand in hand with investment that provides Blues the opportunity to be competitive and successful on the pitch.
As I mentioned right at the start, we can all be cynical and wonder 'where's the catch?'. This time, let's see what develops and keep an open mind because I feel that Blues are
well aware it's action and not empty promises that are needed.
Older/Newer
7 Comments
Leave a comment
Profile
Colin Tattum - Mail man Colin Tattum’s view of what’s going on at Birmingham City FC.
Tatts,
No question in my mind that the Board have woken up and realised that something had to be done to restore the supporters faith in the club. I think their actions are really positive and judging by the comments on the message boards they have for the most part been well received. It's also good to hear that a lot of things are being done in the background. There is every chance that this will be a new beginning for the fans and the club.
I also hope this New Start will encourage the stay-aways to return.
By the way what has happened to the web site, there's no link to this blog and the previous blog with your thoughts on the Wolves match has disappeared.
How about showing some real commitment such as investing the profits they received when the Chinaman came a calling?
I refuse to be taken in by this mob again.
Sully wants out, but wants to sell at a high price. He is well aware that the club is not attractive enough to command the price he wants so I see this as another bs exercise in spin to try and bump up the clubs profile in an effort to cash in the near future.
thongs - why the negativity all the time, that's what really gets me about so called Blues fans. The Board are admitting they have made mistakes, they are trying to do something positve about it but some people still complain. I guess you will never be happy until the Board goes.
If you think anybody is going to buy a football club anytime soon with the current economic mess we are in then you are kidding yourself. Newcastle, Everton, Portsmouth are all up for sale and those are just three clubs I could mention. No sign of those clubs being sold.
Tatts summed it up well - lets keep an open mind and see what develops. I think it's been a good week and I am feeling optimistic after the result at Wolves, the statement from the Board and the signing of Keith Fahey.
Just wondering - has the credit crunch whetted the board's appetite? It's obvious they can't compete with the Abu Dhabis of this world, but if the West Hams and Pompeys of this world stutter financially, it might make it a bit easier to restore Blues at least to the mid-table positioning 4 years ago. A base on which to build.
If I was Sully/Gold/Brady I would have quit Blues yonks ago, convinced that nothing would cheer up such a miserable bunch of fans.
I don't care if it is broing to repeat but the fact is that these people saved our club from the toilet; built a new ground; got us in the premiership and signed some fantastic players; all at the same time as they kept the club on a financial even keel so that we are as well placed to survive the recession as any club out there and better than most - Premiership or not.
Despite what Tom Ross blathers on about, the mere fact of spending money does not guarantee you anything in football - certainly not a future. Anyone been to Luton, Leeds, Bournemouth lately??
Let's settle for ripping off and alienating fans, two relegations in our last two PL seasons and a desperation to sell to some half baked Chinaman who offers twice the market value of their shares then. Yes, we love mediocrity at Blues and publicity seekers in charge
Not an apologist - glad to see you're not bitter and twisted as then you might be really scary.