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Declining Attendances and Other Myths


Guided Missile
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I think the hyperbole posted on this site regarding the attendances at Southampton FC home games really needs to be considered over the long term.

 

The financial problems that the club now faces are purely the responsibility of those that run the plc, as this history of the total number of fans paying to watch the continual underachievement over the last 20 years, demonstrates:

 

Year Total attn

2008 519,615

2007 574,182

2006 586,819

2005 653,587

2004 677,357

2003 728,536

2002 597,672

2001 330,672

2000 333,896

1999 314,167

1998 325,015

1997 341,481

1996 361,221

1995 369.513

1994 326,643

1993 336,208

1992 478,328

1991 429,416

1990 409,534

1989 355,663

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So

surely you need to show the total number who could have watched due to The Dell capacity

If the figures for the total capacity were available (maybe Duncan has them) prior to the all seater Dell being introduced, I would have posted them. I have the average gates and the list is as follows:

 

Year Ave. attn.

2008 21,254

2007 23,556

2006 23,614

2005 30,610

2004 31,699

2003 30,680

2002 30,633

2001 15,115

2000 15,132

1999 15,133

1998 15,159

1997 15,105

1996 14,822

1995 14,689

1994 14,764

1993 15,148

1992 15,291

1991 17,122

1990 16,484

1989 15,584

1988 14,544

1987 14,950

1986 14,877

1985 18,046

1984 18,089

1983 18,799

1982 21,835

1981 21,482

1980 21,335

1979 21,330

1978 21,167

1977 19,480

1976 17,648

1975 15,910

1974 21,128

1973 18,118

1972 21,191

1971 22,267

1970 22,901

1969 22,492

1968 24,665

1967 25,527

1966 18,919

1965 17,123

1964 17,217

1963 15,267

1962 13,763

1961 18,665

1960 18,052

1959 21,540

1958 14,851

1957 14,784

1956 11,612

1955 14,724

1954 14,885

1953 16,159

1952 19,038

1951 21,816

1950 23,894

1949 25,384

1948 20,789

1947 16,597

 

1993-94 was when the Dell was made an all seater, but the average attendances prior to that got nowhere near the St. Mary's years and I suspect nor did the total attendances.

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Interesting to note the big drop in '86, the year after Heysel (and Lawrie leaving).

 

Why the big jump in '59 - was that the promotion year to Div 2?

 

I thought there would have been more of an increase in '66, our promotion year to Div 1 for the first time.

 

Also, I'm surprised the average attendences held up so well during the Branfoot years, because I certainly remember some gates of not much more than 10,000 around then.

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Problem with the financial comment is that when we had a capacity of 14,500 we owned the stadium.

 

We are now paying approx £2m a year interest/capital repayment. Allowing for average income of £15 per spectator over a season that requires another 6,000 bums on seats ie 20,000 plus average gate just to be in the same position.

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If the figures for the total capacity were available (maybe Duncan has them) prior to the all seater Dell being introduced, I would have posted them. I have the average gates and the list is as follows:

 

Year Ave. attn.

2008 21,254

2007 23,556

 

So if the capacity was 32,000 in 2007 and it is 26,000 in 2008, could the closing of the corners by the current regime been a deliberate move to improve the attendance vs capacity ratio, thus claiming a moral victory over the previous lot?

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Problem with the financial comment is that when we had a capacity of 14,500 we owned the stadium.

 

We are now paying approx £2m a year interest/capital repayment. Allowing for average income of £15 per spectator over a season that requires another 6,000 bums on seats ie 20,000 plus average gate just to be in the same position.

 

So if our average attendance this season is 17,000, it means we have the same income as a mortgage free club with an average attendance of 11,000.

 

If that's correct it means we have the same spending power as Doncaster and only Blackpool have less spending power than us in the CCC (depending on other clubs mortgages).

 

I am depressed now.

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So if our average attendance this season is 17,000, it means we have the same income as a mortgage free club with an average attendance of 11,000.

 

If that's correct it means we have the same spending power as Doncaster and only Blackpool have less spending power than us in the CCC (depending on other clubs mortgages).

 

I am depressed now.

We're paying for a Premiership infrastructure which we can ill afford in the CC. Our potential problems started when Rupert signed the finance agreement for St.Marys.
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If the uber-fans on here had a brain between them they would realise that many clubs have a very diverse fanbase.

 

Southampton has a very big student population( very high proportion foreign ) who enjoy watching top quality players and were willing to to go to premiership matches,but are not willing to pay to watch the dross being served up at the moment.

 

It is also perfectly obvious that most of those travelling from all over the south to watch

Saints were split between those who are probably not particularly Saints Fans,but just want to watch top teams when they are in the area,and Saints fans who are willing to travel to watch top teams,but not a reserve team.

 

Those uber-fans who want these lesser fans or attendees to stay away permanently need to realise that that outcome would mean Saints never playing in the premiership again,as we will never achieve it without the income from those who are not coming at the moment.

 

You moronic uber-fans might just as well start up AFC Southamton so that you can wallow in your great uber-fan status.

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We're paying for a Premiership infrastructure which we can ill afford in the CC. Our potential problems started when Rupert signed the finance agreement for St.Marys.

 

And to think people hailed him as some sort of genius for getting SMS built!

 

We went from owning a ground outright in a nice area of town to being mortgaged up to our ass in a ****e area of town on land gifted to us by the Council.

 

Moving was the right thing to do but it was hardley a great deal. Surely the development at The Dell was worth a few bob and a better deal could have been done?

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And to think people hailed him as some sort of genius for getting SMS built!

 

We went from owning a ground outright in a nice area of town to being mortgaged up to our ass in a ****e area of town on land gifted to us by the Council.

 

Moving was the right thing to do but it was hardley a great deal. Surely the development at The Dell was worth a few bob and a better deal could have been done?

 

I thought the reason we moved is because there was no scope for development for premiership football.

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And to think people hailed him as some sort of genius for getting SMS built!

 

We went from owning a ground outright in a nice area of town to being mortgaged up to our ass in a ****e area of town on land gifted to us by the Council.

 

Moving was the right thing to do but it was hardley a great deal. Surely the development at The Dell was worth a few bob and a better deal could have been done?

to be fair..he got the stadium..which is more than the previous 20 years worth of efforts achieved

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Southampton has a very big student population( very high proportion foreign ) who enjoy watching top quality players and were willing to to go to premiership matches,but are not willing to pay to watch the dross being served up at the moment.

 

Interesting theory, but I'm sure I would have noticed 5k foreign students, even among 30k attendance. Hardly any student I knew could afford to pay £30+ to watch the premier league every 2 weeks. And I've heard more foreign langauges on the pitch at St Mary's than I ever have in the stands...

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Vaguely on the original topic, did the Dell's capacity decrease in 1982? Attendance figures dipped after that, so it must have done. More seats perhaps? Or the new Milton end? I can't remember exactly when these things happened, but I think the new Milton end was earlier than that. It does seem odd, though, that attendances in 1984 (our most successful year by a street or several) are below those of a couple of years before.

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Having dealt with quite a few thousand students over the years,i think i know a bit more about their activities than you Zurich.

 

Not that i attribute to them any more than a minor loss to the Saints.

 

My main point being that most clubs only have a hardcore of uber-fans who will go come-what-may,those uber-fans need to get over it or do the other thing.

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Interesting to note the big drop in '86, the year after Heysel (and Lawrie leaving).

 

Why the big jump in '59 - was that the promotion year to Div 2?

 

I thought there would have been more of an increase in '66, our promotion year to Div 1 for the first time.

 

Also, I'm surprised the average attendences held up so well during the Branfoot years, because I certainly remember some gates of not much more than 10,000 around then.

All-seater stadiums? When was the Dell converted?

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