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SUPPORTERS DIRECT FANS WEEKEND 2011

How the new fan experience has got football thinking differently

Is that it?

Most Cubs fans take to the drink at

an early age

First Time FanNN STAND, Z99

1st Impressions /Contact

Journey /Travel

StadiumVicinity

Retail /Shop Refreshments

Inside theStadium

Official website very easy, clear, seat

picking fully laid out and no confusion as to where the seats

were located

Information on where to pick up tickets not very clear. No details on the

email other than a confirmation number. An employee directed me to the ticket office building

where I waited 10 minutes before being told I could go

right in if I had already purchased. When I got

there they made me wait a further 10 minutes while

they printed off my tickets

Walking into the stadium was a bit concerning, as the

gates were automatic with a staff member

watching fans as they went in. I didn’t know

how to use the gate and the staff member didn’t bother assisting me. My

friend had to explain.

I didn’t see anyone

smiling, even when I

smiled at them. They

weren’t willing to

smile even when I went

for a hot drink before

half time when they

weren’t busy.

The staff were very helpful and VERY patient at half time when it was busy

The store was nice, tidy & clean. Well laid out. A great variety of cool

things.

Staff looked good – easily

distinguishable

Big queues – which merged into one right before the

check out. One till wasn’t open, which desperately needed to be, but that was picked up on and it was opened. Many

customers complaining in the

queue. The assistant was

helpful but didn’t manage to smile,

even when I smiled at her first. I didn’t even get a greeting

Efficient, very fast and easy (pre

match)

Super busy at HT. Difficult to manage

because some people who weren’t buying

were gathering around the outlets to keep

warm.

Major lack of healthy food

choices and a lack of variety in general

Hot drinks diluted, so not tasteful. No place to put your coffee down, no

rubbish bins nearby and I had to carry to a common area to

dispose of it

Had to find our own seats. No guidance

from staff.

No decoration – and it’s the

holidays!

Seats not clean at all. Very

uncomfortable.

The Family Excellence Awards

• ‘New Family’ visit pilot to explore opportunities to increase attendance (2006/7)

• Awards scheme launched and all 72 Clubs receive 2 ‘mystery’ new family visits (2007/8)

• ‘Winning’ Clubs receive Family Excellence Awards

• Traditional seminar approach subverted and replaced by Journey through the Family Experience event where delegates experienced what our families recorded (through use of actors) (2008)

• Best Practice Guide (2008)

The Family Excellence Awards• Enjoy the Match campaign launched to

focus on removing abusive language and aggressive behaviour from family areas (2009)

• Traditional seminar approach subverted (again) and replaced with The Football League’s Big Day Out event where delegates experienced how Legoland, Eureka, Cadbury World and Chester Zoo grow their family base (2009)

• Clubs achieving ‘Family Excellence Award’ grows from 32 to 47

• Last season 6 clubs won it for the first time & 13 Clubs have won it every year

• 12% increase in family attendance at Football League fixtures

• Breaking correlation between ‘winning’ & attendances = sustainable revenue increase

Cardiff City FC• Catalyst: New Stadium + Family Excellence

Awards ‘wake up’ call

• Consultation– Family experience email survey– Family panel

• Experience design: safe, entertaining, different & USP (“I’ll be there”)

– Three little red lights– Family receptionist (home & visiting fans)– Astroturf concourse / Sony Playstation

machines / modern mascots

• Benefits– Increased attendances (5,500+ Family

ST holders = 21% of average attendance)

– Commercial sponsorship of family area = £50k plus (matching that of main Stadium Stand sponsorship

– Influenced approach to away / core fans loyalty / advocacy work

• Challenges / subverts perceptions of Club / wider football ‘conventions’

The FA’s Fan Experience Case Study Programme

• Current project (2011) aimed at encouraging Clubs to think differently about their ‘product’ and how it is promoted by exposing ‘new fans’ to match day experiences

• Series of committed fan & new family visits to one club in each of the 12 divisions at National League System 1-4

• Qualitative feedback generated along the entire experience from first website enquiry to the match day itself

• Results paint big contrast between unique potential USPs for committed fans & new families and the need for Clubs to ‘open their doors’

Improving the Fan Experience

Reinforcing what makes the Club special

GROWTH

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@FanExperienceCo www.thefanexperiencecompany.com

THANK YOU