by South Coast Royal »
01 Oct 2021 11:29
URZZZZZZZZ Part of the issue is there is no tangible Marketing Department at the club since people have left and not been replaced. This may be a knock on effect of the pandemic, but hopefully that will change soon.
I think there are many reasons why fans don't go and perhaps Marketing or lack of it plays a part but I feel more that there is a disconnection between the club and fans that possibly plays a bigger part.
I know (supposedly) people don't read newspapers anymore but local papers have always played a part in keeping the club/fans connected and I gather that since the days of long-departed Evening Post there is nothing in the Reading area.
Down this way and still in many other parts of the country there is a local daily paper-it was previously issued here and slightly differently in the Southampton area as an every evening bar Sunday paper but is now a daily issue.
On the football front there are always at least 3 pages covering what is going on at the club with the manager commenting almost every time.
It may well be a chore for him but it does give the impression that the club cares about the fans in what they call their "community" club and injury updates are regular with anticipated return dates for players.
Players often are interviewed as well and even if what they say is trite it is communication with the fans.
They also have official and fans online sites as all clubs have but I feel that the local paper aspect does help the greater closeness between club and fans which in turn increases the likelihood of attendance at "their" club.
BTW I first joined HNA something like 20 years ago to feel nearer the club (living 70 miles or so away) and hear what was going on at our club through those that were closer.
In that respect it has been a waste of time as the club in the Mad Stad era has been reclusive and seemingly fearful of releasing info to fans ,however some of the discussion have been interesting, even if dominated by one or two posters, so it does serve a purpose as a replacement for the "down the pub" chats with fellow fans that we outsiders don't get.
Hopefully as we play a pleasing attacking style (at least while we have Swift and Ejaria) more will return even if we aren't promotion challengers this season.