Boro Want Your Help

Do a young persons day ticket for 14-21 @ a reduced price say £12 for South and North stands.

Teenagers want to sing and shout and have fun and money is tighter for them - encourage them to bring flags.

Sell cheap bags of red and white ticker tape or release it from the roofs - I know it a mess to clear up but its what are the priorities - Argentinian games in 1978 were the best atmospheres I ever saw.

Encourage young fans to share videos of themselves and their mates at games and link with official web site.

Consider safe standing that is at Shrewsbury now in some areas of the stadium.

Have slightly different stewarding regulations in different parts of the ground.

Encourage players to run toward the Red Faction section when they score into the South Stand.

Encourage torch/phone displays at games that are in the dark.

As said by others winning exciting football is required but you are up against teams doing their best to stop you.

Get NW egging the fans on and celebrating with them at the end of a game like George Friend did.
 
It would be great if we could encourage the fans to get to the Riverside as early as possible. A bit like they do for cup finals, Twickenham rugby or the NFL. Most football fans still generally turn up pretty close to kick off (within 1 hr or so). Unlike many other grounds, the Riverside is ripe for exploiting the area around the stadium. They've started with that Boro bar but I'm sure there's loads more they could do. You could basically make it like a fete / party / festival, with everything from kids games, DJs, BBQs/food etc. Even if you could only manage this in Aug, Sep and May it would be worth considering. And it could be a revenue stream for the club.
 
Lots of mention of ticket pricing and football, which is fine but I think the club is after suggestions for the experience.

The internal comms and day event strategy is very old established English. When you see the experience at Man City or in the Bundesliga it creates a reason to get to the ground early, enjoy a beer outside the stadium, listen to interviews on a stage before the game. It is a great model and creates a sense of anticipation.

I work in marketing and communications and without too much thought I think there is something that Boro could do about the traditional Middlesbrough match day experience. Using locations across the town (and around Teesside) on a match day to hold intimate interviews with ex-players in local pubs/clubs, using MIMA for a family pre-game event all leading up to kick-off. Then the fan park being a final stop off before the game. There could be something special about celebrating the way to the stadium especially as it is a bit of a walk away from well anywhere. So I would say focus on the fans journey to the ground. Every fan has their own tradition but by working across the Uni/local businesses/council they could create a great cross over benefit to the community and improve the general atmosphere.

That all said good football and accessible pricing is key to any successful match day experience 😂
 
It would be great if we could encourage the fans to get to the Riverside as early as possible. A bit like they do for cup finals, Twickenham rugby or the NFL. Most football fans still generally turn up pretty close to kick off (within 1 hr or so). Unlike many other grounds, the Riverside is ripe for exploiting the area around the stadium. They've started with that Boro bar but I'm sure there's loads more they could do. You could basically make it like a fete / party / festival, with everything from kids games, DJs, BBQs/food etc. Even if you could only manage this in Aug, Sep and May it would be worth considering. And it could be a revenue stream for the club.

Building on this - When I went to Wigan away in 2013 there were beer tents and a fish and chip restaurant right next to the stadium - OK it was late August and their ground is also used for Rugby League too. But like the Riverside it was surrounded by alot of empty land. Maybe the beer facility could be extended and roofed in the winter/rain. Also music outside helped. The land around the Six medals has been empty for 25 years? - even car parking was there fans would not have the drink/eat so far from the Stadium.

Ref Man City even with all the corporate video screen bars outside the atmosphere was very poor in the stadium amongst Man City fans when we say played them in the FA Cup. I got the impression their fan base had changed from young blue collar working class to more older professional middle class. The Championship still has some old Skool about it and should not be shy to encourage older teenagers who bring energy with them. The Premier I still think are frightened of potential violence. Myself I don't see much chance of returning to the 1970s/early 80s troubles.
 
I take most of these newish grounds are of a generic build. Wigan used their under stadium area as a bar and TV lounge for early KO's. They also did Wigan Pies which seemed to bring the fans in.
 
We went to the 2012 Olympics and the only tickets we could get ( in our price range ) were for the fencing.
Now the only thing I know about fencing is .................... ( put your own jokes here )
However it was made into an experience and an exciting event by the blaring music as the fencers came on and the excitable announcer.
Without the music at the Riverside I think it could become a pretty bleak and flat experience.
 
Fill the 3 front rows with kids by offering group tickets to each TJFA club at £2 per ticket including 2 / 3 adults from each club to supervise.
They are the fans of tomorrow , and they will buy a drink or food also more than likely. There are 381 teams in the TJFA , offer 1,000 tickets per game to them and see what the demand is.
20 tickets per club team , obviously. When sales are low enough to justify it.

Lower the pensioner age limit from 65 to 60, lots of people retire earlier than 67 , and would maybe buy a ticket if it was at a lower price.

Heat the concourses so it is a nicer place to be , and fans would come earlier instead of going into the town and spending their money. Put some seating in the concourses , or extend the area outside and create a bigger concourse with a purpose built pub / bar . ( North and South stands )
 
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It would be great if we could encourage the fans to get to the Riverside as early as possible. A bit like they do for cup finals, Twickenham rugby or the NFL. Most football fans still generally turn up pretty close to kick off (within 1 hr or so). Unlike many other grounds, the Riverside is ripe for exploiting the area around the stadium. They've started with that Boro bar but I'm sure there's loads more they could do. You could basically make it like a fete / party / festival, with everything from kids games, DJs, BBQs/food etc. Even if you could only manage this in Aug, Sep and May it would be worth considering. And it could be a revenue stream for the club.
I was going to suggest pretty much the same, at least we have the room for it around The Riverside.
 
Davey C

£17 is too much for a working class teenager whose say at College or School or an apprentice. You still will get the dedicated fan @ £17 but not his/her lukewarm friend and at age 18 it goes up to £30, thats 2 months rental of a Smartphone for 90 minutes at a football match, By charging £30 you tend to get the better off fan who tends to be more subdued. I picked £12 because I though a lot of fans could afford it from all sorts of backgrounds - a lot of young people don't get a proper job till they are 21/22 nowadays. Older teenagers tend to be noisy and enthusiatic.
 
I remember at ayresome, the junior reds section. Say £5 for under 16s.
Also give tickets to kids football teams for free in the same section even schools. we need to entice young fans and by giving some free tickets out to kid who play you know they are already love football so you will hopefully get some of them back as paying fans.For kids to come it's all about price. As already stated they needs to be more going on outside the ground, the fanzone is a good start for adults but more for the young ones.
 
Suggestions on how to improve atmosphere and matchday experience at the Riverside when we return next sesson.
Buy a striker that scores goals and play As the home team on the front foot not an away side hoping for a point.

that’s what the issue is.
 
A bit more essential maintenance and tidying the place up.
Its looking a bit tired in places.
 
The atmosphere is directly proportional to the excitement generated by the football. If the 'club' don't realise that they're in the wrong business.

If it's noise they're looking for that's a different issue but the more fans in the ground the louder it will be, and I'm sure they know how to make that happen but their spending philosophy prohibits it.
I thought you were a massive advocate for grass roots - is that not all about community and pride as much as winning and success?
 
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