Presentation to Barnsley Football Club by BFCST

FAMILY EXPERIENCE @ OAKWELL

STRENGTHS

• Junior Tykes:

• Birthday Card Scheme

• Home Mascot Scheme

• Away Mascot Scheme

• Pre-match Kick About in the Academy

• Tykes Target Challenge

• Junior Football Team Scheme

• Free Under 12 Season Tickets

• Art Project – Big success!

• Toby Tyke

WEAKNESSES

• No Family Match Day Tickets

• No Official Family Area

• Limited Match day Experience

• Limited Resource Available on Match day

• Limited Access Within Stadium for Shared Facilities

• Perceived Non-Family Friendly Club by some

• Fans don‟t feel valued by club

RESEARCH

• Attended Football League Seminar on Fan Engagement

• Meetings with Lindley Catering

• Fans Forum with Lindley Catering

• Visit To Cardiff

• Visit To Sunderland

• Speaking to Families

FOOTBALL LEAGUE FANS

ENGAGEMENT SEMINAR

• Attended by 20 Football League Clubs from the North of

England from all 3 divisions

• Sharing ideas and opportunities e.g. Bolton run 300

birthday parties every season

• Discussion of best practice – it was commented on that

some of the activities are best practice.

LINDLEY CATERING

• Meetings to discuss fan issues

• Fans Forum with tastings

• Token System

• Availability of Alcohol in Ponte End

• Beer Cart

• Mystery Shopping

Lots of talk but not sure they are really delivering

on the innovate ideas they promised!

CARDIFF

• Stage Area with Magician, Mario teaches the kids tricks and then has them perform them to their pals

• Interviews with players

• Video

• Music including Live Band

• Balloons

• Sony Play Stations

• Pix and Mix

• Kiddy Bags includes a signed photo of a player (different each match)

• Away Fans greeted by caterers wearing their kit

• Video of recent matches shown

CARDIFF VIDEO

CARDIFF CNTD

• Family ticket

• Kids sit in dug out for warm up

• Any junior can wave flag for £5 at start and at half time

• Away family ticket

• Fan Journey

• Community Ticket Scheme

• Posters thanking away fans for travelling xxx miles to

support their team

SUNDERLAND

SUNDERLAND

• Large Paint by numbers mural

• Children's Cartoon Projected onto wall

• Face painting

• Projected PS Connect Football Game on Floor

• Children's Menu including Happy Meal Type Box

• Full Size Pictures Of Players

• Token System

• “Black Cats” Stickers

SUNDERLAND

SUNDERLAND

SUNDERLAND

SUNDERLAND

WHAT CAN

WE DO?

WHERE DO WE WANT TO GO?

SHORT TERM

SUGESTIONS

• Family Match day Ticket e.g. 2 adults, 2 U16s £xx

• Changes to the Under 5 rule

• Allocate a Family Stand (East Stand Lower?)

• Introduce a Family Zone

• Family Focus Group

• More innovative pre- match, half time and post match

entertainment.

• Family Food Deals (Lindleys)

• HD Screen/scoreboard and in stadia TVs/projectors

FAMILY ZONE

2 Approaches

• Create a sectioned off area under the East Stand, using

fencing, paint the floors and walls. Have a banner with

Welcome to the Family Zone – Short Term fix, but would

still be cold during winter

• Build a room in the area under the East Stand. – Medium /

long term fix, easy to keep warmer, better for families and

younger children – SEE PLANS

FAMILY ZONE PLANS

• Dual purpose design:

• Family Zone on a matchday

• Other uses e.g. academy classroom

FAMILY ZONE

ACTIVITIES

• Stage for player interviews

• Screen and projector

• Face painters / Clown / Balloons

• 3 a side football

• Photo in dugout

• Wall Paintings

• Large pictures of players

• Meet Toby Tyke

• Meet the Players

• Pre-match behind the scenes tour to junior season ticket holders

• PlayStation / Nitendo‟s

MEDIUM TERM

• “Money back” season tickets

• Crèche franchise for local business

• Community Funding

• 3 a side football tournament

• Continual Fan Dialogue

OTHER FAN

ENGAGEMENT IDEAS

• Fans Forums – Understand the needs of those being

targeted

• Create a Fantastic Supporters Club

• Create truly inviting Pre-Match Drinking Areas

• Celebrate a fans first match (e.g. framed ticket/photo)

• Meeters and greeters

• Surprise „upgrades‟

• Random acts of kindness

• Freebies for early arrivals,

• Player Thank you phone calls

FAN ENGAGEMENT

CNTD

• Fans selected to watch the warm up in the dugout

• Create “Magic Moments” for fans

• Away Supporter Ideas:

• Thank you for travelling posters

• Local Beers

• Fans selected to watch the warm up in the dugout

WHERE DO WE GO

FROM HERE?

Assuming buy-in from BFC:

• Create a community led project to build the Fan Zone

• Introduce some of the highest impact ideas on a match

day

• Make decisions based on detailed understanding of our

supporter‟s DNA – e.g. Donny‟s “What would Donny do?”

• Doncaster Rovers measure this annually with their

#InRoversWeTrust survey

• Focus on making fans feel valued and create a football

club that loves their supporters as much as their

supporters love them