Bit of a personal thing...

...so this isn't from the Adder, just my own observations.

I have no doubt that Simon Jordan is Palace through and through and that he is not in the Goldberg mould.
But having said that, there will still be difficult times ahead.
For Palace to succeed financially, and to be able to pay what it costs to get into the Premiership, other revenue streams apart from bums on seats and player sales have to be exploited.
This is where Ron Noades, Croydon Council and, who knows, Ken Livingstone's London Assembly may come in. And we shouldn't forget the residents of SE25, not all of whom are Palace fans.
Selhurst Park must be developed sympathetically, and above all, quickly, to finally put CPFC on a firm financial footing. So come on Ron and Croydon Council...give the club the best boost you can to its new beginning.

[Mendosa]

Spot on, Tim. The most important thing in the immediate future isn't getting back into the Premiership, but consolidating all the finances and building a firm foundation on which the club can build. As you say, this must include outside revenues - we can't rely on crowds or player sales alone because it's just not enough in today's game for clubs of our current size.

Let's settle everything down now, make sure we have a firm footing, then go for the big time.

[Clapham Grand]

I couldn't agree more. SJ pointed out that the club does start from a good position, £0 i.e. no creditors (how many clubs can say that?).

However, he recognises the massive demographic potential of the area, and surely central to his plans must be the eventual development of Selhurst Park to generate the revenue needed to not only go up but to stay there.

[Gavin Axten]

Too true Tim. Now is the time for Croydon Council to really get behind the club and ensure the mistakes that previously occured do not happen again. We really need their backing to enable us to develop Selhurst for extra revenue sources.

[ruediger]

Originally posted by tmjwat on 07-06-2000 04:12 PM
For Palace to succeed financially, and to be able to pay what it costs to get into the Premiership, other revenue streams apart from bums on seats and player sales have to be exploited.
This is where Ron Noades, Croydon Council and, who knows, Ken Livingstone's London Assembly may come in. And we shouldn't forget the residents of SE25, not all of whom are Palace fans.


Couldn't agree more. With Noades, Croydon Council and residents of SE25 involved we're going to start talking about a move to a new site very soon.

Crystal Palace will have to build a leisure group around the footballing side. Selhurst Park is not the ideal place to do just that.

To go back to the roots at the Crystal Palace NSC site (new stadium / no athletic track)would be a step into the right direction. But .... residents, council and funding?

[SIMON OF SELHURST]

Yes, as we have only a ten year lease it looks as though a relocation will happen sooner or later, but the NSC is in the administrative area of Bromley Council, not Croydon.

It doesn't have to be away from Selhurst Park.
Jordan, from his own words, seems to have the vision to use Selhurst but also spread the 'brand image' of CPFC throughout the area.
This bit is from the Adder:"We do have a commercially viable plan for the ground, but I can’t reveal what it is at the moment. But there are no plans to re-locate. The potential here is massive. The staff and the community in Croydon are going to get a wake-up call.
"I am going to put this club into the psyche of the supporters and the community. I don’t want to see any commercially viable enterprise in this area which doesn’t have Crystal Palace’s name on it.
"I don’t see why every sports shop in the area can’t be selling our shirts, I don’t see why we can’t have tie-ups with sports centres. It’s not that I think the profile of the club has dropped off. I don’t think its potential has been maximised."

Anyone remember the old thread based on ManUScum opening a shop in Croydon? One of the longest ever, and we nearly pursuaded Allders to open a Palace area in their sports department. But at that time Palace was a 'damaged brand'
Well it ain't damaged now. Onward and Upward!

[CPFC Cheerleader Observer]

Basically despite the fact that the club is saved, I think we should all except that that it still isn't plain sailing from now on. We still have a few seasons to go where it'll be tough. Hopefully not as bad as the last 2 seasons but we cannot expect miracles overnight with promotions, cups and great top players.

But the main thing is that we ARE Still a club and all of us on the BBS and all Palace fans will stick by the club to see us great again.

UP THE PALACE!

[lightweight]

I think it's really important that we don't expect miracles overnight - consolidation is key in the first instance and we'd be stupid to expect anything more than that.. Jordan is providing us with a fresh new start - complete with that wonderful thing called 'palace optimism' !! http://www.cpfc.org/ubb/smile.gif I would love to have a comfortable mid-season place just to enjoy the matches without worrying whether each one may be our last - without shaking buckets, selling car stickers, holding up banners etc.. just enjoying the football, the drinking and the inconsequential banter!!

can't quite remember what it was like.... yet!! http://www.cpfc.org/ubb/smile.gif

[jonesy]

Come On Simon!! Lets drive the brand name of Manuscum/Chel****e etc out the local area.Get the kids behind The Palace and have a team that EVERYONE wants to follow.Lets face it if we could draw 28,000 for 3rd Div Games(Alright it was the 70's!!!) with the right attitude and marketing anything is possible!!

[Dai the Swansea Eagle]

Top call Jonesy.

[Gooders]

Originally posted by tmjwat on 07-06-2000 05:14 PM
Jordan, from his own words, seems to have the vision to use Selhurst but also spread the 'brand image' of CPFC throughout the area.

The potential here is massive. The staff and the community in Croydon are going to get a wake-up call.

"I am going to put this club into the psyche of the supporters and the community. I don’t want to see any commercially viable enterprise in this area which doesn’t have Crystal Palace’s name on it.

"I don’t see why every sports shop in the area can’t be selling our shirts, I don’t see why we can’t have tie-ups with sports centres. It’s not that I think the profile of the club has dropped off. I don’t think its potential has been maximised."


These are all the right noises. Never mind Moan Utd and Chelsea, even Charlton have been trying to muscle their way in to our catchment area recently and it's got to stop!

With you all the way SJ.

[Jack Regan]

Following on from Gooders and tmjwats sentiments….


It’s about time that Palace reclaimed Croydon. Walking around the Whitgift Centre and North End at weekends is a depressing experience when you see the mixture of non-Palace shirts being worn by the kidz.

I don’t blame companies, local or national, for not wanting to be associated with the Palace brand name of late, but as the man once sang ‘the times they are a changin’.

I hope it’s true that Sir Steve has been given money to spend on players but I’d also like to see the marketing department re-vamped and coming out fighting.

There’s a Charlton advertisement at Purley train station giving details of how to get there via Connex and it’s a disgrace. I don’t care what division Charlton are playing in, they are NOT the local team for residents of Purley, Crystal Palace are. Lets see a better Palace ad right next to it, offering a better deal to the undecided or wavering football fan.

After so long in limbo, everyone must be clambering over Simon Jordan pleading for cash for this, cash for that, cash needed here, and cash needed there, asbestos in the Arthur, and flooding in the Holmesdale, the list is long. Rival football teams have been infiltrating out territory and been allowed a free run and it’s wrong.

Croydon = Palace, and always has done.

I’m no marketing genius but how about this for starters: - Reduce the price of the Palace replica shirt to £20 starting right now. It’s due for replacement anyway next season.

Displayed in the sports shops of Croydon alongside £40 and £45 Man Utd, Chelsea and arse shirts it’d be a winner with mums and dads sick of being ripped off.

I want to see more imagination from the marketing and commercial department. Let’s be different and innovative and let’s reclaim Croydon for Palace - Starting right now.

Today is the first day of a new beginning. Let’s get it right this time round.

[Ian of Chatham]

Originally posted by Jack Regan on 07-07-2000 10:58 AM
There’s a Charlton advertisement at Purley train station giving details of how to get there via Connex and it’s a disgrace. I don’t care what division Charlton are playing in, they are NOT the local team for residents of Purley, Crystal Palace are. Lets see a better Palace ad right next to it, offering a better deal to the undecided or wavering football fan.I’m no marketing genius but how about this for starters: - Reduce the price of the Palace replica shirt to £20 starting right now. It’s due for replacement anyway next season.

Displayed in the sports shops of Croydon alongside £40 and £45 Man Utd, Chelsea and arse shirts it’d be a winner with mums and dads sick of being ripped off.

I want to see more imagination from the marketing and commercial department. Let’s be different and innovative and let’s reclaim Croydon for Palace - Starting right now.

Today is the first day of a new beginning. Let’s get it right this time round.

I agree, as for Charlton's advert at Purley it's because they've done a deal with Connex to post such adverts on every single Connex station, it's not just the Croydon area that's got them, even at places like Chatham and Brighton there's no getting away from those bloody adverts. The marketing departement at Palace should be approaching Connex as soon as possible to get some posters advertising the club and Selhurst Park at least in all the stations in the South London/Croydon areas.

As for the replica shirts, they weren't being sold in the local shops because we were in administration. During the last 16 months it's a total embarassment to find no Palace shirts at all at places like Bluewater when you can find shirts of almost every other club. Hopefully now this will be changed.


[This message has been edited by Ian of Chatham (edited 07 July 2000).]

[Adrian]

Good sentiments throughout this thread: key things are
a) starting now
b) short-term consolidation
c) long-term building of bedrock support.

This last interests me too: I grew up with only one team in mind - probably because my dad used to go. I kind of assumed everyone else felt the same but it ain't so. It is vital that kids in Croydon and the surrounding area AUTOMATICALLY think of Palace when they think of football. It's going to take a long time to acheve but SJ's point about sponsorship, branding, merchandize etc is self-evident. As many local companies as possible need to be involved with the club in some way or other - it's good for them and it's good for increasing support. Perhaps some BBS members can help with involving their own employers.

Croydon and beyond needs to become red'n'blue (or claret and light blue - see other threads!!)

[exiled in Wales]

I'm all for Croydon being Palace.

Big problem is that if a kid is not dragged along to the Palace by a relative / friend of the family then it may well live in Croydon and be unaware that Crystal Palace FC even exists.

Living in Wales if I am away from a TV with teletext it is practically impossible to find Palace results - tv is all premiership, radio the same, if you miss final score on BBC that's it till you can get the sunday papers. The situation is probably the same for kids in Croydon who don't have a respectable guiding influence in their lives, if they like football and get into it via the TV then they will almost certainly be unaware of CPFC - they are probably unaware of where most Premiership clubs are located cos they don't need a geographic location everything is beamed straight into their homes.

Another problem is the old catch 22. People are attracted by success, you can't buy success without more fans.

Solution = drag your friends / family along to Palace next season, hopefully you can get a couple addicted. Alternatively try breeding more Palace fans, it's a long-term strategy but SJ has shown what a born & breed Palace fan can do.

With reference to the cut price Palace replica shirts (suggested by Jack Regan), I don't feel this would achieve its objective. If the kid says it wants a Moan Utd shirt with "Beckscum" on the back then Mum isn,t going to get kid a Palace shirt - no matter what the price. We have to get to the kids first.

I'm so happy it's all sorted though - better get back to doing some work.

[le piddler]

Getting back to the points raised about the kids I think that one thing that Palace should reguarly do is the Family days where kids get in for free or a pound, & as well slash the kids prices for EVERY game as they are our future support.How about four or five quid for every home game,regardless of who we are playing, so that if kids who are around 12,13,14 upwards want to go on their own they can easily afford it, as I was reguarly taking 3 of my nephews & nieces to games last season & at £9 each it was a bloody rip-off!!! especially when you go to places like Norwich & Tranmere where the sprogs got in for £3 each or Swindon where (correct me if I am wrong) kids got in for nothing if their ticket was purchased with an adult one.
I'm not knocking Palace as the offer for the kids season ticket in the Whitehorse @ £42 is superb & I've bought one for my nephew Lucifer, but it is the other kids we should be aiming for, the 5 games a season ones or ones who are thinking of going to their first ever games(with or without their parents) & especially now we have'nt got wimbledon in the premiership we should really be going for the young ones.
Also another point is that if we are offering the cheap season tickets etc, we should advertise it more, on the radio etc & not just in the Adder as most of the people who read that would be regulars or season ticket holders anyway, Palace should now start projecting themselves more, letting the public know that we are out there which is a point that Simon Jordan has already raised. Top stuff!!!!

WE HATE BRIGHTON!!!!!!

[Forever Stripes]

I'm all for reclaiming Croydon for Palace, seeing these weak minded brats following other teams 'cos they win' sickening. Not as easy as you might think though given the lack of TV exposure. Most of these kids aren't football fans but TV fans.

Jack Regan has a brilliant idea though, sell the '2 year old shirts' for £20. Their isn't any loss on this. If they go to Palace just once or twice in there life time Palace will have there money back. Any more and Palace are quids in.

As for Palace shirts not being sold anywhere else not even in Croydon. Wasn't this Noades short sighted idea that any Palace shirts sold should go 100% into Palaces (his) coffers. I think you may find that other shops where not allowed to sell them. Foolishly crazy, but true.

[Gavin Axten]

Originally posted by exiled in Wales on 07-07-2000 12:27 PM

Alternatively try breeding more Palace fans, it's a long-term strategy but SJ has shown what a born & breed Palace fan can do.


.............................................
I'm working on it exiled as often as I can. http://www.cpfc.org/ubb/wink.gif

[David Murray]

Have we reclaimed Croydon yet ?

I am not having a go, I am serious ? I don't remember seeing too much Palace stuff around when I was there 2 weeks ago.

[Ian Hart]

Originally posted by David Murray:
Have we reclaimed Croydon yet ?

I am not having a go, I am serious ? I don't remember seeing too much Palace stuff around when I was there 2 weeks ago.

That's really the key to it, David. You've hit the nail on the head because the same thing struck me a couple of weeks ago.

When I lived in the area, I can remember the days when loads of kids strutted around the streets wearing Palace kit. Look around the streets now, and you'll see a lot more red & white than red & blue. It's sad, because I see the same bloody red & white on kids strutting around in Milton Keynes, where I work, or Buckingham where I live. Hardly any of them have ever seen Man Utd (other than on tv) nor are ever likely to; but they're not bothered, and I'm convinced THAT is they key to it.

Palace have got to make the excitement of actually going to Selhurst Park the reason that kids start supporting their local team, rather than one they can only see on tv. As long as tv is more exciting, you won't overcome this. Going to the actual match has to be made into a real event. Someone earlier mentioned the price for kids. That's important, but equally important is putting on something they'll want to come back and see time and again.

Excitement of going to Selhurst? It would help if the Manager gave that some thought too. If you were a kid, and went for the first time recently, would you be hooked?

[selhurstparkflyer]

I have mentioned this before and will speak of it until I am blue in the face.
The club wants kids to come (they are the future) and they have great free days and kids for a quid etc. These should be advertsied all over the local press (advertising reveunes are collapsing, Palace can take advantage of this). Season tickets for kids and families are also extremely good value. these should be publicised all over South London.

When at the ground there are a number of things that the club can do to make the place kids friendly.

1. Give balloons to kids for them to throw on the pitch. This always looks better and more natural than helium balloons on the pitch (its is cheaper too).
2. Get together with local companies to sponsor free gifts (hats, big fingers etc) for kids when they come to the game. Make these garments that they will wear and advertise the club.
3. Sort out the catering so that kids want to eat and drink at the ground. Make it affordable so that parents are happy to do this.
4. Now that the Mitsubishi 1/2 time Challenge is gone, why not have a similar one for kids (obviuosly with slightly less glamourous prizes http://www.cpfc.org/ubb/smile.gif)? It would be a great laugh for all the fans and there is a pretty good chance that any kid will get to have a go.

Its all about making the atmosphere fun. Its about making the fan feeling part of the atmosphere and the day. Fireworks, jugglers etc are all well and good but they are remote activities and cannot do the job themselves.
South London is a huge place full of bored kids on a Saturday afternoon. How many divorced dads are there with nowhere to take their kids on a Saturday/Sunday? There is a huge market out there that with a club of Palace's size should be exploting with a marketing machine the envy of football.



[This message has been edited by selhurstparkflyer (edited 21 March 2001).]

[jonesy]

As for converting the residents.......
Well Ive lost count the amount of times Ive been approached by kids the the immediate area of Selhurst Park wearing Ar-se or Manscum tops asking if there was a game on or whats the score, or even taking the pee.
Couple of weeks ago saw some woman arguing with a Traffic Warden in Holmesdale Road about her car having to be moved because of the 'poxy football' and its my right cos i live 'ere etc etc(she was in her late 20's so I think the ground might have been 1st Love http://www.cpfc.org/ubb/wink.gif
(BTW Was I the only one to watch the Documentary about the changing face of Football on BBC2 last night and nearly 'well up' when Noades was spouting his tosh along with Master Bates? Yeah Ron look where they are and where we are http://www.cpfc.org/ubb/frown.gif )
Jordans got some good ideas but I really feel he may have an uphill stuggle winning over the residents(especially as many are newbies)

[Spanish Dan]

I fully agree with the need to get the kids in early and keep them entertained. SPF's ideas about the big foam hands etc are exactly the sort of stuff kids like. Remember how successful Gladiators was a few years back - all down to a bit of audience participation. Now before you all start coming out in a rash, I'm not advocating any quick bursts of "We will rock you" or "the boys are back in town" every time we get a corner, but before the game and at half time, there is a lot of stuff that could be done to keep bums on seats.

One idea that I've seen used very successfully in the US is to use the jumbotron for an interactive audience quiz. Zoom in on someone in the audience (everyone loves the attention!) and put up a Palace-related trivia question on the screen. The person in the crowd then has to anwser YES by nodding (or by pointing their big foam finger up) or NO by shaking their head (or pointing down.) You could even do "What happened next" scenarios by showing a clip and then getting someone in the crowd to indicate what they think happens.

It sounds fairly simple I know, but you'd be amazed at how engrossing it can be!

[Son of Selhurst]

I saw it as well. Bit that got me was the bloke telling the tale about the four monks in Thailand (or somewhere), rowing down a river. Two of them are rowing and the other two are sitting back reading the Man Utd magazine!!

I can't even get a Palace newsletter on time!

[Son of Selhurst]

Originally posted by Spanish Dan:
I fully agree with the need to get the kids in early and keep them entertained. SPF's ideas about the big foam hands etc are exactly the sort of stuff kids like. Remember how successful Gladiators was a few years back - all down to a bit of audience participation. Now before you all start coming out in a rash, I'm not advocating any quick bursts of "We will rock you" or "the boys are back in town" every time we get a corner, but before the game and at half time, there is a lot of stuff that could be done to keep bums on seats.

One idea that I've seen used very successfully in the US is to use the jumbotron for an interactive audience quiz. Zoom in on someone in the audience (everyone loves the attention!) and put up a Palace-related trivia question on the screen. The person in the crowd then has to anwser YES by nodding (or by pointing their big foam finger up) or NO by shaking their head (or pointing down.) You could even do "What happened next" scenarios by showing a clip and then getting someone in the crowd to indicate what they think happens.

It sounds fairly simple I know, but you'd be amazed at how engrossing it can be!

Yeah, but then they wouldn't be out queueing for drinks and burgers......

[Spanish Dan]

Originally posted by Son of Selhurst:
Yeah, but then they wouldn't be out queueing for drinks and burgers......
Well, I don't know. After all, once a kid's had his drink and burger, what do they do then? Well, fat kids might go back for seconds I suppose.

But if you had some kind of entertainment to get people in the ground, say, an hour early, they have their burger, watch a bit of interactive jumbotron and then maybe after half an hour go back for another drink or some sweets before the match starts.

[Gooders]

Originally posted by tmjwat:
...at that time Palace was a 'damaged brand'

Well it ain't damaged now.

Err, 'scuse me?

[Son of Selhurst]

Maybe....

It's a double-edged sword. To get kids in you really need to offer them something, but you also need to offer the parents something as well. If half-price beer ain't doing it, then what will?!

All-in-all, I think people are swayed by good old VFM. Offer them good food, good football and a sense of belonging (which they don't get with current stewarding staff, as seen on other threads), all for a fair price, and people will come and watch Palace.

But kids don't want to go to school in loser colours. Because of the hype and TV coverage of Man Utd, they don't know anything else. And if they don't 'support' Man Utd, they get the piss taken out of them by other kids.

Watching this "Men who changed football" documentary really has shown why football changed. And there were fears that a Premiership would kill football outside of the top clubs. Ron Noades was up for a premiership, because at the time, we were included in the criteria. Nobody looked ahead to the times when we'd be out of it, to see what would happen.....

[selhurstparkflyer]

People can knock ideas and laugh at them all they like but they work.

The Jumbotron could be used as Spanish Dan suggests. This sort of stuff is ideal at half time- which now consists of 15 minutes of rank boredom.

I remember being at the NY Yankees and they had simulated Horse Racing between innings. The game was cr@p but the crowd went mad at this. If you stick horses in Palace and opposition colours it would be great. It would also be talked about in the press..free advertising.

As for the comment that people would not be eating burgers if there are in their seats..why on earth not? If people sit in their seats 30 minutes before kick off and then for 15 minutes at 1/2 time they are a trapped market.

Where are the peanuts, the hamburgers, where are the kebabs, where are the balti pies, where is the Bovril? Somebody should come round and bring it to me. I am certainly not going to miss the entertainment and stand in a queue for 3rd rate burgers for 10 minutes.

Lets make people want to come. Lets make people want to sit in their seats. lets make people want to consume Palace goods, lets make people smile. Lets make people want to enjoy the experience. If I can think of these ideas, I am sure a specialist marketing man can think of things 10x better.




[This message has been edited by selhurstparkflyer (edited 21 March 2001).]

[Son of Selhurst]

I agree. What I was trying to point out is that Simon Jordan wants people to spend money in the bars/kiosks, not sit watching the screen. Ideally, as you say, we should be able to do both.

But the main obstacle for youngsters coming is the brand. Kids in my village have never even heard of Crystal Palace. All they want is Man U and Liverpool. Cos that's all they see on the telly, and in the shops, and at the market, and on the back of other kids....

[Spanish Dan]

OK, so whether it be added value for money or more half-time entertainment, or both, I think we're all agreed on the fact that the club really need to work on the local kids (and their parents) to get them down to the ground.

I agree entirely that any team outside the premiership is going to struggle to attract younger fans - peer pressure is everything at that age. But if anything that means that Palace should be trying even harder. We are not on TV every week, not even every month so it has to be the match-day experience that attracts new people to the club. In fact, this is one advantage of being in a different division to the Man U's and Chelsea's of this world. A kid can come to Palace on a saturday and still watch Man U on TV on a Sunday with no divided loyalties as the teams never meet. If the match day experience is good enough then (s)he will soon realise that live footy is far better than watching it on TV.

Also, plenty of children have birthday parties at football matches - the idea should be to convert as many of their glory-hunting friends as possible in the 2 hours that they're at the ground.

[Crate]

Such a relief to see a positive and sensible thread - a very welcome change from all the tedious variations on the "Smith out" theme. I hope SJ reads this, because there are a lot of good ideas.

Just one point I'd like to add, on the theme of getting the local kids more committed to seeing Palace as their club and coming along to games (hopefully dragging their parents with them). Selhurst Park is in the middle of one of the most racially-mixed areas in the country, yet when you look round the ground on a match day the proportion of non-white faces you see is tiny. If we're looking to increase gates for matches, an obvious strategy is to look for ways to market the club to the non-white communities in the area. The club already does a lot of work in the local community, with schools etc, but somehow this never gets translated into a public communications strategy that lodges in people's minds an image of the club as being genuinely committed to being a part of and reflecting the whole of the community, including the various minority groups. There's a real gap here that I'm sure the club should be filling.

[Pudsey Eagle]

Originally posted by Crate:
Such a relief to see a positive and sensible thread - a very welcome change from all the tedious variations on the "Smith out" theme.

smith out (etc) http://www.cpfc.org/ubb/smile.gif

[David Murray]

Originally posted by Crate:
Such a relief to see a positive and sensible thread - a very welcome change from all the tedious variations on the "Smith out" theme. I hope SJ reads this, because there are a lot of good ideas.


Crate - I don't know if you noticed, but tmjwat actually started this thread last July (in his younger days) hence the lack of the current themes. I revived it last night as I was interested to see how far we had come in the last 8-9 months.

[Al From Bromley]

Way to get the crowds in. Link up with a local firm and have themed days just like they have at baseball. My sister plans her attendance around the fixtures where they give away baseball caps to kids, or sports bags, fridge magnets etc. Sponsored part by the local firm, part by Palace. Advertised on the web site, in the programme in the local press in advance. Reduced admisssion price isnt in itself enough. Keep the ticket price up but encourage people to turn up early ("this saturday at selhurst park turn up before 2.30pm and every child will get a free limited edition ..... plus lots lots more. Player interviews on the jumbotoron, greatest Palace goals of all time and the chance to enter a prize draw blah, blah, blah) by giving them something worth having. A limited edition cap or bag etc. needn't cost a fortune. Just get 5,000 made. If they don't turn up on time the y dont get one ("Dont forget, you have to be at the ground by 2.30pm to claim your free cap/bag/etc.etc.")You'd be surprised how popular it would be. Oh, and as I;ve said for ages, ditch the fireworks, buy boxes of balloons and hand them out by the fistful to kids on matchdays as they go in the turnstiles. A balloon is cheap but incredibly cheerful to a child. Again, you're seen as giving something out, even though the cost is negligible. Also ditch the stilt men , perhaps keep the clowns, I don't know. Borderline. Reintroduce the lucky draw programme, give people the chance to win something but only if they are there by a certain time (assuming this doesnt infringe any lottery laws or whatever). I agree with a comment above about food too. Peanuts, popcorn, crackerjacks....whatever, it works at baseball.

PS - I AM in advertising/marketing and that will be £1500 please http://www.cpfc.org/ubb/smile.gif OK Simon, tell you what, I'll take a share of the gate! http://www.cpfc.org/ubb/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by Al from Bromley (edited 21 March 2001).]

[Al From Bromley]

Just reviewed this thread and noticed "There’s a Charlton advertisement at Purley train station "

Worse still, in Bromley, the News Shopper, which is a pretty good free newspaper (some free's are rubbish but this one is what we in the trade call a "catkiller", i.e. if you rolled it up and hit a cat with it it would do the job as its about 140 pages. Anyway, the local football coverage that always used to be Palace, however miniscule, is now Charlton. In Bromley? Charlton/ What the **** is going on. If I was working at palace if I couldnt persuade the sports editor that we are the local club I'd negotiate a deal to get us a half page ad on the same spread every week which outdid anything Charlton had to say about themselves.

[Blarm]

Kids love a raffle. My son always used to go to Crystals before the game because he wanted to try and win the Palce shirt or football in the raffle they had in there. Since we've stopped using Crystals, after all that don't give your money to Uncle Ron stuff, he keeps moaning that we get to the ground too early. (Do they still do that raffle in Crystals. If so I might start using it again, as I can't stand him moaning while I have my couple of pints before the game). Half time is a problem for the kids as it takes ages to queue up for their drinks, etc. They wouldn't be back in their seats to see what every was happening, unless we had people going round the crowd selling drinks, etc, like they do at baseball in the states.

[Crate]

Originally posted by David Murray:
Crate - I don't know if you noticed, but tmjwat actually started this thread last July (in his younger days) hence the lack of the current themes. I revived it last night as I was interested to see how far we had come in the last 8-9 months.

Erm, whoops, no. And I suppose the fact that so many of the good suggestions made by contributors remain valid but unaddressed shows that SJ has never read this particular thread either. Still, maybe reviving it will make him do so.

[selhurstparkflyer]

Nice one, Al
Thanks for refining my post so eloquently http://www.cpfc.org/ubb/smile.gif

I seem to remember we had a very similar thread like this at the beginning of the season. The most frusrating thing is that it is so obvious. The exciting thing, of course, is that it is such a fantastic opportunity for CPFC.

This Bromley News & Shopper thing that Al goes on about is so true and further underlines the point that Palace should be plastered all over the Local Press. The cheap kids days are a start and everybody within 10 miles of Selhurst Park should be aware of them.

Somebody else mentioned that they hope SJ reads this. I hope so too, there really is so much underutilised potential for the club.

[Al From Bromley]

Even sillier and simpler. Turn up before 2.30pm enjoy the pre match atmosphere, watch the big telly with player interviews, classic goals etc. and, if your seat is one of the 10 (20,30) in the stadium with a Palace sticker on it (whatever, a star, a mark of some sort) you win a £50 voucher for the club shop.

Easy to administer, the people who plant the marks, note seat and the person with the mark has to produce a ticket stub that has the same seat number on it. You could confine it to the family stand if you like. Imagine the joy of some kid finding a mark on his/her seat. A Palace fan for life I think over something so simple. Got to be there and claimed by 2.30pm mind you!

[This message has been edited by Al from Bromley (edited 21 March 2001).]

[selhurstparkflyer]

Keep going

These ideas are so ridiculously simple its untrue.

[Goldfish]

Originally posted by Al from Bromley:

The News Shopper, which is a pretty good free newspaper (some free's are rubbish but this one is what we in the trade call a "catkiller", i.e. if you rolled it up and hit a cat with it it would do the job as its about 140 pages. Anyway, the local football coverage that always used to be Palace, however miniscule, is now Charlton. In Bromley? Charlton/ What the **** is going on. If I was working at palace if I couldnt persuade the sports editor that we are the local club I'd negotiate a deal to get us a half page ad on the same spread every week which outdid anything Charlton had to say about themselves.

Al, please don't blame this tragic state of affairs on the News Shopper. I used to work there and another major Palace fan still does. We tried very hard to get the Palace coverage increased, but unfortunately the club didn't want to know. Requests for news releases and interviews fell on deaf ears, while Charlton bent over backwards to give the paper stuff, including free tickets to matches etc. Eventually the paper got fed up with being stonewalled and turned more to Charlton.

I'm confident things might change in the near future though!

[Pudsey Eagle]

so full marks yet again to the great palace pr machine http://www.cpfc.org/ubb/rolleyes.gif

[selhurstparkflyer]

Originally posted by Goldfish:
Al, please don't blame this tragic state of affairs on the News Shopper. I used to work there and another major Palace fan still does. We tried very hard to get the Palace coverage increased, but unfortunately the club didn't want to know. Requests for news releases and interviews fell on deaf ears, while Charlton bent over backwards to give the paper stuff, including free tickets to matches etc. Eventually the paper got fed up with being stonewalled and turned more to Charlton.

I'm confident things might change in the near future though!

I think that is what Al was trying to say, Goldfish. The onus is on the club. Full Stop.

[This message has been edited by selhurstparkflyer (edited 21 March 2001).]

[Al From Bromley]

I certainly don't blame the paper (which, incidentally I used to also have connections with having worked as a sales rep selling space in it for a national sales house). No, the onus is very much on Palace. If you want to get your name out into the community the best, cheapest way is thru press coverage. The Advertiser has always been a great ambassador for the club as you would expect, but the News Shopper being more peripheral geographically, hasn't. Narrow mindedness on the part of Palace PR? Bromley is only 8 miles from Selhurst and alot of Palace fans travel over from there. Breaks my heart to see Charlton stealing our thunder in Palace territory.

[selhurstparkflyer]

Lets fact it the Chairman gets his boat on every national publication and radio station under the sun. Surely he can wangle a 1/2 page spread on Palace in a paper full of Palace fans!!

[sneezy]

I've got another idea; how about turning up at Selhurst at two o'clock, having some edible tasty food( hot) to eat, wash it down with a cold pint of properly served Guinness, and then watching eleven well motivated atheletes playing for a club, chairman and a manager they respect and believe in.

I'll get me coat

[Blarm]

Originally posted by sneezy:
I've got another idea; how about turning up at Selhurst at two o'clock, having some edible tasty food( hot) to eat, wash it down with a cold pint of properly served Guinness, and then watching eleven well motivated atheletes playing for a club, chairman and a manager they respect and believe in.

I'll get me coat

Bl**dy hell sneezy, that's a bit radical isn't it. http://www.cpfc.org/ubb/biggrin.gif

[selhurstparkflyer]

Originally posted by Son of Selhurst:


But the main obstacle for youngsters coming is the brand. Kids in my village have never even heard of Crystal Palace. All they want is Man U and Liverpool. Cos that's all they see on the telly, and in the shops, and at the market, and on the back of other kids....

Whilst I see your point, especially in Hampshire, it really depends how you look at/sell it.
Palace is the biggest club in London where one can get a ticket with reasonable ease at a reasonable price.
The marketing machine should be making loads of that.
Really though Palace should not need to look at Hampshire for the crux of our support. If we can fill out the ground with colour and fun every week we will soon be on the telly every month and kids all over the South East will be intrigued.

Crate's point about the ethnicity of the crowd is very true too. Something like 50% of Croydon is non-white. Thats a massive market.
Travel is also a problem. Could the club include some sort of (optional) coach travel to and from games into the price of a ticket. I am in a 4 person family with 1 car. When my kids are old enough it would v handy to have some sort of transport from Bromley so that Mrs Flyer can have the car. This has been mooted before and there was some legal problems with it but SJ always said he never uses the word 'cannot'. If the club was keen and if there was demand surely they could do something?

[bucketbongeagle]

I've always thought the same thing as regards non-white supporters always disapointed that we aren't a more mixed crowd, im sure thats basically 'cos football has been a pretty nasty and unwelcoming environment for anyone other than whites, 15 years ago black players were still constantly racially abused and having banana's thrown at them.

[nookiebear]

Originally posted by Blarm:
Bl**dy hell sneezy, that's a bit radical isn't it. http://www.cpfc.org/ubb/biggrin.gif



Not to mention unlikely... http://www.cpfc.org/ubb/frown.gif

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The BBS is not 'mentally tough' enough...

[orpingtoneagle]

great thread, great ideas...come on SJ put a few thousand on the gate........and on the reclaim Croydon and surrounding areas as Palace through the kids...I live about 9 miles from Palace and at my sons school you can count Palace fans on one hand and they are exclusively boys like my own whose dads are also Palace and who take them !! Palace need to tap into all these other kids somehow (dont know how) and transform them from glory hunting sheep......Baaaaah