Kamero89 Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 Its not just Wednesday game the 18k on a Sunday against Colorado was also very low compared to the rest of our games. Its no big secret this teams struggles/changes are 100% to blame for the lowerish attendance. In fact the whitecaps were really pushing to sell-out all the remaining games and had some great deals for tickets 50% off a while back for any of the games on this remaining home-stand.. to only sell out the cascadia games is a huge disapointment. We are fifth in attendance, and play one of the bigger building capacities in the league. Blame the marketing department, I and others at different times have tried to start a support group in the north end, only to be turned down. The 'Caps family end (north end) holds about 4k worth of fans, the only problem is there is no where near 4k worth of families going to the games. The next biggest family section in the league is 700 in comparison. 5x the size of the 2nd biggest family section in the league, while most average around 500 people. The north end is the cheapest ticket in BC Place, yet is the emptiest. Does that make sense to anyone? Not a coincidence, that the section the Southsiders sit in has been sold out every game since day one at Empire. The southsiders started with around 20 people, and now have 1500 people in their section every game. Putting a support group in the north end has unlimited potential, and would not hurt any of the few families who do attend. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jai604 Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 We are fifth in attendance, and play one of the bigger building capacities in the league. Blame the marketing department, I and others at different times have tried to start a support group in the north end, only to be turned down. The 'Caps family end (north end) holds about 4k worth of fans, the only problem is there is no where near 4k worth of families going to the games. The next biggest family section in the league is 700 in comparison. 5x the size of the 2nd biggest family section in the league, while most average around 500 people. The north end is the cheapest ticket in BC Place, yet is the emptiest. Does that make sense to anyone? Not a coincidence, that the section the Southsiders sit in has been sold out every game since day one at Empire. The southsiders started with around 20 people, and now have 1500 people in their section every game. Putting a support group in the north end has unlimited potential, and would not hurt any of the few families who do attend. Ahem, we stand the whole game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamero89 Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Ahem, we stand the whole game. lol fair enough. But my point stays the same. No one outside the southside is going to know the Barry Robson song. We have to get everyone involved. A better atmosphere means more fans, more fans means a better fortress, and that means more wins. Not a coincidence the team has given up 67% of their goals in the north end. We need atmosphere everywhere! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugemanskost Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Thanks to Chivas' late goal yesterday, the 'Caps only need to win one of their last 2 to clinch a playoff spot. The Cascadia Derby v. Timbers sure looks even bigger now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostsof1915 Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 I really think Sportsnet and TSN don't do too much to hype MLS coverage they have. I'm not sure if the ratings are disappointing, or what the issue is. Local coverage in the newspapers is also very disappointing. Even with the lockout the Whitecaps are taking a back seat to the CFL and NFL. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUPERTKBD Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Thanks to Chivas' late goal yesterday, the 'Caps only need to win one of their last 2 to clinch a playoff spot. The Cascadia Derby v. Timbers sure looks even bigger now! The Sounders put the boots to Portland last night. Hopefully, that's the start of a two-game trend for the Timbers. BTW: 66,000+ at CLF last night... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamero89 Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 I really think Sportsnet and TSN don't do too much to hype MLS coverage they have. I'm not sure if the ratings are disappointing, or what the issue is. Local coverage in the newspapers is also very disappointing. Even with the lockout the Whitecaps are taking a back seat to the CFL and NFL. The highest rated game this year, beats any Lions regular season game on TV in the last 2 years (granted 1/2 the games were blacked out). Team 1040 has done a fairly good job, but the papers can def be better. Local ratings for games are among some of the best in the league. The Whitecaps have to do better with marketing though. One print ad a week, and youtube videos are not good enough. You have to create excitement. This team has yet to ever have one TV ad. All sell outs, and the hype surrounding them have been created by the fans and the media, not the team. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugemanskost Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 The Sounders put the boots to Portland last night. Hopefully, that's the start of a two-game trend for the Timbers. BTW: 66,000+ at CLF last night... It's so awesome to see the support that Seattle gives the Sounders. 66 452 for a Cascadia Derby! There's no reason that the 'Caps can't do the same, except that BC Place only holds 59 000, or so. It baffles me that the 'Caps struggle to get 20 000 to home matches. If I didn't live in Dawson Creek, I would have season's tickets, for sure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUPERTKBD Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 It's so awesome to see the support that Seattle gives the Sounders. 66 452 for a Cascadia Derby! There's no reason that the 'Caps can't do the same, except that BC Place only holds 59 000, or so. It baffles me that the 'Caps struggle to get 20 000 to home matches. If I didn't live in Dawson Creek, I would have season's tickets, for sure! I hear you. Even though I live closer as the crow flies, I'm even farther away by road. I wouldn't be able to afford to go to Canuck games, but I'd be at as many 'Caps and Lions games as I could.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jai604 Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 lol fair enough. But my point stays the same. No one outside the southside is going to know the Barry Robson song. We have to get everyone involved. A better atmosphere means more fans, more fans means a better fortress, and that means more wins. Not a coincidence the team has given up 67% of their goals in the north end. We need atmosphere everywhere! I agree, but I'm not sure what can be done. The South part of the East Side has joined in when called upon (East Side, on your feet said East Side on your feet, hey hey!) and now stand up on their own at times and have joined in on the cheers. They're slowly learning all the songs and chants, too. Hopefully it's only a matter of time until it continues to spread all along the East side down to the North end. I agree, I don't think it's a coincidence either that the caps give up more goals in the North end. That side of the stadium is dead. I don't really know what can be done other than a group of very dedicated fans going over there and getting things going. Still, I think part of the issue is that a lot of the North end seats aren't season ticket holders. A lot of the fans in the North side don't go to every game, and might go only a few times. It's hard to build up that support when the people are changing every game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killa Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 The Whitecaps designated the north end as a family zone and moved all the supporters groups into the south end. That's a big reason for the north being so quiet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamero89 Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 I hear you. Even though I live closer as the crow flies, I'm even farther away by road. I wouldn't be able to afford to go to Canuck games, but I'd be at as many 'Caps and Lions games as I could.... That's a bit of the problem, they average close to sell outs for weekend games, but only around 18k for weekday games. Too much of their fans are coming from the suburbs People want to blame the fan base, but with out good advertising a lot of people have never even been to a game in this city. It's 100% the marketing staffs fault only one side of the arena is fun to sit in (only allowing support groups on one side) they run the pre game tailgate till 5 minutes AFTER kick off (usually no one outside even knows the game has started), and they used their entire budget on print ads (print is a dying form of media). Put ads on TV, and before Youtube videos. It's NOT rocket science. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamero89 Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 The Whitecaps designated the north end as a family zone and moved all the supporters groups into the south end. That's a big reason for the north being so quiet Are all those families who are going dressing up as empty seats? Their family end is 4x bigger than anyone else's. There should be a family end, but it should not take up 4,000 seats. Seattle averages around 40k/game, and have a family section of 700 seats. Cut the family section in half. There would be a tunnel separating a support group and the families. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jai604 Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 (edited) The Whitecaps designated the north end as a family zone and moved all the supporters groups into the south end. That's a big reason for the north being so quiet Um, no. The supporters have been in the South side (hence the name Southsiders) since the Swanguard days on the bleachers. The Southsiders were founded in 1999. They designated the North end of the stadium the family section because it was furthest away from the rowdy supporters groups, as well as being cheaper than center-field seats, making it more affordable for families. Edited October 9, 2012 by Jai604 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamero89 Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Um, no. The supporters have been in the South side (hence the name Southsiders) since the Swanguard days on the bleachers. The Southsiders were founded in 1999. They designated the North end of the stadium the family section because it was furthest away from the rowdy supporters groups, as well as being cheaper than center-field seats, making it more affordable for families. There was a (smaller) support group in the north end last year, the marketing staff would not let them renew their season tickets unless they either relocated or disbanded. Yes that's right the marketing staff refused 50 people season tickets in the north end, when it is often 1/2 empty. These are the people running the franchise's business operations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killa Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 (edited) Um, no. The supporters have been in the South side (hence the name Southsiders) since the Swanguard days on the bleachers. The Southsiders were founded in 1999. They designated the North end of the stadium the family section because it was furthest away from the rowdy supporters groups, as well as being cheaper than center-field seats, making it more affordable for families. There are other smaller supporters groups. This year they decided that only the south end would be used as a supporters section Edited October 9, 2012 by Killa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbes!!! Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 I went to 5 games w my dad and some with my mom this season. They would absolutely not go if people in the north end were standing all game and blocking any of their view. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamero89 Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 I went to 5 games w my dad and some with my mom this season. They would absolutely not go if people in the north end were standing all game and blocking any of their view. Half of the family end can still easily exist. There is a tunnel that separates the endzone seats into two parts. Obviously if people really loved sitting in the north end it would be sold out every game. The Whitecaps demographic should not be your parents, but 18-40 year old's anyways. If the majority of people felt the way you do the southside would not be sold out every game, and the north end would not be half empty every game. Soccer runs and breaths on support groups. Support groups = more season ticket holders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamero89 Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 (edited) There are other smaller supporters groups. This year they decided that only the south end would be used as a supporters section Yes and because of this decision attendance is actually down this season, despite a better team and a downtown location. Attendance is actually up in ALL sections but the northend in the arena by a small amount from last year, but down 34% in the north end. Edited October 9, 2012 by Kamero89 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottish⑦Canuck Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 All of you guys will be supporting Scotland, obviously. You don't have a choice in the matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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