Crowds in the Thurlow Nunn League

Hi guys,

Looking to put together a feature on crowds in the Thurlow Nunn League. Looking at the Premier Division over the last five/six years they have mostly seen an overall decline, why do you think this is?

Some clubs are bucking the trend and have kept their attendances steady, some have even gone up a little, while some have decreased. What are clubs doing right and what are they doing wrong in regards to boosting their attendances?

Really interested to hear what you guys think so please feel free to have your say on here, or alternatively email us at ecluncovered@gmail.com

All the best,
ECL Uncovered

This is a pretty complex subject as there are so many variables. However, one factor must be the loss over recent years of some of the better supported clubs such as Lowestoft, Wisbech, Needham, Dereham   Wroxham, Leiston  etc who have all moved on.
Certainly Kirkley are unlikely to repeat their 2005 Boxing Day derby gate of 1124 against Lowestoft!

I used to see a few games each season at Norwich Utd. Their crowds were usually around the 70 mark. Games against the likes of Lowie and Wisbech could put 30-40 on the gate as could local derbies against Dereham and Wroxham. (The same probably applies to clubs such as Diss, Kirkley or Yarmouth.)
Norwich Utd won the league last season. Their average gate went up to 92 from 90 the previous season. This season, whilst running away with league, it is currently 84. Is this evidence that at this level on-field success is not necessarily reflected thro the turnstiles??.
Dereham and Wroxham have moved up a level but suffer from a lack of visiting fans, largely due to most of the visiting clubs being based in or around London. Would more local derbies increase gates??

A few thought to be going on with.

Any ideas to boost attendances would be gratefully received!

Reduce the the prices of admission for all categories to the games. Bit controversial but thats my opinion

I agree with Backfour!!
I know a lot of Clubs rely on the gate Money to pay the ever increasing Officials Wages, but if you reduce the Admission & get people through the gate you normally find they spend money on other things once in the ground, especially if they take their kids with them.

Don't think most clubs could afford that, thought it would help if they didn't keep increasing the officials fees.

At Gorleston we haven't put the admission price up for 3 years so, in real terms, it has reduced!

Speaking to somebody from Haverhill yesterday they said they had a game giving free admission, but got fewer people through the gate than on a normal game.

that's true Dave last season we had a free day advertised it all over the place and got 61 through the gate we have not put our prices up in years either