Here are our attendance figures, for our first 12 home games:

Number of Newport County fans:

NUMBER OF GAMES.........................12
TOTAL.................................................36445
HIGHEST.............................................4065 (Chesterfield - first home game)
LOWEST..............................................2161 (Barnet)
AVERAGE............................................3037

Average number of away fans visiting RP, is 259.....Exeter highest on 499....Barnet lowest on 64

I know the weather wasn't promising, but I thought our attendance against Exeter was disappointing.
Saying that, looking at the number of Cardiff fans at Loftus Road, and I wonder whether attendances in general were down.

newgroundrodney wrote:Here are our attendance figures, for our first 12 home games:

Number of Newport County fans:

NUMBER OF GAMES.........................12
TOTAL.................................................36445
HIGHEST.............................................4065 (Chesterfield - first home game)
LOWEST..............................................2161 (Barnet)
AVERAGE............................................3037

Average number of away fans visiting RP, is 259.....Exeter highest on 499....Barnet lowest on 64

I know the weather wasn't promising, but I thought our attendance against Exeter was disappointing.
Saying that, looking at the number of Cardiff fans at Loftus Road, and I wonder whether attendances in general were down.

We have Leeds next Sunday. My view is that people on limited incomes have to make a choice.
If I could only afford one game, I'd choose Leeds.

Plus we've had two relatively close away games (Wycombe and Cheltenham) in the last week - so our support has been spread over several different easily-attendable games over a short space of time. I'd have normally gone yesterday, but I went to Cheltenham on Saturday and could neither justify nor afford two games in 72hrs. That's not a criticism of the festive fixture list (I rather like the glut of games over the Winter Bank Holiday period), but it's just the reality of consumer choice.

Kairdiff Exile wrote:Plus we've had two relatively close away games (Wycombe and Cheltenham) in the last week - so our support has been spread over several different easily-attendable games over a short space of time. I'd have normally gone yesterday, but I went to Cheltenham on Saturday and could neither justify nor afford two games in 72hrs. That's not a criticism of the festive fixture list (I rather like the glut of games over the Winter Bank Holiday period), but it's just the reality of consumer choice.

I agree with the comments re the costs involved, but on paper, you look at Newport County v Exeter City, New Year's Day, both teams challenging for play-offs / promotion, and you think: "close to a full house".... or somewhere near it. What you DON'T think, is it'll be a below average attendance....well that's my view anyway. Just a little disappointing I thought.

newgroundrodney wrote:

Kairdiff Exile wrote:Plus we've had two relatively close away games (Wycombe and Cheltenham) in the last week - so our support has been spread over several different easily-attendable games over a short space of time. I'd have normally gone yesterday, but I went to Cheltenham on Saturday and could neither justify nor afford two games in 72hrs. That's not a criticism of the festive fixture list (I rather like the glut of games over the Winter Bank Holiday period), but it's just the reality of consumer choice.

I agree with the comments re the costs involved, but on paper, you look at Newport County v Exeter City, New Year's Day, both teams challenging for play-offs / promotion, and you think: "close to a full house".... or somewhere near it. What you DON'T think, is it'll be a below average attendance....well that's my view anyway. Just a little disappointing I thought.

Not 100% certain but I think it cost £2 to see the West Ham game. Even allowing for inflation that's a lot less than the cost these days. Four days later I could afford to go to the Reading game. As a fanatical County supporting 21 year old student could I manage both games at today's prices? I doubt it.

Kairdiff Exile wrote:Plus we've had two relatively close away games (Wycombe and Cheltenham) in the last week - so our support has been spread over several different easily-attendable games over a short space of time. I'd have normally gone yesterday, but I went to Cheltenham on Saturday and could neither justify nor afford two games in 72hrs. That's not a criticism of the festive fixture list (I rather like the glut of games over the Winter Bank Holiday period), but it's just the reality of consumer choice.

It would be interesting to know how many people did the same and went to Cheltenham away (where our club gets little or no financial reward) and missed Exeter at home and to understand the reasons for this.

What can we do to make it more attractive to come to RP for a match and benefit our club?

We have to accept that while we are at RP we will not have choice of dates over the festive period ( regardless of contracts) so we need to make the home match the must attend option.

Stan A. Einstein wrote:

newgroundrodney wrote:

Kairdiff Exile wrote:Plus we've had two relatively close away games (Wycombe and Cheltenham) in the last week - so our support has been spread over several different easily-attendable games over a short space of time. I'd have normally gone yesterday, but I went to Cheltenham on Saturday and could neither justify nor afford two games in 72hrs. That's not a criticism of the festive fixture list (I rather like the glut of games over the Winter Bank Holiday period), but it's just the reality of consumer choice.

I agree with the comments re the costs involved, but on paper, you look at Newport County v Exeter City, New Year's Day, both teams challenging for play-offs / promotion, and you think: "close to a full house".... or somewhere near it. What you DON'T think, is it'll be a below average attendance....well that's my view anyway. Just a little disappointing I thought.

Not 100% certain but I think it cost £2 to see the West Ham game. Even allowing for inflation that's a lot less than the cost these days. Four days later I could afford to go to the Reading game. As a fanatical County supporting 21 year old student could I manage both games at today's prices? I doubt it.

Cheltenham away was £7 for students, and I don't think County do a "student" rate (U18 instead) which probably encouraged a bigger travelling crowd and may have reduced the need to see the Exeter game. I should think that the walk up would be right down on a rainy New Year's Day with many people nursing hangovers and waking up at noon... I barely made it to the sofa in time to not-watch Everton v Man U and there was no way I was leaving the house.

As someone having to rush to Saints v Palace tonight after a day at work rather than at my leisure yesterday due to the Premier League's fixture-juggling, I can confirm that I am very much on the fence when it comes to New Year's Day fixtures at any level.

Amberexile wrote: It would be interesting to know how many people did the same and went to Cheltenham away (where our club gets little or no financial reward) and missed Exeter at home and to understand the reasons for this.

What can we do to make it more attractive to come to RP for a match and benefit our club?

I think you're worrying unnecessarily. Most fans attend far for home games than away ones,but there'll always be the odd occasion where someone might prioritise an away match over a home one. Partly because there's always something a bit special about an away trip (especially when there's a large following - like at Cheltenham and Sw*ndon, my two away games so far this season), and partly because away trips allow people to see family and friends (I went for lunch before the Cheltenham game with a friend who lives in the town, who then joined me for the game). None of that is cause for concern, and most of us aren't too neurotic about ensuring every penny we spend on football goes to NCAFC. These things tend to even themselves out over a lifetime of watching live sport!

On your second point, I've said before that I think Rodney Parade does offer an attractive 'matchday experience' (urgh). Well-located for those coming by bus or train, within easy walking distance of a variety of good pubs and restaurants, and the ground itself offers a range of seating/standing options to suit all tastes and budgets. Give me that over a soulless all-seater plastic bowl on an industrial estate in the middle of nowhere any day.

Kairdiff Exile wrote:

Amberexile wrote: It would be interesting to know how many people did the same and went to Cheltenham away (where our club gets little or no financial reward) and missed Exeter at home and to understand the reasons for this.

What can we do to make it more attractive to come to RP for a match and benefit our club?

I think you're worrying unnecessarily. Most fans attend far for home games than away ones,but there'll always be the odd occasion where someone might prioritise an away match over a home one. Partly because there's always something a bit special about an away trip (especially when there's a large following - like at Cheltenham and Sw*ndon, my two away games so far this season), and partly because away trips allow people to see family and friends (I went for lunch before the Cheltenham game with a friend who lives in the town, who then joined me for the game). None of that is cause for concern, and most of us aren't too neurotic about ensuring every penny we spend on football goes to NCAFC. These things tend to even themselves out over a lifetime of watching live sport!

On your second point, I've said before that I think Rodney Parade does offer an attractive 'matchday experience' (urgh). Well-located for those coming by bus or train, within easy walking distance of a variety of good pubs and restaurants, and the ground itself offers a range of seating/standing options to suit all tastes and budgets. Give me that over a soulless all-seater plastic bowl on an industrial estate in the middle of nowhere any day.

I'm just trying to look at it from the club's point of view. I'm pretty sure they would rather have sold say 100 extra home tickets and 100 fewer for Cheltenham.

As I get to far more away games than home ones myself, I get the added dimensions of away fixtures.

Even allowing for the restrictions of driving to home matches, the atmosphere among our fans always seems better at away games, even when we number around the hundred. Maybe because we congregate together.

We seem to be making an effort with the use of the marquee before matches but perhaps there is more that could be done to improve things.

Our away support relative to the home attendance is pretty impressive. Not sure what the standing it is in the 92 clubs but imagine we are right up there. I can understand the enjoyment of travelling away but the club has done a lot to reach out with the local community and improve the match day experience. We can only keep banging the drum

This thread got me thinking why I went to Cheltenham but didn't go to RP to watch against Exeter....
I guess I'm getting the ' away day buzz', it's a good day out, plus it kind of gives you added pride when the team see what great support have made the journey.
Also I knew on NYD I'd not be in any state to drive lol .
Cost was also a consideration after spending too much over Xmas as per bloody usual .
Football can be an expensive business , no more so than when we get to March/April with something like 5 out of 7 games being at RP.
My wife asked what I want for my birthday in May.... see you at Carlisle !

markvickery wrote:Our away support relative to the home attendance is pretty impressive. Not sure what the standing it is in the 92 clubs but imagine we are right up there. I can understand the enjoyment of travelling away but the club has done a lot to reach out with the local community and improve the match day experience. We can only keep banging the drum

Our away support is currently around 14.5% of our home support. Until we see the numbers from other clubs in our division, and even in other divisions, it's not possible to say whether or not it's impressive,or where we stand in relation to other teams.

Every home game is an away for me, so I tend to do about 4/5 aways to every home game as a result. Done 83 of the 92 at the moment and 4 remaining aways this season could add to that total.

As it stands we're too skint to do Grimsby and Lincoln this month which we'd originally planned, but will be going to Port Vale and Chesterfield in Feb and April. I tend to go to more games near the end of the season but Coventry on Good Friday is the next home I'm considering. That might change if County get back into the play-off places.