Tigers fans walk away

[fleabane]

From today’s Guardian

“The Tigers flirted with the drop last season, saving themselves by doubling Newcastle, who ended up at the bottom. They remain the Premiership’s best-supported club in terms of numbers, but the 92% capacity they enjoyed at Welford Road in 2008-09 dropped to 81% last season and is at 70% this campaign after two matches.”

The only club to have achieved a 20,000 home attendance is Bristol.

How long can this go on without the financial impact being a significant factor in recruitment or investment in better facilities? The windfall following CVCs acquisition of PR is a one off.

[Mark62]

People are bound to vote with their feet, if success comes again then so will the flakey fans who only support success.

A bigger story to me would be how both Sale and Gloucester recently had big European fixtures and there were large empty spaces in their stands

[Cagey Tiger]

From today’s Guardian

“The Tigers flirted with the drop last season, saving themselves by doubling Newcastle, who ended up at the bottom. They remain the Premiership’s best-supported club in terms of numbers, but the 92% capacity they enjoyed at Welford Road in 2008-09 dropped to 81% last season and is at 70% this campaign after two matches.”

The only club to have achieved a 20,000 home attendance is Bristol.

How long can this go on without the financial impact being a significant factor in recruitment or investment in better facilities? The windfall following CVCs acquisition of PR is a one off.

Ah, "lies, damned lies and statistics". I'm not saying that attendances haven't dropped, particularly this season and last, but to use %age capacity when the capacity has changed gives a misleading view.

EDIT: have looked at the total season attendance figures on the Aviva Premiership site for 2010-11 onwards. All seasons between about 245k and 251k except last season at 228k. A lack of a home semi could account for that. And, yes, that will be tickets sold, not bums on seats.

[Scott1]

Lovely how some flaky fans are getting the blame!!!

[RichieB]

Also difference between 'tickets sold' and the actual number of people in the ground. I know for sure that the last home game there weren't as many people there as they said tickets sold.

On a similar theme - I notice London Irish attendance was absolutely dire at the beginning of the season. Maybe that will improve if they enjoy some relative success.

[Mark62]

Lovely how some flaky fans are getting the blame!!!

Well who else has walked away, and will come when the side becomes successful, the loyal lifelong fans

[Scott1]

some fans have had enough! They pay hard earned money and sacrifice to at times watch dross,it's a two way street. It's not an overnight thing,I commend anyone who stayed through the last few years through thick and thin,these are multi year ST holders too,think you're out of order but not surprised!

[Mark62]

some fans have had enough! They pay hard earned money and sacrifice to at times watch dross,it's a two way street. It's not an overnight thing,I commend anyone who stayed through the last few years through thick and thin,these are multi year ST holders too,think you're out of order but not surprised!

If you had any knowledge you would realise it’s the same in all sports. Do you think Leicester city would be getting the crowds they are getting now if they were near the foot of the table, no because supporters are flaky they follow success

[Scott1]

I don't know ,hasn't our fan base been quite stable the last few years?

[Mark62]

I don't know ,hasn't our fan base been quite stable the last few years?

Before Raneri and the Thai money ?how about during the Puel era attendances were falling except for the big teams

[CitizenSmiff]

The games aren't fun to watch, of course people are staying away. We can go on about loyalty until the cows come home but if the club as an entity refuses to acknowledge what they're doing is wrong what other mechanism than financial do we have to get our point across?

[Tiglon]

Leicester Tigers average Premiership attendances:

2018/19 20987
2017/18 22878
2016/17 22899
2015/16 21770
2014/15 22421
2013/14 22843
2012/13 21391
2011/12 20661
2010/11 21016
2009/10 22387
2008/09 17480
2007/08 17206

So it was lower in 11/12 when we finished runners up. It goes up and down but seems pretty stable at 20-22,000. Lower this season, but only two games in - notice that the numbers do dip in World Cup seasons, you're always going to get lower attendances when star players aren't there and the public focus is on the World Cup.

I dont see how any of that would make anyone worry about the future of the club.

[LE18]

Leicester Tigers average Premiership attendances:

2018/19 20987
2017/18 22878
2016/17 22899
2015/16 21770
2014/15 22421
2013/14 22843
2012/13 21391
2011/12 20661
2010/11 21016
2009/10 22387
2008/09 17480
2007/08 17206

So it was lower in 11/12 when we finished runners up. It goes up and down but seems pretty stable at 20-22,000. Lower this season, but only two games in - notice that the numbers do dip in World Cup seasons, you're always going to get lower attendances when star players aren't there and the public focus is on the World Cup.

I dont see how any of that would make anyone worry about the future of the club.

How many home matches were there each year, does that not have an effect?

[RagingBull]

Surely the home games stay the same?
I don't think they count the play offs in those figures could be wrong though.

[sk 88]

Leicester Tigers average Premiership attendances:

2018/19 20987
2017/18 22878
2016/17 22899
2015/16 21770
2014/15 22421
2013/14 22843
2012/13 21391
2011/12 20661
2010/11 21016
2009/10 22387
2008/09 17480
2007/08 17206

So it was lower in 11/12 when we finished runners up. It goes up and down but seems pretty stable at 20-22,000. Lower this season, but only two games in - notice that the numbers do dip in World Cup seasons, you're always going to get lower attendances when star players aren't there and the public focus is on the World Cup.

I dont see how any of that would make anyone worry about the future of the club.

The other factor to consider is that attendances typically grow during the season, so comparing the first two game average to the previous season total average will be misleading. Usually Christmas, Saints and last game are above the average attendance, so taking the average before any of those is potentially misleading.