Football Fans as Consumers - Could this lead to fans switching teams in the future? (1 Viewer)

PorkyCovvy · Apr 10, 2012

Whether we like it or not, football is now an industry and as such clubs are ran like a business. Fans are no longer seen as stakeholders in each club but are seen as consumers. Fans now act as consumers. I have called these fans in the past fickle as they steer clear of the club based on a marginal price increase and comments on the quality of football.

I have however, now softened my view as I suspect these fans are not fickle but are simply just not Coventry City fans - well not by traditional definitions. I believe these 'fickle' fans are now just football fans. They pick and choose which games of football to watch based on price and perceived value (based on entertainment). They may follow Coventry City but they are not fans.

This leads me to my question; will future fans of clubs act further like consumers and switch allegiances of teams as much as they switch brands?

Osullivan18 · Apr 10, 2012

or maybe people don't go because of work commitments (like myself)

WillieStanley · Apr 10, 2012

I hope not, because clubs outside of the Prem, and even lower end Prem rely on this traditional unconditional support. If that goes, so do many clubs with proud histories and traditions.

We'll end up with a poorer version of Scottish football.

Astute · Apr 10, 2012

I have watched teams play where I have lived in the past. My goal celebrations last one second. There is only one team in my heart and there always will be.

I am proud to come from Cov. Much nicer places around. I live in a much niicer place. Still proud of my roots though.

torchomatic · Apr 10, 2012

I can't see people changing from team to team. You choose a team - or it's chosen for you - and you stick to it. To be honest, I'd rather be a Sky Blues fan than a Utd supporter who wins everything all the time and who has to go on a waiting list for a season ticket. You only get one when someone dies. Where's the fun in that?

Yes, this season has been poor, but I'll be there next season cheering them on whatever league we are in. That's just the way I am.

Grendel · Apr 10, 2012

Very few people change teams if they have supported them into adulthood. Sometimes you "acquire" fans for a day when you happen to be playing Chelsea or Man Utd.

The problem is attracting new fans or convincing your children it is worth going every week to see Coventry.

stnomskyblue · Apr 10, 2012

torchomatic said:
I can't see people changing from team to team. You choose a team - or it's chosen for you - and you stick to it. To be honest, I'd rather be a Sky Blues fan than a Utd supporter who wins everything all the time and who has to go on a waiting list for a season ticket. You only get one when someone dies. Where's the fun in that?

Yes, this season has been poor, but I'll be there next season cheering them on whatever league we are in. That's just the way I am.

I agree. I keep telling my son that no united fan can have felt the way I felt at wembley in 87. They expect success, so even winning the champs league for them cannot compare with winning the F A Cup for us. I will stay with the Sky Blues for ever. But this year has been the hardest yet.

chiefdave · Apr 10, 2012

I went to watch Cambridge Utd when I lived there but it wasn't anything like the same experiance. Only really went as everyone I knew down there went, plus they were so many divisions below us at the time it wasn't really supporting another team.

I've also lived in London and now Portsmouth and have never considered going to watch another team.

Think the only way it would happen would be with something like MK Dons where you move a team into an area but I can't think of anywhere that's a decent size town / city that doesn't already have a team.

To be honest if the worst came to the worst and City ceased to exist I probably wouldn't watch football at all. I barely pay any attention to the prem these days and even England games aren't vital viewing like they used to be.

Marty · Apr 10, 2012

chiefdave said:
I went to watch Cambridge Utd when I lived there but it wasn't anything like the same experiance. Only really went as everyone I knew down there went, plus they were so many divisions below us at the time it wasn't really supporting another team.

I've also lived in London and now Portsmouth and have never considered going to watch another team.

Think the only way it would happen would be with something like MK Dons where you move a team into an area but I can't think of anywhere that's a decent size town / city that doesn't already have a team.

To be honest if the worst came to the worst and City ceased to exist I probably wouldn't watch football at all. I barely pay any attention to the prem these days and even England games aren't vital viewing like they used to be.

I would be the same, the only team I would choose to support would be who ever replaced CCFC (AFC Coventry?).

Moff · Apr 10, 2012

I have replaced my support for my beloved CCFC first team with the CCFC youth team, now my team of choice....oh no sorry they are the first team, so no change in my support then!

1nilandwe... · Apr 10, 2012

I followed Leamington for a couple of FA Trophy games a few years back as part of a blog I was writing. They are a club who hit rock bottom and have come through the other side smiling. They have a fantastic set of fans who are optimistic about the future and genuinely love the club. It was hard to go back to being a Coventry fan when it was over, but what choice do I have?! I can only hope that there is one season somewhere down the line where we have some success. Just one season is all I'm asking for. I was born in June of '87 so have never seen anything resembling genuine success. One season at the top end of a division could transform the mentality of the place.

And I'd rather be a Coventry fan than a Man Utd fan 100 times out of 100.

CTID

cornoccfc · Apr 10, 2012

stnomskyblue said:
I agree. I keep telling my son that no united fan can have felt the way I felt at wembley in 87. They expect success, so even winning the champs league for them cannot compare with winning the F A Cup for us. I will stay with the Sky Blues for ever. But this year has been the hardest yet.

Going to have to strongly disagree.

Not for real fans anyway.

Speaking as a United fan, whilst expectations are different (aim to win the league every season) doesn't make the success any less enjoyable.

Though having been a City ST holder for 6 years (which is nothing compared to some on here) I can see your point that something like the '87 cup win would be massive and why you'd think it doesn't compare to a big club lifting a trophy.

torchomatic · Apr 10, 2012

I was at Warwick Castle earlier with my five-year-old and Rory Delap was there. For the most part he went unrecognised, but a few were asking for his autograph. Seemed like a pleasant enough chap. For a moment I thought I might become a Stoke City fan, but thought better of it.

Changeyourface · Apr 10, 2012

cornoccfc said:
Going to have to strongly disagree.

Not for real fans anyway.

Speaking as a United fan, whilst expectations are different (aim to win the league every season) doesn't make the success any less enjoyable.

Though having been a City ST holder for 6 years (which is nothing compared to some on here) I can see your point that something like the '87 cup win would be massive and why you'd think it doesn't compare to a big club lifting a trophy.

Did you just say you "support" Man United yet have a Cov season ticket. Then you also laughingly implied that you were a "real" fan. Please tell me you see the irony?

cornoccfc · Apr 10, 2012

Changeyourface said:
Did you just say you "support" Man United yet have a Cov season ticket. Then you also laughingly implied that you were a "real" fan. Please tell me you see the irony?

So a real fan is one that goes to all the games. I'm sure there's plenty that disagree with varying reasons as to not going to games.

covcity4life · Apr 10, 2012

cornoccfc said:
Going to have to strongly disagree.

Not for real fans anyway.

Speaking as a United fan, whilst expectations are different (aim to win the league every season) doesn't make the success any less enjoyable.

Though having been a City ST holder for 6 years (which is nothing compared to some on here) I can see your point that something like the '87 cup win would be massive and why you'd think it doesn't compare to a big club lifting a trophy.

fuck off to a man utd board

Changeyourface · Apr 10, 2012

cornoccfc said:
So a real fan is one that goes to all the games. I'm sure there's plenty that disagree with varying reasons as to not going to games.

You are of course correct, you are a real fan. Just like I, who is born and bred in Coventry am a genuine Real Madrid fan. Now I've never been to a game and I only support them because they win stuff and I also follow Coventry City home & away but that doesn't matter because when Madrid win the league (again) I still feel really happy whilst sitting at home in my replica kit from JJB's.

Go fuck off and erm.. "support" Man United you moron.

Sky Blue Sheepy · Apr 10, 2012

I'd rather a Man Utd fan came to see all our games than the majority of ours who claim to be fans, but turn up once a season when their brats get in for £1.
My dad's a Utd fan but loves Coventry City - comes to a fair few of our games and cheers and cares about the club - would probably count himself as converting to us. I'd rather see someone come and cheer us on than sit on their arse at home moaning about the club they don't watch.

cornoccfc · Apr 10, 2012

Sky Blue Sheepy said:
I'd rather a Man Utd fan came to see all our games than the majority of ours who claim to be fans, but turn up once a season when their brats get in for £1.
My dad's a Utd fan but loves Coventry City - comes to a fair few of our games and cheers and cares about the club - would probably count himself as converting to us. I'd rather see someone come and cheer us on than sit on their arse at home moaning about the club they don't watch.

Spot on. Have loved following City despite how tough it's been in recent years.

And to the blinkered fans previous, yawn- heard it all before. Got nothing to do with them being successful, was only giving my view in relation to the thread title, one which fellow fans of the big clubs will follow.

covcity4life · Apr 10, 2012

hell you just mentioned its about following a BIG club lmao

oh shut up ive heard it all before,

"its not cos of trophies its cos my dad supported them

"its because i loved ian rush as a kid"

"im a left winger and giggs is my dol"

you CHOSE to support man utd not fucking rotheram, you are a glory fan and nothing like a REAL fan no matter what money you pump into cov.

Changeyourface · Apr 10, 2012

covcity4life said:
hell you just mentioned its about following a BIG club lmao

oh shut up ive heard it all before,

"its not cos of trophies its cos my dad supported them

"its because i loved ian rush as a kid"

"im a left winger and giggs is my dol"

you CHOSE to support man utd not fucking rotheram, you are a glory fan and nothing like a REAL fan no matter what money you pump into cov.

Leave it out, his uncle once drove past old trafford and he's "supported" them since he was a little kid. Wish I could be such a dedicated supporter.

torchomatic · Apr 10, 2012

God, have you got anything better to do?

covcity4life said:
hell you just mentioned its about following a BIG club lmao

oh shut up ive heard it all before,

"its not cos of trophies its cos my dad supported them

"its because i loved ian rush as a kid"

"im a left winger and giggs is my dol"

you CHOSE to support man utd not fucking rotheram, you are a glory fan and nothing like a REAL fan no matter what money you pump into cov.

DiveDiveWhereverYouMayBe · Apr 10, 2012

My old man is Scottish and grew up supporting Aberdeen. For the last thirty plus years he has lived in and around Coventry. He took me to my first game at Highfield Road twenty plus years ago and continues to follow them home and away now. If you asked him who he supported, he would say Coventry and then, as an afterthought only, he might add Aberdeen. What's the crack there, glory supporter? Who gives a fuck, if you lose sleep over people supporting teams for any reason that doesn't meet your own high standards, you will be angry or elitist all your life. Live and let live... following two teams doesn't make a huge amount of sense to me, but I don't try to mug people off on a football forum.

covcity4life · Apr 10, 2012

im more than happy knowing im better than plastic fans dont worry

the one thing ive always said is just ADMIT it, the one thing that comes with glory fans are excuses excuses

my own uncle is a culprit,season ticket holder at OT for decade or so,but born and raised in cov,dfooty mad,always on fan sites for rumours etc but when i ask him he says its not glory because he started supporting them the year they lost a cup final

lost a CUP FINAL....SAY WHAT!:thinking about:

i am an elitest because i am better than these people.

covcity4life · Apr 10, 2012

torchomatic said:
God, have you got anything better to do?

sorry i forgot to add

GLORY FANS ARE SISUS FAULT

thorn for england.

torchomatic · Apr 10, 2012

You, are no "better" than any of the rest of us. What an idiotic thing to say.

I went to my first match in 1972, but I don't think of myself "better" than someone who began supporting City last season. Everyone starts somewhere.

Corno's sig says he started in 2006. So what if he goes to Utd as well? What difference does it make to you or any of us. Personally, I'm pleased that he cheers us on as well.

covcity4life said:
im more than happy knowing im better than plastic fans dont worry

the one thing ive always said is just ADMIT it, the one thing that comes with glory fans are excuses excuses

my own uncle is a culprit,season ticket holder at OT for decade or so,but born and raised in cov,dfooty mad,always on fan sites for rumours etc but when i ask him he says its not glory because he started supporting them the year they lost a cup final

lost a CUP FINAL....SAY WHAT!:thinking about:

i am an elitest because i am better than these people.

covcity4life · Apr 10, 2012

And I personally think im.better than him

Also a workmate of mine only got into footy 3 years ago,I treat him with same respect as any other cov fan

I dot mind second teams but supporting 2 teams and pretending not to be a gloey fan is not on in my book

Or are you the only fuddy duddy alowed to post their opinions?

Delboycov · Apr 10, 2012

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but mine is that if you were born in Coventry and support Man Utd, Chelsea,Liverpool etc then you are a glory supporter...Real fans for me are those that realise they don't actually have a choice when it comes to where your loyalties lie...it's all down to the geographical luck of the draw....Football's very own postcode lottery.They're ones that stick with a team even when you can count the club's great days in an entire history on one hand. I get very annoyed when I see kids in the area sporting the replica kits of the nation's top table. However nothing annoys me more than those glory hunting adult 'fans' who's committment to the cause extends to squeezing on a United top over their beer bellies and standing in the pub, watching Sky Sports talking about how great it was to win the treble when the only time they've been to the 'theatre of dreams' was probably for a stadium tour bought for them by their missus. I personally think that the reason why CCFC is in the sorry state it's in is down in no small part to 'fans' like that. The City/Man U fan on here is excused from my criticism as at least he gets up there and supports his local club.

Changeyourface · Apr 10, 2012

torchomatic said:
You, are no "better" than any of the rest of us. What an idiotic thing to say.

I went to my first match in 1972, but I don't think of myself "better" than someone who began supporting City last season. Everyone starts somewhere.

Corno's sig says he started in 2006. So what if he goes to Utd as well? What difference does it make to you or any of us. Personally, I'm pleased that he cheers us on as well.

I also think I'm better than him, however I think I'm better than everyone else aswell, regardless of who they support.

BackRoomRummermill · Apr 10, 2012

DiveDiveWhereverYouMayBe said:
My old man is Scottish and grew up supporting Aberdeen. For the last thirty plus years he has lived in and around Coventry. He took me to my first game at Highfield Road twenty plus years ago and continues to follow them home and away now. If you asked him who he supported, he would say Coventry and then, as an afterthought only, he might add Aberdeen. What's the crack there, glory supporter? Who gives a fuck, if you lose sleep over people supporting teams for any reason that doesn't meet your own high standards, you will be angry or elitist all your life. Live and let live... following two teams doesn't make a huge amount of sense to me, but I don't try to mug people off on a football forum.

Randomly I lived in the deen fro a few months in 2009 and went to see Aberdeen a few times in the Seatronics Box

I liked going as so many aberdeen fans have a soft spot for Cov given the Black and Starch links as well as a few others

Quite pleasant really though it was far to cold and windy for me

Marty · Apr 10, 2012

Delboycov said:
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but mine is that if you were born in Coventry and support Man Utd, Chelsea,Liverpool etc then you are a glory supporter...Real fans for me are those that realise they don't actually have a choice when it comes to where your loyalties lie...it's all down to the geographical luck of the draw....Football's very own postcode lottery.They're ones that stick with a team even when you can count the club's great days in an entire history on one hand. I get very annoyed when I see kids in the area sporting the replica kits of the nation's top table. However nothing annoys me more than those glory hunting adult 'fans' who's committment to the cause extends to squeezing on a United top over their beer bellies and standing in the pub, watching Sky Sports talking about how great it was to win the treble when the only time they've been to the 'theatre of dreams' was probably for a stadium tour bought for them by their missus. I personally think that the reason why CCFC is in the sorry state it's in is down in no small part to 'fans' like that. The City/Man U fan on here is excused from my criticism as at least he gets up there and supports his local club.

Hes not local either, hes being a glory hunter supporting us compared to his local (3rd team). Piss off corno onto the cobblers forum

cornoccfc · Apr 10, 2012

Marty said:
Hes not local either, hes being a glory hunter supporting us compared to his local (3rd team). Piss off corno onto the cobblers forum

haha thanks Marty!

Coventry was local for me 2006-2010

SkyBlue · Apr 10, 2012

Proud to say that I (19) and my brother (10) are both proud Sky Blues, and can boast at school/college, even when we lose, that at least I was at the ground this weekend, cheering on my team, unlike the dozens of United/Chelsea/Liverpool/Arsenal fans

Football Fans as Consumers - Could this lead to fans switching teams in the future? (1 Viewer)

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