Why are Everton as popular as ever?

[Reidy's Bottle Of Grecian]

I'm believe the official attendence figures in the 80s we're not accurate shall we say.

they weren't but there were many times that the 55k capacity was only 1/2 full, there was a lot of gaps in the seats, a lot of folk that really couldn't afford to go, even at £3.50 to get in, the price of seats was probably double at least.

Thatchers Britain that.

we still took good away followings though.

 

[Saint Domingo]

I honestly think it probably is just a reflection of a generations changing attitude to disposable income. Liverpool 1 was still booming during the recession, most people still had smart phones laptops etc. My generation just think nothing of ploughing into overdrafts to have money for non essentials. Generations before were making their Sunday lunch leftovers stretch over a few days, even at cheaper prices the match was a luxury some simply couldn't justify spending money on. Now you have lads at school age or in Uni without a job who get enough pocket money for a season ticket and European away trips.

I think this is them combined with the modern phenomenon of people having to be seen at 'events'. You could throw something that essentially resembles a car boot sale in the middle of town yet if you brand it right you can guarantee that the world and his wife will turn up looking for some sort of mass experience that they can be part of. It's also why you see people with no interest in football whatsoever going to el clasico just to 'experience' it. There's clearly a core of fans who go because they love Everton and love watching live football no question. I'm also certain there's a large number at any one game who probably aren't greatly fussed by either but it's better to be there than not just in case there's an incident or atmosphere that they might miss out on.

In short: modern lavishness plus FOMO culture = bigger crowds.

 

[Debunkology]

Football in general is as popular as ever. This country is football mad and is more than its ever been. Even somebody like friggin Piers Morgan has a season ticket, can't imagine he'd have one in the 80s when football was just seen as a working class game.

 

[toffee matt]

Attendances are up everywhere over the last 20 years.

Going to football wasn't really an appealing thing for many to do in the 80's. Standing in a cage for 90 minutes getting pissed on wasn't many peoples ideal day out.

 

[Whistlin' Dixie]

Football in general is as popular as ever. This country is football mad and is more than its ever been. Even somebody like friggin Piers Morgan has a season ticket, can't imagine he'd have one in the 80s when football was just seen as a working class game.

Almost the same as snails & oysters once being the food of the peasants, and now being some sort of 'delicacy'.

 

[grandjoeblue]

Our attendances are fairly steady and have been for years, sometimes its not full but people don't want to pay for severely obstructed views.

If we had well priced tickets at a new ground we could comfortably do 50,000.

 

[Cookmysock]

Football was typically classed as the working mans game. Hooliganism was rife and the general public perception of people that went to games was mainly thugs louts hooligans etc, you wouldnt see as many women at games families at games.but for different reasons the all seater stadiums and sky marketing the game as family friendly you get people who go the match wjo wouldnt dream of going in the 80s, more women go more children even blokes go who wouldnt go in the 80s as they didnt want to be associated with the reputation that followed football fans, the match nowadays is is seen as less inrimidating, hooliganism isnt as commonplace so its more family friendly and a safer much more enjoyable day out to many. Thanks to the way the match is now portrayed by the media and marketed by sky and by the clubs themselves.

 

[local_blue]

Maybe some of the older generation can fill us in about the crowds pre the 80's but I remember crowds of under 20k in the 80's whilst the attendance in the 90's regularly fell under the 30k mark. I can't remember the last time our gate fell below 30k for a league game despite not winning anything for donkeys. Over the years you've seen clubs like Villa who's stands look like their fans are dressed as seats. So my question is, in an era where it's said to be less affordable to go the game, why are Everton as popular as ever with it's own fanbase?

Our gate fell below 30k in 2012 against Man City surprisingly for a midweek game,29000. It was the game when Gibson scored the winner.
Our gates are not that great really, West Ham and Sunderland have gone a lot longer than is without a trophy but get bigger gates.Upton park was sold out to its 35k capacity every home game so they would have got bigger if possible to.

 

[Debunkology]

Yep, the obstructed views are a pain in the arse. I remember being with my dad at Goodison when my uncle accidentally got us tickets behind a pillar. We walked into the toilets which was packed because it was half time, one space was left that my dad got. I just heard him say "For f@ck sake, I just had to watch a game behind a pillar now I have to p1ss behind one". No joke, there was a white pole right next to the urinal he was pissing in. Everyone cracked up no doubt.

 

[TraffordBlue]

Our gate fell below 30k in 2012 against Man City surprisingly for a midweek game,29000. It was the game when Gibson scored the winner.
Our gates are not that great really, West Ham and Sunderland have gone a lot longer than is without a trophy but get bigger gates.Upton park was sold out to its 35k capacity every home game so they would have got bigger if possible to.

How do you work that out?

Their stadium only holds just less than 35,000 so they can't. And if they can blame the restriction of capacity, then we could say the same based on obstructed views. West Ham have only started to get close to the 34,000 mark in the last 10 seasons.

Sunderland have a bigger, better ground than us and give thousands of free/cheap tickets away to local schools etc.

 

[larbert toffee]

Football was typically classed as the working mans game. Hooliganism was rife and the general public perception of people that went to games was mainly thugs louts hooligans etc, you wouldnt see as many women at games families at games.but for different reasons the all seater stadiums and sky marketing the game as family friendly you get people who go the match wjo wouldnt dream of going in the 80s, more women go more children even blokes go who wouldnt go in the 80s as they didnt want to be associated with the reputation that followed football fans, the match nowadays is is seen as less inrimidating, hooliganism isnt as commonplace so its more family friendly and a safer much more enjoyable day out to many. Thanks to the way the match is now portrayed by the media and marketed by sky and by the clubs themselves.

Agree:The increased popularity of the English premiership, also improved national and international transport links all support improved sustained attendances.

I believe a new stadium will give us further impetus and scope for increased attendance but sadly that day seems further away than ever.

 

[Woolly Blue]

Standing in a cage for 90 minutes getting pissed on wasn't many peoples ideal day out.

Speak for yourself mate !

To answer the OP though.

Times, finances and attitudes have changed. St Domingo's not far off right in that it's to do with disposable incomes, but it's also to do with the fact that, even for a club like Everton, football is no longer just a working class sport and it's being taken over by the middle classes who want an "afternoon out" and want to be able to say at work on a Monday that they "went to the game".

Edit : Just seen @Cookmysock's post too.

 

[Hong Kong Bluey]

Good thread, my thoughts :
1/People are richer now than in 80's with more disposable income.

2/ better facilities. All seater stadiums are nicer, even GP. Terracing was cheap but usually really crappy. Pushing, crowded, no shelter, crap toilets etc . The stands were maybe 5 times more expensive. See point 1 above.

3/ Hooliganism in 70's and 80's.
Nearly killed the game. Was sometimes scary even though as a teenager seemed exciting, was usually just scary and stupid.


Football then wasn't something you'd take your wife or young kids to. Unemployment was high.
Crappy times in some respects.

Everton really were fantastic though.

 

[mythbuster]

Maybe some of the older generation can fill us in about the crowds pre the 80's but I remember crowds of under 20k in the 80's whilst the attendance in the 90's regularly fell under the 30k mark. I can't remember the last time our gate fell below 30k for a league game despite not winning anything for donkeys. Over the years you've seen clubs like Villa who's stands look like their fans are dressed as seats. So my question is, in an era where it's said to be less affordable to go the game, why are Everton as popular as ever with it's own fanbase?

Because the city and metropolitan area is football mad. It's in our DNA. Everybody is either a red or a blue.

 

[bizzaro]

Because Everton are a big club.

Not a hollow claim either.