Newcastle United Women

[Paullow]

6 minutes ago, Stifler said:

I wanted to go today, but I had to work.

I’ll be there for the Sunderland match.

I guess alongside ticket price, you also have to factor in that it’s winter now, and fucking cold.

Having a match at 2pm on a Sunday, with shit public transport, when fans will be leaving in the dark is a bit of a downer. Absolutely no reason why it couldn’t have been played on the Saturday, especially as most North East none-league teams were away from home as well. 

 

May 2022 - Alnwick, 22,134, Tier 4 league

Nov 2022 - Barnsley, 28,565 FA Cup

April 2023 - Bradford, 24,092, Tier 4 league

Feb 2024 - Portsmouth, 22,307, Tier 3 Cup semi final

Nov 2024 - Southampton, 11,620, Tier 2 league

 

That Barnsley match was 27th November (also 2pm on an Sunday), no idea what the weather was like then, but that's even closer to December and they attracted 17,000 more despite it being 2 4th tier sides. The FA Cup might have added something I guess, but it was just the 2nd round and 2 rounds before the WSL teams got involved, so not even the incentive of drawing a WSL side directly after. 

 

Still a good crowd, but that's obviously a significant drop to previous matches. I was looking online and some have mentioned Amanda leaving as a possible factor along with the cold, increased prices, novelty wearing off etc. 

[Wallsendmag]

Remember it being very cold at that Barnsley match. We were sat in the East Stand and it was bloody freezing as the wind was blowing in our faces. Moved over to the Milburn Stand for the 2nd half which felt much warmer.

[Yorkie]

11 hours ago, Paullow said:

May 2022 - Alnwick, 22,134, Tier 4 league

Nov 2022 - Barnsley, 28,565 FA Cup

April 2023 - Bradford, 24,092, Tier 4 league

Feb 2024 - Portsmouth, 22,307, Tier 3 Cup semi final

Nov 2024 - Southampton, 11,620, Tier 2 league

 

I assume what tier they're in doesn't really indicate one thing or another? I guessed that the incredible early interest was mainly accountable to the good vibes post-takeover and simply the existence of a women's team that was being taken seriously. Surely it was never likely that they'd sustain those levels, so if that early engagement has wrought a baseline support of ~10,000, that's presumably a pretty great result? Guess the Kingston Park attendances are more of a barometer anyway.

[Paullow]

56 minutes ago, Yorkie said:

 

I assume what tier they're in doesn't really indicate one thing or another? I guessed that the incredible early interest was mainly accountable to the good vibes post-takeover and simply the existence of a women's team that was being taken seriously. Surely it was never likely that they'd sustain those levels, so if that early engagement has wrought a baseline support of ~10,000, that's presumably a pretty great result? Guess the Kingston Park attendances are more of a barometer anyway.

 

If they were playing at St James' Park 5,6,7 times a year then yeah, I'd agree, but only playing once or twice a year, I'm sure they wouldn't have expected the crowd to drop 17,000 in only 2 years, or to half in 9 months.

 

I was going to say the fact that they hadn't tweeted the crowd would emphasise that they were pretty disappointed with the figure as normally they would tweet it at the time it was announced in the stadium, or an hour after the match at the latest, but I see they have eventually put out a tweet in the past hour, but still an indication IMO.

 

 

[Keegans Export]

I can't remember the prices but I took my daughter to the Alnwick and Barnsley games and I'm fairly sure they were cheaper than £8.

 

She's only young and I remember thinking that at £3 or whatever even if she decides she's bored or cold we can just go somewhere else and I've not wasted much. Maybe I'm just tight but more than double that amount and I'm less likely to think that way. As it is we were away anyway so we couldn't have gone regardless. 

 

I appreciate the argument that this is two tiers above those games but in the grand scheme of things a 6yo isn't going to notice that difference and a 30+yo who never watches anything below the mens Championship normally is not necessarily going to think that difference in quality justifies the extra expense.

[RodneyCisse]

There will be multiple factors to this, additional costs, weather and let’s be honest are they really playing great football at the moment?

[Wallace]

I don’t think they publicised it as well as previously.

 

Heard Radio Newcastle say towards the end of last week that 10,000 tickets had been sold and then there was an interview with Becky Langley late last week urging more people to go.

 

Also think Amanda really kept the team in the public eye and some of that seems to have been lost.

 

Pricing would also have an impact as lots of families tend to go.

 

Was really sweet passing a family enroute to the ground where the young lad kept saying to his father “Are we really going to St James’?  Really?’  And his Dad having to try and hold him back from running ahead.

[ramirez]

I was in town yesterday for something else but asked if metro mover was accepted for the game and they weren't that could be a prohibitive factor as well.

[Jinky]

I was very impressed by Southampton........class above, I'm afraid.

[SteV]

32 minutes ago, Jinky said:

I was very impressed by Southampton........class above, I'm afraid.

The number 10 and number 8 looked like proper ballers as the kids say. 
 

The 8 seemed to get very frustrated with herself second half but her technique and skill levels seemed miles ahead of everyone else*
 

*apart from Stokes maybe who you can tell has played at the top level with her passing angles etc but looks like she struggles a bit physically now which is probably why she’s dropped a level.

[O Neill]

5 hours ago, RodneyCisse said:

There will be multiple factors to this, additional costs, weather and let’s be honest are they really playing great football at the moment?

 

It's not a Newcastle specific problem, to be honest. It is happening across the board. My rather unpopular opinion is that women's football has peaked in terms of interest and is moving into a period where there is going to be some decline.

As you say, there are multiple factors involved, but for me, the primary problem is the target audience is difficult to capture on a regular basis. Those who sit outside that target audience have come to have a look, and they will always come for 'special events', but they won't turn out regularly. From my experience over the last 15 years, the men's stadium match quickly sees a decline in attendance unless there is an additional attraction via the opposition, a cup final or league decider. I've seen it multiple places up here over the last few seasons, including some that have dropped from 5-6k to around 500.

 

A 10k plus number is still an excellent crowd for women's football, and one that many people would love to draw. I think Newcastle should be delighted with what they draw on a regular basis at KP, as that is a better indicator of the appetite for the game in the North East. There are 'big clubs' up here who draw less than 200 people per week.

[JigsawGoesToPieces]

Its also 5 weeks till Christmas so people probably thinking of spending the cash on presents, especially as this month will be last pay day until just before or just after christmas.