Headlines
Avenue want to keep free-ticket fans
 |
| Chief executive Bob Blackburn wants Avenue's fan base to continue growing |
Bradford Park Avenue chief executive Bob Blackburn hopes some of the people he decided to let in for free this season will come back next term - and maybe become new season-ticket holders.
Earlier in the season, the club distributed 20,000 complimentary tickets, and the average gate swelled immensely.
Last week, on owner Blackburn's instruction, they invited season-ticket holders from Bradford City, the Bulls, Leeds United, Leeds Rhinos and other professional clubs from the surrounding districts to come to Horsfall Stadium.
On production of their own season ticket, they will be allowed in to watch Avenue for free.
That deal includes Monday's clash with Ossett Albion, which is Avenue's final home game of the season.
Blackburn said: "It's a try-before-you-buy offer. We want them all to come for nothing and see the standard of football Park Avenue are playing, and hopefully they will want to come back.
"The tickets we sent to sports clubs, fitness gyms, schools and local retail outlets in November and December had a massive effect. A lot of the people who came in for free are still with us.
"What better way is there to introduce prospective new supporters? It shows our confidence in the club when we give people a free passage into our ground, as we know some of them will be gripped by what they see."
It is a bold move by the club but they have done similar things in the past, with the directors always searching for ways to encourage potential supporters.
The team are doing their best to raise the profile of the club by winning promotion. There are just three games remaining and Avenue currently top the UniBond Division One North table.
Blackburn said: "The fans come first at this club. Many of our league rivals are charging £7 or £7.50 but we kept prices low.
"We had the £5-a-game deal because it was our centenary season but there will be reduced ticket prices again next season, even if we get promoted.
"There will be incentives next year to get people through the gate as we maintain the huge effort we have always put in.
"It is paramount that we get a lot more of the younger Bradford people caring about the club.
"There are long-term supporters who remember the club when they were in the Football League.
"They are the mainstay of our supporter base and they are like old friends. We have their interests at heart.
"But the younger supporters are the future of Park Avenue and we want to build on the foundations we have.
"The infrastructure has improved because of the work we have put in and the potential of the club is massive again."
10:16am Friday 18th April 2008
Print 
Email this 
Comment
What are these links for?
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
More on Digg
More on del.icio.us
More on Furl
More on reddit
More on NowPublic/
More on Yahoo!
