Bigger bonuses for bigger crowds

Starting next season, Czech football clubs will try to pull in more fans, so the clubs can receive financial bonuses for pulling in above average crowds.

"As of next season, we'll reserve K? 16 million to be paid to clubs in bonuses for turnout at their stadiums. The money will be paid to the clubs whose turnout exceeds the league's average," said Ivo Lubas, director of the Gambrinus League.

The bonus will be divided among clubs that have a much higher average turnout per season compared to the league average.

Nine out of 16 clubs would be eligible to a share of the K? 16 million, if the plan was in effect today. The average turnout at the matches is above the current average of 5,083 people per game.

AC Sparta Praha has the highest average of 11,395 fans per game, while FC Tescoma Zl�n, had the lowest average of 2,165 per game.

"Although the average attendance is on the rise, there's still room to further increase the numbers of spectators in the Gambrinus league," said Lubas.

Misgivings regarding average attendance levels were at a peak during the 2004�05 season. That season saw the lowest average turnout per game in the league's history, with only 3,840 people.

The Czech Football Association (?MFS) decided to stimulate clubs' marketing campaigns after seeing an increase in numbers.

"We want to encourage the clubs to start working on more effective marketing campaigns which should bring more people to stadiums," said Lubas.

After the drop in attendance two seasons ago, many Gambrinus league clubs initiated marketing campaigns to pull fans back to the matches.

"We decided to appeal to fans with more than just free beer," Slavia spokesman Alexander Kliment told CBW.

Taking advantage of its past sponsorship contracts with U.S. car company Chevrolet, and national carrier Czech Airlines, SK Slavia Praha told fans attending the club's home games to keep their ticket stubs because they would automatically be entered in a raffle for a new car or a free air flight.

Gambrinus League champions FC Slovan Liberec, which is sponsored by international betting chain bwin, tried to boost sales of season tickets by giving holders a free voucher to place a wager at a betting shop.

In a more recent campaign, Liberec tried to boost sales to the Gambrinus league by linking them to a package with the club's UEFA Cup games.

"The price of the [ticket] package was much more advantageous then, as the tickets had been purchased one by one. By doing that, we brought some more fans to the [Gambrinus league] games that they may otherwise not have attended," said Luk�� V�?a, club spokesman.

Sparta has been developing different marketing campaigns throughout the fall. Holders of tickets for the club's UEFA Cup game against RCD Espanyol de Barcelona were admitted free of charge to Sparta's Gambrinus league game against FC Brno.

"We can't merely wait for the fans to come, we need to attract them to our games," said Luk�� P?ibyl, Sparta communication and marketing director.

The ?MFS will monitor attendance later this season, while the clubs' attempt to win bonus money by increasing average attendance levels begins the following year.

Source: euFootball.BIZ © Copyright 2006 - All rights reserved.