Deciding Factors

First off, does the child have a say in the decision to take them to a match?

Many clubs target schools to attract youngsters by various means. If they have to be dragged along to a ground visit by a teacher or to a match by a parent, it makes little difference. The damage is done right from the start and all the hard work by people at the club to make the experience for the child as positive an experience as possible will be to no avail, if someone else decides for them.

Secondly, does it benefit the child to come to a match?

If not, then they won’t be likely to want to repeat the experience, so any benefits have to be centred around the child’s own immediate environment and community. i.e. parents, grandparents, extended family, friends. Fundamentally it is about sharing new positive experiences with the people who mean the most to them. Football is a distant unimportance at this stage.

Thirdly are you undermining the child’s own control over the experience?

Little Jimmy might have arrived early full of excitement but by the time kick off comes he’s ready to go. So what then? Does his guardian for the day have to kiss goodbye to the entrance fee or do you have a concessionary system that means the ticket is good for the next game or at least part of it?

Many good people at your club may well be putting in a lot of hard work trying to attract youngsters and good luck to them, but get these fundamentals wrong and it is goodbye new supporter.

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