Adelaide United - General Issues and Discussion

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Shane
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Adelaide United - General Issues and Discussion

Postby Shane Fri Jan 04, 2013 12:26 pm

I've been reading a few of the threads and much of the discussion regarding the club, and I've put my ideas and thoughts down, in point form, as to what some of the issues at the club are and what can be done to fix them.

I did post some of these in my vented frustration on the club's Facebook Page, however this is more of a properly compiled post.

Feel free to shoot me down, but as a long term member and passionate and active supporter of the club, these are just some of my thoughts.

Look forward to reading your ideas, suggestions and feedback regarding the club and what I have posted below;


Core Active Support Issues

1. North and South are divided, due to differences of the heads of both areas. This needs to be sorted, and quickly, for the good of the club and active support. Agenda's need to be put aside, work together, ensure meetings are held and start resolving these issues. If you want the Western Sydney results, this will go a long way to starting it off.

2. From a North End perspective, only a few of the chants are aimed at and 'successfully' involve the surrounding, and sometimes majority of the crowd.

3. From a North End perspective, many of the chants are sung too fast or are too involved. Also, spur of the moment chants that are 'too' vulgar need to be stopped (even for me, and I'm pretty crude, some of them shouldn't be sung at the football)

4. There is no 'true' capo whom has the respect and the leadership to keep the flow and chants in tact for a full 90 minutes. This results in various split groups singing on top of each other, mis-matched chants and confusion.

5. Until a 'true' capo is found, and a fresh, and a more simplistic chant 'list' is compiled and followed, chants will never catch on to the surrounding people. Ultimately, the aim of the active support areas should be to 'create' a culture and have the stadium singing in unison. People will know the core songs after months and years pass.

6. The active support areas are segregated and 'roped off'. If outsiders or non-regulars want to join active support, they cannot do so (blocked by Stadium Security) unless they purchase a 'Home Supporters Bay' ticket for those specific areas. These areas are not marketed at the ticketing booths (they seem to fall under General Admission), therefore the non-regulars are unaware to ask for specific access to the active areas.

8. The following Stadium Security measures are pushed around, as an example, without consistency, on matchdays;

- You cannot remove your shirt.
- You cannot cover your face, unless you are of Muslim ethnicity. 'Santa Beards' were banned during the festive period due to this restriction.
- You cannot swear.
- You cannot discuss your point with Stadium Security or they can evict you due to their authority.
- You are not allowed to use party horns to make noise. (this is probably good thing as they are rather annoying)


Noticable Club Problems

1. Marketing has taken a back seat, and there has been no real 'push' to increase crowd attendances. There is also noticably very little promotion of matches in the media, witht he radio being the more prominent choice.

2. The club do not respond to some emails and majority of 'social media page' queries (mainly their Facebook page). Apparently the person at the club whom is in charge of the club's Facebook page manages it in her spare time (this is not fact, however it's possibly a reason as to why queries go un-noticed).

3.The club have taken far, far too long to choose a venue(s) for supporters to gather in Adelaide when the team plays away matches. People in the same city will travel to be together during these times. The obvious choice here is The Joiners Arms, however even when asked by myself, as an example, to support and promote it, this was declined by the lady at the other end of the phone. My email was also ignored.



Suggestions and Ideas

1. Utilise scoopon or group deals for new people to attend Hindmarsh. Take a leaf out of the Adelaide Bite's book and increase club membership and match attendances.

2. Provide 'return vouchers' to people as they leave the Hindmarsh gates. Promote a "half-price for non-members for the next match at Hindmarsh". Again, increase attendances and book people in for the next home game.

3. Promote buses for away matches as the previous owners did. They were called "Get Mobiles" and we'd travel far and wide to watch our team represent our city.

4. Continue with Red Out Loud. This is an integral connection the club had with its supporters and there was much positive feedback regarding it. CONNECTED is the core word here. The FFA may have banned the AdelaideReds website, however this doesn't stop you from utilising social media or inplementing it within adelaideunited.com.au or wearethereds.com.au

5. Don't shrug the supporters off when they volunteer to help the club. Send a positive message to those whom will sweat and continue to promote gatherings at venues.

6. Create the "Adelaide United Walk Of Fame", in which players whom represent our club for a certain amount of years have their own plaque on a patch of cement or walkway, commemorating their loyalty? Start BUILDING some history for us to be proud of and give us something to talk about and CONNECT WITH. The history room, as much as it is 'growing', is stock standard.

7. Release some new merchandise, e.g 59fifty New Era caps, street-wear (more than two options would be nice), instead of the boring same-same every single year. Ask the supporters as to what they want to wear. Design competitions are a good touch, or simply asking for their ideas or suggestions on a *continuous basis*.

8. On matchday, promote and assist active support with fundraising stalls at the front of the gates to acquire additional funds for banner-making, flags, tifo's, pullovers, etc. People will gladly drop gold coins into a bucket and this can go a long way.

9. Involve the East or West sides of Hindmarsh Stadium in regards to promoting the club. Large pullovers, tifo's, flags, etc.

10. The owners should take time to mingle with the supporters during matchday proceedings. Not just within the sheltered areas, however specifically around other parts of the stadium. Have a quick sing, show your faces, BE the people. This is insanely important for our club, especially in its early days (9 years is still early).

11. Intensively market and promote the club to the multicultural communities in our city. I can't say I have seen much of this at all? Surely there is a market for more members from these communities.
Shano. Red to the core.
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Re: Adelaide United - General Issues and Discussion

Postby ChillyPhilly Fri Jan 04, 2013 1:15 pm

Brilliant summary Shane. There's nothing I disagree with.
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Re: Adelaide United - General Issues and Discussion

Postby Shane Fri Jan 04, 2013 1:20 pm

Brilliant summary Shane. There's nothing I disagree with.
You're a lad! :)
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Re: Adelaide United - General Issues and Discussion

Postby shinAUFC Fri Jan 04, 2013 1:27 pm

I feel that if the active area gets fixed everything will fall into line. It is what sets our game apart, the atmosphere is something no other sport in the country can achieve.

I had no idea that taking off your shirt was grounds to be thrown out ? are they serious !?

Covering your face? santa beards? Correct me if im wrong but did the club not encourage people to come dressed as santa?

These CANNOT be FFA guidlines as the Nix fans take their shirts off in the last 10 minutes and quite often you see at newcastle those guys who wear those full body ( head and all ) Lycra suits.

As i said in the other thread this "FFA directive" one liner we keep getting is BS. When the owners want to change contractual agreements because they was a bigger slice of money they are happy to make noise about it.

In all honesty, im a fairly relaxed level headed guy but if i was at a match and was told to remove my santa beard i would rather be thrown out and banned just to prove my point. That is insanely ridiculous.

i completely agree about weslo being untouchable. You cannot ask them anything. But they will make a new rule to throw you out.

I find it so distracting during matches. I find myself watching the active areas mostly younger guys who are just trying to support their club instead of watching the match. You see 3 weslo guys trawling , eyeballing them trying to find something to cause issue.

Are weslo actually answerable to anyone? does anyone in the active areas have a GOPRO or Sony action cam ? Film everything from their intimidation to choosing not to answer any questions . That is ofcouse unless we are not allowed to do that either?

Sorry for the ramble , but after my own experiences and having read issues online it makes me so angry that people can be treated like this. We all invest so much money supporting our club from foxtel/internet subscriptions to tickets and interstate travel

If the club will not listen, why not completely neglect the active areas they will get the message then surely.

This club has gone so backwards from the Bianco days. Back then we owned it. If you were a Sth Aussie then you had 12k other friends waiting for you at hindy every week. Now it is only a PLASTIC skeleton of a franchise that is left .

Lets be honest these guy want us to pay for tickets, buy a hotdog, sit down for 90minutes relatively silent and then go home. PASS!
Ppl who slap the label of truth on the 1st thing they hear, do it out of ignorance, convenience or cant be bothered picking through a thin layer of falsehood to find the real truth, or possibly even another lie
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General Ashnak
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Re: Adelaide United - General Issues and Discussion

Postby General Ashnak Fri Jan 04, 2013 1:28 pm

:lol: you're orsm! :lol:
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Re: Adelaide United - General Issues and Discussion

Postby EdDog Fri Jan 04, 2013 1:33 pm

+1 to all the above.

You should be working for the club.
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Re: Adelaide United - General Issues and Discussion

Postby Shane Fri Jan 04, 2013 1:34 pm

:lol: you're orsm! :lol:
;)
+1 to all the above.

You should be working for the club.
Humbled you think that, thanks for that comment :)
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Shane
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Re: Adelaide United - General Issues and Discussion

Postby Shane Fri Jan 04, 2013 1:51 pm

I feel that if the active area gets fixed everything will fall into line.
To a degree, but there is much more than just active support that needs to change.

Agenda's, mentalities and core drivers need to change.
I had no idea that taking off your shirt was grounds to be thrown out ? are they serious !?
Dead. Set. Serious. Although, this has been known to change on a per match basis, depending on whom the security is.
Covering your face? santa beards? Correct me if im wrong but did the club not encourage people to come dressed as santa?
Apparently. We're as baffled as you are.
I completely agree about weslo being untouchable. You cannot ask them anything. But they will make a new rule to throw you out.
Pretty much.
If the club will not listen, why not completely neglect the active areas they will get the message then surely.
I believe this may be necessary, however this needs to be the decision of the majority in order to work.

Lets be honest these guy want us to pay for tickets, buy a hotdog, sit down for 90minutes relatively silent and then go home. PASS!
That's exactly how many feel.
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Re: Adelaide United - General Issues and Discussion

Postby ZANZIBAR Fri Jan 04, 2013 2:24 pm

i agree with all comments here, and please read the post i made in the petition thread in regards to what to do if weslo try kick you out.
weslo have a provocative attitude towards football fans, look how easy they take it at cricket and AFL!
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Re: Adelaide United - General Issues and Discussion

Postby ChillyPhilly Fri Jan 04, 2013 2:34 pm

Zanzibar, I've put your suggestion to the guys from South End. As this petition and discussion heats up over the next few days or week - the players are now well aware and discussing it amongst themselves - we'll work out a plan of action to strike back, but intelligently, not stupidly.

But more on-topic, the club too needs to be intelligent. I've suggested variously over the past about being bold and outside-the-box, particularly when it comes to marketing. Here's a post I wrote on their FB page a while back:

First up, before reading, I don't wish to sound like another typical Adelaide whingebag. I do, however, want to echo the current thoughts of many fellow United supporters.

Frankly, I am disappointed with the general lack of strong, effective and persuasive marketing for memberships, season tickets, the club itself, and each match. It is understandable that some forms of marketing can be costly, but returns on successful advertising are undeniable.

Does the issue lie with the identity of the club and its associated causes? Does there need to be another dimension to marketing? Absolutely, I argue. While I am not short of applause for AU's intentions and efforts to move away from the franchise model and towards a community club model, more can be done. The identity question has been mentioned but not solved: South Australia. Heaps Good. Farmers Union. THIS market needs to be tapped into, and herein lie corporate dollars.

Every single match should be broadcast all over Adelaide media in every form as a major event. Market the living daylights out of the club. Do what FoxSports dares not to do and run ads on free-to-air television, run a monthly double spread in the Advertiser, fly a hot air balloon over the city adorning the club logo, sign a partnership with Nova and Fresh FM, sponsor a car in the Clipsal 500 and get the AU logo splashed on its side. In the offseason, flash the club logo at quarter-time during Port Adelaide and Crows matches on-screen and over the PA, and hand out flyers to people walking out the gates. For example, casual people not actively involved with the city's sporting scene looking for something to do this Friday night should be seeing flashy, pumped-up adverts for our biggest game of the season. These ads should again emphasise identity: SA v the Vics. Watch 10 v 10 as Dario shows up Flores. Market tough. Market with balls.

Basically, I humbly hope for a major increase to marketing budgets in the offseason. We all want a packed house week-in, week-out; a happy sea full of red. The league needs it but more importantly the team deserves it. Want big membership and season ticket and crowd numbers? This is the way to do it.
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Re: Adelaide United - General Issues and Discussion

Postby ChillyPhilly Fri Jan 04, 2013 4:59 pm

http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/260002,a ... m-mls.aspx

Good read.

To add to this, I think it's not at all unrealistic for AU to model or at least take inspiration from all things Portland Timbers do.
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Re: Adelaide United - General Issues and Discussion

Postby EdDog Fri Jan 04, 2013 5:26 pm

I reckon a full active support boycott would work wonders. Good ole fashioned non-violent protest.

Leave some signs in active support explaining why we are boycotting and then go sit behind the active area or something.

I have never been in active support since they introduced the exclusive support bay tix. This is the only thing stopping me.

If I could just join in with my GA ticket, I would, and I'm sure a lot of others would too.
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Re: Adelaide United - General Issues and Discussion

Postby Shane Fri Jan 04, 2013 6:32 pm

I reckon a full active support boycott would work wonders. Good ole fashioned non-violent protest.

Leave some signs in active support explaining why we are boycotting and then go sit behind the active area or something.

I have never been in active support since they introduced the exclusive support bay tix. This is the only thing stopping me.

If I could just join in with my GA ticket, I would, and I'm sure a lot of others would too.
I agree this would certainly raise eyebrows, but this is what needs to occur in my opinion.

However, this needs to happen by both the North and South at the same time to have a proper effect.
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Re: Adelaide United - General Issues and Discussion

Postby bpowell454 Fri Jan 04, 2013 7:10 pm

Definitely agree with Ed, I've got gold membership and when I'm at the game on my own sometimes I wish I could go down to active support and join in but it's too much of a hassle, do I have to call in advance and change my ticket and then change it back after? I don't want to lose my seat and I don't want to be full time active support when I've paid for a gold seat, just wouldn't mind joining in every now and then.

Also wanted to touch on a point that shane made about chants being too confusing and not simple enough for everybody- I've been going to games for 5 years now and I cannot understand half the chants still, they are either too long, not clear enough or too quiet. I've sat right behind active support and still can't understand them.

I love the "what a waste of money", not used enough and it's a simple and direct chant that anyone can join in on. How great is it when the whole crowd join in on a "united! clap-clap-clap" chant. More simple ones like these would be good.
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Re: Adelaide United - General Issues and Discussion

Postby Max Power Fri Jan 04, 2013 8:20 pm

Great topic.

Who are the heads of the Red Army? Do they post on here? If they do it would be good to read about their opinions.

I would love to see the South End join the Red Army for one game, then all stand as one in the 10th minute and start chanting 'We want answers' with fingers pointed to Griffins corporate box. Then a mass walk out up to the non active area of the stands.

That would be interesting?

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