We have had many attempts over the years to enhance the fan experience on match day and it seems it is back on the agenda.
Port Adelaide’s fanatical supporters singing “Never tear us Apart” has created a cauldron of excitement that has become the benchmark for all clubs.
So what has been done before and what is the way forward, what would truly enhance the fans experience on match day.
The great Slim Dusty sang, looking forward, looking back so with this in mind let’s look back at the attempts to enhance the fans experience from the past.
We had the Swanette’s and the Bluebirds, probably only enhancing the experience for 50% of attending fans but all the same, as an 11 year old boy at Princes park the Bluebirds were all part of that experience.
We had the Peanut man, the cheer squad blanket coin collection, the near disaster of the circus elephant at Arden St all in all enhancing the fans experience to a degree.
But Gil in the big chair needs to look back at only one thing to go forward. Reserves football!
How i use to love getting there a little early, even if it was only half time in the “magoo’s” to see the new kids coming through, or the champ returning from injury, to see the future.
Now we get excuses like, the grounds will be over utilised, not everyone has standalone teams, but seriously, the grounds are so well maintained these days that one extra game per day is not going to send
us back to the Quasi mud wrestling displays of our footy forefathers.
Give the fans value, two games, the excitement of watching developing stars and then this is surely the best way of enhancing the fan experience.
