RailHawks Future

http://www.oregonlive.com/timbers/index.ssf/2009/07/pitched_battle_to_marketing_ml.html

I saw this in the MLS forums, and it definitely relates to what we're discussing here. I definitely think there's a place for families at RailHawks games but they need to focus more on what this article is talking about.

 

I guess I shall throw in my $0.02:

1) Agree wholeheartedly with Jarrett in that we need to target more Hispanics, high-school age kids and 20-30 year olds. That leaves me out but I am a hardcore fan and will keep attending 50% of the games as long as they play here.
2) How do you do it? Cheap tickets and ready availability through several outlets. Make all tickets $5 except 1 section of premier seats. Make parking free or more reasonable. You can get 4 seats for $40 to go watch Kid Rock and Lynard Skynard or pay the same amount of money to watch the Railhawks. Which one would you pick as a casual soccer fan?
3) Get more radio time on La Ley and 96Rock. I remember back in the day when Courage players would go on the radio every week to promote the games.
4) Stop the musical chair atmosphere with players. Real fans need a core group of players to relate to. I cannot name or recognize more that 4-5 players on the pitch. Develop a connection with fans. Autograph alley is great but if the guy signing my daughter's $50 shirt is not around in month then the whole exercise is pointless.
5) Make noise in US Open Cup. I still remember the excitement surrounding the Railhawks in their first season when we went deep into the playoffs. Sadly, that has not happened since. Most folks love an underdog. The little Railhawks taking on the big bad MLS clubs. How cool is that?

I am sure that others can come up with better ideas and/or plan to increase viewership/attendance. But let's try to do this is a constructive fashion.

I just think that the front office is not doing enough to sell the Railhawks this year.

 

Yeah and the underdog (Wilmington) beat us this year.

We made noise in years 1 and 2. Just we were knocked out by Kansas last year.

 

Yeh I was kind of shocked about the quick turn around too. They could have at least waited till Sunday for the second game of the weekend.

 

Well I guess we can't complain now! This was the smallest, but most entertaining crowd for a Mexican game yet. A drunk Mexican walked on to the field and just stood there. The cops took him away. I was hit with bottles about 3 times. Both teams also did a good job working together to clean the cans and bottles off the field after we scored the game winning goal.

 

Great game last night.

My highlights were:

-Railhawks win 2-1. On a winning goal in the 82 minute
-Me and my dad ended up in the big Mexican supporters area in 105.
-The guys around us were really nice and funny
-Random spanish guy walks on to the field, and just stands. Players came over and gave him hugs and handshakes...lol
-Great atmosphere
-Went into the bathroom to get paper towels, and one dude was peeing in the trashcan. While in the bathroom, a Mexican fan saw me in my 'Hawks gear and started chanting "Tecas, Tecas, Tecas", I told him "No Tecas, Cruz Azul". He and others who where nearby laughed, and gave a thumbs up, and agreed with me. LOL, I think it threw them off.
-After what would be the winning goal in the 82 minute, douchebags started throwing beer cans, frisbees, and even freaking tacos on to the field. Luckily I only got a little booze on me, but my dad got have way hosed.

But man what a great game and atmosphere it was.

 

I hope not.

The peeing in the trash can was nasty, and we got half way covered in booze which sucked.

I did LOL at the throwing a taco on the field..ahahah

 

btw, hats off to the group of boys who looked like they were about 8 years old. They started a "Lets Go Railhawks!" chant and we joined in for about a minute. It just proves that it is important to target young children. They were running through the crowd with flags too just like the Mexican fans.

 

video of the guy that goes on to the field and just stands there.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSGVlPca8Og"]YouTube - fan on field[/ame]

 

I for one think the way to get more hispanic fans is to get a token latin american great (on any team in the league) who is hanging on past his prime and run him out there for ten minutes at the end of games. Hispanic fans love the big name. I remember seeing Zinho play for Miami last year and the crowd of hundreds of fans waiting after the game for a glimpse, a picture, or autograph from the Brazilian great. Carolina had one of its bigger crowds of the year and neither they or Miami were playing an attractive brand of soccer at the time. I know this is gimmicky, but much of business is gimmicky. Get them in the door for a USL game and you'll have supporters for life.

 

please not him

 

I always felt we could have made a decent offer for Carlos Ruiz when he got dropped by Toronto after last season.

 

True, I've just always hated him. My butt would be in a seat but it wouldn't be happy about it.


How about Marcelo Romero? Ever heard of him... he'd do wonders for attendance.

 

LOL see you have to preventive strike before they did when Santos Laguna and Cruz Azul came to PR we threw beer at them, you have to have a heavy hand to handle mexican fans their the scum of latin america.

 

So what if a lot of people in the South have played soccer, very few people understand and appreciate the culture of football. The South is light years behind other parts of the country that have a real passion for the game. However, year by year that is starting to change -- hopefully one day we will catch up with the likes of Portland.

 

Clearly, you have never been to a League 1 game in England.

And yeah...lay off the strong stuff for a while. Your mom is not too proud of you at the moment.

 

Sorry Mexican fans top League 1 fans now.

The English fans have toned themselves down in recent years. Well except for Millwall, and even they aren't like what they used to be

 

Hi folks. Interesting thread. I'm a new Railhawk fan, been to a couple of home games (Austin, Miami), and enjoyed the experience. A few observations...
1. I knew nothing of the Railhawks until my soccer crazy kids went to a Railhawks summer camp recently. We consequently attended the afore-mentioned games, in part to re-inforce what they had been taught at the camp ( ie this is important stuff) and to show them how it fits in to a professional game. The Railhawks players were great at coaching the kids, and seemed to enjoy the time with the kids. So I think that marketing to kids can be effective; as a family we now hope to regularly attend home games.
2. We live in Southern Pines, about 60 miles southwest of Raleigh, and there is little knowledge of the Railhawks. We have about 900 kids playing in formal soccer down here, including about 20 travelling teams; a large pool of potential fans. We have boat-loads of folks travelling to see the Hurricanes from our town, but no-one to go see the Railhawks. Poor marketing?
3. We get 4 different local TV news stations out of the Greater Raleigh area, and I have never seen any mention of the Railhawks on the sports reports, what gives. That has to be great free advertizing for the club.
4. SWOOPS is on my endangered species list and he is not protected. While I recognize that he adds a fun element to the overall production, he can be a real distraction from the ongoing play. As an example, at the Austin game, while he was throwing t-shirts at our section, the Railhawks scored their first goal, but we missed it because of all the SWOOPS hooplah going on. He has got to be a potential distraction for the players as well??
5. Aside from having financial backing, is there enough of a fan base in an area the size of greater Raleigh to support a USL-1 team, how about an MLS team?
6. I grew up in the UK, and as a kid supported my local professional soccer team Shrewsbury Town that usually played somewhere between crappy and truly ugly, but the team was a tribal focus for the area and a source of pride, I don't see that here yet; there is a real need to market/promote effectively.
7. Lots of other thoughts, mostly already stated on this list, the playing schedule has got to be at times too much for the team, etc.

Phil

 

1. Welcome to the family man
2. The Hurricanes are in the NHL, (as a huge Canes fan) the Canes have become a cult hit in NC. Also the fact that they play in the highest league of hockey in the U.S., and they have become one of the best in the NHL, the Canes are a big marketing company. The Railhawks are in the second highest division of soccer in the U.S. and does not get enough exposure as they deserve. Also, while soccer is one of the fastest growing sports in the U.S., it is still seen as "foreign" by some people (especially down in the South). So it is not bad marketing, it's just the fact that they are growing.
3. Yeah, no real marketing on the local channels. They get a little spot every once in a while on one of the local channels during the news. And the only way you will see a game is : a. Go to a game; b. FSC shows it on their Friday Night slot; and c. If you watch it online.
4. God bless Swoops, but this stuff happens in the USL. They are also bad for playing music over the speaker during play. I guess they think that some people there watching get bored, so they need music and show stuff.
5. I believe there is a definite fanbase for an MLS squad in NC. Raleigh, or Charlotte would be the best bet if we ever get the backing for a team. More people tend to come out for "Major League" teams than smaller teams due to it's glitz and glammer. Ala "Field of Dreams", If you build it, they will come.
6. Welcome to the world of American soccer (football) fans. The biggest difference between UK football and American soccer (along with a line of other stuff) is tradition. You were raised with soccer all of your life, I was born with college sports(NC State), baseball (Braves), and football (Skins/Panthers). I didn't start following soccer until I was in 6th or 7th grade. I know worlds more about baseball/college sports/football than I do about soccer. So I'm trying to learn all I can about soccer, and trying to make up for not growing up with it. So give the people time, once the people learn more, and the generation who grew up with soccer get older, soccer will become big here.
7. And the schedule certainly becomes hectic with league and tournament play.

Any way, enjoy some 'Hawks soccer!