Sun 29th Sept - Sharks v Phoenix

Can I ask for feedback on the online presence? Why do you think it is one of the worst? There are several of us volunteering on this and we are always trying to improve - genuine question!

I can't argue that a new manager; a new set of eyes can/will see things differently. Will have different ideas, contacts etc.

However who's to know what sort of budget they have to work in? It doesn't matter who the manager is, if they all have to shop in PoundLand, you're going to get a team full of Poundland players.

Ideas, plays may be different, but you're looking at a different skill set.

We as fans don't know the restraints that anyone in the club are working within, what I am certain of, Atiba and the management will be working as hard as they can and will hurt as much as the next man when things go wrong.

Maybe after a number of years at the helm for the same manager, it might be time for a change? Grass greener springs into mind though.

What I do think is that it is obvious that they are people out there that don't want Atiba as manager and it doesn't matter what I say, or suggest, they will not change their minds.

Fair enough, if this is based on whether you don't like what he is doing on court, perhaps even recruitment, then Ok, go with it. However, I'm also aware that there are other reasons that lay much deeper. That is where I have problems with the negativity. If they are so against Atiba and the club, for what ever reasons, take it out with them, not posting stuff on here. As I said earlier, I have spoken to people who are put off coming on here because of the constant negativity. They will even ask me, "does so and so still say this", "does so and so still go on"? "I'll not bother then".

They just might be a few more Shark fans out there with different views.

I think you answered it yourself. Social media and engagement is now a full time job even in the bbl it should be part of someines paid remit. Look at the content riders and flyers do or even look at what content is coming out of nba media days and copy it.

You can tell it wasn't an inspiring game, most or the posts are about how many people were exactly there. When I go I'm too busy watching the game to sit and count e dry person there to get an accurate figure, people have far too much time on their hands. On the other hand the entertainment in the breaks wasn't awe-inspiring either. Phoenix's are brilliant either before someone comments.

Yup, absolutely correct, 700 is la la land.

In terms of the game, very poor standard, but you can only beat what's put in front of you, and that's what we did. Will give the new guy a few more games first before commenting too much, but he looked poor tonight.

We are reading on here that sharks are struggling to get 700ish people to games. On facebook roughly 2000 followers? What are sharks doing to increase their social media reach?
Imo good social media content and consistency brings publicity therefore followers leading to a larger reach leading to more bums on seats

The problem we’ve had with Facebook is that there was a supporters group long before the club had a Facebook page, hence the lower number of followers. We now routinely ask people to follow the Club Facebook page. We have grown the twitter following quite a bit. I don’t disagree that having paid staff like Joe at the Riders and Joel at Bristol improves the content - their work is outstanding. But those aren’t the circumstances at the Sharks. We work hard with what we’ve got. Our content goes out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, the club website and we partner with 2 local radio stations and the local press. Sorry to anyone who thinks we’re the worst - it’s not for lack of effort I can assure you.

Just following on...

How do we know, not know that the organisation are hitting people/season ticket holders that have left? I'm not saying they have or not, just saying how do we know? That's unless you are one of these and you haven't had anything of course.

Cashew only landed a few days before the Cheshire game and we're still waiting for a player to 'come back' from injury. 'Come back' as in he's not played yet, picking up an injury pre season.

I'm sure as these two find their places within the team, maybe even as starters, certainly well within and main players in the rotation; Backovics place in the team will drop down from starting and to the bench.

It was students fresher week leading upto the cheshire game and media was offering student tickets at £4, I retweeted, liked, resent on Twitter and Facebook. Not sure how many students took up the offer? NB a lot are chinese students.

As I said earlier, the sharks are trying.

Agree with above.

There is no plan at all to change anything. The Sharks used to be one of the best supported teams in the league - in the top 3 most years between the mid 90s and mid 2000 but the last 10 years it has steadily declined.

The board has not changed. The coach had not changed. The game night entertainment has not changed. The marketing has not changed.

The Sharks surely need to do something different?

If your customers are not coming anymore and are declining every year, you have to take action. Either they are not bothered and happy to have 300-350 people come through the door - dont care what others say above - it was no more than 300-350 that attended that Cheshire game. It was nowhere near half full. Not even a third full really.

The new arena plans seem to be in tatters - new developments at Legacy PArk suggest they wont wait for the Sharks anymore as new investors/developments are moving in there all the time. The Sharks have been trying to raise the funds and clearly cannot do it. It is sad but that is reality.

I have criticised Lyons and not sure bringing back core of poor players most years is helping but it goes wider than this. How have we cone from 1,000-1,200 crowds to 350 in 15 years? That has to be a major concern. The social media/website/advertising is really poor.

To me the amount of money they make from tickets must have little affect - not even sure it will pay SiV for the rent of Ponds Forge. They would be better slashing the prices to £10 and £5 - or saying even £10 for an adult and a free kid can go. Try something different. They are not attracting new fans and the product on the court and off it (the game night stuff) is appalling. Listening to Here We go and two youngsters dancing at time outs is embarrasing.

It is cringeworthy really.

As you say there is no real clear direction - they just wheel out the same tired stuff on and off the court.

Love to see them get some of the old guard back involved - give Todd Cauthorn or Iain McKinney the coaching job. Inject some passion.

In short they have to do something the next season or so or I fear the Sharks will fold. The Steelers Ice Hockey team regularly get big crowds at the Arena - often 2-3,000 every week. They have managed to maintain this over the years with solid marketing, mostly great product and fan engagement.

It is not just about money - many clubs of a comparable size really in terms of budget etc still get better crowds and do a better job of everything.

Not sure anything can change unless we have new blood on the board - as I have been banging this drum for 3-4 years and nothing ever changes. Sad really.

And people will certainly not go reading stuff like this.

Official numbers for the giants game were produced and scoffed at by people who preferred to count seats on TV.

I said at the time (giants game) that Ponds Forge looked half full and after the Phoenix game that it looked like there were less there than at the Giants game, but only 250-300? Hard to say watching TV.

You'd have to be inside the organisation to be able to say there is a plan or not. It's simply guess work at the best otherwise.

Admittedly, the same organisation can be criticised for not been open or making public any plans or such thinking.

Again, I repeatedly say, I cant see where keeping away helps the club. More bums on seats equals more income and perhaps better entertainment. I don't like the type of dancing any how, not my cup of tea at all. Give me more of the rockettes any time, but surely that comes at a cost.

If we could afford the rockettes, perhaps we'd also have a budget for a better squad?

While I'm at it.

There's obviously criticism for the numbers at shark's games and I've read criticism for the lessening numbers of sharks fans travelling away. However, I'll throw this out as a honest question.
Where was the away support for the 2 games at Ponds Forge?
Lots and lots of seats, in fact almost the full block empty behind the Nix bench. I can remember Nix being well supported.

Certainly not blue right now I'll give you that haha!

I came to the same conclusion a year or so ago Dyb Dyb

I still have a nibble every now and then though 🙃