Fans Survey From the OS

[davieG]

Leicester City Football Club is in the heart of the community.

The views of its loyal and valued supporters are extremely important to us.

This was the biggest fan survey the club has ever undertaken.

More than 40,000 were sent out to season ticket holders and members to try and improve the club's offerings to users of the Walkers Stadium.

With the help of the Sir Norman Chester Centre for Football Research the findings from 5,982 questionnaires are detailed below.

Attending matches

Just under 60% of respondents came to every home match. The main factor for not coming to home games was the cost of tickets, followed by work commitments, family commitments and the distance to travel.

45% attended between 1and 4 away games with 13% attending between 5-9 away games. A total of 34%

never watched City play away.

As well as league games fans responding said they also came along to Carling Cup matches, FA Cup games, reserve games and other football league fixtures elsewhere.

Local fans are not affected by TV rescheduling however just under 60% of those fans living more than 50 miles away from the Walkers Stadium say it makes it more difficult to attend.

Just 16% of respondents had been to a Tigers game in the last 12 months. And it seems they would be prepared to watch a Tigers game if it was held at the Walkers Stadium. Just over half said they would attend depending on the opposition.

Travel & Transport

63% of fans responding said they used their own car to get to matches. One third get a lift in a car, 10% get local buses, minibus or van, 9% walk or cycle all the way, 8% get the train, and 4% use Fox Travel or take a supporters coach. Speed was the most popular reason plus comfort and choice of times and routes.

A lack of alternative transport was cited by 25% of the respondents despite the club providing many alternatives for car users. Park & Ride and more car parks were two viable options suggested by 54% of respondents.

26% of respondents would like more car parks near the stadium.

Most cars contain two or three supporters. Only 7% contain just one City fan with 10% containing 5 fans.

Street parking is still popular despite restrictions put down. 63% of those responding park on the street near the ground, 26% use car parks, 4% use the club's car parks and 4% call on family and friends for a space.

Just under 45% of respondents take 30 minutes to an hour to get to the ground and most come South to get to the Walkers Stadium.

Matchday experience

City fans like the direct route. Just under 60% of respondents go straight to the ground before a match. More than a third go to a pub or social club and 19% make a trip to the City Megastore.

And they like to be in the ground with 20 minutes to wait before kick off to catch the Post Horn Gallop at 2.45pm. Just under 40% of respondents arrive with 20 minutes to go before kick off. 23% turn up with 40 minutes to go to see the players' full warm up and 15% up to an hour before kick off to sup up the atmosphere. The majority of fans would like to see an electronic screen installed by the club to show pre-match entertainment.

Lower food and drink prices, better pre-match entertainment and interviews and highlights on TVs in the concourses would make supporters arrive earlier. 51% of respondents were happy with the pre-match music.

Supporters rated the pre-match music, the quality and range of food and drink, PA announcements and Filbert Fox all as good at home matches. The results service and food and drink prices were sometimes better away from home.

And City fans rate facilities and services at the Walkers Stadium far superior to those at other grounds. Highlights again included the quality and range of food and drink, announcements, music, half-time entertainment, Filbert Fox and facilities for children. Pizza was suggested as an alternative food option.

Fans responding thought that overall turnstile operators, stewards and programme sellers did an excellent job while food and drink sellers could be improved. The club has now out sourced the catering operation.

Nearly 60% of respondents thought that a home game was reasonable value for money and compared to other sporting events.

Watching the match

The Walkers Stadium received a positive thumbs up from supporters who praised the sight lines of the game. Nearly 90% rated this as good. Safety and cleanliness of the stadium were also praised as well as the atmosphere and the behaviour of fans.

Seat comfort proved a pain for some supporters as did toilet facilities.

Respondents agreed the queuing time for food and drink was the main problem on matchdays during their visit. This is being looked into by catering contractor Lindleys.

Fans behaviour

Nearly 60% of fans responding said they had never experiences any bad behaviour at the Walkers Stadium.

Of those who had swearing was the most frequent form of bad behaviour witnessed. City is working hard to combat offensive language and stewards are briefed to remove persistent offenders.

Finding out about LCFC

The most popular ways of getting club information was via local radio and local newspapers. National newspapers ranked a close third with respondents plus TV, Teletext, the club website and matchday magazine.

And fans keep a close check on the club - 68% check every day what's happening and 27% once a week.

City's award winning matchday magazine was bought by nearly 50% of respondents at every game from matchday sellers or Leicester Mercury newshops and they agreed the content was excellent.

75% of respondents log on to the internet at home followed by 43% at work. A fifth of respondents go on lcfc.com a number of times a week to catch up on all the club news. Once on nearly 75% of respondents thought the content was excellent or good.

Users want to carry on keeping up with club news and 59% want to buy tickets and receive club information via the internet as well as match stats and reports.

Services and facilities

The club was praised for its communication with fans - something that the club rates highly.

Nearly half of respondents thought the information supply was good, as well as the club website and its membership and loyalty schemes.

Ways of consulting fans could be improved - the fans Forum always looks to improve the consultation process between both parties. Disabled facilities needed promoting further.

With regards to the ticket office respondents liked the ease of getting information and child concessions however it was evident that work needed to be improved in the areas of senior citizens concessions, travel plans for away matches, travel services in general and away match ticket distribution.

City Megastore

Shoppers gave the City Megastore their approval. They praised the quality, design, and range of club merchandise and thought the prices were fair. 95% of respondents bought their LCFC merchandise from the City Megastore. As well as buying all year round Christmas was an obvious high point and at home games.

Almost half of the respondents had bought a replica kit however fans did like cheaper products as well as over half had spent up to £30 on other club products.

However replica kit is bought by City fans no matter what their occupation or social class.

City's online store was under-used by respondents.

On a matchday respondents indicated they spent their money on soft and alcoholic drinks and confectionery and snacks. Most people spent around a £5 once inside the ground.

Foxes Against Racism and Community Projects

The club's work against racism was considered to be excellent as well as activities on the community side.

95% strongly approved or approved of FAR and said it had improved the behaviour of City fans as well as improving the image of the club. More than half said it made them prouder of the club. Out and about in the community City faired very well.

The club's annual Community Day was considered to be important by nearly 40% of respondents but proved particularly beneficial to those on lower incomes.

Over half of the respondents said City came across as a good community club, was welcoming and catered for all ethnic backgrounds. Respondents thought that the club positively contributed to the image of the City.

Eating out and entertaining

The majority of respondents did know LCFC had Fusions Restaurant although many only used it on an occasional basis. Those who had been rated the quality of food, service, and value for money as good although bar prices were considered high.

Almost 90% of respondents hadn't used the conference and banqueting facilities at the stadium. Those who had rated signage, booking, welcome, comfort, helpfulness of staff , quality of service, value for money and quality of food as good.

Almost all respondents had not used City's matchday hospitality services. But those who had been to the Walkers Stadium were impressed by the standard of service, hosts and hostesses and the seats.

Further action

These views will be taken on by the club and suggestions for further action will de discussed.

Among topics to be discussed by senior management are ticket pricing and offers, communication to supporters, car parking and transport initiatives, early attendance strategies, improving community involvement and ethnic involvement, loyalty incentive packages, family packages and internet ticket sales.

Should you have further suggestions please contact our Supporter Hotline on 0116 229 4555.

[Guest]

Hmmm, interesting reading.

Especially the bit about us being happy with the communications side!

[Steven]

The cynic in me says well it is very easy to phrase a number of questions to get answers that put the questionner in a favourable light. So is it here. Hardly independent.

[morris1234]

Im a member and i did not get to take part in this survey <_< anyone else not recive this!?

[foxesfan69]

morris1234 where do you work becuase i know a morris who is a City fan who is a member and works with my stepdad. Don't answer if you don't want to.

[Foxes_Trust]

If you have any questions about the survey we have a full copy of the report & will be able to provide further details.

Please post questions on this thread & we will respond over the next couple of days

[Chandler]

...and the fact that we are in mid-table obscurity in the Championship does not feature as a reason why fans don't come to games is another telling reason why these surveys are a waste of time.

If we were in a European spot in the Prem somehow I think all these phoney objections about journeys, jobs & dosh would mysteriously evaporate...

[Simon]

Dosh is actually an objection of mine

Soon to be rectified when I graduate...

But you're right if we were doing better I might be inclined to spend my hard earned...cough... student loan on coming to more matches. At the moment I dont exactly have money to burn...

[Foxes_Trust]

...and the fact that we are in mid-table obscurity in the Championship does not feature as a reason why fans don't come to games is another telling reason why these surveys are a waste of time.

64833[/snapback]

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Since the survey was done last summer that's hardly surprising

Read the in depth stats on part one of the survey by following the link to our site