Anyone else think that Peter Wanklemen maybe exaggerating their attendance figures to appear to make them look more popular than they are. To reach yesterday's figures their would have to have been five times as many MK Don's than Wanderers in the stadium ??
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100%. Not a chance there were nearly 7000 home fans there.
The entire lower tier has a capacity of 22,000, no way it was nearly half full.
Nah. Just felt less as the ground is so ludicrously oversized.
You generally cook the books by underplaying gates!
Put it this way. Could you imagine getting more than 20,000 more in there!
Easily! There were whole sections that were competely empty, and only 3 of theirs were over half full from sight and memory.
Not talking about cooking the books to avoid tax, just giving away lots of complementary tickets that count whether the recipient goes or not to give the impression that the club isn't failing as much
They sold out earlier this season for Liverpool at home...
Four times, but I get your point. Was the stadium really 1/3 full yesterday? IDK...
Edited . Misread that reply
Allegedly they average over 9,000 this season - the fifth highest in the league. Even if they include season tickets regardless of attendance, I don't know how they came to 9,699 yesterday.
Also, he was apologising in November for not bringing Premier League football there yet... Never gonna happen. https://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/business/mk-dons-chairman-apologises-not-bringing-premier-league-football-milton-keynes-1324608
I think we might have found the missing patrons in all those free under 12s. Would really boost advertising revenue boasting regular attendances of 10k or so though
It's just a very big stadium, It didn't feel like 1800 WWFC in the corner either but if there was then you could see how there would have been 7000 odd spread around the rest of it.
Coventry definitely did something similar when we played them in 2017 where apparently there had been 6,500 of their fans in at the height of the boycot against SISU. A generous guess was that there was 4,000 in the home stands, probably far less that than.
Blackpool reportedly were overstating their attendances to try to undermine the boycott against the Oystons as well.
I think it's quite common. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45158878
'Attendance' means just that, those attending. It should not include tickets sold (including season ticket sales) or complimentary tickets, not used on the day.
This was raised at a Fans' Council meeting and Michael Davies confirmed that the club always release the ticket sales figure, because a bigger figure looks better for the club. The problem is that the club release the figure as the 'attendance', which is not accurate. In fact it is misleading.
Could you clarify your second paragraph, please @Steve_Peart. Did Michael Davies mean that the attendance figures announced by the club included all season tickets as well as the number of tickets sold for the match in question (which is clearly going to be a more accurate representation of those actually in attendance)?
@micra, correct, he said the club's released 'attendance' figure includes all season ticket sales. So that figure is not an accurate figure for those attending the match.
@ChasHarps Totally agree. Looked to me like no more than 6,000 home fans, and even that would be pushing it. Was also surprised when I saw the away figure. Comparing Saturday to Ipswich away, wouldn't have thought there were more than twice as many of ours at MK than at Ipswich. In fact I'd have guessed that the numbers were more or less the same.
Its not really feasible for a proper headcount is it ? Surely you have to assume season ticket holders and people who bought tickets in advance will be there?
@Wendoverman, the BBC article makes it clear that clubs are obliged to know the real attendance figure.
"... clubs are required by law to know the number of people attending each game for safety reasons and plan in advance for expected attendances."
MK Dons have long been known to dish out numerous free tickets to neighbouring areas in an attempt to get people to become part of their wretched Franchise. but is it possible that maybe theyve dished out thousands of free under 12 twelve season tickets, to those who never attend but still give out a false far higher figure ? In an attempt to appear they have been morally accepted by the area ??
I would be amazed if there was more that 6000 in the stadium on Saturday.
"Knowing" and "releasing" an attendance figure are two different things. I'm sure the club(s) are aware of an actual figure for safety purposes.
We have all seen the silly situation of clubs like Arsenal, and recently Manchester United, playing league games in front of large banks of empty seats, only for the 'attendance' to be declared as a near sell-out.
I particularly remember the 1990 World Cup when every game was sold out but some games had very few actually there.
Without wishing to appear pedantic, I just want the club to report attendance figures accurately.
I cannot be counted because I go through the open gate to the lift (unless the stewards who check my pass make a mental note!)
I think it is reasonably safe to assume that the vast majority of those buying a match ticket in advance will be in attendance but, even within the relatively narrow circle ⭕️ of my own acquaintances, it is not uncommon for several not to be present at particular games, especially in midweek.
Whoops, not sure how that circle crept in.
I predict a witty (and possibly slightly crude) response.
Shouldn't be too hard to do.
Surely turnstiles can record the number of punters actually going in, rather than just being an awkward bumpy way to get into the ground.
I always thought that was the point of them?
At MK with their barcode scanner entry there's no excuse to not have an accurate count.
Yep, totally agree.
I'm amazed in these days of heightened health and safety, that there isn't an accurate figure of who is in the ground!
They do have an accurate figure of who is in the ground. It's just not the one they publish as it affects sponsorship income and the perception of the club.
Thank you @Right_in_the_Middle, underlines my 11:02 point entirely.
Seems a bit naughty to me. But I feel less guilty about by-passing the bumpy old turnstiles.