THE third meeting of the Burton Albion Supporter Liaison Group was held at Burton Albion FC on Thursday 13th July at 6.30pm.
The group has now begun to take some responsibility of fan engagement and making the supporters experience a better one here at the Pirelli Stadium.
The group worked through the six main areas of responsibility which are:
Ticketing Incentives
Ground Facilities
Away Matches
Attracting More Fans
Fan Engagement
Any Other Topics
The meeting was chaired by Commercial Director, Fleur Robinson, and supported by Ticketing Manager Jodie Barks, Head of Community Matt Hancock and Community Match Day co-ordinator Reece Brown.
Some excellent ideas and plans where discussed by the group including; fan engagement, both before and during the match, fans being encouraged to look at the new website to view planned activities, help with purchasing tickets which will include a helpful video and an open session, fans choosing a Burton Albion themed song, rewards for our volunteers, better use of social media to create a buzz around matchday and more interaction with fans.
The group agreed and were delighted to hear about the plans to create a family-friendly zone pre-match in the new Burton Albion Community Football Centre as well as an area in the North & West Stands becoming our designated family-friendly terrace as a trial period. A review has also been undertaken of the match day operations and stewards - club and community staff have attended a training seminar - and changes to contingency plans have been made with follow up concerns and lessons learnt from last season's increased crowds in the Championship.
The Club has also implemented a 'No Babies in Arms' policy on the terracing.
Finally, a discussion around volunteers and the need to create more opportunities for fans to get involved on match days, with members of the group coming forward to help out pre-match specifically looking at first time fans and also directing people to the right place when at the ground. We do require more volunteers on a match day, so if anyone is interested, please get in touch with the club on slg@burtonalbionfc.co.uk
Fleur said: "Another positive and effective meeting that ensured that we as a club continue to put the supporters first. Discussions were very productive and it's nice to be able to reassure fans around some club developments including the review of club security, which involves contingency plans and training, junior and babes in arms policies, as well as what the fans want to see from us. We are determined to give the fans a voice and ensure they are part of the club's decision making moving forward."
One of the members of the Supporter Liaison Group, Anton Williams said:
"The group is now coming together and it's great to see the club taking fan engagement seriously. I'm proud of our club and all the work that is going on behind the scenes to make the supporters' experience a better one. We would love to see some more volunteers on a match day so please get in touch if you are interested."
The group will meet again in October and supporters are encouraged to contact any member or the SLG either in person or by emailing ideas, topics or concerns to the SLG email address slg@burtonalbionfc.co.uk.