Low Attendence for TM games, why?

[Ali Chicago]

I don't want to make this thread another pro anti Daie thread, as it is, we have beaten that thing to death already.

But I watched the Jordan TM games and less than 15k if that spectators. I won't blame Daie for this, but why fans are not going to TM games, even before Daie come to power, it was the same. So issue is not a Daie related issue?

Our fans are the wealth of our football and that always seperated us from Persian gulf countries that had to draw the crowd to the stadium with tons of the propaganda. Our fans were the twelvth player of our team.

Those who are in Tehran, can you tell us, how people see it? What they don't go to watch TM games?

Is it still the disappointment for the low level performance of TM Iran in Wc 2006? SS and PP games draw more crowd to the stadium! When Germany played us, was it a sell out?

Please try to stayon topic, what are the causes of low attendence for the TM games?

[shayan20]

I'm also very pissed at PP and SS fans who prefer to watch their clubs' play but don't come to Azadi to watch Team Melli play.
I'm not quite sure what the reason might be, but it definitely has something to the with the Daei factor. Or It could be because of the oppositions we face (Jordon, Palestine and Qatar-B) or the not-so-important WAFF games.
I just can't watch TM matches with no fans. I'm losing interest. If this trend continues, They should consider playing TM matches outside Tehran. Althought we dont have much professional stadiums at the moments But when Naghshe Jahan stadium is finished July 2009, maybe That could be a solution. I'm sure more people will turn up than this current disaster.

[Ali Chicago]

I'm also very pissed at PP and SS fans who prefer to watch their clubs' play but don't come to Azadi to watch Team Melli play.
I'm not quite sure what the reason might be, but it definitely has something to the with the Daei factor. Or It could be because of the oppositions we face (Jordon, Palestine and Qatar-B) or the not-so-important WAFF games.
I just can't watch TM matches with no fans. I'm losing interest. If this trend continues, They should consider playing TM matches outside Tehran. Althought we dont have much professional stadiums at the moments But when Naghshe Jahan stadium is finished July 2009, maybe That could be a solution. I'm sure more people will turn up than this current disaster.

l

But even before Daie becomes head coach during GN era some of the TM games was very low attendence. I remember Ghana gams and was it Jamica or the other team under Bora's coaching attendence was very low.

It seems to me fans are kind of mad at TM after the WC2006 and some feel, the team didn't deliver. Worst the IFF kind of tried to shove the poor perforamance under the carpet. They find it easy to blame Daie/ Branko, which while had a role, but were not the main reason. As a result other factors never got analyzed and as a result fans never kind of made up with the TM.

Other factor is that I think our TM fans have deservedly expect more from the TM and IFF lack of organization and other factors contribute to TM under deliver (as far as fans are considered at least). Hence the disgruntled fans.
Does anyone remember if for the friendly game against Germany was Azadi sold out?

Our fans are the foundation of our football, IFF needs to do something about this. Without fans the whole football fever in Iran will die down little by little.

[gol_kuchik]

I don't want to make this thread another pro anti Daie thread, as it is, we have beaten that thing to death already.
But I watched the Jordan TM games and less than 15k if that spectators. I won't blame Daie for this, but why fans are not going to TM games, even before Daie come to power, it was the same. So issue is not a Daie related issue?

I can think of 3 main reasons for lack of fan participations:

1-Quality of opponents
2-Importance of the games
3-Day of the game (note that most PP, EsEs games are scheduled for
Friday, but friendlies and the rest are on weekdays).

I purposely placed them in this order. Imagine if instead of Azarbaijan,
we were playing a friendly against a solid team from Europe or South
America, have no doubt Azadi would have been packed.

Important games (like the last few rounds of WC qualifiers) will also draw
a good crowd. But I won't hold my breath for a big turn out for N.K game.

When Germany played us, was it a sell out?

Yes, I was there and I got there 2.5 hours in advance, still could not
get in had to find a back door to get it in but was standing the entire
90 minutes from the top row (it is almost 500 meters to the lawn from
there.

[shayan20]

Quality opposition will surely attract a lot of fans regardless of who the coach is.
But currently it seems impossible to even get egypt for a friendly.

I also think we'll have a lot of fans for the games against Korea and Saudi in wcq.

[purple_haze]

IMO it's a combination of many factors. Some have already been mentioned like the lack of quality opponents.
Iranians are emotional and need something to challenge these emotions in the right way. Also we are traditionally individualists and individual worshipers or in simpler terms, want stars.
Our football has produced less so called stars in the recent years and with the older stars sidelined and left out in the cold, there is less attraction.
Also no matter how we twist or turn it, how much we try to rationalize or deny it, with the lack of big stars, when the big Tehrani teams also don't have representatives in TM, it affects the whole situation even more, at least when games are played in Azadi.
Moving the games to other cities, like Esfehan as Shayan suggested could be a good solution trial.

[Ali Chicago]

I can think of 3 main reasons for lack of fan participations:
1-Quality of opponents
2-Importance of the games
3-Day of the game (note that most PP, EsEs games are scheduled for
Friday, but friendlies and the rest are on weekdays).
I purposely placed them in this order. Imagine if instead of Azarbaijan,
we were playing a friendly against a solid team from Europe or South
America, have no doubt Azadi would have been packed.
Important games (like the last few rounds of WC qualifiers) will also draw
a good crowd. But I won't hold my breath for a big turn out for N.K game.
Yes, I was there and I got there 2.5 hours in advance, still could not
get in and finally snok

We played some decent South American team (Costa Rica) still no turn out. Not saying Costarica is a world class soccer country, but not too shaby either.

For SS, PP games when they do well, even during the week there is fairly good turn out, SS game was on Sunday for example this week. If you notice for SS under Hejazi, Karimi when the team did poor attendence was very low (only bunch of hard core SS fans). I beleive to some degree it was the same for PP, when it didnt' do well in the last year of Mr. Parvin at the helm.

I think it is very much depends on the results and TM in recent years hasn't given anything to fans to excite them.

[Ali Chicago]

IMO it's a combination of many factors. Some have already been mentioned like the lack of quality opponents.
Iranians are emotional and need something to challenge these emotions in the right way. Also we are traditionally individualists and individual worshipers or in simpler terms, want stars.
Our football has produced less so called stars in the recent years and with the older stars sidelined and left out in the cold, there is less attraction.
Also no matter how we twist or turn it, how much we try to rationalize or deny it, with the lack of big stars, when the big Tehrani teams also don't have representatives in TM, it affects the whole situation even more, at least when games are played in Azadi.
Moving the games to other cities, like Esfehan as Shayan suggested could be a good solution trial.

Very good points, Thanks. As far as star situation goes it is the same all over the world. NBA after the departure of Micheal Jordan, hasnt' found someone to fill his shoes for example. Star is like the lightening rods for the fan's energy (positive or negative).

[maij]

I have no doubt in my mind that the main reason for poor attendence is the partisan nature of Iranian fans , or in particular , Tehrani fans. All others factors are incidental.

Regardless if PP-SS derby is played n midweek or during Ashoora, Azadi will be near capacity. Not the same case with team melli matches.

This has little to do with the coach of Team Melli , this trend has been going on for years. Apart from the Germany friendly , the only packed Azadi was against Saudi Arabia during 2002 campaign , when Iran beat KSA 2-0.

Instead of trying in vain to attract Tehrani fans in the stadium , I strongly believe that the rest of cities in Iran should be given the chance to host Team Melli games , provided acceptable standards of stadium exists. Mashad , Esfahan and Tabriz are main candidates at the present time , but even smaller stadiums should be considered. After all the people in those cities are as Iranian such the ones in Tehran.


I have personally experinced stories of fans that came as far as tabriz , Abadan and somewhere near Esfahan and camped and slept around Azadi sport complex the night before to watch team melli game in Tehran. I doubt that many Tehrani fans will go to such length unless SS or PP are playing in Mashahd or Bandar Abbas.

[Ali Chicago]

I have no doubt in my mind that the main reason for poor attendence is the partisan nature of Iranian fans , or in particular , Tehrani fans. All others factors are incidental.

Regardless if PP-SS derby is played n midweek or during Ashoora, Azadi will be near capacity. Not the same case with team melli matches.

This has little to do with the coach of Team Melli , this trend has been going on for years. Apart from the Germany friendly , the only packed Azadi was against Saudi Arabia during 2002 campaign , when Iran beat KSA 2-0.

Instead of trying in vain to attract Tehrani fans in the stadium , I strongly believe that the rest of cities in Iran should be given the chance to host Team Melli games , provided acceptable standards of stadium exists. Mashad , Esfahan and Tabriz are main candidates a the epresent time , but even smaller stadiums should be considered. Afterall the people in those cities arr as Iranian such the ones in Tehran.


I have personally experinced stories of fans that came as far as tabriz , Abadan and somewher near Esfahan and camped and slept around Azadi sport complex the night before to watch team melli game in Tehran. I doubt that many Tehrani fans will go to such legnth unless SS or PP are playing in Mashahd or Bandar Abbas.

With all the due respect, I think you are making a huge over generalization. The same Tehrani fans were going to the stadium before didn't they? So how come now they aren't going?

Don't mean to start a Tehran vs. Shahrestanha, but Shahrestani fans are more eager simply because it is not available there. If you want to compare Tehrani vs Shahrestani fan, you at least need TM plays for say 5-10 years in Isfahan, Tabriz and then to see if the attendence is still consistanly high (after the initial high platue of course).

Having said that, I think at least for the short term, TM playing games in the provineces is a good solution to boost fan attendence.

P.S. When TM played against Saipa in Ardabil, was it a sell out?

[Ali Chicago]

Free availability of games on TV is a factor probably too.

[zzgloo]

I agree with maij jaan....as the partisan nature of our football, although,I am not exactly sure if he means what I mean by partisan....
In my opinion...if you take PP or SS out of Iranian league........we will have 80% drop in all attendances......
If there were no SS, most PP fans will not go to stediums .
If there is no challenge, and if there is no " Korkori ", or if there is no " exposure " ( such as German friendly game ),in which one side can have " EDDEAA "...there will be very little fan......
In Shahrestan, there is not much to do, but, if they had football games every week in thier cities, like tehran does...they will eventualy stop going to stediums !....................
There is very little interest among Iranian fans to watch football , for the sake of sport !, ...there must be a Challenge ,and " EADDEAA "!

[maij]

With all the due respect, I think you are making a huge over generalization. The same Tehrani fans were going to the stadium before didn't they? So how come now they aren't going?

Don't mean to start a Tehran vs. Shahrestanha, but Shahrestani fans are more eager simply because it is not available there. If you want to compare Tehrani vs Shahrestani fan, you at least need TM plays for say 5-10 years in Isfahan, Tabriz and then to see if the attendence is still consistanly high (after the initial high platue of course).

Having said that, I think at least for the short term, TM playing games in the provineces is a good solution to boost fan attendence.

P.S. When TM played against Saipa in Ardabil, was it a sell out?

I never claimed that the matches in the provinces will be sold out , DID I ?

And the same Tehrani fans were going before and not going now , is exactly the reason why you opened this thread and asking questions.

There reason they were going before is that 8 players each of SS and PP were in the squad and a few Pas players for good measure, until Branko changed the whole trend.

It seems to me that when they used to fill up the stadium , was mainly because they were interested to watch their club players......and how about those silly chants during TM games...You know that ... Perspolis Sarvareh Estighlale..crap....

[Ali Chicago]

I never claimed that the matches in the provinces will be sold out , DID I ?

And the same Tehrani fans were going before and not going now , is exactly the reason why you opened this thread and asking questions.

There reason they were going before is that 8 players each of SS and PP were in the squad and a few Pas players for good measure, until Branko changed the whole trend.

It seems to me that when they used to fill up the stadium , was mainly because they were interested to watch their club players......and how about those silly chants during TM games...You know that ... Perspolis Sarvareh Estighlale..crap....

So you beleive if today, Daie had 6-7 players from SS and PP each, then there have been much better attendence? Interesting angle, I never thought about it that way.

[Ali Chicago]

I agree with maij jaan....as the partisan nature of our football, although,I am not exactly sure if he means what I mean by partisan....
In my opinion...if you take PP or SS out of Iranian league........we will have 80% drop in all attendances......
If there were no SS, most PP fans will not go to stediums .
If there is no challenge, and if there is no " Korkori ", or if there is no " exposure " ( such as German friendly game ),in which one side can have " EDDEAA "...there will be very little fan......
In Shahrestan, there is not much to do, but, if they had football games every week in thier cities, like tehran does...they will eventualy stop going to stediums !....................
There is very little interest among Iranian fans to watch football , for the sake of sport !, ...there must be a Challenge ,and " EADDEAA "!

With all the respect Bahram Jaan, I think we (Iranians) in general are too hard on ourselves and big self criticis of ourselves.

I give average people (in this case average fans) much more credit. I think in general TM has underacheived as far as fans are concerned (I am not saying they are right).

When I was in San Jose, I met Asghar Agha Sharfi , past years forward of PASS and TM coach under Mohajerani. He was coaching the San Jose Aria I think to get them prepared for the Jaame Doosti in LA.
I talked to him after the practice and he said something that left a huge impact on me. He said, Iranian fans are way ahead of our football. I asked Asghar Agha, there are the same fans that swear and insult the refs. He said, well all over the world, football fans aren't among the most educated rich section of the society (comapred to other sports like Golf, Tennis etc,). So, that kind of behavior comes from that. But football wise, he beleived fans know and apprecite good football. He asked me why people loved PP in the first place? I said because of Shahin and Dr. Ekrami and Antio Khosravani sentiment. He said, ok partly true, but why didn't they support Paykan, Ooghab (which was somehow related to Marhoom Hoosein Agha Fekri)? I had no answer? He said, because PP played the most exciting games those days. PP was known for attack minded player in Iran (at least those days).

So in summary, I think fans might not be able to articulate themselves, but they subliminaly appreciate good football and respond to it (coming to stadium). Of course this is a more complex phonomenon and other elements like competition between two clubs, nationalistic emotions and other elements are in play as well.