2015 Ottawa Fury FC NASL Season

[Macksam]

^^^^Thanks for the intel. I had a feeling everything you described was the case, which makes the 5000 plus all the more impressive. I'm fairly positive the lack of marketing is being done on purpose by the ownership group. They want the attendance hovering around the 5000/6000 mark, nothing more than that and they definately don't want an average attendance of more than 10000 . It keeps the soccer team afloat, it brings in extra stadium revenue and most importantly, it does not enroach on the Red Blacks' share of wallet when it comes to the Ottawa populace.

[Red and White]

^^^^Thanks for the intel. I had a feeling everything you described was the case, which makes the 5000 plus all the more impressive. I'm fairly positive the lack of marketing is being done on purpose by the ownership group. They want the attendance hovering around the 5000/6000 mark, nothing more than that. It keeps the soccer team afloat, it brings in extra stadium revenue and most importantly, it does not enroach on the Red Blacks' share of wallet when it comes to the Ottawa populace.

Completely agreed.

[Macksam]

Completely agreed.

Absolutely. I'll also add that I don't think this is a bad thing either. We are currently witnessing an interesting and significant Canadian sports social experiment, which is how an NASL club's fan base will evolve under a CFL ownership group that devotes 100% of it's resources into the football team and completely ignores the soccer club. We're going to see if soccer can come out on top against football even with all the odds stacked against it.

I think the next few years could be really exciting for Fury fans. You guys might have something that caters exclusively to the hardcore, something that is viral and unadulterated where the cool kids will talk about it. That social context along with victories over Canadian MLS sides and a few playoff pushes might double or even triple the attendance in the next few years.

[Red and White]

^ what you describe would really piss off our ownership, but it sounds amazing for Fury supporters and Canadian footy. I'd love to see it happen .

[rob.notenboom]

I really do think the club owes a lot of its marketability to its supporters. The energy and committment shown from the supporters section makes people come back. People who have a great time there also become hooked on the matchday experience.

This is very evident in my Twitter feed

[Macksam]

^ what you describe would really piss off our ownership, but it sounds amazing for Fury supporters and Canadian footy. I'd love to see it happen .

As would I.

When it comes to the ownership, they probably would react that way which is unfortunate. How can we have any faith in the "proposed" CFL/NASL division 1A league if the biggest concern for such a proposal is already rearing its ugly head with one of our current NASL/CFL set ups?

Granted, Bob Young seems like the champion such a joint venture would need to be successful. However, will his influence be limited to only Hamilton's success or can he also influence the other markets in a positive manner for their soccer outfits?

[shamrock]

I know they only sell tickets on the one side, is it the side they broadcast from? What a giant mistake.

 

Yup you can say that again. The VWC2 TFCII game yesterday had more of an atmosphere than Fury FC games (or FC Edmontons' btw). 

[ironcub14]

Hmm, Red and White is one of my Ottawa besttties (whats up M), but I want to know what exactly OSEG and Fury FC can do to better improve their marketing on top of what they currently are doing, for a 2nd year franchise. The only big one I can think of right off the bat is more TV ads, but that's it.

They are really going after the soccer mom and dad families this year with the free entrance for kids U14 in local clubs, and they're marketing JDG decently on social media for the 18 to 40 year olds.

 

I would like them to pursue further partnerships with the Ottawa soccer leagues, such as OCSL, Ottawa Footy 7's, OSSC, etc., and cross-promote the hell out of each other, and I'd like them to maybe host Champions League viewing parties mid-week with Fury players like JDG, that might get some of the Euro fans interested in checking out a Fury game. I do have the Fury's training schedule, and I think they could do these mid-week parties, as opposed to the EPL action during the weekends.

 

But I'd like to hear some concrete and practical marketing ideas that the Fury could implement this year. My ideas, I tweet them out directly to the Fury to at least grab a second of their attention. I will say that Ottawa's not done the job that Indy and Jacksonville have done marketing-wise.

[Sébastien]

I find the conspiracy theories about the ownership group of the Fury, Red Blacks and 67s a bit paranoid. I don't want to defend the ownership but... what??

 

Often times, soccer and football cater to different demographics and markets.

 

It seems ludicrous to me that ownership would purposefully hold back one team so that it doesn't rival another in popularity. More money is more money, period.

 

Thank goodness MLSE has refused to put money into either TFC and the Raptors so they don't become too popular and negatively impact the Maple Leafs...

[ironcub14]

I find the conspiracy theories about the ownership group of the Fury, Red Blacks and 67s a bit paranoid. I don't want to defend the ownership but... what??

 

Often times, soccer and football cater to different demographics and markets.

 

It seems ludicrous to me that ownership would purposefully hold back one team so that it doesn't rival another in popularity. More money is more money, period.

 

Thank goodness MLSE has refused to put money into either TFC and the Raptors so they don't become too popular and negatively impact the Maple Leafs...

Exactly.

[ironcub14]

2015 Fury FC NASL Season – Matchday 3 – Ottawa Fury FC vs. Minnesota United FC Review – 1-0 W

When: Saturday, April 18, 2015 @ 3:00pm EDT

Where: TD Place Stadium, Lansdowne Park, Ottawa, ON (Watch at OttawaFuryFC.com, Rogers TV 22, RogersTV.com, TSN Go, ESPN 3; Listen at TSN 1200 AM, 94,5 Unique FM)

Ottawa Injuries and Suspensions: CM Phil Davies (out – arm)

Ottawa Returnees: LW Paulo Jr. (short-term knock – return to starting lineup); DM Richie Ryan, AM Sinisa Ubiparipovic (mid-term injury – return to bench); CM Julian de Guzman (1-game suspension)

Ottawa (4-2-3-1) – Peiser; Poltronieri, Falvey, Rafael Alves, Richter; de Guzman, Paterson; Paulo Jr. (Ryan 76′), Oliver (Misik 87′), Haworth; Heinemann (Wiedeman 68′)

Ottawa Subs: DeBellis, Trafford, Beckie, Ubiparipovic

Minnesota (4-1-4-1) – Ndjock; Davis, Calvano, Dias, Kallman; Vicentini (Alhassan 67’); Steele, Ibson (Pitchkolan 33’), Ibarra, Mendes (Campos 74’); Ramirez

Ottawa Goal/Assist – Heinemann 67′

Minnesota Goal – None

OFFC Fury FC MotM – TBD, likely Julian de Guzman

https://offcreview.wordpress.com/20...season-matchday-3-ottawa-vs-minnesota-review/

[ironcub14]

2015 Fury FC Canadian Championship (Voyageurs Cup) – Preliminary Round, 1st Leg – Ottawa Fury FC vs. FC Edmonton Preview

When: Wednesday, April 22, 2015 @ 7:30pm EDT

Where: TD Place Stadium, Lansdowne Park, Ottawa, ON (Watch at OttawaFuryFC.com, CanadaSocer.com; Listen at 580 CFRA AM)

Ottawa Injuries and Suspensions: CM Phil Davies (out – arm, 6-8 weeks), DM Richie Ryan (out – ankle, 3-4 weeks), RW Carl Haworth (doubtful – illness)

Ottawa Possible Starting Lineup (4-2-3-1) (R to L): Peiser; Richter, Rafael Alves, Falvey, Poltronieri; de Guzman, Paterson; Oliver, Ubiparipovic, Paulo Jr.; Wiedeman

Ottawa Possible Bench: DeBellis, Beckie, Trafford, Randolph, Misik, Haworth, Heinemann

Edmonton Previous Matchday Lineup – 3-2 W – (4-1-4-1) (L to R) – VanOekel; Moses, Watson, Roberts, Edward; Raudales (Granitto); Laing, Burt (Jalali), Jones, Nyassi; Jonke (Ameobi)

Edmonton Players to Watch: Lance Laing, Sainey Nyassi, Eddie Edward

Previous Match: Oct 18, 2014 – NASL – Ottawa Fury FC vs. FC Edmonton – 0-2 L – https://offcreview.wordpress.com/2014/10/20/nasl-2014-matchday-25-ottawa-vs-edmonton-review/

https://offcreview.wordpress.com/20...ary-round-1st-leg-ottawa-vs-edmonton-preview/

[ironcub14]

I also wrote a longer preview on CSN, for those interested.

 

http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/index.php?/page/articles.html/_/ottcityfootie/2015-fury-fc-canadian-championship-voyageurs-cup-%E2%80%93-preliminary-round-1st-leg-%E2%80%93-ottawa-vs-edmonton-preview-2015-fury-fc-nasl-season-%E2%80%93-matchday-3-%E2%80%93-ottawa-vs-minnesota-review-r5190

[Macksam]

@ Sebastian and ironcub

 

The Toronto comparison doesn't fit as all three teams mentioned pretty much sell the majority of their tickets. The Ottawa sporting dollar is a lot more scarce, which is why the ownership has elected to go this route. More revenue is more revenue but they'd rather have the CFL team 90% full and the soccer team 30% instead of having both at 65% to capacity.

[ironcub14]

@ Sebastian and ironcub

 

The Toronto comparison doesn't fit as all three teams mentioned pretty much sell the majority of their tickets. The Ottawa sporting dollar is a lot more scarce, which is why the ownership has elected to go this route. More revenue is more revenue but they'd rather have the CFL team 90% full and the soccer team 30% instead of having both at 65% to capacity.

I can only hope Ottawa sports fan's aren't cheap enough that the RedBlacks and the Fury FC become an if/or problem for them... We are discussing what the impact of cheaper prices for the tickets all around for the stadium would be for the Fury on Facebook.

I think the issue of prices are more about the Fury trying to determine how many fans would come out to the games, even at say $5 to $25, rather than the $16 to $34 it currently is. If OSEG/Fury FC did lower the single-game prices, that shit would market itself.

 

But to think that OSEG would purposefully want to not make as big of a profit as they could on the Fury is a bit overboard for me. The ownership and the employees are all business-minded enough to want to make that paper. They just need to figure out how to market it better.

[ironcub14]

2015 Fury FC Canadian Championship (Voyageurs Cup) – Preliminary Round, 1st Leg – Ottawa Fury FC vs. FC Edmonton Review – 1-3 L

When: Wednesday, April 22, 2015 @ 7:30pm EDT

Where: TD Place Stadium, Lansdowne Park, Ottawa, ON (Watch at OttawaFuryFC.com, CanadaSocer.com; Listen at 580 CFRA AM)

Ottawa Injuries and Suspensions: CM Phil Davies (out – arm, 6-8 weeks), DM Richie Ryan (out – ankle, 3-4 weeks)

Ottawa Lineup (4-2-3-1) (L to R): Peiser 6; Poltronieri 8, Falvey 5, Rafael Alves 6, Richter 6; Paterson 6, De Guzman 4; Paulo Jr. 6, Ubiparipovic 7 (Misik 69’, 6), Oliver 7 (Haworth 80’); Wiedeman 6 (Heinemann 72’)

Ottawa Bench: DeBellis, Beckie, Trafford, Eustaquio, Misik, Haworth, Heinemann

Edmonton Lineup (4-1-4-1) (L to R): VanOekel; Moses, Watson, Roberts, Edward; Granitto (Raudales 60’); Smith (Laing 59’), Jalali (Fordyce 70’), Jones, Nyassi; Ameobi

Ottawa Goals/Assists: Oliver (Richter 1′)

Edmonton Goals/Assists: Fordyce 82′, Laing 87′, Ameobi 90′

https://offcreview.wordpress.com/2015/04/23/2015-fury-fc-canadian-championship-voyageurs-cup-preliminary-round-1st-leg-ottawa-vs-edmonton-review/

[Red and White]

Its not an issue of ownership purposely holding back Fury promotion for the betterment of the CFL team ... At least, they don't consciously do it (but I think they subconsciously do).

 

The rumoured NASL/CFL (+CSA/TSN) partership comes with advantages and disadvantages for all parties involved. Using Fury as an example, ownership is much more interested in the CFL team over NASL. That's expected, it has been the valuable property they've been after for years. An NASL team was originally picked up largely as an asset that solves a few problems for them. FIrstly, it provides a second team (and, as a result, revenue stream) to maintain the huge stadium they manage, but can only fit eight CFL matchdays in a year for. Soccer provides an extra 16 or so event days. Secondly, They picked up the team to develop an argument for rebuilding Lansdowne Park, obtaining public backing for it, and fending off another invester looking to bring pro soccer to the city.

 

The reasons they own the 'asset' that is Ottawa Fury have little to do with looking to grow the sport. It was a 'benefits vs costs' business decision, a lot more so than bringing CFL football to Ottawa. I am NOT suggesting that they own the RedBlacks for reasons other than profit, but they do put a lot more time into developing the CFL fanbase. Early on, it felt (to me) like NASL was taking a back seat, and that's only slightly improved since then.

 

Promotion isn't strictly sticking ads in different places or running online platforms. An excellent method of promotion is to make games as widely available to as many people as possible. The effort placed in veiwing parties for Fury away matches, for example, doesn't inspire my confidence. They seem lackadaisical (or, they did in year one). Summer away matches can be a source of promotion if hosted outdoors, maybe with a chance to play pickup socccer, but they weren't taken last year. Small issues like that combine into a weak marketing drive.

 

Fury matchdays are the best promotion for the team. They work because of the intimacy stemming from the fact that they are a relatively small team, and the authentic experience supporters groups provide. People who try out a game are often hooked because of those two factors. The team has made an effort of going after youth, but, like everything, it seems like more effort can be put into those promotions too.

[Dub Narcotic]

Tough week. Only caught the second half of today's game and didn't see the CCL match but the Fury don't seem horrible, just average. FTL had some very nice moments.

[masster]

I really don't rate Mike Randolph. JDG has some really good moments, but other times looks like he is just going through the motions. Not really impressed by any of the other Canadians

[Red and White]

They seem to have potential, but get really affected when a major event in games goes against them. The mental toughness and team structure is lacking.

[Soccerpro]

Wasn't it clear coming into the season that Ottawa was pretty average?

[Trillium]

I find the conspiracy theories about the ownership group of the Fury, Red Blacks and 67s a bit paranoid. I don't want to defend the ownership but... what??

Z

Often times, soccer and football cater to different demographics and markets.

It seems ludicrous to me that ownership would purposefully hold back one team so that it doesn't rival another in popularity. More money is more money, period.

Thank goodness MLSE has refused to put money into either TFC and the Raptors so they don't become too popular and negatively impact the Maple Leafs...

Sebastion,when fans talk to the staff running operations it is clear none I have met know much about the supporter culture or indeed how to market the team. Yesterday's game might have had 2000 in stands, they are spending a lot of energy trying to get kids under 12 into the games to bring along a parent on a 12 dollar ticket. Yet when they have three of thier target market being Junior Capos, the in stadium video camera guy fails to focus on them, to even give the jumbotron a feed choice. It just seems the senior OSEG staff are sure they know how to sell the game,but they have missed the mark badly...they need to go spend a week in Indy and get some advice.

[Sébastien]

Sebastion,when fans talk to the staff running operations it is clear none I have met know much about the supporter culture or indeed how to market the team. Yesterday's game might have had 2000 in stands, they are spending a lot of energy trying to get kids under 12 into the games to bring along a parent on a 12 dollar ticket. Yet when they have three of thier target market being Junior Capos, the in stadium video camera guy fails to focus on them, to even give the jumbotron a feed choice. It just seems the senior OSEG staff are sure they know how to sell the game,but they have missed the mark badly...they need to go spend a week in Indy and get some advice.

 

Ok, but I have no idea how this relates to my comment.

 

What I said is that it's foolishg (imo) to believe that ownership would purposefully be trying ensure there is no off-field success for the team.

 

They may suck at marketing it, a lot of people will often disagree on different ways to do so, that's fine. But to say they are trying to effectively scuttle the team is, imo, pure paranoia.

[1996]

Well I don't know what to say here regarding attendance, what barely 2000 in the stands is horrible, after coming off a good win the previous weekend that's all they get, not good, something is wrong here, why are people not coming out, what needs to be done here, what are teams like Indy doing right, they need to be getting at least 6000 a game , 2000 is nothing it shows that people don't even know this team exists in Ottawa.

[Red and White]

Well I don't know what to say here regarding attendance, what barely 2000 in the stands is horrible, after coming off a good win the previous weekend that's all they get, not good, something is wrong here, why are people not coming out, what needs to be done here, what are teams like Indy doing right, they need to be getting at least 6000 a game , 2000 is nothing it shows that people don't even know this team exists in Ottawa.

You answered your own question. People in Ottawa don't know the team exists.

There is a Sens playoff run which was hogging media coverage. Now that they're out, Fury will have some attention (once the usual post playoff hockey 'what happened?' analysis is done).