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Are fans still needed in the stadium?

'Football without fans is nothing,' said the Celtic legend Jock Stein. But is it any more in commercial terms? The key audiences are thousands of miles away in Asia. For a club like Bournemouth, match day revenues are less than five per cent of total income.

This blog post looks at the issue in some depth, in particular focusing on the cost of attending matches for fans: Are fans needed?

The article notes, 'the fans are among the most marketable assets of the clubs: the atmosphere created by supporters is one of the key aspects that marks football out in a crowded sports market.' However, the growing number of football tourists at big clubs and the changing demographic of supporters is affecting the atmosphere in grounds.

The article does consider possible solutions, although it should be noted that some lower league clubs still have fanatical supporters home and away. Portsmouth comes to mind.

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