Amman — Near-empty stands at Jordan Pro League stadiums are no longer an occasional sight. The problem has become increasingly evident as the rounds progress, raising questions about why fans are staying away and what can be done to bring life back to the stadiums. Football is incomplete without its supporters, who are among the game’s most important elements, providing players with a morale boost and extra motivation to perform at their best.
اضافة اعلان
Anyone who followed the fourth week’s matches, held last Thursday and Friday, could see the scale of the problem. Attendance fell short of expectations, even at matches involving Al-Wehdat and Al-Hussein Irbid, both of which have large fan bases. This suggests that a team’s name alone is no longer enough to guarantee attendance, as other factors increasingly influence supporters’ decisions and discourage them from going to the stadium.
By contrast, the Jordan Football Association offered a model worth considering during the national team’s match against Syria. An analysis studio was set up inside the stadium and presented by colleague Samiha Majdalawi, featuring competitions and prizes for fans. The initiative was a positive step towards attracting supporters, increasing their engagement with the match and moving beyond the traditional approach to fan attendance.
Although the initiative took place during a national team match, it opens the door to ideas that could be applied to league fixtures. Attracting fans depends not only on results but also on providing a complete experience that gives supporters additional reasons to attend and makes them feel they are an essential part of the event, rather than spectators who arrive at the stands and leave at the final whistle.
Responsibility does not rest solely with the Football Association; it is shared with the clubs, which should regard their supporters as essential partners in their journey, not merely as a source of encouragement when the team wins.
Maintaining regular communication with fans, offering practical facilities, setting affordable ticket prices and organising fan initiatives are all steps that could help rebuild the relationship between clubs and their supporters.
Clubs should also strengthen their engagement with their fan bases through pre-match promotional campaigns, incentive programmes and more active supporters’ groups, while using social media to encourage interaction and mobilise crowds. The competition does not begin with the referee’s whistle. It is preceded by organisational and media efforts capable of turning a match into an event that fans look forward to.
The Football Association therefore needs to bring this experience to Pro League stadiums in cooperation with the clubs. Interactive competitions, prizes and activities alongside matches could help create a livelier atmosphere and restore some of the stands’ lost appeal.
It is disappointing to see league matches continue with limited attendance at a time when teams need supporters’ voices and chants to lift players’ morale, increase excitement on the pitch and create a competitive atmosphere worthy of the tournament.
There is no doubt that the reasons for declining attendance are varied. They include match schedules that may not suit supporters’ circumstances, ticket prices and the fact that matches involving the four northern clubs Al-Hussein Irbid, Al-Ramtha, Al-Arabi and Daqra are being held in Amman while Al-Hassan Stadium remains closed.
In seeking to understand the problem, fans’ perspectives are an essential part of any serious discussion about the future of stadium attendance. Appropriate solutions cannot be developed without listening to supporters and identifying the obstacles that prevent them from being in the stands.
Supporter Ammar Al-Abdalat believes that restoring attendance requires practical ideas and unconventional initiatives. He pointed to the analysis studio, competitions and prizes organised during the national team’s match against Syria as a positive example that could be adopted in the league.
“Organising activities alongside matches would give fans an additional incentive to attend, particularly if these initiatives were accompanied by suitable facilities and ticket prices that take supporters’ circumstances into account,” he said.
“The aim should be to turn these initiatives into an ongoing programme rather than limiting them to national team matches or special occasions.”
Supporter Ali Al-Zubaidi stressed that match timings and ticket prices are important factors in determining whether fans can watch their teams from the stands. Supporters have daily and family commitments that may prevent them from attending, particularly when matches are scheduled at inconvenient times.
He added that coordination between the Football Association and clubs to select more suitable kick-off times, alongside reviewing ticket prices and offering affordable options for families and young people, could gradually increase attendance. He believes that bringing fans back starts with removing the obstacles that prevent them from reaching the stadium, rather than simply urging them to attend.
Supporter Wafa Salim said the relationship between fans and domestic competitions needs continual renewal through initiatives that make going to the stadium an enjoyable experience for the whole family.
“Competitions, prizes and interactive activities can bring a different atmosphere to matches and encourage new groups to follow the league from the stands, particularly young people and children,” she said.
Resource: Al-Ghad.
