Bolton versus British Cycling!

I recently spent a weekend in Bolton and was lucky enough to get to 2 sporting events – World Cup Cycling at Manchester Velodrome, and Bolton versus Chelsea at the Reebok Stadium. It is interesting to reflect on differences in the spectator experience.
 Cycling offered a full day’s entertainment for £15 per person. In the breaks in the cycling action I was able to walk the concourses to find 4 different food options (two of which were relatively healthy), experience four different sponsor products (one of which involving a 200m sprint on exercise bikes, and my very narrow but ultimately glorious victory against a 14-year-old!), join British Cycling, buy some gear and get some advice from a British Cycling coach as well as some free guides to cycling in the Manchester area. We even left during the intermission and popped to the ASDA next door to grab some nibbles.
Chelsea was somewhat different as an experience. We had a cracking view at Bolton, and it was a very good game (for a Chelsea supporter). The bar and betting shop in the stand was in full flow before the game and during it. My only real exposure to sponsor product was the smartly-done advertising in the toilets and the betting stand itself run by Bolton’s shirt sponsor. The television screens showed highlights at half time – but only of the highlights of Bolton’s best chances. The stadium was only three quarters full at the beginning, and half full at the final whistle.
The intent of this post is not simply to criticise football as a spectator sport. The experience at Bolton was absolutely what I would expect from a relatively modest Premier League ground where ticket revenues are only one part of the economic model, far behind domestic and international TV rights. Equally, the World Cup Cycling was exactly what I would expect from a sport on the up three years out from the Olympic Games where participation is the key to sustained success in the UK beyond 2012. The point, though, is that only once this weekend did I feel valued as a customer.
On the same weekend, UK Sport announced there would be a world class sporting event in the UK every two weeks between now and the Olympic and Paralympic Games. This is the window for British spectator sporting interest to broaden out beyond football. Based on this weekend’s experience, I think there is a real chance of this happening. Not once did anyone at Bolton thank me for coming.
If I had another spare weekend in Manchester, I would be taking my young son to another cycling meet rather than one of the 5 local football teams. It would cost me less to do this than buy two half time burgers at the football. I wonder whether it is a sign of the times that I saw ticket touts at the cycling, but not the football!