2023/24 – FASTEST GROWING CLUB IN LONDON

As Hampton & Richmond continues its rapid professionalisation, and as we welcome a new First Team Manager and a change to our Board Structure, it offers us a chance to look back at the incredible feats achieved by our Club this past season. A season of firsts and records for the Borough of Richmond’s Premier football side.  

It was clear leading into the 2023/24 season there was plenty of intrigue and excitement around the new set-up at Hampton & Richmond. Our focus at the beginning of the year was on delivering for the fans and community in three key areas: Innovating the match day experience to drive attendance, delivering value and social impact for the community, and increasing the quality of our content to put the club on the map and grow engagement from media. Driven by these goals, we were able to take big leaps forward in a short space of time. 

The social media buzz soon became a reality, when over 700 fans attended our first home game of the season on a Tuesday night against Weymouth. To put it into context, in the previous Season our best Tuesday night attendance was 508, against Havant & Waterlooville.  

This increase was not just a start of season one-off. A month later, a further 935 fans attended our Tuesday night game against Worthing, an outstanding figure for the traditionally moderate crowds expected on a Tuesday night.  

Thanks to our Operations Team, Media Team and of course the wonderful Hampton & Richmond fans, we increased our average attendance on the previous Season by a staggering 60% across all league and cup competitions. This included several high performing event-based games, such as New Year’s Day, with 1,700 in attendance, and Easter Friday, when a mammoth 2,031 supporters took the Bev by storm. This is a huge indication of the untapped potential of football in the Borough of Richmond and South-West London.  

The dramatic increase in supporters new and old provided a whole new source of footfall, which saw our Matchday revenue boosted by 56%. A new bar service manned by well-trained and courteous staff, and a wide range of food options made the Bev the place to be on a Saturday afternoon for families and young adults. Taking our crown as the star sporting attraction in the area has helped us take massive steps on our quest for sustainability.  

Later in the season, we experimented with mobile bars which could be placed in areas of the ground never previously served, cutting down on wait times and improving the fan experience. We also began to open our doors to more unique food vendors, such as Fish and Chip stalls, Dicko’s Diner and Premium Coffee vans to create a warm and family friendly atmosphere.  

With a raised profile in the community and a cutting-edge media department driving engagement, we were delighted to be able to raise over £20,000 for our title partners Movember.  It was hugely exciting for us to be able to support the fantastic work they do as the largest men’s health charity in the world. 

Fans, players and staff were all excited to get involved during the annual November “Grow a Mo, to save a Bro” campaign which brought the Club together while raising vital funds. We are, therefore, delighted to be continuing with Movember as our front of shirt partner for the 2024/25 Season.  

The aforementioned work of our Media team has been a huge boost to the Club, as they delivered some of the best content in the National League this season.  

Across our social media channels, we saw large organic growth, including a 36% increase in TikTok followers and a 40% increase in YouTube Subscribers. Our small yet efficient team took a rapid iterative approach throughout the season, constantly experimenting, adapting and improving over time.  

 In fact, we are proud to be virtually the only Club that provides employment for its academy students (16 – 18yr olds) across the media department and more; our highlight packages and Tik Tok channels are all delivered by our students. By the end of the Season, we were able to provide first class commentary watchalongs of our home games, to bring fans who couldn’t make it to the Beveree  closer to the action than ever, while also welcoming new viewers for the first time.   

Fans and visitors now recognize our best-in-class commentators and announcers as a constant and exciting feature of our matchdays. Our X (Twitter) became a professional and attractive newsfeed, Instagram allowed us to collaborate with players and brands to boost awareness, TikTok exposed the Club to a new, younger audience, and YouTube became our premium visual content site.   The biggest increase came in our number of web users, increasing 700% from 2,000 monthly users to around 15,000 in just one-year, proof of an exponential increase in the Club’s reputation both locally and internationally. 

This exposure was not limited to the Club’s own channels. Several national and world-wide publications cast their eyes on the Beavers throughout the Season, leading to Hampton & Richmond FC appearing in The Athletic, the Daily Mail and Four Four Two amongst others. Our Commentator, Jonny Luter, was even featured in the ever popular “Football Cliches” Podcast! 

With an increased media presence, more eyes on the Club and some terrific achievements on the field, we were ecstatic to see a staggering 350% increase in shop sales. Combining our on-site Stadium shop with our all-new online site, fans couldn’t get enough of our excellent shirt selections, winter ranges and accessories. Our limited-edition winter hats sold out within the first week and, even with the increased crowds, it became easy to spot so many Hampton & Richmond supporters proudly wearing their Club colours. 

We are also very proud, with our ongoing focus on elevating the local community, to provide jobs to locals, youth, and committed fans who wanted to give back to their favourite club.  This has also led to a refreshed and committed volunteer force which we look to continuously grow whilst providing them with training and development opportunities that may eventually lead to jobs. 

The 2023/24 Season was one of change, experimentation and, ultimately, success. Our team has learned many valuable lessons that are being discussed and built upon in the off-season. With Hampton & Richmond on the rise, we can’t wait to implement new ideas and strategies in what is sure to be another exciting Season in 2024/25.