Between 19th and 26th September, we ran a survey seeking feedback about OASF from all fans. The aim was to help us make OASF the best organisation it can be and ensure we are satisfying our members and attracting new ones. We have finished analysing the survey responses and have produced a summary.
Who responded
Of the 189 people who responded, just over half were current paid OASF members.
We asked all non-members why they weren’t an OASF member. The most common reason was that they felt that they have no reason to become an OASF member. This response was most common amongst respondents who had never been an OASF member.
Of the ‘Other’ responses, the most common reason was simply not having gotten round to signing up or never having considered it. 4 respondents cited disliking some of the currently elected board members. Other responses included uncertainty about OASF’s mission since the takeover and disagreement with the boycott under the previous ownership.
Initiatives
The next section of the survey asked respondents about OASF initiatives – both current and future. The first question asked for views on existing initiatives. Overall, all initiatives were well-supported.
The second question asked what other initiatives OASF should do, with some suggestions. The most popular answers were the Latics art project (107 in favour) and regular satisfaction surveys on Latics-related topics (103 in favour).
18 respondents provided ‘other’ suggestions. The most common were regional supporter clubs, initiatives to tackle loneliness/improve mental wellbeing amongst Latics fans, and hosting events for members.
We gave respondents the chance to provide other initiatives-related feedback. The most common responses were:
Promote existing initiatives more as some were unaware of them.
Increase communication of our monthly meetings with the Latics CEO, Darren Royle.
Increase focus on fundraising for the 1895 Fund to either build a contingency fund or to invest in the Club.
Replace the faded ‘Trust Oldham’ banner at Boundary Park.
Host events for members.
Communication
This section of the survey was all about how OASF communicates, and how we can do that better. 81% of respondents (154) were satisfied with OASF’s existing communication methods, with only 4% dissatisfied.
When we asked about what other communication methods we should use, the most common response was participating in the Boundary Park Alert System! podcast every month (108 responses). A significant minority (57 respondents) also supported regular members’ forums.
We asked respondents to provide any other suggestions for how we can improve our communication. 34 respondents provided comments. The most common themes were:
To increase the frequency of sharing updates on discussions between OASF and the Club.
To focus on our physical matchday presence, including moving the kiosk to different parts of the ground.
A couple of respondents also asked for a summary of OASF board meetings.
OASF seat on the Board of Oldham Athletic
As part of our 3% shareholding in Oldham Athletic, OASF is entitled to appoint a director to the board of the Club. We aim to fill that position later this year after the previous role holder, Darren Mills, stood down at this year’s Annual General Meeting. Before negotiating a rework of the position with the Club and appointing someone, we asked respondents how they thought the position should work.
Firstly, we asked whether the appointment of the OASF director the Club board should be ratified by a vote of OASF members. 61% of respondents said that OASF members should ratify the appointment, with 21% disagreeing.
Next, we asked what the main responsibilities of the OASF representative on the Club board should be. All the options we provided had a majority of respondents voting in favour.
The most common “Other” responses included:
The OASF representative on the Club board should represent the views of all Latics fans.
OASF should get an agreement with the Club about what can/will be shared, with one respondent suggesting that the Club/OASF should publish it.
Membership
The final section of the survey asked about the current OASF membership offer and how it can be improved. Firstly, we asked how satisfied respondents were with the existing membership offer. 74% of respondents were satisfied with the cost of OASF membership (£12 per year) whilst 65% were satisfied with the items in the membership offer.
The other question in this section asked about how the membership offer could be improved. Discounts at the club shop, like for season ticket holders, was the most common response (102 respondents). Increasing the amount of OASF merchandise where the OASF member discount can be used also got support from a significant minority (81 respondents) and similar for a discount on away travel (76 respondents).
There were a range of ‘other’ suggestions for how to improve the OASF membership offer with no clear themes. Some suggestions included:
New merchandise for younger/left-leaning supporters.
Recognition of longstanding OASF members such as a ‘hall of fame’ or videos from the board thanking them.
Member-exclusive events.
Discounts on match tickets.
Talk more about OASF being a member of the Football Supporters Association.
Discounts from local businesses.
Other feedback
Our final question provided respondents the opportunity to give any other feedback they had on how we can improve OASF. Only 42 respondents answered this question, with several using it to provide positive feedback/encouragement. The most common suggested improvements from the remaining respondents included:
Increasing the number of OASF members.
Running regular surveys/temperature checks.
Making OASF’s mission under the new ownership clearer.
Publishing more information from OASF and Club meetings.
Prevent a repeat of the recent breach of our social media policy by board members.
Conclusion
Thank you to everyone who completed the survey. The OASF board will consider the results at our next board meeting and use it in formulating our plans to continuously improve OASF.
Sign up to become a member of OASF for just £12 per year.