“Subpar” - Sheffield Wednesday owner Dejphon Chansiri urged to make Hillsborough change | OneFootball

Sheffield Wednesday have been told to improve the catering at Hillsborough to attract fans to the ground earlier and increase revenue.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Sheffield Wednesday and owner Dejphon Chansiri have been told to improve the catering at Hillsborough, both for the fans and as a way to increase revenue.

The Owls have had a decent start to the season, with Danny Rohl’s side currently 15th in the table, and that has been built on their home form.

The Yorkshire side have picked up seven points from their first four games on their own patch, whilst their remarkable survival in the previous campaign was down to impressive results at Hillsborough.

Sheffield Wednesday told to improve the catering at Hillsborough

So, it’s looking good for Wednesday on the pitch, but, as is the case for all clubs, there are ways to improve the fan experience for supporters at Hillsborough, which has been the Owls’ home since 1899.

And, when asked by FLW what one change he would make to the stadium, Wednesday fan pundit Patrick identified the catering as an area that should be looked at by the club.

He said: “An obvious answer is the catering side. It has been subpar for years, the quality of the food and drink isn’t good enough, and the queues are long, which discourages people from using it. That means they’re spending their money outside the stadium.

“If you get the catering right, it could help get fans in before the game, to buy the food and have a pint or two in the ground. At half-time, if you’ve got enough service, there’s more revenue if people can get a pie and a pint.

“That’s an easier fix for the club. Yes, of course, with Hillsborough it’s an old stadium, and any structural changes would be good, but they’d be harder to do. In the short term, if you improve the catering, it would help.

“Also, the fan zone was a good idea, but it’s gone by the wayside as well, so look into that, revive it, as they’re popular now at other stadiums. They can drive revenue, and that’s something that could be improved.”

Sheffield Wednesday should benefit from their home support

This is a sensible recommendation for Wednesday, as they are a big club who have averaged over 27,500 this season, so the support is there.

Giving those fans the best possible experience should always be a priority, particularly when you look at how much they pay for tickets.

Yet, as outlined above, it can also help the club, as the more people they get through the gates early on, the more money they can bring in. So, if it’s a case of improving the catering, or even putting offers on, it’s something that Chansiri should consider.

We know the importance of increasing revenues in the modern game, and this seems like an easy way for Wednesday to benefit, as well as making things better for the fans.

But Wednesday, like other clubs, should still be trying to make the whole matchday experience enjoyable for those on the terraces, so ensuring they have quality catering, and ideas like a fan zone, should be achievable goals for the club.