Sutton United has been awarded Family Excellence Status for the 2022/23 season and joins a record number of 66 EFL Clubs in achieving the accolade. Twelve clubs have also been recognised as ‘Gold Award’ winners for the exceptional family experience they provide for supporters on matchdays.
The Family Excellence scheme sees clubs receive two visit assessments each season, in order to determine the quality of the family matchday experiences they provide. The scheme recognises the continuous improvement and best practice that emerges across the League and rewards clubs for their efforts in attracting and retaining young supporters.
The League has worked directly with clubs since the scheme was introduced in the 2007/8 season and during that time junior season ticket sales have risen by 41% with overall sales up by 28%.
The appetite for live football shows no signs of slowing down with crowds for the 2022/23 season across the EFL increasing by 12% compared to the previous season with attendances at an all-time high this century.
Claire Loughlin, Sutton United's Supporter Liaison Officer, said: ''It's great to see that the efforts of everyone working and volunteering at our club have once again secured our Family Excellence award. We've made some great changes this season to our matchday offerings to supporters, and we're constantly learning ways in which we can keep getting better and better. I'm proud to play my part in that, and look forward to another season working with our supporters to make Sutton United somewhere we continue to be proud to call home.''
EFL Chief Executive, Trevor Birch, said: “Our clubs deserve an enormous amount of praise for the outstanding work they have done in making sure the matchday experience is a welcoming one for all families, which has helped boost attendances across all our competitions.
From improved engagement with supporters before and after games, to innovative approaches on the matchday itself, such as creating dedicated fan zones and improving catering options, clubs are pulling out all the stops to enhance their offering and attract the next generation of young fans.
I would like to congratulate all those Clubs who have achieved Family Excellence status and thank them for their efforts.”
For further details of the award and the clubs who were awarded Family Excellence status click here.