Apart from the professional failure, the big problem that bothers the people of Hapoel Jerusalem is the issue of the crowd.
In recent years, the number of fans at home games has been declining, and the atmosphere in the arena stands is not reminiscent of the energies of the Uri Alon era, and certainly not the warm atmosphere remembered by Malcha stands, peace be upon him.
After a long time in which the issue was neglected, recently in Jerusalem they decided to focus on the connection with the audience and the return of the fans to the arena.
"Israel Today" is trying to get to the root of the problem and understand how the Red Club intends to solve it.
The connection with the audience
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One of the things that comes up in conversations with fans, podcasts and different groups is the feeling that in recent years they have felt unnecessary in terms of the club.
As if they had been told enough to buy a ticket and come.
This was expressed, among other things, on social networks, the best means of making direct contact with the audience.
Until last summer, Hapoel Jerusalem, the second largest team in Israeli basketball, did not invest too much in the field, and in some periods even neglected social media almost completely.
Suleiman Braimo, Photo: Danny Maron
The club understands the problem, and last summer brought a person who specializes in the subject to sing the activities in this sector.
The same person recently left, but the path he started continued, and today the team in red is one of the most prominent in the networks.
Also, the club members have started to tighten the bond in front of the crowd, and one of the ideas that has come up is to have an open training once every few weeks, where fans can chat with the professional team and the players and make direct contact with them.
Viewing experience
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The arena in Jerusalem has great potential, but the problematic day-to-day maintenance and lack of investment on the part of the team have in recent years led to a bad experience of watching home games.
The group is also aware of this and is working to improve the viewing experience.
Today, a large part of the team's fans do not live in Jerusalem, and for them every trip to the game is a complex task.
The combination of the distance, the late game hours set by the league administration and the broadcasting body, the professional lack of success and the displeasure of staying in a large and alienated facility, caused many fans, including those who hold subscribers, not to come to the games.
The goal is to make fans want to get to the games, not just because of what’s going on on the hardwood, but because of the family fun that surrounds the game.
The group is also aware of this and is working to improve the viewing experience.
In the game against Hapoel Galil Elyon, the players' presentation ceremony was accompanied by a special setting, and there are also plans to make the arena colorful and festive on game days, from fan music in the hallways, through activities for children to merchandise accessories distributed at the entrance and stands.
If there is one thing that can be noted to win Hapoel Jerusalem, perhaps more than any other team in the league, it is the community activities that last for many years.
The club say a new generation of fans is growing in the city, and now they want to take advantage of the community activities and expand them to reach new audiences and connect them to the group.
Yotam Halperin, Photo: Liron Modloven
In the last game, a salute was held to the medical teams in the city for their war against the corona plague, while in tonight's game against Bnei Herzliya, Women's Day will be marked with a special discounted price for women in the upcoming games.
The club hopes that these activities, along with additional actions to be taken, will drive the desired change.
Vision and professional success
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The club knows that in the end professional success and a clear vision will be the most powerful tool for returning the audience.
"The corona disrupted us, something broke. Until then, we had a very clear culture," CEO Guy Harel admitted in a recent lecture.
Even the fans feel that there is no vision and no way.
Even when there were difficult times, the audience continued to believe in the group.
In the 2017/18 season, which was a diligent failure with a relegation already in the first stage of the EuroCup, an average of 7,757 fans attended the home games.
This season, only 3,756 fans bothered to get to the play-offs in the Champions League play-off series, which came after a successful professional period.
Corona and rival attractiveness have an impact, but the main reason is the feeling among the audience of the lack of a clear direction.
Jerusalem claims they are working to get the club back on track, and as proof of this they do not intend to give up the current season, despite a significant loss of profits following the relegation from Europe.
KC Rivers was recently signed for a high salary, and the deals of Suleiman Braimo and the long-term signing of Noam Dovrat, which the club is very proud of, also required a large financial investment.
"The goal is for everyone to understand that we are going full force on the goal that still remains - the championship title. This will be a strong message for the coming years as well," Jerusalem concludes.
Tonight in the Premier League: Hapoel Galil Elyon - Hapoel Eilat (18:00);
Hapoel Tel Aviv Urban Ness Ziona (18:30); Hapoel Jerusalem - Bnei Herzliya (20:30).
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