The Club has been awarded with a Family Excellence Gold Award for the 2024/25 season for their outstanding work in delivering an unforgettable matchday experience for families when they visit the Poundland Bescot Stadium.The Saddlers are one of just 18 EFL clubs to earn Gold Award Status and we are also pleased to share that they ranked in first position out of all Sky Bet League Two clubs this season, seventh out of the entire EFL.
For another consecutive year, a record number of EFL Clubs have achieved Family Excellence recognition. The scheme awards EFL clubs with either Gold, Silver or Bronze status based on the matchday experience they provide to families.
The EFL’s Family Excellence Scheme assesses the matchday experience Clubs provide for families. Throughout the season, clubs receive two visits from family assessors who evaluate the matchday experience for families from purchasing tickets right through to the moment they leave the stadium.
The family assessors consider the quality of matchday activations and experience, stadium accessibility and facilities, retail and refreshments, and how the Club communicates with families.
During the 2024/25 season the club continued to make strides in enhancing the matchday experience for supporters attending the Poundland Bescot Stadium.
This season has seen the introduction of the First Time Fan Experience where people attending their first match get to go on a tour of the stadium, meet first team players and take part in activities with our mascot Swifty. The Club also introduced the Junior Team Read, giving young supporters the chance to read out the starting XI’s of their respective teams.
Activities in the Fan Zone continues to grow and they continue to work hard to grow the experience in our bar, The Locker. They have also had another of dedicated matchdays, such as our South Asian Heritage celebration, giving supporters something different to look forward to at different matches.
Walsall FC's commitment to supporter experience was recognised by their nomination at the recent Football Business Awards for Fan Engagement Award, another signal of the progress made.
Head of Marketing and Communications, James Gibbins, who leads on Fan Engagement projects at Walsall FC said: "We are really proud to once again achieve Gold Award Status, ranking first in League Two.
"It is a testament to the hard work of everyone at the club and, most importantly, our incredible supporters who continue to engage with and embrace everything we do.
"It’s been great to be able to introduce lots of new activities and build on the good strides we’ve made over the last two years.
"A lot of hard work has gone in from all the staff here to ensure we continue to improve and we’re excited to continue looking at ways we can further enhance supporter experience in the future."
EFL Chief Executive Officer, Trevor Birch, said: "We are incredibly proud of the effort all our Clubs put in to ensure the matchday experience is a welcoming and enjoyable one for all families.
"To see more Clubs than ever before receive Family Excellence recognition is testament to the unforgettable day out our Clubs work hard to deliver for families up and down the country.
"The scheme is designed to support Clubs and we have seen it help them to expand their ever-growing fanbases and attract the next generation of supporters."