Wigan Athletic awarded Family Excellence Status

Wigan Athletic awarded Family Excellence Status

Wigan Athletic has once again achieved Family Excellence Status thanks to the Fan Zone experience for the 2022/23 season.

The award recognises the quality of family experience provided by clubs, and Latics are one of a record 66 clubs in the EFL to have achieved the status this season. Over the course of the season, each club receives two visits from a family assessor, who provides feedback on a number of areas, including the club website, ticketing, facilities, matchday staff and much more.

As a result of the EFL’s two visits during the 2022/23 campaign, the club has been recognised and praised for the continuous improvement in the family experience at the DW Stadium, especially in the Fan Zone area. There has been a big increase in attendance in the Family Zone and over 5,000 children and grassroots teams across Wigan having been invited by the Club to fixtures across the season to enjoy the family match day facilities in South Stand.

The EFL praised the work of the Fan Engagement Officer, Diane, and the activities including the engagement on offer in the Family Zone on matchdays. The range of activities and enthusiasm of the club staff were praised, whilst recommendations were also put forward to improve the experience. The EFL has worked directly with clubs since the scheme was introduced in the 2007/08 season, and during that time junior season ticket sales have risen by 41%, with overall sales up by 28%.

“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.”

Trevor Birch, Chief Executive of EFL