A club built on goodwill?

[Beach Hut]

I really do hate this argument, some of us look back at the Withdean years with great fondness, not because of the quality of the team/stadium or facilities but because we were a bunch of fans willing to spend money on our team because it was OUR team.

It didn't matter who you were, how much money you had we were all there for the same reason, The Albion. Now I look around and wonder how many of these people would, if the worst happened again, come back and sit in the freezing rain at Withdean, not many I think.

The trouble is the club had to move on, I liked Withdean and there are loads of people I rarely see thse days that are in other parts of the ground but everything had to change to take the club forward.

I do however think they have made a massive mistake with the pricing of this game however the attendance will be the proof of whether they have or not.

 

[8ace]

Plenty more JCLs in the sea.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Confused, name this "one" oerson

He's referring to Paul Camillin / Insider - the 'poacher turned gamekeeper' line comes from the safe standing discussion.

To he fair, as press officer, Paul is duty bound to issue statements on behalf of the club, and I brt he doesn't agree with everything he issues.. it's just his job.

Paul is a die-hard Albion fan, just like all of us.

 

[Return of the Rev]

plenty more jcls in the sea.

And with pb telling them where to throw the fishing nets the catch will be abundant

 

[Simster]

It seems to me that there are one or two people in positions of authority at the club who are f***ing up the reputation of the club with it's own supporters.

 

[Hillian1]

It seems to me that there are one or two people in positions of authority at the club who are f***ing up the reputation of the club with it's own supporters.

Nail on head.

 

[Simster]

Nail on head.

There must be about 70 or 80 people directly employed at the Albion, yet one or two people are demoralising our supporters with their attitude to paying punters.

 

[Jim D]

Agree to a point Rev, we have reached the tipping point now.

It will all depend on the attendance of the Newcastle game as to wether the club has got it's pricing structure correct, I don't think they have but am hoping to be proved wrong because it means that even if I don't go to cup games someone will be there in my seat and it's paid for. The goodwill will always remain from me, even if I am priced out, the club HAS to move forward and I hope it does but it remains to be seen if it moves forward with me or without me.

I can't see how the Newcastle game will prove anything - it's on ITV and that will inevitably lead to people staying at home - many more than would even have stayed for a Sky/ESPN match. The TV fee itself is partly to compensate for a lower attendance. Unless we have less than 20000 at the game you won't be able to say one way or the other. I also remember exactly the same points being raised ahead of the Gillingham and Sunderland games last year. So far we've got the pricing just about right.

 

[Peter Grummit]

Some here have taken the line..."we have become more professional as a club, if you want us back fighting relegation with no money then go and watch someone else/ back to Withdean.."

If the Club were being truly professional as a business then

- communication and customer care would address the ticketing points and not duplicitly treat fans as idiot consumers
- in regard to the Newcastle pricing decision, there would be an evidence-based evaluation of pricing options, with agreed objectives (revenue maximising, or perhaps aiming for a minimum crowd to meet broader objectives). This would be based on evidence of demand sensitivity to ticket price (price elasticities) in light of the availability of a close substitute (network TV coverage) and of income sensitivity (recession, Xmas spending). These options would be presented to the Board for a decision.

As a professional consulting micro-economist specialising in demand forecasting, that would be my advice. Have they done this or are they not 'professional' enough? What do you think?

PG

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

He's referring to Paul Camillin / Insider - the 'poacher turned gamekeeper' line comes from the safe standing discussion.

To he fair, as press officer, Paul is duty bound to issue statements on behalf of the club, and I brt he doesn't agree with everything he issues.. it's just his job.

Paul is a die-hard Albion fan, just like all of us.

And a good man.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

And a good man.

Oh yes. Totally agree.

 

[8ace]

He's referring to Paul Camillin / Insider - the 'poacher turned gamekeeper' line comes from the safe standing discussion.

To he fair, as press officer, Paul is duty bound to issue statements on behalf of the club, and I brt he doesn't agree with everything he issues.. it's just his job.

Paul is a die-hard Albion fan, just like all of us.

Don't shoot the messenger.

 

[narly101]

I also remember exactly the same points being raised ahead of the Gillingham and Sunderland games last year. So far we've got the pricing just about right.

Those games weren't £39 a ticket for my seat, and not an even comparison. Those games were in August, the Gillingham game being only the 2nd game at the Amex so naturally a slightly more glamorous tie, considering. The comparison should be made to the Wrexham game we played in January last year, and I assure you they were never £39 either. The pricing of the Newcastle game is risking alienating the fundamental bed rock on which a club is based, it's supporters. I don't care that there may be more supporters waiting in the wings to grab my season ticket. The person who paid for this seat this year is me, and I have a choice to refuse my seat when the pricing is a crock of shit. The fact that Watford fans can pay £20 to see them play Man City at the Etihad makes it even more insulting that those in the Club who have agreed this pricing, feel they can squeeze this cash out of us.

I shall be firmly ensconsced in a public watering hole in the warm, watching my team, hopefully, beat Newcastle, safe in the knowledge that my £39 is going on beer for me and my mates, and nowhere near the robbing bastard who thinks that £39 is justified for the 3rd Round of the FA Cup.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

I agree with 'Return of'. I rarely buy a pie now, never buy a programme and not forking out £78 for me and Mrs Earle for Newcastle match. I'll watch it on TV and go see Rowan Atkinson at Theatre Royal instead! Only £60.

 

[Beach Hut]

He's referring to Paul Camillin / Insider - the 'poacher turned gamekeeper' line comes from the safe standing discussion.

To he fair, as press officer, Paul is duty bound to issue statements on behalf of the club, and I brt he doesn't agree with everything he issues.. it's just his job.

Paul is a die-hard Albion fan, just like all of us.

Ah right, well of course he will not say something that doesn't tow the club line otherwise it would cost him his job.

Nothing wrong with that at all.

 

[Beach Hut]

I agree with 'Return of'. I rarely buy a pie now, never buy a programme and not forking out £78 for me and Mrs Earle for Newcastle match. I'll watch it on TV and go see Rowan Atkinson at Theatre Royal instead! Only £60.

Funny you should say that, where we have two close games like Saturday / Tuesday coming up I will only buy a program on one of those days

 

[Tooting Gull]

He's referring to Paul Camillin / Insider - the 'poacher turned gamekeeper' line comes from the safe standing discussion.

To he fair, as press officer, Paul is duty bound to issue statements on behalf of the club, and I brt he doesn't agree with everything he issues.. it's just his job.

Paul is a die-hard Albion fan, just like all of us.

This with Christmas bells on.

Paul is, I'm sure, asked on occasion to carry out tasks and put his name to things these days which go against the grain of having supported this club through the dark days.

I'm guessing prices (since he will know people struggling to afford it, as well as those comfortably off that it isn't a problem) is near the top of that list.

Have to say I was extremely disappointed at how the ticket office handled a very bad and uncontested blunder by the club over my ST seats earlier this season, and money was at the root of their poor customer service and response.

It left me in that weird situation of not wanting to given them any more money, ever. But they are my club. If it had been a supermarket or bank, I would never have used them again.

 

[Goring Gull]

I'm not sure it's a case of goodwill. In my opinion if we are still mid table champioship in 3 seasons time, Take a look at the number of STHa nd the avarage attendance that will give a true picture.
My prediction if we don't move on will be average att around 19k

 

[Pavilionaire]

In the past the fans knew they were paying well over the odds for their matchday experience at Withdean. Two-thirds of the ticket price was to watch the match and the other third was a donation to the club because they were in the shit and needed the extra £7/£8 to survive/compete. This went on for over a decade.

Now, it seems, with the car park price hike, the ticket exchange abolition, food and drink price increases and the highest-priced cup tickets yet the club is pushing fans towards the limit. The difference is that we're no longer funding the club to survive, so what are we funding it for?

Presumably, to make the club fit for the Premier League. We have the stadium, we need to pay for the training facility now. These things cost money. Inevitably though, some die-hard fans will be priced out of the market and be replaced with JCLs. It would be nice to think this effect might be counter-acted with the introduction of safe standing but, alas, I think not.

 

[Justice]

I mentioned before asking 39 notes for watching a team half full of league 1 players is a piss take in the highest degree.