A club built on goodwill?

[severnside gull]

The formula for "Return of the Rev" posts, see which post was popular over the week/weekend and repost the exact same thread with a different, and often more controversial slant on it. So predictable

so predictable indeed


long since passed beyond dull to simply dullard

 

[Guy Fawkes]

The albion had a great start in the new stadium with the fans feeling great about the way the club was run and responding in great numbers as season ticket holders and also with the volume of spends inside the stadium.Has the club managed to destroy the goodwill with its pricing and attitude to the loyal sussex public,it seems they have totally misread the footballing public,we are not a fashionable premiere side that attract football tourist at any price,we are fans that have an emotional investment in the club and many of us have been pushed with the amount of season tickets bought to include the kids,now it feels we are treated as a cash cow to be milked at will but this has backfired with the Newcastle pricing but most importantly a loss of goodwill.
The goose has been killed it appears.

And all that based one just one game? Both sides had to agree the match day prices and maybe Newcastle wanted full prices to be charged?

How many went to the Goldstone and paid on the gate? - most of us. Should we all have been up in arms then, claiming that the club were treating the fans like a cash cow to be milked, etc as some on here are now because we, the fans, could have paid far less a match if we had brought a ST back then.

The Newcastle match price is the price they charge for any league match at the Amex this season, if some are unhappy to pay that, that's fine by me but plenty of others are willing to to watch their team play a top flight side. What message does it send out to those who pay full price a match for Championship games if we cut prices for this match?

 

[Lower West Stander]

Customer service is dreadful without a doubt. My son broke his leg playing footy last week - I have phoned and emailed about trying to get access for him to the next few games as his leg is in full plaster and he can't sit in our usual seats ( we are season ticket holders).

No response at all.

Given the amount of money I am being asked to fork out for cup games as well as our season tickets I think that is pretty pathetic. I hope we are not descending into the corporate " couldn't give a shit world".

My personal experience tells me we are.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

In short the answer is no.

Remember where we have come from. What would you rather have?

oh dear, oh dear ,

 

[Return of the Rev]

and all that based one just one game? Both sides had to agree the match day prices and maybe newcastle wanted full prices to be charged?

How many went to the goldstone and paid on the gate? - most of us. Should we all have been up in arms then, claiming that the club were treating the fans like a cash cow to be milked, etc as some on here are now because we, the fans, could have paid far less a match if we had brought a st back then.

The newcastle match price is the price they charge for any league match at the amex this season, if some are unhappy to pay that, that's fine by me but plenty of others are willing to to watch their team play a top flight side. What message does it send out to those who pay full price a match for championship games if we cut prices for this match?

the message it sends out is please come and fill our stadium for a cup tie

 

[Bold Seagull]

Customer service is dreadful without a doubt. My son broke his leg playing footy last week - I have phoned and emailed about trying to get access for him to the next few games as his leg is in full plaster and he can't sit in our usual seats ( we are season ticket holders).

No response at all.

Given the amount of money I am being asked to fork out for cup games as well as our season tickets I think that is pretty pathetic. I hope we are not descending into the corporate " couldn't give a shit world".

My personal experience tells me we are.

Do you mean you phoned and no one answered, or no one could help?

 

[Lower West Stander]

Someone answered said they'd get back to me and have not done to date.

10 days and counting after three chase ups.

Not happy.

 

[Kent Seagull]

If the stadium is close to full the pricing is right, if it's only half full then it's wrong. Football is worth what people are prepared to pay. The higher the division the higher the price, if you are moaning now you'd better hope we don't get promoted because we all know that prices will rise again in the Prem.

I can't afford a season ticket and will be lucky if I can afford a couple of games this season. If they need my support prices will have to drop. If 28,000 people are prepared to pay the ticket price week in, week out, they will keep doing it. If you don't like the price don't pay it, if enough people don't like it the price will have to drop. That's pretty much how the pricing of everything works!
Simples!

 

[Guy Fawkes]

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

Half full of 1st Division players? - So when do they become Championship standard players? after a season where they finish 10th or during the following season where they are currently 1 pointy outside of the play-offs in 8th place?

 

[Guy Fawkes]

the message it sends out is please come and fill our stadium for a cup tie

And the problem is...?

Sounds like a few have an issue paying the going rate for something and want to lay the blame on the club for operating like what they are, a business rather than be willing to accept the prices and then chose if they want to pay it or not. If they chose they won't, they have a bonus of it being on TV but to me i think you can't beat actually being at a live match but that's my choice. No one is forcing anyone to go.

Or do they think we should continue to lose money every season like we did at Withdean just because we have a chairman who has spent a vast sum of money on the clubs facilities and feel that they are somehow owed something for their support over the years?

 

[Bigbelly]

The albion had a great start in the new stadium with the fans feeling great about the way the club was run and responding in great numbers as season ticket holders and also with the volume of spends inside the stadium.Has the club managed to destroy the goodwill with its pricing and attitude to the loyal sussex public,it seems they have totally misread the footballing public,we are not a fashionable premiere side that attract football tourist at any price,we are fans that have an emotional investment in the club and many of us have been pushed with the amount of season tickets bought to include the kids,now it feels we are treated as a cash cow to be milked at will but this has backfired with the Newcastle pricing but most importantly a loss of goodwill.
The goose has been killed it appears.

If you don't like it then turf shit. Id go what ever they charge as Im an Albion fan. Go and follow Hastings or Dover if you don't like it. Bellend.

 

[Commander]

The albion had a great start in the new stadium with the fans feeling great about the way the club was run and responding in great numbers as season ticket holders and also with the volume of spends inside the stadium.Has the club managed to destroy the goodwill with its pricing and attitude to the loyal sussex public,it seems they have totally misread the footballing public,we are not a fashionable premiere side that attract football tourist at any price,we are fans that have an emotional investment in the club and many of us have been pushed with the amount of season tickets bought to include the kids,now it feels we are treated as a cash cow to be milked at will but this has backfired with the Newcastle pricing but most importantly a loss of goodwill.
The goose has been killed it appears.

You've already said, time and time again that you are being ripped off and won't be going for that much longer. Is there any way you could put a definite timescale on this for us? Because I'm assuming if you aren't going anymore then you won't be posting your boring drivel on here anymore. Looking forward to that day.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

WE BUILT THIS CITY

We built this city on rock and roll

And bungaroosh

 

[Bigbelly]

You've already said, time and time again that you are being ripped off and won't be going for that much longer. Is there any way you could put a definite timescale on this for us? Because I'm assuming if you aren't going anymore then you won't be posting your boring drivel on here anymore. Looking forward to that day.

I'm looking forward to the day more. 50 year old bloke who makes a cow head up and paddles off the shed at the bottom of his garden and takes a picture is f***ing sad.

 

[drew]

I think the problem some people have is that Withdean changed their view of the club. Prior to that at the Goldstone, what goodwill did the club foster with the fans? We watched in a delapidated stadium, for many years fenced in with crap catering etc etc. Withdean and the subsequent battle for Falmer created a backs to the wall/circle the wagons metality which got the job done. However, excluding Bellotti and Archer, had TB had the club and moved to a new stadium at Falmer straight from the Goldstone, does anyone think the situation we are now in would be any different. Professional football is a commercial enterprise that needs to be funded. The club are playing a prestige premiership team which have a huge fanbase of their own. They are charging their normal match day prices. I see absolutely no problem with this. Yes I would prefer it to be cheaper but then I would like my season ticket to be cheaper. For those of you that can't afford to pay then you have my sympathy but that is the way of the world. Supply and demand. If the club sell enough tickets they can justify the price and do the same next time. If they don't then they might revise them for the next cup tie, hopefully this season.

I am intrigued to understand exactly where we are being fleeced! Getting rid of the caterers was a big step which was done on the back of complaints from fans. There may well be other commercial aspects but surely a lot of people on this forum have got their wish. Programmes aren't much more than they were at Withdean but they are infinitely bigger and better. We get beer on the concourse for about the price you would pay on a night out. For those with a bigger budget there is the hospitality.

The club have had a meeting with regard to safe standing. They have their view point which seems they will not go down that route. It's not cast in stone but because some fans aren't getting their way the club are all of a sudden totally in the wrong. It's incredible how many seem to think the legislation is the fault of the club.

We are now getting to the stage where every little thing that happens is the fault of the evil dark lord Barber. It's becoming a joke.

 

[Steve.S]

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

We will find out soon enough. I think January is a big month for the club. If they are serious about moving the club forward, and want people to pay the prices they are asking. Then I think the fans would expect some movement from the club in the transfer market. The club has to be challenging for play offs/promotion in order to justify increases.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

I think the problem some people have is that Withdean changed their view of the club. Prior to that at the Goldstone, what goodwill did the club foster with the fans? We watched in a delapidated stadium, for many years fenced in with crap catering etc etc. Withdean and the subsequent battle for Falmer created a backs to the wall/circle the wagons metality which got the job done. However, excluding Bellotti and Archer, had TB had the club and moved to a new stadium at Falmer straight from the Goldstone, does anyone think the situation we are now in would be any different. Professional football is a commercial enterprise that needs to be funded. The club are playing a prestige premiership team which have a huge fanbase of their own. They are charging their normal match day prices. I see absolutely no problem with this. Yes I would prefer it to be cheaper but then I would like my season ticket to be cheaper. For those of you that can't afford to pay then you have my sympathy but that is the way of the world. Supply and demand. If the club sell enough tickets they can justify the price and do the same next time. If they don't then they might revise them for the next cup tie, hopefully this season.

I am intrigued to understand exactly where we are being fleeced! Getting rid of the caterers was a big step which was done on the back of complaints from fans. There may well be other commercial aspects but surely a lot of people on this forum have got their wish. Programmes aren't much more than they were at Withdean but they are infinitely bigger and better. We get beer on the concourse for about the price you would pay on a night out. For those with a bigger budget there is the hospitality.

The club have had a meeting with regard to safe standing. They have their view point which seems they will not go down that route. It's not cast in stone but because some fans aren't getting their way the club are all of a sudden totally in the wrong. It's incredible how many seem to think the legislation is the fault of the club.

We are now getting to the stage where every little thing that happens is the fault of the evil dark lord Barber. It's becoming a joke.

It is indeed becoming a joke.

Yes, Newcastle tickets are expensive - I'm most likely not going - but if it doesn't sell well the same mistake on price won't be made again.

I can't really get stressed about current standing issues in the north stand.

Safe standing is not an issue until it becomes legal, and the club have at least agreed to not rule it out.

The only real issue I can see is the matchday ticket selling strategy with the poor, expensive seats on sale first. I'm sure this will be overhauled shortly as clearly the away ticketing hasn't worked out as expected either. I expect the club to seriously consider dynamic pricing in future. Add in a small number of cheap last minute unsold seats, for students / U21s, and everything will be sorted.

 

[Arkwright]

We all want OUR club to progress and maybe one day play in the top flight again. To achieve this costs money and the club have little alternative but to charge the going rate to play a top side like Newcastle.

So many things about the Amex are expensive but that is the price of success.

Just as an aside, if we drew Newcastle away and they charged £39 per ticket giving us say 6,000 tickets would we sell out, I think that would be a yes!

 

[Bigbelly]

We will find out soon enough. I think January is a big month for the club. If they are serious about moving the club forward, and want people to pay the prices they are asking. Then I think the fans would expect some movement from the club in the transfer market. The club has to be challenging for play offs/promotion in order to justify increases.

Good post.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

You've already said, time and time again that you are being ripped off and won't be going for that much longer. Is there any way you could put a definite timescale on this for us? Because I'm assuming if you aren't going anymore then you won't be posting your boring drivel on here anymore. Looking forward to that day.

Better still, any chance RofR can be priced out of NSC too?