Chelsea prices

[ATFC Seagull]

As others have said, this WILL sell out, just depends who to. I am quite happy for someone random to have my seat - it might be someone who takes a kid along and they'll go back later in the year, it might be a Sussex based Chelsea "fan", either way they will spend £30 plus food/drinks.

I think commercially, the club have got this one spot on - although in terms of PR they have perhaps pissed off a few loyal fans. But then does anyone care about missing this one? I don't.

 

[thony]

It is not a testimonial in the same way as most others are, by that I mean there are no other former players playing in the game. It is more like a pre-season friendly for the current first team and he is allowed in goal!

Definition of "testimonial" from the Oxford English Dictionary:
"2 (sport) a game or event held in honour of a player, who typically receives part of the income generated"
It may be common practice for former players to participate, but it's not really a requirement to be able to call it a testimonial - besides, I can't see FDM complaining about playing alongside the likes of Vicente, Bridge and Bruno.

 

[Lethargic]

I suspect there will be more than 4k Chelsea fans there this has been as much arranged for them as us I can understand the cost that's the price of the premiership get used to it but turfing out home fans for them is not acceptable. My excuse me and the boy on holiday so decision made for us.

 

[severnside gull]

Out of interest what makes you think the match will lose the Albion money ? And why do we have to pay Chelsea a "fee" to play them ?

For me, I don't do friendlies - complete waste of time, you might as well go and watch a training session. AND I wouldn't pay £30 for a friendly against ANYONE.

If it was free entry at the Amex it would still cost me the best part of £100 to get there and back for a non competitive game - not something I could easily justify so I agree with you entirely.
I have some friends "inside" football and it is commonplace for large(r) clubs to charge a fee for friendlies - sometimes covering routine costs and sometimes much more. Logically I suspect Chelsea's "costs" roughly equate to the ticket sales from the West Stand Upper if that is what they have been given to sell. Albion therefore have the rest of the available seats to sell to cover their costs, as nearly as possible in full , for accomodating the fixture including staffing, energy, ground management, maintenance etc.

Reading will be charging considerably less - clubs do usually acknowledge testimonials by limiting their costs anyway - and some of the Albion's costs will be absorbed by the club in order to give FDM a decent return

 

[clapham_gull]

That is a slanderous statement. You are totally out of order.

It isn't - I totally agree with him.

Buggered if I'm paying that for a pre-season friendly only to see my seat given up to an away fan - one of the best seats in the house.

It smacks of a game organised for Chelsea and not one for Brighton.

I couldn't give a stuff about other people's opinion, but mine as a season ticket holder is this. I won't be attending.

Sorry.

 

[drew]

It isn't - I totally agree with him.

Buggered if I'm paying that for a pre-season friendly only to see my seat given up to an away fan - one of the best seats in the house.

It smacks of a game organised for Chelsea and not one for Brighton.

I couldn't give a stuff about other people's opinion, but mine as a season ticket holder is this. I won't be attending.

Sorry.

1. It's not your seat. You rent it from the club.
2. It may well have been organised for Chelsea. So what. Unlikely that any prem club will go out of their way to play a friendly against a championship team. It's been that way for years.
3. Agree, it is entirely up to you whether you go and as a STH you are entitled not to go. Although I'm just trying to recall all the glamourous friendlies we had over the 10 years at Withdean, that is of course when the seats weren't being used at the Open.

 

[saafend_seagull]

I'm going (and Reading).

£30 goes to the club at the end of the day. Better than spending £30 down your local pub

 

[clapham_gull]

1. It's not your seat. You rent it from the club.

Never realised that ! Cheers, I honestly thought it was mine.

I'm not pissed off about the friendly, I very very rarely go to them. My point is that - why on earth would I pay more than a league game to sit somewhere else in the ground ?

Each to his own, I struggle to view a pre-season game against Chelsea as "glamour". Enjoy the game.

 

[DT Withdean]

Who cares if they're European champions
Fact is most of us don't even like chelsea and we don't like it when they get the best seats in the house for starters and 25% of the capacity.Whats appealing about watching chelsea to us?we're Albion fans and we pay to watch the albion end of.

I'm glad many are giving it a miss

Fantastic post.

Many people can't stand Chelski, and also don't want to part with big money to see a run out against Abram's Subsidised Mercenaries.

The European Champions tag is not a clincher. The style of the 10 man defence performances were not enjoyable to watch. It's got nothing to with they are aren't sexy and foreign. Games against ManUre or Arsenal for example may well have generated more interest.

 

[cloud]

My point is that - why on earth would I pay more than a league game to sit somewhere else in the ground ?

Why not? I'm going to sit in different stands for those two games, and will enjoy the view from a different vantage point.

 

[Zamora For England]

Too expensive and Chelsea make for a TERRIBLE atmosphere. Especially as I'd imagine the core of their fanbase for the match will be mostly based in Sussex and rarely get to ANY football matches. Add to this, the probable chance they'll field a team of spotty oiks no-one's heard of.

No thanks.

 

[DT Withdean]

I'm sure Fat Frank will get a 45 minute warm up.

And some will get an ere*tion in seeing Eden Hazard out class Painter. So what!

 

[MaggieT83]

I know selhurst is a shit hole etc but my chelsea mate tried (and failed) to get me to go the palace vs chelsea friendly 2 years ago and it was £5 each in the home end.

£30 for me is a piss take for a friendly (as I personally don't see chelsea as one of the great clubs of this world) and it feels like the clubs selling its soul a little.

However its great business for the club and that's the nature of the game now. I shall look forward to the Reading game instead

 

[Superseagull69]

FDM would not have got all the receipts from a Chelsea game.

i actually think playing Reading (a team I remember him playing against) makes more sense anyway. Reading is FDM's match, Chelsea is Poyet's.

I understand why its not Chelsea. I was actually wondering why it couldnt of been on Saturday, when more people would of been able to show their appreciation of his passion & commitment to the club.

 

[Publius Ovidius]

Giving this a swerve due to cost....will play cricket instead.

Will go to kiups game though

 

[beorhthelm]

comical how people rationalise there not going by saying "it will just be the reserves". yeah, because all the chelsea players have plenty of games to get match fitness. and the reserves arent too shabby either. why not just say you dont want to go?

i can see alot of STH wouldnt want to, paying alot more than they do per game and in the peak holiday slot too. no doubt this will comfotably sell out though, plastics, part time fans, chelsea exiles will mop up what you dont want. Champions League winners Chelsea could have arranged a friendly with just about any club in europe, nice little old mates deal we should be pleased about. club gets a big game, players on both sides get a decent run out. everyones a winner, why the moan?

 

[bassking]

CHELSEA U-19S OR U-21 mmmmmmmm! not sure

 

[ozzygull]

the cost more then anything put me off. For me it's not just the price of a ticket but also the petrol cost. Also I have no interest in Chelsea, and I am willing to wait to watch Brighton in my seat in a competative game.

I also think if I went I would find the fact that there were Chelsea fans where I normally sit annoying. I understand why the club has done it, but it would still grate a little.

For all of you that are going I genuinely hope it's a good match for you and you have a great time.

 

[middletoenail]

This game could be against anyone and I would probably still go, I really am missing my footy fix in that fantastic stadium!

Yes, I'm a mug, but a happy one!

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

CHELSEA U-19S OR U-21 mmmmmmmm! not sure

Would be a mix, can see their new signings getting a run out though. Fairly sure a few would be rested for the Man City game the following week (Community Shield).

Maybe the brilliantly named Nortei Nortey will get a run out