Congratulations to Paul Barber.

[Beach Hut]

What are season and ticket prices like though?

No idea on season tickets but the ticket costs were about £25 each and the stadium was a quarter full as the 2nd game after the official opening game of the season the night before.

I have to say I did find baseball a bit tedious at times.

 

[jimbob5]

Its OK jimbob05 will be fine, he'll have his "din-din's" first, the rest of us can f**k off !!!

If you'd managed to get out of bed by 1PM you'd have managed to eat before the match. I know that for a FACT

 

[HAILSHAM SEAGULL]

I still think that a pie (sausage/bean/cheese guest combo) and pint (Kronie) deal for £7.50 is tremendous value for a football stadium.

I had a pie and a pint yesterday for £7-50, and recieved £1-13 cash back. ality pie and a pint for £6-37.
Show me anywhere else that can match those prices.

 

[jimbob5]

I still think that a pie (sausage/bean/cheese guest combo) and pint (Kronie) deal for £7.50 is tremendous value for a football stadium.

Some peeps are sharp enough to spot the deals.

 

[Rugrat]

why would I want to stand around a concourse when I could sit in a warm pub.

This was conveniently missed in PB's last lecture on the subject.

Pre match I have to queue, pay premium prices for sometimes sh*t stuff (try the Guinness if you dare!) nowhere to sit and can't get out to have a smoke (if I did) and can't see any mates who sit in other stands.

There may not be a whole lot the club can do about any of that, but for PB to simply ignore it and try to make us feel guilty for not buying in the ground is somewhat disingenuous

 

[portlock seagull]

The economics of the modern football and The Albion are currently very cold, you are correct.....

I can either "shut up and put up" or I can quite rightly voice my opinion, bringing non league football into the argument is a brilliant one because guess what? Gates are up and football fans are starting to vote with their feet.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...oned-fans-head-for-the-nonleague-9810932.html

Yep, football is the strangest business of all. We are treated with utter contempt and price rises as a reward for loyalty in more difficult times. And yet come back for more. We are a very strange species and no mistake to non watchers of the game!

 

[Rugrat]

I have to say I did find baseball a bit tedious at times.

Blimey, if it ever got as exciting as tedious I might be tempted. I was fortunate once to get invited to a "double header" ... never ever again!

 

[burrish-gull]

No idea on season tickets but the ticket costs were about £25 each and the stadium was a quarter full as the 2nd game after the official opening game of the season the night before.

I have to say I did find baseball a bit tedious at times.

The trouble with comparing "soccer" football with American sport is that it doesn't last as long, NFL and Baseball go on forever, its designed that way. To get around this clubs like the Albion are trying to entice people in with other entertainment and keep people in the ground longer. This is absolutely fine but football is a results based game and even "gimmicks" won't wash with most people, to be honest though I feel that modern football isn't interested in the average supporter (they pay lip service to us) and only those who can and will provide hard corporate cash on a regular basis are worthy, because thats how football is at the present time.....

 

[burrish-gull]

If you'd managed to get out of bed by 1PM you'd have managed to eat before the match. I know that for a FACT

My twin boys have me up at 7:30am on match days, next question......

 

[London Irish]

Just got round to reading PB's Boro match notes. Did make me laugh him listing free access to the museum and the bandstand "fanzone" as examples of our value for money, his PR is usually a little more sure-footed than that.

Under a bit of pressure perhaps, but again I feel in an impossible position to judge him, his work terms of reference are known only by the board and, for me, it's up to them to judge his work performance.

We the fans should judge three things, the players, the manager and the board, everyone else - either scapegoats or none of our business

 

[jimbob5]

My twin boys have me up at 7:30am on match days, next question......

I just hope they don't grow up to be feckless!

 

[burrish-gull]

The museum should be free, it documents the huge struggles the fans went through to get The Amex, I bet the people who put the time in to build it didn't get paid top dollar.

As with regards to the 'bands' no covers act I know of gets more than £250 per gig, hardly breaking the bank....

Just got round to reading PB's Boro match notes. Did make me laugh him listing free access to the museum and the bandstand "fanzone" as examples of our value for money, his PR is usually a little more sure-footed than that.

Under a bit of pressure perhaps, but again I feel in an impossible position to judge him, his work terms of reference are known only by the board and, for me, it's up to them to judge his work performance.

We the fans should judge three things, the players, the manager and the board, everyone else - either scapegoats or none of our business

 

[Bwian]

I take on board some of that however a lot of people campaigned for real ale and real pies which comes at a higher cost, you cannot have your cake and eat it so to speak there was always going to be a far higher cost for the food and drink.



Alternatively the club just purchase a years worth of Pukka pies and you get the same as every other football ground.

It is the over the top cavalier price increases that kicked in this season that people have issues with and have voted with their feet. Barber took offence at people encouraging others to stop buying food, drinks and official merchandise and in a way I sympathise with that but he seriously miscalculated how many people didn't need encouraging. His pricing has emptied the concourses-there is only so much disposable income for football and many have reached their threshold. It reminds me of the train companies: Ridership is falling, we'd better put fares up to make up the numbers. Repeat ad finitum until people are priced out of train travel.

Until a few of months ago I was supportive of Barber, knowing finances needed sorting out, FFP, blah blah blah, he answers emails, etc., etc. I'm not sure now.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Barber took offence at people encouraging others to stop buying food, drinks and official merchandise

But apparently allows the caterers to close some major kiosks in the concourses 20 minutes after the final whistle? How on earth can that do anything other than accelerate the downward spiral of stadium spend?

 

[Mr Blobby]

the WSL bar (North end) where we always meet post game was virtually empty after the game, no queue and the pile of pies left was massive! People are voting with their feet! It did on the positive side mean that I got a decent pint of Harveys within about 30 seconds of ordering it!

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

the WSL bar (North end) where we always meet post game was virtually empty after the game, no queue and the pile of pies left was massive! People are voting with their feet! It did on the positive side mean that I got a decent pint of Harveys within about 30 seconds of ordering it!

That's the ultimate dilemma for the club. The more 'customers' vote with their feet, the more the bottom line suffers. Yet at the same time the level of 'customer' satisfaction rises dramatically from those who remain, in terms of less queueing time for every damn thing. Seems to me the club did completely the right 'future-proofing' thing by expanding the stadium as early as possible in order to keep construction costs down. but seems equally clear that the stadium can only operate comfortably for all concerned when there are about 20K paying punters actually passing through the turnstiles.

 

[Skylar]

the WSL bar (North end) where we always meet post game was virtually empty after the game, no queue and the pile of pies left was massive! People are voting with their feet! It did on the positive side mean that I got a decent pint of Harveys within about 30 seconds of ordering it!

What happens to all those left over pies, Do they save them and sell them in shops?

 

[BensGrandad]

I know it is a two fold thing but I will not buy anything at the club until such time as money is put into the team to produce a winning team on the pitch or at least a team showing some signs of trying to win. If the club do their bit to ensure supporters are happy I will do my bit and spend money until then with the Div 1 approach as per the last few home games I will not.

 

[Lower West Stander]

The trouble with comparing "soccer" football with American sport is that it doesn't last as long, NFL and Baseball go on forever, its designed that way. To get around this clubs like the Albion are trying to entice people in with other entertainment and keep people in the ground longer. This is absolutely fine but football is a results based game and even "gimmicks" won't wash with most people, to be honest though I feel that modern football isn't interested in the average supporter (they pay lip service to us) and only those who can and will provide hard corporate cash on a regular basis are worthy, because thats how football is at the present time.....

Your average NFL game lasts three hours and there are only 8 home games a season - these matches are as much events as anything and fans spend the entire time coming and going with piles of food and drink. The game is watched, but only as part of the day out experience. baseball is touted as a family day out - very similar atmosphere to cricket.

This will never ever work in football - and I'm not sure Barber realizes that.

 

[burrish-gull]

I just hope they don't grow up to be feckless!

Don't worry I'll make sure they have their "din-dins" before they go the football.....