Crowd vs Walsall under 5,000

[portlock seagull]

As I've said on another thread, the club needs to look at the value of the tickets.

A season ticket at the Albion is only REALLY good value to supporters like ME who live in LONDON, because it saves me about a fiver on travel every game.

Therefore, take the £5-worth of free travel off my £18 ticket (which is roughly what it works out at on a game by game basis) and the game itself is only costing my £13. GREAT VALUE.

But if you live in Brighton (which is surely where most fans live) games are far more expensive.

The club need to address this. Quite how, though, is another thing.

.

Likewise, as I've said on the same thread: A renewed effort to enable fans to opt out of this (transport cost on the ticket) and see a reduced price (whilst still offering tickets WITH travel including) is what's needed here. We're all treated like idiots who unless we're dragged kicking and screaming onto public transport we won't use it. That's rubbish. Like you I'm coming from far away and never use this part of my ticket because I park in Patcham (outside the 'illegal' parking area) and walk down to the game because it's quicker. It costs me a ruddy fortune in petrol as it is and yet I've been forced to pay hundreds to network south central etc over the years for no reason. Plus I can't get to all games so that's money down the drain from my ST. Anyone with half a brain can see this isn't fair and unnecessarily pushing the price up. Radical revision of ticket prices is what's needed here. Not someone consistently giving excuses as to why it can't be done

 

[Withnail]

I, along with 26000 others, went to watch Forest last night as they had a £5 a ticket promotion on which filled the ground nicely. Non of the season ticket holders moaned about reduced prices as they only paid £370 for the year so they still saved. That's £10 more than my mate paid for his in the Holte end at Villa by the way.

 

[DIFFBROOK]

When we get to to Falmer, we need to have something in place if we cant buy at the gate, something that is easily accessible to all.

However, gates at Withdean are not suprising. The ground is crap, its near Xmas etc etc. So you need in place a flexible system, that caters for opposition and has different pricing structures.

Surely, STHs shelling out up front should have the pick of the seats, but for the rest they should be no more than £15 and children (16 and under) go in for £1. I think say £16 for a dad and his son/daughter would be very attractive.

The kids are our future and we need to really attract them for when they become full paying adults in the Falmer era

There you go, we all have done Kens Browns work for him. can we have a cut of his wage.

 

[portlock seagull]

I've banged on about this for years. Nobody at the club's taken notice:

Park and Ride – speed it up! Stop the ridiculous queues by filling all the buses up at the same time. Better organisation there (make the ruddy stewards work for their money for a change) would stop people thinking they have to leave at half time in order to get home. Pick up at additional spots like pubs on the way into Withdean. Re-route if necessary.

 

[Storer68]

Eh?! If people bothered to turn up, they'd find that the football is in fact SCINTILLATING at the moment!

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they aren't coming, and they aren't because the "product" is not good enough.

its still third division rubbish, however much you don't want to admit to it.

the club has gone backwards on the pitch over the last two years.

 

[Storer68]

I've banged on about this for years. Nobody at the club's taken notice:

Park and Ride – speed it up! Stop the ridiculous queues by filling all the buses up at the same time. Better organisation there (make the ruddy stewards work for their money for a change) would stop people thinking they have to leave at half time in order to get home. Pick up at additional spots like pubs on the way into Withdean. Re-route if necessary.

The stop all the people coming out of the ground at the same time

 

[eastlondonseagull]

Likewise, as I've said on the same thread: A renewed effort to enable fans to opt out of this (transport cost on the ticket) and see a reduced price (whilst still offering tickets WITH travel including) is what's needed here. We're all treated like idiots who unless we're dragged kicking and screaming onto public transport we won't use it. That's rubbish. Like you I'm coming from far away and never use this part of my ticket because I park in Patcham (outside the 'illegal' parking area) and walk down to the game because it's quicker. It costs me a ruddy fortune in petrol as it is and yet I've been forced to pay hundreds to network south central etc over the years for no reason. Plus I can't get to all games so that's money down the drain from my ST. Anyone with half a brain can see this isn't fair and unnecessarily pushing the price up. Radical revision of ticket prices is what's needed here. Not someone consistently giving excuses as to why it can't be done

Put some paragraphs in your replies, fella, cos I found that one incredibly hard to read

But, yeah, it must be a bugger if you live miles away, but you can't take advantage of the travel voucher.

Bring it up with the club.

.

 

[eastlondonseagull]

they aren't coming, and they aren't because the "product" is not good enough.

its still third division rubbish, however much you don't want to admit to it.

the club has gone backwards on the pitch over the last two years.

The product on the pitch at the moment is much better than last season.

.

 

[portlock seagull]

As someone who until this season always had a ST at Withdean I am, together with my son one of the missing thousands.

Here are my reasons why the crowds are so low, and then some possible solutions:

The performances at home last season (both under MM and DW) were on the whole woeful and at the end of the season we decided that we wouldn't renew for the first time. Going to Withdean had before some sort of obligation, rather than a pleasure. Instead we can pick and choose our home games and go to more away games which are far more enjoyable.

I know we have about 4000 STHs but this is down from about 5000 the season before. These 1000 people will pick and choose the games they go to, and of course you will go to far less games on a casual basis.

The whole Withdean experience is crap. I have just had enough of the whole thing - from the being so far from the pitch thing, the lack of roof, atmosphere, moaning old gits, park and ride, I could go on.

The biggest mistake was the extra seats - you used to HAVE to have a ST to get a ticket, now you can get one easily, there is/was no incentive to have a ST, - you might save a few quid, but if you miss a couple of games then it generally evens itself out anyway. (If you're going to put extra seats in, then should have invested in the team to stay in the Championship.)

West Ham. I got tickets, but I am aware of several STHs who didn't and this just added to the reasons why they gave theirs up. No loyalty from the club to them - so why give the club their money up front.

Pay on the Day. Yes, I know the current restrictions, but this has to be readdressed NOW, even if it means going back to the Council. Does anyone think the council will say NO? This also needs to be addressed for Falmer as well. (Even if it means selling tickets on the Park and Ride buses, rail stations etc...) There has to be some unallocated seating at Falmer as well - yes it is possible.

Costs. Now as a non STH I will pick and choose games, and yes the cost is a factor.I understand STHs might not want all tickets sold at say £15.00 but why not sell tickets in the East Stand and at the ends of the South Stand for 15 and 5 for a kid, even if you have to buy them in 3 match packages? With the booking fee £27.00 is a joke.

Finally, we must make sure that the club get to Falmer 'on time' ie in 2.1/2 seasons time. I will get a ST when we are at Falmer, but not before. Bad fan.

Ken Brown better start earning his Salary PDQ.

well said, but I'm afraid I've made most if not all of these points to the club before. And there's always a reason why it can't be done, never how it can be done. I've been so angered by this that a group of us c/o me will write to the club one final time and tell them such initiatives need to be activated NOW. We might have better luck with the new MD.

 

[Storer68]

Likewise, as I've said on the same thread: A renewed effort to enable fans to opt out of this (transport cost on the ticket) and see a reduced price (whilst still offering tickets WITH travel including) is what's needed here. We're all treated like idiots who unless we're dragged kicking and screaming onto public transport we won't use it. That's rubbish. Like you I'm coming from far away and never use this part of my ticket because I park in Patcham (outside the 'illegal' parking area) and walk down to the game because it's quicker. It costs me a ruddy fortune in petrol as it is and yet I've been forced to pay hundreds to network south central etc over the years for no reason. Plus I can't get to all games so that's money down the drain from my ST. Anyone with half a brain can see this isn't fair and unnecessarily pushing the price up. Radical revision of ticket prices is what's needed here. Not someone consistently giving excuses as to why it can't be done

your choice. if you'd used the p&r you would have SAVED hundreds!

 

[cardboard]

What about if the club introduced a scheme such as

Buy 2 tickets get 3rd free for certain areas?
This would equate to £20 a match ish but would make people go to 3 instead of a one off

 

[Silent Bob]

Agreed, and it ties back to what someone just said on another thread (sorry to be so vague). In the main, people on here are fans who generally go to as many games as they are able, based on their own personal circumstances.

It is the thousands of floating fans that are the real issue. For whatever reason they are disenfranchised with the Albion and/or Withdean and will only attend when there is a real attraction, be it 'attractive' opposition or a high-profile game, such as a promotion or relegation decider.

It is a fair point, I suppose I'd just like to think that there are more than 4,500 who would be considered 'real' fans and watch the Albion week in week out. I suppose that probably is naive of me.

they aren't coming, and they aren't because the "product" is not good enough.

its still third division rubbish, however much you don't want to admit to it.

the club has gone backwards on the pitch over the last two years.

Isn't "third division rubbish" what we've had for most of the clubs 100+ year history? I'm sure this is the division we've had more seasons in than any other. last year was mostly awful, but this year is much improved and we are playing some good passing football.

I fail to see how people who don't go can make a judgement on how good it is!

 

[British Bulldog]

And there's always a reason why it can't be done, never how it can be done.

That just about sums the Albion up these days.

 

[Billy the Fish]

Non of the season ticket holders moaned about reduced prices as they only paid £370 for the year so they still saved. That's £10 more than my mate paid for his in the Holte end at Villa by the way.

It just goes to show how expensive it is to watch Brighton. If the prices for season tickets weren't so bloody steep in the first place more people would've renewed and door prices could be more flexible. Prices were never dropped when we were relegated from the championship, that is after price increases each year after we moved to the withdean, surely that needs to be looked at next season.

 

[Storer68]

The product on the pitch at the moment is much better than last season.

.

is it better than it was five years ago though? - that is a proper evaluation of improvement? NO IT FECHIN IS NOT.

players are worse, management is worse (but cheap and available so no-one cares), club's attitude to fans is miles worse, ground is just as bad as it always was, investment in the playing staff is worse.

Tell me anything that is better than it was in 2002

 

[portlock seagull]

your choice. if you'd used the p&r you would have SAVED hundreds!

You numb nuts - have you bothered to read my message? FFS, read it properly. It's precisely my point that I DON'T use the P&R because I walk to the ground after driving from a point not served by the offer.

 

[Bozza]

It is a fair point, I suppose I'd just like to think that there are more than 4,500 who would be considered 'real' fans and watch the Albion week in week out. I suppose that probably is naive of me.

The Gillingham years and the early Withdean years have taken their toll. A large number of people have fallen out of the habit of regularly seeing live football.

And, you know, it can be quite refreshing to suddenly have a 2 day weekend to do as you please instead of what you had previously: a 'football day' followed by cramming everything else into a Sunday.

 

[Storer68]

It is a fair point, I suppose I'd just like to think that there are more than 4,500 who would be considered 'real' fans and watch the Albion week in week out. I suppose that probably is naive of me.



Isn't "third division rubbish" what we've had for most of the clubs 100+ year history? I'm sure this is the division we've had more seasons in than any other. last year was mostly awful, but this year is much improved and we are playing some good passing football.

I fail to see how people who don't go can make a judgement on how good it is!

On my second Three year season ticket , double season ticket holder at Priestfield.
1300 BHA games seen since 1975, so I thiink i can spot a crap side when I see one.

 

[cardboard]

What about advertising in every pub in Brighton, Hove and Mis Sussex etc.

New fans £10 for 1st game etc - all names are in the database, may be a start to gain some of the lost generation. Some of my mates still think its impossible to buy tickets for BHAFC. People need to be told.

 

[Silent Bob]

On my second Three year season ticket , double season ticket holder at Priestfield.
1300 BHA games seen since 1975, so I thiink i can spot a crap side when I see one.

I wasn't just meaning you in particular, but you said people don't go because the product isn't good enough. So how do they know?

The Gillingham years and the early Withdean years have taken their toll. A large number of people have fallen out of the habit of regularly seeing live football.

And, you know, it can be quite refreshing to suddenly have a 2 day weekend to do as you please instead of what you had previously: a 'football day' followed by cramming everything else into a Sunday.

All fair enough. I know my old man came very close to not renewing his season ticket this year for similar reasons (and the cost is part of that).