I had a ticket, I didn't go and I didn't miss it [MERGED THREADS]

[bellsize seagull]

if it's in your blood, it stays through the thickest of times, things may not always look good on the outside but the club is being run very well. Wilkins for me is doing a cracking job and i am proud to see home grown talent running around for us every week. Results and success is what everyone wants and we have had a good share of it this season, with a big FA cup tie to look forward to tommorow, no admin or receivership people knocking at the door either so the club are doing something right !. Withdean has and always will be a tough place to watch football but imagine playing out there when you can hear a pin drop, massive club, massive support and massive future...keep the faith

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

Indeed it is

It was only an idea, a way of maybe getting the ticket price down below the psychological 20 pounds barrier. The club are welcome to use my three quid - or sixty quid a season - as they see fit. I took three guests on Tuesday. Got practically no change out of 75 quid, and none of us used the travel vouchers. Neither did the half dozen regulars we walked to the ground with. That's ten lots of three quids in the club's coffers straight off.

Off to Oz later today, so unfortunately won't be able to hear what Dick Knight has to say. Tho will no doubt be unable to resist the lure of NSC completely while I'm away so will be able to catch up later in the week. Cheers mate

We're also off to Aus on the 16th. If you're in Sydney from 18th-21st then maybe we could meet up there for that pint - Lord Nelson on Sydney Rocks?

 

[Publius Ovidius]

We're also off to Aus on the 16th. If you're in Sydney from 18th-21st then maybe we could meet up there for that pint - Lord Nelson on Sydney Rocks?

NSC Dating Line

:safeway2::safeway2:



have agreat time in Oz...you lucky lucky people

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

have agreat time in Oz...you lucky lucky people

Cheers Dave

 

[Dr Bandler]

As someone who was a STH at the Goldstone and missed one game at Gillingham but rarely goes to Withdean, I'll add my twopennorth.

For me there is firstly personal circumstances, which could apply to anyone. I got divorced and my wife used to go to every game with me. Going is not so fun without your usual companion so I cut back going to games. Away games are much more fun and I WILL spend my money how I choose to. Secondly I have a lot less income than I used to and I am more selective about what I spend it on.

Then there is Withdean, which I find a dreadfully soulless experience. The shortcomings of Withdean are well discussed and I won't do them to death again. Price is an issue - Withdean is colossally expensive for Third division football - ask any fan who goes to away matches. The inclusion of travel is a side issue (how can you pay less money for tickets without reducing the club's income?) but needs to be considered as it hikes up the face price of all tickets. Elsewhere it is nothing to pay £5 for a park and ride (when I travel to Withdean it is usually on my own by car) on top of the price, but that is at least per car not per person.

I am sure that the reason for the decline in crowds (though actually I'm not sure the decline is that bad when measured against similar seasons) is boredom with the product on offer - a combination of venue, quality of the team and quality of the opposition plus no obvious prospect of promotion. With no improvement in the product (until Falmer) the only way of increasing crowds is price.

But I don't have the stats from the previous season promotional offers to know whether the price makes much difference (football is notoriously price-inelastic). The club does seem to have tried - increasing capacity and arranging a dedicated family stand, short season tickets, kids-for-a-quid - these all help but they don't affect the basic equation:

Withdean is boring and not worth the money charged to get in.

Spot on - or they could improve the product. It is a simple economic equation - if customers are dropping off then the product is overpriced. So reduce the price or improve the product. I would prefer the latter.

 

[The Large One]

Spot on - or they could improve the product. It is a simple economic equation - if customers are dropping off then the product is overpriced. So reduce the price or improve the product. I would prefer the latter.

You make it sound so simple.

Over-priced for the likes of you and me in real terms, possibly. But not a high enough price to 'improve the product' to the extent of bringing the crowds back.

Withdean being a shit-hole has never bothered me. I don't care too much for it providing 'an experience' - it was never designed to do that. It was always going to be little more than a liferaft. All I want to do it go in, see my team win, and f*** off soonest.

The point is, compared to last season, the product has improved, and the numbers have still fallen. For me, it IS the price - and not even in comparison to other teams, irrespective of us having the worst ground in the division. A classic example (admittedly only a one-off) was the sell-out for the Gillingham game when the tickets were a tenner.