Is the 18-21 Age Bracket Really That Important?

[seagull_10]

But these same students will probably go out at the weekend, have mobile phones etc, go on holidays to Ibiza etc etc. As said earlier, they can choose priorities. Why shouldn't unemployed 30/40/50 yo's get discounts as well?

The unemployed should get discounts too, but practically that would be impossible for the ticket office to do. And just because the unemployed don't get discounts, that does not mean that other groups should not get discounts either. That's illogical.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Without an under-21 season ticket, fans who go to uni at 18 are suddenly (unless their parents pay) priced out of the market for a season ticket.

Apols if this has been posted already, but how many Albion fans going to university do so in Sussex? A very small percentage I should imagine so I don't see the relevance of your argument, as people are hardly going to be travelling back to Falmer every other weekend, what with the travel expense and all the distractions of university life to be had.

 

[KneeOn]

I'm not happy about the hike because we're being asked to pay a bigger rise than anyone else (sound familier? )

Frustrating? Yes. Its more than double. The U21 ticket was fantastic value. 144 pounds for H block!

Of course prices are due to rise and around the 200/250 mark would have been nice for students perhaps. I've got to consider i'll be spending up to 20 quid ever other week just on travel on top of the 30 odd to sit in a zone A seat. Its not nice to have to pay suddenly 400 quid. But i'll roll with it because as said, going to Falmer isn't a right.

I'd like to see a student discount happen at Amex. I'll have a Season Ticket the first year at Falmer but whether I could sustain that support over a 4 year degree i'm not sure.

 

[seagull_10]

Apols if this has been posted already, but how many Albion fans going to university do so in Sussex? A very small percentage I should imagine so I don't see the relevance of your argument, as people are hardly going to be travelling back to Falmer every other weekend, what with the travel expense and all the distractions of university life to be had.

I go to uni in London and come back for about two thirds of home games. With a Young Persons Railcard, you can book a train from Clapham Junction to Brighton usually for about £5 if you do it in advance. We shouldn't just assume that all students go to far-off universities. A lot of people do other further education courses in the Sussex and London area. Also, an under 21 ticket is available for non-students, who as I said earlier, earn very low incomes relative to other age groups.

 

[KneeOn]

Apols if this has been posted already, but how many Albion fans going to university do so in Sussex? A very small percentage I should imagine so I don't see the relevance of your argument, as people are hardly going to be travelling back to Falmer every other weekend, what with the travel expense and all the distractions of university life to be had.

i'm going to do it. I've waited my whole life for a propper stadium. If I went to Edinburgh Uni i'd STILL come home for the Albion. I put a restriction on where I looked because I wanted to stay near enough. Football may not be a right but its a personal institution for me. I couldn't not watch Brighton now i've had a Season Ticket.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

If you argue that those who can't afford a ticket shouldn't buy a ticket, then you should also be arguing against under 18 and over 60 tickets too. In fact, any discounted tickets, for anything.

No, being 18 doesn't mean you're on a low income with high outgoings. The 50% of 18 year olds that don't go to Uni suddenly find their disposable income goes up when they get a job so why should they be entitled to discounts ? Under 18's don't really have this option. Unfortunately, in this country, many people are still forced to retire so discounts to retired people seems perfectly reasonable.

Students chose to be students - that means sacrifices to gain greater gains later - if football is your thing then I really don't think finding a job ( part time if you're a student ) and paying £33 per month is really that much. There are plenty of people over 18, who aren't students and aren't retired who can't afford to go either. You don't see them complaining that the price should be lowered. In fact, I'd like to eat out every week and go to the cinema every week - finances mean I can't, should I be bitching that the restaurants and cinemas should be lowering their prices to allow me to do so ?

 

[KneeOn]

No, being 18 doesn't mean you're on a low income with high outgoings. The 50% of 18 year olds that don't go to Uni suddenly find their disposable income goes up when they get a job so why should they be entitled to discounts ? Under 18's don't really have this option. Unfortunately, in this country, many people are still forced to retire so discounts to retired people seems perfectly reasonable.

Students chose to be students - that means sacrifices to gain greater gains later - if football is your thing then I really don't think finding a job ( part time if you're a student ) and paying £33 per month is really that much. There are plenty of people over 18, who aren't students and aren't retired who can't afford to go either. You don't see them complaining that the price should be lowered. In fact, I'd like to eat out every week and go to the cinema every week - finances mean I can't, should I be bitching that the restaurants and cinemas should be lowering their prices to allow me to do so ?

Hold fast there. Getting a job isn't much? for every job in this city there are 4 unemployed people. Students are at a disadvantage because we don't have experience. Speaking from experience it can take over a year before you get one. Sometimes more. Just a point. Of course I agree with the sentiment, you should earn but saying its not much is a little unfair.

 

[Foolg]

I'm not renewing, had my season ticket 9 years (since i was 9), and it no longer makes financial sense seeing as im going to University next year. Originally, I was planning on taking a year out between college and Uni, as I had a volunteering project set up to help coach sport in Africa, but thanks to Nick Clegg thats now not possible.
My two first choices are Sheffield and Leeds, so at most i'd be coming back for say 50% of home games. At current prices thats £6/7 a ticket, great value, but seeing as i turn 18 just before the start of next season, i'll be paying £400 minimum (£18 or so a ticket roughly). Thats more than I have paid for ANY student ticket at away games all season, and the same applies to last season, bare in mind too that a season ticket supposedly contains a discount for committing to 23 games.
Oh well, i'll have to buy individual tickets on here. I'll live.

 

[seagull_10]

No, being 18 doesn't mean you're on a low income with high outgoings. The 50% of 18 year olds that don't go to Uni suddenly find their disposable income goes up when they get a job so why should they be entitled to discounts ? Under 18's don't really have this option. Unfortunately, in this country, many people are still forced to retire so discounts to retired people seems perfectly reasonable.

Students chose to be students - that means sacrifices to gain greater gains later - if football is your thing then I really don't think finding a job ( part time if you're a student ) and paying £33 per month is really that much. There are plenty of people over 18, who aren't students and aren't retired who can't afford to go either. You don't see them complaining that the price should be lowered. In fact, I'd like to eat out every week and go to the cinema every week - finances mean I can't, should I be bitching that the restaurants and cinemas should be lowering their prices to allow me to do so ?

18-21 year olds with jobs still earn a far lower income than those who are only 5-10 years older. As a student, if the club were to introduce a student ticket, I would be able to afford a season ticket at the Amex. But you have to think about the situations of others. This age group has record unemployment and very low wages - without a discount, they are simply priced out of tickets.

 

[seagullrich]

The fundamental question is do we want a full amex or a half empty one.

Everyone agrees that most under 21's and/or students have a lower disposable income than others (as do under 16's and over 60's) So why not give them the opportunity to have a season ticket at a price within their means. Get a good group of young people to the games, they will go on attending and buy a full price ticket in due course - simple.

Couldnt agree with Seagull_10 more on this issue.

Quite simply if they dont provide discounted under-21 season tickets at the Amex I wont be able to afford a season ticket. One less fan at every game.

 

[Acker79]

Do they? Compared to the 21-60 age group, how many in the 18-21 have mortgages? Children? Pension plans? I imagine a significant chunk of that age group still live at home (ignoring students). I don't doubt some do, but is it such a given that 21-60 will have more disposable income just because they have higher income, as they will also have higher outgoings?

 

[clippedgull]

The fundamental question is do we want a full amex or a half empty one.

Answer I guess is that they want a full AMEX without the need to offer 18-21's a discount for the first season at least. The ground has to be paid for after all! The AMEX will be full for the first season without a doubt, all the economic models that the club have looked at have said that STH demand will exceed supply in Season 1 for League matches. Of course there will be opportunities to offer the 18-21 discount for home cup ties if the need arises.

 

[seagullrich]

Generally, yes, under 21's/students will have a lower disposable income. Your never going to make a pricing structure thats totally 'fair'.

But we've had the Under-21 discount at Withdean for sometime and thats worked well - just seems strange to me that at a time when we want as many people as possible at the Amex their changing it.

 

[seagull_10]

I see your point about 18-21 having fewer obligations but it's been suggested in a lot of places that this has been the age group that's been hardest hit by the recession. At 18, students will now be paying up to £9000 in tuition fees. For non-students, there is record unemployment. We have a fantastic new 22,500 seater stadium yet we are pricing this age group out. Surely we should be celebrating this by being as inclusive as possible.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Have you ever heard of a Young Persons Railcard? Or student nights at a bar? Or the 2 for 1 cinema offers from NUS?

Quite. Brighton is brimming with student discounts...kind of makes sense for the club to follow especialy as Brighton has a high percentage who stay on in the area.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Have you ever heard of a Young Persons Railcard? Or student nights at a bar? Or the 2 for 1 cinema offers from NUS?

As an aside my missus has a chocolate Freddo every day. Whenever I borrow her car it's full of Freddo wrappers. This is all.

 

[We're the Stripes]

The AMEX will be full for the first season without a doubt, all the economic models that the club have looked at have said that STH demand will exceed supply in Season 1 for League matches.

Well I guess that is what it all comes down to, really. If that is not the case, and we're struggling to fill 2/3rds of the stadium (either next season, or forthcoming seasons) then I don't think ANYONE would argue that the club shouldn't start looking into student discounts to draw in from the huge UNI campuses and ultimately help fill the stadium. Even if these discounts are just for general sale tickets*, rather than ST.

*NB: Will be interesting to see if the club DO lay on a student bracket for general match-day ticket sales next season, still an option, is it not? Even if there's no such discount for STH (understandable for reasons outlined in Acker's original post).

 

[seagull_10]

Well I guess that is what it all comes down to, really. If that is not the case, and we're struggling to fill 2/3rds of the stadium (either next season, or forthcoming seasons) then I don't think ANYONE would argue that the club shouldn't start looking into student discounts to draw in from the huge UNI campuses and ultimately help fill the stadium. Even if these discounts are just for general sale tickets*, rather than ST.

*NB: Will be interesting to see if the club DO lay on a student bracket for general match-day ticket sales next season, still an option, is it not? Even if there's no such discount for STH (understandable for reasons outlined in Acker's original post).

But this is such a short-term way to price tickets. In the short-term, we will probably fill the Amex but in the medium and long term we need all the fans we can get. Fans who are 18-21 will, in a few year's time, be able to afford a full adult season ticket. If we alienate this age group, we're just damaging our long-term prospects. Going to football every other week is a habit and the club should be doing all it can to make sure as many people as possible get into this habit and stay in it.

 

[clippedgull]

But this is such a short-term way to price tickets. In the short-term, we will probably fill the Amex but in the medium and long term we need all the fans we can get. Fans who are 18-21 will, in a few year's time, be able to afford a full adult season ticket. If we alienate this age group, we're just damaging our long-term prospects. Going to football every other week is a habit and the club should be doing all it can to make sure as many people as possible get into this habit and stay in it.

The club may be upsetting a few supporters short term, but it shouldn't affect them long term as there is always a new tranche of fans becoming 18. Some may never come back, but a football fan will always support their club given the chance. It's just that right now the club have a stadium that needs paying for and at the risk of repeating myself, cheap tickets for young adults are on the back burner whilst demand outstrips supply!.

 

[The Large One]

Copied from the Q&A featuring Ken Brown and Martin Perry a couple of weeks ago...

Q. 18-21 year olds are getting a big price hike. What is the thinking behind the U21 / student rate not being offered - especially as we are right next to the Universities?

A. The U21 rate was introduced a couple of seasons ago. In fact out of a 19,000 student population, we had only 300 season ticket holders. We will look at match specific promotions for the new season

Which says to me they're confident of selling all 15,800 season tickets (something they said in a different answer) without selling at a student discount rate.