[Albion] Andy, 29 from Sussex

[timbha]

Sadly football is still a luxury item, and as passionate as most of us our about our club, when finances bite it is easily something that can be ditched however tough that may feel. Andy's story (no relation) is similar to mine and at least eight other friends I know who have not renewed due to financial pressures.

Football is quickly becoming a game for the rich only.

Agreed, although looking at the demographics of those that sit around me I’d suggest that PL football is affordable to those who have finished paying their mortgage/kids have left home resulting in higher disposable income. It’s a shame especially if younger men and women with kids can’t go, even though the cost of ST for youngsters is very low.
At the end of the day people have to make choices and decisions and it’s always a shame when one of us has to make that tough decision, especially hard when their mates can still go.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

Would respectfully suggest that Andy, 29, keeps his ST on, only goes to games that fit in with his work schedule and puts all other games up on the ticket exchange. Cheapest option if you can attend, decent chance of recompense if can't attend. Best of both worlds no?

I would say many games don't go to ticket exchange (2 out of 4 I've done it). Everyone has different financial situations, so if £60 a month is a big deal for Andy then it's totally understandable

 

[BRIGHT ON Q]

I never thought I'd say this, but spare a thought for West Ham fans... It's £8 a pint at their mausoleum of a stadium

But their season tickets are about 200 quid....and you don't have to buy the beers there.

 

[southstandandy]

Agreed, although looking at the demographics of those that sit around me I’d suggest that PL football is affordable to those who have finished paying their mortgage/kids have left home resulting in higher disposable income. It’s a shame especially if younger men and women with kids can’t go, even though the cost of ST for youngsters is very low.
At the end of the day people have to make choices and decisions and it’s always a shame when one of us has to make that tough decision, especially hard when their mates can still go.

I do still get to 2 or 3 games a season and ironically almost enjoy it more as a treat, than actually going every week. Certainly not complaining though at all. It's life - some people can afford things and some can't or are priced out. We just remove some of the luxuries in life that can be removed even though in saying that we are going on our first holiday in 8 years during the World Cup period. Spent years saving up so can't wait to get some winter sun.

 

[el punal]

I am fortunate in that I am now able to watch the Albion home and away without the financial constrictions that affect so many of our fans - being mortgage free and retired helps. This was not always the case. In the 1990s I was working an average of 12 hours a day for 6 years just to make ends meet and keep a roof over our heads.
Watching the Albion was way down on my list of priorities then - mind you with the quality of football being played it was probably a blessing in disguise!

In all seriousness I have sympathy for those loyal fans who are unable to attend because of financial hardship, and such a shame as we are playing probably the best and most exhilarating football in our history.

 

[BluesRockDJ]

Would respectfully suggest that Andy, 29, keeps his ST on, only goes to games that fit in with his work schedule and puts all other games up on the ticket exchange. Cheapest option if you can attend, decent chance of recompense if can't attend. Best of both worlds no?

I could be wrong, but I seem to remember hearing of an STH not attending games, receiving an email from the club suggesting maybe he/she should consider giving up his/her ticket ?

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I could be wrong, but I seem to remember hearing of an STH not attending games, receiving an email from the club suggesting maybe he/she should consider giving up his/her ticket ?

That was pre covid. The club is a little more lenient now.

 

[anongull2]

No surprise really. Football has been in a cocoon for too many years and will find in the coming recession that only people with a lot of disposable income will be able to afford going to matches. Not good for the average fan but will put values into some perspective. What surprises me is that the government haven’t put a 40% tax on player transfers. Perhaps something like this would get football finances into some kind of sensible state.
There’s always a non league team to support.

 

[portlock seagull]

Elite football is all about big money. Big money rewards and big money participation whether you’re a sponsor or supporter. No surprise therefore we’ve lost numbers from both camps, but they’ve been replaced by more affluent ones. That’s life. Get more money. Or get out. Not end of the world as others said, plenty else to enjoy in life.

 

[pure_white]

Why not get involved in the game in other ways. Stewards get to see some of the match. Take up a refs course and get paid to be part of the game. Volunteer with a youth club. Become a coach. There aremany other ways to enjoy the game. Its a shame its no longer the working mans game. We see this at amex and all over PL and EFL too.

 

[Lenny Rider]

Clearly by the fact they are advertising ‘half’ season tickets the waiting list is now gone, will there come a point that even with top half EPL football on offer the Albion will struggle to fill 30,000 seats with the current price structure?

1901 is a case in point, I’m fortunate enough to put it through the company and it’s been my choice to sit there since 2011 but when we need an extra ticket for friends or clients the cost is quite shocking, £95* to watch an Albion game with a free programme and a pay bar, a far cry from 50p for my Dad and 25p for me in the Goldstone South West corner in April 1973.

*For the bigger games it’s £135 and for Man Utd or Liverpool it’s £155.

 

[wellquickwoody]

Although there is nothing to force you to spend any money once you arrive at Falmer. If you are hungry make a sandwich at home and eat it on the way to the ground, if you are thirsty ask for some tap water in the ground

You are of course correct, but it is supposed to be enjoyable too, maybe even a bit of escapism.

 

[el punal]

But their season tickets are about 200 quid....and you don't have to buy the beers there.

I’ve just checked West Ham site. Their cheapest adult STs are £300 (£299 to be precise) and furthest away from the pitch.

 

[chaileyjem]

Clearly by the fact they are advertising ‘half’ season tickets the waiting list is now gone, will there come a point that even with top half EPL football on offer the Albion will struggle to fill 30,000 seats with the current price structure?

1901 is a case in point, I’m fortunate enough to put it through the company and it’s been my choice to sit there since 2011 but when we need an extra ticket for friends or clients the cost is quite shocking, £95* to watch an Albion game with a free programme and a pay bar, a far cry from 50p for my Dad and 25p for me in the Goldstone South West corner in April 1973.

*For the bigger games it’s £135 and for Man Utd or Liverpool it’s £155.

There might. Things might look very different in renewal time ( feb/mar) Also Season tickets were on general sale in the summer this year but then ground capacity is now 31,800 so there were more to shift.
Currently match day sales are holding up - last 4 home games have gone to the ticket exchange Villa, Spurs, Forest and Chelsea. And away - Wolves /City were sold out. Nearly 7000 tickets sold for Arsenal (a). Albions season tickets have been frozen for 2 years , and some categories- three years.
But you’re right - no industry is immune from a recession. Perhaps football - in that economics term - is more inelastic Than others to cost pressures…

 

[timbha]

Clearly by the fact they are advertising ‘half’ season tickets the waiting list is now gone, will there come a point that even with top half EPL football on offer the Albion will struggle to fill 30,000 seats with the current price structure?

1901 is a case in point, I’m fortunate enough to put it through the company and it’s been my choice to sit there since 2011 but when we need an extra ticket for friends or clients the cost is quite shocking, £95* to watch an Albion game with a free programme and a pay bar, a far cry from 50p for my Dad and 25p for me in the Goldstone South West corner in April 1973.

*For the bigger games it’s £135 and for Man Utd or Liverpool it’s £155.

I get your point (I think) but you have chosen to sit in the most expensive seats in the stadium with a 5 or 10 year contract surrounded by your peers. I presume the cost averages at over £100 per match. Why do you criticise the club for charging something similar for a one off? I would be more shocked if someone was charged less than a 1901er for an equivalent seat as a one off.

 

[Lenny Rider]

I get your point (I think) but you have chosen to sit in the most expensive seats in the stadium with a 5 or 10 year contract surrounded by your peers. I presume the cost averages at over £100 per match. Why do you criticise the club for charging something similar for a one off? I would be more shocked if someone was charged less than a 1901er for an equivalent seat as a one off.

I’m not criticising the club for charging that, it’s what the cost is, but it does shock not necessarily non full on Albion people who want to come to a one off game, it’s just highlights how expensive EPL football can be, it was only 25 years ago that on acquiring an Albion bank statement at Gulls Eye we learnt that the entire wage bill for the club was £1,000,000 per annum, now it’s rumoured we have three players, Lallana, Gross and Dunk on £90,000 a week each, and that and the rest of the wage bill has to be funded
The OP was how a large amount people might have to give up watching the Albion as their disposable income is needed elsewhere and I think theres a real danger of that.
I don’t know how old you are, but in arguably 4 years of recession and hardship 1979-83, the Albion never had a 30,000 attendance at the Goldstone in the top flight.

 

[chaileyjem]

it was only 25 years ago that on acquiring an Albion bank statement at Gulls Eye we learnt that the entire wage bill for the club was £1,000,000 per annum, now it’s rumoured we have three players, Lallana, Gross and Dunk on £90,000 a week each, and that and the rest of the wage bill has to be funded
The OP was how a large amount people might have to give up watching the Albion as their disposable income is needed elsewhere and I think theres a real danger of that.

Agreed - there’s some tough choices ahead for some and the figures are now eye watering. From the accounts, Albions wage bill in 2021 was £109m, and the average weekly wage topped £50k for the first time. And Most of the financial dullards on here are sceptical at widely shared idea that certain players are on £90K a week.
But of course the biggest contribution to paying the wage bill is the broadcast contract which is fixed until 2025 and although flat in the UK - grew in non UK territories.
PS: And Albion have had 30K+ crowds in virtually every game since Covid, (or at least sold 30K+ tickets ).

 

[timbha]

I’m not criticising the club for charging that, it’s what the cost is, but it does shock not necessarily non full on Albion people who want to come to a one off game, it’s just highlights how expensive EPL football can be, it was only 25 years ago that on acquiring an Albion bank statement at Gulls Eye we learnt that the entire wage bill for the club was £1,000,000 per annum, now it’s rumoured we have three players, Lallana, Gross and Dunk on £90,000 a week each, and that and the rest of the wage bill has to be funded
The OP was how a large amount people might have to give up watching the Albion as their disposable income is needed elsewhere and I think theres a real danger of that.
I don’t know how old you are, but in arguably 4 years of recession and hardship 1979-83, the Albion never had a 30,000 attendance at the Goldstone in the top flight.

STH since mid 70s and PAYG before that.

Football is far far more popular and trendy nowadays than it was back then but it’s not the flat capped bovril drinking woodbine smoking bloke who is the mainstay fan anymore. Despite the recession and rising prices people are generally better off now even though what we used to consider disposable income is now spent on so called necessities like mobile phones, a second car, Sky, takeaways, Costa, restaurants and even fancy funerals .
Totally get what you are saying though Harty, EPL and the Albion might appear bomb proof but if the economy reaches the point where people can’t afford a ST and Sky, prices will have to fall to attract both the loyal and casual fan.

 

[Lenny Rider]

Agreed - there’s some tough choices ahead for some and the figures are now eye watering. From the accounts, Albions wage bill in 2021 was £109m, and the average weekly wage topped £50k for the first time. And Most of the financial dullards on here are sceptical at widely shared idea that certain players are on £90K a week.
But of course the biggest contribution to paying the wage bill is the broadcast contract which is fixed until 2025 and although flat in the UK - grew in non UK territories.
PS: And Albion have had 30K+ crowds in virtually every game since Covid, (or at least sold 30K+ tickets ).

I think the concern will be, as alluded to in the OP, will rising utility bills and mortgages in early 2023, affect STH renewals next March?

 

[chaileyjem]

I think the concern will be, as alluded to in the OP, will rising utility bills and mortgages in early 2023, affect STH renewals next March?

Agreed.