Cat A and Cat B games

[kingcole]

If prices are to be reduced then prices should be reduced for all games. Why should it be more expensive for home and away fans to watch a Category A match as opposed to a Category B match? If the club are going to have difficulty in filling the stadium for the so called lesser teams then how about giving away the tickets to local schools?

Supply and demand? It's the basis of everything commercial - actually it's the basis of everything, full stop!

 

[halbpro]

I don't think categorisation in any league competition is fair to be honest, all it does is exploit home and away football fans and should be banned.

This is what the FSF thought about it all a few years back:

The Football Supporters' Federation - Away ticket price campaign

I agree with some of that, but £15 seems to be pushing too far down, simply because it would create this odd situation where Premier League prices could be less than lower divisions due to their increased revenue from TV. The FA should set a cap on pricing or price rises, maybe similar to the way that rail pricing is done (although probably a more effective system than that one).

 

[thony]

So you don't think the club should reduce prices from £38 or whatever if we get Crewe at home in the next round of the league cup?

Tickets for cup matches against lower-league opposition have been at a reduced price last season, so I would expect that to continue this season.

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

Supply and demand? It's the basis of everything commercial - actually it's the basis of everything, full stop!

It is the basis of everything in a market economy and not the basis of everything!

Are you a season ticket holder by any chance? When categorising matches as you have suggested will the price be lowered for home and away fans?

 

[drew]

Because they don't make money by giving the tickets away. If they lower prices to fill more of the stadium then they may make a profit, or at least less of a loss.

I think you need to back that up with some basic maths. For example, you have a 30k stadium with average price of £30 and you sell 27k tickets = £810k. £27 and sell out you still only get £810k so any price lower than £27 then you make less. Better to invest in future fans. It's all very well going on about lowering prices but you need to say what level. We had discussions about this at Withdean and some wouldn't go if the prices were as low as £15!

Short term view. If they can't sell seats for less attractive games then why not give them away to kids - the fans of the future?

They certainly should give some away, I've seen a few negative views on the way the club handles tickets for clubs and schools at the moment. However, there's a limit on the number you can give away without devaluing the game and the tickets.

Agree with this. The club did a hell of a lot for the junior seagulls over the last few years but with membership now exceeding 10k then it is not economically viable to give them all free tickets or presents. Can't understand the criticism of the club, probably from people who always want something for nothing!

Agreed and categorising matches is miles away from reducing prices for everyone for individual fixtures in different competitions. I would be quite happy for the club to reduce prices for everyone in the FA Cup and League Cup matches, but to reduce or increase prices in certain seating areas in certain matches in the Football League is morally wrong.

Whilst I don't agree with categorising games, it can hardly be described as being morally wrong, just a case of supply and demand. The fact that you agree FA and League cup matches can be lower in price suggests that you are not actually against it yourself.

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

I agree with some of that, but £15 seems to be pushing too far down, simply because it would create this odd situation where Premier League prices could be less than lower divisions due to their increased revenue from TV. The FA should set a cap on pricing or price rises, maybe similar to the way that rail pricing is done (although probably a more effective system than that one).

I don't think it's down to the FA to set a cap on ticket prices on competitions that they don't organise, that would also be down to the Premier League and the Football League. The FA could only set a cap in ticket prices for FA competitions. I agree though that a cap on match ticket prices is the way to go forward and it should be the same for home and away fans but still dependent on seat view and amenities.

 

[Glawstergull]

The market ultimately sets the price.END OF

 

[RM-Taylor]

If it was in place for this season, I'd expect it'd be like this - 12 a's, 11b's

Cardiff - A
Barnsley - B
Sheff Weds - A
Birmingham - A
Ipswich - B
Middlesbrough - A
Leeds - A
Peterborough - B
Bolton - A
Bristol City - B
Forest - A
Millwall - B
Watford - B
Derby - B
Blackburn - A
Hull - B
Burnley - B
Huddersfield - B
Palace - A
Charlton - A
Leicester - A
Blackpool - B
Wolves - A

 

[halbpro]

I don't think it's down to the FA to set a cap on ticket prices on competitions that they don't organise, that would also be down to the Premier League and the Football League. The FA could only set a cap in ticket prices for FA competitions. I agree though that a cap on match ticket prices is the way to go forward and it should be the same for home and away fans but still dependent on seat view and amenities.

Doesn't the FA oversee both the Football League and the Premier League though?

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

The market ultimately sets the price.END OF

In a market based economy it does, but there are other models apart from the market based economy.

Who sets the price controls in the energy market in the UK then?

 

[drew]

In a market based economy it does, but there are other models apart from the market based economy.

But we live in a market based economy and that's how professional football operates, although there are obviously cases of clubs that don't do it successfully!

 

[drew]

I agree though that a cap on match ticket prices is the way to go forward and it should be the same for home and away fans but still dependent on seat view and amenities.

Personally, I think it is what happens on the pitch that should have more bearing on the price. Yes it is nice to have a comfy seat and bars on the concourse but we wouldn't get anywhere near filling the stadium if we were watching conference football!

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

Whilst I don't agree with categorising games, it can hardly be described as being morally wrong, just a case of supply and demand. The fact that you agree FA and League cup matches can be lower in price suggests that you are not actually against it yourself.

I'm not against lower prices in specific competitions but I am against categorising matches in a competition based on the attractiveness (or lack of attractiveness) for the team that the side you support is playing against.

 

[studio150]

A couple of observations:

1. If Cat A and B, it may be that the club do not reduce prices, but increase for Cat A games
2. For cup games, I was under the impression that the FA imposed a minimum or maximum per round, and any price alteration to normal league prices was dependant on both clubs agreeing.
3. If all games catogerised at the start of the season what happens on March/April with a home fixture against a Cat B club, and the Albion and Cat B team are in 1st and 2nd place in the league, madness to reduce prices as game would be sold out.
4. Are Cat A games priced out of the reach of average fans.
5. There are other options that clubs use, such as minimum season tickets, 5 home games get x% discount if brought together.
6. Given the percentage of Amex season ticket holders not an issue other than cup games, where the club have shown flexability in the past.

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

But we live in a market based economy and that's how professional football operates, although there are obviously cases of clubs that don't do it successfully!

I agree we do live in a market based economy but in this country we have various regulators that set the price of the commodities we buy.

In the FA Cup match revenues are split between both clubs and the FA, in the Premier League and Football League match revenues are kept by the home club. Both these systems are working in the market economy that we live in but are different in the methods of distributing the money earnt from the matches in the said competitions.

 

[Notters]

If it was in place for this season, I'd expect it'd be like this - 12 a's, 11b's

Cardiff - A
Barnsley - B
Sheff Weds - A
Birmingham - A
Ipswich - B
Middlesbrough - A
Leeds - A
Peterborough - B
Bolton - A
Bristol City - B
Forest - A
Millwall - B
Watford - B
Derby - B
Blackburn - A
Hull - B
Burnley - B
Huddersfield - B
Palace - A
Charlton - A
Leicester - A
Blackpool - B
Wolves - A

I think Barnsley would be A as it's the first Saturday match, Millwall A as it's on Boxing day, Watford A as it's a local derby, etc...

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

Personally, I think it is what happens on the pitch that should have more bearing on the price. Yes it is nice to have a comfy seat and bars on the concourse but we wouldn't get anywhere near filling the stadium if we were watching conference football!

I can understand a Premier League club charging more than a League Two club for entry to the ground, but no club should be allowed to categorise matches in an individual competition during a season.

 

[Rich Suvner]

Categorisation of football matches should be banned; it's nothing more than profiteering and is the ultimate in exploitation of fans. Ticket prices should be based on the view that you get from your seat in the stadium and the amenities that the seat gives you too.

and if the view from my seat is of less-than-exciting opposition, i'd like my ticket to be that little bit cheaper.

categorisation of matches, could be seen as profiteering, or alternatively a clever method of improving attendances/atmospheres where they would otherwise be sub-standard - the latter seems sensible to me.

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

and if the view from my seat is of less-than-exciting opposition, i'd like my ticket to be that little bit cheaper.

categorisation of matches, could be seen as profiteering, or alternatively a clever method of improving attendances/atmospheres where they would otherwise be sub-standard - the latter seems sensible to me.

How is the club you support going to reduce the price of your season ticket if the quality of the opposition (which is subjective) is lower then?

 

[kingcole]

It is the basis of everything in a market economy and not the basis of everything!

Are you a season ticket holder by any chance? When categorising matches as you have suggested will the price be lowered for home and away fans?

Yes - that's the rules - equivalent seats have to be the same price.

Fortunately, a market economy runs the world in which we live, so I stick by the fact it's everything.

Those who wish to hug trees, eat spinach, ban bombs, not wear clothes, do drugs, have stupid colour hair, have holes in their tongues, riot and have free school dinners had better believe it!