[Albion] Cost of football really is a joke

[big nuts]

Well after the description by [MENTION=616]Guinness Boy[/MENTION] of the day out for the mascot I know what I'm going to get my lad for his next birthday. I spent 2 ton at a soft play a couple of years back and all I got was as much squash as I could I drink and his screaming mates. He will remember being a mascot much, much more and I won't have to spend the day in a fecking soft play centre, Jump in or any other God awful kids establishment.

Sure, the club doesn't need the money but then neither does any other multi mullion pound business that's maximising it's revenue streams where demand is plentiful. I've never known a successful business that doesn't milk it's "customers" and I certainly can't think of one as an example. It might not be right but it's the world we live in.

I’m probably wrong but I still feel football clubs should still serve the community, so comparisons with other big companies aren’t completely equal.

 

[big nuts]

Seats are W1A - basically the west bit of the SWC. You get to stand behind the away dug out until just before kick off then meet your child in the concourse and sit in W1A.

And, as per the reply to [MENTION=18183]big nuts[/MENTION] , there is a general conversation to be had about whether those kit and ticket prices are reasonable. However, a U10 season ticket in Zone F is £95. That's a fiver a game. Surely some of the prices we charge for other bits allow this to happen.

It’s not the value for money I’m disagreeing with it’s the spirit of charging anything when the club could so easily absorb the cost for free. Charge for the tickets the kit etc... but there should be no suppliment for being a mascot.

 

[Stat Brother]

I’m probably wrong but I still feel football clubs should still serve the community, so comparisons with other big companies aren’t completely equal.

I find it hard to believe any Brighton fan would write that.

 

[BN9 BHA]

It's not compulsory

 

[Iggle Piggle]

I’m probably wrong but I still feel football clubs should still serve the community, so comparisons with other big companies aren’t completely equal.

You do raise a good point and I personally think that Albion under Knight as opposed to Bloom served the community better rather than the monetised operation we have become.

Despite that, we are still one of the better clubs in this regard and it's not going to get any better. I just thank our lucky stars that we haven't had the seats turned red, got an owner than wants to turn us into the 'South coast Gulls' or an owner than wants to turn the ground into a retail park. We are lucky to have an owner than 'gets it' .The fact that elements of the pricing - the U18 non season ticket pricing being a prime example - is something I can put up with and accept it's worse elsewhere which doesn't necessarily make it right.It's just the way it is.

 

[Stat Brother]

It's not compulsory

Judging by this thread I think the next time I watch Chl 4, during the day, I'll be confronted by:-

Joe Wilkinson speaking earnestly into the camera

This is Prosecco.
She's 6 years old and her parents are poor.
Despite being season ticket holders at the AMEX,
Prosecco's parents can't afford the mascots package.

She has to travel on public transport, every other weekend,
and when she gets to her destination all she can see is non poor children being mascots.

Please send £5 a month to end this misery for poor little Prosecco.

 

[Sirnormangall]

I'm still waiting for [MENTION=19107]wakeytom[/MENTION] to tell me of the time this package was free, thereby proving the point that the club is now milking it's new found 'fame'.

(I genuinely don't know either way, but if I were betting on it, I know which way my money would go)

I’m fairly sure that there was no charge for mascots up to a couple of years ago. Up until then I think you had to be a member of the junior seagulls (small annual cost) and your child’s name was drawn at random to be the mascot. Also at that time I don’t think you had as many mascots for each home match ( maybe just 2 or 3), but in the last couple of years it’s all been changed - more mascots and they all have to pay.

I’m not sure about the current position on mascots for away matches but up to a couple of years ago you could simply phone up and ask - if they had room for a mascot you just turned up, no charge.

Overall, I know we’re just following the same commercial approach as othe PL clubs, but I think it’s a shame the club has changed its approach to capitalise on this, at a time when its income has never been higher. The club quite rightly makes a big play on its involvement in the local community thru AITC etc, but the opportunity to be a match day mascot ( for free) could be another way of providing a fantastic experience to kids who otherwise might never get that opportunity.

 

[timbha]

You do raise a good point and I personally think that Albion under Knight as opposed to Bloom served the community better rather than the monetised operation we have become.

.

Knight's regime kicked it off and did the best they could with limited finances, however Bloom has taken it to another planet with AITC

 

[BN9 BHA]

Judging by this thread I think the next time I watch Chl 4, during the day, I'll be confronted by:-

Joe Wilkinson speaking earnestly into the camera

This is Prosecco.
She's 6 years old and her parents are poor.
Despite being season ticket holders at the AMEX,
Prosecco's parents can't afford the mascots package.

She has to travel on public transport, every other weekend,
and when she gets to her destination all she can see is non poor children being mascots.

Please send £5 a month to end this misery for poor little Prosecco.

Prosecco?
Soooooo last year, or sooooo 2 years ago as it's now 2019
This years chav name is Gin

 

[Guinness Boy]

You do raise a good point and I personally think that Albion under Knight as opposed to Bloom served the community better rather than the monetised operation we have become.

Despite that, we are still one of the better clubs in this regard and it's not going to get any better. I just thank our lucky stars that we haven't had the seats turned red, got an owner than wants to turn us into the 'South coast Gulls' or an owner than wants to turn the ground into a retail park. We are lucky to have an owner than 'gets it' .The fact that elements of the pricing - the U18 non season ticket pricing being a prime example - is something I can put up with and accept it's worse elsewhere which doesn't necessarily make it right.It's just the way it is.

No point me adding to this - agree 100%

 

[Saunders]

Last time I was angry at the finances of our football club was when Archer and Stanley were still owners and people were collecting money in buckets for us to buy a new player... so cry me a river.

 

[AmexRuislip]

Fans now having to pay to be a mascot?

I am sure its been talked about on here before but £350 to be one at Brighton, with all this money sloshing around why charge?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-46526716

I do see your point in having to pay vast charges for your children to be mascots.
I'm not a STH, but I am fully aware that I will have to pay more to watch my team play, when and where I can.
The point I'm making it's my choice, and I believe people have to respect that, even if it means paying a tad more
We are in the big league now, with big league prices

 

[timbha]

I- more mascots and they all have to pay.

Overall, I know we’re just following the same commercial approach as othe PL clubs, but I think it’s a shame the club has changed its approach to capitalise on this, a time when its income has never been higher. The club quite rightly makes a big play on its involvement in the local community thru AITC etc, but the opportunity to be a match day mascot ( for free) could be another way of providing a fantastic experience to kids who otherwise might never get that opportunity.

1) it's covered elsewhere that there are one or two free mascot places for each home match
2) what pool would mascots be selected from? STH, junior members, certain age group, local schools, etc? there are arguments for and against each case - I cant afford a ST, I don't live in the area, I cant make the Burnley match but would love the Chelsea match please. I recall parents signing their kids up to Young Seagulls when they were 6 so they could get a free shirt on their 7th birthday, also stories of fictitious kids being registered for the same - not Albion fans but got a free shirt.

dont think mascots should be linked to AITC

Having said all that it might be easier to administer for away matches by application and a draw, but penalises those kids whose parents cant afford the time or cash to travel away

you cant win !

 

[Stat Brother]

you cant win !

Not with Brighton fans you can't.

Everytime I'm staggered by the 'offence' taken against the club by fans on here, the only constant is that something more pathetic will be next.

It's fortunate I'm not Mr Bloom as I would have told us lot to 'go f**k yourself' years ago, while locking up the AMEX and throwing away the key.

 

[timbha]

Not with Brighton fans you can't.

Everytime I'm staggered by the 'offence' taken against the club by fans on here, the only constant is that something more pathetic will be next.

It's fortunate I'm not Mr Bloom as I would have told us lot to 'go f**k yourself' years ago, while locking up the AMEX and throwing away the key.

Thankfully it’s a very small number of moaners and of these most have a genuine concern or suggestion. A very small minority are still in the dick Knight camp wearing their rose tinted specs and rewriting history

 

[Diablo]

Like everything....The club "the sellers" have the right to set the price and we have the choice to buy or not to buy !

 

[chaileyjem]

....

 

[Mr Putdown]

I guess at Sunderland they have to pay the mascot not the other way round

Sunderland had 46,039 on Boxing Day to watch them play poxy Bradford.

I’d guess they have an unbelievably long waiting list for matchday mascot places.

 

[chaileyjem]

Sunderland had 46,039 on Boxing Day to watch them play poxy Bradford.

I’d guess they have an unbelievably long waiting list for matchday mascot places.

From their FAQs, Sunderland pick them at random from their equivalent of young Seagulls.
Looks like They don’t have a paid package.
https://www.safc.com/club/faqs

 

[BadFish]

Why should mascots be free?

Why don't we get free tea or coffee? The club can afford it.
Why don't we get free travel? The club can afford it.
Why don't we get free programmes? The club can afford it.

Because the club are getting something out of it too. They need mascots for the game so the parents and kids are providing a service to them.