[Football] Ending Season Ticket Culture

[Wozza]

I placed my Everton ticket on the exchange a full week before the game. It and loads of others never sold. All this bollocks about lots of people waiting for tickets, demand outstripping supply etc. I think Barber has his head up his ass sometimes!!

It sold out. That’s why the exchange opened.

But no, we don’t have a big six-size fanbase waiting to snap up tickets. That’s why sale/resale is managed so closely.

Club has to work hard to get bums on seats.

 

[portlock seagull]

If that ever happens at our club then it will mean we will have completely lost our soul and forgotten our roots. It would be bad if the club turned their back on the supporters that helped keep the club going in our dark days.

Totally different regimes though, same at every club. Each cares not for what predecessors did or did not nor should they when looked at logically. It’s business, pure and simple. Only fans have a mindset there should be rewards for loyalty and so forth.

 

[Brian Munich]

I'm not quite sure of the purpose of this thread. The club have taken measures to encourage listing or sharing of tickets, which is a fairly straighforward procedure and can be done in the time it takes to have a dump.

I don't think we'd lose that many paying fans if we were relegated. We spent 6 seasons in the Championship and averaged over 25K in every one except the first, and that was only because the capacity was lower.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I think it's an interesting thought in general - back in the Goldstone days season ticket holders were a minority, but ever since we've moved to the Amex almost every seat is sold for the season.

No, of course they shouldn't be more expensive, they are discounted for a reason, because they are a bulk purchase, but I do think that season ticket holders should appreciate this more, and realise it's not their seat to share with whoever they like, sell to whoever they like, get refunds whenever they can't go, and so on. They are getting a discount that isn't available to the rest of us.

There are so many seats available for this friday on the exchange, yet my Dad can't buy a discounted over-65 ticket because the few matchday tickets available have already sold out. That's not the club's fault, but because our stadium is clogged up with season ticket holders who are prepared to take the hit of not going one or two weeks. So maybe there is some merit in the OPs idea after all. There do seem to be a lot of season ticket holders who don't really need one.

Season tickets get a discount because you pay in advance. The Albion also allows interest free monthly payments.

 

[drew]

Think I read somewhere that Man City no longer sell new season tickets. Existing STH can renew but you can't buy a new one.

 

[Guinness Boy]

With demand at an all time high, and the failure of many to use the ticket exchange, should ST’s now be paying a premium above the pro-rata matchday cost for the right to have first dibs on a seat for home (and to an extent away) matches? I wonder how long it will be before PL clubs phase out ST’s and the associated discount, to encourage more high spending tourist type supporters instead of legacy fans?

Is demand at an all time high? 23000 for a 4th round cup tie against a big six club that we've supposedly got a rivalry with? And, what ever the "pretendance" there are always empty seats all over the stadium. I don't reckon there have been 31000 bums on seats all season. If you wanted to go that badly you'd get a single or put up with an 8pm kick off time.

Anyway, TB and PB won't get rid of season tickets or the discount and favours they provide. The excellent DD scheme guarantees a bottom line cashflow throughout the year that lets them sweat the bigger numbers to be gained out of TV rights and transfers.

 

[portlock seagull]

I'm not quite sure of the purpose of this thread. The club have taken measures to encourage listing or sharing of tickets, which is a fairly straighforward procedure and can be done in the time it takes to have a dump.

I don't think we'd lose that many paying fans if we were relegated. We spent 6 seasons in the Championship and averaged over 25K in every one except the first, and that was only because the capacity was lower.

To generate debate? Consider different perspectives? About a topical football story? NSC’s not just for obituaries you know, sometimes football does creep into conversation.

 

[Bombardier]

Is demand at an all time high? 23000 for a 4th round cup tie against a big six club that we've supposedly got a rivalry with? And, what ever the "pretendance" there are always empty seats all over the stadium. I don't reckon there have been 31000 bums on seats all season. If you wanted to go that badly you'd get a single or put up with an 8pm kick off time.

Anyway, TB and PB won't get rid of season tickets or the discount and favours they provide. The excellent DD scheme guarantees a bottom line cashflow throughout the year that lets them sweat the bigger numbers to be gained out of TV rights and transfers.

That’s a decent post

 

[BadFish]

interesting video about where the focus of premier league teams lies.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Think I read somewhere that Man City no longer sell new season tickets. Existing STH can renew but you can't buy a new one.

Odd if true as they never sell out.

 

[portlock seagull]

Is demand at an all time high? 23000 for a 4th round cup tie against a big six club that we've supposedly got a rivalry with? And, what ever the "pretendance" there are always empty seats all over the stadium. I don't reckon there have been 31000 bums on seats all season. If you wanted to go that badly you'd get a single or put up with an 8pm kick off time.

Anyway, TB and PB won't get rid of season tickets or the discount and favours they provide. The excellent DD scheme guarantees a bottom line cashflow throughout the year that lets them sweat the bigger numbers to be gained out of TV rights and transfers.

Cup games probably not best basis for comparison purposes and pretendance is tricky one to evaluate either way. I also wouldn’t be as confident about things ever remaining as-is, especially if our share of television money was reduced.

 

[portlock seagull]

Think I read somewhere that Man City no longer sell new season tickets. Existing STH can renew but you can't buy a new one.

That rings a bell. Think you’re right…was bound to happen some day…

 

[RandyWanger]

I'm sure barbs has thought about it

 

[abc]

They won't though, will they? Remember Palace going on about how all our new fans would disappear in the 2nd season at the Amex?
and
When I was a kid I was the only Brighton fan at my school. The only person I knew who owned a Brighton shirt. Go to any kids football coaching session anywhere in Sussex and the ratios of shirts go 30% big 6, 20% random other teams, 50% Brighton. The Amex is full of a new generation of young fans, who come accompanied by their parents, who have gradually started to get hooked. I know so many people like this. There is just no way on Earth they are all going to disappear if / when we get relegated. It's a complete nonsense idea. Yes, gates would drop- how many Championship teams get 30,000+ every week?

It's this demographic that swells the Amex attendances, and they are here to stay. The 'tourists' are people like the Japanese here to watch Mitoma, and the odd person or family who wants to watch a Premier League match for the first time. That is a tiny percentage of the Amex crowd.

So in fact, maybe the 'tourists' might vanish overnight if we were relegated, but it would make virtually no difference, and be completely within the normal parameters of a team getting relegated, and we'd still be in the top 2 or 3 supported clubs in the Championship.

I know it bothers some people,, but our 'legacy fans' (and yes I am one of them) aren't special. Sorry.

As you suggest, new young fans will be the life blood of the club in future years and is what we lost over the Gillingham/Withdean years. I do wonder whether the club really understand this though. Early round home cup games are vastly undersold, some with stands not being opened. I cannot understand why the club do not take the opportunity to give (or charge a very small fee) thousands of tickets to schools, youth clubs, scout groups, charities supporting young people etc. Perhaps a package offering a parent and kids for a tenner. Great PR but more importantly could introduce loads of potentially new fans to the Albion at no cost.

 

[tstanbur]

This is definitely a thing. As a non-STH currently* I enjoy going more when my lad can go too, but it’s often hard to find two tickets together in our price range.

* Had one back in the Championship days but had to give it up.

Are you members?

It’s easy to get 2 (or more) seats together for any home game (in the cheapest price bracket) if you are members and keep an eye on the on sale date and time.

 

[Biscuit]

Hi Paul

 

[Greg Bobkin]

With demand at an all time high, and the failure of many to use the ticket exchange, should ST’s now be paying a premium above the pro-rata matchday cost for the right to have first dibs on a seat for home (and to an extent away) matches? I wonder how long it will be before PL clubs phase out ST’s and the associated discount, to encourage more high spending tourist type supporters instead of legacy fans?

No.

 

[Happy Exile]

Think I read somewhere that Man City no longer sell new season tickets. Existing STH can renew but you can't buy a new one.

If this is true the number of tourists it'll create might explain why the Etihad is one of the quietest grounds in the league - even Pep has commented on how the fans don't make much noise.

 

[portlock seagull]

No.

Fair enough, though I think it should be on a par and could be without too much objection so we’ve more money to spend on improving the team.

 

[Birdie Boy]

I agree, and it’s another increased revenue driver to look at also ie substantially increase away ticket prices because demand massively outstrips supply.

Are you seriously asking for the price of tickets to be put up? WTF!