Brighton Breezy
New member
Some people may be happy as things are. This thread probably isn't for them.
But for the rest of us, how can we best vocalise our concerns to the club? If there is one set of supporters who should be able to do is well, it is surely us.
I would suggest each and every fan concerned about spiralling costs email the club sharing those concerns in depth.
I also think that, perhaps for the first league game, people do not buy anything at The Amex stadium. No pies or pints may be a tall order for some but, in reality, it would a one off. A gesture showing that, as customers, we could easily withdraw said custom.
I would also suggest that, if the was such a day of merchandise, food boycott etc that every single person taking part email the commercial manager during the week before to let them know of your intentions.
Regardless of the bus costs etc the club has now retrospectively changed the club's charter twice to fall in line with decisions over additional charges, lack of transport etc.
It has also sold upwards of 22,000 season tickets without advertising significant changes to the terms and conditions. This is a worrying precedent and there is no reason to believe it will not happen again the next time the club decides to increase a cost which contradicts it.
I am not a knee-jerk anti-Barber moaner. I understand the requirements of FFP and fully appreciate he financial input of Tony Bloom - that is something I will always be grateful for.
I also don't mind paying slightly over the odds if it means keeping this club of ours financially stable. I, like 4,500 others, did so willingly throughout the years at Withdean where season ticket prices were often higher than some Premier League clubs despite being for seats in the league's worst stadium and to watch a team often playing outside try country's top two divisions.
I don't believe a protest against Paul Barber is even fair or, perhaps more importantly, likely to achieve anything. He isn't the problem. The disgusting, bloated, goldfish bowled football industry is to blame.
FFP is designed to encourage clubs to live within their finances. It is not meant to see clubs simply charge fans more in order to meet the criteria.
The Albion ARE trying to reduce costs. They are by no means the worst offenders in football. Far from it. They are also trying in some ways to make things still affordable while increasing prices. The direct debit interest free season ticket option for example is superb.
But they are the only club which WE are customers of. They are the only club we can apply pressure to.
I would equally suggest boycotting the most expensive away match next season en masse and, again, telling the people in charge exactly why.
Football will eat itself if things carry on the way they are. All fans of all clubs need to stand together and say, enough is enough. To tell clubs they are no longer prepared to pay inflated prices to fund sky high player wages in the midst of a terrible economic climate in the real world.
Perhaps it is time Brighton fans once again lead the way.
Judging by comments elsewhere on here over the last few days there are fans now being priced out of watching the Albion. Loyal fans. Fans who wrote letters, went on marches, kept going when few others bothered. Nobody will ever convince me that that is not wrong.
Promotion to the Premier League would almost certainly price out even more.
But for the rest of us, how can we best vocalise our concerns to the club? If there is one set of supporters who should be able to do is well, it is surely us.
I would suggest each and every fan concerned about spiralling costs email the club sharing those concerns in depth.
I also think that, perhaps for the first league game, people do not buy anything at The Amex stadium. No pies or pints may be a tall order for some but, in reality, it would a one off. A gesture showing that, as customers, we could easily withdraw said custom.
I would also suggest that, if the was such a day of merchandise, food boycott etc that every single person taking part email the commercial manager during the week before to let them know of your intentions.
Regardless of the bus costs etc the club has now retrospectively changed the club's charter twice to fall in line with decisions over additional charges, lack of transport etc.
It has also sold upwards of 22,000 season tickets without advertising significant changes to the terms and conditions. This is a worrying precedent and there is no reason to believe it will not happen again the next time the club decides to increase a cost which contradicts it.
I am not a knee-jerk anti-Barber moaner. I understand the requirements of FFP and fully appreciate he financial input of Tony Bloom - that is something I will always be grateful for.
I also don't mind paying slightly over the odds if it means keeping this club of ours financially stable. I, like 4,500 others, did so willingly throughout the years at Withdean where season ticket prices were often higher than some Premier League clubs despite being for seats in the league's worst stadium and to watch a team often playing outside try country's top two divisions.
I don't believe a protest against Paul Barber is even fair or, perhaps more importantly, likely to achieve anything. He isn't the problem. The disgusting, bloated, goldfish bowled football industry is to blame.
FFP is designed to encourage clubs to live within their finances. It is not meant to see clubs simply charge fans more in order to meet the criteria.
The Albion ARE trying to reduce costs. They are by no means the worst offenders in football. Far from it. They are also trying in some ways to make things still affordable while increasing prices. The direct debit interest free season ticket option for example is superb.
But they are the only club which WE are customers of. They are the only club we can apply pressure to.
I would equally suggest boycotting the most expensive away match next season en masse and, again, telling the people in charge exactly why.
Football will eat itself if things carry on the way they are. All fans of all clubs need to stand together and say, enough is enough. To tell clubs they are no longer prepared to pay inflated prices to fund sky high player wages in the midst of a terrible economic climate in the real world.
Perhaps it is time Brighton fans once again lead the way.
Judging by comments elsewhere on here over the last few days there are fans now being priced out of watching the Albion. Loyal fans. Fans who wrote letters, went on marches, kept going when few others bothered. Nobody will ever convince me that that is not wrong.
Promotion to the Premier League would almost certainly price out even more.
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