non renewals

[Deleted member 22389]

Non renewals I know there is another thread for this, but just from the people I speak to, I know of at least 6 or 7 people who will not be renewing. I reckon we could be down 3 - 5 thousands season ticket holders. Next season we will see lots of blue spaces.

 

[SAC]

3-5000 down isn't too bad*, before Christmas people were predicting double that. It those with a seat actually attend the matches then it probably wont look any different as the real attendance is down by this amount anyway.

*It's probably £1.2 - £2 million lost revenue so not as bad as it could have been is probably better than not too bad. It will still be one of the highest number in the Championship.

 

[Deleted member 22389]

I just hope it doesn't effect our ability to get some new players in for next season. Worst case scenario 5000 I reckon. I know where I sit 5-6 people had dissapeared along my row.

 

[Hugh'sDad]

I doubt it'll fall that much.......however, it is clear that upwards of 15000 people have become season ticket holders, and who had not been regular Albion fans, Withdean and prior.
Many of them will be wondering if they really love the team so much, that the want to continue paying for a seat for every home game, and the time commitment it entails.
We'll just have to wait and see, and if it does drop off, I hope the club can consolidate the attendance on the lower tiers rather than have the big blue gaps.

 

[atomised]

Its hard to judge from the original statement. If the op refers to 6 or 7 non renewals from for example 10 people its a concern. If however its from 60 or 70 people then nowhere near as bad. Of the 20 people ive spoken to 18 are renewing with 2 of them planning on bringing along new season ticket holders

 

[Justice]

I have a feeling those cancelling will regret it, I firmly believe CH has the ability to give promotion ago next season and if we have a bit of luck and make it then they will back scrambling for tickets desperate to see their favorite PL team play at the Amex.

 

[Bladders]

They'll all come crawling back if a playoff/promotion is on the cards.

...thats of course if Chelsea, Arsenal or Spurs aren't on the telly at the same time.

 

[Geriatric Seagull]

I'm afraid those in charge at the club have to take responsibility for any major downturn in season ticket sales next season. The appointment of one of the most inept managers I have seen in nearly sixty years of watching the Albion, coupled with a bunch of summer signings who, with few exceptions, have proved to be a waste of money, has meant that this season has been an almost total disaster. Unfortunately, even the appointment of a manager who appears to have more idea about what is required to do more than just survive in the Championship, will have come too late for many. Hopefully, survival this season and a summer of some signings who will actually improve the team, might actually persuade some people to either renew or to buy a ticket for the first time. We shall see!

 

[Notters]

I think I'm right in saying that there's a fair old turnover rate each season anyway. Plus as said above, they'll come crawling back within the first month or so if we're at the top of the table.

Edit: F me that's a miserable post above mine.

 

[CheeseRolls]

I'm not too worried about a few thousand non-renewals to be honest. There are plenty of Eastern Europeans, who can take their place. We just need to sign a Polish goal machine and a couple of Baltic ball players, hey presto - a transformed team and a rocking stadium.

 

[dazzer6666]

According to the tour guide on the Amex tour last week the numbers of non-renewers are big - she was at pains to point this out several times. I wonder, though, whether actual crowds will be much different - at the moment we have loads that don't turn up anyway, and I suspect it's mostly them, plus those that will still come along quite often but as we never sell out they always know they can get a ticket. If things on the pitch are going well next term I don't think actual attendances will be much different, just a lower % of STH.

 

[Deleted member 22389]

According to the tour guide on the Amex tour last week the numbers of non-renewers are big - she was at pains to point this out several times. I wonder, though, whether actual crowds will be much different - at the moment we have loads that don't turn up anyway, and I suspect it's mostly them, plus those that will still come along quite often but as we never sell out they always know they can get a ticket. If things on the pitch are going well next term I don't think actual attendances will be much different, just a lower % of STH.

Big to me means 5k - 10k who haven't renewed. Well at the moment we are probably down 5k a match so I'm hoping it will not make that much difference.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

The club basically need to learn a significant lesson from this, and invest substantially in the team for next season, with an eye on the 1901 renewals in summer 2016.

 

[Notters]

The club basically need to learn a significant lesson from this, and invest substantially in the team for next season, with an eye on the 1901 renewals in summer 2016.

I agree and disagree. I expect them to fund the team up to the FFP limit as they do every season.

 

[Deleted member 22389]

I agree and disagree. I expect them to fund the team up to the FFP limit as they do every season.

The problem we have is that there will be clubs around us next season not following these rules, and everyone will feel hard done by because this club got that player, and that club got this player and because we have a lovely stadium everyone expects we should be doing the same. I would rather the club are sensible and stay within the rules, but we have lost people because they feel the club lacks ambition. The club does have ambition, it's doing things the right way. This season has been awful but hopefully with CH here now and the summer to plan who knows what might happen.

 

[Diego Napier]

I just hope it doesn't effect our ability to get some new players in for next season. Worst case scenario 5000 I reckon. I know where I sit 5-6 people had dissapeared along my row.

Unpleasant personal habit?

 

[Stat Brother]

Why does one persons experience instantly extrapolate out to encompass everybody?

Where does the 3-5 thousand figure come from?
Surely all you know is next years ST holders could be as low as 21,994 or 21,993.

 

[Weststander]

I'm afraid those in charge at the club have to take responsibility for any major downturn in season ticket sales next season. The appointment of one of the most inept managers I have seen in nearly sixty years of watching the Albion, coupled with a bunch of summer signings who, with few exceptions, have proved to be a waste of money, has meant that this season has been an almost total disaster. Unfortunately, even the appointment of a manager who appears to have more idea about what is required to do more than just survive in the Championship, will have come too late for many. Hopefully, survival this season and a summer of some signings who will actually improve the team, might actually persuade some people to either renew or to buy a ticket for the first time. We shall see!

I know we made the playoffs, god knows how, but the football under OG was also awful in most home games. Giving a season and a half of dross in so many home games = a massive turn off, especially for new or returning fans. That was the price paid for a mega cost-cutting drive, resulting in the squad quality being far worse than circa April 2013.

 

[Weststander]

Why does one persons experience instantly extrapolate out to encompass everybody?

Where does the 3-5 thousand figure come from?
Surely all you know is next years ST holders could be as low as 21,994 or 21,993.

There's a very recent thread on NSC where someone quoted a club official as saying 4,000 s/t holders as having already packed it in for 2015/16 in the last few weeks. Others commenting on that thread seemed to accept the source as genuine and the figure as very plausible.

 

[spongy]

I'm in WSU d block row v and when we moved to the amex I was in a row of 10 mates. Over the last 2 seasons it's dwindled to 6. Next season there'll be 0.

I'm still personally renewing but the others aren't (of the 10 of us 2 of us are true Albion fans, (the others are all really prem team supporters) I know a lot of people will scoff at that but these are people who have over the last 4 years ploughed a couple of grand each minimum in to our club, and got as ****** off as I do when we lose, and followed us away for 4+ games a season which is more than most of our home support) which considering they're not as loyal as us they're fans nonetheless ( hometown team and want us to do well)

Unless the club can somehow get us back on a Gus bus and regain the highs of his legacy then fans will drop away..

But on the other hand I have met a new friend when I moved to Burgess Hill who is a proper Arsenal fan. And tattoos to prove it, he's in his early 50's, who was born and bred in Brighton but followed his fathers footsteps and supports Arsenal.

He can't afford to watch them every week, but when a free ticket has been available from a friend over the last few years he's come with me to watch us, enjoyed it, then when tickets weren't available he'd but his own in a different stand. Then he came to away to few games 2 seasons ago. Last season he bought his own tickets to whatever games he could and came to 7 away games with me. This season he bought a ST himself and hasn't missd a home game and done 9+ away games. And has booked every away game til the end of the seSon including 'Boro on the last day of the season. All games I can't attend due to becoming a dad and my football budget has taken a massive dent.

He's even bought himself an Albion coat and scarf. Is he a Brighton fan? No. Is he a Brighton supporter? You bet your life he is. He will do more games than me this season and that's pissed me off no end.

We lose some fair weather fans. But we also make them. And pump a l of of money into our club so should therefore respect them.

This is why I don't understand this whole JCL crud, everyone starts somewhere at some time, if you look in the WSU tomorrow look at the average age of our fans, it's certainly not teenagers. New fans need embracing and welcoming, not chastised because they weren't there there during the days of Archer, Belotti and Stanley. We need a turnover of new fans to keep this club alive and I shall be moving from WSU to the SWC next season with my JCL mate.