[Albion] Paul Barber on Albion match day ticket prices

[Hastings gull]

Nope! Nothing there (no matter how many times you repeat it) to convince me tickets are priced smartly enough. Reduce them a little and watch the sales increase and the empty seats fill up. Reduce them some more and the stadium will be full every week. I work in the airline industry and no other industry works so hard and so smart to fill their seats at any price that equals a profit. An empty seat does not equate to any profit at all. It's not difficult. I find it alarming he does not understand that. It's so simple. You're pouring money away. We can sell out, we know the fans are out there and want to come, they don't because tickets are too expensive. You don't need to worry about season ticket prices in comparison. Of course we want a bit of a discount but more importantly we want a hassle free, guaranteed seat(our own seat) every week, every game. I don't care how much cheaper my seat is vs a non season ticket seat. I want the club to make the most money it possibly can and fill up the stadium. In my opinion they're not currently doing that, and they can be a lot smarter. They are missing out on available revenue week in, week out with poor pricing. If my season ticket seat cost that much every game, I wouldn't pay it. Same way I wont, and my friends won't pay it on a game by game basis. It's very short sited. I would have brought so many buddies with me, almost every other game, again and again for £35ish but for £40+ nope!

Two points, if I may. First of all, whilst I appreciate your sincerity in wanting the Amex to be filled, your season ticket would not work out at £35.00 per match and there are tickets galore for tomorrow at £32.00, and for lesser games, in terms of category, the price is cheaper, so pricing cannot possibly be the reason why you and your mates are not coming, if your threshold is £35.00. Who is kidding whom?

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

I thought it was pretty concise considering all the areas he tried to cover.

Yeah he repeated himself a bit but if you're struggling to read that then.... Oh look a Facebook update.

YOU MUST BE MADE UP WITH THE FREE WI FI THOUGH
regards
DR

 

[ChickenBaltiPie]

You know what? It puzzles me.

You say it's not difficult yet our club administrators seem better skilled at filling seats than pretty much every other club in the division. So, we're getting something that is easy a little bit wrong, but all those other clubs are getting it massively wrong.

How are so many people who have worked in the football industry for so long all getting it so wrong?

(Oh, and there are plenty of £32 tickets available for tomorrow, £30 for Middlesbrough and £25 for Ipswich. And each of those include up to £9 of travel. Your mates can't be that keen to come.)

Both myself and them wish to sit together. Obviously. I wish to sit in my seat, (also obvious) and I don't wish to have to change it and call the club and move around each time. (Very understandable) My friends do come every now and again and they sit in the cheaper areas. I have before now moved to sit with them, but I won't keep doing it. It's a pain in the arse frankly and maybe I'm a bit lazy and I need things laid out on a plate for me to encourage me to open my wallet a bit more frequently. Perhaps irrationally I'm emotionally attached to my seat, the view, the people I sit with etc etc etc and perhaps that also means a lot to me.

If we don't sit together. Both our enjoyment is reduced a little as a result. They would come much more often if they could sit with me for less, and who knows, probably buy a season ticket. I would pay for my (less well off) friends and family to come more often if it didn't cost me £40+ each time too. Don't underestimate the value, enjoyment and repeat business multiplier of sitting with your mate at the football.

It's always so black and white on this forum of yours isn't it? Things can always be done just a little better. It's not always right and wrong, one way or the other. A lot of intelligent people run our club for the most part, very well, but one or two of us on here with an opinion of our own aren't necessarily complete idiots either. Some football fans do have a few cells in their head and run very large, successful multi million pound+ (OK, it's a billion dollar company) business' too.

So in summary, your flippant, slightly derogatory assessment of my friends is correct, and is the whole point of the matter. They do want to come, just not quite enough, isn't that obvious. Otherwise they'd be season ticket holders. They are precisely who we're talking about here, and strategically pricing tickets intelligently to appeal to those that 'can't be that keen to come!'

 

[reigate]

You know what? It puzzles me.

You say it's not difficult yet our club administrators seem better skilled at filling seats than pretty much every other club in the division. So, we're getting something that is easy a little bit wrong, but all those other clubs are getting it massively wrong.

How are so many people who have worked in the football industry for so long all getting it so wrong?

(Oh, and there are plenty of £32 tickets available for tomorrow, £30 for Middlesbrough and £25 for Ipswich. And each of those include up to £9 of travel. Your mates can't be that keen to come.)

People have been making excuses not to go since I can remember. In the early 90,s everyone said they wouldn't go until Lloyd was sacked. When he was, crowds went up for a couple of games then back to 7000. When we we didn't sell out withdean people jused to claim they could get a ticket, despite there being thousands available. Now they say they they won't pay £42 but would pay £36, but still don't buy when you can pay less than that.

 

[ChickenBaltiPie]

That's a little bit condescending in tone if fair to the bloke. We all know where he's coming from. It's expensive and a bit hassley to go to football compared to days of yore which I suspect his mates remember. all part of thenperceived value for money v matchday experience. And I'm sure influences the difference between 23 and 28k in some capacity.

Thanks. Genuinely. Thought perhaps I was just being sensitive.

 

[Bozza]

That's a little bit condescending in tone if fair to the bloke. We all know where he's coming from. It's expensive and a bit hassley to go to football compared to days of yore which I suspect his mates remember. all part of thenperceived value for money v matchday experience. And I'm sure influences the difference between 23 and 28k in some capacity.

Condescending. Yes, probably no need for that, but it seemed to be the best way to try and get my point across at the time. We're getting it more right than most, so the point is - why is pretty much everyone in football getting it wrong? If it's so easy, why hasn't someone solved it? Those of us outside the club have far less data and information available to us, so why do we think we are more qualified than those who are better informed?

Expensive - yes. But that is all of football. If it wasn't expensive at the Albion, then it wouldn't be top-end Championship standard. And if we were dossing around League One you wouldn't be able to sell a lot of the seats for any money at all.

(And there are decent value tickets available to those who really want to come, and aren't just looking for an excuse to stay away and moan)

 

[portlock seagull]

I thought it was pretty concise considering all the areas he tried to cover.

Yeah he repeated himself a bit but if you're struggling to read that then.... Oh look a Facebook update.

Missed the point. I've passed the point where I have the energy to read and reread a Paul Barber email. He's now a byword for in concise. Seriously, he needs to cut his word count by 80%. I say 80% because 80% less of 10000 words is still 2000!

 

[Hastings gull]

That's a little bit condescending in tone if fair to the bloke. We all know where he's coming from. It's expensive and a bit hassley to go to football compared to days of yore which I suspect his mates remember. all part of thenperceived value for money v matchday experience. And I'm sure influences the difference between 23 and 28k in some capacity.

But the prices that Bozza quite rightly points out, would indicate that football at the Amex, given the travel subsidy as well, is not as expensive as some folk here try to make out. Granted £42.00 is not to everyone's taste, but there are cheaper alternatives, and the post did not do himself any favours by claiming that his limit was £35.00, which would entice him, when there are hundreds of tickets available at below that threshold, and even lower for future games.

 

[ChickenBaltiPie]

[/B]

Two points, if I may. First of all, whilst I appreciate your sincerity in wanting the Amex to be filled, your season ticket would not work out at £35.00 per match and there are tickets galore for tomorrow at £32.00, and for lesser games, in terms of category, the price is cheaper, so pricing cannot possibly be the reason why you and your mates are not coming, if your threshold is £35.00. Who is kidding whom?

Apologies. No idea where you're coming from here. Don't understand your post. I'm a season ticket holder. My match price is great. No complaints. I want to bring friends for less. £42 is too much and intelligent people know that. They feel stupid for paying it. It's not a case of what you can afford. It's what you're getting for that amount. That said!! I would love the club to charge £50 a seat, if they could sell them for that and there were no empty seats. haha

But the stadium is full of them, and they're earning the club zilch!

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Apologies. No idea where you're coming from here. Don't understand your post. I'm a season ticket holder. My match price is great. No complaints. I want to bring friends for less. £42 is too much and intelligent people know that. They feel stupid for paying it. It's not a case of what you can afford. It's what you're getting for that amount. That said!! I would love the club to charge £50 a seat, if they could sell them for that and there were no empty seats. haha

But the stadium is full of them, and they're earning the club zilch!

There are tickets for tomorrow priced at £32. They do not have to pay £42.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

My view on pb has now become he is a real asset to the club

 

[ChickenBaltiPie]

Condescending. Yes, probably no need for that, but it seemed to be the best way to try and get my point across at the time. We're getting it more right than most, so the point is - why is pretty much everyone in football getting it wrong? If it's so easy, why hasn't someone solved it? Those of us outside the club have far less data and information available to us, so why do we think we are more qualified than those who are better informed?

Expensive - yes. But that is all of football. If it wasn't expensive at the Albion, then it wouldn't be top-end Championship standard. And if we were dossing around League One you wouldn't be able to sell a lot of the seats for any money at all.

(And there are decent value tickets available to those who really want to come, and aren't just looking for an excuse to stay away and moan)

If I had access to their data I might have a different opinion. I don't, so my opinion is based on my own experience, and your entire forum is based on idiots like me and our daft opinions, so don't knock it pal.

 

[LlcoolJ]

YOU MUST BE MADE UP WITH THE FREE WI FI THOUGH
regards
DR

Sarcasm darling. I'm not even on Facebook AND never will BE.

Regards

LL

 

[ChickenBaltiPie]

Missed the point. I've passed the point where I have the energy to read and reread a Paul Barber email. He's now a byword for in concise. Seriously, he needs to cut his word count by 80%. I say 80% because 80% less of 10000 words is still 2000!

Can't lie. My first immediate thought was, oh dear, he gets paid £100k's a year. That should've been shorter, more concise and a lot more eloquent. Whoops

 

[ChickenBaltiPie]

There are tickets for tomorrow priced at £32. They do not have to pay £42.

Oh boy. Reread previous posts. I know no one wants to reread anything I've already written haha

 

[LlcoolJ]

Missed the point. I've passed the point where I have the energy to read and reread a Paul Barber email. He's now a byword for in concise. Seriously, he needs to cut his word count by 80%. I say 80% because 80% less of 10000 words is still 2000!

Fair! enough! (Free! Wi-Fi!).

I get what you mean.

 

[Berty23]

I do not understand the comparison with aeroplane one bit. A football club is completely and utterly different. I can't be bothered to rip the comparison to pieces because surely it is obvious to everyone. If prices for football suddenly dropped just before kick off then people would not pay full price. This is not about selling a few extra seats for a tenner this is about losing the revenue from 24000 seats to try and get another 3000 bums on seats. Bizarre.

 

[HAILSHAM SEAGULL]

Apologies. No idea where you're coming from here. Don't understand your post. I'm a season ticket holder. My match price is great. No complaints. I want to bring friends for less. £42 is too much and intelligent people know that. They feel stupid for paying it. It's not a case of what you can afford. It's what you're getting for that amount. That said!! I would love the club to charge £50 a seat, if they could sell them for that and there were no empty seats. haha

But the stadium is full of them, and they're earning the club zilch!

But they are not £42, they are £35 plus £7 travel subsidy, and this is for the dearest seats and best view outside of the 1901.
I sit in the ESU and the view is superb and well worth the annual fee, of which £161 is made up of travel subsidy.
I forget the exact total, about £630 for the year, knock off the £161, that means £469 for 23 matches, just over £20 per match.....season
ticket to ESU is great value. And this is premier seating area.
If your friends want to come so badly, buy season tickets, and sell the seat for £25 when they cant make it.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Oh boy. Reread previous posts. I know no one wants to reread anything I've already written haha

I've read your posts carefully. If price was the only consideration stopping your mates going to the game, then I don't believe it.

 

[Bozza]

Both myself and them wish to sit together. Obviously. I wish to sit in my seat, (also obvious) and I don't wish to have to change it and call the club and move around each time. (Very understandable) My friends do come every now and again and they sit in the cheaper areas. I have before now moved to sit with them, but I won't keep doing it. It's a pain in the arse frankly and maybe I'm a bit lazy and I need things laid out on a plate for me to encourage me to open my wallet a bit more frequently. Perhaps irrationally I'm emotionally attached to my seat, the view, the people I sit with etc etc etc and perhaps that also means a lot to me.

If we don't sit together. Both our enjoyment is reduced a little as a result. They would come much more often if they could sit with me for less, and who knows, probably buy a season ticket. I would pay for my (less well off) friends and family to come more often if it didn't cost me £40+ each time too. Don't underestimate the value, enjoyment and repeat business multiplier or sitting with your mate at the football.

It's always so black and white on this forum of yours isn't it? Things can always be done just a little better. It's not always right and wrong, one way or the other. A lot of intelligent people run our club for the most part, very well, but one or two of us on here with an opinion of our own aren't necessarily complete idiots either. Some football fans do have a few cells in their head and run very large, multi million pound plus business' too.

So in summary, your flippant, slightly derogatory assessment of my friends is correct, and is the whole point of the matter. They do want to come, just not quite enough, isn't that obvious. Otherwise they'd be season ticket holders. They are precisely who we're talking about here, and strategically pricing tickets intelligently and to appeal to those that 'can't be that keen to come!'

I apologise for my tone - there is no need, but I stand by my general point.

There is a bloke who is currently paying nearly £20 of his money for me to sit in my seat every game. And you. And 25,000 others. If he, and those he employs, genuinely thought there was a better way, would they not be doing it?

It must come down to short term versus long term views again - something PB alluded to. Tony Bloom, Paul Barber and his team have to both manage the long term health of the club and the short term health. They will analyse significant quantities of data and research from the fanbase to do that. I can speak about what I'd do with confidence, as I could about most of those I go to games with. But there are 25,000 others who will all have slightly different views and sensitivities to all environmental factors, not least of all price.

There simply must be a strong belief that if the difference between a season ticket and a single match ticket was smaller than it is now, a reasonable quantity of season ticket holders would surrender their tickets and go match by match. And many wouldn't pay for midweek fixtures, nor for games against the likes of Rotherham. Once that starts to happen, don't we end up in a vicious circle where we become yet another Championship team where, on the highlights on a Saturday night, the ground looks empty?

Beyond that, if the club didn't have the surety of a significant season ticket revenue stream, I would imagine more caution would need to be taken with on-the-field investment since income over the course of a season becomes far more uncertain.

On all your general points, I completely agree. I couldn't see me paying £42 for a ticket (but that is picking the extreme). Hell, I even did a brief double-take this morning when I bought Derby tickets today. Only £30 but that's a fair old hike on my WSU season ticket price, even if we ignore the travel element.