Paul Barber speaks out on bus price increase etc

[Albumen]

I cycle about 4-5 miles each game so I'd hope the transport subsidy would only go to improve public transport for those who need it (elderly and disabled). Everyone else surely should pay their own way whichever way they want? How many people are affected by this service?

 

[Stat Brother]

I'm going to ask Paul if we can include this in the subsidy:-

 

[Bwian]

I don't think many people object to the principle but in this case it's how it's been done - i.e. AFTER people have renewed season tickets and with only three weeks to the season. It almost feels like entrapment.

True, the timing isn't good.

 

[Beach Hut]

According to the mail I received from a director when this travel levy became compulsory at that time it only covered a third of the total travel cost and the board would continue to subsidise this - my oh my what a total lie that was.

The director should be embarrassed by that, perhaps I should write back and remind him ?

 

[fosters headband]

Park and ride
This is a Possibility, but have the club calculated for the increase in this area?
Train
No station in Woodingdean
Uni parking
Costs as being a pensioner
Bus
No Bus direct from Woodingdean
And buses to and from my area for evening games every 30 minutes into Brighton, unless of course the club have agreed with the bus company to up the service on home games
Bike
Am 70 years old
Walk
as above

...

 

[Acker79]

Absolutely this.

Paul Barber is not a villain trying to fleece us fans-he has been given the unenviable job of reducing the excessive costs at the club.

We'd all love to be paying less for each game but it isn't going to happen. We are no longer 'Poor Old Brighton' on life support after the financial chaos that allowed Stanley, Archer and co in. Barber' job is to ensure shit like that never happens again and I don't envy him-anything that adds a cost will annoy fans, as we are seeing now.

Not exactly. He has to cut losses. To cut losses you have to reduce costs and increase income. In football that means squeezing as much money from the fans as possible (as well as increased sponsorship and corporate identity). Fleece is an emotive term, but part of his job is to get as much money from us as he can without going so far as to drive us away. With FFP that is going to be the job description for whoever fills the position and should be the same at every club.

That doesn't make him a villain, as long as he remembers the not driving us away bit.


Of course, ideally costs on the playing/transfer budget will be reduced, but players, agents, and managers are likely to try to fight that as long as possible, and unfortunately they (at least the players and agents) have the power to do so for now.

 

[Stat Brother]

.Park and ride
This is a Possibility, but have the club calculated for the increase in this area?
Train
No station in Woodingdean
Uni parking
Costs as being a pensioner
Bus
No Bus direct from Woodingdean
And buses to and from my area for evening games every 30 minutes into Brighton, unless of course the club have agreed with the bus company to up the service on home games
Bike
Am 70 years old
Walk
as above..

But how many people does that apply to?

 

[Hugh'sDad]

................ Why on earth should the Albion subsidise your matchday travel in any shape or form? Fair enough when the club

As an extra player......ever heard of the 'twelfth man'? The whole process is what philosophers call 'enlightened self-interest'

 

[Acker79]

...

Taxi?
Friend or loved one dropping you off and picking you up?

 

[fosters headband]

Can someone tell me how the club save money, by as has been suggested to myself, I drive to the edge of the exclusion zone and then get free bus travel. Surely any increase on these buses will be charged to the club. And have the Bus company been warned about the likelyhood of increased passengers and will they up the number of buses on these routes, or will it just mean longer waiting times for buses.

 

[LamieRobertson]

I stopped buying programmes last season when they went from £3.00 to £3.50. With no s bus, we will now have to get the 1 from mile oak to town and then the train, and if time allows have a pint at the station rather then the ground. With the increase in season ticket prices was already planning on spending less at the ground to make up for it. As others have pointed out, we all have limited money to pursue a hobby. How much longer can we sustain it? All the time the ground is full and matches sold out the club will do as they like. Good old supply and demand. Will the club respond if we see swathes of empty seats?

wonder what will happen if the team go on a losing streak ..cushioned by number of st's at the moment..then if we have a bad season..st price goes up again...etc etc..its a tricky job balancing the desire to build a fan base and cost cutting

 

[fosters headband]

Taxi?
Can't afford this,
Friend or loved one dropping you off and picking you up?
I thought the club had been trying to stop this happening?

...

 

[fosters headband]

But how many people does that apply to?

Other than the age thing a lot in my mind.

 

[Acker79]

...

I think they are more accommodating of it for elderly and/or infirm. I know I got dropped off once without any issue last season

 

[fosters headband]

I think they are more accommodating of it for elderly and/or infirm. I know I got dropped off once without any issue last season

Worth a try then

 

[timseagull]

There will still be an S bus, we will just have to pay an additional levy for it.

This has been argued elsewhere. The transport levy has gone up, we like others renewed our season tickets with the belief that the same transport options would be available. Until the recent announcement (by the bus company) there was no suggestion that this would change. We now find that to use the same service as last year we are now being asked to pay £75 more. There are two of us, and so we will choose to use the "free" (subsidised) b&h bus service to town and then train. The result will be our journey will take longer. Time is money, and as a result will arrive at the ground later, and will spend less.

 

[fosters headband]

This has been argued elsewhere. The transport levy has gone up, we like others renewed our season tickets with the belief that the same transport options would be available. Until the recent announcement (by the bus company) there was no suggestion that this would change. We now find that to use the same service as last year we are now being asked to pay £75 more. There are two of us, and so we will choose to use the "free" (subsidised) b&h bus service to town and then train. The result will be our journey will take longer. Time is money, and as a result will arrive at the ground later, and will spend less.

Absolutley, but and I cannot get anyone to answer this question, surely the buses and trains will be paid for your journey and as so many seem to be saying they will adopt this longer route, so where is the saving for the club and have the railways and buses agreed to put on extra trains and buses to cope with the extra passemgers, or are we all just going to be standing around longer waiting for space on the next one along?

 

[supaseagull]

But how many people does that apply to?

Mile Oak, Saltdean, Peacehaven, Hangleton, Woodingdean, Rottingdean, Telscombe, Ovingdean, Kemp Town, North Shoreham...Quite a few I should imagine

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Who decided parachute payments were a good idea? They seem to be contrary to the FFP concept and appear to reward relegated teams for failure.

The top clubs who wanted to bribe lesser clubs into agreeing to letting them restructure English football and ensure that the top clubs could remain INCREDIBLY rich for ever.

 

[Rugrat]

What irks me (and I accept it's without any inside knowledge) is the way the club appear to be using a blunt instrument ... by that I mean go back to the same group of "customers" and load more cost on to them.

It's a very unsophisticated way of doing things ... I'm in business helping businesses manage the cost/revenue equation and there are so many more things I think the club can do.

I've seen statements such as "progressing on developing more Commercial relationships/deals" but apart from the main sponsor change (fairly obvious really) I've seen nothing much at all that suggests they are either trying too hard or have a great deal of nous about what they are doing

Rant over!!