[Football] Pricing of EFL Cup ties (Gillingham v Spurs)

[Bozza]

Pulling a conversation with [MENTION=474]Mr Blobby[/MENTION] and [MENTION=249]edna krabappel[/MENTION] off of Facebook onto here, based on an article that includes this:

"This week, we play Gillingham in the League Cup. It took some time for Spurs to release pricing details. Eight days after the draw, they did. While Spurs wanted to continue with the £20/£10/£5 policy, Gillingham chairman Paul Scally wanted prices to be higher. Negotiations reached stalemate and, with the days ticking away, agreement had to be reached. So prices for the tie will be £25 for adults, £15 for seniors and £10 for kids.

We’re not happy. And we said so. And that led to criticism from some Gillingham fans who said we didn’t realise the tie was a vital payday for their club. Some were angry that we’d just paid £30m for a player but were complaining about a £5 ticket increase.

But it wasn’t Tottenham’s fans who had £30m to pay. It was the club. Too often fans of Premier League clubs are seen as indistinguishable from the clubs themselves, but the truth is that while the self-styled elite are benefitting from unprecedented wealth, the fans are not. In fact, there’s a good argument to say that, with prices rising up to 920% since the Taylor Report was published, fans of Premier League clubs are the most exploited in the country."

I have some sympathy with Spurs fans, but not too much if I'm honest...

1. £25 doesn't strike me as unreasonable.
2. Having had a quick look at Gillingham's site, tickets for their League One games cost £25 at The Priestfield (there are some cheaper tickets too).
3. Part of the romanticism of English Cup football is the bumper pay day that lower league sides get from drawing a 'big club' at home.
4. If the Premier League have finally got their act into gear with regard to ticket pricing, subsidised by the TV billions, then PL fans who benefit from that can afford to lob an occasional extra fiver into the lower leagues.
5. The economics of life in the football league is ticketing is a key income stream, unlike the Premier League.
6. If we were playing Spurs tonight, we'd have 25,000+ paying full Albion ticket prices instead of c7,000 paying £12.

Am I alone?

 

[Pantani]

Pulling a conversation with [MENTION=474]Mr Blobby[/MENTION] and [MENTION=249]edna krabappel[/MENTION] off of Facebook onto here, based on an article that includes this:

"This week, we play Gillingham in the League Cup. It took some time for Spurs to release pricing details. Eight days after the draw, they did. While Spurs wanted to continue with the £20/£10/£5 policy, Gillingham chairman Paul Scally wanted prices to be higher. Negotiations reached stalemate and, with the days ticking away, agreement had to be reached. So prices for the tie will be £25 for adults, £15 for seniors and £10 for kids.

We’re not happy. And we said so. And that led to criticism from some Gillingham fans who said we didn’t realise the tie was a vital payday for their club. Some were angry that we’d just paid £30m for a player but were complaining about a £5 ticket increase.

But it wasn’t Tottenham’s fans who had £30m to pay. It was the club. Too often fans of Premier League clubs are seen as indistinguishable from the clubs themselves, but the truth is that while the self-styled elite are benefitting from unprecedented wealth, the fans are not. In fact, there’s a good argument to say that, with prices rising up to 920% since the Taylor Report was published, fans of Premier League clubs are the most exploited in the country."

I have some sympathy with Spurs fans, but not too much if I'm honest...

1. £25 doesn't strike me as unreasonable.
2. Having had a quick look at Gillingham's site, tickets for their League One games cost £25 at The Priestfield (there are some cheaper tickets too).
3. Part of the romanticism of English Cup football is the bumper pay day that lower league sides get from drawing a 'big club' at home.
4. If the Premier League have finally got their act into gear with regard to ticket pricing, subsidised by the TV billions, then PL fans who benefit from that can afford to lob an occasional extra fiver into the lower leagues.
5. The economics of life in the football league is ticketing is a key income stream, unlike the Premier League.
6. If we were playing Spurs tonight, we'd have 25,000+ paying full Albion ticket prices instead of c7,000 paying £12.

Am I alone?

Spurs can subsidise the tickets for £5 per head if they feel that strongly about it. Or encourage the Premier League to equitably distribute the ridiculous amount of money coming in to the game.

Failure to recognise that is classic Premier League hubris.

 

[Gullflyinghigh]

No real sympathy with the Spurs fans in this instance if I'm honest.

If they honestly didn't think that a lower league club would do their best to try and maximise playing a 'marquee' team then they're either woefully out of touch with the economic situation outside or PL or just plain daft.

 

[Bozza]

It's Spurs v Gillingham apparently, not Gillingham v Spurs.

If anything this strengthens my feeling as Spurs fans will be paying considerably less than they would for almost any other game at White Hart Lane.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

I cant remember how much our trip to WHL was in the league cup under Sami. I think it was £25 a ticket.

 

[Peter Grummit]

Find it a bit curious that some Gills fans are arguing for higher ticket prices. By the same token as the Spurs fans argument, there is a distinction between a club's finances and individual fans'.

Given our historic subsidy of Scally's ground development plan, I'm less than empathetic to his version of economics, I must confess.

PG

 

[studio150]

Yes and No

Thinking it was Gillingham at home then charging the same as their league prices seems reasonable.

The fact Spurs are at home, I think that were agreement can not be reached, within a reasonable period then the home club should hold sway. So will the additional £5 put a lot of fans goings? Gillingham are not exactly a plum attraction for Spurs fans so doubt there will be much additional income going Gillinghams way

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Yes and No

Thinking it was Gillingham at home then charging the same as their league prices seems reasonable.

The fact Spurs are at home, I think that were agreement can not be reached, within a reasonable period then the home club should hold sway. So will the additional £5 put a lot of fans goings? Gillingham are not exactly a plum attraction for Spurs fans so doubt there will be much additional income going Gillinghams way

The attendance when we played was 33,537 which isn't big by Spurs standards, but is still a good pay day for a lower league club.

 

[SAC]

Paying £25 to see Gillingham play Spurs reserves is too much. I hope that the attendance is much lower than expected and Gillingham are burnt by their refusal to lower prices.

 

[drew]

The attendance when we played was 33,537 which isn't big by Spurs standards, but is still a good pay day for a lower league club.

Really! Their capacity is only 36k so 2.5k off of that isn't bad.

 

[whitelion]

Really! Their capacity is only 36k so 2.5k off of that isn't bad.

It was then but reduced now to around 31k due to the redevelopment.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Considering you can pick up a Spurs CL ticket for £20 it seems silly to charge more to see Gillingham the week after.

It's odd the Clubs are slated for charging high ticket prices, but when a top 6 club reduces them they are not doing the right thing?

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

It's Spurs v Gillingham apparently, not Gillingham v Spurs.

If anything this strengthens my feeling as Spurs fans will be paying considerably less than they would for almost any other game at White Hart Lane.

Most of the cup games are priced like that - League/FA/Europa League, so there is a large amount that would be on sale at the above cost.

 

[studio150]

The attendance when we played was 33,537 which isn't big by Spurs standards, but is still a good pay day for a lower league club.

Well supported Championship team or lower half League One side. I doubt the attendance on Wednesday will be anywhere near 33,537.

 

[whitelion]

Well supported Championship team or lower half League One side. I doubt the attendance on Wednesday will be anywhere near 33,537.

It can't be as the capacity is now approx 31k.

 

[JCL - the new kid in town]

6. If we were playing Spurs tonight, we'd have 25,000+ paying full Albion ticket prices instead of c7,000 paying £12.

In 2014 a fifth round FA cup tie against hull at home, the club charged somewhere around £20 for adults and £5 for kids. (cheaper still if in the north stand) so we don't always pay full prices. Hull were mid table premier league back then and granted aren't as favourable as Spurs in some eyes but 5th round of the FA cup is surely more appealing than 3rd round of EFL cup?

 

[Superseagull69]

Well supported Championship team or lower half League One side. I doubt the attendance on Wednesday will be anywhere near 33,537.

It can't be as the capacity is now approx 31k.

That & the fact I believe it is on Sky too.

Checked & looks like NOT.

 

[atfc village]

Back in 2011 Aldershot wanted to charge £35 for the visit of Man Utd ,Utd said no you charge your League price which was £17. Season tickets got 1st dibs,then people who had a ticket stub from the round before were next in line but had to buy a ticket for the next League game.Any tickets remaining went on general sale,but you had to buy tickets for the next 2 League games.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Spurs are going to be playing their little wonderkid who should be a bit good - Marcus Edwards his name.

 

[theboybilly]

Find it a bit curious that some Gills fans are arguing for higher ticket prices. By the same token as the Spurs fans argument, there is a distinction between a club's finances and individual fans'.

Given our historic subsidy of Scally's ground development plan, I'm less than empathetic to his version of economics, I must confess.

PG

Can you explain that last bit PG? A Gillingham-supporting mate of mine goes mental when I mention we paid for one of their stands (I just need a few extra facts for my argument)