Ticket sales for pre season friendlies

[Thunder Bolt]

Quite surprised at this....seems the magic might be wearing off.

Just 2 years ago, a lot of people couldn't wait to watch a game at the Amex. I know quite a few wanted the first competitive match to be their first experience, but there was a good turnout for the Spurs game.
I want to see Brighton play Villarreal, having seen them play PSG & Chelsea in the last 2 years. I'm looking forward to seeing Benno play for Norwich at the Amex. You pays your money, you makes your choice.

 

[Marshy]

Well im going to both and am looking forward to it greatly

 

[Brovion]

That seems a bit unfair to the other players though. Also no travel voucher. Poor excuse. Tickets are only £12 each, so maybe the £10 saving could be spent on travelling?.

That's still £22 to watch a friendly, a glorified training exercise. This is an Ashes summer and friendly pre-season football 'matches' are well down my list of sporting priorities - let alone other things that are going on. We're all different.

 

[Rookie]

Disappointing numbers but not entirely unexpected. Would have thought more would have wanted to go to Oscar's first game though

 

[studio150]

Australia at Hove is a distraction for those that watch both. Also both friendlies are evening games which with no travel mean far greater extended travel times and late nights which no doubt also put many off.

 

[gripper stebson]

Well im going to both and am looking forward to it greatly

Same here.

 

[JJ McClure]

Australia at Hove is a distraction for those that watch both.

It's not a distraction, it's an addition. I'm going to both on Saturday and looking forward to an absolute sportsfest of a day.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

The Saturday evening kick-off for Villarreal may be putting many off.

 

[Goring-by-Seagull]

The kick off time has put a few of my mates off, I'm still taking the boy though. Just another excuse to go to the Amex and have a pie and pint, and have a good time.

I don't care if its a friendly, neither does my son (don't even think he knows what a friendly is) so we're going along to get back into the football swing!

 

[JJ McClure]

Australia at Hove is a distraction for those that watch both.

It's not a distraction, it's an addition. I'm going to both on Saturday and looking forward to an absolute sportsfest of a day.

 

[Bozza]

I'm in a slightly different scenario as I live nearly 200 miles away, but I think it's a combination of...

- Unattractive opposition (yes, I do go to watch the Albion, but...)
- Holiday season for many.
- Lingering hangover from THAT game at the end of last season.
- Horrible after-taste of the whole Poyet affair.
- ...which has not been lifted by positive transfer movements.
- Lack of 'free' approved parking for those who do need to drive for an evening game, such as those with kids.

 

[Canonman]

This is a very misleading figure though as there are thousands of 1901 seats for which this game is free. If they all turn up, or have given their seats to people who will, it's a very different gate.

I love that term "gate" brings back memories of The Goldstone, thanks Herr Tubthumper brought a warm glow to me stomach. Back of The North Stand first things to discuss, I wonder what the gate will be today.

 

[LowerWesty]

We have tickets for both games, and parking at the Bridge for £10, with 5 in the car makes it a total of £11 each for Villarreal and £15 for Norwich, for what I hope will be an enjoyable couple of games. Going, or not, will show Oscar the type of supporters we are!

Regarding the poor ticket take up, I suspect that the Club's attitude is to blame for this. If you play down the attraction by saying, "we don't expect many, so there will be no P&R" etc. then this must have an effect. My mate said "if I'd known this was going to happen I wouldn't have bought the tickets" and I expect that many were put of by there being no transport etc.

Seems to me that the Club has created a 'self defeating prophecy'. If you tell the supporters that it won't be any good, that you are expecting low attendance, that it will be hard to get there and home again and then add in the booking fee fiasco, it must come as no surprise to anyone when not many bother to go.

I can't help but wonder if the match against Newport will suffer the same fate and if all three are a big disappointment then the season may well start of on a low, just when we all we want to get behind the team, enjoy the new season and try to forget the end of the last year.

 

[Hotchilidog]

We have tickets for both games, and parking at the Bridge for £10, with 5 in the car makes it a total of £11 each for Villarreal and £15 for Norwich, for what I hope will be an enjoyable couple of games. Going, or not, will show Oscar the type of supporters we are!

Regarding the poor ticket take up, I suspect that the Club's attitude is to blame for this. If you play down the attraction by saying, "we don't expect many, so there will be no P&R" etc. then this must have an effect. My mate said "if I'd known this was going to happen I wouldn't have bought the tickets" and I expect that many were put of by there being no transport etc.

Seems to me that the Club has created a 'self defeating prophecy'. If you tell the supporters that it won't be any good, that you are expecting low attendance, that it will be hard to get there and home again and then add in the booking fee fiasco, it must come as no surprise to anyone when not many bother to go.

I can't help but wonder if the match against Newport will suffer the same fate and if all three are a big disappointment then the season may well start of on a low, just when we all we want to get behind the team, enjoy the new season and try to forget the end of the last year.

I disagree. I just think they are not attractive games to watch. Friendlies are low-key kickabouts which in my view are very difficult to get excited about. The season and proper football is nearly upon us so it's not too long to wait for the good stuff anyway. The weather has been good, people are still in holiday mode (i'm away this weekend). I'm not surprised or worried about the poor turnout for these games, it's about the going rate for this sort of event. I will be going to the Newport game however as at least that is a competitive fixture.

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

I don't get this "it's not a good team" crap - we are playing a Premier League team and a decent Spanish team. I think people are getting pretty arrogant if they think that those clubs aren't as good as us.

Pricing is bang on correct, even with a booking fee it's about £20 for both games !!

That said, I'm not going as because of the KO times, it would be difficult to get a good nights sleep since I start work early the next morning.

 

[essbee]

I stopped going to friendlies 10 years ago when I was stitched up £19 for a ticket at Leyton
Orient - Albion friendly at LO. It was a joke of a match - so no more.

 

[Bladders]

I'm there for both, looking forward to seeing how we play under Oscar, if there's any notable changes in style or tactics plus a good chance to see some of the dev boys that have moved up recently in to the first team squad....

............oh, and pies of course, missed the pies quite a lot.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I love that term "gate" brings back memories of The Goldstone, thanks Herr Tubthumper brought a warm glow to me stomach. Back of The North Stand first things to discuss, I wonder what the gate will be today.

I'm showing my age! Yes, and my father had worked out some formula which he could apply to the half-time lottery winnings (I think first prize was 50% of the ticket sales or similar) to estimate the gate. Happy days.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I will be going to the Newport game however as at least that is a competitive fixture.

You hope.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

I don't get this "it's not a good team" crap - we are playing a Premier League team and a decent Spanish team. I think people are getting pretty arrogant if they think that those clubs aren't as good as us.

Pricing is bang on correct, even with a booking fee it's about £20 for both games !!

That said, I'm not going as because of the KO times, it would be difficult to get a good nights sleep since I start work early the next morning.

Who is saying they aren't good teams?

Just Tottenham, Chelsea etc will always be a larger draw as would 'bigger' Spanish opposition.