Wise words from the chief executive

[Lincoln Imp]

Fair's fair - you have to say these words about when the club reaches the Premier League are wise and thoughtful...

"It would be easy to jack up our prices and milk Premier League status for all it's worth, but that would alienate many of our most loyal supporters. It would be terrible for the club, not just in community terms, but in commercial terms too, if we priced them out for the sake of new 'fans' who might desert us as soon as results turn against us. We have to be mindful of our traditions."

 

[Lincoln Imp]

Oh damn. It was Brentford's chief executive. Still, it's nice to know that some of the breed understand what football club marketing, pricing and supporter relations are all about.

 

[Notters]

They would be wise if he practised what he preached. A lot of fans have already been outpriced. He also said prices would go up significantly if we were promoted. But more importantly they need to stop mentioning the prem until we're at the right end of the championship.

 

[Goldstone1976]

They would be wise if he practised what he preached. A lot of fans have already been outpriced. He also said prices would go up significantly if we were promoted. But more importantly they need to stop mentioning the prem until we're at the right end of the championship.

you might want to take a quick look at post #2.

 

[Vegas Seagull]

Poor...'A' chief exec not 'the'

 

[Perkino]

Bayern Munich season tickets are cheaper than ours, I think less than £200, their chairman said the amount of money they get from tickets is so small in comparison to all the sponsorship money that to extort the fans for a few million more was plain wrong.

Subsequently they have a packed stadium and lots of willing supporters who pump their money into the club in other areas like through merchandise and other purchases at the stadium.

The other option is to go the Arsenal way and charge £100 for cheap tickets

 

[Mo Gosfield]

Fans ( despite a few grumbles ) will usually pay the money, given a successful team.
Sadly, we are all paying more than ever this season for a struggling and under-achieving team. Not the best recipe to keep your fanbase happy.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

It all comes down to what we mean by "the community". I know what I mean. I mean the community of Albion fans - some of us old enough to remember 1983 or 1995-97, or Gillingham or Withdean, or the Doncaster game at the Amex. A community that is really upset, REALLY upset, to be sitting in the relegation zone right now.

But it seems clear that this real community of Albion fans can only deliver about 15,000 bums on seats when the going gets tough. But every one of those 15,000 wants to be part of a crowd of 30,000 - and we look around us on matchday in despair at the vast array of empty seats in front of us.

What do we do? All we can do is hope. Hope that success on the pitch will deliver the 30,000? As this season proves, that can't be guaranteed. Or do we demand that the Club reaches out to "new fans" and pack the ground with folk who know nothing of the heritage and whose mere presence as "customers" will dilute the experience of the "real community" of fans? Or do we just adjust our minds and learn to live with a half-empty ground that will only see a capacity crowd if we happen to draw Arsenal in a cup match?

It would be nice to think that the Club will look after the interests of the longstanding community of fans and always keep ticket prices at "affordable" levels. But how does that square with our ambitions to sign top players the minute we get a glimpse of success?

 

[Foolg]

It would be nice to think that the Club will look after the interests of the longstanding community of fans and always keep ticket prices at "affordable" levels. But how does that square with our ambitions to sign top players the minute we get a glimpse of success?

Completely understand what you are saying, BUT:

The three promoted teams last year all managed to offer season tickets cheaper than ours. In fact we were considerably more expensive than all of the 3, with QPR being based in London so you cannot even put it down to geographical explanations.

Of the other 3 play off teams: Derby's season tickets were £250 cheapest (adult), Wigan's were £280, and ours more than 50% higher at £455.

Oh, and Derby, with £250 season tickets and similar attendances to ourselves, still managed to comply with FFP.


(This isn't a dig at you btw, it's just interesting to see that other clubs manage to provide a far more affordable product, without seeing the team suffer).

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Geography plays an important part. QPR can't just charge what they want. If they get things wrong, they run the risk that some casual "customers" will migrate to Brentford or Chelsea. Likewise Derby County and Wigan.

Albion live in a cocoon, where we imagine that the whole population of Sussex will gravitate to the Amex, regardless of pricing policies.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

it's just interesting to see that other clubs manage to provide a far more affordable product, without seeing the team suffer.

and Bayern Munich manage to win their domestic league, champions league and provide the back-bone of the World champions whilst peddling a pile of €200 tickets.

 

[ROSM]

But to get from West London to arsenal isnt that much cheaper or shorter than mid Sussex to London. If anybody thinks we are the only show in town, they are madly mistaken

 

[Springal]

Completely understand what you are saying, BUT:

The three promoted teams last year all managed to offer season tickets cheaper than ours. In fact we were considerably more expensive than all of the 3, with QPR being based in London so you cannot even put it down to geographical explanations.

Of the other 3 play off teams: Derby's season tickets were £250 cheapest (adult), Wigan's were £280, and ours more than 50% higher at £455.

Oh, and Derby, with £250 season tickets and similar attendances to ourselves, still managed to comply with FFP.


(This isn't a dig at you btw, it's just interesting to see that other clubs manage to provide a far more affordable product, without seeing the team suffer).

Derby are in a very different situation to us though. They've regularly, bar the back end of Cloughs reign, had attendences in the 25000-32000 bracket, for years. They've had a top class academy for a good 10 years or so now, and also benefited from 1 season in the Premiership. They are also in the midlands, where there is a lot of competition for fans, that combined with the fact they offer little flexibility of the payment of season tickets.

 

[Foolg]

Bayern Munich I can understand, given the TV money and sponsorship must play a far higher percentage than it does for us.

However, when teams like Derby can charge £250 for a season ticket, you realise that something is going wrong somewhere when Barber says that the price increases are required to meet FFP.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

The Football Supporters Federation has been running a campaign for a year called Twenty's Plenty.

TWENTY'S PLENTY AIMS: Supporters call upon football clubs at all levels of the game to recognise and reward the amazing contribution of away fans by getting together to agree an across the board price cap on away match tickets of £20 (£15 for concessions).

http://fsf.org.uk/campaigns/away-fans/score-campaign-twentys-plenty-for-away-tickets/

 

[Simster]

Completely understand what you are saying, BUT:

The three promoted teams last year all managed to offer season tickets cheaper than ours. In fact we were considerably more expensive than all of the 3, with QPR being based in London so you cannot even put it down to geographical explanations.

Of the other 3 play off teams: Derby's season tickets were £250 cheapest (adult), Wigan's were £280, and ours more than 50% higher at £455.

Oh, and Derby, with £250 season tickets and similar attendances to ourselves, still managed to comply with FFP.


(This isn't a dig at you btw, it's just interesting to see that other clubs manage to provide a far more affordable product, without seeing the team suffer).

I don't know how many of these offer a pay-monthly option though? Also, the cost of living in Wigan and Derby are noticeably lower than they are here.

To be honest, I'm convinced this wouldn't be an issue if it wasn't for the crass incompetence we saw in the summer. It was inexcusable and I'm certain season ticket numbers will completely CRASH next season, because people will just feel the commitment made by buying a season ticket was thrown back in their faces by various moronic decisions. Many will just pick and choose their games in the future.

Geography plays an important part. QPR can't just charge what they want. If they get things wrong, they run the risk that some casual "customers" will migrate to Brentford or Chelsea. Likewise Derby County and Wigan.

Albion live in a cocoon, where we imagine that the whole population of Sussex will gravitate to the Amex, regardless of pricing policies.

This is very true. In fact, I'd say Albion go beyond the borders of Sussex these days. It's probably as easy/easier to get to Falmer than it is to any London club if you live in Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells, Redhill or even Guildford. Plus once you're at the Amex, you're at one of THE best grounds in the country, so some people will consider any transport inconvenience a small price to pay for the facilities on offer at the Albion.

But of course, this falls down when you spend all summer doing nothing except penny pinching, and then patronising your concerned fan base as it all falls apart owing to downright incompetence at various managerial levels.

 

[Rugrat]

It would be nice to think that the Club will look after the interests of the longstanding community of fans and always keep ticket prices at "affordable" levels. But how does that square with our ambitions to sign top players the minute we get a glimpse of success?

If, for instance they jacked up prices by £100 per ST then that gives an incremental £2.5M or thereabouts. A huge impact on many fans and a tiny proportion of the overall revenue generated in the Prem and beyond (parachutes at worst).

By comparison the positive PR they could generate by "freezing" prices could be far more beneficial .... that's how I'd be thinking anyway

 

[Triggaaar]

Fair's fair - you have to say these words about when the club reaches the Premier League are wise and thoughtful...

"It would be easy to jack up our prices and milk Premier League status for all it's worth...

When did Brentford reach the Premier League?

 

[Dick Head]

When did Brentford reach the Premier League?

You beat me to it. They won't, I shouldn't think.

 

[Lincoln Imp]

It all comes down to what we mean by "the community". I know what I mean. I mean the community of Albion fans - some of us old enough to remember 1983 or 1995-97, or Gillingham or Withdean, or the Doncaster game at the Amex. A community that is really upset, REALLY upset, to be sitting in the relegation zone right now.

But it seems clear that this real community of Albion fans can only deliver about 15,000 bums on seats when the going gets tough. But every one of those 15,000 wants to be part of a crowd of 30,000 - and we look around us on matchday in despair at the vast array of empty seats in front of us.

What do we do? All we can do is hope. Hope that success on the pitch will deliver the 30,000? As this season proves, that can't be guaranteed. Or do we demand that the Club reaches out to "new fans" and pack the ground with folk who know nothing of the heritage and whose mere presence as "customers" will dilute the experience of the "real community" of fans? Or do we just adjust our minds and learn to live with a half-empty ground that will only see a capacity crowd if we happen to draw Arsenal in a cup match?

It would be nice to think that the Club will look after the interests of the longstanding community of fans and always keep ticket prices at "affordable" levels. But how does that square with our ambitions to sign top players the minute we get a glimpse of success?

Before and immediately after the stadium opening the Albion performed the amazing trick of going from gates of six or seven thousand to over 20,000. Brilliant marketing (notably the free direct debit offer) capitalised on a huge reservoir of goodwill generated by the long struggle for a new ground. 15,000 regular new supporters appeared on the scene. It was almost without precedent - building a supporter base is normally a glacial affair.

Every single one of those 'JCLs' should be welcomed with open arms by older supporters. Hopefully they are. The newcomers might not have been around when times were tough but they are key to good times in the future. Equally, the club needs to handle the 'new improved bigger than ever' supporter base with kid gloves. It needs to put the mighty season ticket database in cotton wool, nurturing it with care and respect, because, by absolute definition, the names on it are, on average, less committed than those on other clubs' season ticket holder lists.

Doing this now, and for as long as it takes to get the new supporters as bedded in as most of us on this board already are, should be the central part of the Albion's marketing strategy. Go out to attract new supporters by all means, but understand that the person most likely to buy a season ticket next year is the person who is buying one this year. Understand too, that many of those people, especially the newcomers, are starting to fray round the edges. This has something to do with poor performances but it goes much deeper than that (to coin a phrase).

In all honesty, I don't believe that the club's management under Paul Barber has the wit or inclination to understand the problem. They think, by way of a small example, that the ideal way for the chairman to physically communicate with his best customers shortly before season tickets come up for renewal is to send them a folded bit of board masquerading as a Christmas card with a load of players' ('our heroes!') names printed inside. They even think that that is sufficient for members of the club's business networking group.

The problem is that once the new supporters, attracted to the club by a new stadium, good marketing and a fantastic sense of community, start to drift away it will be very difficult to get them back. It's different at Spurs - pee off 5000 supporters and you just send out to Hertfordshire for replacements. Here you can't. The metro managers and corporate rabbiters at the top of the Albion don't, sadly, get it.