Note to the Club. LOWER ticket prices.

[Colinjb]

Attendances are dwindling, funds are falling. So now is the time to do something drastic.

 

Investment in the first team would not be possible, so what else can be donw to inspire people back into the club?

 

As the title suggests we should reduce tickets prices. £24-26 for a ticket, in the current economic climate is too much. We are a club in near freefall in many ways. Reduce prices to £18 per ticket to get more people through the gates. I would anticipate crowds to boost at least to the level of 20,000 if this occurs, meaning that for an approximate 20% drop in ticket price the crowds would boost by 25%. Now, this would need to be delicately managed but I don't feel that these figures would be unfeasable. And of course, people at the ground don't just buy the tickets, there would be more sales of food and programs too.

 

Season ticket holders? Well, yes they would be miffed, so offer a bonus! Free cup game attendance and merchandise. They would be approximately £3 out of pocket for every game they attend. So a free pint perhaps at every match? That would settle for the offset. In terms of unit costs a pint only costs 50-70p. So The loss to the club wouldn't be as great as the money 'refunded' to the season ticket holder isn't that large an amount to the coffers, but still fair in end terms.

 

I feel this must be done, it is an easily establishable measure and needs to be taken as soon as possible.

[St Marco]

Have to say i agree. I have a season ticket so makes no difference to me but i always think why are the tickets so expensive. You got half the stadium empty so that is a lot of potential money being thrown away. If you sold tickets for £10 those seats would probably be full and our financial situation would get better. Is it just spite that they don't do that?

[Saint2Hotty]

I agree. I too am a season holder. I couldn't care less if tickets were cheaper and nothing was given back to me. I would be far more pleased getting the atmosphere back at St-marys than worry about what people are being charged. Great idea IMO

[Colinjb]

They are too expensive, but they're probably not above average. I'd have thought 18 quid was more than enough for the CCC, but then looking at prices in league 1 and 2 it's crazy money all round.

 

Quite. I look at the example of Bradford, who did drastically lower their ticket prices and saw their attendances rise by 1/3 overnight, despite dropping down a league. It is working wonderfully for them, the only difference is the differential between highest attendance and average which has shrunk, but these high attendances only occur in exceptional circumstances (A cup game v Premiership opposition, survival sunday scenario etc.) we need consistent attendances, not try to rely on the occasional 'biggy.'

 

Someone at championship level needs to take this brave step. Hell, imagine the positive publicity it would generate!!!

[TopGun]

We should be like QPR!

[Chez]

the only reason I bought a season ticket was because it saved me money. If now ticket prices are slashed I certainly will be ****ed off and would expect a full refund so I can then pick and choose which games I fancy.

[VectisSaint]

Sorry, but I think your plan sounds good, but in practice I don't believe it would have the impact you suggest. Decrease the ticket price by £6 and you may get a few hundred more through the gates, but that would not match the decreased revenue. I really don't believe many people are staying away only because of the price of tickets. They are staying away because we can't win a game at home in the league consistently, and this has been the case now for well over a year, it is not a new phenomenon this season. Our home form is appalling, and people get fed up seeing us consistently lose.

[Chez]

Quite. I look at the example of Bradford, who did drastically lower their ticket prices and saw their attendances rise by 1/3 overnight, despite dropping down a league. It is working wonderfully for them, the only difference is the differential between highest attendance and average which has shrunk, but these high attendances only occur in exceptional circumstances (A cup game v Premiership opposition, survival sunday scenario etc.) we need consistent attendances, not try to rely on the occasional 'biggy.'

 

Someone at championship level needs to take this brave step. Hell, imagine the positive publicity it would generate!!!

 

I don't have a problem with drastically lowering ticket prices (what supporter would?) btu it has to be done before people buy STs. One question, has overall income increased at Bradford?

[JohnnyFartPants]

the only reason I bought a season ticket was because it saved me money. If now ticket prices are slashed I certainly will be ****ed off and would expect a full refund so I can then pick and choose which games I fancy.

 

You might well be ****ed off but you wouldn't be entitled to a refund any more than a person that buys a car on HP brand new is who then discovers there is a better deal on the car a few months down the line.

[Chez]

Sorry, but I think your plan sounds good, but in practice I don't believe it would have the impact you suggest. Decrease the ticket price by £6 and you may get a few hundred more through the gates, but that would not match the decreased revenue. I really don't believe many people are staying away only because of the price of tickets. They are staying away because we can't win a game at home in the league consistently, and this has been the case now for well over a year, it is not a new phenomenon this season. Our home form is appalling, and people get fed up seeing us consistently lose.

 

Half price ticket means twice as many fans are required every game. Will 30k turn up if the tickets were £12? They might.

[Chez]

You might well be ****ed off but you wouldn't be entitled to a refund any more than a person that buys a car on HP brand new is who then discovers there is a better deal on the car a few months down the line.

 

 

 

good point, but you can your bottom dollar I won't be buying a ST ever again, and as I have said on other threads if you stop being a ST holder and break that habit its not long before you stop going on a regular basis.

 

Upsetting your best customers is never wise IMO.

[warsash saint]

I have a young family & these days obviously my priorities lie elsewhere. I have not had a season ticket for a few years but now to pick & choose my games.

 

Sadly in this climate, I can not justify paying £26 for a ticket & therefore have not been this season or have future plans to. Lowering ticket prices would certainly tempt me back especially with deals for youngsters.

[stevegrant]

Half price ticket means twice as many fans are required every game. Will 30k turn up if the tickets were £12? They might.

But they might not, and if they don't, the club's just p!ssed away £12 x 15,000 people (or equivalent discounts given to season ticket holders etc).

[Colinjb]

But they might not, and if they don't, the club's just p!ssed away £12 x 15,000 people (or equivalent discounts given to season ticket holders etc).

 

Indeed, that is why this would have to be done delicately.

[Mr X]

Attendances are dwindling, funds are falling. So now is the time to do something drastic.

 

Investment in the first team would not be possible, so what else can be donw to inspire people back into the club?

 

As the title suggests we should reduce tickets prices. £24-26 for a ticket, in the current economic climate is too much. We are a club in near freefall in many ways. Reduce prices to £18 per ticket to get more people through the gates. I would anticipate crowds to boost at least to the level of 20,000 if this occurs, meaning that for an approximate 20% drop in ticket price the crowds would boost by 25%. Now, this would need to be delicately managed but I don't feel that these figures would be unfeasable. And of course, people at the ground don't just buy the tickets, there would be more sales of food and programs too.

 

Season ticket holders? Well, yes they would be miffed, so offer a bonus! Free cup game attendance and merchandise. They would be approximately £3 out of pocket for every game they attend. So a free pint perhaps at every match? That would settle for the offset. In terms of unit costs a pint only costs 50-70p. So The loss to the club wouldn't be as great as the money 'refunded' to the season ticket holder isn't that large an amount to the coffers, but still fair in end terms.

 

I feel this must be done, it is an easily establishable measure and needs to be taken as soon as possible.

 

If you think about this logically the club could easily lower prices without losing any money and bring the feel good factor back to st mary's again. they either charge the current £25 upwards and get crowds of 14,000 or they lower prices and get much more people in 22,000 + and improved atmosphere while building a better relationship with the fans, everyones a winner £15 for all tickets would be a massive difference they'd see a huge difference in turnout:D

[Window Cleaner]

Half price ticket means twice as many fans are required every game. Will 30k turn up if the tickets were £12? They might.

 

But this is the point as always. £24 is the normal ticket price but it's certainly not the average bum on seat revenue. If you had the time (and the inclination) you could go through a seasons attendances and match it to the "matchday revenue" in the accounts. You would see that due to concessions, season ticket prices (about 17£ a game full whack),Seniors,Kids and Students the "ticket price" is somewhere around £17 per person per match.How much farther can you cut it? what does a Salisbury match cost nowadays as a comparison?

13£ apparently (except concessions) so how far can you realistically cut our

ticket price back?

[SaintDonkey]

8 quid off a ticket.

Average attendance this season 16490 (although that includes televised games and a couple of midweek games when attendance would be down anyway).

 

So that's about 6500 walk up (I think we have around 10k season tickets http://www.channel4.com/news/article.jsp?id=2357467).

 

Match day income down £52,000 on ticket sales so at 18 quid a ticket we'd need about 2900 odd extra through the gates to break even.

 

That's a 25% gate increase - but about a 45% walk up increase. A big gamble just to break even.

[true-saint-keit]

Money is tight at the moment, I'd love to get down to St Mary's more regularly but I just can't afford it. If the tickets were cheaper, I'd go to more games, it's as simple as that.

[Mole1]

£10-£12 for adults.

£3-5 for kids.

 

Football simply isn't worth paying more for at this level.

[AwaySaint1]

I am not so sure you would get much more of a walk up if you gave the tickets away!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Its not so much the ticket cost,I think its more that the whole clubs rotten.

[Window Cleaner]

£10-£12 for adults.

£3-5 for kids.

 

Football simply isn't worth paying more for at this level.

 

Club can't survive on those prices. If it's all you can afford, Salisbury at £13

is your best bet or Eastleigh. There has been a furore lately about QPR hiking their prices to £50 , how do you expect us to compete at 12£ a game?

If you want a cheap price you've got to get an early bird season ticket at £380

or an adult/junior pair season ticket.These were on sale last March,April and May. If you didn't take them up ,it's £24 quid a game.

[Flyer]

Good job you arent in finance.

 

£25 x 15k = £375k

 

£18 x 20k = £360k

 

Then you add in free cup games and you lose even more money.

[Colinjb]

Good job you arent in finance.

 

£25 x 15k = £375k

 

£18 x 20k = £360k

 

Then you add in free cup games and you lose even more money.

 

Not bad for an approximation off the top of my head. I would expect £15000 of sales in terms of programs, merchandise and food anyway offsetting the difference with 5k extra people.

 

To be pedantic, at the rates I described 20833 would need to be the attendance to match using the same assumptions you did in your above calculations. And as a point of note, our average attendance last year was 22,253. Which would (again, using the same assumptions) generate a profit of £25560 compared to a crowd of 15k paying 25 pounds per ticket.

 

Out of curiosity Flyer, do you work in finance?

Edited 19 September, 2008 by Colinjb

[Window Cleaner]

 

Out of curiosity Flyer, do you work in finance?

 

 

If he does he'd probably be too busy to post just now, they're having a greedy bastard day today, loads of money being made now that the fed is shoring up all those bankrupt banks-pure folly.Still someone probably just menshed to George W that AlQaeda were trying to wreck his banking system in the sure knowledge that he'd toss them a few trillion bucks.

[Colinjb]

If he does he'd probably be too busy to post just now, they're having a greedy bastard day today, loads of money being made now that the fed is shoring up all those bankrupt banks-pure folly.

 

Quite, financial types are too focused on balance sheets to see the longer term repurcussions of their book balancing. As an Engineer, I hate them.

[Saint Bri]

We need numbers in St Marys to up the atmoshere.

1.Re-open the Itchen/Northam Corner.

2. Designate the Chapel(which is notoriously quiet) as a family stand with family prices:-

Nippers £2..Dads/Mums..£10.. therefore Dad & Mum + 2 nippers = £24. We would get an increased attendance and a lot more noise from that end.

I am a long standing season ticket holder and don't want any reduction in my ticket price-just want to see the stadium full and Saints winning

[West End Saint]

anything is worth a go kids for a quid reduced tickett prices I am a season tickett holder and am not that bothered if someone gets a better deal get some bums on seats and get the feel good factor back perhaps the echo and local radio should get behind the Saints with some free advertising.

 

Our Football club should be a bigger part of the local cummunity

[Wes Tender]

If there was some optimum figure that produced exactly the same revenue, even including the ancilliary sales from merchandising, some have asked what is the point of getting those extra bums on the seats if we don't end up with more revenue? Well, a big factor for me is that the extra attendance adds to the atmosphere and also gets people in to the habit of attending matches, making for more solid fans. If we can keep people attending games, we remove the temptation that they get into the habit of going elsewhere.

[twoandahalfstuds]

From that website posted earlier:

 

Norwich City

Official response: "20,000 season tickets sold, which is a capped total. 19,714 sold last season."

 

How did they manage that?!?!? 20,000 season tickets sold in the championship, that's amazing!

[Window Cleaner]

From that website posted earlier:

 

Norwich City

Official response: "20,000 season tickets sold, which is a capped total. 19,714 sold last season."

 

How did they manage that?!?!? 20,000 season tickets sold in the championship, that's amazing!

 

Some of the prices are very low, no stadium loan,directors putting their hands in their pockets at will (cos they had no choice)Probably sensible salarys and they'll never win anything anyway.

http://www.canaries.premiumtv.co.uk/page/SeasonTickets/0,,10355,00.html

[crouchi]

£24 for the current 'match day experience' is way too much, half emprty stadium, championship football, etc. The £18 suggestion is far more realistic but probably too big a risk and should have been in place March this year.

[eelpie]

Attendances are dwindling, funds are falling. So now is the time to do something drastic.

 

Investment in the first team would not be possible, so what else can be donw to inspire people back into the club?

 

As the title suggests we should reduce tickets prices. £24-26 for a ticket, in the current economic climate is too much. We are a club in near freefall in many ways. Reduce prices to £18 per ticket to get more people through the gates. I would anticipate crowds to boost at least to the level of 20,000 if this occurs, meaning that for an approximate 20% drop in ticket price the crowds would boost by 25%. Now, this would need to be delicately managed but I don't feel that these figures would be unfeasable. And of course, people at the ground don't just buy the tickets, there would be more sales of food and programs too.

 

Season ticket holders? Well, yes they would be miffed, so offer a bonus! Free cup game attendance and merchandise. They would be approximately £3 out of pocket for every game they attend. So a free pint perhaps at every match? That would settle for the offset. In terms of unit costs a pint only costs 50-70p. So The loss to the club wouldn't be as great as the money 'refunded' to the season ticket holder isn't that large an amount to the coffers, but still fair in end terms.

 

I feel this must be done, it is an easily establishable measure and needs to be taken as soon as possible.

 

This makes too much sense. Rupes will probably double prices to make up for lost bodies.

[ALWAYS_SFC]

We need numbers in St Marys to up the atmoshere.

1.Re-open the Itchen/Northam Corner.

2. Designate the Chapel(which is notoriously quiet) as a family stand with family prices:-

Nippers £2..Dads/Mums..£10.. therefore Dad & Mum + 2 nippers = £24. We would get an increased attendance and a lot more noise from that end.

I am a long standing season ticket holder and don't want any reduction in my ticket price-just want to see the stadium full and Saints winning

 

 

Most stands are quiet at the moment not just the chapel.

 

Let me hazard a guess, you don`t sit in the Chapel,am i right?

[Barney Trubble]

Another thing to consider are the additonal costs that go hand in hand with more fans, such as extra Policing costs. So, I do agree that ticket prices should be reduced to under £20, but i'm no financial expert but all you may be getting are more fans getting in cheaper, which is a good thing, then again, the Police costs or other outgoings are then increasing.

 

To be honest,

[VectisSaint]

Half price ticket means twice as many fans are required every game. Will 30k turn up if the tickets were £12? They might.

Only in your dreams. You seriously think 30k will turn out for a game in the CCC, just because you cut the ticket price to £12. You are seriously deluded.

 

If we went on a run of say 6 home games, with 4 or 5 wins and the others draws, coupled with some half decent performances away from home, and as a result we were in the top 6, you might, just might get back to 22-25k, even at that price. Reduce the price to £12 now and I would bet that it would attract perhaps 2k, maybe 3k people on top of what would otherwise come along.

[Thedelldays]

I think the club should let me in for free..I hate having to sneak in during game...

[Chez]

no I personally don't think lowering the prices will get dramatic increases in attendance. You only have to look at the attendance in the Carling Cup where tickets were just £8 to see that.

 

If ST's had been £200 then maybe we could have got bumper crowds (and to be honest after the ****e we saw last season and most fans knowing anything not bolted down would be sold that is the price they should have been, but I think `fans' have now slowly and surely got out of the habit of going and most simply will not return now until we are top of the league.

 

The combination of us selling anyone decent, playing like **** all last season, knowing we would be relegation candidates this and the growing negative feeling towards football in general means poor crowds were inevitable.

 

The side simply must start winning every week to turn things around. New prices won't do diddly squat.

[Um Bongo]

I think the club should let me in for free..I hate having to sneak in during game...

 

I was a couple of minute late in getting to my seat on Wednesday, on arrving there some bloke and his son were stood in it!

 

Pay for a season ticket and my own seat is gone within me 2 minutes of not being there

 

Dunno what everyone's compaling about, go to the chapel, you can have a whole row for £24. Not bad eh!!!!

[rocknrollman no2]

no I personally don't think lowering the prices will get dramatic increases in attendance. You only have to look at the attendance in the Carling Cup where tickets were just £8 to see that.

 

If ST's had been £200 then maybe we could have got bumper crowds (and to be honest after the ****e we saw last season and most fans knowing anything not bolted down would be sold that is the price they should have been, but I think `fans' have now slowly and surely got out of the habit of going and most simply will not return now until we are top of the league.

 

The combination of us selling anyone decent, playing like **** all last season, knowing we would be relegation candidates this and the growing negative feeling towards football in general means poor crowds were inevitable.

 

The side simply must start winning every week to turn things around. New prices won't do diddly squat.

 

Totally hit the nail on the head.

Until Saints start winning games or Lowe goes(both would be great),the crowds will stay away.

[Mr X]

no I personally don't think lowering the prices will get dramatic increases in attendance. You only have to look at the attendance in the Carling Cup where tickets were just £8 to see that.

 

If ST's had been £200 then maybe we could have got bumper crowds (and to be honest after the ****e we saw last season and most fans knowing anything not bolted down would be sold that is the price they should have been, but I think `fans' have now slowly and surely got out of the habit of going and most simply will not return now until we are top of the league.

 

The combination of us selling anyone decent, playing like **** all last season, knowing we would be relegation candidates this and the growing negative feeling towards football in general means poor crowds were inevitable.

 

The side simply must start winning every week to turn things around. New prices won't do diddly squat.

 

Have you considered that the carling cup is cheap tickets for a reason? i.e no-one gives a toss about it. That's the only reason it's eight quid. The league is where it's at, lower ticket prices and there will be an immediate increase in attendace

[Whitey Grandad]

A bad salesman always wants to reduce his prices. What they should be doing is giving better value for the money.

[Chez]

Have you considered that the carling cup is cheap tickets for a reason? i.e no-one gives a toss about it. That's the only reason it's eight quid. The league is where it's at, lower ticket prices and there will be an immediate increase in attendace

 

I have considered that, but tickets have been dirt cheap for this competition for many years and crowds have been pretty decent. Things have changed.

[madsent]

Did you know that if you reduce prices by 10% you need a 30% increase in customers. Didnt think so.

 

That isn't true. If you reduce prices by 10%, you need 11.111% more customers. HTH.

[Rebel]

£24 is simply too much to pay to watch Championship football

 

£15 for adults, £10 for students, OAPS and teenagers, £5 for kids is more like it

 

£40 for a family of two adults and two kids would fill-up the ground a bit more and bring in more money on food and drink I bet

 

closing the corners was the lazy option and lazy marketing by Saints - lowering the ticket prices and trying to fill the stadium was the right thing to do - maximising match day revenues from food and drink amongst other things

[lordswoodsaints]

Attendances are dwindling, funds are falling. So now is the time to do something drastic.

 

Investment in the first team would not be possible, so what else can be donw to inspire people back into the club?

 

As the title suggests we should reduce tickets prices. £24-26 for a ticket, in the current economic climate is too much. We are a club in near freefall in many ways. Reduce prices to £18 per ticket to get more people through the gates. I would anticipate crowds to boost at least to the level of 20,000 if this occurs, meaning that for an approximate 20% drop in ticket price the crowds would boost by 25%. Now, this would need to be delicately managed but I don't feel that these figures would be unfeasable. And of course, people at the ground don't just buy the tickets, there would be more sales of food and programs too.

 

Season ticket holders? Well, yes they would be miffed, so offer a bonus! Free cup game attendance and merchandise. They would be approximately £3 out of pocket for every game they attend. So a free pint perhaps at every match? That would settle for the offset. In terms of unit costs a pint only costs 50-70p. So The loss to the club wouldn't be as great as the money 'refunded' to the season ticket holder isn't that large an amount to the coffers, but still fair in end terms.

 

I feel this must be done, it is an easily establishable measure and needs to be taken as soon as possible.

 

i agree that the prices are high but i dont think this is the problem.the problem is that people dont want to pay to see championship football especially when it looks like we will again struggle.

i would love to see st marys full again as it looks a bit depressing sat in a half full stadium.

i have 4 season tickets and i would be happy for the club to lower prices if it gets people through the turnstiles but i would imagine there are many season ticket holders out there who would kick up a fuss.

[Mr X]

i agree that the prices are high but i dont think this is the problem.the problem is that people dont want to pay to see championship football especially when it looks like we will again struggle.

i would love to see st marys full again as it looks a bit depressing sat in a half full stadium.

i have 4 season tickets and i would be happy for the club to lower prices if it gets people through the turnstiles but i would imagine there are many season ticket holders out there who would kick up a fuss.

 

correction a less than half full stadium

[Amesbury Saint]

there are a whole load of things the club could do:

 

1. Everybody who has had a season ticket for the last 3 seasons gets a free season ticket for a friend.

2. Season ticket holders who buy another full price ticket can buy two further ones at £5 each.

3. Members who buy 2 full price adult tickets can buy two further ones at £5 each.

4. Kids for a £1

5. Childrens saints shirts at cost price

6. Buy 10 adult tickets for a match, get 5 free.

7. Nominate one block - all tickets for £1 as long as you buy online.

8. Saturday only season ticket

9. Reward long distance fans and fans who regulary go to away matches.

10. Pick a village or part of Southampton and do a massive marketing drive with free tickets, meet the players etc. Start with Amesbury.

[Mole1]

Club can't survive on those prices. If it's all you can afford, Salisbury at £13

is your best bet or Eastleigh. There has been a furore lately about QPR hiking their prices to £50 , how do you expect us to compete at 12£ a game?

If you want a cheap price you've got to get an early bird season ticket at £380

or an adult/junior pair season ticket.These were on sale last March,April and May. If you didn't take them up ,it's £24 quid a game.

 

To be honest i wasn't going to do many homes this season anyway, but with Lowe back at the club i won't be doing any.

 

As for the club not being able to survive without ripping off fans well tough **** then. Saints is a PLC who's sole purpose is to make smug arseholes like Lowe rich so forgive me if i no longer see it as an obligation to rally behind the club and part with my cash to help the cause.

 

And it's not just SFC. Football accross the board is rotten to the core with greedy little people like Lowe wanting their noses in the trough and mega bucks glory supporters clubs ruling the roost. The whole professional game died in the early 90's.

[IFHP]

I don’t think our poor attendances are anything to do with the cost of going - its about winning. If were top of the league we would get around 25,000 for today’s game against Barnsley.

 

If we were still in the premiership we would be averaging 28,000 with fans paying £35- £40.

 

“ I’m not paying £24 to watch Saints in the championship” no, but if we were top of the league you would.

[washsaint]

Times are a changing. For people with families, or those on low income football will start taking a back seat.

 

In todays current economic climate and with concerns it will get far worse, people will (and are) cutting back on things that could be described as 'luxuries'.

 

Football in general could be in a for a very rude awakening.........if you noticed for some games at QPR the ticket prices will be £50.....totally and utterly ridiculous.

 

About £18-20 for an adults ticket and £7 for kids would be about right.

 

Having said that, I don't personally believe that lowering ticket prices now will result in a dramatic increase in attendances....for the Blackpool game there were cheap tickets galore yet the crowd was very poor.

 

Overall, attendances are dropping pretty much everywhere - if you look at the stats for the CCC right now, most teams are averaging about 80% of capacity and although we are 2nd lowest (after Sheff Wed) we are still 14th in terms of highest home average attendances in this league and QPR are managing an appalling 77% of capacity with an average home gate of 14,700.