Installment plans cost the club NOTHING

[Smirking_Saint]

That would be a massive PR disaster as it would be obvious what the motives were.

 

This, clearly, is sucking in some as being "ok", despite the fact that the reason given by the club is proven as being spurious cobblers (by the Echo and Stu), and flies in the face of the policies adopted by the vast majority of other clubs.

 

The only effect is to force willing would-be ST renewers to buy tickets match by match at a relatively inflated price and conveniently force them to pay the same booking charges that everyone is complaining about.

 

I don't see anyone saying "if you don't like the booking charges get an ST" this season - because everyone knows the STs are not that feasible an option.

 

Oh, and even 0% credit cards need paying off at some point, that's assuming people who don't have £400 spare can get the credit or don't have one already.

 

I do agree, NC has caused a massive balls up with the whole no installment plan and no doubt when the echo reads this post (as they probably will, we all know what a shabby rag that is) then it will be exposed to everyone that NC is talking b*llocks.

 

This will result in one of two things.

 

A. It is confirmed that the club have lied and so you will probably see no response from the club.

 

B. There is decent reasoning as to why this has not been put in place, perhaps the reason someone said earlier ?? In regards to the clubs credit rating etc ??

 

Now, i understand the issue, but there is a clear alternative for all those not interesting in the complete bull that is NC doesn't want ST's, there is a reason that clubs welcome ST's it is because it gives a steady income and garantueed crowds. NC is not stupid, and i don't BUY in to the 'the club does not want ST holders story'

 

Yes NC has f*cked up, but anyone that wants an ST can use a credit card and be none the wiser, in fact a 0% credit card is probably better because, yes, you still have to pay it off but you choose the installment levels, the rate of paying off and also if you have a flush or broke month you can pay it off accordingly.

 

I do think NC is an arrogant c*nt at times however if he gets results, which he seems to be i don't care, this installment issue as it were is not as bigger issue as everyone makes out.

[stevegrant]

You said it not me.

 

God, where did that come from.

If you've nothing to actually add to the debate, I suggest you don't say anything at all.

 

I'm rather intrigued how someone (presumably, going by your username) 20 years of age can preach to other people about the virtues of 0% credit cards. Still, it's not as if extending lines of credit to unsuitable customers hasn't got this country in trouble in the recent past...

[SaintNeil90]

Well done, pick one line out when you have just made yourself look like a right pleb trying to give advice on 0% credit cards and then in your very next comment show that you know nothing about obtaining credit.

 

" You were declined one... how about you try more than one? "

 

Anyway, abuse me by PM if you want, I am going to try and refrain from being reeled in by the likes of you on this thread only.

 

PM you? Why would I waste my time doing that?

[SaintNeil90]

If you've nothing to actually add to the debate, I suggest you don't say anything at all.

 

I'm rather intrigued how someone (presumably, going by your username) 20 years of age can preach to other people about the virtues of 0% credit cards. Still, it's not as if extending lines of credit to unsuitable customers hasn't got this country in trouble in the recent past...

 

Shows my much you know as I myself have a 0% credit card

[trousers]

This whole 'argument' is slightly amusing as I remember posting on a "Plastic Fans Vs Real Fans" thread a year or so ago that it was the 'Pay As You Go" fans that brought more money into the club than Season Ticket holders as the former will ultimately pay more over the course of a season than the latter.

 

I believe that Cortese has simply latched onto this fact from a business persepective and thus made it more likely that people will "Pay As You Go" rather than buy a Season Ticket.

 

I thus applaud Cortese for his Business Acumen

[StuRomseySaint]

Renewal cost expires this month, it is literally a matter of finding £328 now, or losing your previous seat(s) and having to pay the "new" price before the first week of August, which is £70 more.

 

Also, I have £4000 of other expenditure to pay before mid-July, other things to organise besides far-too-complicated unexpected ST arrangements, and will be out of the country for 2 weeks as well.

 

Of course at any point in the last 6 months I'd have been fine for the cash, but they made us wait and didn't give us any option. That combination of forcing peoples' hands is why there's a belief that the club doesn't want ST holders, they want inflated cost match-by-match attendees.

 

Exactly.

 

I am gobsmacked that fans are failing to notice that the club is actively trying to bully people out of being able to get a season ticket.

 

They want 25,000 crowds of PAYG customers and quite frankly, couldn't give a toss how many STH's they get.

 

Cortese has one thing in common with all of us. His arrogance that we will walk this league next season... if he didn't have that belief then you can bet that the pricing structure would be alot more fan friendly than it is.

[stevegrant]

Shows my much you know as I myself have a 0% credit card

All well and good having one (I had one at 18, big deal), it's another matter entirely understanding financial responsibility.

[alpine_saint]

Are you happy that you've found something to moan about when all around is so rosy right now for SFC....

 

Indeed, and I get accused of only being happy when I moan

[NorthamSteve]

it will cost the club admin costs to run this even if the deal with another company is free.

 

IF someone defults they'd have to cancel their seat, before they can do that, they would need to send a letter.

 

They would need to check monthly reports for anyone that had defulted on payments.

 

They would have to stop the ST holder not paying from entering the ground and police that on match days.

 

However, I'm lucky enough to have a girlfriend with a credit card who a soft touch. I can't get credit, I've never had credit and I'm worried that I'm going to turn up to a half empty St Marys every other week because of this quite, quite stupid decision.

[StuRomseySaint]

This whole 'argument' is slightly amusing as I remember posting on a "Plastic Fans Vs Real Fans" thread a year or so ago that it was the 'Pay As You Go" fans that brought more money into the club than Season Ticket holders as the former will ultimately pay more over the course of a season than the latter.

 

I believe that Cortese has simply latched onto this fact from a business persepective and thus made it more likely that people will "Pay As You Go" rather than buy a Season Ticket.

 

I thus applaud Cortese for his Business Acumen

 

I assume that you are a PAYG customer? Happy with the booking fee etc if so?

 

I only say this because it really is beggars belief how any Saints fan can applaud someone for costing them money, whether it be themselves or a fellow Saints fan.

 

When I next go to fill my car up, if I see the petrol price has gone up per litre, I will stand on the forecort singing and dancing whilst applauding Mr Texaco. Thankyou Texaco. Thankyooooooo

[stevegrant]

it will cost the club admin costs to run this even if the deal with another company is free.

 

IF someone defults they'd have to cancel their seat, before they can do that, they would need to send a letter.

 

They would need to check monthly reports for anyone that had defulted on payments.

 

They would have to stop the ST holder not paying from entering the ground and police that on match days.

They wouldn't have to do any of that.

 

They get all of the money from the finance company at the point of the application being approved. Once that's happened, as far as the club are concerned, they're a paid-up season ticket holder. Any defaults or chasing up is the responsibility of the finance company.

[NorthamSteve]

I assume that you are a PAYG customer? Happy with the booking fee etc if so?

 

I only say this because it really is beggars belief how any Saints fan can applaud someone for costing them money, whether it be themselves or a fellow Saints fan.

 

When I next go to fill my car up, if I see the petrol price has gone up per litre, I will stand on the forecort singing and dancing whilst applauding Mr Texaco. Thankyou Texaco. Thankyooooooo

 

Sorry but that is a **** analogy.

[trousers]

I'm rather intrigued how someone (presumably, going by your username) 20 years of age can preach to other people about the virtues of 0% credit cards. Still, it's not as if extending lines of credit to unsuitable customers hasn't got this country in trouble in the recent past...

 

The 'problem' with extending "lines of credit" to unsuitable customers is not really a fair comparison to ceredit worthy people taking out a 0% credit card.

 

It is prefectly reasonable to loan 'credit worthy' people money at 0% without getting anywhere near perpetuating the 'trouble in the recent past' whereby credit was dished out willy-nilly to anyone who wanted it.

[SFC Forever]

This is a pointless discussion now. People have given the alternative, which is the 0% credit card and yet people ignore it because they want to have a moan.

 

 

Get of your high horse. Not everybody has access to a credit card.

[StuRomseySaint]

it will cost the club admin costs to run this even if the deal with another company is free.

 

IF someone defults they'd have to cancel their seat, before they can do that, they would need to send a letter.

 

They would need to check monthly reports for anyone that had defulted on payments.

 

They would have to stop the ST holder not paying from entering the ground and police that on match days.

 

However, I'm lucky enough to have a girlfriend with a credit card who a soft touch. I can't get credit, I've never had credit and I'm worried that I'm going to turn up to a half empty St Marys every other week because of this quite, quite stupid decision.

 

If someone defaults they send an automated letter.

 

Zebra will inform them of defaulters, in the first instance Zebra try and recover the arrears, only at the last resort is it handed back to the club.

 

They stick a poster up in turnstiles of banned peoples names and season ticket numbers.

 

If the customer fails to surrender their season ticket then they can report them for obtaining property by deception.

 

There really is absolute minimal, almost zero cost of administering defaulters... the cost of a stamp, a bit of ink and some paper... that's it.

[Smirking_Saint]

Exactly.

 

I am gobsmacked that fans are failing to notice that the club is actively trying to bully people out of being able to get a season ticket.

 

They want 25,000 crowds of PAYG customers and quite frankly, couldn't give a toss how many STH's they get.

 

Cortese has one thing in common with all of us. His arrogance that we will walk this league next season... if he didn't have that belief then you can bet that the pricing structure would be alot more fan friendly than it is.

 

There may be some legs in this, but nothing anywhere near as OTT that you are spouting at the minute mate.

 

NC seems pretty cut throat businessman like and so he may have looked at the extra finances for PAYG customers, however i don't think he is naive enough to try to rid St Marys of STH's.

 

If anything the true story will be somewhere between this and the cost of Admin, which there will be when running the installment plan.

 

I noticed Danny posted on this thread earlier, so no doubt we will see a 'scoop' in the daily echo (should be called the SWF echo) tomorrow, hopefully at that point the club will respond and so the handbags can go away.

Edited 4 June, 2010 by Smirking_Saint

[NorthamSteve]

They wouldn't have to do any of that.

 

They get all of the money from the finance company at the point of the application being approved. Once that's happened, as far as the club are concerned, they're a paid-up season ticket holder. Any defaults or chasing up is the responsibility of the finance company.

 

Still, I guess it raises the same problems. Those that can't get themselves a credit card now would fail at the point of being credit checked by whatever company they'd use.

[StuRomseySaint]

Sorry but that is a **** analogy.

 

Why?

 

Someone is stating they applaud Mr Cortese for stealth charging customers, including himself and bullying people into having to pay premium prices.

 

Who on earth would honestly applaud that? Seriously?!

[NorthamSteve]

Why?

 

Someone is stating they applaud Mr Cortese for stealth charging customers, including himself and bullying people into having to pay premium prices.

 

Who on earth would honestly applaud that? Seriously?!

 

Because your comparing Saints and their finances enabling them to buy players etc and be successful so we can all go and have a **** up somewhere to a ****ING WORLWIDE PETROLEUM COMPANY.

 

That's why.

[trousers]

I assume that you are a PAYG customer? Happy with the booking fee etc if so?

 

I only say this because it really is beggars belief how any Saints fan can applaud someone for costing them money, whether it be themselves or a fellow Saints fan.

 

Yes, you astutely identify me as a PAYG customer.

 

Of course, as a consumer, I'd rather pay as little as I can get away with for any commodity that I purchase, but I equally understand the economics of running a 'self-sustaining' sporting venture (aka Southampton Football Club) and if the extra "£x" I'm being asked to 'invest' in my club means we get to the 'end game' quicker than if we trundle along on average League One income ad-infinitum then I think it is a price worth paying.

 

I can't believe for one minute than Cortese has increased the cost of attending a Saints game as a purely vindictive exercise. He will have done it based on sound business reasoning and for this fact alone (that the club is being run on sound business principles) I am eternally grateful after the financial mis-management of the last decade....

[StuRomseySaint]

There may be some legs in this, but nothing anywhere near as OTT that you are spouting at the minute mate.

 

NC seems pretty cut throat businessman like and so he may have looked at the extra finances for PAYG customers, however i don't think he is naive enough to try to rid St Marys of STH's.

 

If anything the true story will be somewhere between this and the cost of Admin, which there will be when running the installment plan.

 

I noticed Danny posted on this thread earlier, so no doubt we will see a 'scoop' in the daily echo (should be called the SWF echo) tomorrow, hopefully at that point the club will respond and so the handbags can go away.

 

There is NO cost... I know this because I have looked into it and spoken to the very people, I know exactly the role that Zebra Finance play and they adminstrate the premium collection and take their payment in interest.

 

They are not a credit company, they administer the credit control and premium collection and take their fee in the form of interest.

 

Zebra can offer plans to the club that offer zero percent adminstration or costs to the club.

 

This is not idle speculation, this is a FACT.

Edited 4 June, 2010 by StuRomseySaint

[The9]

This whole 'argument' is slightly amusing as I remember posting on a "Plastic Fans Vs Real Fans" thread a year or so ago that it was the 'Pay As You Go" fans that brought more money into the club than Season Ticket holders as the former will ultimately pay more over the course of a season than the latter.

 

I believe that Cortese has simply latched onto this fact from a business persepective and thus made it more likely that people will "Pay As You Go" rather than buy a Season Ticket.

 

I thus applaud Cortese for his Business Acumen

 

He must have missed the bit about all the additional money people who attend regularly and have emotionally invested in the club spend on merchandise compared to football tourists.

[StuRomseySaint]

Because your comparing Saints and their finances enabling them to buy players etc and be successful so we can all go and have a **** up somewhere to a ****ING WORLWIDE PETROLEUM COMPANY.

 

That's why.

 

Do you applaud the charges then? Did you send a letter of thanks to Mr Cortese, saying how grateful you were for the 15% increase in your season ticket and the booking fee charges which he implemented?

 

How retarded.

[Smirking_Saint]

There is NO cost... I know this because I have looked into it, I know exactly the role that Zebra Finance play and they adminstrate the premium collection and take their payment in interest.

 

They are not a credit company, they administer the credit control and premium collection and take their fee in the form of interest.

 

Zebra can offer plans to the club that offer zero percent adminstration or costs to the club.

 

This is not idle speculation, this is a FACT.

 

If the ST's are 0% interest payment plans ?? Where do Zebra get their money from then ??

[trousers]

Someone is stating they applaud Mr Cortese for stealth charging customers

 

What are these "stealth" charges? All charges seems quite transparent and up front as far as I can tell.

[Colinjb]

What are these "stealth" charges? All charges seems quite transparent and up front as far as I can tell.

 

Which I though was the problem!!!

[GenevaSaint]

It's a gamble. Cortese would prefer 25,000 PAYG customers rather than 25,000 discounted ST customers.

If we go straight to the top of the league and stay there, we will get 25,000 in the ground, regardless of the Season Ticket Holder to PAYG Customer ratio.

Effectively each person who pays for each individual game is worth almost £10 per person per game in revenue more than a Season Ticket Holder ( allowing for the new stealth charges as well )

All very well if we are at the top, if we have another slow start to the season, expect to see crowds below 10k for a cold,wet game against Hartlepool in November.

 

I thought the same thing myself but couldn't really be arsed to post it. If we are doing well the club would be quids in.....

[stevegrant]

Still, I guess it raises the same problems. Those that can't get themselves a credit card now would fail at the point of being credit checked by whatever company they'd use.

Obtaining credit on a short-term deal for £328 is far easier than obtaining credit for a credit card (particularly one with a 0% balance transfer or purchases offer), where the starting limits are almost always at least £1000 (I've had a few in the last couple of years, none of which have had a starting limit of less than £8,000, each of which I've had to phone up to reduce).

 

Obtaining credit itself isn't the issue for the vast majority of people (except those with particularly bad credit histories, defaults, CCJs, etc), it's the amount being lent. I don't think I've seen a credit card application that asks you how much credit you want, they simply give you a credit limit. If that limit is beyond your means according to your credit score, you get turned down.

[Stud mark of doom]

Just a thought: I remember reading somewhere the ML never borrowed any money for his businesses - very unusual I would have thought in the world of business, especially engineering.

 

I wonder if he's not keen on encouraging fans into borrowing to pay for their season ticket?

[StuRomseySaint]

If the ST's are 0% interest payment plans ?? Where do Zebra get their money from then ??

 

They don't get their money from anywhere. They collect premiums in advance, take their interest and pay the club the rest.

 

They administer the payment plan, that is all.

 

This is why there is no credit checks, because the customer is not paying for goods in advance.

[NorthamSteve]

Do you applaud the charges then? Did you send a letter of thanks to Mr Cortese, saying how grateful you were for the 15% increase in your season ticket and the booking fee charges which he implemented?

 

How retarded.

 

**** off, no need for that is there?

 

I never mentioned that, I just said that it was a **** analogy.

[dune]

despite previously being called Mongtard by your goodself young Stewart, I can still spot a decent bit of research and valid post (or two) when I see one. I'm embarresed for NC and those that gloss over his actions on here.

 

Cortese is beyond criticism on here by the happy clappers.

[StuRomseySaint]

**** off, no need for that is there?

 

I never mentioned that I said that it was a **** analogy.

 

:-)

 

Calm down dear, it's only a thread on how Saints fans are getting mugged off.

[The9]

Shows my much you know as I myself have a 0% credit card

 

If I'm not mistake Steve was not saying "you can't get credit", he was saying "getting credit isn't a good thing and you are unlikely to appreciate the problems it can cause".

[trousers]

I don't think I've seen a credit card application that asks you how much credit you want, they simply give you a credit limit. If that limit is beyond your means according to your credit score, you get turned down.

 

I'm not 'rich' by any stretch of the imagination but whenever I move from one 0% credit card to another I typically get 'offered' £11k credit limit.

 

I would be surprised if any 'wage earner' would get offered a credit facility less than the price of an SFC season ticket

[dune]

Just a thought: I remember reading somewhere the ML never borrowed any money for his businesses - very unusual I would have thought in the world of business, especially engineering.

 

I wonder if he's not keen on encouraging fans into borrowing to pay for their season ticket?

 

When you've been left a pile from daddy you generally don't have to.

[StuRomseySaint]

I'm not 'rich' by any stretch of the imagination but whenever I move from one 0% credit card to another I typically get 'offered' £11k credit limit.

 

I would be surprised if any 'wage earner' would get offered a credit facility less than the price of an SFC season ticket

 

With respect trousers, this thread is not about flexing your financial muscle and billy big balls is it?

 

I have given reason on a number of occasions why credit cards are not an option for a large majority of Saints fans.

[Avenue Saint]

If football clubs ran just the way fans wanted them to, they would never be successfull in the business sense.

 

Some people, would MOAN ABOUT NOT HAVING ANYTHING TO MOAN ABOUT on here!

 

In the words of our own saint kip:

 

"We're gonna win the league next season, get the **** over it"!!!!

[trousers]

If I'm not mistake Steve was not saying "you can't get credit", he was saying "getting credit isn't a good thing and you are unlikely to appreciate the problems it can cause".

 

But getting "0%" credit isn't a bad thing per se as long as it is managed properley by the individual.

 

If people were advocating that taking out a (say) 36% credit card arrangement was the way to get a Saints season ticket then, yes, that would be irresponsible, but a properley managed 0% arrangement is hardly going to trouble the world financial crisis.

[The9]

If football clubs ran just the way fans wanted them to, they would never be successfull in the business sense.

 

Some people, would MOAN ABOUT NOT HAVING ANYTHING TO MOAN ABOUT on here!

 

In the words of our own saint kip:

 

"We're gonna win the league next season, get the **** over it"!!!!

 

And this relevant to the discussion how ?

 

I'd much rather I was happily paid up for next season's ST and looking forward to walking this league, rather than wondering if I'll be getting to see it (or worse, not bothered if we do).

[NorthamSteve]

And this relevant to the discussion how ?

 

I'd much rather I was happily paid up for next season's ST and looking forward to walking this league, rather than wondering if I'll be getting to see it (or worse, not bothered if we do).

 

Steady on!

[trousers]

With respect trousers, this thread is not about flexing your financial muscle and billy big balls is it?

 

I have given reason on a number of occasions why credit cards are not an option for a large majority of Saints fans.

 

Hi Stu - rest assured, I don't want to fall out over this as you are one of the posters I most respect on here, but I would be surprised if the lack of access to short term 0% credit applied to a "large majority of Saints fans"

 

I'd be interested to hear where you get your "large majority" stats from (genuinely). What do you mean by 'large majority'? 55%? 70%? 80%?

[StuRomseySaint]

If football clubs ran just the way fans wanted them to, they would never be successfull in the business sense.

 

Some people, would MOAN ABOUT NOT HAVING ANYTHING TO MOAN ABOUT on here!

 

In the words of our own saint kip:

 

"We're gonna win the league next season, get the **** over it"!!!!

 

What???

 

Football Clubs are a customer facing business... every bit of PR they do, every player they buy, every decision they make is in the public domain and the customer decides whether to buy into it.

 

A MASSIVE part of running a football club and making it successfull is doing what the fans want, more happy fans = more season tickets, more merchandise, more matchday tickets and in summary........ More Revenue!

[paris]

Cortese the new Lowe (for some) watch this space ....

[SuperMikey]

Will you all SHUT THE F*CK UP about f*cking installment plans? Christ!

[trousers]

What???

 

Football Clubs are a customer facing business... every bit of PR they do, every player they buy, every decision they make is in the public domain and the customer decides whether to buy into it.

 

A MASSIVE part of running a football club and making it successfull is doing what the fans want, more happy fans = more season tickets, more merchandise, more matchday tickets and in summary........ More Revenue!

 

Stu - so, with respect, are you suggesting that Cortese/Liebherr have no idea how to run a self-sustaining business and therefore that their recent pricing decisions are based on pure naivity?

[The9]

Hi Stu - rest assured, I don't want to fall out over this as you are one of the posters I most respect on here, but I would be surprised if the lack of access to short term 0% credit applied to a "large majority of Saints fans"

 

I'd be interested to hear where you get your "large majority" stats from (genuinely)

 

Hardly the sample size you're looking for, but so far I know of two people personally who have attempted to get 0% credit cards for the purpose of purchasing a Saints ST, and both have been refused, both presumably because they have no previous credit history. I know of no-one who has successfully applied for one yet.

 

I haven't applied myself, cos my current 0% period expires in September and I'm trying to keep it for as long as possible.

[The9]

Cortese the new Lowe (for some) watch this space ....

 

You're about 4 days late with that one.

[trousers]

Will you all SHUT THE F*CK UP about f*cking installment plans? Christ!

 

..

[70's Mike]

0% CREDIT cards are great can someone find me one that stays at 0% for ever