Why are we so slow at announcing ticket prices (inc season ticket prices)?

[jam]

Interesting. Personally I'd have thought a longer window would encourage more who are sitting on the fence to actually go for it. There will always be the last week or two of the sales window which will put people under pressure. Having them on sale for longer means a longer marketing campaign and a longer opportunity to make sales.

 

To date it can be argued that the current method has not worked in comparison to a longer window for (potentially) more sales; we had an average of 6000 empty seats last season, so often weren't selling out. I doubt there are many if any people who didn't buy a season ticket yet went to 20 or more home games, which is around the break-even point. Premier League, with the majority of home games selling out, maybe it will make more financial sense. Especially when you factor in the booking fee (althoughthis has previously been promoted as cost-neutral, so not a revenue spinner allegedly), so perhaps not a factor after all!

 

I think it was the second season in League 1 when prices went up about 40% and the renewal period was ridiculously short. It just seemed like they waited long enough that people were just really keen to get their tickets sorted, got on with it in a hurry and maybe moaned about it later.

 

It just doesn't seem all that fan friendly to me - especially with the lack on an instalment plan.

 

I was planning on renewing my ST last season as I had a feeling we'd do pretty well but things got in the way and I didn't get it sorted. As I'd been pretty busy the previous year I'd missed a couple of games I figured 'no problem, I'll go to most of them anyway'. In the end I made it to one.

 

I'm fine with that as I frankly could use the saved money but the end result to the club is they're about £400 down and one extra empty seat for the games that didn't sell out. I know we're supposed to be loaded at the moment but it seems a bit of a complacent way to go about doing things, especially when NC talks about having a full ground and extending the stadium.

[The Kraken]

I think it was the second season in League 1 when prices went up about 40% and the renewal period was ridiculously short. It just seemed like they waited long enough that people were just really keen to get their tickets sorted, got on with it in a hurry and maybe moaned about it later.

 

It just doesn't seem all that fan friendly to me - especially with the lack on an instalment plan.

 

I was planning on renewing my ST last season as I had a feeling we'd do pretty well but things got in the way and I didn't get it sorted. As I'd been pretty busy the previous year I'd missed a couple of games I figured 'no problem, I'll go to most of them anyway'. In the end I made it to one.

 

I'm fine with that as I frankly could use the saved money but the end result to the club is they're about £400 down and one extra empty seat for the games that didn't sell out. I know we're supposed to be loaded at the moment but it seems a bit of a complacent way to go about doing things, especially when NC talks about having a full ground and extending the stadium.

 

I totally agree. The policy they are taking makes no financial sense, unless it is to minimise season ticket sales and maximise match ticket sales. But that only works when the home matchday tickets are completely sold out, which they haven't been relatively often so far. Its a policy which MAY work better for the Premier League.

 

In any case, I don't believe the club are missing out on a huge amount of tickets. But I do agree that its not a very fan-friendly approach. Although I believe there will be a new installment plan this season, so details of that will be interesting.

[Dr Who?]

There is currently a 'season tickets on general sale now' advert on the official site. But the link just takes you to the ticket news page, without season ticket news. perhaps this means it is imminent!

 

Well spotted, this happens quite a bit on the OS.

[Sour Mash]

I totally agree. The policy they are taking makes no financial sense, unless it is to minimise season ticket sales and maximise match ticket sales. But that only works when the home matchday tickets are completely sold out, which they haven't been relatively often so far. Its a policy which MAY work better for the Premier League.

 

In any case, I don't believe the club are missing out on a huge amount of tickets. But I do agree that its not a very fan-friendly approach. Although I believe there will be a new installment plan this season, so details of that will be interesting.

It wouldn't necessarily require all match day tickets to sell out, just the additional spent on them (plus £3 booking fee) to outweigh what would have been earnt from season ticket sales - a figure no-one can know and very difficult to model/predict.

[The9]

I know it's not the done thing to criticise the god Cortese on here, but our club has gone backwards when it comes to things like this.

 

Agreed. Anything remotely involving the fan base and customer service has gone right out of the window. No way to run a business...

[The9]

There is currently a 'season tickets on general sale now' advert on the official site. But the link just takes you to the ticket news page, without season ticket news. perhaps this means it is imminent!

 

Well spotted, this happens quite a bit on the OS.

 

Apart from it's last season's tickets they're advertising, with last season's "Together As One" strap line. And they stopped selling those in August 2011.

[The9]

They'll now be doing a credit card system with a swipe on the turnstiles. So all you will need to do is take your card, no need for the paper books previously used.

 

"Swipe" is a bit misleading, it'll be NFC, so just touch the card on the reader. For those with long memories, Man City had them at Eastlands when it first opened. We beat them 3-1 up there too, obviously a sign for next season.

[The Kraken]

It wouldn't necessarily require all match day tickets to sell out, just the additional spent on them (plus £3 booking fee) to outweigh what would have been earnt from season ticket sales - a figure no-one can know and very difficult to model/predict.

 

True enough. But I believe the break even point last year on a one person match by match basis compared to ST was 20 games, maybe even 21, whatever it was pretty high. Whether its true or not, the booking fee has been marketed as being cost-neutral, so not sure if that can be factored in (I don't actually believe it is mind).

 

As you say though, its impossible to predict, and even if it were I don't think I could be bothered as we're only talking about potentially a small amount of extra season tickets anyway, most people who want one get one in the window.

[Viking Warrior]

So we can **** off our impatient fans .

[jam]

I totally agree. The policy they are taking makes no financial sense, unless it is to minimise season ticket sales and maximise match ticket sales. But that only works when the home matchday tickets are completely sold out, which they haven't been relatively often so far. Its a policy which MAY work better for the Premier League.

 

In any case, I don't believe the club are missing out on a huge amount of tickets. But I do agree that its not a very fan-friendly approach. Although I believe there will be a new installment plan this season, so details of that will be interesting.

 

Agreed. Possibly a bit ironic about the installment plan coming in just when (hopefully) there will be no shortage of people wanting season tickets!

[John Boy Saint]

Agreed. Possibly a bit ironic about the installment plan coming in just when (hopefully) there will be no shortage of people wanting season tickets!

Well the installment plan was shelved due to a small minority (you know the saying) of thieving whatsits getting the season ticket on the installment plan then cancelling the direct debit but still coming to games for nowt. The swipe system makes it a smart system preventing the less honest blagging their way in when the turnstile operator is flat out taking tickets.

[The9]

Well the installment plan was shelved due to a small minority (you know the saying) of thieving whatsits getting the season ticket on the installment plan then cancelling the direct debit but still coming to games for nowt. The swipe system makes it a smart system preventing the less honest blagging their way in when the turnstile operator is flat out taking tickets.

 

I'm pretty sure smart cards aren't going to stop adults going in on kids' tickets. If anything the smart cards reduce the likelihood that turnstile operators will check the ST, there might not even be any information visible on them about the ST owner without running it through the reader.

 

Basically, if the STs contain the info in a digital format but not a physically visible form you can only check the validity at the scan point; if the ST card itself has the info printed on it it's as secure as it was last season, and if there's, say, a photo printed on it (like a driving licence or ID) then it's slightly more secure.

 

But anyone with a valid ST can get into the ground with a smart card without even being looked at by a turnstile operator - at least previously there was the chance any dodgy dealings would get spotted when the Match stub was being handed over. All they're there for now is taking match by match tickets and dealing with smartcard scanning problems.

[This Charming Man]

Well the installment plan was shelved due to a small minority (you know the saying) of thieving whatsits getting the season ticket on the installment plan then cancelling the direct debit but still coming to games for nowt. The swipe system makes it a smart system preventing the less honest blagging their way in when the turnstile operator is flat out taking tickets.

 

No it doesn't. If I know a ground has barcode scanners I always buy a kids ticket as there is no way of them checking, only Leeds made the effort to check who was trying to get in on kids tickets which means having a steward by every turnstile, which defeats the point of scanners anyway.

 

I won't be blagging it with my season ticket as all my details are already on the system. Though any cup games, Under 11's ticket here I come.

[The9]

I'm assuming that as well as the smartcard STs, the match tickets will also now have barcodes (there seemed to be a slot for them on the new readers) so there wouldn't be any need for turnstile operators other than to assist with reader problems - which is what they do at the Rose Bowl, Wembley, etc.

[John Boy Saint]

I'm pretty sure smart cards aren't going to stop adults going in on kids' tickets. If anything the smart cards reduce the likelihood that turnstile operators will check the ST, there might not even be any information visible on them about the ST owner without running it through the reader.

.

 

My point was the getting in to for free when you have stopped cancelled to Direct Debit on the installment plan, instead of Stewards chasing a moving target round the stands, although that will be less likely an empty seat will be available to hide in next season based on previous Premiership attendances. With this system those who have defaulted in anyway will not even get into the stadium. No body is to know how smart this system is, there could well be a simple light system to prompt the the turnstile attendant(s) look up whenever a consessionary ticket is scanned. There were a few aways last year where a scanning system was running and they asked that anyone with a consession ticket brought proof of age ID, whilst this might not have been checked it might have made some of those thinking about trying it on think twice.

No one will know until someone has tried their luck at getting in on a Kids ticket as an Adult and succeeded, then broadcast it on here, which I would imagine will shut the loophole.

[This Charming Man]

My point was the getting in to for free when you have stopped cancelled to Direct Debit on the installment plan, instead of Stewards chasing a moving target round the stands, although that will be less likely an empty seat will be available to hide in next season based on previous Premiership attendances. With this system those who have defaulted in anyway will not even get into the stadium. No body is to know how smart this system is, there could well be a simple light system to prompt the the turnstile attendant(s) look up whenever a consessionary ticket is scanned. There were a few aways last year where a scanning system was running and they asked that anyone with a consession ticket brought proof of age ID, whilst this might not have been checked it might have made some of those thinking about trying it on think twice.

No one will know until someone has tried their luck at getting in on a Kids ticket as an Adult and succeeded, then broadcast it on here, which I would imagine will shut the loophole.

 

I'd imagine they will just cancel the ticket, so when you go to scan it you'll be refused entry. I know people who tried getting in on duplicate tickets at Wembley for the JPT. The original tickets had been cancelled and were invalid when they went to use them at the turnstile scanner.

[Orange]

I got pulled up at Leeds. The c*nts made me pay £36 on top of the £29 for the kids ticket.

[Gordon Mockles]

I know it's not the done thing to criticise the god Cortese on here, but our club has gone backwards when it comes to things like this.

 

Criticiee away, it's a chat forum. Don't worry about the trolls or les miserables on here.

 

I'm chuffed Cortese runs the club well and I am hugely pleased Markus and Nicola set up a successful structure to lead us back to the top flight. For that alone, I am eternally grateful. Let alone the Academy and desire to build and hold onto our youth - finally (a far cry from the Football Farm of yester-year, selling every player hitting form, playing an entire squad of kids and expecting success and the general destruction emanating from the dark lord which it has taken 7 dark years to resolve). News and fan communication could be better but I'd rather silence than sycophantic dross, Chairman's ego, fickle fan manipulation and hollow sentiment.

 

Ticket issues have been slow but there could be the automated element being installed which would have a bearing. We are always slow though which aint ideal.

 

As a side note, whilst I'm grateful for promotion (massively), never worry about openly criticising someone. No-one is absolved from it. After all, despite our success, Nicola is allegedly not the nicest or most empathetic guy in the world (hard that may be for some to bear. Sorry Nicola - be a bit nicer and I'll retract that and you'll get the nice comments your character deserves - patronising as that may be! LOL).