stevegrant Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 As I'm sure you're all well aware by now, in an effort to arrest the decline of away attendances at games, the Premier League announced that each club would receive £200k each season for the next three seasons which was to be used to assist away fans. As far as I can tell, there were no hard and fast rules as to how it had to be spent, other than it being geared towards away fans. 18 of the 20 PL clubs have announced what they're doing with the money, with many clubs using it to reduce the cost of away tickets for their fans, laying on free or subsidised travel to away games, etc. It turns out that Saints are spending the vast majority of the money on redecorating the away concourse at St Mary's. They also spent a portion of the money on that "Family Fun Day" before the Fulham game, which seemed to be just a couple of old fairground rides that looked like they'd fall to pieces if you gave them a nudge. The two-faced nature of the club's attitude towards its fans beggars belief - on social media they praise our travelling support to the hilt, and yet in practice they treat them with such utter contempt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glasgow_Saint Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 seems crazy - another 2 fingers to the fans YOLO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkish Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 Stop your moaning and remember where we were 4 years ago! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lallana's Left Peg Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 So rather than use the money to help the supporters who follow the team away they are investing it in the stadium in a way that only helps* away supporters? *That is if away supporters care about the general state of the away concourse at St Marys anyway. That is pretty pathetic. The Hull away game on a Tuesday was crying out for free travel and subsidised tickets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkish Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 Does it really matter? It is a business after all and they need to make money. Fans will always pay for away tickets and coach travel so why reduce the cost? If I was running the club I wouldn't reduce the cost unless there was a lack of demand for away games but this isn't the case. You do understand what the away fund was for don't you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lallana's Left Peg Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 Does it really matter? It is a business after all and they need to make money. Fans will always pay for away tickets and coach travel so why reduce the cost? If I was running the club I wouldn't reduce the cost unless there was a lack of demand for away games but this isn't the case. As I understand it the club were GIVEN the money to aid our away support. They appear to have spent it in a way to try and improve the opposition away support at St Marys which they directly benefit from. Poor form. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkish Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 No but I couldn't really give two poo's. Sounds like it is money to be used for away fans which is what they done... Improved the stadium for away fans. So actually you've commented on something you know nothing about, don't care about and have no understanding of. Other than that your point was completely valid and well made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkish Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 As I understand it the club were GIVEN the money to aid our away support. They appear to have spent it in a way to try and improve the opposition away support at St Marys which they directly benefit from. Poor form. Correct. Each club was given £200k to improve away support. Same clubs gave free coach travel to their own fans, other clubs subsidised tickets for their own fans, we have decorated the stadium for the opposition fans. Still it doesn't matter, tis a business isn't it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colinjb Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 Is this going to be a one off thing or a season by season gesture? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkish Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 Is this going to be a one off thing or a season by season gesture? I can see the case for the defence starting to build here, 'well if its every season then perhaps we'll look after our own fans next year'.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bearsy Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 Is this going to be a one off thing or a season by season gesture? We'll have best painted walls in premier league! World class wall painting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintNeil90 Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 Forget what we used it for... fact is the Premier League only gave out £4m out of the billions they get from TV rights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colinjb Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 I can see the case for the defence starting to build here, 'well if its every season then perhaps we'll look after our own fans next year'.......... Or on the flip side, what's the next decorating job? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkish Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 Forget what we used it for... fact is the Premier League only gave out £4m out of the billions they get from TV rights. What's your point? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevegrant Posted 6 November, 2013 Author Share Posted 6 November, 2013 Is this going to be a one off thing or a season by season gesture? See OP... the Premier League announced that each club would receive £200k each season for the next three seasons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkish Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 Or on the flip side, what's the next decorating job? On the plus side I suppose we won't have another decorator taking us to court for not paying the bill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colinjb Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 We'll have best painted walls in premier league! World class wall painting! But will the food be upgraded for away fans over the muck in the home end? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bearsy Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 I reckon cortese was pissing himself laughing when he read the small print on that £200k! The Premier League was like, no blud ur sposed to give it to the fans and he was like check yo contract! World class businessman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Cat Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 I was never holding out much hope of it being used to help us especially when I'm still waiting for the pint Cortese promised me from Plymouth away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sour Mash Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 As I'm sure you're all well aware by now, in an effort to arrest the decline of away attendances at games, the Premier League announced that each club would receive £200k each season for the next three seasons which was to be used to assist away fans. As far as I can tell, there were no hard and fast rules as to how it had to be spent, other than it being geared towards away fans. 18 of the 20 PL clubs have announced what they're doing with the money, with many clubs using it to reduce the cost of away tickets for their fans, laying on free or subsidised travel to away games, etc. It turns out that Saints are spending the vast majority of the money on redecorating the away concourse at St Mary's. They also spent a portion of the money on that "Family Fun Day" before the Fulham game, which seemed to be just a couple of old fairground rides that looked like they'd fall to pieces if you gave them a nudge. The two-faced nature of the club's attitude towards its fans beggars belief - on social media they praise our travelling support to the hilt, and yet in practice they treat them with such utter contempt. You couldn't make it up! Has any other Premier League club used the money in this way? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bearsy Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 You couldn't make it up! Has any other Premier League club used the money in this way? It's already one of my favourite ever cortese stories! I hope it proves true! I mean i feel bad for the loyal away fans, but the whole thing is so deliciously Cortese stereotype! What a naughty boy* * Edit -changed adjective, main board yo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lets B Avenue Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 As I'm sure you're all well aware by now, in an effort to arrest the decline of away attendances at games, the Premier League announced that each club would receive £200k each season for the next three seasons which was to be used to assist away fans. As far as I can tell, there were no hard and fast rules as to how it had to be spent, other than it being geared towards away fans. 18 of the 20 PL clubs have announced what they're doing with the money, with many clubs using it to reduce the cost of away tickets for their fans, laying on free or subsidised travel to away games, etc. It turns out that Saints are spending the vast majority of the money on redecorating the away concourse at St Mary's. They also spent a portion of the money on that "Family Fun Day" before the Fulham game, which seemed to be just a couple of old fairground rides that looked like they'd fall to pieces if you gave them a nudge. The two-faced nature of the club's attitude towards its fans beggars belief - on social media they praise our travelling support to the hilt, and yet in practice they treat them with such utter contempt. Steve. Have you been told that this is the exclusive use of the fund, at the expense of discounts for we away fans? Or is it merely something the club would have done regardless? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevegrant Posted 6 November, 2013 Author Share Posted 6 November, 2013 You couldn't make it up! Has any other Premier League club used the money in this way? West Ham seem to have been suitably vague with what they're doing (link) but other than that, every other club has at least done something to specifically help their own fans at away games, be it subsidised tickets, travel or refreshments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkish Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 Here is what other premier league clubs are doing with their money, most seem to be looking after their own. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2451738/Away-Fans-Fund-What-Premier-League-clubs-spending-200k-on.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clapham Saint Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 I suspect that the concourse would have been redecorated regardless of the Fund. What Saints have done is to find a way to allocate the £200k to something that would have been done regardless, saving £200k for other things. A case of following the letter rather than the spirit of the "law". I seem to remember the board having a pop at the skates a few years back for doing something similar when claiming that the funds from some award or other were "spent" on giving kids free seats (which is actually no cost at all). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studentsaint Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 So rather than use the money to help the supporters who follow the team away they are investing it in the stadium in a way that only helps* away supporters? *That is if away supporters care about the general state of the away concourse at St Marys anyway. That is pretty pathetic. The Hull away game on a Tuesday was crying out for free travel and subsidised tickets. Have you seen the price of hull tickets? Cheaper travel maybe, but hardly any point reducing those ticket prices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Charlie Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 That is pretty poor. That funday thing was a complete joke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackanorySFC Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 This is a joke, completely mugging off our (superb, let's be honest) travelling support. As someone pointed out earlier, the club lauds our travelling support on social media (#MarchingIn etc) so insults us with this. I know it won't make a difference but I'm going to email the club asking them for clarification. Anyone got a decent contact I can email? Love what this administration have done for our club, but the 2 areas they seem to be consistently ballsing up are the ticket office and general contempt for fans/ communication. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sour Mash Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 West Ham seem to have been suitably vague with what they're doing (link) but other than that, every other club has at least done something to specifically help their own fans at away games, be it subsidised tickets, travel or refreshments. You must remember, this is 'The Southampton Way'. We lead and others follow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saint si Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 Maybe we're trying to convert oppo fans to the Southampton Way. When they are confronted with a 20foot high "it's happening" on their way in they'll forget all about supporting Hull or West Brom or Man City, or whatever other no-mark club they support and join the mighty saints on our charge to glory! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkish Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 You must remember, this is 'The Southampton Way'. We lead and others follow. It's about quality in all we do yes? making the visit to SMS a pleasurable experience to fans not so fortunate as to be followed of Southampton is a great and noble gesture from our glorious leader. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkish Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 Maybe we're trying to convert oppo fans to the Southampton Way. When they are confronted with a 20foot high "it's happening" on their way in they'll forget all about supporting Hull or West Brom or Man City, or whatever other no-mark club they support and join the mighty saints on our charge to glory! Blade hand dryers in the away fans bogs. Its happening! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marsdinho Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 It seems as though most clubs are using it to subsidise tickets or coach travel....so are we bashing the club / Nicola because we aren't "slashing" the ticket prices by £2-£4 or we aren't getting a free seat on a coach we cant drink on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orchardsaint Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 it does seem strange, when they could put up free buses for games like hull or the sunderland away ones, but like has been said by others, if you are going to go, a free bus isn't going to make much of a difference, when in reality, it is the time of kick off, or the actual day of the game when it is played. let's be honest, next year when we are in europe, that's when the subsidised travel will really come in handy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marsdinho Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 Also, before we all start wetting our beds, I assume the OP has all the facts, or has a "source" seen the we have received the 200k, and also seen that we have spent 200k on the away end and put 2+2 together...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucks Saint Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 That seals it, I am going to sit in the away end in future, seeing as its going to be so plush. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashleyb5443 Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 Would a crap burger and chips at an away ground really make a difference anyway? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevegrant Posted 6 November, 2013 Author Share Posted 6 November, 2013 Also, before we all start wetting our beds, I assume the OP has all the facts, or has a "source" seen the we have received the 200k, and also seen that we have spent 200k on the away end and put 2+2 together...? I quote from an email reply from the ticket office: Currently Southampton Football Club have put money into improving the Away fans concourse areas and are providing supporters with a Family Fun Day as part of the Fulham match day experience. A strange use of tenses considering this was sent yesterday and the Fulham game was nearly two weeks ago, but that's what they said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 Tricky one this. Elasticity of demand. Seems the only Away games that we don't sell out are the early KO long distance televised matches. Most threads on Away matches I have seen have shown that we have mainly taken up all the tickets we have been allocated, so Saints fans will travel unlike many other teams these days. Would a free coach trip or a 10 quid discount REALLY make an impact on the number of fans heading up to say Sunderland for a lunchtime KO? After the threads about the Skate Bubble Game think the opinion on here was that most do not like the restrictions on Club Travel . I can see that Nicola has obviously met with Rupert and decided that by bringing our Match Day catering back up to a world class standard would make many thousands extra Away fans choose to come to SMS over other grounds (thus making sure we sold out every week and didn't have moans about Stadium expansion). In reality I agree with Steve, this may be in the "rules" (ie blame the PL for not being more specific) but I am not sure it is in the SPIRIT. So I think it is wrong, period. But if we sell out MOST of our away allocations it is difficult to see how best to use the money FAIRLY. It does seem daft to me that Clubs charge fans extortionate prices at many grounds, pay a fee to the PL who then have to give that money back as a subsidy to fans on the price of extortionate tickets. I guess someone has a nicely paid job managing/dreaming up that Merry Go Round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minty Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 This is not a defence of the club, but could it be that someone at the club simply misunderstood what the fund was for? If the fund is 'to assist away fans' then it doesn't surprise me that some club or other (just happens to be us!) has interpreted that as improving our clubs facilities for visiting away fans. I would hope there would've been some communication from the FA to go with the money, to ensure consistency across the board and that all clubs do something to assist their OWN fans, but if that clarification was not there from the FA, then the fact someone interpreted it differently wouldn't surprise me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkish Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 I'm not sure what some are struggling to cope with about this. All this talk of the club losing revenue and slashing prices. They won't, it won't cost them a penny, they've been GIVEN £200k to encourage away fans. If they gave 3,000 aways fans free tickets and travel and it costs £190k the club haven't lost £190k they've actually lost nothing and still have £10k over. It really isn't difficult to work out. Anyway IMO they should either have given reduced tickets and free travel to an unattractive game like Hull or at the end of the season given away fans that had been to x amount of games free tickets as a reward for their support. People will say our away support is selling out anyway, well in that case reward those that are doing it. And just to reiterate the club won't lose a penny doing this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkish Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 This is not a defence of the club, but could it be that someone at the club simply misunderstood what the fund was for? If the fund is 'to assist away fans' then it doesn't surprise me that some club or other (just happens to be us!) has interpreted that as improving our clubs facilities for visiting away fans. I would hope there would've been some communication from the FA to go with the money, to ensure consistency across the board and that all clubs do something to assist their OWN fans, but if that clarification was not there from the FA, then the fact someone interpreted it differently wouldn't surprise me... Out of all 20 premier league clubs we are the only ones that misunderstood it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minty Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 Out of all 20 premier league clubs we are the only ones that misunderstood it? I get that, and it doesn't make us look good... I'm just putting it out there for discussion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkish Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 I get that, and it doesn't make us look good... I'm just putting it out there for discussion. Pretty unlikely don't you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lets B Avenue Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 Out of all 20 premier league clubs we are the only ones that misunderstood it? Or, just maybe, the other 19 got it wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevegrant Posted 6 November, 2013 Author Share Posted 6 November, 2013 But if we sell out MOST of our away allocations it is difficult to see how best to use the money FAIRLY. Surely the fairest way of doing it is to work out how many away tickets we're likely to sell over the whole season, and subsidise every ticket by a fixed amount. That way, every travelling fan benefits, even if it's only a few quid. Man United have decided they'll subsidise every away ticket by £4, if you do every away game that's £76 saved over the course of the season. Not a massive amount when you're still spending plenty but every little helps. I'm not sure elasticity of demand really comes into it when every club is receiving this cash, whether their away support needs boosting or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trousers Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 Could this be linked to the Financial Fair Play initiative that Cortese voted against? A bit of a tit-for-tat response, as in "you've told me how I should run my business so I'm going to spend this as I see fit" in retaliation... Petty? Yes. Amusing? Slightly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sour Mash Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 Tricky one this. Elasticity of demand. Seems the only Away games that we don't sell out are the early KO long distance televised matches. Most threads on Away matches I have seen have shown that we have mainly taken up all the tickets we have been allocated, so Saints fans will travel unlike many other teams these days. Would a free coach trip or a 10 quid discount REALLY make an impact on the number of fans heading up to say Sunderland for a lunchtime KO? After the threads about the Skate Bubble Game think the opinion on here was that most do not like the restrictions on Club Travel . I can see that Nicola has obviously met with Rupert and decided that by bringing our Match Day catering back up to a world class standard would make many thousands extra Away fans choose to come to SMS over other grounds (thus making sure we sold out every week and didn't have moans about Stadium expansion). In reality I agree with Steve, this may be in the "rules" (ie blame the PL for not being more specific) but I am not sure it is in the SPIRIT. So I think it is wrong, period. But if we sell out MOST of our away allocations it is difficult to see how best to use the money FAIRLY. It does seem daft to me that Clubs charge fans extortionate prices at many grounds, pay a fee to the PL who then have to give that money back as a subsidy to fans on the price of extortionate tickets. I guess someone has a nicely paid job managing/dreaming up that Merry Go Round. It's not a tricky one at all is it? Sunderland away today (many having booked for the original date), Sunderland away in the league early kick off, Hull away on a Tuesday night, Barnsley away earlier in the cup, Everton away on the 28th Dec. If our away support is that amazing, why don't we take our full allocation at so many away games? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colinjb Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 Surely the fairest way of doing it is to work out how many away tickets we're likely to sell over the whole season, and subsidise every ticket by a fixed amount. That way, every travelling fan benefits, even if it's only a few quid. Man United have decided they'll subsidise every away ticket by £4, if you do every away game that's £76 saved over the course of the season. Not a massive amount when you're still spending plenty but every little helps. I'm not sure elasticity of demand really comes into it when every club is receiving this cash, whether their away support needs boosting or not. Assuming 19 games with 2,250 sold for each, that's 42,750 tickets. About £4.50 off every league away ticket for the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marsdinho Posted 6 November, 2013 Share Posted 6 November, 2013 Turkish, wouldn't it be better to get your knickers in a twist about the fact that each club was only given £200k...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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