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2014-15 Admission prices


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Has anything been set yet, league matches FA Cup ties etc.....??

 

Cheers

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Why should they be cheaper? The rent on the ground is the same as last season, the club's costs for things like electricity will almost certainly not have changed, ground maintenance doesn't suddenly cost less simply by going from Step 4 to Step 5.

 

Bills still need to be paid... cutting the admission price would not have helped the Board to do that, given that the last time the club cut admission prices (after relegation from Step 3), it did not have a positive effect on attendances. Groundhoppers are always welcome at the club, of course, but are not the target market - the average hopper will probably visit once or, if they're relatively local, might pop in once or twice a season.  

 

The fact is that it still costs less to watch a game at The RPS than it did in 2010 and there are almost no leisure activities where it is cheaper to get in now than it was four years ago. How much does it cost to watch a film at the local cinema? At Feltham Cineworld, it costs £10.50 for an adult and £7.10 for a child under 16to watch a film on a Saturday afternoon (plus an extra fee of 50p per ticket if you have the temerity to book in advance!). Therefore, if you took two adults and two children to the pictures at the same time as Ashford v Berkhamstead on 16th August, you would potentially pay £35.20 just to get in, compared with £18 for the same family to watch the football. A family ticket is available... at the bargain price of £32.50!

 

So, on a Saturday, the match is already about half the cost of the film, even before you start comparing the cost and quality of the hot dogs...

 

I think holding the prices is fair and congratulate the Board and Committee on making a sensible decision.

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Savagebee, I am quite capable of adding £8 and £2 together, thank you. And I accept that some people may not wish to pay £8 to watch football at Step 5. The issue is not that Ashford Town (Middlesex) in isolation are too expensive; it is that the cost of watching football has risen massively at every level, from the Premier League downwards.

 

The point I was making, which you ignored entirely, is that running a football club at any level is an expensive business and the Directors have a legal responsibility run that business properly. Unlike many clubs, we published our accounts prior to the AGM on our website and they can be downloaded.

 

Even a cursory glance at them would tell you that, unless cutting admission prices would guarantee a significant rise in crowds, it would be lunacy to do so. It's not that the club is seeking to fleece fans - reducing admission charges without attracting additional support simply reduces the club's income at a time when expenditure will remain static at best.

 

If the club's income does not cover it's expenditure, how long would that be allowed to continue, do you think, before creditors started taking action? I'd much rather Ashford Town (Middlesex) FC charged £8 to get in and were a financially stable club than charging less and incurring new debt.

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I think I should declare an interest in the debate as I have been party to the decision to 'hold' admission charges for our 2014-15 season.

 

Gareth makes a number of important points and those people who are concerned about the cost of attending games also have a right to comment and we value their views. Ultimately time will tell whether the decision is justified, but it cannot be forgotten that a growing number of non-league clubs have folded or merged for financial reasons. It is essential that we balance the books and strive to return to a higher level then we find ourselves in.

 

Despite not having a dedicated Commercial Manager in position, others work tirelessly to improve our income from sponsorship, the bar, and by hosting events such as the recent Music Event and the GB Deaf v. Sweden Deaf game at Short Lane on Sunday, 26th July. We also recently hosted the Sri Lankan Football Tournament attended by the Sri Lankan High Commissioner for London and many people from the Sri Lankan community.

 

Those of you who visit the ground this season will see that the Club has replaced fencing damaged by the storms at the turn of the year, with local company Hitchcock & King kindly providing panels, posts and concrete at discounted prices to avoid a far more significant cost to the Club and our Members and supporters.

 

Nevertheless, there is a constant battle to ensure that we do not spend excessively, otherwise the Club will risk the wrath of creditors and the intervention of the taxman. Whilst we may have higher admission charges than some other CCL clubs (it would be interesting to see a comparison list), we can guarantee a warm welcome, free off-street parking with easy access by road, competitive pricing for drinks and refreshments (some items and lines much cheaper than some pubs), and a team that will play entertaining football more often than not.

 

Our friendly away game at Sheerwater last Saturday drew high praise from their website about Ben Murray's brand of football, and that gives us great optimism for the new season.

 

I am confident that most visitors for games will leave us having enjoyed their day and looking forward to the next time - win, lose or draw.

 

Value for Money and a good way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

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