ANNOUNCED: Admission prices for next season.

[AFF]

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong I hope, but I believe that at the Supporters Club AGM, it was mentioned that for the last three home games of the season [when the attendances were something like 865, 830 and 970], the club had given 500 tickets for each to local junior schools permitting free entry when accompanied by a paying adult. Around 70 or so of those distributed were used on the day, I believe. At one, there were a couple of junior school cup finals played before kick-off which will have swelled numbers.

 

I have no idea what it will cost at Barnet, Luton, Watford etc. It was £10 standing, £13 to sit at Stevenage last season but I don't know what it will be next.

 

I hope that they've got this right.

[Electric ~soul~]

I have to say, I can't get excited by pre-season friendlies.

 

I understand and appreciate their purpose, but I struggle to get enthusiastic about paying money to watch, essentially, a training session.

 

I remember very well the moment I decided pre-season friendlies weren't for me. It was when we beat Woking 2-0 pre-season a couple of years back, and I was excited about it until I realised that it stood for absolutely nothing in terms of league points or cup advancement.

 

We probably ended up finishing 16th that season.

 

Sorry for boring you with that - I'm hungover.

[JKiF]

spot on post!

 

couldnt agree more

[Hatboy]

I expected about 12 Squid for games but i thought people like myself who have been buying a season ticket regulary would get a better discount than 1 free friendly for early purchase !

 

10% Discount or all friendlies.

[JKiF]

totally agree fella

[AFF]

I haven't the faintest idea how Gibbo and the Board approach the financing and cash-flow of the club, but in the pre-season period, before t'lads are back on the payroll, I imagine that day-to-day expenses are at their lowest. That is subject to the costs of the maintainance of the pitch and premises at Clarence Park to be undertaken during the Summer weeks, of course.

 

If that's the case, how do the club's finances actually benefit if 27,000 people buy their season tickets on May 20th, in comparison with June 20th, in comparison with July 20th or even in comparison with the day before the season starts in August?

 

If the answer to that question is "Not that much, actually AFF", then why should the club offer some 'incentive' to early buyers?

 

Am I missing something here? ["It wont be the first time", I hear you cry.]

[Electric ~soul~]

I would think the point of an incentive is to hoodwink (too strong a word, maybe) people into believing they're getting a good deal, whether it really makes a difference to your business' finances or not.

 

And if you put a bit of pressure on people, giving them a deadline, they're more likely to part with some money rather than having more time to decide against doing it.

 

Gibbo, for instance, would rather sell 100 season tickets at £230 than 75 season tickets at £250.

 

And that may be easier to do if you lower the price slightly and with a deadline.

[AFF]

Thanks for that summary, Zealster. have you ever thought of applying for a place in 'The Apprentice'.

 

If you're right, and in the light of the comments from JKiF and Hatboy, a financial incentive in the form of a discount might have been more enticing than the free entry to a psf, presumably.

 

It's a shame you couldn't make the Supporters Club AGM in order that your views could have been carried to the board prior to its meeting on Monday.

[Electric ~soul~]

Quote:

Thanks for that summary, Zealster. have you ever thought of applying for a place in 'The Apprentice'.

You asked why the club should bother.

I took the time to respond.

I suppose I could have a webbo-style strop at the condescending nature of your response, but I shall resist, nonetheless.

Psychologically, one is more likely to make any purchase if rushed into doing so by being made to believe that said purchase is only going to be available for a short amount of time.

[JKiF]

i know at watford they were offering STH the same price before the season ended without the guarantee of a play-off spot.

 

the incentive being that you could if you re-newed your ST early be watching 'Premiership' football at 'championship' prices

 

50/50 chance this may happpen.

 

 

was that an incentive?

[Webbo MFI]

Quote:

Electric ~soul~ said:

Quote:

Thanks for that summary, Zealster. have you ever thought of applying for a place in 'The Apprentice'.

You asked why the club should bother.

I took the time to respond.

I suppose I could have a webbo-style strop at the condescending nature of your response, but I shall resist, nonetheless.

Psychologically, one is more likely to make any purchase if rushed into doing so by being made to believe that said purchase is only going to be available for a short amount of time.

strop?

[Electric ~soul~]

<img src="/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

[AFF]

Condescending? Eh?

 

Never mate. Unreserved apologies if you mistakenly read it that way.

 

It was a clear, neat, comrehensive answer, CZ, and deserved a complimentary response.

[Electric ~soul~]

I can appreciate why the words "granny", "suck" and "eggs" may spring to mind, having re-read my post, as it's hardly rocket science, but I do think there is just as much benefit to the club for having an incentive as there is to the paying customer.

 

I realise that ticket prices are relative to supply/demand, which is why the club know they can afford to raise prices without having to worry too much about losing people off the gate, but I think there's more to an incentive than just simply 'more people buying because there's a discount'.

 

For example, I know that I rushed into buy a Spurs season ticket last summer because the club announced there were only 3,000 left. Had that not been the case, I would probably have waited until this year.

 

No incentives there, of course, but by the sheer pressure that THFC put on me, I parted with my money within an instant, without giving it too much thought.

[JKiF]

so 30£ more for 2 xtra games?

[AFF]

I hope you're right. Zealster.

 

I'm am concerned that it's not as simple as 'supply and demand'. I posted earlier on this thread reagrding the attendances for the last three games of the season. The Brazilianesque football was part of the reason, we were in the top 2 of the League was another and each was the biggest match in our history, not to mention the warm welcome at the famous old ground etc. etc. However, each of those gates was swelled by 70 adults and 70 youngsters attracted by the "kids go free" ticketting initiative and in one case 44+ children and assorted cardborad box carriers were in the ground for two schools cup finals.

 

Those 'pairs' of parent and child who gained entry for £9, will be having to pay £17 to stand or £21 to sit for the first home game of the season.

 

There has been comment on here over the past few years, if not forever, about the cost of entry to t'Park and everyone has their view, no doubt. [Except me, that is. Well I do actually. My view is that the debate is boring and meaningless.]

 

Certainly, I have heard more than once that a number of Saintsfans have to make a decision when there are two home games in week which one to attend on the grounds of cost. The attendances on those occaisions can be read to support the view.

 

I hope that the Board have got it right.

[ChristianGenius]

So where exactly will the extra income generated by gate receipts go then?

[GHA EFM]

A reward for renewal would be nice...

[Electric ~soul~]

Perhaps we're talking at cross purposes AFF, because I certainly agree with you and Jill King that the prices for next season are too high.

 

I can say categorically now, that there will be no home match next season during which Emma, Dylan and I will all be in attendance. That would amount to about £30.

 

(Believe it or not, Bill Nick tried to charge me £5 for Dylan when he was two months old, but that's another story).

 

Okay, sure, Emma and Dylan only come once, maybe twice a season anyway, so I'm sure Gibbo won't lose too much sleep about them not coming to any games next year.

 

But at the same time, I'm sure I'm not the only father/husband who will be presented with the same quandary.

 

Non-league used to be the cheap alternative to league football when prices rocketed in the 90s.

 

No longer, sadly.

[AFF]

Eh?

 

First of all to Christian Genius. Where have you been? We gained promotion to the Conference Nationale where we need to have and to pay for a fourth Official. Cost? I don't know do I? Say £100 per game =£2,300. There will be, say 6 games where t'lads will need an overnight stay including a coach for two days. Cost? I don't know, do I? say £1000 each time, that's err.. umm.. err around £6000.

 

Nothing goes down in price CG. Well that's not strictly true, CG. The cost of plasma televisions goes down but that's not the point.

 

We will need proper Stewrads next season. Perhaps policemen for some games. We will need proper first-aid facilities. The players will, no doubt want to trade in their old club Ferraris for new ones befitting their status in the next tier of the football pyramid.

 

For the love of Jesus, I'm bored.

 

GHA. Good idea. Write in, in triplicate. Wash. Get a job. Pay tax.