Matchday Ticket prices 26/27

Airman Brown

Bod said:

A booking fee for an online purchase is a piss take, even more so when the ticket is sent automatically electronically, what exactly is the £1.50 for?? 
£35 for a game against Portsmouth is crazy by any definition. The pricing is at best very erratic 

I believe this came about because Duchatelet and Meire insisted on purchasing a ticket system which was not fit for purpose and this was a way of replacing it early without Duchatelet picking up the cost.

valleynick66

Crispywood said:

valleynick66 said:

Given the sky contract and streaming generally it’s foolish to think you need to maximise ticket revenue in the way you did before. The world has changed. 

You now want / need atmosphere from a mostly full ground to keep the revenue coming from Sky et al. 

Prices need to dramatically reduce to retain and build the fan base. 

Make season tickets cheaper and do more BOGOF style offers to get repeat visitors. 

You have to accept ticket revenue outside the PL can’t be maintained any more in the way it used to.  Change the approach. Be bold. 

The TV deal is agreed with the league not per club and they’re streaming a product on the pitch ppl don’t watch football to see how many  people are sat in seats that doesn’t affect sky sports in the slightest.  

Ticket revenue and matchday activities make up 20% of our income it would be ignorant to ignore that. 

The clubs aim is to make revenue £40 is ridiculous and if it’s putting too many ppl off they lose money likewise they lower it too much they don’t make as much as they can. It’s a very fine margin. 

I understand the point if it’s cheaper more people will come which is definitely true but it’s not like when Sandgaard was giving out free tickets we filled the valley.  

The best way to get people into seats is be more successful which you get from spending more which you get from generating more. 

What they need to do is find a price point which maximises revenue which is a balance between free/under priced tickets and charging £40 for Charlton Pompey 

Sky don’t want empty grounds either. The product is better with people in attendance creating an atmosphere. 

I’m simply saying the ticket revenue is no longer the main source of income / the relative chunk  it was. So it’s not unreasonable to rethink ticket pricing. 

We are quick to say there is a cost of living crisis too. 

All together means you now need to charge differently in my opinion. 

As I’ve suggested base it on £25 a head (with some variance for the worst and best seats) and introduce BOGOF style offers to attract wavering supporters. 

SamB09

Bod said:

A booking fee for an online purchase is a piss take, even more so when the ticket is sent automatically electronically, what exactly is the £1.50 for?? 
£35 for a game against Portsmouth is crazy by any definition. The pricing is at best very erratic 

The ticketing part of the website isn’t rub for free

valleynick66

Airman Brown said:

Bod said:

A booking fee for an online purchase is a piss take, even more so when the ticket is sent automatically electronically, what exactly is the £1.50 for?? 
£35 for a game against Portsmouth is crazy by any definition. The pricing is at best very erratic 

I believe this came about because Duchatelet and Meire insisted on purchasing a ticket system which was not fit for purpose and this was a way of replacing it early without Duchatelet picking up the cost.

Do you mean the fee goes to the 3rd party provider and not the club?

Off_it

oohaahmortimer said:

Airman Brown said:

letthegoodtimesroll said:

Airman Brown said:

Crispywood said:

Bedsaddick said:

Crispywood said:

Don’t agree with it in the slightest but personally think the club are trying to up matchday prices to improve value on season tickets to generate more season ticket sales that way for next season and when they do their half a season ticket prices in Jan. It’s a lot of money but if there’s more value in the expensive option that could be a tipping point for more people to do that. 

There are hundreds if not thousands that can’t make all the games whether it be through work or health issues so it’s not worth their while to buy a season ticket . Charging £40 a ticket will put many of those off going entirely including me . The club are going about this the entirely wrong way . Yet Again 

That’s where I think the clubs head is at with increasing matchday prices now people would only need to attend 9-10 games with the season ticket to make it worth getting which if people have the money but can usually only make it 60% of the games they might as well just grab a season ticket.

They may lose out on more game to game fans but will generate more revenue via season ticket sales. 

Don’t agree with the strategy in the slightest and have gone about it in a poor way, but where they have a very black and white goal which is generate revenue it makes sense to do it from that point of view 

I don’t think that would work even if it was the strategy, to be honest. The best way to increase season ticket sales is to increase match ticket sales. We already have a vast number of season ticket holders not attending evening games and some not attending regularly even on a Saturday. This is the main reason the attendances overstate the crowd. We could easily have 4,000 ST holders missing in midweek and 2-3,000 missing on a Saturday. What we need to do is attract more casual fans which isn’t happening at these prices.

Personally, I suspect the biggest driver for ST and others not being arsed about turning up for  some games, particularly the mid week ones has a lot to do with the apathy that’s created by  the sight of a half empty stadium. Travelling midweek and evenings can be a pain in the derrière for a lot of fans but surprising no so much is the game is big enough and big crowds are expected.

I’ll be interested to see what the ticket sale is for West Ham (and who the people buying them turn out to be).

West Ham fans 

95% True
5% Behave

Airman Brown

valleynick66 said:

Airman Brown said:

Bod said:

A booking fee for an online purchase is a piss take, even more so when the ticket is sent automatically electronically, what exactly is the £1.50 for?? 
£35 for a game against Portsmouth is crazy by any definition. The pricing is at best very erratic 

I believe this came about because Duchatelet and Meire insisted on purchasing a ticket system which was not fit for purpose and this was a way of replacing it early without Duchatelet picking up the cost.

Do you mean the fee goes to the 3rd party provider and not the club?

I don’t know whether that is the case or if it was simply an accounting device to persuade Duchatelet that there was no net cost to him.

valleynick66

Airman Brown said:

valleynick66 said:

Airman Brown said:

Bod said:

A booking fee for an online purchase is a piss take, even more so when the ticket is sent automatically electronically, what exactly is the £1.50 for?? 
£35 for a game against Portsmouth is crazy by any definition. The pricing is at best very erratic 

I believe this came about because Duchatelet and Meire insisted on purchasing a ticket system which was not fit for purpose and this was a way of replacing it early without Duchatelet picking up the cost.

Do you mean the fee goes to the 3rd party provider and not the club?

I don’t know whether that is the case or if it was simply an accounting device to persuade Duchatelet that there was no net cost to him.

If the latter no need to persist with the structure I’d have thought. 

It’s a bit like paying for your seat or luggage on a flight- it feels worse when itemised and not just within the base price. 

CAFCTrev

@Airman Brown youre getting some absolute bangers in your twitter replies, this one made me chuckle:



Using away ticket demand for your argument, where there’s a finite number of tickets available to a buying audience made up of the most committed fans, is laughable. Also the Chelsea game had adult tickets starting at £27. 

Covered End

WHO IS SETTING THE PRICES?

Does anyone know?

fenaddick

Covered End said:

WHO IS SETTING THE PRICES?

Does anyone know?

This is purely a guess but I wouldn’t be surprised if they were driven by the now departed Ed Warwick 

Fanny Fanackapan

Covered End said:

WHO IS SETTING THE PRICES?

Does anyone know?

No-one knows who does ANYTHING at the club .

They even have code names for each other.

Any guesses who's Del Boy ? 

All top secret, otherwise they might receive those dastardly emails.....

Crispywood

Covered End said:

WHO IS SETTING THE PRICES?

Does anyone know?

Wouldn’t It be Tony Brown seems like the type of responsibility for a person with the title chief financial officer 

fenaddick

Crispywood said:

Covered End said:

WHO IS SETTING THE PRICES?

Does anyone know?

Wouldn’t It be Tony Brown seems like the type of responsibility for a person with the title chief financial officer 

But he came in too late for that, he’d be the person to blame next season though 

CharltonE18

@FremlinsFellow, I also go to a similar number of games...last season 8,due to work/family commitments.
My son [student] paid £305 I think for a ST in North Upper which works out @£13 a game which is pretty good,
when I go I like to sit with him & been to Preston & Portsmouth home games this season  & paid £79.00 inc transaction fee.
I know we've been promoted but a couple of seasons ago,these tickets were £24 in North Upper,just seems a big hike?

blackpool72

Croydon said:

ElfsborgAddick said:

If we end up mid table and not near the play offs I can see us posting gates of 15k again with bums on seats of below 10k.

Burnley at home, midweek in Feb, will be a dire attendance.

They won't get near selling out and the East and West will be near empty 

I honestly think midweek games should be priced a lot cheaper than a Saturday game. 

Plenty of people choose to stay at home and watch the game on TV.
A midweek discount of say 30% may well encourage more to attend 

Spanish

Croydon said:

I haven't had any groups of European tourists near me in the covered end this season, but had a group almost every week last season.

Have football tourist weekenders stopped, or are we pricing them out? Or have we just not played anyone exciting enough for them to bother. 

There was one tourist on Saturday trying to buy a ticket but got turned away because he didn't have a purchase history and there was a small group of Americans chatting to my son on the train who decided to come last minute but no idea whether they were able to get tickets. 

It's a difficult situation for the club when clubs like Pompey sell out but a modicum of common sense would suggest they're just 'football fans'.

As for ticket prices, you have to question how they have gone up so much. I wish also they would reciprocate with other clubs in the division who find it acceptable to charge more than we do.

Cafc451

Wow west ham actual attentances.

https://x.com/westhamfootball/status/2099252106980904978

NabySarr

blackpool72 said:

Croydon said:

ElfsborgAddick said:

If we end up mid table and not near the play offs I can see us posting gates of 15k again with bums on seats of below 10k.

Burnley at home, midweek in Feb, will be a dire attendance.

They won't get near selling out and the East and West will be near empty 

I honestly think midweek games should be priced a lot cheaper than a Saturday game. 

Plenty of people choose to stay at home and watch the game on TV.
A midweek discount of say 30% may well encourage more to attend 

They were last season, £20 I think. I disagree with the high pricing but tbh it wasn’t like loads of extra people came when it was £20 so I’m not surprised the club view is to charge more to the people they know will turn up regardless 

ElfsborgAddick

NabySarr said:

blackpool72 said:

Croydon said:

ElfsborgAddick said:

If we end up mid table and not near the play offs I can see us posting gates of 15k again with bums on seats of below 10k.

Burnley at home, midweek in Feb, will be a dire attendance.

They won't get near selling out and the East and West will be near empty 

I honestly think midweek games should be priced a lot cheaper than a Saturday game. 

Plenty of people choose to stay at home and watch the game on TV.
A midweek discount of say 30% may well encourage more to attend 

They were last season, £20 I think. I disagree with the high pricing but tbh it wasn’t like loads of extra people came when it was £20 so I’m not surprised the club view is to charge more to the people they know will turn up regardless 

We have around 7k that will attend games regardless.
We bottomed out with this under Dushitelet and squirrel face.

AFKABartram

Braziliance said:

.

Lower North= £22
Upper North, West and East non centre views = £25
Centre views= £28

Then add a little premium for bigger games maybe.

What they are pricing now is poor and doesn't reflect our status as a club.

Playing devils advocate a bit here, but these are price points from about 15 years ago. And probably in L1.

15 years ago average concert or west end theatre price was £25-£50. Now it’s in the £120-£180 range. You won’t get a ticket for anything top list like Taylor Swift, Beyoncé etc for less than £200 now. 

Everything in the entertainment industry has gone through the roof price wise. Similar to hospitality. Similar to travel. 

Even as a football comparison, just to get in at a basic Tier 7 ground (level below Conf North / South) will basic open standing and basic facilities is base £15 now (£16 Dartford) to see amateur players. 

So on a wider picture, I don’t think the prices are hugely out of sync or why those people setting them (who will never understand our fanbase) think they are out of proportion. 

But…it all boils down to basic supply / demand economics. We have excess seats, a non-diehard fanbase that won’t consistently pay top prices, and the tourist visitor market is well down this season in comparison to the last couple. 

What is playing out is exactly what we said would happen when the prices was announced in the summer. 

shine166

AFKABartram said:

Braziliance said:

.

Lower North= £22
Upper North, West and East non centre views = £25
Centre views= £28

Then add a little premium for bigger games maybe.

What they are pricing now is poor and doesn't reflect our status as a club.

Playing devils advocate a bit here, but these are price points from about 15 years ago. And probably in L1.

15 years ago average concert or west end theatre price was £25-£50. Now it’s in the £120-£180 range. You won’t get a ticket for anything top list like Taylor Swift, Beyoncé etc for less than £200 now. 

Everything in the entertainment industry has gone through the roof price wise. Similar to hospitality. Similar to travel. 

Even as a football comparison, just to get in at a basic Tier 7 ground (level below Conf North / South) will basic open standing and basic facilities is base £15 now (£16 Dartford) to see amateur players. 

So on a wider picture, I don’t think the prices are hugely out of sync or why those people setting them (who will never understand our fanbase) think they are out of proportion. 

But…it all boils down to basic supply / demand economics. We have excess seats, a non-diehard fanbase that won’t consistently pay top prices, and the tourist visitor market is well down this season in comparison to the last couple. 

What is playing out is exactly what we said would happen when the prices was announced in the summer. 

It doesn't have to be that way though, you can go to Dortmund and its 18euros to watch a game standing.

shine166

charltonnick

AFKABartram said:

Braziliance said:

.

Lower North= £22
Upper North, West and East non centre views = £25
Centre views= £28

Then add a little premium for bigger games maybe.

What they are pricing now is poor and doesn't reflect our status as a club.

Playing devils advocate a bit here, but these are price points from about 15 years ago. And probably in L1.

15 years ago average concert or west end theatre price was £25-£50. Now it’s in the £120-£180 range. You won’t get a ticket for anything top list like Taylor Swift, Beyoncé etc for less than £200 now. 

Everything in the entertainment industry has gone through the roof price wise. Similar to hospitality. Similar to travel. 

Even as a football comparison, just to get in at a basic Tier 7 ground (level below Conf North / South) will basic open standing and basic facilities is base £15 now (£16 Dartford) to see amateur players. 

So on a wider picture, I don’t think the prices are hugely out of sync or why those people setting them (who will never understand our fanbase) think they are out of proportion. 

But…it all boils down to basic supply / demand economics. We have excess seats, a non-diehard fanbase that won’t consistently pay top prices, and the tourist visitor market is well down this season in comparison to the last couple. 

What is playing out is exactly what we said would happen when the prices was announced in the summer. 

Yes it is the entertainment industry , but is it entertaining ? I understand that we are fighting just to stay in the division , but if you want entertainment , it's pretty poor value. 

valleynick66

The comparisons are not really valid as they are selective. 

I fairly regularly pick up theatre tickets for example at closer to £30 each. Admittedly not what some consider the best seats but by no means poor and of course a more certain performance each time. 

The point remains what is a ‘typical’ fan able / willing to invest their limited disposable cash on? At £39.50 plus other family members it just is not cheap twice a month. 

Maybe we just need to be really bold and imaginative and say to fans we are going to try £25 a head for 2 months and see what happens and simply say sorry to season ticket holders ?

Maybe go one further in the new year and say ST will be £500 each  next season (excluding the posh and worse seats) but only if 15k sign up
by x date with a deposit. Otherwise the price will be greater. Something for CAST and all groups to help drive and publicise maybe. 

Give us all the incentive to commit and encourage others. 

May be wildly problematic but we perhaps need to try something different. 

My point is (rather than pulling the idea apart) we need to try something quite different as minor tweaks aren’t working. 

se9addick

It’s not any one thing. Ticket pricing is high, basically being to watch every match at home if you so please and I wonder too if some of the excitement at being back in the Championship has started to wear off. 

However the only thing the club can realistically change from that list in the short term is ticket pricing. 

se9addick

By the way if someone from Germany turned up on Saturday and couldn’t get a ticket that’s really silly. If people have foreign ID then let’s use common sense. Yes once in a blue moon you might have a rogue Pompey fan from Frankfurt getting in the home end, but surely if part of the thinking of these higher ticket prices is to monetise ground hoppers then let’s actually sell them tickets. 

Simonsen

charltonnick said:

AFKABartram said:

Braziliance said:

.

Lower North= £22
Upper North, West and East non centre views = £25
Centre views= £28

Then add a little premium for bigger games maybe.

What they are pricing now is poor and doesn't reflect our status as a club.

Playing devils advocate a bit here, but these are price points from about 15 years ago. And probably in L1.

15 years ago average concert or west end theatre price was £25-£50. Now it’s in the £120-£180 range. You won’t get a ticket for anything top list like Taylor Swift, Beyoncé etc for less than £200 now. 

Everything in the entertainment industry has gone through the roof price wise. Similar to hospitality. Similar to travel. 

Even as a football comparison, just to get in at a basic Tier 7 ground (level below Conf North / South) will basic open standing and basic facilities is base £15 now (£16 Dartford) to see amateur players. 

So on a wider picture, I don’t think the prices are hugely out of sync or why those people setting them (who will never understand our fanbase) think they are out of proportion. 

But…it all boils down to basic supply / demand economics. We have excess seats, a non-diehard fanbase that won’t consistently pay top prices, and the tourist visitor market is well down this season in comparison to the last couple. 

What is playing out is exactly what we said would happen when the prices was announced in the summer. 

Yes it is the entertainment industry , but is it entertaining ? I understand that we are fighting just to stay in the division , but if you want entertainment , it's pretty poor value. 

Agree...and let's be honest, it hasn't been especially entertaining for a while now. Die-hard Charlton fans will attend no matter what is being served up but there is a whole swath of fans that will drift away if the football is functional, there are a lack of goals and if they feel it's too expensive. 

se9addick

Simonsen said:

charltonnick said:

AFKABartram said:

Braziliance said:

.

Lower North= £22
Upper North, West and East non centre views = £25
Centre views= £28

Then add a little premium for bigger games maybe.

What they are pricing now is poor and doesn't reflect our status as a club.

Playing devils advocate a bit here, but these are price points from about 15 years ago. And probably in L1.

15 years ago average concert or west end theatre price was £25-£50. Now it’s in the £120-£180 range. You won’t get a ticket for anything top list like Taylor Swift, Beyoncé etc for less than £200 now. 

Everything in the entertainment industry has gone through the roof price wise. Similar to hospitality. Similar to travel. 

Even as a football comparison, just to get in at a basic Tier 7 ground (level below Conf North / South) will basic open standing and basic facilities is base £15 now (£16 Dartford) to see amateur players. 

So on a wider picture, I don’t think the prices are hugely out of sync or why those people setting them (who will never understand our fanbase) think they are out of proportion. 

But…it all boils down to basic supply / demand economics. We have excess seats, a non-diehard fanbase that won’t consistently pay top prices, and the tourist visitor market is well down this season in comparison to the last couple. 

What is playing out is exactly what we said would happen when the prices was announced in the summer. 

Yes it is the entertainment industry , but is it entertaining ? I understand that we are fighting just to stay in the division , but if you want entertainment , it's pretty poor value. 

Agree...and let's be honest, it hasn't been especially entertaining for a while now. Die-hard Charlton fans will attend no matter what is being served up but there is a whole swath of fans that will drift away if the football is functional, there are a lack of goals and if they feel it's too expensive. 

I’ve never quite understood this perspective, I don’t go and watch Charlton to be entertained (“fortunate” I hear you say!). Great if it happens but the only thing I really want to see is Charlton win. 

I love watching football as a neutral, either sitting on the sofa on a Sunday or travelling overseas for a bit of groundhopping and that’s when I like to be entertained. 

charltonnick

se9addick said:

Simonsen said:

charltonnick said:

AFKABartram said:

Braziliance said:

.

Lower North= £22
Upper North, West and East non centre views = £25
Centre views= £28

Then add a little premium for bigger games maybe.

What they are pricing now is poor and doesn't reflect our status as a club.

Playing devils advocate a bit here, but these are price points from about 15 years ago. And probably in L1.

15 years ago average concert or west end theatre price was £25-£50. Now it’s in the £120-£180 range. You won’t get a ticket for anything top list like Taylor Swift, Beyoncé etc for less than £200 now. 

Everything in the entertainment industry has gone through the roof price wise. Similar to hospitality. Similar to travel. 

Even as a football comparison, just to get in at a basic Tier 7 ground (level below Conf North / South) will basic open standing and basic facilities is base £15 now (£16 Dartford) to see amateur players. 

So on a wider picture, I don’t think the prices are hugely out of sync or why those people setting them (who will never understand our fanbase) think they are out of proportion. 

But…it all boils down to basic supply / demand economics. We have excess seats, a non-diehard fanbase that won’t consistently pay top prices, and the tourist visitor market is well down this season in comparison to the last couple. 

What is playing out is exactly what we said would happen when the prices was announced in the summer. 

Yes it is the entertainment industry , but is it entertaining ? I understand that we are fighting just to stay in the division , but if you want entertainment , it's pretty poor value. 

Agree...and let's be honest, it hasn't been especially entertaining for a while now. Die-hard Charlton fans will attend no matter what is being served up but there is a whole swath of fans that will drift away if the football is functional, there are a lack of goals and if they feel it's too expensive. 

I’ve never quite understood this perspective, I don’t go and watch Charlton to be entertained (“fortunate” I hear you say!). Great if it happens but the only thing I really want to see is Charlton win. 

I love watching football as a neutral, either sitting on the sofa on a Sunday or travelling overseas for a bit of groundhopping and that’s when I like to be entertained. 

That is what Simonsen said , die-hards just want to see the team win. But there are not 24,000 of them. If you are going to charge a premium price you need to have a premium product. We don't offer that yet , £25 seems a more reasonable price.

CAFCTrev

se9addick said:

By the way if someone from Germany turned up on Saturday and couldn’t get a ticket that’s really silly. If people have foreign ID then let’s use common sense. Yes once in a blue moon you might have a rogue Pompey fan from Frankfurt getting in the home end, but surely if part of the thinking of these higher ticket prices is to monetise ground hoppers then let’s actually sell them tickets. 

Its always been the case that a tourist just needs to go the ticket office and show some evidence that they are really tourists (ie a plane ticket or passport) and they will be sold a ticket even for restricted games. I know this from working in the ticket office for 11 years.