The membership scheme said it offered free training session attendance, was one of the reasons I bought one as I thought it might be interesting.
Don't see an issue.
That was my feeling too. I’m not in a position to buy a season ticket so next thought would be membership. When announced, the open day invite was a big part of the sales pitch.
The hardcore will pay, others won’t see the value. Seems fair enough to me
Was it?
Don't remember any official mention of an open day before today's announcement?
Don’t think there was, wasn’t it just a chance to watch a training session?
Trouble is, from my memory most people thought they would all be going to sparrows Lane, which is logistically impossible I'd have thought.
I'm not particularly bothered, but the chance to go to Sparrows Lane would be far more enticing than seeing the players at The Valley
Agreed it should be free for ST holders, other than that the main issue seems to be around the membership scheme.
But then if you're a ST holder then you've already got the membership for £25 rather than £35. Throw in a CharltonTV subscription which saves an extra £5 for members and the £10 open session fee saved then there's only £10 more savings to be made until the membership effectively becomes free of charge anyway for ST holders.
And that £10 will probably be clawed back assuming a tour of the training ground goes ahead with a similar price for non-members.
My point is if you've already paid out for a ST and you want all the extra stuff like CharltonTV or the training session then you might as well just get a membership especially when you get 30 loyalty points on top as well as the other bits and pieces.
Are there really going to be many fans who buy a ST, want to go to the training session but won't buy a membership? So while it's not free for ST holders it pretty much can be if you take a membership and plan to utilize all the benefits from it.
I do have to admit though i'm not exactly sure what the club is hoping to achieve from the membership scheme when there can't be that big a pool of new fans data to be captured - assuming that's the purpose of the scheme.
With all the chaos & crap the fans have been through in the last 7 & half years, the club should show its’ appreciation that we’ve stuck with it - not divide the fans into s/t holders, members & nobodies. I can’t afford a s/t & can’t see the justification for a £35 membership (I don’t want a pair of socks, loyalty points (which equate to what?) or a couple of quid off a ticket - I’d need to attend 17 games to almost recoup the £35.
No thanks Charlton, I don’t need your silly gimmicks
The membership scheme is a complete load of crap for the majority of our fanbase. It's just a whim to raise £25 per sign up. The desk calendar and lucky socks offer is embarrassing. What else do you get for your £25? It's £5 off Charlton TV, a discount on a stadium tour and entry to some competition. It's so crap you would have thought it was an idea of Ben Kensall or Katrien Meire.
Own goal by the club. They should hold the event on the Saturday and allow all in for free.
Agree it should be free to get new / lapsed supporters interested.
Football is overpriced full stop. Until we drive players wages back down at the top level it’s going to be difficult to correct this.
The bold thing to do would be to cut ticket and season ticket prices across the board and develop discounts for buying tickets for several matches at a time. Not all can afford or can commit to a season ticket.
Get people hooked first before you try and up sell / squeeze more from them is a blunt way of looking at it.
Probably in a minority here but I would not waste my time watching players train for two hours if someone paid me a tenner never mind me having to pay for it.
I heard that once a couple of season ticket holders caught wind of the newborn Addicks getting the bed time story they paid for, they kicked up a stink saying they should get a bed time story from their favourite player too.
Everyone knew what you got when you purchased your season ticket. Everyone knew what you got if you purchased a membership. Everyone knows what you get if you are in Valley Gold. What is the blooming problem?
I am a season ticket holder and a member. I don't see why this should be free to season ticket holders, for a season ticket you get to watch the games, it was clear when we bought them. The membership offered a training session, I thought that would be interesting so bought one of them too. I don't see a lot wrong with that. Would have preferred it at Sparrows Lane having never been that was what I thought would be interesting but c'est la vie
Everyone knew what you got when you purchased your season ticket. Everyone knew what you got if you purchased a membership. Everyone knows what you get if you are in Valley Gold. What is the blooming problem?
Are we really back to the ‘faux outrage’ and professionally frustrated?
in the past, Us fans were spoilt- we got priority if we had a ST, priority on top of that if we paid for Valley Gold as well as some discounts!
football has moved on since then, and we’ve clearly tried to balance the proportionality of discounts/privileges with people ability to pay for them…
it’s not an ‘open day’, it’s a viewable training session that was advertised under the membership package! Just accept it for what it is!
Yes the membership packages may seem as a novelty, but for quite a few it’s their only possible way to get closer to Charlton (perhaps they’re financially restricted) or enable themselves to have some sort of guarantee to discount if and when they need it (perhaps their time/location restricts them)
£25 isn’t a lot in the grand scheme of things, but allows different access points to different fans - don’t begrudge them that!
I’d Hastens guess that a majority of those moaning about this price/training session are either moaning about not spending money on transfers, or are indeed themselves members of valley gold and receive different packages anyway
"The point of memberships is to offer experiences that aren't otherwise available. The training session is an example of this, and was advertised when membership launched."
Only that isn't the case.
That experience is otherwise available.
Only you have to pay £10 for it even if you've spent ten times what a membership costs on a season ticket or if you are a child.
There is also the issue that if you are a member and can't attend this session (because you are working etc) have you then lost this "experience"? Because if I was a member I'd be asking when I can visit Sparrows Lane because you said I could watch a training session, not you'll get an one opportunity, at two weeks notice, and if you miss that tough. And then those who went to the Valley will say "hang on, Why don't I get to go to Sparrows Lane."
It is just very short sighted. Yes it might bring in a little more money but an open day isn't likely to break even after ticketing and stewarding costs.
"The point of memberships is to offer experiences that aren't otherwise available. The training session is an example of this, and was advertised when membership launched."
Only that isn't the case.
That experience is otherwise available.
Only you have to pay £10 for it even if you've spent ten times what a membership costs on a season ticket or if you are a child.
There is also the issue that if you are a member and can't attend this session (because you are working etc) have you then lost this "experience"? Because if I was a member I'd be asking when I can visit Sparrows Lane because you said I could watch a training session, not you'll get an one opportunity, at two weeks notice, and if you miss that tough. And then those who went to the Valley will say "hang on, Why don't I get to go to Sparrows Lane."
It is just very short sighted. Yes it might bring in a little more money but an open day isn't likely to break even after ticketing and stewarding costs.
You get the membership is an additional revenue stream that ST holders can also choose to partake in right?
It also allows those of us that cannot afford to buy season tickets or regularly attend a way to help the club out.
It's not like you're getting nothing for your ST though, you're basically getting discounted match day tickets for committing to the club - something memberships don't offer do they?
But then if you're a ST holder then you've already got the membership for £25 rather than £35. Throw in a CharltonTV subscription which saves an extra £5 for members and the £10 open session fee saved then there's only £10 more savings to be made until the membership effectively becomes free of charge anyway for ST holders.
Don't forget the Lucky Socks and 30 loyalty points 😂.
"The point of memberships is to offer experiences that aren't otherwise available. The training session is an example of this, and was advertised when membership launched."
Only that isn't the case.
That experience is otherwise available.
Only you have to pay £10 for it even if you've spent ten times what a membership costs on a season ticket or if you are a child.
There is also the issue that if you are a member and can't attend this session (because you are working etc) have you then lost this "experience"? Because if I was a member I'd be asking when I can visit Sparrows Lane because you said I could watch a training session, not you'll get an one opportunity, at two weeks notice, and if you miss that tough. And then those who went to the Valley will say "hang on, Why don't I get to go to Sparrows Lane."
It is just very short sighted. Yes it might bring in a little more money but an open day isn't likely to break even after ticketing and stewarding costs.
You get the membership is an additional revenue stream that ST holders can also choose to partake in right?
It also allows those of us that cannot afford to buy season tickets or regularly attend a way to help the club out.
It's not like you're getting nothing for your ST though, you're basically getting discounted match day tickets for committing to the club - something memberships don't offer do they?
Is it a revenue stream though? Most people choose to forget there are costs too. Look forward to hearing the numbers who have signed up before I’m convinced of that.
"The point of memberships is to offer experiences that aren't otherwise available. The training session is an example of this, and was advertised when membership launched."
Only that isn't the case.
That experience is otherwise available.
Only you have to pay £10 for it even if you've spent ten times what a membership costs on a season ticket or if you are a child.
There is also the issue that if you are a member and can't attend this session (because you are working etc) have you then lost this "experience"? Because if I was a member I'd be asking when I can visit Sparrows Lane because you said I could watch a training session, not you'll get an one opportunity, at two weeks notice, and if you miss that tough. And then those who went to the Valley will say "hang on, Why don't I get to go to Sparrows Lane."
It is just very short sighted. Yes it might bring in a little more money but an open day isn't likely to break even after ticketing and stewarding costs.
Completely agree. Were these Memberships sold as offering "experiences that that aren't otherwise available?" I don't remember it being such an alluring offer, but I didn't get much farther than Lucky Socks. If I had paid £35 for this experience as the one that isn't "otherwise available," I might be miffed that it's being sold for a tenner to anyone.
Irrespective, it's clearly already caused more hassle than it's worth. Just got to hope they manage to sort this stuff out going forward. I assume you will be able to follow it for a fiver on Charlton TV?
"The point of memberships is to offer experiences that aren't otherwise available. The training session is an example of this, and was advertised when membership launched."
Only that isn't the case.
That experience is otherwise available.
Only you have to pay £10 for it even if you've spent ten times what a membership costs on a season ticket or if you are a child.
There is also the issue that if you are a member and can't attend this session (because you are working etc) have you then lost this "experience"? Because if I was a member I'd be asking when I can visit Sparrows Lane because you said I could watch a training session, not you'll get an one opportunity, at two weeks notice, and if you miss that tough. And then those who went to the Valley will say "hang on, Why don't I get to go to Sparrows Lane."
It is just very short sighted. Yes it might bring in a little more money but an open day isn't likely to break even after ticketing and stewarding costs.
You get the membership is an additional revenue stream that ST holders can also choose to partake in right?
It also allows those of us that cannot afford to buy season tickets or regularly attend a way to help the club out.
It's not like you're getting nothing for your ST though, you're basically getting discounted match day tickets for committing to the club - something memberships don't offer do they?
Is it a revenue stream though? Most people choose to forget there are costs too. Look forward to hearing the numbers who have signed up before I’m convinced of that.
Revenue is revenue. It may not make money but it will certainly be a stream. Seems to be a classic loss leader approach.
Whether that pans out longer-term to profit-making 'customers' will remain to be seen.
I personally think it all feels quite clumsy, if it's an open training session for club members, as an 'opportunity that isn't available elsewhere' then it should be just that, exclusive to members.
If its not, it should be an open training session for free or, if commercially rewarding, for a fee, for everyone.
What we have is a somewhat devisive hybrid.
At the end of the day, its not compulsory at all so I think I will just wait a week or two and watch the '90 minute open training session' against Wimbledon in the League Cup for the same price.
It's not really that a big deal just a 'really?' moment.
seems that the Fans Advisor is spouting the management line which should be done by management, surely she should be discussing the fans concerns and helping solve those concerns rather than just giving the management's response.
"The point of memberships is to offer experiences that aren't otherwise available. The training session is an example of this, and was advertised when membership launched."
Only that isn't the case.
That experience is otherwise available.
Only you have to pay £10 for it even if you've spent ten times what a membership costs on a season ticket or if you are a child.
There is also the issue that if you are a member and can't attend this session (because you are working etc) have you then lost this "experience"? Because if I was a member I'd be asking when I can visit Sparrows Lane because you said I could watch a training session, not you'll get an one opportunity, at two weeks notice, and if you miss that tough. And then those who went to the Valley will say "hang on, Why don't I get to go to Sparrows Lane."
It is just very short sighted. Yes it might bring in a little more money but an open day isn't likely to break even after ticketing and stewarding costs.
You get the membership is an additional revenue stream that ST holders can also choose to partake in right?
It also allows those of us that cannot afford to buy season tickets or regularly attend a way to help the club out.
It's not like you're getting nothing for your ST though, you're basically getting discounted match day tickets for committing to the club - something memberships don't offer do they?
Is it a revenue stream though? Most people choose to forget there are costs too. Look forward to hearing the numbers who have signed up before I’m convinced of that.
Revenue is revenue. It may not make money but it will certainly be a stream. Seems to be a classic loss leader approach.
Whether that pans out longer-term to profit-making 'customers' will remain to be seen.
Yes, I put that badly, but I try to avoid using the word "profit" in a loss-making business. However, I'm certain the club's thinking is that it is going to make a worthwhile surplus on the initiative, which I would question. Perhaps the fan advisor will advise us how many UK adults have signed up to the scheme?
"The point of memberships is to offer experiences that aren't otherwise available. The training session is an example of this, and was advertised when membership launched."
Only that isn't the case.
That experience is otherwise available.
Only you have to pay £10 for it even if you've spent ten times what a membership costs on a season ticket or if you are a child.
There is also the issue that if you are a member and can't attend this session (because you are working etc) have you then lost this "experience"? Because if I was a member I'd be asking when I can visit Sparrows Lane because you said I could watch a training session, not you'll get an one opportunity, at two weeks notice, and if you miss that tough. And then those who went to the Valley will say "hang on, Why don't I get to go to Sparrows Lane."
It is just very short sighted. Yes it might bring in a little more money but an open day isn't likely to break even after ticketing and stewarding costs.
You get the membership is an additional revenue stream that ST holders can also choose to partake in right?
It also allows those of us that cannot afford to buy season tickets or regularly attend a way to help the club out.
It's not like you're getting nothing for your ST though, you're basically getting discounted match day tickets for committing to the club - something memberships don't offer do they?
Is it a revenue stream though? Most people choose to forget there are costs too. Look forward to hearing the numbers who have signed up before I’m convinced of that.
Revenue is revenue. It may not make money but it will certainly be a stream. Seems to be a classic loss leader approach.
Whether that pans out longer-term to profit-making 'customers' will remain to be seen.
Yes, I put that badly, but I try to avoid using the word "profit" in a loss-making business. However, I'm certain the club's thinking is that it is going to make a worthwhile surplus on the initiative, which I would question. Perhaps the fan advisor will advise us how many UK adults have signed up to the scheme?
Its a 'sprat to catch a mackeral' surely at this stage.
A benign thing for NA and squad to have to suffer whilst building up a bit of goodwill to those that attend.
Some small revenue for those that choose to pay to offset some of the costs and a tick in the box for the 'membership' scheme which is just something I see as aimed at a group other than ST holders who might in time be enticed to attend / otherwise spend some cash with the club.
It might turn out to be reasonably well attended given schools will be off and we are still emerging from a Post COVID world with people seeking things to do etc. It might not.
"The point of memberships is to offer experiences that aren't otherwise available. The training session is an example of this, and was advertised when membership launched."
Only that isn't the case.
That experience is otherwise available.
Only you have to pay £10 for it even if you've spent ten times what a membership costs on a season ticket or if you are a child.
There is also the issue that if you are a member and can't attend this session (because you are working etc) have you then lost this "experience"? Because if I was a member I'd be asking when I can visit Sparrows Lane because you said I could watch a training session, not you'll get an one opportunity, at two weeks notice, and if you miss that tough. And then those who went to the Valley will say "hang on, Why don't I get to go to Sparrows Lane."
It is just very short sighted. Yes it might bring in a little more money but an open day isn't likely to break even after ticketing and stewarding costs.
You get the membership is an additional revenue stream that ST holders can also choose to partake in right?
It also allows those of us that cannot afford to buy season tickets or regularly attend a way to help the club out.
It's not like you're getting nothing for your ST though, you're basically getting discounted match day tickets for committing to the club - something memberships don't offer do they?
Is it a revenue stream though? Most people choose to forget there are costs too. Look forward to hearing the numbers who have signed up before I’m convinced of that.
Revenue is revenue. It may not make money but it will certainly be a stream. Seems to be a classic loss leader approach.
Whether that pans out longer-term to profit-making 'customers' will remain to be seen.
Yes, I put that badly, but I try to avoid using the word "profit" in a loss-making business. However, I'm certain the club's thinking is that it is going to make a worthwhile surplus on the initiative, which I would question. Perhaps the fan advisor will advise us how many UK adults have signed up to the scheme?
Its a 'sprat to catch a mackeral' surely at this stage.
A benign thing for NA and squad to have to suffer whilst building up a bit of goodwill to those that attend.
Some small revenue for those that choose to pay to offset some of the costs and a tick in the box for the 'membership' scheme which is just something I see as aimed at a group other than ST holders who might in time be enticed to attend / otherwise spend some cash with the club.
It might turn out to be reasonably well attended given schools will be off and we are still emerging from a Post COVID world with people seeking things to do etc. It might not.
All in all; worth a try (on their part).
I was talking about the scheme, not the event.
I don’t think you’ll get many new supporters signing up to join it at £35 so the people joining will already be spending with the club.
Comments
he was mic’ed up, running the fans through the drills etc , with player meet and greets in the club shop after.
But then if you're a ST holder then you've already got the membership for £25 rather than £35. Throw in a CharltonTV subscription which saves an extra £5 for members and the £10 open session fee saved then there's only £10 more savings to be made until the membership effectively becomes free of charge anyway for ST holders.
And that £10 will probably be clawed back assuming a tour of the training ground goes ahead with a similar price for non-members.
My point is if you've already paid out for a ST and you want all the extra stuff like CharltonTV or the training session then you might as well just get a membership especially when you get 30 loyalty points on top as well as the other bits and pieces.
Are there really going to be many fans who buy a ST, want to go to the training session but won't buy a membership? So while it's not free for ST holders it pretty much can be if you take a membership and plan to utilize all the benefits from it.
I do have to admit though i'm not exactly sure what the club is hoping to achieve from the membership scheme when there can't be that big a pool of new fans data to be captured - assuming that's the purpose of the scheme.
It's just a whim to raise £25 per sign up.
The desk calendar and lucky socks offer is embarrassing.
What else do you get for your £25?
It's £5 off Charlton TV, a discount on a stadium tour and entry to some competition.
It's so crap you would have thought it was an idea of Ben Kensall or Katrien Meire.
They should hold the event on the Saturday and allow all in for free.
in the past, Us fans were spoilt- we got priority if we had a ST, priority on top of that if we paid for Valley Gold as well as some discounts!
football has moved on since then, and we’ve clearly tried to balance the proportionality of discounts/privileges with people ability to pay for them…
it’s not an ‘open day’, it’s a viewable training session that was advertised under the membership package! Just accept it for what it is!
£25 isn’t a lot in the grand scheme of things, but allows different access points to different fans - don’t begrudge them that!
Only that isn't the case.
That experience is otherwise available.
Only you have to pay £10 for it even if you've spent ten times what a membership costs on a season ticket or if you are a child.
There is also the issue that if you are a member and can't attend this session (because you are working etc) have you then lost this "experience"? Because if I was a member I'd be asking when I can visit Sparrows Lane because you said I could watch a training session, not you'll get an one opportunity, at two weeks notice, and if you miss that tough. And then those who went to the Valley will say "hang on, Why don't I get to go to Sparrows Lane."
It is just very short sighted. Yes it might bring in a little more money but an open day isn't likely to break even after ticketing and stewarding costs.
It also allows those of us that cannot afford to buy season tickets or regularly attend a way to help the club out.
It's not like you're getting nothing for your ST though, you're basically getting discounted match day tickets for committing to the club - something memberships don't offer do they?
Irrespective, it's clearly already caused more hassle than it's worth. Just got to hope they manage to sort this stuff out going forward. I assume you will be able to follow it for a fiver on Charlton TV?
Whether that pans out longer-term to profit-making 'customers' will remain to be seen.
If its not, it should be an open training session for free or, if commercially rewarding, for a fee, for everyone.
What we have is a somewhat devisive hybrid.
At the end of the day, its not compulsory at all so I think I will just wait a week or two and watch the '90 minute open training session' against Wimbledon in the League Cup for the same price.
It's not really that a big deal just a 'really?' moment.
A benign thing for NA and squad to have to suffer whilst building up a bit of goodwill to those that attend.
Some small revenue for those that choose to pay to offset some of the costs and a tick in the box for the 'membership' scheme which is just something I see as aimed at a group other than ST holders who might in time be enticed to attend / otherwise spend some cash with the club.
It might turn out to be reasonably well attended given schools will be off and we are still emerging from a Post COVID world with people seeking things to do etc. It might not.
All in all; worth a try (on their part).