Not a happy bunny! Very poor communications from the club. All we have us the early bird price. For this to mean anything we also need the price after the early bird offer, the proposed match day ticket prices for next year and whatever prices will apply if we are relegated. Without these, this is just a punt. And its an expensive punt! I paid the early bird price for this year's ST (£375). I am now asked to pay £440 which is a 17.3% increase. That is a huge rise. Comparisons with what we paid the the last time round in the championship are spurious. The world has moved on in the last three or four years and most folk have less money or less security than they had then. The club has got this wrong I'm afraid. I will need to think long and hard.
Holding back on announcing the post-deadline prices is something we've done for years. It's not new.
I know, but in this instance its more relevant than normal. Last year we were almost nailed on for promotion so the early bird price was risk free. This time round there is no guarantee that we will be in the championship next year. I can't believe that the club would use the new base figure (£440 in my case), increase it by probably another 50 quid as they did last year and expect us to pay £490 for league 1 football. To some extent this is just chickens coming home to roost. In reality we have been paying below the odds for championship footy this season but people just don't have endless supplies of money at the moment. I will struggle to justify a 17% rise. Whether I have the money or not is almost neither here nor there. It's the principle. If they had said £425 (ie this years price post- early bird) I'd have been fine with it.
Interesting figures, Razil, regarding ST prices at Palarse and Smallwall - thanks for publishing.
Sure on the basis of those, we still appear to be getting good value. But is the fact that our home attendances are still comfortably bigger than those at Palarse (despite the good season they are having) and Smallwall largely down to the fact that football is considerably cheaper at the Valley? Take that cheapness away and there is a real likelihood that our crowds will drop alarmingly.
I totally agree with the posts from Sillybilly above. Life has moved on so fast in the last three or four years and most folk do indeed have considerably less money and/or less security than they had then. (Trust me, I could fill a book about my own circumstances). Any comparisons with what was charged only a couple of years ago are meaningless given the changed circumstances many people now find themselves in. Yet football clubs still seem to be in a bubble, totally unaware of the pressures on peoples finances these days as they increase prices by these amounts.
I re-iterate my season ticket is going up by 17%. Suppose your train company put your ST up by that amount? Or your car park ST went up by that amount? There would be all hell let loose. There should be here.
And thanks to Colthe3rd for publishing table above. If I feel I've got a good reason to moan, God only knows what our over 60s and under 18s supporters must make of the increases they are being asked to pay. Really great marketing hitting those 2 groups - particularly the over 60s - given that they are probably the most likely to be on fixed incomes.
We need Airman back to sort out those making these stupid decisions more than ever.
Tbf the u18s percentages are a bit misleading as they are off of a low base to start with, £25 increase over the course of a year isn't a huge amount in monetary terms. Works out at just over £1 a game.
just a quick question i've got a mate that want to buy a seasson ticket,he turns 18 in september can he still buy a u18 ticket ?
yes he can. i did it 3 years ago for the u21 season ticket. as long as your mate is below the age of the 18 before the 1/8/13 then he is eligible for the u18 season ticket
Tbf the u18s percentages are a bit misleading as they are off of a low base to start with, £25 increase over the course of a year isn't a huge amount in monetary terms. Works out at just over £1 a game.
I re-iterate my season ticket is going up by 17%. Suppose your train company put your ST up by that amount? Or your car park ST went up by that amount? There would be all hell let loose. There should be here.
But then we've also had price falls over the last few years as well. Train season tickets only go up, not down.
We need Airman back to sort out those making these stupid decisions more than ever.
To be fair, I don't think the prices would have been that different even if Airman had been able to influence them.
We compare very well with other clubs in this division and especially locally ... not saying I'm happy with the increase but we also have to be realisitic.
At first glance I agree with Fortune 82nd Minute that the % increase is high (my ST in North Upper will go up 25% from 240 to 300) but what we have to realise is last years early ST prices didn't go up, even though we went up a division. If the club had increased last year to 270 then this year to 300 it would have felt better but we would have paid 30 more so I'm happy with 300 and last years 240 was a giveaway by the club IMO.
It is sad that football is becoming expensive and especially so if loyal fans are priced out.
However the prices do compare favourably with comparable clubs and it is partly to do with prices having been held down before. Also it is worth noting that the standard walk-up ticket price now seems to be £30. That, I'm afraid, is absolutely top whack for football at our level and even if you miss a few games a ST is going to be much cheaper.
If we were to win a few home games it would ease the pain.
The Millwall prices above are post-deadline 2012, so it's not a like-for-like comparison with our pre-deadline 2013 prices. Their pre-deadline (April 18th) prices last year for adults were £399 and £379, £348 in the family and lower Dockers and £320 in the CBL (behind the goal). Their concessions were £240, £220, £215, £190 and £172; their U16s were £130 and £50 and their U12s £23.
Their post-deadline ST pricing and match pricing was, however, significantly dearer than ours.
In any event, Millwall are a case study in how not to attract support . . .
I've got no issues with the prices and I'm in the dearest seat
I just need to work out whether I can justify the cost when my workload/family life /apathy means I miss at least 5 games a season these days and I know I can definitely get those seats (or somewhere nearby) on a match by match basis to be near family
At 375 it's expensive to miss those games at 440 it's more expensive especially when on a match by match basis I could do it for 250-300
Downside is I wouldn't want miss palace or millwall away next season and being a sth is needed for those games
Anyone in the north moaning about the cost needs a reality check
just texted two mates who both sit in the East, centre blocks, and both replied the same 'taking the piss'. Don't think it's going to go down too well.
It's not with me... it may be less that our neighbours but a rise of that magnitude ain't going to go down too well with Mrs ET... especially when I come home moaning most weeks.
just texted two mates who both sit in the East, centre blocks, and both replied the same 'taking the piss'. Don't think it's going to go down too well.
It's not with me... it may be less that our neighbours but a rise of that magnitude ain't going to go down too well with Mrs ET... especially when I come home moaning most weeks.
i really feel for those who will struggle to afford the increases but I don't honestly think we can complain. The prices this season have been incredibly low and the new rates, or at least the early bird ones, still offer good value. When we are losing £7.5M a year and everyone wants us to be able to compete better in the transfer/loans market, I don't think the board had much choice. The increases might well have been higher,
in the general scheme of things season tickets are pretty much value for,certainly when compared with palace and millwall.However this will put the squeeze on people in the current climate and hope this dosent reduce crowds when we really need to try and fill the ground.
Deffinately ageist, younguns and olduns get hammered, whilst those in middle gets the least rise (apart from under 11s) fair? I await your comments
Why are oldun's tickets less than the middle band? 60+ year olds today have had a whole life time to earn money, have paid off their mortgage in an era where they have bought houses for peanuts and are now sat on an investment the middle group can only dream of. They have now retired on their final salary mega pension with a couple of buy to let's tucked away, having used tax avoidance schemes since the 80's. Plus their 'dependants' have grown up and moved away and all they need to do is decide which exotic location they should holiday at next! Should be paying the highest prices IMO.
Comments
In other words it's a waiting game.
6 point cushion!
I know, but in this instance its more relevant than normal. Last year we were almost nailed on for promotion so the early bird price was risk free. This time round there is no guarantee that we will be in the championship next year. I can't believe that the club would use the new base figure (£440 in my case), increase it by probably another 50 quid as they did last year and expect us to pay £490 for league 1 football. To some extent this is just chickens coming home to roost. In reality we have been paying below the odds for championship footy this season but people just don't have endless supplies of money at the moment. I will struggle to justify a 17% rise. Whether I have the money or not is almost neither here nor there. It's the principle. If they had said £425 (ie this years price post- early bird) I'd have been fine with it.
croydon advertiser stand!!
Sure on the basis of those, we still appear to be getting good value. But is the fact that our home attendances are still comfortably bigger than those at Palarse (despite the good season they are having) and Smallwall largely down to the fact that football is considerably cheaper at the Valley? Take that cheapness away and there is a real likelihood that our crowds will drop alarmingly.
I totally agree with the posts from Sillybilly above. Life has moved on so fast in the last three or four years and most folk do indeed have considerably less money and/or less security than they had then. (Trust me, I could fill a book about my own circumstances). Any comparisons with what was charged only a couple of years ago are meaningless given the changed circumstances many people now find themselves in. Yet football clubs still seem to be in a bubble, totally unaware of the pressures on peoples finances these days as they increase prices by these amounts.
I re-iterate my season ticket is going up by 17%. Suppose your train company put your ST up by that amount? Or your car park ST went up by that amount? There would be all hell let loose. There should be here.
And thanks to Colthe3rd for publishing table above. If I feel I've got a good reason to moan, God only knows what our over 60s and under 18s supporters must make of the increases they are being asked to pay. Really great marketing hitting those 2 groups - particularly the over 60s - given that they are probably the most likely to be on fixed incomes.
We need Airman back to sort out those making these stupid decisions more than ever.
Around 3 days giro
We compare very well with other clubs in this division and especially locally ... not saying I'm happy with the increase but we also have to be realisitic.
However the prices do compare favourably with comparable clubs and it is partly to do with prices having been held down before. Also it is worth noting that the standard walk-up ticket price now seems to be £30. That, I'm afraid, is absolutely top whack for football at our level and even if you miss a few games a ST is going to be much cheaper.
If we were to win a few home games it would ease the pain.
This season they are still miles cheaper than Palace & Millwall.
£300 cheapest adult price = £13.04. £440 most expensive = £19.13.
Palace £395 cheapest adult price = £17.17. £495 most expensive =£21.52 and they had to pay by 2nd Feb.
Millwall £400 cheapest adult price = £17.39. £499 most expensive = £21.70.
Their post-deadline ST pricing and match pricing was, however, significantly dearer than ours.
In any event, Millwall are a case study in how not to attract support . . .
After all we could be paying 300 sheets to watch Premier League football!
(OK I'll admit we wont be)
I just need to work out whether I can justify the cost when my workload/family life /apathy means I miss at least 5 games a season these days and I know I can definitely get those seats (or somewhere nearby) on a match by match basis to be near family
At 375 it's expensive to miss those games at 440 it's more expensive especially when on a match by match basis I could do it for 250-300
Downside is I wouldn't want miss palace or millwall away next season and being a sth is needed for those games
Anyone in the north moaning about the cost needs a reality check
Assuming the matchday prices stay the same
15 games @ £30 = £450
An increase to £27 or £28 doesn't seem totally unthinkable
Do I move from my East Stand seat of 19 years?
Do I move from my East Stand seat of 19 years?
I can see people buying tickets in the end blocks and moving seats now if there are some available
;-)