Season Tick Renewal - What's Going On!

[Rex]

Sadly there will always be people replacing the existing supporters. The only difference is we do not have the high demand to fill the seats that the high end prem clubs have.
What the clubs rely on is loyalty, tradition and habit. Where is a stand taken and if one is taken will the clubs care. As stated many clubs have a huge waiting list to get an ST so will this ever increasing cycle of cost be broken.

[Schards#2]

"The deadline we offered Season ticket holders last season was the 4th June and we gave 7 weeks notice for this and went on sale on 19th April. Although the club have brought the deadline forward this year the club have given season ticket holders 11 weeks notice (4 weeks longer than last season) which includes 3 pay days for the majority of people as opposed to 2 in previous seasons."

This has to be one of the worst arguments ever.

Why not announce now that the 2012/2013 season tickets must be purchased by 28th Feb 2012, that's a whole years notice and a whopping 12 pay days, wouldn't that be great!!

[FiNeRaIn]

Great post.

[TFF]

Fear not. BBCRB are on the case

[Wycombe Royal]

"The deadline we offered Season ticket holders last season was the 4th June and we gave 7 weeks notice for this and went on sale on 19th April. Although the club have brought the deadline forward this year the club have given season ticket holders 11 weeks notice (4 weeks longer than last season) which includes 3 pay days for the majority of people as opposed to 2 in previous seasons."

This has to be one of the worst arguments ever.

Why not announce now that the 2012/2013 season tickets must be purchased by 28th Feb 2012, that's a whole years notice and a whopping 12 pay days, wouldn't that be great!!

It's not often I agree with you but that's a +1 from me.

Do they really think that people have enough spare cash in their pay to not need the extra 2 pay days we had last season? Oh but we can take advantage of the 4 months interest free option if we want to spend a further £15 on the priviledge to to do so.......

It's not often the club annoy me but they have succeeded this time.

[Royal Lady]

So, a STAR representative finally comes out of the woodwork to appear on the radio and says it's because of a cash flow problem at the club.

Craig Mortimer from the club bleats on about giving us 11 weeks' notice this time and that research has shown that offering season tickets earlier maximises their sales. What he appears to overlook is that, most probably, giving a longer time to renew WOULD result in more sales, possibly, but that would only be if the cut-off date was still 4 June or whatever it normally is. He also said the club have only had a handful of complaints out of 11,000 ST holders - I presume the club think that those of us who have written/emailed the club are in such a minority that it doesn't matter to them.

I cannot possibly see how shortening the cut-off date to a date STILL within this season is going to maximise ST sales, but I'm happy to be proved wrong. And I look forward to hearing that we've sold in excess of 11,000 ST for next year, despite people having to pay before the end of this season.

Oh and FAO of EVERYONE - Craig Mortimer said that the Gylffi money allowed us to invest in strengthening and maintaining our squad. No mention of a black hole!

No reply from anyone on the Board at RFC to my letter - but as it was only one of a handful, I'm surprised about that. I can only think that their reply (if I ever receive one) will be saying the same as Mr Mortimer.

[Gordons Cumming]

I think the club have shot themselves in the foot.

................or more appropriately scored an own goal.

[Hoop Blah]

I didn't hear the comments on the radio this morning, but I'm not surprised that the club are trying to spin this into a positive for the fans. I don't think anyone is daft enough to fall for that level of spin though.

I'm a little surprised they've not had that many complaints though, but the proof will be more in how many STHs do not renew. The hidden cost will be the number of people they've pissed off though.

I'd be much less put out by it if they came out and were a bit more honest about it. Just say they we want to get the money in earlier in order to budget better, say that it will help to fund summer transfer targets, even say it might help to keep a couple of our players (we all know it won't though). Just stop this insulting crap of 'we're doing this to give the fans more time' and the 'research shows it works'.

Pissing off your loyal customers is never a good thing. I've spoken to enough STHs since this came out to know that none of them like it.

Massive own goal by the club.

[adamh4608]

So, a STAR representative finally comes out of the woodwork to appear on the radio and says it's because of a cash flow problem at the club.

How can we have a cash flow problems, with all the money the club has had in over the last 5 years.
not as well run club as we,ve been told then

[Hoop Blah]

The 'well run' bit means we actually look to address cash flow problems and don't just spend what we don't have.

If we weren't 'well run' the cash flow wouldn't be a problem, it would just be a red number on the annual report.

[Matt de K]

Sorry - RFC can sponge my bawls before I get next seasons season ticket.

I was 79.89% decided on not renewing. Now I'm 100% sure I wont be.

Looking forward to hearing the renewal figures for the 28th April.

[TFF]

RFC really shouldn't have any cash flow problems. There's been plenty of well discussed income from player sales and all the high earners have been moved on. IIRC correctly the banks recalled some loans recently but I really don't believe that RFC couldn't get finance/short term loan - if things really are so tight it's a bit of a worry.

This whole thing is beginning to piss me off now. I'm not too bothered personally - I can afford it, I've set a reminder on my calendar so I can pay at the last possible moment - but the spin is beyond belief. Especially the "more time to pay" business. They really do take the fans for mugs.

If they'd just come out and said "we need he cash, please renew early and we'll give you xx in return" I reckon a great many of us would happily stump up for next season's football.

The club is losing touch with the fans and with the community in which it operates. I was looking online for something the other day and came across an article about the Reading WAGS and I started to think just how much things have changed since the halcyon days of the Championship winning and Premier seasons.

In addition to the skipper's radio slot and the Royal Families the players used to come into the hotel for a drink and would spend time talking to the kids. Fans would be welcomed at training sessions. Now the club is insular from top to bottom.

The PR disaster over season tickets is just the latest symptom.

[Croydon Royal]

RFC really shouldn't have any cash flow problems. There's been plenty of well discussed income from player sales and all the high earners have been moved on. IIRC correctly the banks recalled some loans recently but I really don't believe that RFC couldn't get finance/short term loan - if things really are so tight it's a bit of a worry.

This whole thing is beginning to piss me off now. I'm not too bothered personally - I can afford it, I've set a reminder on my calendar so I can pay at the last possible moment - but the spin is beyond belief. Especially the "more time to pay" business. They really do take the fans for mugs.

If they'd just come out and said "we need he cash, please renew early and we'll give you xx in return" I reckon a great many of us would happily stump up for next season's football.

The club is losing touch with the fans and with the community in which it operates. I was looking online for something the other day and came across an article about the Reading WAGS and I started to think just how much things have changed since the halcyon days of the Championship winning and Premier seasons.

In addition to the skipper's radio slot and the Royal Families the players used to come into the hotel for a drink and would spend time talking to the kids. Fans would be welcomed at training sessions. Now the club is insular from top to bottom.

The PR disaster over season tickets is just the latest symptom.

Brilliant post.

[floyd__streete]

Humiliating for the club when barely 1,000 people renew by end of April then. The cashflow excuse runs very thin we you think of the fire-sale of our sealable assets since relegation. The club deserve all the stick coming to them over this tbh.

[Royal Lady]

Humiliating for the club when barely 1,000 people renew by end of April then.

I said the very same thing this morning! I'll be utterly astounded if we sell the same as last year, let alone MORE.

[Tony Le Mesmer]

I will renew as i have done for 20 years. but not until the summer just on principal.

Cash Flow? You must be joking. That is one serious piss take.

If cash was so tight why have we offered the ubiquietous Hunt a new contract?

[Sarah Star]

So, a STAR representative finally comes out of the woodwork to appear on the radio and says it's because of a cash flow problem at the club.

Incredibly selective reporting of what STAR said there. They've already spoken to club saying that this is a bad idea and that it would have been better to give people the chance to reserve their seat with a deposit before that time. I'd go along with that. This idea of renewing before the end of April is not only putting people in a difficult position, it's antagonising supporters who have been going for years.

[Royal Lady]

So, a STAR representative finally comes out of the woodwork to appear on the radio and says it's because of a cash flow problem at the club.

Incredibly selective reporting of what STAR said there. They've already spoken to club saying that this is a bad idea and that it would have been better to give people the chance to reserve their seat with a deposit before that time. I'd go along with that. This idea of renewing before the end of April is not only putting people in a difficult position, it's antagonising supporters who have been going for years.

Did you hear the interview that PM gave to BBCRB this morning - she clearly said that she believed it was due to a cash flow problem.

And, the reserving their seat with a deposit idea was most probably taken from what I said on here already. No-one from STAR came onto this thread to say they were going to take it up with the club, from what I can see.

[Sarah Star]

Yes, I did hear it. Just listened on the i-player in fact.

[Royal Lady]

And she said "cash flow problems" did she not?