Season Ticket - Next Year?

[T.R.O.L.I.]

What we are asking for is three things from the FAPL and PL clubs :

1. A flat rate of 15 pounds for all away fans - to reflect that away fans are the lifeblood of the game, they keep atmosphere alive and also have the highest costs and time in order to attend away matches.

2. The "facility fee" for televised matches to be used to reduce ticket prices across the board for that match - to reflect the extra costs and grief that supporters have from changed kick-off times.

3. Price reductions at all matches compared to this season - but as a very minimum NO PRICE RISES COMPARED TO THIS SEASON - for the lifetime of this new TV deal.

Whichever way you look at it, considering the increased TV money coming in there is no way that any club can realistically argue against these proposals - they will, of course, but that will further expose the sheer greed in the game.

When this campaign is launched in the next few days I'll publicise what people can do to support it.

Sounds like a well thought out campaign. Will definitely support it.

[oxmiller]

It will be very interesting to see the Premier League Clubs response to this sort of campaign.

I think Point 1 will be a non-starter because I believe there is a requirement that tickets should be priced the same for Home/Away fans with equivalent views. I know this was aimed to stop clubs charging away fans more, but can't see it gaining support.

Point 2 should be implemented as a rule for all televised games with a fixed price or % reduction built in for any televised game. We fans are constantly messed about by ridiculous kick-offs etc. and this should help fill the grounds for such games

Point 3 - you can but dream ! Although I am sure there is a good business opportunity for those clubs that could make this work (e.g. Blackburn .....)

Look forward to seeing the campaign in action

[bcubed]

I am expecting another price rise this year which will mean that more fans are being priced out of the game. Being that the £200 increase last year was to bring in players and strengthen the team which never really happened

Perhaps there will be a reduction as we haven't spent all the money put aside for transfers?

[STAR Voice]

I think Point 1 will be a non-starter because I believe there is a requirement that tickets should be priced the same for Home/Away fans with equivalent views. I know this was aimed to stop clubs charging away fans more, but can't see it gaining support.

The rule actually says that away fans can't be charged more than home fans, so this ought to be workable.

Although we obviously hope all three will be implemented, and all three points are very difficult to argue against, when the FAPL and the clubs try to argue against them that will further expose the greed and the moral bankrupcy of the Premier League.

The most likely argument will be that no one club will do this as the loss of income comapred to other teams will weaken that team - which is why we want this to come from the FAPL and be imposed across all clubs.

[Forbury Lion]

As the stadium is full now and people can't get in it is likely that a modest price rise will make no difference

Likewise abandoning the discount for season ticket renewals, But let's not put ideas into the clubs head.

Some struggled to get ST's this season but broke the bank as it was history in the making, Next season they may be more level headed and decide to spend the cash on other things like feeding their kids.

[rotherwick_royal]

Like it or not RFC is a business, and while there is demand for season tickets prices will rise. I am sure that will be the case next summer with the club quoting improved facilities, bigger stadium, etc.

The following year will be more interesting, if the stadium expansion goes ahead. I suspect that ST prices will be frozen to try to retain existing ST holders at that point.

[bigmike]

Like it or not RFC is a business, and while there is demand for season tickets prices will rise. I am sure that will be the case next summer with the club quoting improved facilities, bigger stadium, etc.

The following year will be more interesting, if the stadium expansion goes ahead. I suspect that ST prices will be frozen to try to retain existing ST holders at that point.

RFC Might be a business however what would happen to the business if they continue to price the fans out of the game...

Someone has to realise that without the fans there would be no RFC simple as that..

Some fans have not missed a game for years and what thanks did the fans get for their continued support at the end of last season. Told that they had to pay an extra £200 per season ticket and then fed lies about using the money on strengthening the team.

It would be nice for the club to give the fans some sort of gesture of thanks like including some cup games on the season tickets. Being that there are less games in the Prem

[Seal]

My feelings on this are...

1) Demand for season tickets next season will not be as high as it was this season

2) Baring in mind the new TV deal, if the cost of my season ticket rises I will not be renewing it

3) Point 2) will help accentuate point 1)

Thanks to STAR for highlighting the extent of extra revenue to new deal brings in - I've been wanting to quantify it in ticketing terms for a while, it really makes it very difficult for the club(s) to justify any rises.

[STAR Voice]

Thanks for the initial support - the first step of this is a petition, found at http://www.fsf.org.uk/petitions/away-tickets/

The signing process requires you to verify e-mail addresses, so that this petition will have real credibility.

In addition, for every verified signature an email on your behalf will be automatically sent to the FAPL and Club Chairmen leaving them in no doubt about the strength of feeling on this issue.

[Royal Fleet]

I can't see how point 2 would work in practice, however noble its intention.

Seeing as for most clubs the majority of tickets are sold before the season starts then how would they be 'rewarded' for having ticket prices reduced for a yet to be determined televised game.

If they were only reduced for 'pay by game' fans, then this would erode the advantage of having a season tickets - something the clubs would not want to do.

On a more general note, whatever the ethics behind this, it all comes down to business. The likes of Liverpool and Man U who can sell their season tickets several times over ain't going to reduce the prices. Those clubs like Wigan who would sell more of a surplus resource if they did, will do.

I would be very surprised, but pleasantly so, if I ended up paying less for my ST next year.

[STAR Voice]

I can't see how point 2 would work in practice, however noble its intention.

Seeing as for most clubs the majority of tickets are sold before the season starts then how would they be 'rewarded' for having ticket prices reduced for a yet to be determined televised game.

If they were only reduced for 'pay by game' fans, then this would erode the advantage of having a season tickets - something the clubs would not want to do.

On a more general note, whatever the ethics behind this, it all comes down to business. The likes of Liverpool and Man U who can sell their season tickets several times over ain't going to reduce the prices. Those clubs like Wigan who would sell more of a surplus resource if they did, will do.

I would be very surprised, but pleasantly so, if I ended up paying less for my ST next year.

Ok, so how about if the reduction for televised games is put into "credit" for ST holders - and they get the equivalent reduction when they renew for the following season?

[Silver Fox]

That would work for me. By the way, I'd advise any publicity for the campaign to include the following point in very big letters

with the new TV deal next season there's no way that any more price rises can be possibly justified. The increase in TV revenue to clubs is equal to about 30 pounds for every ticket sold this season! So the FAPL clubs could let everyone in for free next season and still have the same amount of money to spend.

Quite how the clubs would get out of that I don't know

[weybridgewanderer]

<snip>.... Being that the £200 increase last year was to bring in players and strengthen the team which never really happened

<snip>?

seeing as we are 6th in the league and had 6 internationals + dave Kitson playing in the "fringe" team last night I don;t really think we can complain to much about the signing policy.

[sheshnu]

Thank you for your email.
We appreciate the concerns supporters have about ticket prices and we do encourage all our Clubs to have fair pricing policies with concessions available at all grounds. However the Clubs are able to set their own prices for tickets and it is not something we are able to dictate.

To give you a little more background on this, we do encourage our Clubs to adopt flexible and imaginative ticketing schemes which encourage wider access to matches. Many Clubs now operate a 'price-banding' policy such as you mention, charging prices according to demand. We have looked into this as we are concerned about the impact this could have on the supporters of the more popular Clubs . However some Clubs find that the best way to ensure the ground is full is to charge lower prices for the less popular fixtures and higher prices when the demand is increased.

We understand the impact this has, but to prevent Clubs from charging variable prices could clearly have an adverse effect on attendances. Please be assured that we do understand your point, and we will continue to look for a solution that would be fair on both Clubs and fans. However ticket prices are ultimately at the discretion of individual Clubs.

Thank you for taking the time to email us.
Kind regards,

Communications Dept
http://www.premierleague.com

[East Stand Ste]

mine may have to go too....too bloody expensive and given that i am a student and my wife will be going on maternity leave in august for 10 months i think it could be curtains for my ST!!....it could be good though, because it may mean i can afford more away games, by cutting down a few home games!!.....still i should be able to get my old seat back when we are back in the championship, as all the glory supporters will have stopped going!!

[Forbury Lion]

1. A flat rate of 15 pounds for all away fans - to reflect that away fans are the lifeblood of the game, they keep atmosphere alive and also have the highest costs and time in order to attend away matches.

Does STAR only for away fans now? What about those who go to home matches?

Personally I would go for the capping of all ticket prices as I believe this will benefit all fans more since the vast majority wish to watch their team at home.

With capped prices we may well see home fans subsidising away fans which isn't right.

[STAR Voice]

1. A flat rate of 15 pounds for all away fans - to reflect that away fans are the lifeblood of the game, they keep atmosphere alive and also have the highest costs and time in order to attend away matches.

Does STAR only for away fans now? What about those who go to home matches?

Personally I would go for the capping of all ticket prices as I believe this will benefit all fans more since the vast majority wish to watch their team at home.

With capped prices we may well see home fans subsidising away fans which isn't right.

See my detailed response to this in the similar thread in the STAR forum.

[shadesrwrf]

There is very little doubt in my mind that we will once again see a significant increase in ST prices next season.

[STAR Voice]

There is very little doubt in my mind that we will once again see a significant increase in ST prices next season.

If we do, I'm pretty certain that we won't see the same number of Season Ticket holders as we currently have - but if we do they certainly won't be the same people, and the number of juniors and seniors will decrease as well. The average age of supporters at Chelsea is 43, I believe (this isn't an attack on Chelsea, BTW- they're the only club I've seen the demographoc research for), and acroos the PL families and the "traditional" supporters are being replaced by middle-class, middle-aged, more affluent people - arguably to the detriment of the game.

I already know of a quite a few OAPs who were priced out this season, and a number of families who take it in turns to go to matches because they can't afford to all go to every game, and this unofficial "ST sharing" will probably become much more widespread if prices continue to go up.

Just look at the figures below and I defy anyone, anywhere, to come up with any argument that any price increases whatsoever can be defended, morally or financially.

Current Deal
Domestic rights : £1.024 billion
Highlights/radio/etc : £232 million
Overseas rights : £320 million
TOTAL : £1.575 billion

New Deal
Domestic rights : £1.7 billion
Highlights/radio/etc : £375 million
Overseas rights : £625 million
TOTAL : £2.7 billion

DIFFERENCE = £1.125 billion (over 3 years)

[Scrappy]

i'm fine with getting my tickets,i have a season ticket and have doen for a while i have about 630 points so i'm fine with tickets.

How does that help the situation that you'll be able to get tickets? Maybe your parents wont be able to afford your ST next year. I'd play close attention to the price rises if I was you.