Will You Be Buying/Renewing A Season Ticket Next Season?

[Silver Fox]

When a similar poll was posted when we weren't doing so well I said I'd renew so I'm hardly going to change now. One added bonus of having a ST now appears to be the guarantee that you won't bump into Finch on a Saturday afternoon

[TFF]

I'll renew. Unless there's a price hike (which is highly unlikely).

A few months ago I told myself I wouldn't, especially if we had dropped a league, but the fact is I don't know what I'd do with myself on a Saturday afternoon otherwise.

With four tickets to pay for I'm hoping the club look at slashing kids' ST prices to pre-promotion levels.

[Stranded]

Couldn't afford one this season and nothing much has changed so won't be getting one this - life dictates I just go when I can now - which I'm kinda happy about.

[The Surgeon of Crowthorne]

Depends on the price, but I'll probably renew, for much the same reasons as Schards. I'll probably end up missing 4-5 games a season so it doesn't make much financial sense but if I don't have one, Ms TSOC will try to arrange things so that I can't buy the individual tickets. With the ST, I know what I'm doing most Saturday afternoons.

[DelBoyRodders]

I've had a season ticket since about 2001 but probably won't be renewing for next season.
The cost of it all now is just not worth it any longer.

[Bowman's Quiver]

I'll renew - partly for the same reasons as Schards (because I can't be bothered to get a ticket for every match individually) but also because there's value to me in sitting in "my" seat, with a view and perspective that I think is the best in the stadium, and being around with the same group of people at every match.

There's also some value to me in paying in advance for the ST and putting 23 matches in my diary, safe in the knowledge that when I'm asked to do something by Mrs DG (or anyone else) on a Saturday I can say "I've already paid for my ticket."

I agree that from a purely financial point of view a ST is not sensible if you're likely to miss 2-3 matches, but not every benefit of buying a ST can be measured in purely financial terms.

That's never cut any ice with my missus!

[Dirk Gently]

I'll renew - partly for the same reasons as Schards (because I can't be bothered to get a ticket for every match individually) but also because there's value to me in sitting in "my" seat, with a view and perspective that I think is the best in the stadium, and being around with the same group of people at every match.

There's also some value to me in paying in advance for the ST and putting 23 matches in my diary, safe in the knowledge that when I'm asked to do something by Mrs DG (or anyone else) on a Saturday I can say "I've already paid for my ticket."

I agree that from a purely financial point of view a ST is not sensible if you're likely to miss 2-3 matches, but not every benefit of buying a ST can be measured in purely financial terms.

That's never cut any ice with my missus!

Your location says it all!

[peterroyal76]

This has been my first season since we moved to the Madstad that I haven't had a season ticket, my reasons were purely financial and I've missed two home games.

I work in North London ( I'm a postie) and I only have one saturday off every six weeks and I have to work until 1:30pm, so it is a rush...but I still get there. My work hours are expected to lengthen on a saturday until at least 2pm probably 2:30pm, so I'm not sure what I will be doing.

Although its thought we may have up to every other saturday off. I will be gutted if I cannot get to games, because as sad as it maybe R.F.C is my life, its just what I do!

[brendywendy]

Depends on the price, but I'll probably renew, for much the same reasons as Schards. I'll probably end up missing 4-5 games a season so it doesn't make much financial sense but if I don't have one, Ms TSOC will try to arrange things so that I can't buy the individual tickets. With the ST, I know what I'm doing most Saturday afternoons.

amen to that!

[sam1]

Not renewing as now have to miss too many matches due to working.

[SLAMMED]

Basing the poll on the whole of Reading season ticket holders, we can assume that there will be a 15% drop in ST sales next year.

Time to cut the cloth.

[voyager1]

Having not been with Reading for long (since October), I don't know what the present season ticket costs/benefits are. However, what would increase season ticket sales are:

1. Setting the price so that attending 60-70% of matches will make you break even compared with purchasing tickets individually - this equates to about 14-16 games. Most people will miss games through personal/work commitments or ill health.

2. If there is a match where there's going to be a huge demand for tickets, season ticket holders who know they can't make it could phone the club and release their seat for sale. In return, they would be credited with a free guest ticket to take a guest to a low category match. Not only does this give Reading the ability to sell more seats at high demand matches, they would get bums on seats for matches which would otherwise have a low turnout. (Adapted from Derby County's rain check scheme).

3. Discount on club merchandise.

4. Invitation to watch the players train. Luton Town do this for their VIP season ticket holders and hold the special training session at the ground itself rather than the training ground - due to the number of people.

5. A special season ticket to cater for long distance fans - similar to Watford's 75 mile ticket but set at 50 miles. This would be set at 2/3 the price of a regular season ticket and allow you to pick 15 matches - has to be done in advance so the club can sell the seat otherwise. In addition, you can purchase additional matches at season ticket pricing if you wish to attend more than 15.

[SLAMMED]

Some very good ideas.

[voyager1]

Stupid question. Anyone that doesn't renew because of how successful we are not real fans.

Glory hunters can go elsewhere.

If people really can't afford it that's fair enough.

Glory hunters are a fact of life in any stadium for a good performing team. They are one of many types of casual fans and in most clubs, the casual fans are a significant percentage of the total attendance.

In addition to glory hunters, you get fans who only want to attend the big matches to be entertained, fans who consider a football match amongst a range of other non-footballing activities (e.g. shall we go to football or to the zoo?) and also people who temporarily pass through the area and develop a loose allegiance to their team. You also get fans who support more than one club. For example, a Man Utd fan living in Reading may go to Wembley kitted out as a lifelong Reading supporter had Reading reached the FA Cup Final.

[Dirk Gently]

There is also a significant percentage of spectators at any match who aren't particularly "aligned" to a team - they just like watching football, like the occasion or whatever. They may have affection for one team or another, but often don't, or their "main" team is a completely different team that they can't get to see.

And, as mentioned before, even when the number of STHs stays static (let's say at 14k, for example) it's not actually the same 14k people. Something like 10-15% will not renew and another 10-15% will be new (or returning) STHs.

To be honest, the media myth/stereotype of the supporter as someone absolutely dedicated to their club, who has supported them all their lives, has never missed a match and who travels to watch every single match is very far from the mark - such people do exist, but they're a very small minority.

But because that sort of supporter is such an "ideal" that many supporters aspire to, and because the clubs and media reinforce that image, the stereotype of the die-hard supporter lives on, and we regularly have the "I'm a better supporter than you" pissing competitions here.

[Sun Tzu]

1. Setting the price so that attending 60-70% of matches will make you break even compared with purchasing tickets individually - this equates to about 14-16 games. Most people will miss games through personal/work commitments or ill health.

That would represent a huge drop in revenue for the club and the question would be whether enough extra people would buy a '60%' season ticket to compensate for the 5 or 6 games lost revenue.

2. If there is a match where there's going to be a huge demand for tickets, season ticket holders who know they can't make it could phone the club and release their seat for sale. In return, they would be credited with a free guest ticket to take a guest to a low category match. Not only does this give Reading the ability to sell more seats at high demand matches, they would get bums on seats for matches which would otherwise have a low turnout. (Adapted from Derby County's rain check scheme).

There was a plan to have a 'buy back' scheme a few years back. I seem to recall people were expecting to get the full value of the game they were missing refunded to them. I can;t see getting a free ticket for another game being popular ! There would also be a problem with knowing what 'category' a game might be. You can;t always tell at the start of a season whether a game againt (say) Swansea in April is going to be a nothing mid table game or a crucial playoff place decider. I also suspect the games when season tickets are not used are not the ones for which there is a big resale demand. I suspect most STH who have to miss big games make their own arrangements for someone else to use their seats but that's simply based on personal experience !

3. Discount on club merchandise.

I'd rather have a cheaper ST ! If the ST included 10% off in the shop then the price of the ST would be higher to reflect that. I think it is much better to make the ticket itself as cheap as possible rather than adding in extras which in the nature of things simply increase the cost.

4. Invitation to watch the players train. Luton Town do this for their VIP season ticket holders and hold the special training session at the ground itself rather than the training ground - due to the number of people.

We do have an open day every season where the players train at the Mad Stad and are avilable for pictures / autographs. I think it's open to allcomers but I guess they could only allow STH in.

5. A special season ticket to cater for long distance fans - similar to Watford's 75 mile ticket but set at 50 miles. This would be set at 2/3 the price of a regular season ticket and allow you to pick 15 matches - has to be done in advance so the club can sell the seat otherwise. In addition, you can purchase additional matches at season ticket pricing if you wish to attend more than 15.

Quite like that one. Luckily I have relatives living more than 75 miles away so could get a ticket in their name and save money !

I think there are some good ideas in there that deserve looking into but I'd stress that I would rather the ST was a stripped down offer at the lowest possible price and I could then pay for addons if I wanted to rather than it was loaded up with extras that I wouldn;t need or use.

[voyager1]

4. Invitation to watch the players train. Luton Town do this for their VIP season ticket holders and hold the special training session at the ground itself rather than the training ground - due to the number of people.
We do have an open day every season where the players train at the Mad Stad and are avilable for pictures / autographs. I think it's open to allcomers but I guess they could only allow STH in.

In that case, they could do a special season ticket holders evening with the players or something. If everyone can get in to watch the players train then its best that stays that way and something new created for season ticket holders.

Season ticket holders need to be looked after but there still needs to be something for everyone else to lure people in, who may eventually become season ticket holders. Events which involve meeting or getting close to the players make the fans feel appreciated and part of the club - something which is important in addition to the matches themselves.

[Sun Tzu]

4. Invitation to watch the players train. Luton Town do this for their VIP season ticket holders and hold the special training session at the ground itself rather than the training ground - due to the number of people.
We do have an open day every season where the players train at the Mad Stad and are avilable for pictures / autographs. I think it's open to allcomers but I guess they could only allow STH in.

In that case, they could do a special season ticket holders evening with the players or something. If everyone can get in to watch the players train then its best that stays that way and something new created for season ticket holders.

Season ticket holders need to be looked after but there still needs to be something for everyone else to lure people in, who may eventually become season ticket holders. Events which involve meeting or getting close to the players make the fans feel appreciated and part of the club - something which is important in addition to the matches themselves.

Agreed.
I have long believed that being a STH should actually be like being a 'club member'. I'm not entirely sure what that looks like, and I could be in danger of contradicting my earlier comments, but maybe not calling it a season ticket but calling it a 'club membership' would be an option ?

In terms of other offerings bear in mind STH do get free access to reserve games and use of the Jazz Cafe on match days (unless I am well out of date !). I believe had the expansion plans gone ahead there would have been other STH facilities included in those.

[Mr Optimist]

I like no.5 being someone exiled over 200 miles away these days.

Just doing a quick bit of maths if they made it £200 for 12 matches that you could select and take your chances on availability when tickets go on general sale I would go for it. I reckon I go to around a third of the home games in a championship season so 8 x £22.50 = £180 the club currently gets from me. Plus I usually take one of my sons (u16) so that is another £11.50 x 8 = £92, so if they could do an under 16 ticket for say £60 I would also do that aswell.

So the club would have me and a son attending more games, being badgered to spend more in the megastore in a season with a couple of extra visits, and more more money spent by me on beer at the ground/hotel!!

I have had a season ticket and so has my eldest son in the past, but the cost of travelling has made it difficult to justify to she who must be obeyed. Having a long distance fan season ticket would let me get away with slipping in a couple of extra home games in a season.

I would probably knock away games on the head instead and that would provide more money to RFC than opposition clubs which would please me and I'm sure the club...!

[Terminal Boardom]

Still not renewing. SJM can go oxf*rd himself for all I care!