Tim of the Oak
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 29 Dec 2012
- Messages
- 20,825
Writing is on the wall for us season ticket holders. They don’t want them.City Matters have confirmed it.
Doubt very much City are going to be taking away our season tickets anytime soon mate.Writing is on the wall for us season ticket holders. They don’t want them.
We will see mate. Theirs massive changes coming and at a cost to us all.Doubt very much City are going to be taking away our season tickets anytime soon mate.
Him Tim and apologies for not coming back to you sooner.
Aware that the conversation has moved on a bit since the earlier posts on this thread. That said, I wanted to clarify that my concern with Flexi Gold is not necessarily the concept itself, but the £150 surcharge and the lack of choice between that product and a standard season ticket.
From the supporters I have seen, most would like a typical season ticket but have settled with a Flexi Gold as the next best thing. In many ways, that defeats the concept, as Flexi Gold was intended for those who wanted flexibility, not to attend practically every match.
Of course, Flexi Gold is better for many supporters than being a matchday member. But that is down to the Club's design (e.g. expensive matchday tickets, the All Games on Sale policy). I want these supporters to have the same value as a typical season ticket, rather than a halfway house that is slightly better than what was (and is for many others) a pretty raw deal.
This is also something that impacts all fans - matchday members, Flexi Gold and season ticket holders alike - given the Club's policy not to offer typical season tickets moving forward. I appreciate that this is slightly separate to the Flexi Gold conversation, but there's a real chance that supporters won't be able to purchase season tickets for their children and grandchildren.
Brilliant post mate.It's a gamble to phase out season tickets eventually. While we are so successful we will probably sell out most games. If this starts to falter and the newly acquired fans, attracted by the glamour of Guardiola and champions league nights stop turning up, we could be on the slide with no hardcore to hold us together.
The club will know if this happens they can drop prices, start selling season tickets again and possibly recoup some of the slack. That though is the gamble and it isn't a given. What sets football supporters apart from any other "Customer" in the entertainment industry is fierce loyalty, often affiliated with the area and passed down through generations. If you start watering that aspect down and treat fans as just run of the mill customers that fierce loyalty will start to wane. If going to football becomes an expensive treat and you choose the games you go to for their attraction and glamour rather than out of loyalty and support then we're on dodgy ground.
We'll see how it pans out eventually of course. The club need to realise loyalty is a two way thing. If your partner keeps treating you with contempt and never listens to your concerns, no matter how much you love them you will eventually leave. You'll probably always care about them but will never live with them again. The bond and trust has been broken. Be careful City.
I know we attract a lot of tourists now but not enough to replace season ticket holders just yet and when and if we stop dominating English football they'll melt away like a snowman in July, we won't.We will see mate. Theirs massive changes coming and at a cost to us all.
Spot on.It's a gamble to phase out season tickets eventually. While we are so successful we will probably sell out most games. If this starts to falter and the newly acquired fans, attracted by the glamour of Guardiola and champions league nights stop turning up, we could be on the slide with no hardcore to hold us together.
The club will know if this happens they can drop prices, start selling season tickets again and possibly recoup some of the slack. That though is the gamble and it isn't a given. What sets football supporters apart from any other "Customer" in the entertainment industry is fierce loyalty, often affiliated with the area and passed down through generations. If you start watering that aspect down and treat fans as just run of the mill customers that fierce loyalty will start to wane. If going to football becomes an expensive treat and you choose the games you go to for their attraction and glamour rather than out of loyalty and support then we're on dodgy ground.
We'll see how it pans out eventually of course. The club need to realise loyalty is a two way thing. If your partner keeps treating you with contempt and never listens to your concerns, no matter how much you love them you will eventually leave. You'll probably always care about them but will never live with them again. The bond and trust has been broken. Be careful City.
We are all dooooomed!!We will see mate. Theirs massive changes coming and at a cost to us all.
Great post pal.It's a gamble to phase out season tickets eventually. While we are so successful we will probably sell out most games. If this starts to falter and the newly acquired fans, attracted by the glamour of Guardiola and champions league nights stop turning up, we could be on the slide with no hardcore to hold us together.
The club will know if this happens they can drop prices, start selling season tickets again and possibly recoup some of the slack. That though is the gamble and it isn't a given. What sets football supporters apart from any other "Customer" in the entertainment industry is fierce loyalty, often affiliated with the area and passed down through generations. If you start watering that aspect down and treat fans as just run of the mill customers that fierce loyalty will start to wane. If going to football becomes an expensive treat and you choose the games you go to for their attraction and glamour rather than out of loyalty and support then we're on dodgy ground.
We'll see how it pans out eventually of course. The club need to realise loyalty is a two way thing. If your partner keeps treating you with contempt and never listens to your concerns, no matter how much you love them you will eventually leave. You'll probably always care about them but will never live with them again. The bond and trust has been broken. Be careful City.
I know we attract a lot of tourists now but not enough to replace season ticket holders just yet and when and if we stop dominating English football they'll melt away like a snowman in July, we
See Paul Chappo’s post mate. He sums it up perfectly. Theirs a bigger picture here. Take your blinkers off.We are all dooooomed!!
Great post pal.
I'm now 68 years old and starting to feel my age with old age aches and pains, particularly in the cold winter months.
I still love attending matches ( and have been doing so since March 1966) but if the club starts taking the piss regarding Over 65 discount etc. then I'll knock it on the head and spend my money where I am more appreciated as a valued customer.
I've read mate it excellent post, just my opinion of course but nobodies losing their season ticket. They may well be reticent in issuing new ones of course which is a worry.See Paul Chappo’s post mate. He sums it up perfectly. Theirs a bigger picture here. Take your blinkers off.
Sorry mate, that reply was for scouse Tim of The Oak:)I've read mate it excellent post, just my opinion of course but nobodies losing their season ticket. They may well be reticent in issuing new ones of course which is a worry.
Stick with it mate I played Sunday morning as long as I could and I fully intend watching City live as long as possible, you're a long time dead.Same. Going to live games gets harder these days but we've had the best times, what a ride. From the Joe and Malcolm glory days, the rollercoaster up and down middle period and now the Pep golden era. It's never been dull....well apart from the Pearce period. That TV and warm fire will have to do soon.
Should say flexi-gold.
I wanted to come back to you on this part. I think any level headed fan would agree that xenophobia towards non-Mancunians or Brits is completely wrong, and I am sure most of us have met many from the remainder of the the country or further who are as passionate as anyone about City - I sure have! There is a place for everyone at the Etihad, and I want to ensure that the conversation about ticketing does not debase itself into demonising anyone form outside of the M60.It’s a bit worrying today seeing the xenophobia on social media about tourists taking over. Coming out of the MRI in recent weeks I’ve been happy to see Chinese students in City gear. Likewise when I get the train over the Pennines after midweek games, it’s full of young people / students and a range of ethnicities. These Blues are getting tickets because “many “regulars” can’t / won’t go to midweek games, particularly in the early rounds of cups. They aren’t pricing people out.
That said, there are more affluent “tourists” in the padded seats for the bigger games.
Thanks Alex. Well saidI wanted to come back to you on this part. I think any level headed fan would agree that xenophobia towards non-Mancunians or Brits is completely wrong, and I am sure most of us have met many from the remainder of the the country or further who are as passionate as anyone about City - I sure have! There is a place for everyone at the Etihad, and I want to ensure that the conversation about ticketing does not debase itself into demonising anyone form outside of the M60.
That said, I think people have legitimate concern where the Club have pursued policies that make it more difficult for regular, every day people to watch City or disregards their past loyalty (such as the Flexi Gold surcharge, the All Games on Sale policy, the matchday pricing or poor qualifying criteria). As my friend Nick from the MCFC Fans Supporting Foodbanks group rightly pointed out, that applies to many City fans from outside of the U.K. too.
I know that you can appreciate all of the above, but thought it important to put on record.
Brilliant post. The problem for City is our loyal support has led to a very high % of match tickets being taken up by Season Ticket holders. Hopefully City are just trying to get the % of Season Tickets down, enabling them to sell more matchday tickets at inflated prices. Once the North Stand extension is finished and a few more years of none renewals it will drop to a level that City are happy with and new Season Ticket’s will be released.It's a gamble to phase out season tickets eventually. While we are so successful we will probably sell out most games. If this starts to falter and the newly acquired fans, attracted by the glamour of Guardiola and champions league nights stop turning up, we could be on the slide with no hardcore to hold us together.
The club will know if this happens they can drop prices, start selling season tickets again and possibly recoup some of the slack. That though is the gamble and it isn't a given. What sets football supporters apart from any other "Customer" in the entertainment industry is fierce loyalty, often affiliated with the area and passed down through generations. If you start watering that aspect down and treat fans as just run of the mill customers that fierce loyalty will start to wane. If going to football becomes an expensive treat and you choose the games you go to for their attraction and glamour rather than out of loyalty and support then we're on dodgy ground.
We'll see how it pans out eventually of course. The club need to realise loyalty is a two way thing. If your partner keeps treating you with contempt and never listens to your concerns, no matter how much you love them you will eventually leave. You'll probably always care about them but will never live with them again. The bond and trust has been broken. Be careful City.
That’s what I’m hoping is the thinking within the club, the idea that they can phase season tickets out completely is fanciful. Even United, Liverpool et al with larger match going fanbases haven’t gone down that route. Hopefully once they hit the levels they are happy with, non renewals will be replaced by standard season tickets.Brilliant post. The problem for City is our loyal support has led to a very high % of match tickets being taken up by Season Ticket holders. Hopefully City are just trying to get the % of Season Tickets down, enabling them to sell more matchday tickets at inflated prices. Once the North Stand extension is finished and a few more years of none renewals it will drop to a level that City are happy with and new Season Ticket’s will be released.