Open Letter on Season Tickets and Pricing | Club announce price freeze on "general admission season tickets & PL match tickets" for next season (p163)

Eccles Blue said:
@Cheadle_hulmeBlue I agree about the going overboard and normally I don’t think I do but when it comes to my grandchildren I probably am overprotective and worry too much. C’est la vie.

I also agree that the insinuation about the 1894 group is ridiculous but it is a fact that an American fan was attacked. So whilst I agree with you in the main I think you might appreciate my concerns about my 20 yr old granddaughter? :-)
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I was right behind the incident with the American ‘fan’.

He jumped, grabbed his phone, spun round and started filming the Liverpool fans celebrate.

Obviously that does not warrant being battered, but it was hardly the type of etiquette you’d expect to see a City fan display after conceding a goal to one of our biggest rivals.

This insinuation that City fans are suddenly racists/xenophobic is pathetic. City fans are against rival fans infiltrating the home end. That is something deep routed in British football culture - it’s not a City problem.

It’s got fuck all to do with where someone is from or what skin colour they have.

The club have created a rod for their own back by enabling rival fans to easily acquire tickets in the home end (which is a problem exacerbated by the fact that the club is pricing out the regulars).
 
This might seem a silly point, but I think City should stop the sale of half and half scarves on the stadium footprint. I have been following this discussion for a while and I have noticed that they are being sold by sole traders at places like the end of the bridge that approaches the stadium. On a FA Cup day, or CL night these sell like hot cakes because people want to be involved imo. It sows confusion. I want the Etihad to be a strongly identified with Manchester City so I know where people are coming from. But at the same time I am a bit concerned that the argument comes across as hostile to other communities in Manchester. There are certainly a lot more Asians coming to City than ever before which is a good thing, but I wish that they wouldn't buy up the half and half scarfs because that creates a barrier with City's existing fanbase. But children with families do this too. I have been watching closely. You see kids at an FA Cup game, we want them as fans for the future. Very often they have a half and half scarf but I love to see them happy when City win, as I hope they will come back again. The idea is to grow City's fanbase. Somehow something that is positive is being turned into a negative.

I like many of the posters who have a different point of view on this. We can disagree without insulting each other.
 
So now, the word "tourist" has been weaponized. Well done; you have all fulfilled Sorriano's wish, making it difficult to discuss this topic. Since most people have been "football tourists" at some point in their lives, no reasonable person has an issue with them. People object when these "tourists" are given preference over genuine supporters because they are more prepared to pay more. The lad who was assaulted against Liverpool was not assaulted because he was an American tourist; rather, he was assaulted because he was mistaken for a Liverpool supporter. It is dishonest to imply that he was beaten up for any other reason, even while that does not justify what happened and the individuals responsible will be rightly banned.
 
Beaker said:
So now, the word "tourist" has been weaponized. Well done; you have all fulfilled Sorriano's wish, making it difficult to discuss this topic. Since most people have been "football tourists" at some point in their lives, no reasonable person has an issue with them. People object when these "tourists" are given preference over genuine supporters because they are more prepared to pay more. The lad who was assaulted against Liverpool was not assaulted because he was an American tourist; rather, he was assaulted because he was mistaken for a Liverpool supporter. It is dishonest to imply that he was beaten up for any other reason, even while that does not justify what happened and the individuals responsible will be rightly banned.
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I agree with most of your post but I stick by the need to differentiate between people who come to an occasional game (from wherever) and opposition fans deliberately infiltrating our areas. Two different problems (but maybe with similar causes eg reselling sites).
 
Marvin. said:
This might seem a silly point, but I think City should stop the sale of half and half scarves on the stadium footprint. I have been following this discussion for a while and I have noticed that they are being sold by sole traders at places like the end of the bridge that approaches the stadium. On a FA Cup day, or CL night these sell like hot cakes because people want to be involved imo. It sows confusion. I want the Etihad to be a strongly identified with Manchester City so I know where people are coming from. But at the same time I am a bit concerned that the argument comes across as hostile to other communities in Manchester. There are certainly a lot more Asians coming to City than ever before which is a good thing, but I wish that they wouldn't buy up the half and half scarfs because that creates a barrier with City's existing fanbase. But children with families do this too. I have been watching closely. You see kids at an FA Cup game, we want them as fans for the future. Very often they have a half and half scarf but I love to see them happy when City win, as I hope they will come back again. The idea is to grow City's fanbase. Somehow something that is positive is being turned into a negative.

I like many of the posters who have a different point of view on this. We can disagree without insulting each other.
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I don’t get why it has to be half and half?

Why not sell a light blue scarf that has details about the match (says City vs whoever and the date of the game).

That’s a match-day scarf that would work fine!
 
Manchester33 said:
I was right behind the incident with the American ‘fan’.

He jumped, grabbed his phone, spun round and started filming the Liverpool fans celebrate.

Obviously that does not warrant being battered, but it was hardly the type of etiquette you’d expect to see a City fan display after conceding a goal to one of our biggest rivals.

This insinuation that City fans are suddenly racists/xenophobic is pathetic. City fans are against rival fans infiltrating the home end. That is something deep routed in British football culture - it’s not a City problem.

It’s got fuck all to do with where someone is from or what skin colour they have.

The club have created a rod for their own back by enabling rival fans to easily acquire tickets in the home end (which is a problem exacerbated by the fact that the club is pricing out the regulars).
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I don't think the reaction is that strange. If you aren't familiar with the tribal spectacle of football, even if your allegiances are for city, it feels like a fairly natural reaction. The club have been strangling season ticket numbers for years because they feel they can get more out of occasional fans than loyal ones. They are to blame, not the people who take them up for it.
 
shnaghaicityfish said:
I agree with most of your post but I stick by the need to differentiate between people who come to an occasional game (from wherever) and opposition fans deliberately infiltrating our areas. Two different problems (but maybe with similar causes eg reselling sites).
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I think I distinguished one from the other. I have nothing against those who go to games occasionally; I object however, when they are given preference over regular match-going blues. *Note: I did not use the word "local"; if you routinely attend, you should be given preference regardless of where you're from.
The club should be making every effort to reduce the number of opposition supporters who infiltrate our areas. It's evident that they haven't taken any action to lessen this until recently, following some negative publicity.
 
Manchester33 said:
I was right behind the incident with the American ‘fan’.

He jumped, grabbed his phone, spun round and started filming the Liverpool fans celebrate.

Obviously that does not warrant being battered, but it was hardly the type of etiquette you’d expect to see a City fan display after conceding a goal to one of our biggest rivals.

This insinuation that City fans are suddenly racists/xenophobic is pathetic. City fans are against rival fans infiltrating the home end. That is something deep routed in British football culture - it’s not a City problem.

It’s got fuck all to do with where someone is from or what skin colour they have.

The club have created a rod for their own back by enabling rival fans to easily acquire tickets in the home end (which is a problem exacerbated by the fact that the club is pricing out the regulars).
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Key word in all this mate is "etiquette".

Regardless of where your season ticket is in the stadium, I'm sure we've all had a tourist non-local-having-a-day-out-at-the-football character sat or stood next to us at some point. And I think the vast majority, if not all City fans don't really give a fuck who's next to them as long as they're being respectful - it certainly wouldn't stop me from contributing to the atmosphere at the back of 117/118 where I stand - but what I will give a fuck about is people thinking they can take the piss - and this doesn't matter if they're from Ardwick, Argentina or Afghanistan.

Last year vs Real Madrid I had someone I'd never seen in our section stood in front of me who had his phone at eye level and typed out to his friend, "I'm Madrid for life". Do I regret getting him ejected from the stadium? Not really, although it's not in my nature usually to be a grass. Do I regret lobbing the hat off his head and telling him repeatedly to fuck off in the hope he never goes to The Etihad again? Absolutely not.
 
franksinatra said:
I have probably fallen into the category of missing at least 5/19 matches (I do pass it on or stick on the exchange) with all the midweek games/sunday matches and living 250 miles away and with a finite holidays allowance.

The big two issues preventing me giving up is the disparity between the cost, per match, of season tickets to one off tickets and also part of the match day experience is the people you sit around.

When I heard about the Flexi scheme this sounded perfect for me, but unless i am misinformed (which I could be) the 150 pound upfront fee and not being able to revert back to a season ticket (if circumstances change) ruled out this option.

I think a lot of fans feel a bit stuck, potentially not being able to commit to every match but if they did get rid of their season ticket, then being priced out by the one off ticket costs. For me the moment I give up
my season ticket would probably be my last game as paying upwards of 60 quid a ticket, 100 pound in petrol/toll to sit on my own would probably kill any enjoyment.
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Like you say the important bit is you pass on or exchange. I’ve missed more games in the last two years than the last 20 combined but it’s easy now to make sure the seat doesn’t go to waste and if they did increase the price to prevent this I would have to rethink
 
Manchester33 said:
I was right behind the incident with the American ‘fan’.

He jumped, grabbed his phone, spun round and started filming the Liverpool fans celebrate.

Obviously that does not warrant being battered, but it was hardly the type of etiquette you’d expect to see a City fan display after conceding a goal to one of our biggest rivals.

This insinuation that City fans are suddenly racists/xenophobic is pathetic. City fans are against rival fans infiltrating the home end. That is something deep routed in British football culture - it’s not a City problem.

It’s got fuck all to do with where someone is from or what skin colour they have.

The club have created a rod for their own back by enabling rival fans to easily acquire tickets in the home end (which is a problem exacerbated by the fact that the club is pricing out the regulars).
Click to expand...
Thinking more about the actions of the american after the liverpool goal, I don't think the argument that he shouldn't have been taking photos of liverpool fans is a fair defence.

If I go to America and watch a hockey or American football game while I'm over there, I have no idea what the etiquette is when the home or away team do whatever the equivalent of score a goal is.

I'm guessing the American had never been to a football match over here before so would be a similar situation to me watching a tampa bay buccaneers match.
 
117 M34 said:
Thinking more about the actions of the american after the liverpool goal, I don't think the argument that he shouldn't have been taking photos of liverpool fans is a fair defence.

If I go to America and watch a hockey or American football game while I'm over there, I have no idea what the etiquette is when the home or away team do whatever the equivalent of score a goal is.

I'm guessing the American had never been to a football match over here before so would be a similar situation to me watching a tampa bay buccaneers match.
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While this is true, it wouldn't hurt to look into the culture and customs of a country you're visiting simply for the fact that something that is perfectly acceptable in your own country may not be in another, and that goes for anything really not just for sports spectating.

Always better to be safe than sorry.
 
Damocles said:
No I've got integrity instead. You should try that rather than sucking off the club while other Blues sre trying to help everyone.
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Joining a pile on of dozens against one or two is no integrity. Get your dictionary out.

BTW get your specs on too. I’ve said I don’t agree with the decision but I’m not going to criticise peole when I don’t know how the discussion went.

BTW it’s a sad indictment of you and this forum that nobody who was at the meeting wil come forward and describe how the discussion went.
 
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