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

Damocles said:
Thanks mate, I'm just frustrated. Without giving a detailed family history, I'm a 3rd generation City fan and am trying to raise the 4th generation. I don't care about titles or trophies or buying Florian Wirtz, what I care about is being able to take me and the kids to the match without then having to wonder if I can afford this quarter's gas bill. I'm not interested if we're playing Real Madrid or Rotherham.

I'm freelance and work in IT mainly so I don't think I'm particularly bad off but City is becoming ridiculously expensive when you've two kids to tag along who also want the shirts and a hot dog and all the rest. City made £75 million quid last year as pure profit. Dropping prices by 10% is not going to hurt them in the slightest. It would actually make a world of difference to me though. My family has 100 years of support of this football club and I'd quite like to continue that for the 5th, 6th and 7th generations but my nephews who are in their late teens/early 20s just cannot afford to go without someone buying their tickets for them. They barely earn enough to live.

So I see this and then I see Alex and the City Matters guys representing my anger and frustration to this board of Directors who couldn't give a flying fuck about my kids support because we're "legacy fans" and instead want to sell those tickets for 3 times the price to a "tourist" so they can get their massive bonus structured pay increases by increasing matchday revenue. I see someone FINALLY willing to actually fight the club and not be scared about it. Then the OSC, which given the era I grew up with didn't exactly make the greatest first impressions on me to begin with, refuse to back them because they got sent an email. Unanimously refuse. Not one guy said "err..actually, maybe we should back these other City fans because even if we don't necessarily agree with their methods, we understand that not backing them will undermine them". And then I see the email and it's the most corporate fob off letter I've ever read and that frustration just boils. I spend half my life chasing people for money who come up with every excuse in the book before they pay, I know a fuck off letter when I see one.

Tbh I've never gone in for City politics and trusts and things like this. I'll leave that to more qualified and smarter people. I'm not interested in fan groups and splits and meetings and minutes. I'd rather give money to Gary James tbh than 1894 (no offence lads). What I NEED from this football club though is to not price my kids out of the match. That's it. I as you and many others have given a lot to City as a club and a community over the years. We didn't fuck them off when the world's most successful team was on our front door and we were watching Kevin Horlock, we backed them. We didn't fuck them off when Peter Swales destroyed the club by creating FC City of Manchester, we fought for it and we backed it. We didn't fuck them off when they moved from Maine Road to at that time a souless bowl of an athletics stadium, we backed them. We've never asked for a thing from this football club.

Here's what I need now. I need City to give me and many others a fucking break. I need them to see this economy, to see the rising prices and energy costs and inflation and think that it's okay for them to only make £50m profit this year instead of £75m and give people a fucking break. And I need someone or something or somebody to communicate that to them in the strongest possible terms and I don't care the name or affiliation of the group that is doing that.

But they won't because the secret is out. They don't give a FUCK about you. Nor me. Nor any of us on this forum. Even the people who meet with them and they gladhand and make promises towards and throw the odd free ticket or nice little prize at, THEY DON'T GIVE A FUCK ABOUT YOU. They do what they need to do to buy people off so they won't cause a fuss, because ultimately they'll pretend to listen then do what they were going to go anyway.

Let me make this clear, I'd prefer to burn down that entire boardroom and the Sheikh Mansour ownership and Pep Guardiola and Kevin De Bruyne and everybody else for cheaper ticket prices. I was going before they were here, this club belongs to me more than it does to them. And if that means we go back to bouncing around the bottom half of the PL then that's fine with me too, my support of this club doesn't require success to be validated. If I can't afford to watch them with my kids any more then there's absolutely no point to any of it.
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Drops Mic. -- That should be read out on the pitch before a chumps league game
 
Prestwich_Blue said:
Half-and-half scarves are not the fucking problem and the obsession with them is diverting attention from more important matters.
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Isn’t the issue away fans? Half and half scarves blur the boundary on whether you can identify someone is an away fan or not. I suggested earlier in the thread that any none City football colours should be banned. Not just half and half scarves.
 
Saddleworth2 said:
That is a top heartfelt post mate. Sadly, I think for those that care and are trying to make a difference it will be as successful as pushing water uphill with a rake. Our owners did not buy the club because they were City fans and this is the flip side of the success they have brought us. There is a middle ground though which achieves most of their financial objectives whilst nurturing the local fan base. It is not outwith the bounds of possibility to create schemes which ensure a new generation of fans are encourages by affordable packages - be that a 'family' ticket plan, differential pricing, loyalty discounts or whatever. I don't see much sign that that is part of their current thinking though and their lack of engagement is very disappointing.

I really hope I'm wrong as the local fanbase (I'm not one) are the soul of the club - its DNA and should be the permanent thread that connects the different generations. Owners are temporary custodians.
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Kids are going to watch county with their mates. Know loads of city fans lads doing it. Its cheaper and they get the same experience we did watching shit city. They are still blues but want live affordable footie. City are playig a dangerous game. If 115 goes tits up they`ll be begging we stick with them as the new fans wont fancy millwall at home or worse. Soon as I am priced out - (which will be when I am forced to go to every game (no resale) and cup game) I`ll just go to Curzon.
 
Prestwich_Blue said:
No. The issue is prices. Everything else is a sideshow that deflects from this and allows the club to sidestep it.
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I take a 14 year old girl to every match. I no longer think it’s safe in the ground. I’ve had Everton and Feyernoord fans sat next to us this season in 315. There was fighting for the Feyernoord game in the ground very close to us.

Price the tickets for local city fans and this problem is resolved.
 
Damocles said:
Thanks mate, I'm just frustrated. Without giving a detailed family history, I'm a 3rd generation City fan and am trying to raise the 4th generation. I don't care about titles or trophies or buying Florian Wirtz, what I care about is being able to take me and the kids to the match without then having to wonder if I can afford this quarter's gas bill. I'm not interested if we're playing Real Madrid or Rotherham.

I'm freelance and work in IT mainly so I don't think I'm particularly bad off but City is becoming ridiculously expensive when you've two kids to tag along who also want the shirts and a hot dog and all the rest. City made £75 million quid last year as pure profit. Dropping prices by 10% is not going to hurt them in the slightest. It would actually make a world of difference to me though. My family has 100 years of support of this football club and I'd quite like to continue that for the 5th, 6th and 7th generations but my nephews who are in their late teens/early 20s just cannot afford to go without someone buying their tickets for them. They barely earn enough to live.

So I see this and then I see Alex and the City Matters guys representing my anger and frustration to this board of Directors who couldn't give a flying fuck about my kids support because we're "legacy fans" and instead want to sell those tickets for 3 times the price to a "tourist" so they can get their massive bonus structured pay increases by increasing matchday revenue. I see someone FINALLY willing to actually fight the club and not be scared about it. Then the OSC, which given the era I grew up with didn't exactly make the greatest first impressions on me to begin with, refuse to back them because they got sent an email. Unanimously refuse. Not one guy said "err..actually, maybe we should back these other City fans because even if we don't necessarily agree with their methods, we understand that not backing them will undermine them". And then I see the email and it's the most corporate fob off letter I've ever read and that frustration just boils. I spend half my life chasing people for money who come up with every excuse in the book before they pay, I know a fuck off letter when I see one.

Tbh I've never gone in for City politics and trusts and things like this. I'll leave that to more qualified and smarter people. I'm not interested in fan groups and splits and meetings and minutes. I'd rather give money to Gary James tbh than 1894 (no offence lads). What I NEED from this football club though is to not price my kids out of the match. That's it. I as you and many others have given a lot to City as a club and a community over the years. We didn't fuck them off when the world's most successful team was on our front door and we were watching Kevin Horlock, we backed them. We didn't fuck them off when Peter Swales destroyed the club by creating FC City of Manchester, we fought for it and we backed it. We didn't fuck them off when they moved from Maine Road to at that time a souless bowl of an athletics stadium, we backed them. We've never asked for a thing from this football club.

Here's what I need now. I need City to give me and many others a fucking break. I need them to see this economy, to see the rising prices and energy costs and inflation and think that it's okay for them to only make £50m profit this year instead of £75m and give people a fucking break. And I need someone or something or somebody to communicate that to them in the strongest possible terms and I don't care the name or affiliation of the group that is doing that.

But they won't because the secret is out. They don't give a FUCK about you. Nor me. Nor any of us on this forum. Even the people who meet with them and they gladhand and make promises towards and throw the odd free ticket or nice little prize at, THEY DON'T GIVE A FUCK ABOUT YOU. They do what they need to do to buy people off so they won't cause a fuss, because ultimately they'll pretend to listen then do what they were going to go anyway.

Let me make this clear, I'd prefer to burn down that entire boardroom and the Sheikh Mansour ownership and Pep Guardiola and Kevin De Bruyne and everybody else for cheaper ticket prices. I was going before they were here, this club belongs to me more than it does to them. And if that means we go back to bouncing around the bottom half of the PL then that's fine with me too, my support of this club doesn't require success to be validated. If I can't afford to watch them with my kids any more then there's absolutely no point to any of it.
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One of the best posts i've ever read on here. This should be sent to the club.

Although Kevin Horlock was brillant! Maybe a shitter less committed player should have been mentioned.
 
Damocles said:
Thanks mate, I'm just frustrated. Without giving a detailed family history, I'm a 3rd generation City fan and am trying to raise the 4th generation. I don't care about titles or trophies or buying Florian Wirtz, what I care about is being able to take me and the kids to the match without then having to wonder if I can afford this quarter's gas bill. I'm not interested if we're playing Real Madrid or Rotherham.

I'm freelance and work in IT mainly so I don't think I'm particularly bad off but City is becoming ridiculously expensive when you've two kids to tag along who also want the shirts and a hot dog and all the rest. City made £75 million quid last year as pure profit. Dropping prices by 10% is not going to hurt them in the slightest. It would actually make a world of difference to me though. My family has 100 years of support of this football club and I'd quite like to continue that for the 5th, 6th and 7th generations but my nephews who are in their late teens/early 20s just cannot afford to go without someone buying their tickets for them. They barely earn enough to live.

So I see this and then I see Alex and the City Matters guys representing my anger and frustration to this board of Directors who couldn't give a flying fuck about my kids support because we're "legacy fans" and instead want to sell those tickets for 3 times the price to a "tourist" so they can get their massive bonus structured pay increases by increasing matchday revenue. I see someone FINALLY willing to actually fight the club and not be scared about it. Then the OSC, which given the era I grew up with didn't exactly make the greatest first impressions on me to begin with, refuse to back them because they got sent an email. Unanimously refuse. Not one guy said "err..actually, maybe we should back these other City fans because even if we don't necessarily agree with their methods, we understand that not backing them will undermine them". And then I see the email and it's the most corporate fob off letter I've ever read and that frustration just boils. I spend half my life chasing people for money who come up with every excuse in the book before they pay, I know a fuck off letter when I see one.

Tbh I've never gone in for City politics and trusts and things like this. I'll leave that to more qualified and smarter people. I'm not interested in fan groups and splits and meetings and minutes. I'd rather give money to Gary James tbh than 1894 (no offence lads). What I NEED from this football club though is to not price my kids out of the match. That's it. I as you and many others have given a lot to City as a club and a community over the years. We didn't fuck them off when the world's most successful team was on our front door and we were watching Kevin Horlock, we backed them. We didn't fuck them off when Peter Swales destroyed the club by creating FC City of Manchester, we fought for it and we backed it. We didn't fuck them off when they moved from Maine Road to at that time a souless bowl of an athletics stadium, we backed them. We've never asked for a thing from this football club.

Here's what I need now. I need City to give me and many others a fucking break. I need them to see this economy, to see the rising prices and energy costs and inflation and think that it's okay for them to only make £50m profit this year instead of £75m and give people a fucking break. And I need someone or something or somebody to communicate that to them in the strongest possible terms and I don't care the name or affiliation of the group that is doing that.

But they won't because the secret is out. They don't give a FUCK about you. Nor me. Nor any of us on this forum. Even the people who meet with them and they gladhand and make promises towards and throw the odd free ticket or nice little prize at, THEY DON'T GIVE A FUCK ABOUT YOU. They do what they need to do to buy people off so they won't cause a fuss, because ultimately they'll pretend to listen then do what they were going to go anyway.

Let me make this clear, I'd prefer to burn down that entire boardroom and the Sheikh Mansour ownership and Pep Guardiola and Kevin De Bruyne and everybody else for cheaper ticket prices. I was going before they were here, this club belongs to me more than it does to them. And if that means we go back to bouncing around the bottom half of the PL then that's fine with me too, my support of this club doesn't require success to be validated. If I can't afford to watch them with my kids any more then there's absolutely no point to any of it.
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That post should be nailed to the Boardroom door at City.
 
M18CTID said:
I don't disagree. Marvin seems to be the one with a serious issue about them, asking for them to be banned and stuff
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The stewards on the turnstiles should do better with reminding them to take it off or hide the "red part"

Some of the pictures from the Liverpool and Madrid games, it's clear these were let in dressed like away fans
 
Prestwich_Blue said:
Soriano and his revenue-obsessed minions must have been pissing themselves laughing when they saw that 1894 survey where the majority thought oyurists/non-City fans was the biggest problem and not ticket prices.
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You're posting that because you clearly lack the ability to understand that away fans/tourists/non-city-fans in the home end are a direct consequence of ticket prices (and the clubs ticketing policy generally).

Soriano and his minions will be buzzing that you are working hard in this thread to distract people from the actual topic. You're doing a brilliant job of spinning the narrative for them.
 
Prestwich_Blue said:
No. The issue is prices. Everything else is a sideshow that deflects from this and allows the club to sidestep it.
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You're right it's prices, but also the mix between SC and match tickets needs addressing if prices do come down

Lower prices mean it's more accessible to younger, local fans but equally means it's even easier for agencies to sweep them up
 
Manchester33 said:
You're posting that because you clearly lack the ability to understand that away fans/tourists/non-city-fans in the home end are a direct consequence of ticket prices (and the clubs ticketing policy generally).
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I don't agree with your conclusion but I do agree ticket policy is the core issue.

But yet again you're conflating away fans in home areas with non-City fans who don't support the opposition team. Stop behaving like some religious zealot and accept that, as the current PL and World Champions, we're now a global attraction.

It's like saying non-Parisians shouldn't be allowed to go up the Eiffel tower.
 
CoventryBlue said:
You're right it's prices, but also the mix between SC and match tickets needs addressing if prices do come down

Lower prices mean it's more accessible to younger, local fans but equally means it's even easier for agencies to sweep them up
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We're actually close to agreeing for the first time but I wouldn't use the argument that lower ticket prices would lead to agencies sweeping them up. They're doing that now.

One of the assumptions people jump to is that when a ticket goes on the exchange and it's gone within seconds then it's the club selling to an agency. There's an obvious fallacy in that argument which is that the club could do that without putting the ticket up.

If it's going on the exchange and going quickly then the likelihood is that it's a bot, which is likely to be an agency/tout.
 
Prestwich_Blue said:
We're actually close to agreeing for the first time but I wouldn't use the argument that lower ticket prices would lead to agencies sweeping them up. They're doing that now.

One of the assumptions people jump to is that when a ticket goes on the exchange and it's gone within seconds then it's the club selling to an agency. There's an obvious fallacy in that argument which is that the club could do that without putting the ticket up.

If it's going on the exchange and going quickly then the likelihood is that it's a bot, which is likely to be an agency/tout.
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My mate has put his tickets up on the exchange for the Brighton game tomorrow which are next to mine. They sold instantly.

This season he’s done it twice before and again they sold instantly - Everton home two German Everton fans paid £450 each for them; and West Ham a dad and lad both Blues travelled from Scotland and paid £250 for the pair. All bought through agencies not the club.
 
TheGhost said:
My mate has put his tickets up on the exchange for the Brighton game tomorrow which are next to mine. They sold instantly.

This season he’s done it twice before and again they sold instantly - Everton home two German Everton fans paid £450 each for them; and West Ham a dad and lad both Blues travelled from Scotland and paid £250 for the pair. All bought through agencies not the club.
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So that pretty well proves my point that it's agencies taking these tickets using bots doesn't it?
 
TheGhost said:
My mate has put his tickets up on the exchange for the Brighton game tomorrow which are next to mine. They sold instantly.

This season he’s done it twice before and again they sold instantly - Everton home two German Everton fans paid £450 each for them; and West Ham a dad and lad both Blues travelled from Scotland and paid £250 for the pair. All bought through agencies not the club.
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Could he tell if they actually physically appeared on the exchange in the first place after he put them on? I put mine on for Forest at home and it was showing on there for a day or two before it sold. I was surprised it did actually sell as that was the game where thousands appeared back on the planner ahead of the match, presumably from third party agencies who couldn't sell them, along with the usual ticket exchange seats
 
TheGhost said:
My mate has put his tickets up on the exchange for the Brighton game tomorrow which are next to mine. They sold instantly.

This season he’s done it twice before and again they sold instantly - Everton home two German Everton fans paid £450 each for them; and West Ham a dad and lad both Blues travelled from Scotland and paid £250 for the pair. All bought through agencies not the club.
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450 each for Everton?!! Kin hell.
 
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