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

[dickie davies]

Well it won’t sell at those prices, it’s getting more obvious now that seats aren’t selling for stupid prices unless it’s a must win game, the Plymouth game I had five empty seats next to me in SSL1 and that was cheap. Watch the CL next season, people are already tired of it, the extra games etc, so unless it’s a big team like Madrid more and more empty seats, I’m torn on going in the scheme or binning it, if I do stay in it I’ll put everyone on the ticket exchange unless I know someone who wants it, I can’t be arsed going to it anymore it’s an awful atmosphere anyway.

It will because of where it is
I'll say this again. Season tickets in East stand blocks 104 & 107 will double in price over the next couple of seasons and FOC discounts will be withdrawn
The club will be looking to price out season card holders from these areas to the expanded North stand and then be looking to sell the majority of tickets in 104 & 107 in "destination packages" to football tourists

 

[give it to gordon]

Legacy fans is that me ?

Been in SE Kent since 1966, never held a season ticket.
First game in 1973 at Easter with my dad and grandad. Grandad was a season ticket holder.
I went to few games in the early 80's, it was a tough long trip on my motorbike. Went to a few away games in London.
Early 90's the trip was easier as I got soft and got a car.
Late 90's my lads arrived so that put a stop to going.
Early 20's started taking them, again along trip with plenty of loo breaks lol
Since 2017 been going more regularly as my lad drives. Been doing around 10 to 15 games a season home and a few away games.
It's sad after all this that my son is having to put up with City now treating us fans like shit.
Queueing online for hours, can't get seats next to each other, the cost.
Back in July we booked 4 games ( these a group of 5 ) non sat in pairs all over the south stand.
Now tv has moved the last two games. Fucking Friday night. It seems the Brighton was my last this season and to be honest that was shit !!
This season has been an absolute nightmare to get tickets, than the games sat on your own, no fucker talks to you, it's not a great experience anymore. No more jumping up and down and hugging my son when we score, he is sat fucking miles away.

I've had great times, motorbike to Manchester, than cars, than taking my kids, dad and me at the last Maine Road match.
All these memories yet sadly it seems City don't want the youngsters to experience this. City want tourist who spend hundreds in the shop etc.

I get abit annoyed when fans talk about local fans being treated bad. There's lots of ex mancs or southern City fans who have been going for 50 odd years. Don't forget us.

I think I've seen the best of being a fan.

Lacey fan ? I'm a City fan

 

[Roachy]

It will because of where it is
I'll say this again. Season tickets in East stand blocks 104 & 107 will double in price over the next couple of seasons and FOC discounts will be withdrawn
The club will be looking to price out season card holders from these areas to the expanded North stand and then be looking to sell the majority of tickets in 104 & 107 in "destination packages" to football tourists

I've mentioned this before, and like yourself, I'll say this again. Continued high ticket prices wether ST or matchday is eventually going to lead to swathes of empty seats. The tourists will not pick up the slack in sufficient numbers. This will likely be more noticeable in the lower profile games, and any continued downturn in the teams performance will only exacerbate this. Sad but true.

 

[Marvin.]

The ticket office is denigrated all the time but they manage to maximise ticket prices and fill the stadium over the years which demonstrates that they are much more adept and understanding of City's fanbase than they are given credit for. The interests of business do not always coincide with the interests of people. We want affordable football, they want to maximise revenues.

I believe MCFC know full well that you cannot sell an expanded stadium out with stellar match-day prices, and a squeezed seasoncard base, and that hospitality only works when you can offer access to a title-race. I know this opinion is unpopular but it is rational.

I believe that City will ultimately make sensible decisions and that the 115 case has severely impacted on Manchester City's business as usual which includes the ability to communicate. I think City are uncertain where the club will be in 12 months in terms of the Champions League and 115.

 

[Marvin.]

It will because of where it is
I'll say this again. Season tickets in East stand blocks 104 & 107 will double in price over the next couple of seasons and FOC discounts will be withdrawn
The club will be looking to price out season card holders from these areas to the expanded North stand and then be looking to sell the majority of tickets in 104 & 107 in "destination packages" to football tourists

I doubt that very much. Clearly a football club would like to increase match-day revenue but they won't be able to do that at City any more and I think they will know that.

 

[dickie davies]

I doubt that very much. Clearly a football club would like to increase match-day revenue but they won't be able to do that at City any more and I think they will know that.

It's already happened on L2

New stands and hotels don't pay for themselves

 

[philiph20]

I've mentioned this before, and like yourself, I'll say this again. Continued high ticket prices wether ST or matchday is eventually going to lead to swathes of empty seats. The tourists will not pick up the slack in sufficient numbers. This will likely be more noticeable in the lower profile games, and any continued downturn in the teams performance will only exacerbate this. Sad but true.

It's so obvious yet they can't or won't see it. We do NOT have swathes of day-trippers , tourists and out of town supporters like the two ugly sisters in red and probably never will have. They needed post 2012 to really motor on maintaining and enhancing local support in Greater Manchester, a child in 2012 would be in their late teens early 20s now but they in the main are not watching games at the Etihad, City had the chance to really shovel up kids then and make them feel like they belong and in turn attend games but they didn't, the so called legacy fans are disenchanted and the feel good factor had more or less gone which bearing in mind the success we have had is truly bizarre, there is no real buzz or a sense of belonging compare and contrast with supporters of Leeds, Newcastle etc.

Not all big European clubs have followed the likes of Real, Barcelona etc with their tourist obsessions the likes of Hamburg, Dortmund, Feyenoord, Marseille etc have a real rootedness in their local regions, a huge sense of belonging, they have a base and a sense of pride unlike the watered down, ambivalent, sterile sense of being which sadly appears to be the case with us. Admittedly these clubs as far as success and exposure haven't been at our level recently but should success on a larger scale occur they might attract new day-trippers causal fans but they STILL have the solid base of local/regional support. This is NOT a dig at out of town supporters many who have been going when we were shit from all over the UK, Ireland, Scotland etc and are as much part of the club as anyone from Beswick, Denton, Failsworth, Heaton Moor etc. The powers that be had their chance but they have screwed up royally.

 

[threespires]

Never thought I'd turn down the opportunity to watch City if I was able to go; but Leicester will be the first time I've not bothered buying a ticket despite being able to access one and being able to get there. Suspect it won't be the last time though.

If you're only there to support the team rather than spend spend spend then the 'match day experience' City seems to want to offer is to weaponise your loyalty and take you for a mug to fill the ground at stupid prices for 'lesser' fixtures. Sorry state of affairs for City and the wider game.

 

[dickie davies]

We were having the same discussions over ten years ago

Level 2 Next Season

Will the club give us a decent chance to relocate before renewing? I'm in 206.

forums.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk

Season Ticket Pricing as a result of Stadium Expansion

Seems that this thread needs to be created. Air your views around rising season ticket prices, availability of £299 tickets and general ability of 'traditional supporters' to continue to pay to watch City in the years to come...

forums.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk

 

[Damocles]

We were having the same discussions over ten years ago

Level 2 Next Season

Will the club give us a decent chance to relocate before renewing? I'm in 206.

forums.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk

Season Ticket Pricing as a result of Stadium Expansion

Seems that this thread needs to be created. Air your views around rising season ticket prices, availability of £299 tickets and general ability of 'traditional supporters' to continue to pay to watch City in the years to come...

forums.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk

Yeah so maybe we should do something about it so we're not having them in another ten

 

[Marvin.]

It's already happened on L2

New stands and hotels don't pay for themselves

So why do you assume the trend of rising prices will continue?

I don't expect that because contrary to most, I think City do know what they are doing. I don't think they really identify with City fans. But why would they? That's not their job. Their job is to sell out the stadium and generate the max. possible revenue in doing so. They have done that very well over the years.

The majority of people in this country hold the view that we live in a community where there is one best solution but that isn't how the world operates. King and Country is a fairytale world.

 

[dickie davies]

Yeah so maybe we should do something about it so we're not having them in another ten

I should have tagged @Marvin. into my post as it's in response to his that football tourists won't pick up the slack and they have so far
And also more wealthy people have continued to buy the big priced season tickets on L2

 

[give it to gordon]

Never thought I'd turn down the opportunity to watch City if I was able to go; but Leicester will be the first time I've not bothered buying a ticket despite being able to access one and being able to get there. Suspect it won't be the last time though.

If you're only there to support the team rather than spend spend spend then the 'match day experience' City seems to want to offer is to weaponise your loyalty and take you for a mug to fill the ground at stupid prices for 'lesser' fixtures. Sorry state of affairs for City and the wider game.

Did the same this season. First time I didn't fancy going for various reasons can't even remember which game it was.

 

[Jazzyblue]

The ticket office is denigrated all the time but they manage to maximise ticket prices and fill the stadium over the years which demonstrates that they are much more adept and understanding of City's fanbase than they are given credit for. The interests of business do not always coincide with the interests of people. We want affordable football, they want to maximise revenues.

I believe MCFC know full well that you cannot sell an expanded stadium out with stellar match-day prices, and a squeezed seasoncard base, and that hospitality only works when you can offer access to a title-race. I know this opinion is unpopular but it is rational.

I believe that City will ultimately make sensible decisions and that the 115 case has severely impacted on Manchester City's business as usual which includes the ability to communicate. I think City are uncertain where the club will be in 12 months in terms of the Champions League and 115.

For a period we have been the best team in the world. If you can’t shift 20k tickets or less - the rest are season ticket holders - in a conurbation of 3m with a commuter zone of 50mile, an international airport and a position right in the middle of the UK’s transport network at a time when our biggest local rivals are abysmal, there’s no hope for you. The ticket office do get unfairly knocked at times but filling the stadium - which isn’t happening as often as might be thought - isn’t down to special genius on their part. The club is chasing short term profits - high paying international visitors - over decades of recurring income, ie future ‘legacy’ fans. I agree with you that the new stand will not get filled at these prices, but City will find that out the hard way, not the easy way. They are ignoring the rate of attrition of older fans, they are ignoring the incomes of the traditional fanbase, they are ignoring the importance of atmosphere, they are ignoring generational and community ties to matchgoing and they are ignoring the fact that international appeal depends on continued success and glamour. They are trying to grow the club off the pitch - but not in a way that’s sustainable.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

For a period we have been the best team in the world. If you can’t shift 20k tickets or less - the rest are season ticket holders - in a conurbation of 3m with a commuter zone of 50mile, an international airport and a position right in the middle of the UK’s transport network at a time when our biggest local rivals are abysmal, there’s no hope for you. The ticket office do get unfairly knocked at times but filling the stadium - which isn’t happening as often as might be thought - isn’t down to special genius on their part. The club is chasing short term profits - high paying international visitors - over decades of recurring income, ie future ‘legacy’ fans. I agree with you that the new stand will not get filled at these prices, but City will find that out the hard way, not the easy way. They are ignoring the rate of attrition of older fans, they are ignoring the incomes of the traditional fanbase, they are ignoring the importance of atmosphere, they are ignoring generational and community ties to matchgoing and they are ignoring the fact that international appeal depends on continued success and glamour. They are trying to grow the club off the pitch - but not in a way that’s sustainable.

Well said. There’s been plenty of games that haven’t sold out this season - that’s with some cheaper tickets as well. Imagine it when there’s another 8,000 tickets

 

[halfcenturyup]

The ticket office is denigrated all the time but they manage to maximise ticket prices and fill the stadium over the years which demonstrates that they are much more adept and understanding of City's fanbase than they are given credit for. The interests of business do not always coincide with the interests of people. We want affordable football, they want to maximise revenues.

I believe MCFC know full well that you cannot sell an expanded stadium out with stellar match-day prices, and a squeezed seasoncard base, and that hospitality only works when you can offer access to a title-race. I know this opinion is unpopular but it is rational.

I believe that City will ultimately make sensible decisions and that the 115 case has severely impacted on Manchester City's business as usual which includes the ability to communicate. I think City are uncertain where the club will be in 12 months in terms of the Champions League and 115.

The point is that maximizing revenues in the short-term isn't the same as maximising revenues in the long-term. It seems to me we have owners who are perfectly willing to take a long-term view and executives who are concentrating too much on the short-term.

You give the executives too much credit, imho. They have one of the easiest jobs in club football but, by insisting on the short-term they will limit growth in the longer-term.

There is still an opportunity to balance the two at City and restrict the ability of the club's rivals to increase revenues (and use those increased revenues to secure funding in United's case). But they need to get a move on before too many fans leave and don't come back.

 

[bobbyowenquiff]

The ticket office is denigrated all the time but they manage to maximise ticket prices and fill the stadium over the years which demonstrates that they are much more adept and understanding of City's fanbase than they are given credit for. The interests of business do not always coincide with the interests of people. We want affordable football, they want to maximise revenues.

I believe MCFC know full well that you cannot sell an expanded stadium out with stellar match-day prices, and a squeezed seasoncard base, and that hospitality only works when you can offer access to a title-race. I know this opinion is unpopular but it is rational.

I believe that City will ultimately make sensible decisions and that the 115 case has severely impacted on Manchester City's business as usual which includes the ability to communicate. I think City are uncertain where the club will be in 12 months in terms of the Champions League and 115.

I admire your optimism and hope you are right. But why haven't City communicated their strategy to supporters. I understand that businesses have to evolve and change but no one can afford to alientate their core customer base. This latest saga looks like yet another PR blunder by the club.

 

[Edghill OG]

For a period we have been the best team in the world. If you can’t shift 20k tickets or less - the rest are season ticket holders - in a conurbation of 3m with a commuter zone of 50mile, an international airport and a position right in the middle of the UK’s transport network at a time when our biggest local rivals are abysmal, there’s no hope for you. The ticket office do get unfairly knocked at times but filling the stadium - which isn’t happening as often as might be thought - isn’t down to special genius on their part. The club is chasing short term profits - high paying international visitors - over decades of recurring income, ie future ‘legacy’ fans. I agree with you that the new stand will not get filled at these prices, but City will find that out the hard way, not the easy way. They are ignoring the rate of attrition of older fans, they are ignoring the incomes of the traditional fanbase, they are ignoring the importance of atmosphere, they are ignoring generational and community ties to matchgoing and they are ignoring the fact that international appeal depends on continued success and glamour. They are trying to grow the club off the pitch - but not in a way that’s sustainable.

As usual you are spot on mate. 35k season ticket holders, 3k away supporters? So only really about 10K seats to fill and they aren't doing that. I'd actually call that idiotic. That's off the back of the treble, centurion and fourmidable seasons. Emails being sent out about being able to buy multiple tickets etc for the upcoming games. This certainly wasn't the case in previous seasons and shows how fragile this extra income is that they lust after.

The matchday pricing in particular has led to people holding on to season tickets that probably wouldn't normally have them. At least with a ST you are somewhat protected. I know a few blues that don't even bother checking the ticket site now. They've accepted they are priced out and would only go if you offered them a ticket. The clubs done that, not that they care.

As I've put in a previous post the logical thing instead of offering multiple tickets etc to fill these now ever increasing vacant seats is to make the ticket prices more reasonable. But oh no!....... instead we'll make up the deficit by making the cunts that do go pay even more and sign up with Viagogo instead.

 

[halfcenturyup]

I admire your optimism and hope you are right. But why haven't City communicated their strategy to supporters. I understand that businesses have to evolve and change but no one can afford to alientate their core customer base. This latest saga looks like yet another PR blunder by the club.

Strategic blunder. The football club doesn't fuck up by chance, you know .....

 

[Damocles]

The matchday pricing in particular has led to people holding on to season tickets that probably wouldn't normally have them. At least with a ST you are somewhat protected. I know a few blues that don't even bother checking the ticket site now. They've accepted they are priced out and would only go if you offered them a ticket. The clubs done that, not that they care.

@Prestwich_Blue made a point years ago that 55,000 people at £30 is way less profitable than 45,000 at £50.

But the whole logic of the argument is wrong. This accepts the idea that Man City have to maximise revenues in all areas of the business. This is a logic I do not accept.

They can make choices. In fact they already do, they sacrifice revenue and profit for stuff all the time. The entire CFG outside of City runs at a massive loss but they support it because they think its a good idea. Similar with the Women's team.

I cannot stress this enough. Last season City made a PROFIT of £74 million pounds. Our entire matchday revenue which includes every ticket, corporate seat, Tunnel Club and every pie and beer at the ground across every single game played by the men, women and youth teams was £75m for the whole year.

City also made money in the Covid era when there was £0 in matchday revenues. They made £80 million pounds profit the year before last

City could have chose to have "only" made £50m pounds in pure direct profit instead and have tickets at £20 with season tickets at £350.

They have no financial need to increase prices. It's pure greed.