Football used to be a fun hobby. You could, on a whim, just decide to go to a game. Jump on a bus or train, queue up, pay the entrance fee and watch the game. It was relatively cheap, even kids could afford it with their pocket money, often supplemented with a paper round or similar. If you were in a different part of the country it was the same. You could take in any game and as long as you went in the home end and kept your head down you were generally okay.
Now it's becoming a chore. More and more restrictions. If you're visiting another city you can't just go to a game without having a membership or a previous purchase history. Once upon a time clubs valued season ticket holders, they were a guaranteed paid up front income,now they are an inconvenience for successful clubs. They're not wanted, they want tourists paying top money and purchasing souvenirs. They make it more difficult to retain that season ticket, like our clubs "You must personally attend ten games or else" policy. They know full well tv schedules moving fixtures around will make that more difficult. Now retired I like to take more holidays, going to a football match isn't my whole existence. If I missed games before I always put them on the seat exchange. As a foc, the club gave me £20 back and probably resold my ticket for at least £60. So they gained on me missing a game. Now I'm having to plan my winter breaks around the fixture list so I can guarantee the ten game allowance criteria. It's a fucking nonsense and there are enough hoops we have to jump through in everyday life without adding going to a football game to the list. I hate being dictated to and I am.on the verge of fucking it all off, which of course is exactly what they want me to do. Sad after fifty seven years of supporting them, but at least I've seen us win everything there is after thinking I'd die without seeing us even win a league cup again. That's modern football and life for you I guess.
