£56 for home games

[MATCITY]

Just out of interest, for those with a season ticket who think the price is too high, if you are unable to attend a game, would you sell your ticket on the ticket exchange for around the amount you paid, the advertised price of a ticket to Blue Members or more than the advertised price?

I usually just give to some lad from work for his uncle and cousin

 

[cleavers]

So jma what is the reason?

A purely cynical decision by someone at the club/the club as a whole to show how good at business they can be. Make no mistake, at least one person at the club, probably more, will see their stock rise considerably if they can show that revenues from 'normal' tickets have risen by a big percentage over, say, a five year period.

Even though, in the larger scheme of things, it is totally irrelevant to the club's operations and success.

My worry though is that it is not the decision of a tiny amount of people who have a personal/career reason to show that they can increase the amount squeezed out of fans and that such an attitude/ethos might have come from the very top. Which, if is the case, means that it is here to stay. It is also very sad when you compare it to the rhetoric from the owners re the fans when they arrived.

But, regardless of where it has come from it is just an exercise in increasing certain figures on balance sheets and percentages elsewhere. Purely because they can do so and purely because that is what is seen as 'good business'.

Very sheep like and a real shame that the attitude reflects that we, those who kept the club going, are seen as nothing more than commodities to be exploited, despite what anyone says.

It's certainly a concern because, as you say, if this is part of a wider all-encompassing strategy then everyone will begin to feel its effects eventually, including all the 'I'm alright Jack' brigade.

The other defence that annoys me is when people say "it's simple supply and demand", as though City are legally bound to ramp up their prices every time another 100 'customers' show an interest in purchasing their 'product'. City aren't a publicly listed company with a duty to maximising their revenues for the sake of their shareholders. If the club deems £35 to be a reasonable charge for a ticket then it can charge that price regardless of the amount of people that want to buy it. Nothing can stop them doing that, including the laws of supply and demand.

I agree with much of what jma says, but it is still about getting more revenue into the club, I don't think its driven by FFP, or our owner wanting to "break even", its about a simple business model to make a company profitable.

Its my view that the club are now aiming at a very different market than the one we have had until now in our history, its one we won't like, its the market united have, the day tripper market.

I'm a long term season ticket holder (and I fully expect that to come to an end in the next few years, I said the same the year after we were taken over), but I'm useless revenue wise to the club, and they know it, because like many other season ticket holders, I only buy a season ticket, I spend next to bugger all at the club otherwise, I refuse to pay for grossly inflated and inferior food and drink, I don't buy much merchandise (and I'll usually buy from the cheapest source not the club if I do), and I don't buy matchday programmes, so my match day revenue to the club is about £30 per home game. If I can''t go, my ticket will be used by someone else, again at no extra revenue to the club (again I doubt I'm alone), and usually for a small fee that we agree on, but always less than face value.

So my matchday worth to the club is @£30 x 2 = @£60

The daytripper however, comes once or twice a season, usually brings family, say an average of 4 people, 2 adults, 2 kids. On a match day they will buy a programme £5, they will be catered for in the stadium, say 4 pints and 4 soft drinks, £25, food for 4 £20, plus tickets £160, they'll probably go in the shop and might spend £50.

So their matchday worth to the club is @£260 (at least double what they get from me).

Until now the club couldn't afford to dump their loyal supporter base for this new market, but now we are champions, they can test the water, if we remain succesful then its the way to go revenue wise.

This day tipper market is much more lucrative, its usually from middle to high earners, and yet they still spend less than me over a season, because they only come once or twice.

If demand stays high (ie we remain succesful) then I expect the number of season tickets available to slowly reduce in number to accomodate more of these day trippers, they are simply worth a lot more to the club than I am.

When there was talk of £5 matc tickets with our "loyalty" being rewarded after all these years of crap, I laughed at the suggestion. There is only 1 model in football finance regading succes, the more success you have, the more you end up paying. The club (rightly) want those attending to maximise the revenue, and that I'm afraid will not come from long term supporters that have been the bed rock of the club in the shit times.

 

[jimharri]

Would you rather pay £35 or £55?

Would you rather watch - Ben Thatcher, Richard Dunne, Joey Barton, Darius Vassell and Georgios Samaras
or
Gael Clichy, Vincent Kompany, David Silva, Yaya Toure and Sergio Aguero?

People would rather be able to afford to pay and go and watch anyone, rather than not be able to afford to go at all.

Also, it is a very simplistic argument by PP. You actually pay to watch a football game. That involves two sides, like it or not. Now, assuming that these are category A prices that the club are charging for the Southampton, that means you'll be paying the same to watch Southampton as you will to watch Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs, Liverpool and the vermin. Is that fair? Granted, it is the first game of the season and marks the return of the champions. That would lead to a high demand for tickets. Looking at the OS though, there are still tickets available, up in the gods but available nonetheless.

 

[100%manc]

Just read through this entire thread and seen one or two posts talking about Blue members being "casual fans"

I could not afford to stump up £560 in one go to renew my season ticket when they were on sale, which is nobodys fault (except none paying customer damm you ;)). By the time I got the money together they were sold out. GUTTED! So this season I am a blue member with Match priority.

I have got just under 7000 loyalty points. Does this make me a casual fan? does is bollocks. it just means in skint and could not afford to renew. I'm sure loads of others will be in the same situation as me.

 

[cleavers]

Just read through this entire thread and seen one or two posts talking about Blue members being "casual fans"

I could not afford to stump up £560 in one go to renew my season ticket when they were on sale, which is nobodys fault (except none paying customer damm you ;)). By the time I got the money together they were sold out. GUTTED! So this season I am a blue member with Match priority.

I have got just under 7000 loyalty points. Does this make me a casual fan? does is bollocks. it just means in skint and could not afford to renew. I'm sure loads of others will be in the same situation as me.

Unfortunately 100%manc, that is what the club would prefer, and if these prices are anything to go by they will get their wish, with you, and many others.

I don't think anyone is calling blue members casual fans, just pointing out that many don't go as often, but as I said above, sadly its the day tripper that will maximise revenue.

 

[BlueHalli]

It always amazes me when fans defend the club for increasing the price of tickets ? Why would you ? They are pricing local fans with families out of the game to make way for richer corporate clients or tourists that might visit once in their lifetime. Why would you defend that ? Please tell me.

I think this sort of thing is a mith. What makes people think we will get tens of thousands of tourests flooding into our ground, because that is the volume your lookin at to make it worth while pricing 'locals' out of matches. As for those now comin from Cornwall ect, are they on 10 times more money than people in Manchester? where locals cant afford to walk to the ground so this suddenly makes way for people to spend a hundred pounds or so in travel money alone to take their places? Really, these 'locals' need to get their heads out of their arses and realise that it isnt just 'Mancs' that support City.

What the fuck are you talking about ? I'm talking about prices not where our fans come from. i mention locality in relation to wages. How much do you think a bloke living close to City's ground earns on average. Taking 2 kids with him to a match is likely to cost him between 1/3 and 1/2 of his weekly wage. What part of this do you not understand ?

Your basically sayin the clubs way of thinking is 'We're a top club now, fook the locals, lets bang the prices up as we have tens of thousands of tourests from Japan and China queueing up for tickets'. It simply isnt the case, just like it isnt the case that people think 'Locals' are being priced out as thousands from Devon etc will take their seats. Hey, they might well do! You then compare a 'local' that simply has to pay for their ticket, and then you have a guy from Devon that has to pay the same price for a match ticket but also has to go through all the hassle and expens of travel to get to a game.In that case, the guy from Devon prob deserves it more !

 

[CheethamHillBlue]

People would rather be able to afford to pay and go and watch anyone, rather than not be able to afford to go at all.

The only down side to your argument is more and more people appear to be able to afford it judging by the full house signs last season.

 

[BlueHalli]

Just read through this entire thread and seen one or two posts talking about Blue members being "casual fans"

I could not afford to stump up £560 in one go to renew my season ticket when they were on sale, which is nobodys fault (except none paying customer damm you ;)). By the time I got the money together they were sold out. GUTTED! So this season I am a blue member with Match priority.

I have got just under 7000 loyalty points. Does this make me a casual fan? does is bollocks. it just means in skint and could not afford to renew. I'm sure loads of others will be in the same situation as me.

Unfortunately 100%manc, that is what the club would prefer, and if these prices are anything to go by they will get their wish, with you, and many others.

I don't think anyone is calling blue members casual fans, just pointing out that many don't go as often, but as I said above, sadly its the day tripper that will maximise revenue.

I live about 130 miles away and was lookin into a seasoncard. I looked at our previuos seasons fixtures and worked out I could prob only attend about a dozen games-which is roughly what I do a season. It just wouldnt pay for me to get a seasoncard as the kick off times are all over the place and Id struggle gettin to games due to work. Also, travel would cost me a bomb. A £10 or so rise in ticket prices is nothing when you also add up all the travel expens etc. I can understand that it soon adds up for those with kids, but then it still wouldnt extantly be cheap before hand.

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

I think what people are saying is why defend the club? They saw an opportunity to exploit fans simply because this is the first game of the season following our title win. Southampton at home is not CAT A, never has been and never will be.

I get the impression that some people would still defend it if tickets were £65 a game. Where do you draw the line?

 

[St Helens Blue (Exiled)]

I have said it before and will sat it again being able to fund watching city is called living in the real world and making choices. Everything is expensive,cars,mortgages,football,nights out,smoking,drinking even going on holiday. This is my story,if you aren't interested then that's fine,but this is how I afford to watch city.

I earn 32k per year. My wife earns slightly more around 35k. We have way above average income but when people say you live to your means this is very true and we cut our cloth accordingly.

We have a 3yr old child who wants for nothing. I have an 11yr old that I pay maintenance for religously each month. My wife is expecting again,due in January. We have a mortgage of £988 per month-yes £988 , 2 cars both 11 plates etc etc...

My life after my family is Man City and always has been. How do I afford my 2 season tickets per year-I put 50p's and 20p's in a bottle twds the cost of my season ticket. I am currently up to £64 for next seasons ticket.

I don't drink and I don't smoke - Smoking is what £6 per packet even 1 packet per week costing £24-£30 per month. People don't have to give up if they don't want but please do not complain that city are pricing the average fan out of gong to football.

I fully sympathise with families who are struggling and not in a position to pay to watch city but this is NOT the clubs fault.

My choice is not to drink,not to smoke - I would rather have a beautiful home,family and be able to afford going to the match...If I smoked-i would not be able to afford going to the match.

MCFC is a business and they have to make money. It is fuck all to do with FFP etc etc.

Oh well, good luck to all those who are struggling to make ends meet etc , I personally hope we extend the stadium asap to make the ticketing a little more affordable for people who cannot pay at present.

On a side note to what Millwallveteran is saying...I agree that Saints is and never should be a CAT A fixture...QPR at home will be interesting.