“City Matters” fan committee

[jrb]

First of all, not all Hospitality season ticket holders are corporate. Many pay out of their own pocket and many have been as loyal over the years as other season ticket holders. But, as you say, they could potentially be allocated on points.

But true Corporates, like Etihad who have a box, contribute about 10% of our total turnover so if they ask for 6 tickets at Old Trafford for a derby, they're going to get them. As are companies like Hays. That's the way it works whether you like it or not.

As for the OSC, there's another way of looking at it. We often see complaints that our "legacy" fans have been driven out but rising costs and many of those will be OSC members. Why should we deny those fans an occasional ticket to a game they're prepared to make the effort to travel to?

It's really entitled to say that only non-hospitality season ticket holders who've paid for Platinum and have had that ticket for 20 years should have the ability to buy tickets for away games.

It was just over 15 years ago that with 5-6k points you could get a ticket for pretty well every away game. I know because I did just that. The only worry was whether the club would take its full 3k allocation instead of just 1,500, as they were worried they'd have to pay for that other 1.5k and be stuck with most of them. Success is starting to spoil our fanbase.

Platinum season tickets didn’t exist until the club came up with the idea as a way to increase Season ticket revenue, albeit a very tiny percentage of the season ticket revenue.

I have been forced by the club to go platinum and to pay an extra £50 on top of my season ticket price to keep my loyalty points up so I don’t fall behind other season ticket holders who also have platinum season tickets. If it was my choice I wouldn’t pay the extra £50 and be a platinum season ticket holder, but I haven’t got a choice if I want to keep up in the loyalty points race.

The club abolished away loyalty points, instead they gave the fans the ‘opportunity’ to get additional and multiple loyalty points via a platinum season ticket and signing up to all the cup schemes, which are all rewarded by extra loyalty points.

 

[jrb]

Off topic slightly but I’ve been to a few OSC meetings and found every one of them broadly the same - unfriendly old man cliques and very off putting.

The opportunity to get away tickets and transport to games etc is appealing but I’ve just never found any of them very welcoming.

(I’m in my mid 30s)

I’m in a OSC branch.

You do have point to an extent. But you have to remember people have known each other for many years and have traveled away together for many years.

When I first joined the the branch I didn’t know anyone. But over time I’ve made friends and travel away with them on the coach when I go to away games.

Apart from making friends, the away travel is very well organised, with good coaches, and excellent coach drivers. Coach travel is still pretty cheap, although prices have gone up due to fuel and wage increases.

I don’t have to get my away ticket. I apply for my away ticket via the branch, If I have enough loyalty points, and the branch get’s my away ticket, which I collect and pay for along with the cost of my coach travel on the coach going to the away game.

The 2 people who run the branch work every hard behind the scenes to make sure tickets and travel are all sorted out for everyone.

 

[Stephen230]

Platinum season tickets didn’t exist until the club came up with that idea as a way to increase Season ticket revenue, albeit a very tiny percentage of the season ticket revenue.

I have been forced by the club to go platinum and to pay an extra £50 on top of my season ticket price to keep my loyalty points up so I don’t fall behind other season ticket holders who also have platinum season tickets. If it was my choice I wouldn’t pay the extra £50 and be a platinum season ticket holder, but I haven’t got a choice if I want to keep up in the loyalty points race.

The club abolished away loyalty points, instead they gave the fans the ‘opportunity’ to get additional and multiple loyalty points via a platinum season ticket and signing up to all the cup schemes, which are all rewarded by extra loyalty points.

I’m not sure it’s a “tiny percentage” of season ticket revenue. Although I’ve absolutely no idea what % are Platinum. It’s about +9% for me and well over 10% for those in the cheapest seats. Not insignificant.

Of all the great things the club have undoubtedly done over the last 15 years or so, that Platinum idea is surely the worst idea they’ve had? I think they probably realise that now, which is why it’s never gone up. But by scrapping it, it would be an admission they’ve been ripping everyone off for years.

 

[jrb]

I’m not sure it’s a “tiny percentage” of season ticket revenue. Although I’ve absolutely no idea what % are Platinum. It’s about +9% for me and well over 10% for those in the cheapest seats. Not insignificant.

Of all the great things the club have undoubtedly done over the last 15 years or so, that Platinum idea is surely the worst idea they’ve had? I think they probably realise that now, which is why it’s never gone up. But by scrapping it, it would be an admission they’ve been ripping everyone off for years.

Sorry, I meant £50xX’s. For argument sake 10,000 x £50 = £500,000.

I’m not saying there are 10,000 platinum season ticket holders.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Platinum season tickets didn’t exist until the club came up with that idea as a way to increase Season ticket revenue, albeit a very tiny percentage of the season ticket revenue.

I have been forced by the club to go platinum and to pay an extra £50 on top of my season ticket price to keep my loyalty points up so I don’t fall behind other season ticket holders who also have platinum season tickets. If it was my choice I wouldn’t pay the extra £50 and be a platinum season ticket holder, but I haven’t got a choice if I want to keep up in the loyalty points race.

The club abolished away loyalty points, instead they gave the fans the ‘opportunity’ to get additional and multiple loyalty points via a platinum season ticket and signing up to all the cup schemes, which are all rewarded by extra loyalty points.

Platinum is a ridiculous concept, as you say, on many levels. There are about 13k Platinum members so It's 0.1% of our turnover these days & would be barely noticeable on the accounts if we dropped it. In economic terms £50 doesn't represent the value it brings to the buyer. If you're getting double points it should be a much higher amount.

It's divisive, splitting the fans into two camps, and pretty well forces you to pay it in order to keep up. It's one of the worst things we've ever done, alongside the lifetime ticket points accumulation.

City Matters made these points to the club on numerous occasions. When they countered with the point about it being a revenue stream, albeit a small one,we suggested making it a premium package that gave other benefits other than double points. An extra 10% off at the store, in addition to your 10% season ticket discount. A freebie at the start of the season, prizes, such as hospitality tickets or even a discount on matchday hospitality, the chance to buy an extra ticket for cup games, or other benefits.

But they just dont listen, or don't care.

 

[awest]

What happened to the centenary supporter association? I think it was formed during the Franny Lee takeover days.

 

[jrb]

Platinum is a ridiculous concept, as you say, on many levels. There are about 13k Platinum members so It's 0.1% of our turnover these days & would be barely noticeable on the accounts if we dropped it. In economic terms £50 doesn't represent the value it brings to the buyer. If you're getting double points it should be a much higher amount.

It's divisive, splitting the fans into two camps, and pretty well forces you to pay it in order to keep up. It's one of the worst things we've ever done, alongside the lifetime ticket points accumulation.

City Matters made these points to the club on numerous occasions. When they countered with the point about it being a revenue stream, albeit s small one,we suggested making it a premium package that gave other benefits other than double points. An extra 10% off at the store, in addition to your 10% season ticket discount. A freebie at the start of the season, prizes, such as hospitality tickets or even a discount on matchday hospitality, the chance to buy an extra ticket for cup games, or other benefits.

But they just dont listen, or don't care.

That’s why I have no faith in the proposed NSL2 issue being resolved or reversed by the club. It’s another revenue stream for the club.


No need to go over it again on this thread as it’s (been discussed) in the North stand expansion thread.

 

[mancityvstoke]

What happened to the centenary supporter association? I think it was formed during the Franny Lee takeover days.

got amalgamated from memory

 

[BillCarlisle]

Off topic slightly but I’ve been to a few OSC meetings and found every one of them broadly the same - unfriendly old man cliques and very off putting.

The opportunity to get away tickets and transport to games etc is appealing but I’ve just never found any of them very welcoming.

(I’m in my mid 30s)

Either you've been unlucky or I've been very lucky.
I first came into contact with my local OSC Branch when trying to find a suitable way to get to the 2011 FAC semi. After a very enjoyable trip I joined the Branch and have been travelling to games on the coach ever since. I've become good mates with quite a few of those strangers whom I first met on that unforgettable April day in 2011. Indeed we've had some great times together over the years so I wouldn't knock OSC Branches. In my experience its a good way of getting together with like minded Blues.
As I said, maybe you've been unlucky.

 

[Mad Eyed Screamer]

What happened to the centenary supporter association? I think it was formed during the Franny Lee takeover days.

Wow - the Official SC and the CSA voted to merge years ago in the mid 2000's.

The split was caused after the Officials backed Swales 100% in a statement in the MEN.
With Swales out of the equation, the club didn't want to deal with 2 organisation's that were pretty much the same with no common issues keeping them apart.