Apparently there was 'huge numbers' of empty seats...

[worsleyweb]

Then you miss the point of the thread totally don't you. It's more or less the same seats every game. They are sold but no one turns up to sit in them unless it's Pool, Chelsea etc.

It neither offends nor upsets me but it is what both this and the other thread was about and I thought I may as well comment, what with this being a forum and that combined with the fact that there was once again empty seats during a game that was sold out.

If reading my posts offends you, hit the ignore button. Thanks.[/QUOTE

Yes I will cheers for that.

 

[Damocles]

I am on a number of fronts but I haven't explained my post about the tickets properly.

It's a PL requirement to report attendances. Rule L38 says that all clubs have to submit Form 11 within 10 days of a league match. This is what Form 11 looks like:


So we are required to report tickets ISSUED in a number of categories, including complimentary tickets. If the away club asks for 1,000 and that's what we issue, I assume that's the figure we report even if they only sell 500. But it also asks for the number of spectators attending (including hospitality) but doesn't explain what "attending" means. I believe the clubs can interpret that as they wish, either as actual numbers through the turnstiles and in hospitality, tickets actually sold, even if not used, or whatever. People will always not turn up for various reasons and Arsenal did a study that reckoned that about 3% of ticket holders didn't show on average, per game. If that's the same for us then that's about 1,600 people.

But we all know that it's the same areas where there are significant numbers of seats every game,even when that game is supposedly sold out. I'd like the club to understand why that is and do what they can to solve it as it's revenue we could be missing out on.

I've just had a Daily Mail journo up on this on Twatter. Giving it out about how us and Arsenal fake attendances because we report tickets sold, the balloon.

 

[bluwes]

I posted on another thread about the number of people standing at the back of the lower tier of the north stand, underneath the overhang of the upper tier, presumably to stay out of the rain. You can see it from where I sit. Not sure why the stewards allow it

 

[Mr HJ]

Good grief another couple of negative stories in the Daily Fail wonders never cease- this alongside why did we wait for Pep after Bayern could only draw? Pathetic reporting.

Fact is, considering the weather we get in Manchester the stadium has a major flaw - the first 20 or so rows are not protected from the rain and many fans move up or watch in the concourse. Who'd have thought we get a lot of rain up north? Plus we have a council who despite knowing match days insist on closing roads, diverting traffic stupid ways and not being aware that the majority of fans still travel to games by car. Twice in the last month or so myself and two other blues have given up on a night game because after 2-3 hours driving from the M56 we were still stuck.Can't all leave work early - this is why many have a problem with the 7:45 kick offs in the CL games. Nonetheless these stories are quite laughable and more evidence of bitter, lazy journalism.

 

[moenchengladbach blau]

The couple in front of me are both nurses at Trafford General and cannot always arrange their shifts to get to the match. Would the media be happier if they pulled a sickie (excuse pun). The media love to go on about the NHS as well as City. Imagine a headline 'Pensioner dies due to lack of care because nurses went to the football match.'


The media could pick out empty seats on every ground if they wanted but the fact is they don't, they just want to get on to City.

 

[abu13]

The thing that bothers me bout this is the fact that we are the only club to get beaten with this brush, when you then consider the attendance was the highest in the entire United Kingdom then you realise what a piss take this is. Up to 4 years ago the only people who used to comment on our attendances were the rags, then you get the likes of Scholes, camel gob, Owen etc.. all ex rags raising the issue on live TV and the myth grows.

Also consider that we are in close proximity to the "biggest club in the world with 700 million trillion fans" then it's a wonder we get anyone turning up, They rarely mention that there may have been a couple of hundred empty seats but we have opened up an entire new tier holding thousands of additional fans that is full, many people have transferred from the more expensive seats visible on the TV to the new stand.

We are the only club in the country whose fans are still purchasing tickets for all 4 club competitions and lets face it there is nothing cheap about following football nowadays.

I agree though that the club need to do something about the media coverage we get, we are very weak when it comes to this.

Here's a thought, how about we peddle Manuel off now and get Rafa in for the rest of the season on the provision that he gives a "Facts " speech in his first press conference all about the untruths being peddled by the media.

 

[warpig]

why does it take 10 mins into a game that people still are coming in, I know some might get caught in some traffic, but not hundreds

It reflects a general malaise that people have now. arrive late. leave early. All in all an attitude of 'we don't care.'

 

[paulchapo]

why does it take 10 mins into a game that people still are coming in, I know some might get caught in some traffic, but not hundreds

There is a father and two sons next to me and just after kick off just one son was there.I asked if the other two were coming and he said they were here,he had no idea where they were.Ten minutes in they stroll in,it appears they were standing at the bar.Incredible!

 

[jrb]

It's season ticket holders not turning up.

The seats were there before we expanded and with bigger crowds they're still there. They'd be there if we got 100,000 every home game.

One of the most telling things is that when we get the third tier of the away end we fill it every single time.

When we got good we picked up a new type of supporter. The casual season ticket holder. They pick and choose their games and don't fancy it if it's dark or rainy.

TBH I don't believe we have that many season ticket holders not turning up on a regular basis. I appreciate people won't agree with me, but if it's the same season ticket holders time and again, those season tickets should be revoked by the club at the end of the season, and sold to other City fans on the waiting list. If the season ticket holder can give a genuine and valid reason for not using their season ticket on a regular basis, then fair enough. If not, and they just can't be arsed turning up, apart for the big games, which Leicester was one, then they should have their season taken off them.

City also need to be more transparent about seat sales. There's no way all those empty seats yesterday were season ticket holder seats. So why weren't they sold to City fans who wanted to attend the match? According to the OS seat planner, the match was sold out

Spurs next week.

According to the OS seat planner the bottom tier of the North stand is almost sold out. Let's see next week.

 

[HelloCity]

TBH I don't believe we have that many season ticket holders not turning up on a regular basis. I appreciate people won't agree with me, but if it's the same season ticket holders time and again, those season tickets should be revoked by the club at the end of the season, and sold to other City fans on the waiting list. If the season ticket holder can give a genuine and valid reason for not using their season ticket on a regular basis, then fair enough. If not, and they just can't be arsed turning up, apart for the big games, which Leicester was one, then they should have their season taken off them.

City also need to be more transparent about seat sales. There's no way all those empty seats yesterday were season ticket holder seats. So why weren't they sold to City fans who wanted to attend the match? According to the OS seat planner, the match was sold out

Spurs next week.

According to the OS seat planner the bottom tier of the North stand is almost sold out. Let's see next week.

It's definitely season ticket holders. The third tiers on the sides were completely full at the back where a lot of the match day sales are and like I say we always sellout the away end third tier when we get it. Cup games like against Everton also fill up those seats at the bottom as they're one of match tickets.