Are You Doing Anything To Protest About The Latest Season Ticket Price Increase?

[Prestwich_Blue]

You're renewing. The rest is wind.

Not it's not. It's a loss of revenue to the club and money that I would have spent on tickets will stay in my pocket. Perhaps when they look at the swathes of empty seats at League Cup & CL games they might think "Maybe it wasn't the best idea". The Arsenal board certainly got the message about Wenger when they saw their fans' staying away in their droves.

I know our board were quite shocked at the reaction to last year's increase yet they did it again. There's no financial imperative for it. They could have shown us a gesture of goodwill & frozen prices, like every other big club, bar Spurs, has done. And I think Spurs' decision to set the prices at the level they have will backfire on them. People won't pay those prices if they aren't winning anything.

 

[jrb]

This thread and the other one will have been read and discussed by City officials. Trust me, they do read BM, as well as other City related social media websites.

From it they will take a general consensus. The mood of the fans. For and against. Happy and not happy.

Then they will wait until the numbers start coming in. Those staying or opting out, keeping, getting rid, etc.

It will be a bit like a local election for them. Waiting for the votes to be cast, to see if they have won or lost.

 

[dickie davies]

Have to laugh at that! Are you talking punters or owners now?

£30 increase in a season ticket over 12 months is £2.50 a month. You are fucking kidding me that punters can’t save £2.50 a month that they would have otherwise “pissed up the wall on things that aren’t needed!”

You do understand, right? THEY have a business and YOU have money. They set a price, you decide if you can live with it. When they overshoot your nut, then you decline. If others do the same thing, the businessman realizes that he is losing customers, so he either hikes prices to cover lost customers or lowers prices to keep attracting them. This is how the world works, be it City, the busses, the trains, the Apple Store, wherever.

If we have reached your nut, I’m sure you will be missed by some, but it appears there are others in line willing to pay the price.

I’m sorry if that sounds callous, but this is a multi-billion pound business and supply and demand will dictate prices, to a certain extent. Beyond that, it is the commercial offsets that might save you a few quid.

People complain about Swales not being able to run the club and it all being about mates and old boys running the show with a lack of financial and professional acumen. Well, now you have one of the best business men in the world running the show and he has transformed Manchester City into something that would have been fanciful at best a decade ago...yet that boss gets pilloried here, too?!?

So, what is the sweet spot between everyone being happy with low prices and the club being run so it can win everything in sight every year and still make money for the owner who has invested billions???

Whatever number you come up with, it will be too much for someone, so what’s the answer, if not supply and demand and staying in,one with your competition....all while offering a few thousand of the cheapest seasoncards in the country to watch the best team in the country?

I give up!

It's not £2.50 a month though is it!
It's £2.50 on top of what the season ticket already costs

Not it's not. It's a loss of revenue to the club and money that I would have spent on tickets will stay in my pocket. Perhaps when they look at the swathes of empty seats at League Cup & CL games they might think "Maybe it wasn't the best idea". The Arsenal board certainly got the message about Wenger when they saw their fans' staying away in their droves.

I know our board were quite shocked at the reaction to last year's increase yet they did it again. There's no financial imperative for it. They could have shown us a gesture of goodwill & frozen prices, like every other big club, bar Spurs, has done. And I think Spurs' decision to set the prices at the level they have will backfire on them. People won't pay those prices if they aren't winning anything.

Like ourselves when we moved to "COMS" Spurs will have that novelty, good feeling vibe and sell plenty of tickets initially. But when the supporters realise what they're paying, then they'll be the drop off

 

[jrb]

It's not £2.50 a month though is it!
It's £2.50 on top of what the season ticket already costs




Like ourselves when we moved to "COMS" Spurs will have that novelty, good feeling vibe and sell plenty of tickets initially. But when the supporters realise what they're paying, then they'll be the drop off

That's right.

We packed out the Etihad when we first moved there. 44,000 sell outs every week. No Emptyhad jibes then. Then Stuart and Beanie took charge.

Despite a successful start to the 2005–06 season, City finished 15th in the Premier League due to losing nine of the last ten games. They were also eliminated from the League Cup by League One side Doncaster Rovers. Pearce developed the reputation as being unusually fair and honest by refusing to criticise referees for mistakes they may have made.[25] He was also touted as a potential successor for England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson.[26]

Pearce failed to bring about an improvement in the 2006–07 season which saw City come close to relegation.[27] The club were again eliminated from the League Cup by a League One team, this time by Chesterfield. The side also scored just ten goals at home in the league, and zero after New Year's Day in 2007, a record low in top-flight English football.[28] Pearce was sacked at the end of the season in May 2007.[29]

That season Stuart wiped 3000 off the average attendance figure.

The following season the average attendance went up by 3000.

Football fans in general are a fickle bunch. That includes City fans. They won't pay hard earned and good money watching a poor and unsuccessful team.

While Pep is still here and the team is playing beautiful football and winning trophies, the fans will turn up in their droves. Of that there is no doubt.

After Pep has gone, we'll see.

City just need to be a little careful going forward.

A couple of price freezes leading into a new Managers reign, wouldn't be a bad idea.

 

[willipp]

For me its not about a protest, it's the overall cost of paying for my season ticket and attendin games means i just cannot justify and afford doing cup games and CL on a regular basis. It's not a protest, its just basic finances. It may not seem much to people, but the continual increases year on year just mean i won't pay for additional games outside of league games.

 

[Rochdale Blue]

For me its not about a protest, it's the overall cost of paying for my season ticket and attendin games means i just cannot justify and afford doing cup games and CL on a regular basis. It's not a protest, its just basic finances. It may not seem much to people, but the continual increases year on year just mean i won't pay for additional games outside of league games.

For me you can add the proposed moving of FA Cup games to midweek evenings and CL games being corrupt. I think Athletico were the only team through to a final that didn't get a helping hand off the officials. Friday and Saturday night games they can shove as well.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

City changed their accounting date from 31 May to 30 June to come into line with all the other group companies. They said at the time that it impacted the bottom line by around £10m, so we should have made £11m profit rather than £1m.

Exactly!
£11M on what turnover? Do the math! They’re not printing money at our expense, but they are creating the best football CLUB and football any of us has seen in our lifetimes.

I think it would be BRILLIANT PR if they gave every season card holder a surprise one year and said, “As long as you don’t move seats, next season your season card is FREE for all the years of loyalty you have given the club!” That would include Juniors who have to transition to adult tickets and adults who qualify for OAP concessions, etc. If your name is on the list, same seat is FREE!

Thereafter, as espoused before, a more simplified ticketing scheme, announcement of a new three tiered “Kop” to complete the stadium, a “rebid” of seats based on longevity, and pricing to fill the place!

At 62,000, maybe a season card allotment of 48,000, with upto 6,200 (or whatever is required by the Premier League, with offsets like United has, of course!)for away support, and almost 4,000 match day tickets for day-trippers and 4,000 inexpensive “walk up with Cityzen Card” tickets available as a “Call Ahead, Will Call Window/Smartphone” tickets with a £20 City-issued Cityzen ID and the £20 being deducted from first ticket sale.

These are simple, easy to enact, steps that could help revolutionize the City experience, and transform and offset the spiraling cost of the game day experience.

Another one is a £25 Carabao/FA Cup “Ticket, Pie & Pint” and £15 “Ticket, Pie or Chips or Candy and a Pop” for the kids promotions.

Another one is “Bring 3 Kids Cup Promo tickets to the City Store for a £15 discount on a Youth Team Jersey” promo.

All of these things bring people, goodwill, and still shift merchandise at a profit, yet you’re treating your fans to very attractive, cost/effective, tie-ins that help further galvanize support!

Another one that I think would be huge is an early bird discount on team jerseys to get them out on the streets. There could be 3 separate windows, 1 for each jersey, for 2 weeks prior to official launch. Only good on pre-orders within the 2 week window, etc, etc, etc...

A Christmas “Buy 2, get 1 free on same sized Home, Away, and Third jerseys Sale” In December, but need Cityzen Picture ID or Seasoncard.

The permutations and promotional things that can be done, to both help offset what some see as exorbitant pricing and a lack of understanding of the profile of the City fan base, is almost limitless. However, all of the above are loyalty-driven, many are kid-centric, and all of them help move promotional merchandise from the warehouse to the streets.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

It's not £2.50 a month though is it!
It's £2.50 on top of what the season ticket already costs

So, it’s not NEXT season’s costs you’re bitchin about, but EVERY season’s costs!

Well, I guess you should invest in a US VPN, subscribe to NBCSN Gold, and watch City on TV for $50/season, plus VPN costs.

I thought we were complaining about the price INCREASE, as stated in the Thrrad Title, but yours is a more general “Fuck this, it’s always been too expensive!” sentiment.

Can’t help you on that one! For some, it has always been expensive. In fact, I remember my first season ticket in the North Stand at Maine Road, sitting next to my older sister, and wondering where my Dad found the money for them...hoping it was nothing illegal, because I thought it was rich people money!

 

[ChicagoBlue]

Sound polemic

One tries. Excellent brevity!

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Exactly!
£11M on what turnover? Do the math! They’re not printing money at our expense, but they are creating the best football CLUB and football any of us has seen in our lifetimes.

I think it would be BRILLIANT PR if they gave every season card holder a surprise one year and said, “As long as you don’t move seats, next season your season card is FREE for all the years of loyalty you have given the club!” That would include Juniors who have to transition to adult tickets and adults who qualify for OAP concessions, etc. If your name is on the list, same seat is FREE!

Thereafter, as espoused before, a more simplified ticketing scheme, announcement of a new three tiered “Kop” to complete the stadium, a “rebid” of seats based on longevity, and pricing to fill the place!

At 62,000, maybe a season card allotment of 48,000, with upto 6,200 (or whatever is required by the Premier League, with offsets like United has, of course!)for away support, and almost 4,000 match day tickets for day-trippers and 4,000 inexpensive “walk up with Cityzen Card” tickets available as a “Call Ahead, Will Call Window/Smartphone” tickets with a £20 City-issued Cityzen ID and the £20 being deducted from first ticket sale.

These are simple, easy to enact, steps that could help revolutionize the City experience, and transform and offset the spiraling cost of the game day experience.

Another one is a £25 Carabao/FA Cup “Ticket, Pie & Pint” and £15 “Ticket, Pie or Chips or Candy and a Pop” for the kids promotions.

Another one is “Bring 3 Kids Cup Promo tickets to the City Store for a £15 discount on a Youth Team Jersey” promo.

All of these things bring people, goodwill, and still shift merchandise at a profit, yet you’re treating your fans to very attractive, cost/effective, tie-ins that help further galvanize support!

Another one that I think would be huge is an early bird discount on team jerseys to get them out on the streets. There could be 3 separate windows, 1 for each jersey, for 2 weeks prior to official launch. Only good on pre-orders within the 2 week window, etc, etc, etc...

A Christmas “Buy 2, get 1 free on same sized Home, Away, and Third jerseys Sale” In December, but need Cityzen Picture ID or Seasoncard.

The permutations and promotional things that can be done, to both help offset what some see as exorbitant pricing and a lack of understanding of the profile of the City fan base, is almost limitless. However, all of the above are loyalty-driven, many are kid-centric, and all of them help move promotional merchandise from the warehouse to the streets.

Spot on. I've said this before that they're so focused on their revenue optimisation spreadsheets that they just don't look at how to attract new fans. Most companies ignore their loyal customers and focus and attracting new ones but we don't even do that latter activity.

When they were talking to the Points of Blue group they asked what we thought about a loyalty scheme of some sort. We all thought it was a good idea so, of course, that was the last we heard of it.