Are You Officially Priced Out Yet, Or Almost?

[M18CTID]

City's price comes from the LOWEST IN THE TABLE to the lowest of the top teams in the league, and must still is a good value by most fans over 19 games.

Decisions, decisions...City or Stoke? City or Stoke?

Not really how people decide which football team they would like to watch is it?

Or is this another veiled attempt to suggest that each fan should conduct a cost/success analysis and choose the team and ticket that gives them most wins for their buck?

Of course, it isn't, cos you and all the others who bang this "we must pay for success" drum either didn't, or won't admit that they did, do the opposite and fuck City off when they were shit but still more expensive than the other teams in the shit division they were in.

At what point in your City supporting career did you start using the level of success (compared to price or not) to decide whether you should actually support them or fuck of somewhere else instead. I suspect you didn't, as that is not how being a fan works, which invalidates your cost/success argument. And if you did you don't deserve a say on this matter.

Just out of interest, how do you know City had the most expensive ticket prices when we were shit and bouncing around the lower divisions? From what I can remember, our matchday prices were comparable to many other clubs, and cheaper in some cases. Indeed, in arguably our worst ever season when we were relegated to the 3rd tier in 1997-98 there was uproar when Forest charged us £20 for a midweek game at the City Ground in September 1997 and that was because no other club in the division at the time was charging anything like those prices.

Some clubs in the third tier during the 1998-99 season admittedly had cheaper prices but that was because many of them still had terracing while we were all-seater so you can't really offer a like-for-like comparison. I think the most we charged anyone that season was £16 when Millwall visited and that was only because it was a high-risk fixture.

Instead of being so abrasive all the time, it might help If you could get your fucking facts right first. Otherwise, I'd suggest you don't deserve a say on this matter (do you see what I did there?)

 

[markbmcfc]

I'll get mullered for this but I personally agree with Kiam, though his wording and attitude toward it could be better.

City costs me an absolute fortune, £820 this year and it goes up to £1150 next year. I can't afford that increase so i'm moving next summer. At some point it will get too expensive and i'll have to knock it on the head. I've already knocked the cup schemes on the head and won't attend any finals this year. I had the conversation with my Dad recently and said i've seen us win the League Cup and FA Cup - don't need to go to Wembley and see it again. I have the memories. Of course, I hope to fucking god we still get there every year, but i'll ride the wave from my lounge in future for cup competitions. I'm sticking with Europe at the moment but that's next to go.

I digress but the point is this is the price of success, and the price of Financial Fair Play. City are a business that needs to make profit and gate receipts are one of the highest earners. When you see the football we play, and the success we are having, in comparison to other clubs, we have it pretty good in terms of costs. It's expensive, but it's football that is expensive.

All this "people can't afford £12 a week" brigade, well, there are plenty of people that can't for a number of circumstances. It's a question of financial priorities. My Dad gave up his season ticket when he had kids, 35 years ago, and didn't get it back until we were teenagers. He's now semi retired but has to keep working to afford his ticket. You make sacrifices and choices. Call me a **** if you want, but if you don't have the financial means to budget £10-20 per week - then you shouldn't be engaging in debate about football season tickets. There are far more important things to pay for, like meeting your monthly bills, than worrying about season tickets. Is it right? Of course not, everyone should be able to watch their team regardless of budget, but the reality is different and football is a hobby, and an expensive one.

There's tonnes of hobby's I would like to take up, i'd love a season ticket at the cricket and to play Golf every week and have three holidays a year. I can't afford to - so I prioritise. I'm fortunate that I can maintain my family, house and ticket at the moment, but push comes to shove i'll drop my ticket the second it impacts the rest of my finances. I feel bad for those that can't afford a ticket, but what Kiam is saying is reality unfortunately, he isn't a **** just for saying it how it is. He does what works for him, perhaps others cant afford to - that isn't Kiam's fault. I still maintain that if your budget is that tight, you shouldn't be worrying about season tickets. Football is a personal choice and hobby, and kids/mortgages always come first - and that's the choice you make when you have them.

C'est la vie.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

Indeed, in arguably our worst ever season when we were relegated to the 3rd tier in 1997-98 there was uproar when Forest charged us £20 for a midweek game at the City Ground in September 1997 and that was because no other club in the division at the time was charging anything like those prices.

Fuck me, I remember that like it was yesterday. Where did the last 17 years go?

 

[Bill]

its up to people how they spend their dosh. me I prefer a few euro away games to say 5 or 6 London games. I don't smoke, don't drink much, minor increase in Munich etc to be fair, and I work 7 days a week. I deserve city :)

 

[Nixon_The_Bike_Thief]

We might not like the way they criticise us at any given chance, but you have to appreciate the logic of the Bayern stance on ticket pricing !

Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness today accused Premier League clubs of 'milking their fans like cows' in charging high prices for season tickets.
Explaining his decision to keep season tickets at Bayern lower than their counterparts across Europe, Hoeness said: "We could charge more than €130 (£104). Let's say we charged €380 (£300). We'd get €2.5m (£2m) more in income, but what's €2.5m to us?"
"In a transfer discussion you argue about the sum for five minutes. But the difference between €130 and €380 is huge for the fans."
"We do not think fans are like cows, who you milk. Football has got to be for everybody."
"That's the biggest difference between us and England."

 

[M18CTID]

Indeed, in arguably our worst ever season when we were relegated to the 3rd tier in 1997-98 there was uproar when Forest charged us £20 for a midweek game at the City Ground in September 1997 and that was because no other club in the division at the time was charging anything like those prices.

Fuck me, I remember that like it was yesterday. Where did the last 17 years go?

Frightening isn't it mate? That match was one of the few highlights of a disastrous season with Ged Brannan turning in a man of the match performance!

 

[jimharri]

I'll get mullered for this but I personally agree with Kiam, though his wording and attitude toward it could be better.

City costs me an absolute fortune, £820 this year and it goes up to £1150 next year. I can't afford that increase so i'm moving next summer. At some point it will get too expensive and i'll have to knock it on the head. I've already knocked the cup schemes on the head and won't attend any finals this year. I had the conversation with my Dad recently and said i've seen us win the League Cup and FA Cup - don't need to go to Wembley and see it again. I have the memories. Of course, I hope to fucking god we still get there every year, but i'll ride the wave from my lounge in future for cup competitions. I'm sticking with Europe at the moment but that's next to go.

I digress but the point is this is the price of success, and the price of Financial Fair Play. City are a business that needs to make profit and gate receipts are one of the highest earners. When you see the football we play, and the success we are having, in comparison to other clubs, we have it pretty good in terms of costs. It's expensive, but it's football that is expensive.

All this "people can't afford £12 a week" brigade, well, there are plenty of people that can't for a number of circumstances. It's a question of financial priorities. My Dad gave up his season ticket when he had kids, 35 years ago, and didn't get it back until we were teenagers. He's now semi retired but has to keep working to afford his ticket. You make sacrifices and choices. Call me a **** if you want, but if you don't have the financial means to budget £10-20 per week - then you shouldn't be engaging in debate about football season tickets. There are far more important things to pay for, like meeting your monthly bills, than worrying about season tickets. Is it right? Of course not, everyone should be able to watch their team regardless of budget, but the reality is different and football is a hobby, and an expensive one.

There's tonnes of hobby's I would like to take up, i'd love a season ticket at the cricket and to play Golf every week and have three holidays a year. I can't afford to - so I prioritise. I'm fortunate that I can maintain my family, house and ticket at the moment, but push comes to shove i'll drop my ticket the second it impacts the rest of my finances. I feel bad for those that can't afford a ticket, but what Kiam is saying is reality unfortunately, he isn't a **** just for saying it how it is. He does what works for him, perhaps others cant afford to - that isn't Kiam's fault. I still maintain that if your budget is that tight, you shouldn't be worrying about season tickets. Football is a personal choice and hobby, and kids/mortgages always come first - and that's the choice you make when you have them.

C'est la vie.

To be fair, a lot of the debate on here is more about the cost of matchday tickets moreso than season tickets. For what they are, and in comparison to matchday tickets, the seasoncards are good value (although they're rising by more than inflation and by more than most people's wages are, at a guess). It's the matchday tickets that those of us for who seasoncards just aren't a viable option that seem to be spiralling crazily upwards. I purchased a ticket for the Stoke game yesterday (level 2, £48). Now yes; I could have opted for the cheaper option of either level 1 or 3 (£4 cheaper), but I chose to pay the extra for the better view (IMO) from level 2. Therefore, I'll use the cheaper figure of £44 to compare this season's match with last season's encounter. I couldn't remember what the price was for last season, but I'm pretty sure that someone on here posted that it was £28. So, that's an increase of 57% in the space of a season. Does that strike you as a fair and reasonable increase? And that's not including the 40% increase in blue/Cityzen membership this season (£35, up from £25).


Found the post re. last season's Stoke game;
<a class="postlink-local" href="http://forums.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=303970&start=220" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">viewtopic.php?f=1&t=303970&start=220</a>

 

[adr2.8i]

i got absolutely slated for making this comment back last year, but for me personally, i simply cannot justify the cost of a match day ticket. Maybe justify is not the right word, i simply cannot afford a match day ticket.
And because i am Welsh and have never been to a City game, that does not make me a City fan in some peoples eyes. Despite my joining date, i have been a "supporter" "follower" of City since 1995.

Im not a flash person. I drive a 1998 Mondeo, i do not smoke or drink, i don't have a 50" plasma or an iphone 5. I live in an ex-council semi detached house worth less than £100k. I have never taken my kids abroad on a family holiday. Our holidays are camping or the sun £9.50 holidays. I have a full time job and have not had a pay rise in 8 years. I have to work Saturdays which is paid at time and a half to survive. I am married with 2 kids. I have recently cancelled sky sports. I have stopped paying into my pension. I now shop at Aldi's instead of Tescos. I really have cut costs as much as i can and i still couldnt afford to save £12 a week. Every other month i go overdrawn with my bank.

In my current financial situation there is no hope of me making a City game. I took my son to the city tour last week. That one trip alone cost me £60 in petrol. And He used his own birthday money to have his city shirt embroided. This one trip will mean that i will struggle this month until pay day. But we both enjoyed it and i wish i could do more things like this more often.

I really do admire the fans who travel the length and breadth of this land to support the boys. Your support and dedication is amazing. Your very lucky people to be able to afford to support the team week in week out.

For me my "support" will be trying to find a decent stream on my 10 year old laptop and the highlights on match of the day and this i will do until my dying breath.

 

[M18CTID]

We might not like the way they criticise us at any given chance, but you have to appreciate the logic of the Bayern stance on ticket pricing !

Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness today accused Premier League clubs of 'milking their fans like cows' in charging high prices for season tickets.
Explaining his decision to keep season tickets at Bayern lower than their counterparts across Europe, Hoeness said: "We could charge more than €130 (£104). Let's say we charged €380 (£300). We'd get €2.5m (£2m) more in income, but what's €2.5m to us?"
"In a transfer discussion you argue about the sum for five minutes. But the difference between €130 and €380 is huge for the fans."
"We do not think fans are like cows, who you milk. Football has got to be for everybody."
"That's the biggest difference between us and England."

The tax-dodging **** has indeed got a very good point regarding this matter. I would add, however, that while £104 for a season ticket is an absolute bargain price, they do charge considerably higher prices in other areas of the ground so they have a range of ST prices to suit all budgets.

 

[CheethamHillBlue]

Kiam

I am sorry but you have completely missed the point here.

You say "just save £12 per week".

You see the way you put it is that it's just £12 per week when in essence it is £48-£60 per month which in the real world not Kiams world is a lot of fucking money to a normal family. It is easy to say stop eating takeaways,canel your sky,drive a smaller car,live in a smaller house. Are you being serious?? I used to be of a similar mindset "Stop smoking" etc but this is a seperate issue. The issue we are trying to debate is the cost for normal families to go to football. Families who cannot afford the luxury of a couple of season tickets etc or families who are in a less fortunate position to yourself.
Yesterday I pulled out of the CL cup scheme. Not for the cost but simply because I have become annoyed with the fucking plastic ipad carrying so called fans sat around me in South Level 2 with their half and half scarves and the dogshit atmosphere.
Kiam I presume you have got no kids? Not that this is really relevent to debate however trust me kids make a huge impact on your finances. Whatever you earn,you live to your means. Bigger income = bigger mortgage bigger car normally. Not many people are lucky enough to just save a few hundred quid a month for a rainy day.
I find your lack of empathy towards other long standing blues with less disposable income than yourself quite shocking. I'm alright Jack is not the attitude to have on this subject. I know lads (including myself) who have not had a pay rise for 4 yrs now so do us a favour, show a little more empathy to others and you will go far in life.
Personally,I hope the club do listen to the groundswell of opinion on this. Next year will be interesting with the opening of the new stand,will ticket prices reduce...I hope for the fans who are currently missing out they do.

That's a better response than the one from the gormless **** who wished illness on Kiam's family, SHB but the kids issue is just one of the times when choices have to be made. Usually, football goes out of the window when a pan lid arrives due to cost/wife not working. Bigger income doesn't have to necessarily mean bigger mortgage or bigger car. Why should it unless you want to be seen as Billy Big Balls in your posh 5 bed detached.
Kiam's had a lot of stick on here due to how he's worded things (unless he's on a massive wind up) but the bottom line is we have to make choices as things get expensive.
If we charged £20 a pop for tickets plus food, drink, and transport, how can the people on JSA afford that?
That's one day out blowing all their benefit.
Some prick on here said they should be free.
How would ALL the City fans get in each week?
More people would be stopped from going due to demand.
Choices mate at the end of the day dictate priorities.