City Fans Leaving Early/Empty seats

[Dribble]

People have argued on here when a game has been tight like the derby and people have left early. We then have a game that's dead and won and they complain at people leaving then too. So basically regardless of the score you should be tied to your seat until the final whistle.

Each to their own I suppose, but I see the leaving early as being akin to deserting your family in mid-battle.

If your family were in a battle, would you run off because you were losing or fight to your last breath?

If your family were in a battle, would you run off because you were winning or fight to the last to enjoy your victory?

I've never left early, even in the darkest days under Alan Ball, I stayed until the bitter end because in my mind, I'd just be deserting my family. Fuck the traffic.

A mate of mine who lives close by left early after a weekend game last season. He called me when I was on my way home about something or the other and said he'd just stepped through the door. My ETA for home was 20-30 minutes after his. Is the additional 30 minutes so important?

 

[uwe rosler 28]

If u pay your money you are entitled to leave whenever you want. I wont leave before 90mins but thats just me as for the empty seats due to season ticket holders not going id hope city bring the bayern munich rule in where if u miss a certain amount of games u lose your ticket unless u have good reason to miss so many games.

 

[nmc]

Same as the Rags then!

Yep

 

[Tom_mcfc]

Each to their own I suppose, but I see the leaving early as being akin to deserting your family in mid-battle.

If your family were in a battle, would you run off because you were losing or fight to your last breath?

If your family were in a battle, would you run off because you were winning or fight to the last to enjoy your victory?

I've never left early, even in the darkest days under Alan Ball, I stayed until the bitter end because in my mind, I'd just be deserting my family. Fuck the traffic.

A mate of mine who lives close by left early after a weekend game last season. He called me when I was on my way home about something or the other and said he'd just stepped through the door. My ETA for home was 20-30 minutes after his. Is the additional 30 minutes so important?

That's one example though isn't it. If you read through this thread you will see leaving 5/10 mins can save an hour or more on their journey time. I just don't think people have the same mind-set going to footy anymore. We choose to go to be fair but it is our own spare time we sacrifice. You have compared everything with family there, for many leaving 5 minutes before the end could give them an hour or so longer with their family of a weekend. Sadly for many now football isn't the be all and end all of everyone's lives. I read earlier as a fan base we have got older, different priorities and I genuinely feel that is part of the "problem"

 

[geoff clipp]

The reason we have so many empty seats is that season ticket prices are too cheap I have two £300 tickets and only use occasionally it's cheaper than paying per game

The problem here isn't the pricing, it's you. If you find it beneficial to yourself to go about things this way, that's up to you, but it does seem a shame that there are probably who can't afford anything over £300 and would probably go every week if they had one of those cheaper tickets. Looking at it from the perspective of the club and other supporters, it's a bit of a waste. I'm not telling you what you should or shouldn't do with regards to that ticket, but don't blame the club for providing affordable tickets.

 

[Nelly's Left Foot]

If u pay your money you are entitled to leave whenever you want. I wont leave before 90mins but thats just me as for the empty seats due to season ticket holders not going id hope city bring the bayern munich rule in where if u miss a certain amount of games u lose your ticket unless u have good reason to miss so many games.

Of course if you pay your money it's your choice but leaving early is pathetic!

 

[M18CTID]

Same as the Rags then!

Same as us as well. In fact, same as pretty much every team in the league. I remember reading something a while ago that Spurs announce attendances based on numbers actually there but I'm not sure any other club in the PL does that. I suspect when Tottenham move to their new ground they might change that approach and announce it based on tickets sold/issued, given that they'll have about 25,000 more seats to fill on a regular basis which increases the scope for no-shows and empty seats.

 

[The Blue]

One thing i don't get is where are these people going? Are they leaving early just to get home early, so they can watch the telly for a bit longer?
If its to get back to town, then it only takes 25 minutes to walk there....maybe its changed and people see going to the football as an hour and half of their day, i suppose i see it more of a day out and therefore take my time and watch the full 95 mins.

 

[blue b4 the moon]

One thing i don't get is where are these people going? Are they leaving early just to get home early, so they can watch the telly for a bit longer?
If its to get back to town, then it only takes 25 minutes to walk there....maybe its changed and people see going to the football as an hour and half of their day, i suppose i see it more of a day out and therefore take my time and watch the full 95 mins.

Add to that the fans that travel 100's of miles and leave early to get back....only away game (and that's what its like travelling for the long distance blues) I've ever left early was the 6-0 at Derby years ago.

 

[Dribble]

That's one example though isn't it. If you read through this thread you will see leaving 5/10 mins can save an hour or more on their journey time. I just don't think people have the same mind-set going to footy anymore. We choose to go to be fair but it is our own spare time we sacrifice. You have compared everything with family there, for many leaving 5 minutes before the end could give them an hour or so longer with their family of a weekend. Sadly for many now football isn't the be all and end all of everyone's lives. I read earlier as a fan base we have got older, different priorities and I genuinely feel that is part of the "problem"

If their family time is so precious, why bother going to a match at all? They should spend all their time with their family if that's the case don't you think? An hour saved on journey times? Even when I leave at the final whistle and go to where I used to park my car, the delay was 30 minutes tops and I'd been doing it for years.

We all know the reason for people leaving early is their dislike of queues or being delayed. If the club offered some fans a helicopter ride home or a royal escort after the match for staying to the end, it would be problem solved.

Being stuck in traffic after a match comes with the territory. I park at my mates house is Ardwick and walk to the ground from there. On occasions when my mate is in, he'll offer me a lift which I'll gratefully accept, but I don't go looking for it. Walking back to my car takes 15-20 minutes which is nothing, but I suppose I'm just a all or nothing type of dude. I'll either go or I won't, and leaving early to save queuing for 20 minutes makes little sense to me, but like I said, each to their own.