City, how different to the Glazers?

[DSonBlue]

Another negative post, T - but your observations this time are based on fact.

It's true that as a club becomes successful it gains new fans, new status, and therefore the ability to make more money.

HOWEVER, don't you think it's understandable that Abu Dabi want to start recovering at least some of the MASSIVE amounts of dosh they've invested in the club?

I'm not saying I like the trend, specifically that the die hards who have supported City through thin and thin might miss out on some of the high profile games in the coming years.

However I (and others lke me) have long accepted that the price of success - and god know we all deserve a bit by now - is that sometimes we might have to watch games on TV instead of being there.

Besides, making a comparison with the Glazers is quite frankly disrespectful toward our owners; they have done their level best to destroy Utd's position as one of the most lucrative in the world since the takeover!

What does everyone else think?

PS. I think it's widely accepted that the fiasco over tickets for the Cup Final is down to the FA moneygrabbers - they're the ones with little interest in the fans being there, and more in corporate income after all (not ADUG)..

Not quite sure why you feel the need to pigeon-hole me as someone who posts negatively.

Especially so, when there are plenty of posters who request positive news on transfer dealings.

Sheikh Mansour is a business man at the end of the day. Just as the Glazers are.

Difference is, our owners have deeper pockets and make positive strides towards bringing the closer to its fans.

Similarity is, they both want to make money, and lots of it.

Apologies it's just sometimes it would be good if you started a thread on something you like about City mate, and I realise that's like me telling you what to do and all - just ignore me hehe. To be fair, you tend to make the more thought provoking posts!

I was thinking (as someone has mentioned) about Chelsea and the way success / money has hampered their (original) fan base. I would hate to think that we become a support that is largely made of up well off attention seekers.

However it got me to thinking about the other causes of price hiking - the big one being the wage bill.

It will at some point become an issue that, if not corrected, result in costs passed on to the supporters.

THEN I remembered the Arsenal factor - namely that you have a salary cap in place, hardly spend anything on transfers, and STILL rip off the fans!

I guess the conclusion might be that whichever route(s) the owners take us forward using - stadium expansion, salary cap, ticket price subsidising etc - we have to rely on a certain amount of business ethics when it comes to remembering the loyal fans, those with or without bags of cash.

 

[Bluemoon115]

Has anyone got a colouring book for this one?

Care to elaborate?

The bigger picture has gone well over your head. It's nothing to do with the OP getting a ticket or not, it's about how the club is changing it's business strategy, looking to increase demand to the point where they can potentially charge "competitive prices" for games, because the "new" fan-base will be able to afford it.

And buy competitive, I mean United/Arsenal prices. Plus an "optional" Cup scheme, which you'll need to be on to have a hope of ever going to Wembley.

So, would you be happy paying in excess of £1000, just for home games in a season?

 

[fbloke]

You can rest easy in terms of the lower end pricing as that, I am told, will remain.

The owner wants to create a family environment and for the 'average' famly to be able to attend - see the model that exists at Al Jazira FC - but it needs a lot more investment which is why the Las Vegas thread should be a second home for us all once the nes starts to break.

 

[Bluemoon115]

You can rest easy in terms of the lower end pricing as that, I am told, will remain.

The owner wants to create a family environment and for the 'average' famly to be able to attend - see the model that exists at Al Jazira FC - but it needs a lot more investment which is why the Las Vegas thread should be a second home for us all once the nes starts to break.

The lower end pricing will remain, until you want something else. Such as tickets to away games/Wembley.

 

[bluemanc]

The reaching of an FA Cup Final and subsequent indications of what City perceive to be the correct criteria for prestige games.

All that shows is the management have been easily manipulated.
It's not good initially but you hope on the football side of lower management we will make big improvements.

 

[vicar_in_a_tutu]

Care to elaborate?

The bigger picture has gone well over your head. It's nothing to do with the OP getting a ticket or not, it's about how the club is changing it's business strategy, looking to increase demand to the point where they can potentially charge "competitive prices" for games, because the "new" fan-base will be able to afford it.

And buy competitive, I mean United/Arsenal prices. Plus an "optional" Cup scheme, which you'll need to be on to have a hope of ever going to Wembley.

So, would you be happy paying in excess of £1000, just for home games in a season?

I know what Tolmie is suggesting and I also know that he won't have a problem getting a ticket for Wembley.I was'nt having a pop at Tolmie,just making a general point.

City will never have the luxury of doing what United do as we simply don't have,and in my opinion never will have,as many fans.

The cup games at City are as cheap as League one prices,£15 and £20.My point is,and mainly to the local fans,if you can't be bothered joining the cup scheme at those sort of prices then don't moan if you can't get a wembley ticket.

If City started charging £1000 for seasoncards then the ground would be empty and they know this which is why it will never happen on a large scale.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Not quite sure why you feel the need to pigeon-hole me as someone who posts negatively.

Especially so, when there are plenty of posters who request positive news on transfer dealings.

Sheikh Mansour is a business man at the end of the day. Just as the Glazers are.

Difference is, our owners have deeper pockets and make positive strides towards bringing the closer to its fans.

Similarity is, they both want to make money, and lots of it.

Apologies it's just sometimes it would be good if you started a thread on something you like about City mate, and I realise that's like me telling you what to do and all - just ignore me hehe. To be fair, you tend to make the more thought provoking posts!

I was thinking (as someone has mentioned) about Chelsea and the way success / money has hampered their (original) fan base. I would hate to think that we become a support that is largely made of up well off attention seekers.

However it got me to thinking about the other causes of price hiking - the big one being the wage bill.

It will at some point become an issue that, if not corrected, result in costs passed on to the supporters.

THEN I remembered the Arsenal factor - namely that you have a salary cap in place, hardly spend anything on transfers, and STILL rip off the fans!

I guess the conclusion might be that whichever route(s) the owners take us forward using - stadium expansion, salary cap, ticket price subsidising etc - we have to rely on a certain amount of business ethics when it comes to remembering the loyal fans, those with or without bags of cash.

No probs, mate.

I'm fearful that a (I know, melodramatic) 'perfect storm is coming into play.

The state of peoples' finances, allied to success on the field, resulting in some very hard decision making.

I'm sure our owners are astute enough to acknowledge this fact already.

I would perhaps like to see, as FBloke has nodded to, in terms of stadium expansion, an affordable section of season-ticketing and match day prices, which still come with a loyalty point aspect, dependent on pockets.

eg - an £700 season-ticket comes with loyalty points in cup games of 30.

A £350 season-ticket comes with loyalty points in cup games of 20.

One-off matches - 10 points.

I just see what is coming over the hill. Champs League football added, people struggling to find monies for season tickets as it is.

City's own in-house finance company would be a good way to start. Buy a pint inside the ground...that's 5 loyalty points...

 

[Bluwhit]

The socio-economic demographic profile city supporters is such that the owners need to be careful about future prices and ticket criteria.

Our fan base simply can not afford to be treated like United/Chelsea.

Success is going to cost us all a small fortune. Just the FA Cup semi and final will have personally cost me over £500. That's the price of an adult seasoncard for christs sake!

Normally I would go to Blackburn and Everton away particularly as they are crucial games in the Champs Lge qualification pursuit. However because of the Cup games I can't afford it. In the future more of us will be making those kind of decisions.

My main priority is pricing in future of seasoncards. I'm currently in the CDS but if pricing increases I'm fully prepared to give this up. The knock on effect I have to be prepared for is the fact that I may/will miss out on final tickets. However I may not be able to afford them anyway!!

If I'm fortunate after all these years to see my team win an FA Cup, win the league then I will die a happy man. I'm not prepared to put my family into debt to go watching Champs Lge games at £50 a pop and many more semis at Wembley. If that means a new more wealthy fan comes along then so be it, good luck to them.

I'm sure I'm not alone. The majority of city fans don't have a bottomless pit.

 

[fbloke]

You can rest easy in terms of the lower end pricing as that, I am told, will remain.

The owner wants to create a family environment and for the 'average' famly to be able to attend - see the model that exists at Al Jazira FC - but it needs a lot more investment which is why the Las Vegas thread should be a second home for us all once the nes starts to break.

The lower end pricing will remain, until you want something else. Such as tickets to away games/Wembley.

The only way that allows everyone who wants a ticket to away games/Wembley is for there to be a lot more available ;-)

 

[Danamy]

Chelsea have certainly been ruthless about there business with the fans, they took the attitude that if you can't afford it someone else will and have your seat.

They have the luxury though of where they are situated people can afford to jump in the seats that have been left behind by supporters that have seen them through the tough times.