City Matters thread

[Really_here]

I gave up my season ticket in 2016 (great timing!) due to personal circumstances. Had had one with my old man since 1989. Now that my kids are a bit older and im a lot more divorced than i was then, i was thinking of trying to get it back - but its impossible isnt it? The seat is in the 3rd tier of the Colin Bell and my old man is still in his seat, it hasn't been sold on to another season ticket holder.

In the interim years I haven't even bought citizen membership mainly because i think its a pisstake to pay £35 or whatever for the right to then buy a ticket.

If i want to go i buy one on my dad's login but its basically impossible for premier league and had to leave it to champions league games and FA cup with my kids.

And that's another thing - kids prices. How are long term fans like me supposed to get the next generation continuing the cause if it costs c. £150 to take them to a weekend game? They cant go to mid week as its too late finishing so its basically become a yearly hope that we get a Saturday/Sunday 3rd or 4th round home game.

Live games are now a major expense, and if you've got kids as well it's become ridiculous but supply and demand will always be in operation and it won't be getting cheaper any time soon. When I used to go the 1970's if you weren't at the game you didn't see it , if you were lucky it might feature on Match of the Day so you got to see some of it. These days the HD TV broadcasts with a 65" TV and a surround sound system mean you get to see all of it, instant replays, loads of angles etc etc. All while sitting in your own chairs, no queues to get a beer or a snack or use the toilet, no hassle with shitty traffic, rip-off parking and so on. I do get it that nothng beats being there but it's a bloody good next thing.

 

[Manchester33]

I thought Flexi Gold season card holders received a discount on their match tickets which would, over 19 matches, equate to the cost of a season ticket?

@Prestwich_Blue

You're both incorrect on this....

If you attend all 19 games, you will pay the normal cost of a season ticket + £150 (or £75 if you're a child).

So if I pay £700 for my season ticket, and the person next to me is on Flexigold. If he attends all 19 games he pays £850 for the same thing.

(Club have confirmed this to CityMatters reps that I've spoken to).

 

[jrb]

It's better than a membership but it's significantly worse than a seasoncard.

My point is that a seasoncard is far more flexible than flexigold and £150 cheaper.

Also, life can happen within 3 weeks - you can get sick, something comes up unexpectedly. I think 3 weeks is quite a long time.

Exactly.

Just because a person has bought a match ticket via a Flexi Gold season ticket 3 weeks in advance doesn’t mean he or she will definitely 100% turn up. All this nonsense that a Flexi Gold season ticket will guarantee a person will turn up is just that, nonsense.

In that case, why doesn’t the club get rid of all season tickets completely and give all current season ticket holders, regardless of the type of season ticket, a 3 week window before the match to buy the ticket at the season ticket price split over home 19 games. Surely that will guarantee every season ticket holder will turn up for every home match, just like Flexi Gold will do, apparently. Arf!

 

[Manchester33]

Exactly.

Just because a person has bought a match ticket via a Flexi Gold season ticket 3 weeks in advance doesn’t means he or she will definitely 100% turn up. All this nonsense that a Flexi Gold season ticket will guarantee a person will turn up is just that, nonsense.

In that case, why doesn’t the club get rid of all season tickets completely and give all current season ticket holders, regardless of the type of season ticket, a 3 week window before the match to buy the ticket at the season ticket price split over 19 games. Surely that will guarantee every season ticket holder will turn up for every home match, just like Flexi Gold will do, apparently. Arf!

There would be uproar if that happened... unfortunately many of our fans won't care about this because it doesn't affect them directly. Short-sighted attitude, especially when we need fans to collectively stick up for each other to gain concessions.

 

[jrb]

@Prestwich_Blue

You're both incorrect on this....

If you attend all 19 games, you will pay the normal cost of a season ticket + £150 (or £75 if you're a child).

So if I pay £700 for my season ticket, and the person next to me is on Flexigold. If he attends all 19 games he pays £850 for the same thing.

(Club have confirmed this to CityMatters reps that I've spoken to).

It’s exactly like block/row pricing.

It’s possible for you to sit one row below me in a block and pay more than I do for a season ticket and a match day ticket.

 

[moomba]

For pretty much every season since season tickets were introduced up into the last few years, anybody who wanted a season ticket could happily buy one, no problem.

This current cycle of non stop success won’t last forever. They never do.

And when things turn a bit shit on the pitch, I’m sure we’ll quickly return to the days when they are freely available.

I do genuinely have sympathy for people who are wanting to attend every home game and are having to fight for the privilege of buying them at the best part of a ton a pop.

But unfortunately that is probably going to happen at any club in the world when you want to get on the season ticket ladder during the most successful period in the club’s history.

High demand shouldn't be an issue with the increased capacity.

It appears to be a conscious decision by the club.

 

[AkanjisAfro]

Ive just had an email about my cup scheme payment for Feyenoord on 18th December.
the payment is coming out TOMORROW!

 

[paulchapo]

The concept of flexi-gold came out of discussions with City Matters about no-shows. Not enough people were reselling seats if they couldn't attend a game, leading to significant numbers of no-shows. In one midweek game it was nearly 15% of capacity. People have the attitude "It's my seat and I'll do what I want". Well it's not their seat, it's the clubs and they should be able to benefit if you choose not to use it.

There can be a great benefit to a flexible season ticket if the club pitch it right. But knowing the club, they'll fuck it up.

Yes and no. It's obviously the club's seat but whoever purchased it for whatever game for that duration of time it is their seat. If I am not going to a game for whatever reason I will always put my seat onto the ticket exchange, it would be stupid not to. They don't always sell though, depending on who the opposition is. Also if you're in the cup schemes you can't put those tickets on the ticket exchange which is a bit baffling why this option isn't available.

 

[jrb]

There would be uproar if that happened... unfortunately many of our fans won't care about this because it doesn't affect them directly. Short-sighted attitude, especially when we need fans to collectively stick up for each other to gain concessions.

There would be.

But it wouldn’t surprise me if the club has looked at that or something similar.

Flexi home match tickets throughout the season.
Includes a £150 charge at the start of the season.
Buy a match ticket 3 weeks in advance and guarantee your seat for the match.
There’s no need for a season ticket anymore.

Imagine that, 62,000 Flexi home match tickets, including an additional £150 per person at the start of the season. That would be an extra £9,300,000 every season.

 

[paulchapo]

Live games are now a major expense, and if you've got kids as well it's become ridiculous but supply and demand will always be in operation and it won't be getting cheaper any time soon. When I used to go the 1970's if you weren't at the game you didn't see it , if you were lucky it might feature on Match of the Day so you got to see some of it. These days the HD TV broadcasts with a 65" TV and a surround sound system mean you get to see all of it, instant replays, loads of angles etc etc. All while sitting in your own chairs, no queues to get a beer or a snack or use the toilet, no hassle with shitty traffic, rip-off parking and so on. I do get it that nothng beats being there but it's a bloody good next thing.

As you age it does start to beat being there. None of the hassles you mention to deal with and if the game is boring or nervy you can turn it over, pop into the garden or kitchen and escape the boredom or pressure for a while lol.