Don’t Blame Fans For The Empty Seats

[Gingers Dad]

We're being fleeced and our supporter representatives won't raise it. They should offer to resign if the club won't listen to them.

 

[Gingers Dad]

Not the full picture. Old Trafford Derby prices were no more expensive than normal for them, so the fact that 5,000 of them didn't show is down to disillusionment with what is going on at their club. It's got nothing to do with Utd fans being priced out although no doubt that has happened.

City attendances are on the up.

CL group games averaged 50k. FA Cup v Port Vale was 52k. All our league games are sell outs.

The Champions league games didn't really average 50k. Thousands of tickets were given away. Champions league should be an automatic sell out at a club of City's size and they seldom are.

 

[dickie davies]

If there are 3000 empties at the Etihad that's still 95% capacity

Football has never been richer. The commercial deals being done are huge. That very average new partnership we announced for a couple of mill more than offsets any season card price increase

I love the football I'm watching but I haven't limitless funds

If our owner wants a return on his investment, then stop continually buying £60m squad players

 

[Blue tube]

Why does anyone give a fuck?

the only people who whinge about empty seats are plastics who went once but can’t get a ticket these days (bollocks). I know the rags have a song but fans in the stadium will jump on anything to wind people up. You have a chat with a match going rag and they will agree that it’s expensive and their ground is only filled because of the vast amount of tourists.

the bigger problem for me is people who leave early and people who don’t get behind the team.


Cue excuses I don’t care about

 

[Ian]

I have been watching City since my dad first took me in 1968 and most years since I have had a season Ticket. I used to go home and most away because it was affordable, I was single and working. Now I still have a season Ticket but don’t do away games. I have to pick and choose my cup games purely because of finances, and took the decision some time ago to ditch Champions League games. The home games are getting less and less enjoyable with tourists (including away fans) sat next to me, VAR and ridiculous KO times. I used to love going, but for the first time in 52 years, I am seriously considering not renewing next year.

 

[hilts]

Watch it in the pub or at home after a while you don’t miss it.

 

[i kne albert davy]

I have been watching City since my dad first took me in 1968 and most years since I have had a season Ticket. I used to go home and most away because it was affordable, I was single and working. Now I still have a season Ticket but don’t do away games. I have to pick and choose my cup games purely because of finances, and took the decision some time ago to ditch Champions League games. The home games are getting less and less enjoyable with tourists (including away fans) sat next to me, VAR and ridiculous KO times. I used to love going, but for the first time in 52 years, I am seriously considering not renewing next year.

Same time as me mate my old fella first took me in 1968 sat me on a barrier picked me back up at full time, whilst I still do away games I do less now than I use to and £47.50 for the Madrid games a bit of a piss take,There'll be tourists wandering around 20 mins after kick off and a shite atmosphere in the ground and while I'll renew next season I'm thinking of dumping the cup schemes.

 

[Ian]

Same time as me mate my old fella first took me in 1968 sat me on a barrier picked me back up at full time, whilst I still do away games I do less now than I use to and £47.50 for the Madrid games a bit of a piss take,There'll be tourists wandering around 20 mins after kick off and a shite atmosphere in the ground and while I'll renew next season I'm thinking of dumping the cup schemes.

When it comes to the crunch, I’m not sure I’ll be able to stop going, but the fact that I’m seriously thinking about it, would never enter my head a few years ago. I was at the Leicester game a couple of games ago and the two seats either side of had been bought by an Israeli family. All game I was being asked who our number 26 or number 17 was. One also had an iPad and was invading my space waving it around taking photos. Did my friggin head in. He even asked me to move out of my own seat so all his family could sit together ffs.

 

[jrb]

Soriano was brought in by Sheikh Mansour and Khaldoon to drive revenue, make City profitable, and to make City self-sufficient. He has succeeded in doing that. He turned Barcelona around off the pitch, hence why he was head hunted by Sheikh Mansour.

At the moment Soriano has got Pep. He knows Pep will win trophies, his teams will play wonderful football, which will attract new City fans and tourists from all over the World to the Etihad. Just like Pep did with Barcelona.. This means Soriano can keep on increasing season ticket and match day ticket prices because demand is there to watch City.

However, once Pep goes Soriano will be in a tricky position. The new Manager won't be able to follow Pep, or be able to replicate Pep's success. The probable outcome will be a regression on the pitch, just like at United after Fergie retired, which means a downturn in City's support, especially our tourist support. Nobody is going to pay £50, £60 for a match ticket when the team isn't winning, isn't successful, and isn't winning trophies.

I'm sure Soriano doesn't need any advice from a no-mark City fan like me, but he needs to be very careful. If he keeps on increasing season ticket and match day ticket prices as he has been doing for the last 10 year at City, he will be looking at 1000's of empty seats around the Etihad stadium after Pep has left.

 

[Stiff Little Wingers]

Soriano was brought in by Sheikh Mansour and Khaldoon to drive revenue, make City profitable, and to make City self-sufficient. He has succeeded in doing that. He turned Barcelona around off the pitch, hence why he was head hunted by Sheikh Mansour.

At the moment Soriano has got Pep. He knows Pep will win trophies, his teams will play wonderful football, which will attract new City fans and tourists from all over the World to the Etihad. Just like Pep did with Barcelona.. This means Soriano can keep on increasing season ticket and match day ticket prices because demand is there to watch City.

However, once Pep goes Soriano will be in a tricky position. The new Manager won't be able to follow Pep, or be able to replicate Pep's success. The probable outcome will be a regression on the pitch, just like at United after Fergie retired, which means a downturn in City's support, especially our tourist support. Nobody is going to pay £50, £60 for a match ticket when the team isn't winning, isn't successful, and isn't winning trophies.

I'm sure Soriano doesn't need any advice from a no-mark City fan like me, but he needs to be very careful. If he keeps on increasing season ticket and match day ticket prices as he has been doing for the last 10 year at City, he will be looking at 1000's of empty seats around the Etihad stadium after Pep has left.

Really good post. The thing for me is they could have still gone for the income streams but used a common sense approach to ensure the sustainability of our support. Not only are tickets too expensive but we have an ageing fan base too.
Could easily have pegged Madrid ticket price,who have 10 years+ could be encouraging more young people to come, could easily give a 2 day opportunity for local fans to come to the Etihad to get cheap tickets before the tourists. Could easily limit the amount given to agencies. Could easily have a yearly draw for those with 10 years + season tickets where 5 or 10 fans get one season for free etc
We fans need to make representation to the club

 

[jrb]

If there are 3000 empties at the Etihad that's still 95% capacity

Football has never been richer. The commercial deals being done are huge. That very average new partnership we announced for a couple of mill more than offsets any season card price increase

I love the football I'm watching but I haven't limitless funds

If our owner wants a return on his investment, then stop continually buying £60m squad players

There shouldn't be 3000 empty seats at the Etihad.

Pep is the Manager. City play brilliant football. City are Champions. Etc.

Yes, we need to stop pissing £100mills on wrong players, their wages, and Agent fees.

Put it this way. A £30 season ticket increase is £1,200,000 a season, a or just over a Months wage for Sergio or Kev.

Last season City signed numerous new sponsorship deals. They've already signed a new sponsor this season.

As I'v stated over the last few seasons, there is absolutely no need for another season ticket price rise next season.

I won't hold my breath on that one as I will be dead before Kahldoon and Soriano announce another set of season ticket and match day ticket price rises next season.

 

[Corky]

I wrote this in September 2014:

"I got my season ticket in 1999. It wasn't until 2006 that City got to the quarter finals of a cup competition. So for many years you had your 38 league games, and without exaggerating, you probably had 4 cup games at most. All in all, about 42-44 games a season. And this was when City were category C for most clubs and football all round was a lot cheaper. Compare all this to how many games a season we have now, and how many times we're the category A game. Was over 50 last season, and probably will be the same going forward."

Not sure I could forget this one as my socks are still wet: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/worthington_cup/1066099.stm

 

[JGL07]

Most of the comments on here are nothing to do with the question. The empty seats for the United match this week were all to do with both clubs listening to the police and cutting away allocations and perhaps down to United overestimating their fans’ stomach for an inevitable defeat by City. Many of the empty seats were those that would have gone to City had normal cup allocations applied.

The so called ‘empty seats’ at City League matches are down to no shows by season ticket holders who have already paid for their seats. Nothing to do with prices. If anything they tell us that season tickets are underpriced as people buy them and fail to show up regularly or to sell them on. Improvements the Ticket Exchange might do something about that.

Any empty seats at European matches may be traced to pricing structure. As for League Cup and Cup matches, there were few of any unsold seats anyway largely because the club got the pricing strategy right.

it’s alway the same when the ‘usual suspects’ think they have a chance to bang on about ticket prices.

 

[BlueLook]

Most of the comments on here are nothing to do with the question. The empty seats for the United match this week were all to do with both clubs listening to the police and cutting away allocations and perhaps down to United overestimating their fans’ stomach for an inevitable defeat by City. Many of the empty seats were those that would have gone to City had normal cup allocations applied.

The so called ‘empty seats’ at City League matches are down to no shows by season ticket holders who have already paid for their seats. Nothing to do with prices. If anything they tell us that season tickets are underpriced as people buy them and fail to show up regularly or to sell them on. Improvements the Ticket Exchange might do something about that.

Any empty seats at European matches may be traced to pricing structure. As for League Cup and Cup matches, there were few of any unsold seats anyway largely because the club got the pricing strategy right.

it’s alway the same when the ‘usual suspects’ think they have a chance to bang on about ticket prices.

I agree. I think a good segment of the season ticket holders are pretty selective in their attendance, which adds to the "empty seats" situation.

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

I have been watching City since my dad first took me in 1968 and most years since I have had a season Ticket. I used to go home and most away because it was affordable, I was single and working. Now I still have a season Ticket but don’t do away games. I have to pick and choose my cup games purely because of finances, and took the decision some time ago to ditch Champions League games. The home games are getting less and less enjoyable with tourists (including away fans) sat next to me, VAR and ridiculous KO times. I used to love going, but for the first time in 52 years, I am seriously considering not renewing next year.

I think you will find a good number of supporters like yourself will do exactly the same.

 

[M18CTID]

Not the full picture. Old Trafford Derby prices were no more expensive than normal for them, so the fact that 5,000 of them didn't show is down to disillusionment with what is going on at their club. It's got nothing to do with Utd fans being priced out although no doubt that has happened.

City attendances are on the up.

CL group games averaged 50k. FA Cup v Port Vale was 52k. All our league games are sell outs.

Yeah, have to agree with this. There’s a general issue around ticket prices at football matches but I’m pretty sure my ticket at Old Trafford the other night was cheaper than what I paid for the League Cup semi there 10 years ago. Tickets were priced at £28, £29, and £35 for City fans and I got a £29 one. I think they were nearer £40 in 2010 for both the home and away legs.

 

[jrb]

Yeah, have to agree with this. There’s a general issue around ticket prices at football matches but I’m pretty sure my ticket at Old Trafford the other night was cheaper than what I paid for the League Cup semi there 10 years ago. Tickets were priced at £28, £29, and £35 for City fans and I got a £29 one. I think they were nearer £40 in 2010 for both the home and away legs.

I think those ticket prices had to do with the extra 4500 tickets United (and City) had to shift. If both clubs had taken their full away allocation ticket prices would have been higher, and United would have sold out. City will still sell out due to the 3-1 lead. The clubs took the cash hit to stop any possible trouble.

 

[kippax4ever]

When it comes to the crunch, I’m not sure I’ll be able to stop going, but the fact that I’m seriously thinking about it, would never enter my head a few years ago. I was at the Leicester game a couple of games ago and the two seats either side of had been bought by an Israeli family. All game I was being asked who our number 26 or number 17 was. One also had an iPad and was invading my space waving it around taking photos. Did my friggin head in. He even asked me to move out of my own seat so all his family could sit together ffs.

Hope you found out were he lived and smashed his windows..

 

[SatOnTheWall]

Why does anyone give a fuck?

the only people who whinge about empty seats are plastics who went once but can’t get a ticket these days (bollocks). I know the rags have a song but fans in the stadium will jump on anything to wind people up. You have a chat with a match going rag and they will agree that it’s expensive and their ground is only filled because of the vast amount of tourists.

the bigger problem for me is people who leave early and people who don’t get behind the team.


Cue excuses I don’t care about

Why does anyone give a fuck?

 

[BLUEMATT23]

It happens everywhere.
I have more of a beef about fans leaving ridiculously early, I understand a bit for week games but weekend games its baffling that people leave 10 minutes before the end.
Would you leave the cinema or theatre before the conclusion?