Agreed. And I must admit I was a bit of unsure about that one. So credit where it's due.At least the Away tickets are going to lower points than many Blues expected. City Matters seem to have brought about an improvement in that regard.
Agreed. And I must admit I was a bit of unsure about that one. So credit where it's due.
I'm not anti City Matters in fact I'm in favour of it. I just think that ticket prices is a serious issue that the fan reprentatives should be able to talk to the club about
I don’t think cheaper season tickets will necessarily mean less empty seats would it?
If anything, cheaper season tickets could mean more people don’t mind missing more the odd game.
Exactly my issue we bought for 3 games at the start, even that was difficult getting 2 together, got returned Southampton tickets in SS3. As you say 2 cheap s/c on direct debit would work but I wouldn’t be able to go to anymore games than 6 or 7 so would be leaving seats I couldnt sell on the exchange empty. I’m sure some do though, especially if they can do half the games or just over.Yes I think it would mean more too. I do think a lot of our empty seats currently are exactly that - season ticket holders that don’t go.
The one thing I’m not a fan of is all of the tickets going on sale before the season starts. I’m a cityzens member as I can only go to a few games due to other commitments nowadays and always go to games with my son. I don’t like that I have to commit that early for (and pay outright for) all of the tickets for the season, particularly when they’re so liable to change kick off times nowadays. I’d have been better off a couple of seasons ago getting us both season tickets and just not going to a load or trying to sell them on, I just didn’t think it was right to do that though.
This year, I only bought for a couple of games up front, the problem then though is finding two together via the ticket exchange.
Exactly my issue we bought for 3 games at the start, even that was difficult getting 2 together, got returned Southampton tickets in SS3. As you say 2 cheap s/c on direct debit would work but I wouldn’t be able to go to anymore games than 6 or 7 so would be leaving seats I couldnt sell on the exchange empty. I’m sure some do though, especially if they can do half the games or just over.
There's a rule that the club can refuse to renew if you don't attend or list at least 10 games on the exchange. There may well be a very reasonable explanation for that though.i thought there was a rule about having to attend so many now if a ST holder or it will be taken off you. I may be wrong though. The empty seats are mainly non attendees though rather than unsold seats.
i thought there was a rule about having to attend so many now if a ST holder or it will be taken off you. I may be wrong though. The empty seats are mainly non attendees though rather than unsold seats.
There was a problem in previous seasons in the Family Stand where there were pockets of empty seats even in games that are sold out but I haven't seen that this season. This season demand is at an all time high for tickets, but I am not seeing any empty seats apart from the hospitality areas which only seem to be filled for the big games. That is an inherent weakness in hospitality seating.That’s only a recent thing though isn’t it?
There’s clearly something to be done when you’ve got people like me willing to pay for a couple of tickets that can’t get them and yet there’s empty seats in the ground. I’m not sure what that is though!
There's a rule that the club can refuse to renew if you don't attend or list at least 10 games on the exchange. There may well be a very reasonable explanation for that though.
It's quite true that most empty seats are no-shows.
Didn’t know he was a rag season ticket holder ;-)It’s only going to be a tiny minority who can’t comply with the Club’s rule. Then if there is a very good reason (eg serious health issues) then I’m sure the ticket office would be flexible.
It’s more likely that there are few RICK rags who buy a season card just to see the Derby.
That was part of the answer to address this specific problem. There's a surprising number of tickets that aren't used for a significant number of games. And when I say they aren't used, they're not passed on to someone else or listed on Ticket Exchange. All clubs have the same problem, which is why they're starting to introduce these sorts of measures. Naturally there's some self-interest by the clubs. My SC costs £40 pro-rata but if I list it on the Exchange it could be sold for more. People get upset about this but it seems fair enough to me that if you listed your seat for every game and it sold, you'd get back exactly what you paid for the ticket. The other part of the argument is that the tickets could be owned by touts, who can make a profit on just a few games. If you've got a £325 ticket, that works out at £17 a game and you could make that back just charging £65 for the top games, with anything else as profit. I suspect that's a large part of the reason we get away fans in home areas.That’s only a recent thing though isn’t it?
There’s clearly something to be done when you’ve got people like me willing to pay for a couple of tickets that can’t get them and yet there’s empty seats in the ground. I’m not sure what that is though!
That was part of the answer to address this specific problem. There's a surprising number of tickets that aren't used for a significant number of games. And when I say they aren't used, they're not passed on to someone else or listed on Ticket Exchange. All clubs have the same problem, which is why they're starting to introduce these sorts of measures. Naturally there's some self-interest by the clubs. My SC costs £40 pro-rata but if I list it on the Exchange it could be sold for more. People get upset about this but it seems fair enough to me that if you listed your seat for every game and it sold, you'd get back exactly what you paid for the ticket. The other part of the argument is that the tickets could be owned by touts, who can make a profit on just a few games. If you've got a £325 ticket, that works out at £17 a game and you could make that back just charging £65 for the top games, with anything else as profit. I suspect that's a large part of the reason we get away fans in home areas.
Didn’t know he was a rag season ticket holder ;-)
That's absolutely right. There's no way to really know for sure if people would have bought tickets if there had been capacity. One of the solutions we've talked about at City Matters was building the extension and just offering tickets there (or in another part of the stadium) on a matchday basis only, i.e. no seasoncards in the nominated area.Yep, that’s what I’ve always suspected was the issue.
I can’t see any way to properly fix it though. Well, unless the stadium is expanded so that capacity far outstrips demand. It’s difficult to measure though as although I’m sure there’s plenty in a similar situation to me, there’s no way that’s currently quantifiable.
That's absolutely right. There's no way to really know for sure if people would have bought tickets if there had been capacity. One of the solutions we've talked about at City Matters was building the extension and just offering tickets there (or in another part of the stadium) on a matchday basis only, i.e. no seasoncards in the nominated area.
Back to prices l understand that the OSC have often been in discussion with the club (Danny Wilson?) but they get knocked back too with the reason/excuse that the club believe people should pay for the top quality product they 'buy'.I think that’s a very good idea, I’d timebox those as well so they don’t all go on sale at the beginning of the season, release them once the kick off time is nailed down.
We've also suggested to the club that they do that with general admission tickets now so instead of offering all available seats at the start of the season they only offer half and hold the rest until 3 or 4 weeks before the match date.I think that’s a very good idea, I’d timebox those as well so they don’t all go on sale at the beginning of the season, release them once the kick off time is nailed down.
Back to prices l understand that the OSC have often been in discussion with the club (Danny Wilson?) but they get knocked back too with the reason/excuse that the club believe people should pay for the top quality product they 'buy'.
Perhaps a reduction this year then?