Empty seats on telly suggestion

[BlueSkyBlue]

Some of the "Family stand" 'children' are now 16-18, having had a season ticket since they were 10-12 - my son being one of them.

The average 16-18 year old doesn't get to pick and choose their working hours, and I know thats a factor for the chaps to my left and two who sit in front of me.

The chap who sits directly in front of me is away for Xmas, so his and sons seats were empty.

I tried giving my sons ticket away and got no takers.

All in all that meant at least 8 or 9 non attenders in my immediate vicinity - all for decent reasons. Although there was a girl I didnt recognise in one of the seats texting throughout the game, and didn't have a clue what to do when we scored.

Personally I was there with a works do hangover (as I am sure many were), and it took me until the second half to get the energy to open my mouth for anything other than a hair of a dog pint!

Like a lot of posters say - forget what the Rags/MUEN say - if season ticket holders cant attend I am sure they have a reason, otherwise why would they bother buying it in first place.

 

[nobody can eat fifty eggs]

The 28th of Dec will be hammered at our place, yesterday was never going to be fully attended with the kick-off time and the date so near to Christmas.

The rags fill their plastic seats with plastic fans and even that seems more fewer nowadays.

I know what I'd rather sit next to.

So do we and have done for a while now.

Not to the extent they do mate.

 

[dobobobo]

The 28th of Dec will be hammered at our place, yesterday was never going to be fully attended with the kick-off time and the date so near to Christmas.

The rags fill their plastic seats with plastic fans and even that seems more fewer nowadays.

I know what I'd rather sit next to.

So do we and have done for a while now.

Not to the extent they do mate.

What's the difference? Other than you've got less chance of sitting next to a plastic fan.

 

[Citizen Green]

12:45 Kick-off, right on Christmas, 45,000 attendance with a couple hundred empties or so, I'd say that's pretty impressive actually. You'd do well to find many other clubs who would get that in a stadium of our size in the same circumstances.

We've historically had the 4th/5th highest attendance in English football history, and have only won 4 league titles. Shove that down the rags or anyone-else's throats.

 

[mattyb]

People's short teem thinking about the expansion really grates one me. Like everything the owners have done since the take over, the expansion is about a vision for the future.

With continued success on the pitch and commercially off it, the aim to to have 60+ thousand visiting regularly in 5 seasons time...

 

[Blue Streak]

I haven't read through the thread but i have a suggestion. It might be a bad idea, and one that has no immediate financial benefit to the club, but they could look at how loyalty/City points are awarded, meaning people receive some for buying a ticket, then a further amount for actually going to the game (if not them then somebody else).

A second idea might be for the club to be more transparent about how tickets are resold via secondary markets and about who gets prime tickets for the biggest games. Cut Viagogo out, resell unused season tickets seats to fans who want them, without a markup, but with the club taking any processing fee necessary from the seller.

The fact that there's a pretty hefty backlog of fans wanting season tickets, but swathes of empty seats at some games is a worry. Obviously it doesn't matter what fans of other clubs think, but there's clearly demand for seats which aren't being used. Clearly there are other factors such as late time changes, too many televised games, kick-offs too early for fans who don't live locally, too many games generally, but it'd be great if the club was a bit more proactive in sorting these issues out.

Excellent post. Good points very well made.

 

[Malty]

cardboard cut outs?

LOL

The official attendance is printed on chip paper in the morning anyway... whys it matter?

 

[Bobbins]

Maybe the club could try looking at putting a system in place so season ticket holders who know they can't attend can notify the club and get the club to sell them at a knock down rate and give the season ticket holder a percentage of money gained from the sale of an already paid for seat. The season ticket holder gains by getting something back and the club gain for extra money for an already sold ticket and a full ground. Maybe they could have them on an auction site where you could bid on them ?? Sounds a little complicated but with todays technology and our owners forward thinking it might be a possibility.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

People's short teem thinking about the expansion really grates one me. Like everything the owners have done since the take over, the expansion is about a vision for the future.

With continued success on the pitch and commercially off it, the aim to to have 60+ thousand visiting regularly in 5 seasons time...

With enough notice and affordable pricing the extra seats will sell.

There is no comparison with last minute ticket availability (e.g. With return from the away club) on the last Saturday before Christmas!

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Maybe the club could try looking at putting a system in place so season ticket holders who know they can't attend can notify the club and get the club to sell them at a knock down rate and give the season ticket holder a percentage of money gained from the sale of an already paid for seat. The season ticket holder gains by getting something back and the club gain for extra money for an already sold ticket and a full ground. Maybe they could have them on an auction site where you could bid on them ?? Sounds a little complicated but with todays technology and our owners forward thinking it might be a possibility.

They do something similar at Liverpool where you can release your season ticket for games and your season ticket account for the following season's ticket gets credited a given amount. They then sell the seat on their official ticket site.