North Stand expansion - seating, ticketing etc

[PDBLUEMOON]

Hate to see empty seats at City but maybe its not a bad thing with a stand coming that means we wont fill the ground.

Followed City all my life but the way we are treated is nothing short of disgraceful.

Spot on pal. All about revenue. Away fans everywhere. No interest in creating an atmosphere, pricing hardcore City fans out of going.

 

[jrb]

We've been turned into Barcelona and Madrid on the terraces. Neither of these clubs sell out for the smaller CL games, or LA Liga matches, so both clubs are happy to sell tickets in the home areas to away fans. You'll see 100's of away fans at Barcelona, and especially at Madrid in the CL, celebrating when a goal is scored by the away team.

 

[Kippaxpete]

Anyone with half a brain cell could've predicted that if there was a drop-off in our form on the pitch then the club would suddenly be facing a big problem regarding the new stand due to the reasons you've stated where the core support have become increasingly annoyed with the way the club's ticketing policy and their lack of engagement with the wider fanbase regarding that. Pissing off the core fans, coupled with less tourists snapping up tickets because we're no longer as good as we were is only going to lead to one thing - a drop-off in attendances.

If we see a turnaround on the pitch in the coming weeks and months resulting in a successful season then the club might just get away with it and I'm sure take-up amongst fans will be decent enough in that scenario. They will still need to look at match day pricing though. League games are one thing and an issue for sure, but the ever-increasing prices for CL games season on season could see 10k-15k empty seats for CL group games. Get the pricing right though and they'll fill it. Sevilla at home a couple of seasons back is a good barometer. Tickets were cheaper than last night and it was a sell out. From memory, it sold out more than a week before the match took place. However, if the club do nothing creative regarding ticket prices going forward then they'll only have themselves to blame.

I'm with you completely on every point. The club's shortsightedness where the ticket pricing policy is concerned is nothing short of baffling! But then, should we be surprised when the fans - the lifeblood of the club - have been increasingly marginalised, with practically no meaningful two-way dialogue to help develop a relationship in which policy can be developed from the bottom up? It was always a question of when, not if, the team suffered a slump in form as success in football is, and always has been, cyclical. History tells us that great empires fall when arrogance, hubris and greed begin to cloud sound judgement. I worry that our cherished club's current downward trajectory on-field will soon be reflected in a significant drop-off in football tourist numbers who have undoubtedly swelled crowd numbers during the good times. Taking the optimistic view, Pep will do what Pep has always done and find a way to arrest the recent slump in form, demand for tickets will remain high and my concerns will prove unfounded. However, years of experience in business continuity and emergency planning tells me it's essential that a strategy for the worst case scenario is in place. Otherwise, the North Stand development may become one of the most expensive white elephants in football history.

 

[Gone for a Burton]

That shouldn’t be the main way of getting tickets though. You shouldn’t have to go on Facebook or on here to get affordable tickets. They should be from the club.

I agree there are a number of reasons, but if we made it affordable we’d sell out in my view or at least the ground would be more full.

Cause & Effect -:

CAUSE -:
1) Ticket prices too high.
2) Conditional memberships to high.
3) Agency sales to non members unfair
4) Too many irrelevant games.

EFFECT -:
1) 1000s of fans prices out.
2) 1000s of fans having to chose between tickets and games.
3) 1000s of fans feeling disenfranchised.
4) Mid week attendances falling.
5) Match day experience and atmosphere flat.

SOLUTIONS -:
1) Goodwill price reductions across the board for 25/26 season.
2) Price freeze across the board for 28/27 & 27/28 seasons.
3) Realistic flexi price reductions for selected CC, FAC & CL midweek games.
4) Quid a Kid & Dads & Lads incentives around half term holiday games.
5) Remove Soriano from ticket pricing structure.
6) Engage on a meaningful 'hearts and minds' charm offensive to reconnect with an increasingly disaffected fan base.

The biggest investment the club should make is with us fans.....and it will be an investment that will be repaid many times over.

 

[Gone for a Burton]

We've been turned into Barcelona and Madrid on the terraces. Neither of these clubs sell out for the smaller CL games, or LA Liga matches, so both clubs are happy to sell tickets in the home areas to away fans. You'll see 100's of away fans at Barcelona, and especially at Madrid in the CL, celebrating when a goal is scored by the away team.

Fan culture and rivalry is very different in Spain.

There is very little of an 'away following' culture for any of the clubs.

Not a meaningful point.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

Got back to Leeds at 12:15am after the M62 was shut and re-routed through Rochdale. 14 year old daughter and I were up at 6:45am this morning. I’ll be thinking twice about some of these midweek home games.

Hi TheGhost. Have you tried our Supporters Club coach mate. It’s got back to Leeds fast for a number of games this season. I was in Meanwood for 90 minutes after the Spurs game. I can’t guarantee it would be thet quick every game and the coach only runs on weekends and for holiday period / bank hols evening games & Wembley.

It used to take longer but the exit from the coach park is now closer to Alan Turing Way, that saves about 20 minutes.

 

[jrb]

A start would be to fuck Flexi Gold off + the £150 markup (for good), and instead offer new normal season tickets for the expanded North stand.

But Khaldoon, Soriano & Co aren't going to take any notice of a no-mark posting on Blue Moon.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

Things not so rosy with the rags

 

[Gone for a Burton]

Cause & Effect -:

CAUSE -:
1) Ticket prices too high.
2) Conditional memberships to high.
3) Agency sales to non members unfair
4) Too many irrelevant games.

EFFECT -:
1) 1000s of fans prices out.
2) 1000s of fans having to chose between tickets and games.
3) 1000s of fans feeling disenfranchised.
4) Mid week attendances falling.
5) Match day experience and atmosphere flat.

SOLUTIONS -:
1) Goodwill price reductions across the board for 25/26 season.
2) Price freeze across the board for 28/27 & 27/28 seasons.
3) Realistic flexi price reductions for selected CC, FAC & CL midweek games.
4) Quid a Kid & Dads & Lads incentives around half term holiday games.
5) Remove Soriano from ticket pricing structure.
6) Engage on a meaningful 'hearts and minds' charm offensive to reconnect with an increasingly disaffected fan base.

The biggest investment the club should make is with us fans.....and it will be an investment that will be repaid many times over.

26/27 & 27/28 seasons.

Sorreee !!

 

[Big Joe Corrigan]

We've been turned into Barcelona and Madrid on the terraces. Neither of these clubs sell out for the smaller CL games, or LA Liga matches, so both clubs are happy to sell tickets in the home areas to away fans. You'll see 100's of away fans at Barcelona, and especially at Madrid in the CL, celebrating when a goal is scored by the away team.

Not sure about Madrid mate, I was there last season for the 3-3 draw, don’t recall seeing any City fans in the home areas. Definitely the case with Barcelona though.

 

[es1]

Hi TheGhost. Have you tried our Supporters Club coach mate. It’s got back to Leeds fast for a number of games this season. I was in Meanwood for 90 minutes after the Spurs game. I can’t guarantee it would be thet quick every game and the coach only runs on weekends and for holiday period / bank hols evening games & Wembley.

It used to take longer but the exit from the coach park is now closer to Alan Turing Way, that saves about 20 minutes.

also a few other cars going for midweek games in particular, if you'd prefer to care share through the roadworks

 

[Gone for a Burton]

A start would be to fuck Flexi Gold off + the £150 markup (for good), and instead offer new normal season tickets for the expanded North stand.

But Khaldoon, Soriano & Co aren't going to take any notice of a no-mark posting on Blue Moon.

'no mark'....it may well be true, but you're like a God to some on here !!

 

[BungleBear]

With a band on same time as the game it was the worse traffic I have ever experienced going to City.

The new development will put it up a notch.

 

[Coatigan]

I can't agree with many of today's posts...

The expansion is definitely needed. We shouldn't judge it based on a low-key, midweek game in late November. Instead, we should base it on the derby and Liverpool at home (plus games like Real Madrid in the Champions League) where demand is far higher than the current capacity.

Hopefully, it will benefit us regulars in the long term (the club will lower prices for games like last night to ensure more seats are filled).

I do think the increased GA+ seating capacity (as well as the lack of a push for 'atmosphere' in the expanded NS) will lead to essentially a bigger version of the current NS, though (lots of tourists/away fans/empty seats when compared with areas like SSL1). The club (Soriano) want Disney Land. They don't care about the atmosphere or hardcore fans. They want ANYONE who will go and spend a lot of money (on tickets and in the club shop) to fill the stadium. It's not about support; it's about revenue.

Disagree with the Disnelyland analogy/point, but otherwise like and agree with most of that post.

Bad timing for me to try argue it now though, given the comments on both threads. Hopefully it all feeds back to the club and helps with the assigning here going forward.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

Whatever people’s gripes, I don’t seee them as an excuse for Blues leaving on 75 or 80 minutes, particularly when the game is in the balance. The lads need our support.

If people have to leave for important commitments then so be it

 

[jrb]

Whatever people’s gripes, I don’t seee they as an excuse for Bkues leaving on 75 or 80 minutes, particularly when the game is in the balance. The lads need our support.

If people have to leave for important commitments then so be it

That all started with inadequate transport infrastructure around the ground after the matches, and then snowballed into other reasons once people got into the habit of doing it. It won’t change now. Infact it will probably get worse with an extra 8000 fans going to the matches in the future.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

That all started with inadequate transport infrastructure around the ground after the matches, and then snowballed into other reasons once people got into the habit of doing it. It won’t change now. Infact it will probably get worse with an extra 8000 fans going to the matches in the future.

True mate but there would be people leaving early out of habit if there was a taxi service to people’s doorsteps.

Someone left early on out supporters Club bus on Saturday, even though the coach doesn’t leave until everyone returns

 

[.db.]

I’m not sure who the core fans base are. There’s too many matches so many of the “regulars” go to the weekend home games and semi finals and finals. Tickets were going for peanuts for last night. If the people desribed on here (I’m talking Ciry fans) as tourists, glory hunters, foreigners etc don’t buy the seats the ground would be half empty

I wish it would have been, it would highlight it even more to the club what they’ve done to our stands.

 

[Tbilisi]

Not sure about Madrid mate, I was there last season for the 3-3 draw, don’t recall seeing any City fans in the home areas. Definitely the case with Barcelona though.

There were Blues in the stands opposite us Im sure at Madrid, player types but a few.

Think Blues who cant get tickets in the City end for big games will get them in home stands, I have a few times and will do so going forward.

 

[jrb]

True mate but there would be people leaving early out of habit if there was a taxi service to people’s doorsteps.

Someone left early on out supporters Club bus on Saturday, even though the coach doesn’t leave until everyone returns

Taxis wait close to the South stand after the match. But can't move until most of the fans have stopped walking on the road.

But if you leave early enough, you can get a taxi and be back in town before the end of the match, and before the fans start coming out of the Etihad.

People queue for the buses outside the South stabd back into town whilst the match is still going on.