Open Letter on Season Tickets and Pricing | Club announce price freeze on "general admission season tickets & PL match tickets" for next season (p163)

[Prestwich_Blue]

I suppose that would be a reasonable argument to retain the £150 if you could also opt to buy a regular season ticket. But as things stand it's Flexigold (and the additional £150) or nothing.

My original proposal was that the £150 should be called-off against ticket purchases in some way, not be an additional cost on top. So you'd have a Flexi-gold and get £10 off a member's price.

For example, if a full price ticket was £60, a member paid £55 then Flexi-Gold would pay £45, which would be equal to or at most slightly more than the Season Ticket pro-rata price. That would mean that the more games you went to, the lower the overall pro-rata cost but the pro-rata cost would be higher if someone only went to 9 games.

To achieve that though, the club would have to be transparent on pricing at the start of the season and publish prices by category of game, like most other clubs do. Their opaque and byzantine approach to game-by-game prices negates applying a coherent approach to something like Flexi Gold.

I often wonder that, if by trying to be too 'clever' (and I use that word figuratively rather than literally) on pricing, this contributes to the reason we have been underperforming our peer clubs, such as Liverpool, in matchday revenue.

 

[jrb]

One thing in the letter that doesn't make sense is the request to remove the £150 payment for the flexi gold season ticket.

If the club did that, all they are doing is allowing fans access cheaper tickets with no commitment on their behalf.

Every fan in the world would sign up for one (including current season ticket holders) because there is no negative in not having one.

You would get to pick and choose games at pricing cheaper than matchday pricing with no requirement to spend a single penny if you didn't want to whilst getting the same benefits as season ticket holders do.

The commitment is buying a season ticket. Committing £150 for nothing doesn't mean you are more committed than a fan who wants a normal season ticket and has been waiting years for one, even though the club are no longer issuing new season tickets on purpose.

 

[Gone for a Burton]

I've seen one or two replies saying it won't make any difference. We often hear in meetings that the club don't receive negative feedback regarding ticketing and prices. If you agree with the contents of the letter I'd very much urge you to email Alex and I (or any of the City Matters reps for that matter) to say as much. It's much easier to make an argument against ticket price increase when we have evidence to support our opposition to hand.

OAP of 72 + years.

First City game aged 6 in 1958 with my Father,Grandfather,Uncle and brother.

The steady, but accelerating alienation of Manchester City fans by uncaring club actions, troubles me greatly.

Mancunians of all age groups, particularly young ones, want to continue historical family loyalty to the club but find themselves priced out by admission costs or conditions, by which the club will bypass not just the next generation but future generations too.

Protect your family and your core customers.

Loyalty and family lie at the heart of the Nayhan dynasty.

I believe that Sheikh Mansour would also be much troubled to learn of the start of the disintegration of his adopted Manchester City family.

Please let a benevolent common sense prevail.

 

[GaudinoMotors]

Wouldn't it be nice if the players said to the Board that they'd absorb the increase. Put at but back and mere change to them.

 

[Gone for a Burton]

I see the OSC didn’t want anything to do with it. They don’t want to rock the boat when they should be the main voice in my opinion

I'd like to see contextual evidence please.

 

[manclad]

OAP of 72 + years.

First City game aged 6 in 1958 with my Father,Grandfather,Uncle and brother.

The steady, but accelerating alienation of Manchester City fans by uncaring club actions, troubles me greatly.

Mancunians of all age groups, particularly young ones, want to continue historical family loyalty to the club but find themselves priced out by admission costs or conditions, by which the club will bypass not just the next generation but future generations too.

Protect your family and your core customers.

Loyalty and family lie at the heart of the Nayhan dynasty.

I believe that Sheikh Mansour would also be much troubled to learn of the start of the disintegration of his adopted Manchester City family.

Please let a benevolent common sense prevail.

Great post,pal.
Just about sums up the feelings of most of the "legacy" fans who have supported City for decades.

 

[Craig]

It is the way the industry has gone. It is all about the £££. My opinions or anybody else’s for that matter will probably make no difference as they are aware there are a further 20 behind you or me who will buy the ticket. They would argue they are not a charity and of course,use the we need to do all that is possible to comply with PSR. The owner of the Club is not shelling out his billions for his love of Manchester and its surrounding area, his ultimate goal is to make money from his investment. What the fans get to see is some fantastic entertainment as we are taken along for the ride. That obviously comes at a cost.

I haven’t got much faith in anything changing either. Fair play to the people behind this for trying though. Only way to change anything is by making a stand and this is a start. I’m not convinced there are 20 behind waiting either. Maybe for Madrid but not for run of the mill games.

I never thought away tickets would get capped at 30 quid but that was one positive change that’s happened, largely down to fan groups.

 

[johnbmcr]

I'd like to see contextual evidence please.

by his own hand Kevbin

 

[NJMCFC184]

Alex. My understanding is all groups knew about this for weeks. Kev’s on Citymatters and so could have signed on behalf of the OSC at any time. It’s embarrassing. He has 30 years experience and clearly wanted it buried and some of you just cracked on regardless without him.

I’ll try and clarify on this.

Kevin signed the letter in his capacity as the OSC representative on City Matters.

Unfortunately, when I came to ask other groups to support the letter, I utilised the City Matters email for Kevin - which he doesn’t often view. That meant that it wasn’t until yesterday afternoon that Kevin put the draft to the OSC Committee. I wasn’t aware of this at the time, hence why we went ahead with the 10am launch today. I apologise for the technical hiccup on my part.

That said, Kevin and the OSC confirmed their support this morning and I am aware that he has shared it on social media.

 

[Beaker]

My original proposal was that the £150 should be called-off against ticket purchases in some way, not be an additional cost on top. So you'd have a Flexi-gold and get £10 off a member's price.

For example, if a full price ticket was £60, a member paid £55 then Flexi-Gold would pay £45, which would be equal to or at most slightly more than the Season Ticket pro-rata price. That would mean that the more games you went to, the lower the overall pro-rata cost but the pro-rata cost would be higher if someone only went to 9 games.

To achieve that though, the club would have to be transparent on pricing at the start of the season and publish prices by category of game, like most other clubs do. Their opaque and byzantine approach to game-by-game prices negates applying a coherent approach to something like Flexi Gold.

I often wonder that, if by trying to be too 'clever' (and I use that word figuratively rather than literally) on pricing, this contributes to the reason we have been underperforming our peer clubs, such as Liverpool, in matchday revenue.

When you look at the season ticket price map, there are literally dozens of different price categories, all with varying levels of discounts for concessions all over the stadium. Each individual block can have as many as three different categories for example. When you compare and contrast that with the match day pricing where each match has virtually a one price fits all approach, with zero correlation to season ticket pricing, it just doesn’t stack up as a coherent approach.

It’s a convoluted mess, and it suggests to me that the club have lost control over what they are doing, and as a result you may well be right in your last paragraph.

 

[johnbmcr]

This is slightly off to

Whilst not 100% agreeing with you that they should be the main voice I do agree that they should be doing something and I have sent a message to my branch secretary asking him to ask the question at the next OSC main meeting.

more on than off
this is hardly a ringing endorsement by Kevbin more of an after thought or acknowledgement of another strategic error

Tony Benn once said: "I have divided leaders into two categories: the Signposts and the Weathercocks. The Signpost says: 'This is the way we should go.' And you don't have to follow them but if you come back in ten years time the Signpost is still there.

The Weathercock hasn’t got an clue until they've see where other's are going , then u turn to follow the sign posts ."

slightly enhanced soz Tone

 

[Gone for a Burton]

Great post,pal.
Just about sums up the feelings of most of the "legacy" fans who have supported City for decades.

Cheers.

I don't consider myself to be a 'legacy' fan, just a fan through the generations who has witnessed the 'cycle of fortune' turn for many 'legacy' household name businesses.

Most successful businesses need a blend of customers, one off high spenders, occasional good spenders, frequent decent spenders and many, many regular spenders who are there rain or shine, league 3 or PL, win or lose.

The latter are the core of the business and must be protected cos, if they're not there, the business will WOBBLE

 

[117 M34]

The commitment is buying a season ticket. Committing £150 for nothing doesn't mean you are more committed than a fan who wants a normal season ticket and has been waiting years for one, even though the club are no longer issuing new season tickets on purpose.

That wasn't the point.
The point was about offering a flexi ticket with zero upfront payment where you get all the benefits with zero risk.

 

[Beaker]

That wasn't the point.
The point was about offering a flexi ticket with zero upfront payment where you get all the benefits with zero risk.

You don’t get all the benefits of a standard season ticket. You have a 72 hour window 3 weeks prior to the game to reserve your seat, if you miss that window for whatever reason, you’ve lost your seat. Also you don’t have the option of transferring the ticket to friends and family or listing it on the ticket exchange, so every game you can’t attend inflates the pro rata price of your season ticket.

If City removed the £150 charge and gave all season ticket holders the choice between standard and flexi, I reckon 90%+ would choose standard.

 

[johnbmcr]

I’ll try and clarify on this.

Kevin signed the letter in his capacity as the OSC representative on City Matters.

Unfortunately, when I came to ask other groups to support the letter, I utilised the City Matters email for Kevin - which he doesn’t often view. That meant that it wasn’t until yesterday afternoon that Kevin put the draft to the OSC Committee. I wasn’t aware of this at the time, hence why we went ahead with the 10am launch today. I apologise for the technical hiccup on my part.

That said, Kevin and the OSC confirmed their support this morning and I am aware that he has shared it on social media.

the cynics out there might be musing gosh how convenient he didn't read the email or the board needed to be consulted quell surprise a classic delay tactic





And those who can spot a faker might advise Alex don't take responsibility for others failure especially if it involves seasoned manipulators or the powerful Fake people are fake full-time


Back to the ccynicsto conclude They might say if Kevbin supported the letter the osc would have been the biggest logo on the letter not a late insufficient semi agreement

 

[jrb]

That wasn't the point.
The point was about offering a flexi ticket with zero upfront payment where you get all the benefits with zero risk.

A normal season ticket.

This £150 Flexi-Gold season ticket is a load of bollocks. It’s just an additional money making scam by the club. Issue new and normal season tickets when the expanded North stand season tickets go on sale and be done with it. The new stand, hotel, etc will increase match day revenue in their own right.

 

[artfuldodger]

OAP of 72 + years.

First City game aged 6 in 1958 with my Father,Grandfather,Uncle and brother.

The steady, but accelerating alienation of Manchester City fans by uncaring club actions, troubles me greatly.

Mancunians of all age groups, particularly young ones, want to continue historical family loyalty to the club but find themselves priced out by admission costs or conditions, by which the club will bypass not just the next generation but future generations too.

Protect your family and your core customers.

Loyalty and family lie at the heart of the Nayhan dynasty.

I believe that Sheikh Mansour would also be much troubled to learn of the start of the disintegration of his adopted Manchester City family.

Please let a benevolent common sense prevail.

I’m in my 60s. My dad and his best mate, who became his brother in law, started going in the 1950s. Dad took me, I took my much younger sister. We still go, along with our sons in their 20s. We have season tickets. But I think that will be the last generation. I’ve small grandchildren who come occasionally but the chances of them getting a season ticket and carrying on the tradition is highly unlikely. Too expensive,too difficult to organise seats together. And tbh, I don’t know whether I’d want them to get ‘bitten’ like we did. Probably better off supporting a smaller team.

 

[Goater101]

It’s a great letter but they won’t give a fuck and neither will other top clubs.

 

[meeesh]

We've known for a good few years now (season ticket holders), that they aren't arsed whether we renew or not, hence the increases season on season, it is as simple as if you can afford it then fine, if not don't renew, albeit a shit argument the club will always use that.

We won't be staying in the hotel, however we do spend money in the club shop, and food and drink outlets in the ground every season, pay a tenner to park each game, so they do get monies in from different avenues, but it's never gonna be enough for them, as many say it's a business these days.

We have had huge success on the pitch, which ultimately is what we all want, but when there's a big percentage in the ground, and even in Istanbul who have followed City for 5 minutes are sat there with a ticket and they not bothered how much they have paid for the said ticket we are all doomed.

A price freeze for next season is the best we can hope for, and I really hope that's what happens.

As for on the pitch, well that's down to Pep and his team to sort it out, but a lot of us can remember when we were shit, so this isn't something new this current season, however for a half n half scarf wearer......................well who knows where they might end up

 

[meeesh]

I’m in my 60s. My dad and his best mate, who became his brother in law, started going in the 1950s. Dad took me, I took my much younger sister. We still go, along with our sons in their 20s. We have season tickets. But I think that will be the last generation. I’ve small grandchildren who come occasionally but the chances of them getting a season ticket and carrying on the tradition is highly unlikely. Too expensive,too difficult to organise seats together. And tbh, I don’t know whether I’d want them to get ‘bitten’ like we did. Probably better off supporting a smaller team.

And that last part makes me sad, I'm in the same boat, got 2 grandkids who are 6 and 4,kitted out to the max in City, both not been yet, but they will in time if money required isn't stupid.