Season Ticket Pricing as a result of Stadium Expansion

[johnmc]

You cant really compare City and a supermarket. Poeple need food and it is a competitve market. City, really, is either a supporter who can afford to go or a supporter who cant. You will get some people who go as the proce is right or whatever but on the whole its a select target customer group of City fans. Now if that customer group grows and you are albe to charge more the club, unfortunately will do that as it is looking to make money at the end of the day no matter how much we dont like looking at it that way.

What the club will want is the maximum return - If one person offered a billion pounds to be the only one watching the home games then I have no doubt that the club would do that. Loyalty means nothing when its a contest agains pound coins.

I'm not 100% disagreeing with your points, but I feel that modern businesses do recognise the value of retaining loyal customers and City should be no exception. The comparison with supermarkets is valid. People can choose to shop with them or not. Fans can choose to go to games (and/or buy merchandise) or not. The way to ensure they keep buying from you is to make them feel valued, or special. I think City try, but could do more. People think fans don't have a choice - they do. You can choose to not go to cup games, not buy the latest kit. Go to fewer games or not at all & watch on TV. If too many start doing this, then revenue will be hit.

Of course if one man is going to offer £1billion for a game, then the club might take it, but seriously, the club have to operate on the basis of getting as many people as they can to the stadium for each game.

But a supermarket doesnt have a set number of people it can let through the door. The club will want to get all seats full at the maximum possible. If one customer (hate that) leaves the club will be happy as long as another customer replaces them. Sad and business like which is not how any of us want our club to be. I dont. Im just saying unfortunately it inevitable. And our club is at least offering cheaper seats albeit in poorer viewing areas of the ground. Whether that will be enough to appease existing supporters in other seats that will be priced out, or the supply will meet the demand im not so sure.

Im not condone what the club are doing merely saying its somewhat inevitable.

 

[johnmc]

Its a issue raised in most replies in this thread, so what do the club, or what should they commit to do to loyal fans? How much do the club owe loyal supporters?

In no other business would a supporter of 20 years be favoured financially over a new supporter ie if a loyal supporter is paying £500 a year for 20 years but a new supporter is offering to replace the existing supporter but pay £1,000 the new supporter gets the ticket.

In some peoples eyes this isnt right, but realistically how much do the club owe the loyal supporters. The Rolling stones put tickets up to £250 during the summer, most fans would have paid a tenth of that to see them in their early days and are now priced out. Should those fans get cheaper tickets because they were there at the start?

There is not one person on here who, if they had a business where they knew they could get a higher price for what they were selling, would not do exactly that.

Its a sad state of affairs really but football, despite a lot of people thinking it is, is no different to normal business sadly.

In a purely business sense you are indeed correct.!!!

I run my own business but ... I don't ask my " customers to stump money up to put their names on my wall or a circle on the floor ...!

I don't have a memorial garden in my business where family members of customers can pray or reflect and scatter loved ones ashes.!!

Each year I don't convince my customers that we are # together#.

Please don't misunderstand my posts I'm not a mouth foamer moaning ... I am plainly stating my personal view about the club I love .

It was inevitable as soon as we were taken over by the sheik Mansour... I have admired regularly how professional and successfully he conducts business regarding city.

We have to get used to it it will only get more expensive...!!!!

Sadly I will no longer be part of it because I along with many others will not spend £1000.00 plus to watch football.this is my personal choice and I accept that.

In short I'm trying to say we are more than just customers for most of us city has been part of the fabric of growing to where we are now.!!!!

There will be similarities drawn to Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea for monetising us...!

#together# .......... I don't think so.

I dont disagree as a lifelong fan - unfortunately the owners arent.

 

[pirate]

Its a issue raised in most replies in this thread, so what do the club, or what should they commit to do to loyal fans? How much do the club owe loyal supporters?

In no other business would a supporter of 20 years be favoured financially over a new supporter ie if a loyal supporter is paying £500 a year for 20 years but a new supporter is offering to replace the existing supporter but pay £1,000 the new supporter gets the ticket.

In some peoples eyes this isnt right, but realistically how much do the club owe the loyal supporters. The Rolling stones put tickets up to £250 during the summer, most fans would have paid a tenth of that to see them in their early days and are now priced out. Should those fans get cheaper tickets because they were there at the start?

There is not one person on here who, if they had a business where they knew they could get a higher price for what they were selling, would not do exactly that.

Its a sad state of affairs really but football, despite a lot of people thinking it is, is no different to normal business sadly.

In a purely business sense you are indeed correct.!!!

I run my own business but ... I don't ask my " customers to stump money up to put their names on my wall or a circle on the floor ...!

I don't have a memorial garden in my business where family members of customers can pray or reflect and scatter loved ones ashes.!!

Each year I don't convince my customers that we are # together#.

Please don't misunderstand my posts I'm not a mouth foamer moaning ... I am plainly stating my personal view about the club I love .

It was inevitable as soon as we were taken over by the sheik Mansour... I have admired regularly how professional and successfully he conducts business regarding city.

We have to get used to it it will only get more expensive...!!!!

Sadly I will no longer be part of it because I along with many others will not spend £1000.00 plus to watch football.this is my personal choice and I accept that.

In short I'm trying to say we are more than just customers for most of us city has been part of the fabric of growing to where we are now.!!!!

There will be similarities drawn to Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea for monetising us...!

#together# .......... I don't think so.

I dont mean to be picky but you dont have to spend £1000 to watch city. You could move to the £299 seats .

and yes there will be similarities between utd, arse and chelsea and us for monetising the club, but its the only way to compete in the modern game and at least our owners are offering cheap tickets t try and keep the old timers (like me) and the less well off fans able to attend games.

 

[cheddar404]

In fairness the capacity for the Bayern game was reduced by some 2000+ ,due to UEFA policies on advertising.

Yes and it still didn't sell out.

Yet the gate showed 45.021 so not many seats left out of a potential 45,500 capacity.We only sold 46,821 for the Watford game,of which 6196 were Watford supporters,making a total of 40,000 City fans were present.The Bayern game suggested that they only brought 3,000,so 42,000 were City fans !!
Always makes a better read when you have facts and figures and not just plain "made up" nonsense to try and support an argument.

City were still selling tickets on the day. This is against the current champions of Europe. You don't think the ticket cost was a factor? I think our fan base is affected more by ticket cost than many other clubs of our stature. While we're on the subject of facts, we managed a 46,002 sell-out against them last time at 35 quid a ticket.

 

[StretfordBleu]

Like many of you have already said in here, I too have received a letter stating that me and my poppa will be looking at £1,150 for the 15/16 season. To be honest, if it wasn't for the good group of people around us we would've moved to cheaper seats already as we're paying £750+ with all the add-ons on a platinum SC.

I'm a young man on a half decent salary and it's just too much. "Don't panic" I hear you say "you can swap to cheaper seats". I have a feeling there's going to be quite some demand for cheaper seats and I'm wondering who exactly is going to snap up the empty seats left behind?. I think the stadium will look brilliant with a third tier adding to the N&S stands. More menacing. But it'll only give the red half of London an extra excuse to mention how empty our stadium looks when - for some reason - no-one shows up for midweek cup clashes.

£1,150 averages out at £60 a game which I would just about pay for a premium CL match. Not for the whole season.

I'm in block 201 and I'm happy enough to shell out the current £750 for the view, the players and the comfy seat. My match-day experience is going to be enhanced ONLY by the players performance not a bar area where the club can try and lure me in with their scandalous 'meal deal' offers. I don't drink on match days, I eat at the chippy up the road to avoid being stung and I get there no more than 20 minutes before kick-off and leave straight away.

No Ta.

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

Like many of you have already said in here, I too have received a letter stating that me and my poppa will be looking at £1,150 for the 15/16 season. To be honest, if it wasn't for the good group of people around us we would've moved to cheaper seats already as we're paying £750+ with all the add-ons on a platinum SC.

I'm a young man on a half decent salary and it's just too much. "Don't panic" I hear you say "you can swap to cheaper seats". I have a feeling there's going to be quite some demand for cheaper seats and I'm wondering who exactly is going to snap up the empty seats left behind?. I think the stadium will look brilliant with a third tier adding to the N&S stands. More menacing. But it'll only give the red half of London an extra excuse to mention how empty our stadium looks when - for some reason - no-one shows up for midweek cup clashes.

£1,150 averages out at £60 a game which I would just about pay for a premium CL match. Not for the whole season.

I'm in block 201 and I'm happy enough to shell out the current £750 for the view, the players and the comfy seat. My match-day experience is going to be enhanced ONLY by the players performance not a bar area where the club can try and lure me in with their scandalous 'meal deal' offers. I don't drink on match days, I eat at the chippy up the road to avoid being stung and I get there no more than 20 minutes before kick-off and leave straight away.

No Ta.

Exactly.....who is going to take all these seats that will be left empty. Very few currently paying £500 or so are going to think "do you know what I think I'll more than double my football expense and relocate to that area. There are at least 4000 seats in these areas so who will pay for them? How many will stay in those seats at those prices?

Fair enough if they want you out but at least offer the chance of first dibs at this new stand but as far as I can see that wont be the case and you will get offered what's left.

Still you do get access to a bar!

 

[cleavers]

Just for clarity, these seats at £1150, are they the current CB and East level 2 seats ?

What about those in the south and north stands ?
Where is this "sports club" going to be located ?
I had a letter earlier this week, but it didn't include the bit about £1150 seats. I'm in 211 just "south" of these more expensive East level 2 seats, and its considered South stand, even though we use the spiral for East stand.

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

Just for clarity, these seats at £1150, are they the current CB and East level 2 seats ?

What about those in the south and north stands ?
Where is this "sports club" going to be located ?
I had a letter earlier this week, but it didn't include the bit about £1150 seats. I'm in 211 just "south" of these more expensive East level 2 seats, and its considered South stand, even though we use the spiral for East stand.

Padded seats in CB and ES.

You should be ok. I sit 6 seats away from non padded seats in the corner but looks like I'm going to have to move

 

[cleavers]

Padded seats in CB and ES.

You should be ok. I sit 6 seats away from non padded seats in the corner but looks like I'm going to have to move

OK thanks, so its only the ones that were advised a couple of season back.

 

[waspish]

Four years ago, we were informed about the changes that were going to take place on L2
My Seasoncard at that time was in block 205, right next to the corporates and I knew that the cost of the seat in that area was going to triple, so I took the decision then to relocate
Why don't you do the same, or do you believe that for £600 you should have the best seat in the house?

Why do you rant about the football being an event, then complain about the fact you buy beers?
If it's just about the football, buy a lower priced season card and don't drink

You have a good point there I sit in east stand 3rd tier my season ticket was 680 on platinum I have the Opportunity now of moving to a cheaper area but I love the view and the perspective you get on the game, if it goes up to £1000 in the next 3 years I want be renewing! It's a quandary hopefully the other 2 stands will be in the pipeline to be extended by the time the price is out of my price..

Why do you buy Platinum? After one season I sacked that off
Our owner wants a full house each week, a great atmosphere that will encourage tourists and corporate attendance and of course a "product" on the field that is exciting. He also has to balance the books.
Really, the fairest solution is to turn L2 corporate and hugely increase revenues from this area, but also build extra capacity for lower priced tickets from where the atmosphere will be generated
Someone earlier in the thread compared theatre tickets with the price of football.
You wouldn't get the best seat in the theatre for £22. Multiply £22 x 19 league matches and it comes out at £418, so in my opinion a season card for one of the best teams in Europe at less that £399 (£21 per game) is pretty good value.
Get saving £8 per week, or drink 3 pints less a week, or smoke 20 a week less

I'll be going gold next season and hopefully that will be like a price freeze for me.. Good point about the 2nd tier going all corporate I think that's where it's heading with the cushioned seats..