Great post pal.It's a gamble to phase out season tickets eventually. While we are so successful we will probably sell out most games. If this starts to falter and the newly acquired fans, attracted by the glamour of Guardiola and champions league nights stop turning up, we could be on the slide with no hardcore to hold us together.
The club will know if this happens they can drop prices, start selling season tickets again and possibly recoup some of the slack. That though is the gamble and it isn't a given. What sets football supporters apart from any other "Customer" in the entertainment industry is fierce loyalty, often affiliated with the area and passed down through generations. If you start watering that aspect down and treat fans as just run of the mill customers that fierce loyalty will start to wane. If going to football becomes an expensive treat and you choose the games you go to for their attraction and glamour rather than out of loyalty and support then we're on dodgy ground.
We'll see how it pans out eventually of course. The club need to realise loyalty is a two way thing. If your partner keeps treating you with contempt and never listens to your concerns, no matter how much you love them you will eventually leave. You'll probably always care about them but will never live with them again. The bond and trust has been broken. Be careful City.
I know we attract a lot of tourists now but not enough to replace season ticket holders just yet and when and if we stop dominating English football they'll melt away like a snowman in July, we
See Paul Chappo’s post mate. He sums it up perfectly. Theirs a bigger picture here. Take your blinkers off.We are all dooooomed!!
Great post pal.
I'm now 68 years old and starting to feel my age with old age aches and pains, particularly in the cold winter months.
I still love attending matches ( and have been doing so since March 1966) but if the club starts taking the piss regarding Over 65 discount etc. then I'll knock it on the head and spend my money where I am more appreciated as a valued customer.
I've read mate it excellent post, just my opinion of course but nobodies losing their season ticket. They may well be reticent in issuing new ones of course which is a worry.See Paul Chappo’s post mate. He sums it up perfectly. Theirs a bigger picture here. Take your blinkers off.
Sorry mate, that reply was for scouse Tim of The Oak:)I've read mate it excellent post, just my opinion of course but nobodies losing their season ticket. They may well be reticent in issuing new ones of course which is a worry.
Stick with it mate I played Sunday morning as long as I could and I fully intend watching City live as long as possible, you're a long time dead.Same. Going to live games gets harder these days but we've had the best times, what a ride. From the Joe and Malcolm glory days, the rollercoaster up and down middle period and now the Pep golden era. It's never been dull....well apart from the Pearce period. That TV and warm fire will have to do soon.
Should say flexi-gold.
I wanted to come back to you on this part. I think any level headed fan would agree that xenophobia towards non-Mancunians or Brits is completely wrong, and I am sure most of us have met many from the remainder of the the country or further who are as passionate as anyone about City - I sure have! There is a place for everyone at the Etihad, and I want to ensure that the conversation about ticketing does not debase itself into demonising anyone form outside of the M60.It’s a bit worrying today seeing the xenophobia on social media about tourists taking over. Coming out of the MRI in recent weeks I’ve been happy to see Chinese students in City gear. Likewise when I get the train over the Pennines after midweek games, it’s full of young people / students and a range of ethnicities. These Blues are getting tickets because “many “regulars” can’t / won’t go to midweek games, particularly in the early rounds of cups. They aren’t pricing people out.
That said, there are more affluent “tourists” in the padded seats for the bigger games.
Thanks Alex. Well saidI wanted to come back to you on this part. I think any level headed fan would agree that xenophobia towards non-Mancunians or Brits is completely wrong, and I am sure most of us have met many from the remainder of the the country or further who are as passionate as anyone about City - I sure have! There is a place for everyone at the Etihad, and I want to ensure that the conversation about ticketing does not debase itself into demonising anyone form outside of the M60.
That said, I think people have legitimate concern where the Club have pursued policies that make it more difficult for regular, every day people to watch City or disregards their past loyalty (such as the Flexi Gold surcharge, the All Games on Sale policy, the matchday pricing or poor qualifying criteria). As my friend Nick from the MCFC Fans Supporting Foodbanks group rightly pointed out, that applies to many City fans from outside of the U.K. too.
I know that you can appreciate all of the above, but thought it important to put on record.