*singingtheblues*
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 16 May 2008
- Messages
- 2,276
Hospitality get a record number of tickets for the derby a few weeks ago, and the tickets sell out at a record points criteria for a derby. Coincidence?
Marseilles fans are seen in the away end (actually wearing the replica kit), group after group of the dreaded 'football tourists' (complete with cameras and half and half City/Scum scarves), and even rags themselves.
Today, Chelsea sells out at 5750 points. Despite this, the club are still selling hospitality packages with tickets in the away end, funny that.
The club are setting a precedent, one which will be considered the norm in the coming years. Quite simply, the club are beginning to put the 'suits' before the fans, even in away fixtures. The club are making a conscious effort to change the demographic of fans at CoMS, at the expense of the rest of us. The "Old Trafford model" if you like.
Don't believe me?
Look at how our prices for individual games have soared in the past two years, to the point where in some games you'll be expected to pay £48 for the cheapest seats in the ground.
Everything continues to get more expensive, from food and drink to alcohol. All the while the club continue to tell us that we matter and we'll be consulted about any planned changes.
Last year the club introduced a new Family Stand, doubling the size of the existing one, which, has widely been regarded as a failure - due in no small part to never being full regardless of the fixture. The demand wasn't there, but the club made the plans, and then tried to convince us all that we were consulted by reminding us of a "survey" that was sent out via email. The sole purpose of the supposed "survey" was to provide the club with that very excuse. The plans were already made, yet we were told that the plans were as a direct result of a survey very few people completed.
If you've ever completed one of these surveys you'll be familiar with the words "match day experience", and "supporter satisfaction". I give you - the Old Trafford demographic.
The club are making conscious changes to make this a reality, all while trying to convince us otherwise.
Next season, the club will evict everyone from the East and West level 2 who aren't willing to see the price of their seasoncards increase by a margin of around 50% for a "premium experience". In other words, nothing more than padded seats and the introduction of an enforced passive audience. A "corporate experience" for those who are willing to be shafted for it.
And some people wonder why there has been a crackdown on "bad language" in these areas of the ground this season?
They're preparing for the change next season; a passive, middle-class audience with money to spend and little qualms about with parting with it.
So where does that leave us?
Ticket prices increasing, corporates being given priority access to away games, you name it. All I'll say is, the seasoncard renewal process could prove to be very interesting.
Marseilles fans are seen in the away end (actually wearing the replica kit), group after group of the dreaded 'football tourists' (complete with cameras and half and half City/Scum scarves), and even rags themselves.
Today, Chelsea sells out at 5750 points. Despite this, the club are still selling hospitality packages with tickets in the away end, funny that.
The club are setting a precedent, one which will be considered the norm in the coming years. Quite simply, the club are beginning to put the 'suits' before the fans, even in away fixtures. The club are making a conscious effort to change the demographic of fans at CoMS, at the expense of the rest of us. The "Old Trafford model" if you like.
Don't believe me?
Look at how our prices for individual games have soared in the past two years, to the point where in some games you'll be expected to pay £48 for the cheapest seats in the ground.
Everything continues to get more expensive, from food and drink to alcohol. All the while the club continue to tell us that we matter and we'll be consulted about any planned changes.
Last year the club introduced a new Family Stand, doubling the size of the existing one, which, has widely been regarded as a failure - due in no small part to never being full regardless of the fixture. The demand wasn't there, but the club made the plans, and then tried to convince us all that we were consulted by reminding us of a "survey" that was sent out via email. The sole purpose of the supposed "survey" was to provide the club with that very excuse. The plans were already made, yet we were told that the plans were as a direct result of a survey very few people completed.
If you've ever completed one of these surveys you'll be familiar with the words "match day experience", and "supporter satisfaction". I give you - the Old Trafford demographic.
The club are making conscious changes to make this a reality, all while trying to convince us otherwise.
Next season, the club will evict everyone from the East and West level 2 who aren't willing to see the price of their seasoncards increase by a margin of around 50% for a "premium experience". In other words, nothing more than padded seats and the introduction of an enforced passive audience. A "corporate experience" for those who are willing to be shafted for it.
And some people wonder why there has been a crackdown on "bad language" in these areas of the ground this season?
They're preparing for the change next season; a passive, middle-class audience with money to spend and little qualms about with parting with it.
So where does that leave us?
Ticket prices increasing, corporates being given priority access to away games, you name it. All I'll say is, the seasoncard renewal process could prove to be very interesting.