You make good points jma- although you come across as ludicrously patronising, and full of your own importance, so I wouldn't be surprised if people disagreed with you/gave you abuse based purely upon how you come across.
I think it's a bit cynical to suggest city deliberately try and replace 'proper blues' (for want of a better term) with tourists, for example with the last 5 games offer.
At the end of the day, if the price is met, City don't care who goes.
As Dave suggests, it may well be better for the Club in terms of progression if person X goes home to China (for example) and tells his friends what a great time he had watching City, rather than Gaz who drinks a skinful. But, as you pointed out, the shirt sales and other merchandise is where the real money comes- and that is going to be sold regardless of if the tourist comes to watch us play, or not.
The increase of price might attract the 'better demographic' but ultimately price increases were/are always going to happen. This doesn't mean it's a plan from City to exclude long standing Blues who, unfortunately, can't afford the tickets. It's merely price matching with other top clubs across Europe. Furthermore, whilst it doesn't majorly effect the bottom line in terms of Net Profit, any way of hiking up the Revenue is going to be a positive move for the club. This might just be a drop in the Ocean, but it will still effect the bottom line, however small that effect may be.
If Gaz from blackly decides to fork out X amount for the tickets City put on sale, the club aren't going to turn him away, so I think to suggest it's some sort of ploy from City to attract a better demographic is a little over cynical. The by-product will be a 'better' or more financially able demographic will be attracted, and the decision makers will no doubt have been aware of this, but the key reason for whatever increases will be to have some positive effect on the revenue, and the eventual net profit.
Like I say- I agree with many points you make, and unless I have completely misunderstood what you meant (which I may have done, it was a pretty long post, so I did scan read), but I think to suggest the club are deliberately trying to exclude match going blues is overly cynical....
I think it's a bit cynical to suggest city deliberately try and replace 'proper blues' (for want of a better term) with tourists, for example with the last 5 games offer.
At the end of the day, if the price is met, City don't care who goes.
As Dave suggests, it may well be better for the Club in terms of progression if person X goes home to China (for example) and tells his friends what a great time he had watching City, rather than Gaz who drinks a skinful. But, as you pointed out, the shirt sales and other merchandise is where the real money comes- and that is going to be sold regardless of if the tourist comes to watch us play, or not.
The increase of price might attract the 'better demographic' but ultimately price increases were/are always going to happen. This doesn't mean it's a plan from City to exclude long standing Blues who, unfortunately, can't afford the tickets. It's merely price matching with other top clubs across Europe. Furthermore, whilst it doesn't majorly effect the bottom line in terms of Net Profit, any way of hiking up the Revenue is going to be a positive move for the club. This might just be a drop in the Ocean, but it will still effect the bottom line, however small that effect may be.
If Gaz from blackly decides to fork out X amount for the tickets City put on sale, the club aren't going to turn him away, so I think to suggest it's some sort of ploy from City to attract a better demographic is a little over cynical. The by-product will be a 'better' or more financially able demographic will be attracted, and the decision makers will no doubt have been aware of this, but the key reason for whatever increases will be to have some positive effect on the revenue, and the eventual net profit.
Like I say- I agree with many points you make, and unless I have completely misunderstood what you meant (which I may have done, it was a pretty long post, so I did scan read), but I think to suggest the club are deliberately trying to exclude match going blues is overly cynical....