The Price of Football

[glorygloryeze]

i support spurs because i developed an interest in football and my friends were already spurs fans

you asked how to attract new customers not how to monetise existing leads

if it was more convenient all round, yes

My point was (and i think you know) was that if you price out the kind of fans who have been going for years and were fans due to family/local friends connections (the vast majority atm) then you'll struggle to get the next generation core.

How 'smalltime' do we accuse clubs like West Ham, Millwall and Chelsea for having to fill their grounds using adverts and marketing campaigns on media outlets such as TalkSport, The Metro etc?

We and other similar 'big' clubs pride ourselves on our large loyal core support that we don't need to 'advertise' to fill the ground (on the whole) and that we will likely have to suffer 6 years of straight relegations before that even begins to change.
What will likely change that (and more quickly) is the 'core' being priced out of regularly attending matches as they will likely not be able to take their offspring who usually make up the large part of the 'next generation' of loyal fans.

 

[Jordinho]

 

[Baleforce]

My point was (and i think you know) was that if you price out the kind of fans who have been going for years and were fans due to family/local friends connections (the vast majority atm) then you'll struggle to get the next generation core.

How 'smalltime' do we accuse clubs like West Ham, Millwall and Chelsea for having to fill their grounds using adverts and marketing campaigns on media outlets such as TalkSport, The Metro etc?

We and other similar 'big' clubs pride ourselves on our large loyal core support that we don't need to 'advertise' to fill the ground (on the whole) and that we will likely have to suffer 6 years of straight relegations before that even begins to change.
What will likely change that (and more quickly) is the 'core' being priced out of regularly attending matches as they will likely not be able to take their offspring who usually make up the large part of the 'next generation' of loyal fans.

i don't think thats a real concern, there will
always be enough casuals and corporates to keep things ticking over, you move the prices around to keep capacity optimum

the bulk of the money comes from global TV audiences, thats the future, it's not actually that relevent how many fans you have as long as the league product is strong enough to get people watching

 

[jts1882]

They scrapped game categorisation.

FSG probably won't be stupid enough to do that, but if they choose the Cat B price the total cost is £1007, a minor hit.

I'm still undecided whether this is a victory for supporters or not. The owners certainly won't give up trying to raise revenues, perhaps by recategorising a few GA seats as corporate (hence allowing them to charge more than £59).

I suspect the main effect will be to slow the repayment of the debt for the new stand and delay the development of the Anfield Road stand.

 

[Grays_1890]

I dont think footballs that expenses really, West Ham fans getting £600 season tickets so £30 a game, that isn't bad at all.

 

[Baleforce]

FSG probably won't be stupid enough to do that, but if they choose the Cat B price the total cost is £1007, a minor hit.

I'm still undecided whether this is a victory for supporters or not. The owners certainly won't give up trying to raise revenues, perhaps by recategorising a few GA seats as corporate (hence allowing them to charge more than £59).

I suspect the main effect will be to slow the repayment of the debt for the new stand and delay the development of the Anfield Road stand.

A lot will be made of it, there will be a massive circle jerk amongst the activists and the clams at the FSF, then things will go back to how they used to be.

 

[glorygloryeze]

i don't think thats a real concern, there will
always be enough casuals and corporates to keep things ticking over, you move the prices around to keep capacity optimum

the bulk of the money comes from global TV audiences, thats the future, it's not actually that relevent how many fans you have as long as the league product is strong enough to get people watching

 

[parklane1]

I dont think footballs that expenses really, West Ham fans getting £600 season tickets so £30 a game, that isn't bad at all.

Good point, there has been a myth ( spread mostly by supporters who do not go) for as long as I have watched football that they are being ripped off.

If you add up what the average guy spends on going to the pub several times a week, eating out at weekends, what they spend on buying/playing kids abacus games, buying the latest phones, tablets etc etc, weekend trips abroad ( I could go on but you get the picture). Once you have taken that in to the equation then football prices are NOT a rip off.

 

[Grays_1890]

Good point, there has been a myth ( spread mostly by supporters who do not go) for as long as I have watched football that they are being ripped off.

If you add up what the average guy spends on going to the pub several times a week, eating out at weekends, what they spend on buying/playing kids abacus games, buying the latest phones, tablets etc etc, weekend trips abroad ( I could go on but you get the picture). Once you have taken that in to the equation then football prices are NOT a rip off.

Excuse my terrible written English in that post BTW.

My mate goes to Gaucho all the time, spends £60-£70 on a steak that ultimately lasts 24hrs, then moans about the price of a day at the football.

 

[parklane1]

Excuse my terrible written English in that post BTW.

My mate goes to Gaucho all the time, spends £60-£70 on a steak that ultimately lasts 24hrs, then moans about the price of a day at the football.

There is nothing wrong with your English mate( I gather you are not English?) the fact that you can speak, write in another language is a lot better then what most English people can do.

Your example ( of your mate) is what i was pointing out, some think nothing on spending a lot of money on things they want to ( which is their choice) but then bitch about the price of supporting their team. As I have said many times you pays your money and takes your choice.

 

[Grays_1890]

Also surely going to support your side and remembering dreams is worth the money.

I suppose thats the flip of demands "I want a champions league ready team, great seats, great food....ohhh and I don't want to pay for it"

Thats not aimed at Spurs fans BTW, just see it all the time

 

[parklane1]

Also surely going to support your side and remembering dreams is worth the money.

I suppose thats the flip of demands "I want a champions league ready team, great seats, great food....ohhh and I don't want to pay for it"

Thats not aimed at Spurs fans BTW, just see it all the time

Bingo.

 

[glorygloryeze]

..and for every person who spends loads on eurodance records/nights out etc, there are those who are quite frugal because football is their one and only passion (religion lol) who are hit by high rises in prices.
Indeed you pays your money and takes your choices. Or you don't (as many people simply do already or start to..)

When that happens and most of the attendees are grey-haired middle-aged men that can't be bothered/haven't the energy to sing, scream and shout to support the team, then no doubt talk will start about the 'lack of atmosphere', 'why do clubs have to give out plastic balloons to get the crowd going', 'plastic fans' etc

 

[Grays_1890]

When that happens and most of the attendees are grey-haired middle-aged men that can't be bothered/haven't the energy to sing, scream and shout to support the team, then no doubt talk will start about the 'lack of atmosphere', 'why do clubs have to give out plastic balloons to get the crowd going', 'plastic fans' etc

Equally I take exception to that because how can anyone tell a fan how they should support their side? If my dad who is in his 60s, died for Spurs in the 70s/80s wanted to sit and watch, then thats up to him, he loves the club just as much as anyone and doesn't have to shout like Cnut to prove it.

In one hand its like alluding to discrimination against the working class man yet doing the same against those of another type.

 

[parklane1]

..and for every person who spends loads on eurodance records/nights out etc, there are those who are quite frugal because football is their one and only passion (religion lol) who are hit by high rises in prices.
Indeed you pays your money and takes your choices. Or you don't (as many people simply do already or start to..)

When that happens and most of the attendees are grey-haired middle-aged men that can't be bothered/haven't the energy to sing, scream and shout to support the team, then no doubt talk will start about the 'lack of atmosphere', 'why do clubs have to give out plastic balloons to get the crowd going', 'plastic fans' etc

That is more gonads, football attendances for the last couple of seasons has been at its highest for decades.

 

[Grays_1890]

The thing is if you have to save hard for your ticket or it comes naturally based on your finances isnt footballs fault....

 

[glorygloryeze]

That is more cobblers, football attendances for the last couple of seasons has been at its highest for decades.

Really? You sure about that across the board?
For example, they say that about the Emirates as well; but how many empty seats do we often SEE when what is REPORTED is a full house?
I'm sure @markysimmo will bring up the "Full house" that's always reported at the Etihad as well

 

[parklane1]

Really? You sure about that across the board?
For example, they say that about the Emirates as well; but how many empty seats do we often SEE when what is REPORTED is a full house?
I'm sure @markysimmo will bring up the "Full house" that's always reported at the Etihad as well

So even if those seats are sold ( even if not used on occasions) then it means they are SOLD which is the opposite on what you were trying to suggest, you can bend it everyway to try and prove your ( wrong) point if you feel the need.

 

[Baleforce]

Really? You sure about that across the board?
For example, they say that about the Emirates as well; but how many empty seats do we often SEE when what is REPORTED is a full house?
I'm sure @markysimmo will bring up the "Full house" that's always reported at the Etihad as well

that means they are still selling the tickets, which is far more important than how many people are actually there

there is danger in circumventing the intrinsic value of a product, once price becomes the only variable a race to the bottom is inevitable

 

[glorygloryeze]

Equally I take exception to that because how can anyone tell a fan how they should support their side? If my dad who is in his 60s, died for Spurs in the 70s/80s wanted to sit and watch, then thats up to him, he loves the club just as much as anyone and doesn't have to shout like Cnut to prove it.

In one hand its like alluding to discrimination against the working class man yet doing the same against those of another type.

What i'm saying is that pricing certain fans out of the game (i.e. the younger ones plus the ones who would like to bring their kids along) will lead to some of the more 'traditional' fans not going (i'm sure many wont mourn many of these 'traditional' types i know) and - more importantly imo - likely lead to a lack of 'supply' in terms of the next generation of fans.

Also, many already moan that the mix at football clubs (in terms of 'social class', age etc) is already starting to thin out..

I say again re ticket prices: if Arsenal start charging 60% of what Spurs charge for the same type of seat/view, what's to stop any Spurs 'fan' going there instead? After all, they consistently offer a more 'premium product' don't they?