Where are the non-STH fans?

[ChippenhamRed]

Before the season began, as a non-STH I was concerned about how easy it would be to get tickets.

Playing in a higher division after one of our most successful seasons ever, with a capacity limited to 16k, 12k STH and 1k away fans, that left only around 3,000 tickets for regulars such as myself.

Last week, the club announced a reduced capacity for the Hull game and said the fixture was "very unlikely to make general sale". Yet with less than 24 hours until kick off, there are still tickets available to anyone. Even for a televised game, that's disappointing! Clearly based on that previous statement by the club, the interest level is not what they expected it to be. Indeed, plenty of our games have made general sale, and they haven't all sold out. It's not as though the team is cut adrift at the foot of the table, and we continue to play attractive, attacking football.

There must be a huge number of supporters who aren't able to commit to a season ticket for a variety of reasons - finances, work, family commitments, etc. Where are they? Why are we not routinely selling out just a few thousand seats? Have the club got the prices wrong? How do we hope to fill 15k seats (assuming we maintain 12k STH) next season if we can't sell 3k this year?

These are genuine questions and this is not intended as a criticism of the fan base!

 

[Kid in the Riot]

1) We're not exactly tearing up trees in this division;

2) The match day prices are expensive;

3) 12.30pm ko and on Sky;

4) You can't buy 3/4 tickets together;

5) We're still averaging 15k + which is pretty good given we only have 3 stands and league position.

[ChippenhamRed]

8 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

1) We're not exactly tearing up trees in this division;

2) The match day prices are expensive;

3) 12.30pm ko and on Sky;

4) You can't buy 3/4 tickets together;

5) We're still averaging 15k + which is pretty good given we only have 3 stands and league position.

All fair points. I guess the point I'm  making is that if you sell 12k season tickets, you would expect to sell the remaining 3k pretty easily, despite all of the above.

The fact that we're not suggests to me that we have overpriced the tickets. Having paid £31 AFTER members discount to sit in the Dolman tomorrow, I think that's probably the main problem.

[Tinmans Love Child]

12 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

1) We're not exactly tearing up trees in this division;

2) The match day prices are expensive;

3) 12.30pm ko and on Sky;

4) You can't buy 3/4 tickets together;

5) We're still averaging 15k + which is pretty good given we only have 3 stands and league position.

All of the above plus Xmas round the corner, personally I have to pick and choose my games as I can't justify upwards of £30 to watch a game, especially when it's on sky.

i agree though that unless ticket prices are reduced we won't get anywhere near filling the stadium unless we get in the Prem

[ChippenhamRed]

3 minutes ago, Tinmans Love Child said:

All of the above plus Xmas round the corner, personally I have to pick and choose my games as I can't justify upwards of £30 to watch a game, especially when it's on sky.

i agree though that unless ticket prices are reduced we won't get anywhere near filling the stadium unless we get in the Prem

Agreed. You have to hope this season's matchday/members prices are a reflection of supply and demand with a reduced capacity. Unquestionably they will need to significantly reduce those prices next year if they want to fill those new seats.

[pongo88]

For non season ticket holders, going to a match is just too difficult compared to the past. It used to be able to just decide to go on the day, turn up, pay and get in. Now, due to reduced capacity, to guarantee that a group of people can sit together they've got to book in advance. It should be better with extra capacity next season, but it still won't be easy to pay on the day, as this requires providing endless details before you hand over the cash. Throw in the poor parking and poor public transport and it seems even worse

[Nogbad the Bad]

35 minutes ago, ChippenhamRed said:

Before the season began, as a non-STH I was concerned about how easy it would be to get tickets.

Why are we not routinely selling out just a few thousand seats? Have the club got the prices wrong? How do we hope to fill 15k seats (assuming we maintain 12k STH) next season if we can't sell 3k this year?

These are genuine questions and this is not intended as a criticism of the fan base!

 

Why should we get significantly bigger crowds next season? A few more no doubt through the novelty value of the New Williams, but hard to see beyond the same sort of numbers, just more spread out.

Some fans will move from each of the 3 present stands to the New Williams, with the SS likely to see the biggest exodus.

It seems to me Dolmanites are generally fiercely loyal to their stand and the bulk of the Atyeo fans will stay where they are.

Unless we're being much more successful we'll be looking at 10k spare seats for most games imo., particularly noticeable in the SS and top tier of the Williams - if indeed that area is opened at all.

Lower POTD prices and lots more freebies will be needed if the club want significantly bigger numbers.

Many people are no doubt put off buying a ticket to sit on their own so Kid's 4th point - more availability to buy groups of tickets together next season - should boost numbers.

By how much is anyone's guess, but likely to be in the hundreds rather than thousands would be mine.

 

[ChippenhamRed]

7 minutes ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

Why should we get significantly bigger crowds next season? A few more no doubt through the novelty value of the New Williams, but hard to see beyond the same sort of numbers, just more spread out.

Some fans will move from each of the 3 present stands to the New Williams, with the SS likely to see the biggest exodus.

It seems to me Dolmanites are generally fiercely loyal to their stand and the bulk of the Atyeo fans will stay where they are.

Unless we're being much more successful we'll be looking at 10k spare seats for most games imo., particularly noticeable in the SS and top tier of the Williams - if indeed that area is opened at all.

Lower POTD prices and lots more freebies will be needed if the club want significantly bigger numbers.

Many people are no doubt put off buying a ticket to sit on their own so Kid's 4th point - more availability to buy groups of tickets together next season - should boost numbers.

By how much is anyone's guess, but likely to be in the hundreds rather than thousands would be mine.

 

I'm not suggesting we will necessarily get bigger crowds next season, though there is plenty of evidence that new stadiums boost attendance. But if you've got 27,000 seats, surely you must aspire to fill them. Maintaining this year's prices certainly won't help. A non-member looking to buy a ticket in the central Dolman tomorrow would have to pay £38!

[Lrrr]

In Liverpool this weekend for a performance analysis course is my excuse.....  Didn't realise it was a lunch kick of though was hoping it was late afternoon so I could watch it afterwards 

[Ashtonboy]

Should we take the lead from Bradford for next season? Seems to be working for them.

[cidered abroad]

1 hour ago, Tinmans Love Child said:

All of the above plus Xmas round the corner, personally I have to pick and choose my games as I can't justify upwards of £30 to watch a game, especially when it's on sky.

i agree though that unless ticket prices are reduced we won't get anywhere near filling the stadium unless we get in the Prem

But that will be next season's conundrum for the board. Cheaper to entice more in or make more money if the team is more successful.

[Septic Peg]

Non STH here! So I didn't buy a ST last year (in fact I've never had one) but with a young kid, I felt I'd wait til he was old enough so it's something Mum and Son can do (Dad's a Rugger fan so he is in charge of that. I do the football). Now my lad is 7, he went to his very 1st game last season, got the bug, wants a City away kit for Xmas and will be popping along to the Atyeo in the New Year...

Will probably buy a ST for myself and the lad in the Atyeo next year. Block H of course...

 

[sodburyred]

I have a season ticket but regularly used to buy extras throughout the season. I haven't done this since the redevelopment started. Its to hard to get extra tickets near our seats. We regularly used to get an extra 3/4 come with us but they have no interest in sitting in pairs or individually in different stands.

I don't foresee this being a problem next season, hopefully with unreserved areas in the South Stand.

[weepywall]

Non STH here, due to work can't go very often but I think the cost of tickets are quite expensive and probably put quite a few off and any seats available seem to be single seats so that may put a few off as well, next season should be easier but I think the pricing may need looking at.

[CotswoldRed]

The most apathetic set of 'occasional' fans in the country.

Mates of mine live nearby and are watching on TV, fer heaven's sake.

[Aizoon]

3 hours ago, Kid in the Riot said:

1) We're not exactly tearing up trees in this division;

2) The match day prices are expensive;

3) 12.30pm ko and on Sky;

4) You can't buy 3/4 tickets together;

5) We're still averaging 15k + which is pretty good given we only have 3 stands and league position.

All those, and it's a real pain finding out when tickets will be available and WTF they are. I speak, BTW, as an STH. (That's enough acronyms - Ed.)

[red84]

Non STH here, used to have a ST but have two young'uns now! KITR is right match day tickets are expensive if not for the discount due to membership I wouldn't be paying £30 upwards!

Also if I want to sit/stand with mates who have season tickets it's difficult. Luckily a couple of games this year I've been able to go to I've been lucky enough to get a seat near them.

[RedYoshi]

1 hour ago, Septic Peg said:

Non STH here! So I didn't buy a ST last year (in fact I've never had one) but with a young kid, I felt I'd wait til he was old enough so it's something Mum and Son can do (Dad's a Rugger fan so he is in charge of that. I do the football). Now my lad is 7, he went to his very 1st game last season, got the bug, wants a City away kit for Xmas and will be popping along to the Atyeo in the New Year...

Will probably buy a ST for myself and the lad in the Atyeo next year. Block H of course...

 

Half-season ticket could be of interest...? http://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/article/half-season-ticket-prices-revealed-2805976.aspx

[ChippenhamRed]

23 minutes ago, CotswoldRed said:

The most apathetic set of 'occasional' fans in the country.

Mates of mine live nearby and are watching on TV, fer heaven's sake.

At £30-plus a ticket I don't blame people at all if they choose to watch this game on TV. That's not really the point I'm making. If you've got limited funds to spend on football then this game isn't going to be top of the priority list.

Im just surprised in general that having sold 12k season tickets, we don't seem to easily find the remaining 3k to fill the ground. That seems to be an unbalanced picture between STH and non-STH, which suggests matchday prices are excessive.

[pongo88]

57 minutes ago, CotswoldRed said:

The most apathetic set of 'occasional' fans in the country.

Mates of mine live nearby and are watching on TV, fer heaven's sake.

You've hit on a major problem. Lots of "fans" "support" teams like Chelsea & Man Utd. They've never bought a ticket to see them live, but claim to be supporters. Just glory seekers 

[Ian M]

For me the club will need a loss leading season next year by drastically dropping prices and hoping more people catch the bug before steadily increasing them again. 

I wasnt a STH last season and regularly brought 2-4 people with me to the games I attended. This year I got an ST with 1 of those friends but the others haven't attended a single game as there's no seats free in our block of the SS. 

[bcfcshorey]

The problem is last Friday it was pretty much sold out with only singles left in the Dolman and South Stand. Then on Monday loads come up where group bookings haven't been sold and other reasons. So the club make out like it's sold out... And people assume they can't get tickets without trying.

[CityCiderEd]

4 hours ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

Why should we get significantly bigger crowds next season? A few more no doubt through the novelty value of the New Williams, but hard to see beyond the same sort of numbers, just more spread out.

Some fans will move from each of the 3 present stands to the New Williams, with the SS likely to see the biggest exodus.

It seems to me Dolmanites are generally fiercely loyal to their stand and the bulk of the Atyeo fans will stay where they are.

Unless we're being much more successful we'll be looking at 10k spare seats for most games imo., particularly noticeable in the SS and top tier of the Williams - if indeed that area is opened at all.

Lower POTD prices and lots more freebies will be needed if the club want significantly bigger numbers.

Many people are no doubt put off buying a ticket to sit on their own so Kid's 4th point - more availability to buy groups of tickets together next season - should boost numbers.

By how much is anyone's guess, but likely to be in the hundreds rather than thousands would be mine.

 

The Atyeo will be for away fans only next year so they will have to move.

[JamesBCFC]

non STH here, I'm at uni in wales, but will be there tomorrow, and possibly getting a ST next year, even though I'll still be at uni

[Nogbad the Bad]

5 hours ago, ChippenhamRed said:

 

 

 

On 11/16/2015, 10:54:57, Just Red said:

 

 

4 hours ago, ChippenhamRed said:

 

 

31 minutes ago, CityCiderEd said:

The Atyeo will be for away fans only next year so they will have to move.

I don't know where you got that from, I don't believe that to be the case at all.

[ChippenhamRed]

38 minutes ago, bcfcshorey said:

The problem is last Friday it was pretty much sold out with only singles left in the Dolman and South Stand. Then on Monday loads come up where group bookings haven't been sold and other reasons. So the club make out like it's sold out... And people assume they can't get tickets without trying.

I don't get the group bookings thing. For games where demand outstrips supply and paid-up members miss out on tickets I don't even agree with it. 

Presumably it's for schools etc - why not sort out whether the group bookings will be taken up in advance of putting tickets on ordinary sale. Then everyone knows straight away what the true availability is and the confusing situation you describe is avoided.

[CotswoldRed]

1 hour ago, ChippenhamRed said:

At £30-plus a ticket I don't blame people at all if they choose to watch this game on TV. That's not really the point I'm making. If you've got limited funds to spend on football then this game isn't going to be top of the priority list.

Im just surprised in general that having sold 12k season tickets, we don't seem to easily find the remaining 3k to fill the ground. That seems to be an unbalanced picture between STH and non-STH, which suggests matchday prices are excessive.

I agree with this. Expensive matchday tickets don't encourage already apathetic 'supporters'  to turn up. 

And no, I'm not saying every non-STH is apathetic. Of course not. 

[Big Red Rich]

The match day experience has been so sanitised it's just no fun anymore??!

[Red Rum]

4 hours ago, hodge said:

In Liverpool this weekend for a performance analysis course is my excuse.....  Didn't realise it was a lunch kick of though was hoping it was late afternoon so I could watch it afterwards 

Brilliant, we're playing bulls*** bingo.  I'll take your 'performance analysis course' and I'll give you 'value added proposition'.

[BCFC Jordan]

Simple explanation is that ticket prices are far too high for everyone, but in particular for children.