Season Ticket sales.....

[Nogbad the Bad]

2 hours ago, Red Right Hand said:

They are now!

Interesting to see where the loyalties of the Leeds fan(s) lie when we meet them at AG. 

[Sleepy1968]

3 hours ago, wendyredredrobin said:

Row 30 is too far back with my dodgy eyesight.  Maybe i should have been a ref.

Are you short-sighted? If so I don't think a few rows will make much difference to more than the closest action. And sometimes isn't it a god-send not to be able to see whats happening too clearly? The main downside is mis-identifying players. When they first put the screens in with full size live game action, I used them to help make out what was happending on the far side of the pitch.

Maybe you could bring your opera glasses or field glasses?

[pillred]

4 hours ago, Bar BS3 said:

A bit of a snowball really. One has always been a Leeds fan but lives in Bristol. Came to a couple of games with me last season and decided to make it a regular thing, with his friend. Then another added on. Then a friend of theirs dad thought he'd join them and then another couple of friends added on with them. Etc. 

I don't directly know anyone who hasn't renewed. Obviously there will be some, but in general, I think most people were encouraged by the end of season turn around. 

In fairness, I don't think many that I go would not renew, however bad it might get! Having said that, it's the only place you can watch championship football anywhere around these parts! 

nice sly dig there!!

[Nogbad the Bad]

4 hours ago, Bar BS3 said:

A bit of a snowball really. One has always been a Leeds fan but lives in Bristol. Came to a couple of games with me last season and decided to make it a regular thing, with his friend. Then another added on. Then a friend of theirs dad thought he'd join them and then another couple of friends added on with them. Etc. 

I don't directly know anyone who hasn't renewed. Obviously there will be some, but in general, I think most people were encouraged by the end of season turn around. 

In fairness, I don't think many that I go would not renew, however bad it might get! Having said that, it's the only place you can watch championship football anywhere around these parts! 

That's great, but obviously you're very untypical if your snowball effect has produced 10 new City STH's.

In fact, if all 13,500 STH's had done the same we'd have sold out AG with a 110k waiting list!

As it is, you don't know anyone who hasn't renewed but I suspect many others, like me, know of quite a number.

Yes, many fans will have been encouraged by the end of season turnaround, but many others would have made their minds up before that.The mood of the fanbase was very low for several months and this will undoubtedly have an ill effect on renewals

I seem to remember on average we lose about 10% of STH's per year in non renewals - financial reasons, people moving jobs to other parts of the country, emigrating, a large number going off to University, quite a few being banned, health reasons, even people dying unfortunately. For any number of reasons not related to the quality of football, or the experience of attending AG, fans do not renew - but I expect you could increase that by many hundreds from last season purely with dissatisfied fans who decided watching City at AG had become too frustrating and unenjoyable, and they'd had enough - for now anyway.

It would be great if City could gain new fans like your acquaintances and not lose a similar number through thoroughly pissing off a percentage of the current ones, but that doesn't seem to be the Bristol City way.

I doubt we'll match last seasons adult total, whatever the final figure, and I'd be very interested to see a break down of age groups when the final figure is given out - particularly any increase in the number of cheap juvenile season tickets sold.

[Monkeh]

8 hours ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

That's great, but obviously you're very untypical if your snowball effect has produced 10 new City STH's.

In fact, if all 13,500 STH's had done the same we'd have sold out AG with a 110k waiting list!

As it is, you don't know anyone who hasn't renewed but I suspect many others, like me, know of quite a number.

Yes, many fans will have been encouraged by the end of season turnaround, but many others would have made their minds up before that.The mood of the fanbase was very low for several months and this will undoubtedly have an ill effect on renewals

I seem to remember on average we lose about 10% of STH's per year in non renewals - financial reasons, people moving jobs to other parts of the country, emigrating, a large number going off to University, quite a few being banned, health reasons, even people dying unfortunately. For any number of reasons not related to the quality of football, or the experience of attending AG, fans do not renew - but I expect you could increase that by many hundreds from last season purely with dissatisfied fans who decided watching City at AG had become too frustrating and unenjoyable, and they'd had enough - for now anyway.

It would be great if City could gain new fans like your acquaintances and not lose a similar number through thoroughly pissing off a percentage of the current ones, but that doesn't seem to be the Bristol City way.

I doubt we'll match last seasons adult total, whatever the final figure, and I'd be very interested to see a break down of age groups when the final figure is given out - particularly any increase in the number of cheap juvenile season tickets sold.

I know 3 who haven't renewed I also know 8 who are planning on getting one, the two cancel each other out, we'll get around the same as last season, ether 5% up or 5% down,

[gordie]

9 hours ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

That's great, but obviously you're very untypical if your snowball effect has produced 10 new City STH's.

In fact, if all 13,500 STH's had done the same we'd have sold out AG with a 110k waiting list!

As it is, you don't know anyone who hasn't renewed but I suspect many others, like me, know of quite a number.

Yes, many fans will have been encouraged by the end of season turnaround, but many others would have made their minds up before that.The mood of the fanbase was very low for several months and this will undoubtedly have an ill effect on renewals

I seem to remember on average we lose about 10% of STH's per year in non renewals - financial reasons, people moving jobs to other parts of the country, emigrating, a large number going off to University, quite a few being banned, health reasons, even people dying unfortunately. For any number of reasons not related to the quality of football, or the experience of attending AG, fans do not renew - but I expect you could increase that by many hundreds from last season purely with dissatisfied fans who decided watching City at AG had become too frustrating and unenjoyable, and they'd had enough - for now anyway.

It would be great if City could gain new fans like your acquaintances and not lose a similar number through thoroughly pissing off a percentage of the current ones, but that doesn't seem to be the Bristol City way.

I doubt we'll match last seasons adult total, whatever the final figure, and I'd be very interested to see a break down of age groups when the final figure is given out - particularly any increase in the number of cheap juvenile season tickets sold.

I get what your saying about losing adult fans being replaced by cheap juvenile tickets but isn't the ultimate aim to attract more young UN's and hopefully entrap them for life.  May lose revenue short term but better off in the long term, ideally though we need to keep as many season ticket holders as possible and add to that.

[Robbored]

The only acceptable reasons for not renewing your SC are financial, family or geographical ones imv.

 

[BRISTOL86]

Genuinely can't fathom people not renewing based on form. Why would they even have a season ticket if they're only interested in when everything is rosy?

That's not what being a football supporter is. 

I get why people with small disposable income would make it one of the first 'luxuries' to cut back on in hard times, but given that last season was our highest league finish since the beginning of the decade it's a very odd notion that people would choose not to renew.

Delusions of grandeur much?

[Monkeh]

Just now, BRISTOL86 said:

Genuinely can't fathom people not renewing based on form. Why would they even have a season ticket if they're only interested in when everything is rosy?

That's not what being a football supporter is. 

I get why people with small disposable income would make it one of the first 'luxuries' to cut back on in hard times, but given that last season was our highest league finish since the beginning of the decade it's a very odd notion that people would choose not to renew.

Delusions of grandeur much?

I have, and I don't blame people sometimes, I refused to renew after Wilson was sacked and Tinnion was put in charge, not a snipe on Tinman but I could see it wouldn't work and even the magnificent 7 headline wouldn't sway me,

So I don't blame them, but we are far from the worse it's ever been, it's not even as bad as it was under SoD

[oldstandrobin]

14 hours ago, wendyredredrobin said:

Row 30 is too far back with my dodgy eyesight.  Maybe i should have been a ref.

I sit in the Lansdown and wear these, they do make a big difference except people recognise me 

[Red Rag]

44 minutes ago, gordie said:

I get what your saying about losing adult fans being replaced by cheap juvenile tickets but isn't the ultimate aim to attract more young UN's and hopefully entrap them for life.  May lose revenue short term but better off in the long term, ideally though we need to keep as many season ticket holders as possible and add to that.

I was talking to a friend at AG last year on the very subject of how aged our fan base is. Looking around the oldie to youngster ratio is way out of kilter. We need to hook them early. Be nice to also retain the old gits like me though.

[RobintheRed Red]

15 hours ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

I'll be going on my own next season as my co-attendee, a STH, had had enough half way through last season. Stopped enjoying it, just didn't want to go any more.

I know of others who feel the same way and have not renewed, and quite a few more on here who said they wouldn't be.

Great to hear of new STH's of course, but City can't afford to lose the old ones, and I think they've lost a fair number.

An increase in child ST's might skew the number, but that's not the same for the club financially, and it seemed to me that alot of the time many of their seats were empty last season. 

 

The new signings are looking good but hes still here

[BRISTOL86]

3 minutes ago, Monkeh said:

I have, and I don't blame people sometimes, I refused to renew after Wilson was sacked and Tinnion was put in charge, not a snipe on Tinman but I could see it wouldn't work and even the magnificent 7 headline wouldn't sway me,

So I don't blame them, but we are far from the worse it's ever been, it's not even as bad as it was under SoD

I just can't get my head around the notion of not renewing because you're unhappy with a decision that those bankrolling the club have made. 

I get it in the case of Blackpool and similar, where gobshite owners are genuinely ripping the heart from their clubs from the inside.

But to not renew because you're not keen on the current manager? I support the club rather than the guy currently picking the team....not a slight on yourself just doesn't reconcile with my own mentality of what loving a football club feels like. 

[BRISTOL86]

1 minute ago, Red Rag said:

I was talking to a friend at AG last year on the very subject of how aged our fan base is. Looking around the oldie to youngster ratio is way out of kilter. We need to hook them early. Be nice to also retain the old gits like me though.

The club are rightly focussing on youth 'recruitment' in terms of pricing policies etc. They've done a lot of good work over the last few years to try and encourage the next generation of fans IMO  

Lets face it for most of us by the time we get to adult age you're either brainwashed and hooked or you don't care, and prices for the main won't change whether you buy a ST or not.  

[Monkeh]

8 minutes ago, BRISTOL86 said:

I just can't get my head around the notion of not renewing because you're unhappy with a decision that those bankrolling the club have made. 

I get it in the case of Blackpool and similar, where gobshite owners are genuinely ripping the heart from their clubs from the inside.

But to not renew because you're not keen on the current manager? I support the club rather than the guy currently picking the team....not a slight on yourself just doesn't reconcile with my own mentality of what loving a football club feels like. 

if anything it made me miss is more and I haven't missed a season since, I recommend it when you are feeling really low about the goings on, it makes you realize what you miss and in the grand scheme of things it isn't so bad

[Nogbad the Bad]

1 hour ago, gordie said:

I get what your saying about losing adult fans being replaced by cheap juvenile tickets but isn't the ultimate aim to attract more young UN's and hopefully entrap them for life.  May lose revenue short term but better off in the long term, ideally though we need to keep as many season ticket holders as possible and add to that.

Quite agree, attracting new young STH's to AG cannot be seen as anything but a big positive.

As long as they then do actually attend, that is.

As I said, what I noticed last season was how often many of their ST seats were left unfilled on matchdays.

Fans buy cheap season tickets for their children thinking they're value for money even if they only go now and again. Very often it seems many of these children can't go to midweek matches because they'd get home too late, or don't want to go when it's cold and wet, so many of their seats are frequently empty.

So we get left with a slightly false impression when ST numbers and AG attendance figures are given out.

Keeping the long term 'lifeblood' adult STH's happy and renewing is vital for a club like City, and if a significant number are signalling their discontent by not doing so, it must be a big worry for those at the top.

 

 

[Nogbad the Bad]

2 hours ago, Monkeh said:

I know 3 who haven't renewed

I also know 8 who are planning on getting one, the two cancel each other out, we'll get around the same as last season, ether 5% up or 5% down,

Interested to know their reasons.

Both the 3 who haven't renewed, and, assuming some among the 8 who are getting one are new STH's, what attracted them to buy one now?

Both your and BarBS3's posts are interesting - I know a number of STH's who are renewing as usual, several who have made the decision not to, but hadn't previously heard of a single one who has been attracted by last seasons' fare to get a ST for the first time.

[BRISTOL86]

36 minutes ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

Quite agree, attracting new young STH's to AG cannot be seen as anything but a big positive.

As long as they then do actually attend, that is.

As I said, what I noticed last season was how often many of their ST seats were left unfilled on matchdays.

Fans buy cheap season tickets for their children thinking they're value for money even if they only go now and again. Very often it seems many of these children can't go to midweek matches because they'd get home too late, or don't want to go when it's cold and wet, so many of their seats are frequently empty.

So we get left with a slightly false impression when ST numbers and AG attendance figures are given out.

Keeping the long term 'lifeblood' adult STH's happy and renewing is vital for a club like City, and if a significant number are signalling their discontent by not doing so, it must be a big worry for those at the top.

 

 

It'll be interesting to see after all the bluster on here last season what the final numbers are for 17/18 vs 16/17. 

If this forum is representative of the fan base you'd think we'd sell about 5k! I suspect the numbers won't be miles apart. 

[Mr Popodopolous]

1 hour ago, Red Rag said:

I was talking to a friend at AG last year on the very subject of how aged our fan base is. Looking around the oldie to youngster ratio is way out of kilter. We need to hook them early. Be nice to also retain the old gits like me though.

I think it's increasingly common in football tbh in modern times. Saw some good articles about it but the picture seems mixed, contradictory.

http://www.fsf.org.uk/latest-news/view/football-clubs-facing-demographic-time-bomb

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/9793689/Football-grounds-arent-full-of-old-white-men-after-all-....html

http://review.premierleague.com/2014-15/the-fans/full-stadiums.html

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/david-conn-inside-sport-blog/2011/aug/16/premier-league-football-ticket-prices

There isn't a real clear definitive picture. However the bottom line is that age of supporters- pretty well across the board, when set against even 20, let alone 30, 40 years ago- is surely on a rising trend.

[EnclosureSurge]

15 hours ago, Kodjias Wrist said:

I would just like to confirm I am aware of the terrible spelling mistakes made above.

Yeah I completely understand. Ashton Gate has I think a very good match day experience now and this helps. Getting back to North Bristol for me can be a pain though on night matches but only half an hour drive!

Hopefully a couple of playoff chasing seasons will increase interest or maybe even a good cup run? 

They're not fair weather fans, they'll go to games this season but just can't stomach the thought of another season cocking it up. They've been through 40 odd years of let downs (ie they've been supporting for about 44 years!) Wouldn't want anyone to think my mates are fair weather! They'll be back. Just need a rest.

[Monkeh]

28 minutes ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

Interested to know their reasons.

Both the 3 who haven't renewed, and, assuming some among the 8 who are getting one are new STH's, what attracted them to buy one now?

Both your and BarBS3's posts are interesting - I know a number of STH's who are renewing as usual, several who have made the decision not to, but hadn't previously heard of a single one who has been attracted by last seasons' fare to get a ST for the first time.

Work commitments one, another has moved so has a membership now and the 3rd can't be arsed so will pick and chose because getting tickets 

the 8 are 2 family's who went to the odd game and loved it, I think the facilities and some of the halftime stuff is a real bright point, I know when they've had a band on the stage at half time I've stopped and watched them instead of going for a pint in the sports bar,

[New Dazzler]

12 hours ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

 

I seem to remember on average we lose about 10% of STH's per year in non renewals - financial reasons, people moving jobs to other parts of the country, emigrating, a large number going off to University, quite a few being banned, health reasons, even people dying unfortunately. For any number of reasons not related to the quality of football, or the experience of attending AG, fans do not renew - but I expect you could increase that by many hundreds from last season purely with dissatisfied fans who decided watching City at AG had become too frustrating and unenjoyable, and they'd had enough - for now anyway.

 

 

2 hours ago, Robbored said:

The only acceptable reasons for not renewing your SC are financial, family or geographical ones imv.

 

Have to agree Robbored, poor health and death are very flimsy excuses IMO.

[Kid in the Riot]

11 minutes ago, Monkeh said:

Work commitments one, another has moved so has a membership now and the 3rd can't be arsed so will pick and chose because getting tickets 

the 8 are 2 family's who went to the odd game and loved it, I think the facilities and some of the halftime stuff is a real bright point, I know when they've had a band on the stage at half time I've stopped and watched them instead of going for a pint in the sports bar,

Yep, the improved facilities at AG should be a big draw for all types of supporters but especially families. With the facilities still so new and getting better (huge indoor play area in upper West Stand next season?) season card sales should be improving each season as the club looks to build its support with the ultimate aim of filling AG. Instead it looks like sales will not increase this season, in fact there could be a small reduction. Even if, best case, sales are around the same as last season that has to go down as a disappointment for the club. Though I'm sure they wouldn't voice that publicly.  Last season's debacle will of course have played its part and even a moderately successful season of mid-table obscurity would have surely led to increased sales for next season.

 

[Nogbad the Bad]

2 hours ago, Red Rag said:

I was talking to a friend at AG last year on the very subject of how aged our fan base is. Looking around the oldie to youngster ratio is way out of kilter. 

We've got plenty of over 50's, plenty of under 18's, but a lack of numbers in between imo.

So many depart Bristol annually for university these days, and many never return.

I'm also not sure (controversial perhaps) that youngsters today get so hooked on City in the same way, and in the same numbers, many of us did in the 70's and 80's, and have actually proved it with the longevity of our attending.

Supporting City was a way of life - home games, away games, R&W scarf on all the time when out and about in Bristol in the Winter.

There was no question of not attending as many games as possible, even if we moved away from Bristol for a while for whatever reason. For instance I once had to live to London for 6 months and don't think I missed a home game.

I just don't think as many fans get hooked in the same genuine CTID way these days, and it seems the enthusiasm of alot of young fans ( not all, of course) wanes in their late teens/early 20's and many simply stop going.

[stogursey red]

my mate from work has not renewed his season ticket, he still plans to do POTD for most matches and if the football is better than last year he is going to get a half season ticket,

i bet a lot of others will be doing something like this

[Robbored]

31 minutes ago, New Dazzler said:

 

Have to agree Robbored, poor health and death are very flimsy excuses IMO.

Poor health comes under "family" and death is unavoidable.

[richwwtk]

Why was last season any different to the numerous bad seasons we've had in the past? Several of them much worse than what we had last year. I don't get why suddenly any large number of fans would decide enough is enough and stop buying a ST on the basis of a single season.

I also don't see why people are expecting the numbers to be boosted by large numbers of juvenile tickets. The offers available this year are no different to last season.

[Nogbad the Bad]

Just now, richwwtk said:

Why was last season any different to the numerous bad seasons we've had in the past? Several of them much worse than what we had last year. I don't get why suddenly any large number of fans would decide enough is enough and stop buying a ST on the basis of a single season.

I also don't see why people are expecting the numbers to be boosted by large numbers of juvenile tickets. The offers available this year are no different to last season.

Cumulative affect after the misery of SO'D, the anti climax of the SC sacking season, and the widespread feeling that LJ was employed - and retained - for the wrong reasons.

Child tickets have indeed boosted numbers before, the difference is a large new area has been set aside for next season in the Upper Lansdown with extra space and non footballing attractions specifically for children.

 

[CyderInACan]

3 minutes ago, richwwtk said:

 also don't see why people are expecting the numbers to be boosted by large numbers of juvenile tickets. The offers available this year are no different to last season.

Exactly @richwwtk (BTW what does the WWTK stand for?) 

My boy has got his juvenile ticket again this year; go 3 or 4 times and it's paid for itself with the free shirt etc. A few of us have even got the same offer for the kids for the rugby this season too. 

Everyone is, of course, entitled to an opinion but you support Bristol City Football Club. I'd just as happily watch us in the Champions League as up the Downs, irrespective of who is on the payroll for any fleeting amount of time in the history of the club. If you only went down when we're playing out of our skins or indeed because you wholeheartedly agreed with the choice of manager, you'd probably see very few games. 

COYR 

[Monkeh]

59 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Yep, the improved facilities at AG should be a big draw for all types of supporters but especially families. With the facilities still so new and getting better (huge indoor play area in upper West Stand next season?) season card sales should be improving each season as the club looks to build its support with the ultimate aim of filling AG. Instead it looks like sales will not increase this season, in fact there could be a small reduction. Even if, best case, sales are around the same as last season that has to go down as a disappointment for the club. Though I'm sure they wouldn't voice that publicly.  Last season's debacle will of course have played its part and even a moderately successful season of mid-table obscurity would have surely led to increased sales for next season.

 

if its similar then they will be disappointed but not overly concerned, but the PoTD would need to pick up, and thats where you have to price it correctly, none of this category a b and c bullshit,

Season ticket prices while still too high for my like still is good value (15 quid a game it costs a 10 a game to watch gloucester city or 7 quid to watch portishead) but PoTD prices is too high, 20 is plenty