Price Increase At 10,000

[megansdad]

No it hasnt worked at all. If we hadn't have had these DAFT price increases there would more than likely be 12-13000 ST next season. The ground would be full most weeks then.

Most City fans i know scoffed at the price HIKE and said they will just pick there games for next season.

You are totally out of touch when it comes to affordable pricing.........mind you, i expect your play off day with your Blue friends saved you a few ££££££

don't know what odd world you live in but there can be no question that selling 10k season tickets is a success for the club- that leaves 9k tickets as POD and with POD prices as they are when we sell out as we will on numerous occasions the club will benefit. Sure we could have sold out of STs at 20 quid a shot but would that make commercial sense?- of course not. 12,000 Sts at reduced prices would not be such a good deal because revenue would be lower and would not be augmented in the same way by 9k PODs.

It really does surprise me that people with no information think they have a better appreciation of how to price tickets than those at the club who have information.

10,000 ST sales can be described as nothing other than a success.

I'd like to be able to afford a Ferrari - I can't and so won't get one that does not mean the price of a Ferrari is wrong it simply means I can't afford one.

[Blagdon red]

don't know what odd world you live in but there can be no question that selling 10k season tickets is a success for the club- that leaves 9k tickets as POD and with POD prices as they are when we sell out as we will on numerous occasions the club will benefit.

I'd like to be able to afford a Ferrari - I can't and so won't get one that does not mean the price of a Ferrari is wrong it simply means I can't afford one.

Will we sell out on numerous occasions?

The Ferrari example does not really fit here. It is a luxury item, not aimed at a mass market and in part deliberately priced highly to make those that can afford it feel smug. Football clubs are in the business of providing entertainment for the masses and should be price their product accordingly. Every time the theatre that is Ashton Gate is less than full, the pricing policy has clearly failed to match the attraction of the fare on offer. Man Utd, for example, have their pricing right (much as some of their fans may resent recent price rises) because it matches market demand, i.e. Old Trafford sells out every game. Ashton Gate seldom sells out. Ergo BCFC has got its pricing policy wrong.

[Tunley Legend]

Will we sell out on numerous occasions?

The Ferrari example does not really fit here. It is a luxury item, not aimed at a mass market and in part deliberately priced highly to make those that can afford it feel smug. Football clubs are in the business of providing entertainment for the masses and should be price their product accordingly. Every time the theatre that is Ashton Gate is less than full, the pricing policy has clearly failed to match the attraction of the fare on offer. Man Utd, for example, have their pricing right (much as some of their fans may resent recent price rises) because it matches market demand, i.e. Old Trafford sells out every game. Ashton Gate seldom sells out. Ergo BCFC has got its pricing policy wrong.

I disagree. We could charge a tenner to get in, lose money hand over fist every week, and still there would not be enough people in Bristol PASSIONATE enough about football to come and fill the stadium. That is one of our biggest problems down here. In this part of the country I think you could charge a QUID admission and after the novelty value has worn off you would be back down to 10-13,000 crowds after a while.

Manchester is a passionate football area and has a very successful team therefore sells out every week. The pricing at Old Trafford is not as relevant as you seem to make out. In fact, to compare Man Utd with City is bloody ridiculous and proves no point whatsoever!!

[Nibor]

don't know what odd world you live in but there can be no question that selling 10k season tickets is a success for the club- that leaves 9k tickets as POD and with POD prices as they are when we sell out as we will on numerous occasions the club will benefit. Sure we could have sold out of STs at 20 quid a shot but would that make commercial sense?- of course not. 12,000 Sts at reduced prices would not be such a good deal because revenue would be lower and would not be augmented in the same way by 9k PODs.

We won't sell out numerous times. Most likely we will sell out home tickets a couple of times max - Cardiff and perhaps Charlton. Your argument about POTD makes no sense, the clubs pricing scheme has the obvious affect of turning high POTD attendees onto season tickets.

Do you know what our attendances were like last time we went up and the time before that? Why do you think we'd suddenly be attracting several thousand more fans?

It really does surprise me that people with no information think they have a better appreciation of how to price tickets than those at the club who have information.

10,000 ST sales can be described as nothing other than a success.

I'd like to be able to afford a Ferrari - I can't and so won't get one that does not mean the price of a Ferrari is wrong it simply means I can't afford one.

Some people posting on here have been buying tickets to watch football at Ashton Gate 10 times as long as Sexstone or Lansdown have been around. Why would they know less about what is likely to affect crowd sizes? Why would Sexstone and Lansdown know anything about what makes it more or less likely for an everyday fan to buy a ticket?

10k Season ticket sales, which we haven't reached yet because the last we heard was "broke 8,000", will be a success only if that means our attendance over the course of the season is significantly higher than it was last season. Otherwise it's just people switching from POTD.

I'd love you to be right because it would mean we're finally going somewhere but I am 100% certain that at the end off this season our home attendance will be less than 10% higher than it was this season and that is shit.

[megansdad]

Will we sell out on numerous occasions?

The Ferrari example does not really fit here. It is a luxury item, not aimed at a mass market and in part deliberately priced highly to make those that can afford it feel smug. Football clubs are in the business of providing entertainment for the masses and should be price their product accordingly. Every time the theatre that is Ashton Gate is less than full, the pricing policy has clearly failed to match the attraction of the fare on offer. Man Utd, for example, have their pricing right (much as some of their fans may resent recent price rises) because it matches market demand, i.e. Old Trafford sells out every game. Ashton Gate seldom sells out. Ergo BCFC has got its pricing policy wrong.

this response shows how little you understand about commercial reality Having 1,000 empty spaces when 10,000 have bought season tickets and 8,000 have paid a sensible sum is clearly better for the club (and therefor ultimately for any supporter that wants success) than having no empty spaces at lower prices.

pricing policy is aimed at maximising revenue not at filling the ground. Filling the ground is not the objective.

[megansdad]

We won't sell out numerous times. Most likely we will sell out home tickets a couple of times max - Cardiff and perhaps Charlton. Your argument about POTD makes no sense, the clubs pricing scheme has the obvious affect of turning high POTD attendees onto season tickets.

so you think QPR at home won't be a sell out.....

Do you know what our attendances were like last time we went up and the time before that? Why do you think we'd suddenly be attracting several thousand more fans?

simple given we have record ST sales clearly there is more demand than there was last time.

Some people posting on here have been buying tickets to watch football at Ashton Gate 10 times as long as Sexstone or Lansdown have been around. Why would they know less about what is likely to affect crowd sizes? Why would Sexstone and Lansdown know anything about what makes it more or less likely for an everyday fan to buy a ticket?

and? they don't run the club - and don't see the books therefore they have less information

10k Season ticket sales, which we haven't reached yet because the last we heard was "broke 8,000", will be a success only if that means our attendance over the course of the season is significantly higher than it was last season. Otherwise it's just people switching from POTD.

The thread is about what happens when we get over 10,000 - seems to me to assume we will

I'd love you to be right because it would mean we're finally going somewhere but I am 100% certain that at the end off this season our home attendance will be less than 10% higher than it was this season and that is shit.

I am more of an optimist than you and more of a believer in the board - I don't think its blind faith think it is the result of havng spoken to CS on numerous occasions and SL on fewer but noticing that they want success as badly as we do.

[StapleHillPhil]

pricing policy is aimed at maximising revenue not at filling the ground. Filling the ground is not the objective.

And that is a very dangerous strategy that the board of City have employed.

Are we really that desperate for cash, that we're happy to give up all the goodwill generated by promotion by pushing prices to the very limit of peoples tolerances.

[richwwtk]

Frank, totally agree with you but some of us (me,two kids etc) have been priced out! CS has cost me MY team and I personally will never forget it! The man is full of bull****!

To the vast majority who can afford it, I salute you,just wish I could! 31 seasons and that fool has forced me to miss MY and not HIS team.

Still,not renewed and unfortunately wont!

Thanks Colin.

U REDS

Colin, I sympathise with your position, I have been very fortunate to have not suffered an increase due to being a City 2000/Foundation member but it seems harsh to rant at the club for what they see as a necessary increase in order to stay afloat and/or competitive.

Had we not been automatically promoted last season and instead been in the play-off final would you have gone? I suspect you would and that day would have cost you a lot more than the increase in season ticket prices.

I notice from other posts that you say ST's this season would be costing you over £1100 as opposed to £700 last season. Why not get a family ticket for £850? You may not be in the same part of the ground but you will still be there.

Also, whist I agree with you about what Colin Sexstone is full of, I'm not sure you lay the blame for the increases entirely at his door. He may have been the mouthpiece but I doubt very much that he was the sole instigator of the increases.

[megansdad]

life is all about choices - CS doesn't choose what job you do, how hard you work or how you choose to spend your money.

[Blagdon red]

Filling the ground is not the objective.

The flag carrier airlines took a similar view 10 years ago ... until the low-cost airlines showed them the error of their ways ... and which business model is now the more profitable?

[Portland Bill]

don't know what odd world you live in but there can be no question that selling 10k season tickets is a success for the club- that leaves 9k tickets as POD and with POD prices as they are when we sell out as we will on numerous occasions the club will benefit. Sure we could have sold out of STs at 20 quid a shot but would that make commercial sense?- of course not. 12,000 Sts at reduced prices would not be such a good deal because revenue would be lower and would not be augmented in the same way by 9k PODs.

It really does surprise me that people with no information think they have a better appreciation of how to price tickets than those at the club who have information.

10,000 ST sales can be described as nothing other than a success.

I'd like to be able to afford a Ferrari - I can't and so won't get one that does not mean the price of a Ferrari is wrong it simply means I can't afford one.

Wind your neck in mate. Your out of touch as well. 12-13000 ST would have been sold if the price increase had been ...say... 10% INSTEAD OF 30%. But if your happy paying it then thats your choice, i am not, so thats my choice and my opinion whether you can handle it or not.

10.000 st is NOT a success in my eyes because everyone knows we could and WOULD have sold a lot more with a better pricing structure.

Thats the real world.

[screech]

life is all about choices - CS doesn't choose what job you do, how hard you work or how you choose to spend your money.

Ok what would you rather have, a full stadium of cheaper seats or a two thirds full stadium at a higher rate? And ticket income is the same.

Extra people in a stadium means extra income through programme sales, food and drink, bar revenue, more chance of adding regular fans if we are to be relegated.

Surely a full/almost full stadium is the best choice isn't it?

[megansdad]

Wind your neck in mate. Your out of touch as well. 12-13000 ST would have been sold if the price increase had been ...say... 10% INSTEAD OF 30%. But if your happy paying it then thats your choice, i am not, so thats my choice and my opinion whether you can handle it or not.

10.000 st is NOT a success in my eyes because everyone knows we could and WOULD have sold a lot more with a better pricing structure.

Thats the real world.

Have to disagree your opinion it may be but that does not make it either right or the real world- it makes it simply your opinion so my neck needs no winding in though perhaps yours may. My opinion is just that - not the real world nor the absolute truth just my opinion and whether you but a ST or not concerns me not in the slightest so little to handle.

but since you seem unable to grasp a fairly bacsic concept let me reiterate selling the most tickets is not the objective- getting a good balance between STs and POD is and when 10k are sold at these prices it is likely a better balance will be achieved than 12,000 at significantly less, since with 12,000 STs at less there would be only 7k POD to sell.......

[megansdad]

Ok what would you rather have, a full stadium of cheaper seats or a two thirds full stadium at a higher rate? And ticket income is the same.

Extra people in a stadium means extra income through programme sales, food and drink, bar revenue, more chance of adding regular fans if we are to be relegated.

Surely a full/almost full stadium is the best choice isn't it?

Screech if that were the choice I'd agree but it is not because there will be many games that will be sold out and having a balance between STs and POD is therefore key - too many STs mean you are not benefiting from POD prices from those games that will sell out no matter what POD is available. Too few mean similarly lost opportunity - as I have said before those at the club have better information than we do and are thereofre in a better position to make a judgement and I back them to have made a pretty reasonable one, which is probably(to answer the original point of the thread) why ST prices go up after 10,000 - that is where the club belives the balance lies.

[megansdad]

The flag carrier airlines took a similar view 10 years ago ... until the low-cost airlines showed them the error of their ways ... and which business model is now the more profitable?

mmm let's think if BA and Easyjet were football clubs which one would be Man Utd and which Southend?

[Fodbarmyarmy]

mmm let's think if BA and Easyjet were football clubs which one would be Man Utd and which Southend?

Forget it Father of Megan...they can't see or won't get the commercial point

Plus to use the airline example is way out anyway - they offered same product at different prices so of course the cheaper ones win

ST Sales are up ...FACT

May have had more supporters at a cheaper price - Pure Conjecture - NOT FACT

(despite stupid numbers being banded around on here)

Success for club allround as far as I can see

Just moans from those that don't want to pay it - bad luck

Do feel sorry for those that genuine cant afford it anymore though - I mean GENUINE

Not those that wont cut out two or three Saturday nights out next year to afford the extra £100

[Blagdon red]

mmm let's think if BA and Easyjet were football clubs which one would be Man Utd and which Southend?

And which one would be Leeds United or Nottm Forest?

FYI, latest trading results for the last full year published by the two airlines are:

EasyJet

Revenues up 21%

Pre-tax profit up 56%

Load factor 84.4% (i.e. the percentage of seats sold on average per flight)

BA

Revenue up 3.4%

Pre-tax profit down 1%

Load factor 76.1%

[Nibor]

Forget it Father of Megan...they can't see or won't get the commercial point

Can't or won't see a point that is based purely on the incorrect statement that we've sold 10,000 season tickets and the conjecture of us having "numerous sellouts" when historical data points to that being unlikely in the extreme? OK, I guess that makes us all moaners that don't want to pay the extra. Good point, well made.

Let's see what the average home attendance is after the first chunk of games, which will reflect better how many POTD customers just converted to STs, and then we'll have an idea as to whether or not this price hike has done any good.

[screech]

Forget it Father of Megan...they can't see or won't get the commercial point

Plus to use the airline example is way out anyway - they offered same product at different prices so of course the cheaper ones win

ST Sales are up ...FACT

May have had more supporters at a cheaper price - Pure Conjecture - NOT FACT

(despite stupid numbers being banded around on here)

Success for club allround as far as I can see

Just moans from those that don't want to pay it - bad luck

Do feel sorry for those that genuine cant afford it anymore though - I mean GENUINE

Not those that wont cut out two or three Saturday nights out next year to afford the extra £100

So if people are telling you they cant afford it they are lying, how do you come to that conclusion?

Maybe my bills have rocketed, maybe I don't drink or smoke anyway, maybe sending my kids to child care has almost doubled, maybe the increase in fuel prices, the bridge toll and increase in ST price stops me from going, maybe I put my family first before any luxury item that would benefit just me.

Unless you have any knowledge of what these families expenses are, who are you to call them not genuine.

[Chappers]

Lets wait and see, we may find POTD income to be a lot lower than many anticipate. Longer term, football pricing in general is too high, and eventually reality will kick in and fans will refuse to pay the silly prices. Next season will be 'reduced capacity', then we will be hit by 'better facilities' - Where will the rises end?

[collier]

this response shows how little you understand about commercial reality Having 1,000 empty spaces when 10,000 have bought season tickets and 8,000 have paid a sensible sum is clearly better for the club (and therefor ultimately for any supporter that wants success) than having no empty spaces at lower prices.

pricing policy is aimed at maximising revenue not at filling the ground. Filling the ground is not the objective.

So your saying that we will have 18 thousand people coming through the gates next season are you?? If so what are you basing this assumption on?? seeing that the general concensus is that the increase in season ticketsales is partly down to POTD customers now signing up, where are the 8 thousand extra people coming from?? putting aside the big games from last season, when did we have 8 thousand pay on the day fans?? I have to say i never saw them, maybe they were queing for the loos or buying a pie!!!

[Chivs]

Can't or won't see a point that is based purely on the incorrect statement that we've sold 10,000 season tickets and the conjecture of us having "numerous sellouts" when historical data points to that being unlikely in the extreme? OK, I guess that makes us all moaners that don't want to pay the extra. Good point, well made.

Let's see what the average home attendance is after the first chunk of games, which will reflect better how many POTD customers just converted to STs, and then we'll have an idea as to whether or not this price hike has done any good.

Interesting reply. Not so long ago you were stating that the ST price rise was going to really hit our ST sales. Ohhhh, and then we had record ST sales.

Now you want to wait for the first few home games before claiming you were right all along!

Could you define "first chunk" so we all know what your winning formula is?

[semblar]

And which one would be Leeds United or Nottm Forest?

FYI, latest trading results for the last full year published by the two airlines are:

EasyJet

Revenues up 21%

Pre-tax profit up 56%

Load factor 84.4% (i.e. the percentage of seats sold on average per flight)

Easyjet profit 2006 = £129.2M from turnover of £1619.7M

BA

Revenue up 3.4%

Pre-tax profit down 1%

Load factor 76.1%

BA profit 2006/7 = £602M operating profit on turnover of £8490M

As a ratio, easyjet might have a bigger profit for their turnover - but if i owned one or the other outright, i'd prefer to have BA in my back pocket )

Dan

[Tunley Legend]

Easyjet profit 2006 = £129.2M from turnover of £1619.7M

BA profit 2006/7 = £602M operating profit on turnover of £8490M

As a ratio, easyjet might have a bigger profit for their turnover - but if i owned one or the other outright, i'd prefer to have BA in my back pocket )

Dan

So the bottom line is that BA make far more money than Easyjet. And who was it who said that you could make statistics tell you anything?

[Blagdon red]

Easyjet profit 2006 = £129.2M from turnover of £1619.7M

BA profit 2006/7 = £602M operating profit on turnover of £8490M

As a ratio, easyjet might have a bigger profit for their turnover - but if i owned one or the other outright, i'd prefer to have BA in my back pocket )

Dan

BA founded 1924

EasyJet founded 1995

I know which one I think has built the fastest-growing modern business (by providing what the market wants!).

[Nibor]

Interesting reply. Not so long ago you were stating that the ST price rise was going to really hit our ST sales. Ohhhh, and then we had record ST sales.

Now you want to wait for the first few home games before claiming you were right all along!

Could you define "first chunk" so we all know what your winning formula is?

I think you'll find that I've consistently stated the price rise was going to hit our attendances such that we will get no more than a minimal increase on last season's average home attendances. Well done on reading what you want to and not what was written though.

Our average last season for total attendance was circa 12.8k. Given our promotion and increased away attendance, if our average after say 10 home games is not over 14k I will consider that we could have done far, far better.

[LSR]

more money

ITS TO GET A BIG RUSH ON THEM AND TO GET PEOPLE TO PANIC BUY THEM..CHOICE BETWEEN EXPENSIVE OR CHEAPER THEN CHEAPER IT IS!..Also do you really think that if they went over 10000 they would tell anyuone on the day ,no theyd keep selling um until someone complained or noticed.

[megansdad]

So your saying that we will have 18 thousand people coming through the gates next season are you?? If so what are you basing this assumption on?? seeing that the general concensus is that the increase in season ticketsales is partly down to POTD customers now signing up, where are the 8 thousand extra people coming from?? putting aside the big games from last season, when did we have 8 thousand pay on the day fans?? I have to say i never saw them, maybe they were queing for the loos or buying a pie!!!

did i miss something or was the ground full for the last three matches of last season at least - sure there were others and this season it will be full on more occasions - last season we had 11,000 non ST holders on these occasions- some may have bought STs which is they have is great becasue it means a more stabel revenue stream others will not haveand will choose their games. Indeed since some have decided for whatever reason not topurchase an ST this season they are likely to be among the POTD, as will far larger away support.

[collier]

did i miss something or was the ground full for the last three matches of last season at least - sure there were others and this season it will be full on more occasions - last season we had 11,000 non ST holders on these occasions- some may have bought STs which is they have is great becasue it means a more stabel revenue stream others will not haveand will choose their games. Indeed since some have decided for whatever reason not topurchase an ST this season they are likely to be among the POTD, as will far larger away support.

Yes but as i said putting aside the big games when all the glory hunters turned up so they could see city in the promotion run in when did we have 16 thousand people in the ground? and I'm not including away fans in that. You do know that we played 23 home games last year don't you?? your talking about 8 thousand potd but in at least 16 of those games we had nowhere near 16 thousand people in the ground. One or two big games and the last 3 games is hardly consistantly getting a lot of people through the turnstiles is it??

I would love to see more people down the gate next year but someone posted yesterday that we averaged 12.8K per home game last year. Now if you work that out and factor in the big games and the promotion run in its not that inpressive average. Where are the extra 5K coming from next year to average 18K per game as you stated earlier in this thread??

[megansdad]

well there is one way to win an argument state things that the other person never said.

We have 2,000+ extra season ticket holders

There are more big games and more attractive opposition

Away support will be greater

10,000 season ticket sales would represent a significant success