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Post by onthepitch on Jan 13, 2016 22:08:51 GMT 1
So our prices aren't all that far behind... (Although you'd pay more to 'stand' at Fleetwood).
Still crazy for people taking a family, no wonder the clubs are desperate for their business... "Family Club of the Year" and all that is where the coin is by the sound of it.
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Post by LetchworthShrew on Jan 13, 2016 22:11:56 GMT 1
How much do we charge visiting fans at the Medda?? From the Barnsley website for Saturday Tickets are priced as follows: Adult £20 Senior Over 65 £15 Student (with valid NUS card) £15 Young Adult (16-18 years old) £14 Juvenile (under 16 years old) £10 Juvenile (11 years old and under) £8 Barnsley also use the Ticketmaster system but don't charge any fees. Just 75p per order for postage!
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clive
Midland League Division One
50%
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Post by clive on Jan 13, 2016 22:29:59 GMT 1
I'm sure salop will be ripping all us exiles off for cup tickets I expect them to go on sale next week meaning we will all be paying the extra 2pounds 60pence. Every little helps
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Post by LetchworthShrew on Jan 13, 2016 22:47:54 GMT 1
I'm sure salop will be ripping all us exiles off for cup tickets I expect them to go on sale next week meaning we will all be paying the extra 2pounds 60pence. Every little helps Use the print at home option .... costs nowt
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Post by frankwellshrews on Jan 13, 2016 22:57:14 GMT 1
Interesting reading this (and the other) thread.
Personal bugbear of mine; the average ticket price being used to argue that tier 3 or 4 football is reasonably priced. Means nothing to away fans or, crucially, walk up fans who get stung on match days.
These clubs would do well to read up on the 'price elasticity of demand'. So far, since the dawning of the new era of Sky Sports and all seater stadia, demand for football tickets has been fairly inelastic in the face of repeated increases in price. If anything, it's gone up quite significantly since the 90s.
The assumption from clubs seems to be that for many, watching their club is not a discretionary spend and they will continue to pay through the nose whatever the clubs do. It's exactly this kind of thinking (ie. The belief that things will keep going up) which preceded both the house market and wider global financial crisis and football as an industry would do well to heed those warnings from recent history.
I've noticed a real shift in attitudes this year. Many people (myself included) have drastically cut back on away games in response to the poor value for money on offer. At £18 if you pick up in advance I think Salop are still just about the right side of acceptable for one off fans so crowds have held up fairly well but I fear the consequences of any further increases and feel punitive match day booking fees or postal charges for fans who don't live nearby are starting to rankle with casual fans.
I agree that standardized student/age bracket rules would be welcome. The key thing for me would be the introduction of a discounted ticket for 21-30 year olds to combat the demographic timebomb that football faces. There's a generation of 20 somethings who've grown up watching football only on telly and, at this rate, have no real incentive to to attend or bring their young kids. With the average age of a season ticket holder reported to be in the 40s, it makes you wonder who the fans of tomorrow will be, or if we'll all just be watching the European super league from the comfort of our sofas instead.
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Post by BelleVueShrew on Jan 14, 2016 0:27:22 GMT 1
Interesting reading this (and the other) thread. Personal bugbear of mine; the average ticket price being used to argue that tier 3 or 4 football is reasonably priced. Means nothing to away fans or, crucially, walk up fans who get stung on match days. These clubs would do well to read up on the 'price elasticity of demand'. So far, since the dawning of the new era of Sky Sports and all seater stadia, demand for football tickets has been fairly inelastic in the face of repeated increases in price. If anything, it's gone up quite significantly since the 90s. The assumption from clubs seems to be that for many, watching their club is not a discretionary spend and they will continue to pay through the nose whatever the clubs do. It's exactly this kind of thinking (ie. The belief that things will keep going up) which preceded both the house market and wider global financial crisis and football as an industry would do well to heed those warnings from recent history. I've noticed a real shift in attitudes this year. Many people (myself included) have drastically cut back on away games in response to the poor value for money on offer. At £18 if you pick up in advance I think Salop are still just about the right side of acceptable for one off fans so crowds have held up fairly well but I fear the consequences of any further increases and feel punitive match day booking fees or postal charges for fans who don't live nearby are starting to rankle with casual fans. I agree that standardized student/age bracket rules would be welcome. The key thing for me would be the introduction of a discounted ticket for 21-30 year olds to combat the demographic timebomb that football faces. There's a generation of 20 somethings who've grown up watching football only on telly and, at this rate, have no real incentive to to attend or bring their young kids. With the average age of a season ticket holder reported to be in the 40s, it makes you wonder who the fans of tomorrow will be, or if we'll all just be watching the European super league from the comfort of our sofas instead. Excellent post and I would nominate it as a contender for post of the season
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Post by scooter on Jan 14, 2016 10:35:37 GMT 1
Of course these prices are too much but I will be going to fleetwood as it is a new ground for me. I will be at Blackpool because we are planning a weekend there. I think I might be ageing by 3 years to keep it £20 and I won't feel guilty about that
colchester is annoying because I am unlikely to go but if I do it will be a late decision
the only thing I can say is that as we travel with the intention of having a day or weekend out the extra £5 is actually a small proportion of what we spend but I understand that situation is different for families
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Post by SouthStandShrew on Jan 14, 2016 10:48:03 GMT 1
Burton £17 terrace.
Go figure and they are top.
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Post by Bordershrew on Jan 14, 2016 15:37:57 GMT 1
Crazy pricing yet again for lower league football.
I'll be going to Fleetwood, as its a new ground for me, and making sure my 7 year old son remembers he's 5 for the day!
Blackpool can whistle for it, and I wouldn't want any money going into Oystons pocket anyhow.
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Post by BelleVueShrew on Jan 14, 2016 15:46:41 GMT 1
Please can I ask as many people as possible to e-mail both clubs and complain about their pricing. I shall be doing so and will also Cc in the FSF and the FL.
The e-mail addresses are as below: Blackpool FC Ticket Office - ticketoffice@blackpoolfc.co.uk Fleetwood FC - info@fleetwoodtownfc.com Football Supporters Federation - info@fsf.org.uk Football League - enquiries@football-league.co.uk
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Post by mikeinsheff on Jan 14, 2016 15:59:44 GMT 1
Please can I ask as many people as possible to e-mail both clubs and complain about their pricing. I shall be doing so and will also Cc in the FSF and the FL. The e-mail addresses are as below: Blackpool FC Ticket Office - ticketoffice@blackpoolfc.co.uk Fleetwood FC - info@fleetwoodtownfc.com Football Supporters Federation - info@fsf.org.uk Football League - enquiries@football-league.co.uk Nice idea but it`s endemic. Really the FSF and the like ought to be coordinating action and try to limit what can be charged for tickets in each division. Fans are ripped off left, right and centre, charges for kids vary absurdly and, if you travel away, you are not offered fair deals in many grounds. The bubble is bursting.
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Post by BelleVueShrew on Jan 15, 2016 2:59:01 GMT 1
Please can I ask as many people as possible to e-mail both clubs and complain about their pricing. I shall be doing so and will also Cc in the FSF and the FL. The e-mail addresses are as below:' Blackpool FC Ticket Office - ticketoffice@blackpoolfc.co.uk Fleetwood FC - info@fleetwoodtownfc.com Football Supporters Federation - info@fsf.org.uk Football League - enquiries@football-league.co.uk Nice idea but it`s endemic. Really the FSF and the like ought to be coordinating action and try to limit what can be charged for tickets in each division. Fans are ripped off left, right and centre, charges for kids vary absurdly and, if you travel away, you are not offered fair deals in many grounds. The bubble is bursting. Mike, I suggest you take a little time and look into the work of the FSF. That is exactly what they have been trying to do. You may remember I challenged Walsall a couple of seasons ago over the fact they offered a family ticket on every side of the ground bar the away end. The FSF were very supportive. The FL didn't really want to know. I started by e-mailing Walsall and the FL but then involved the FSF and ended up taking it to the Football Ombudsman who agreed with my points raised and recommended the FL introduce new rulings and Walsall the next season included a family ticket deal for away supporters. We can all sit on our backsides and think nothing will change or we can challenge and show strength of feeling. The more that object the more likelihood of getting things overturned.
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Post by BelleVueShrew on Jan 27, 2016 19:13:47 GMT 1
It's taken a while, but I have finally sent off an e-mail to Fleetwood Town and copied in the FSF and Football League.
I will do a separate one to Blackpool.
I'll copy it below in a second in case anyone else wants to send their own and use any elements from it. I think it would be good if they had a number of e-mails to show strength of feeling on this.
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Post by BelleVueShrew on Jan 27, 2016 19:17:26 GMT 1
Dear Sir/Madam
I am contacting you with regards to your clubs admission prices for away fans following the release of details in advance of my club, Shrewsbury Town’s, pending visit on February 6th 2016.
My 11 year old son and myself are season ticket holders and travel to the majority of away games. However, I draw a line under what I consider reasonable pricing. I am dismayed and hugely disappointed at what you are charging for adults and particularly children and it is way above what I consider reasonable and acceptable. As a result you have lost two visitors putting not only match ticket income into your club, but all the potential match day extras to both your club and businesses within Fleetwood.
You may not feel too bothered by the loss of two fans, but let me assure you when I shared your pricing structure on our clubs various social media outlets, there were many others too who expressed displeasure and stated they would not be going at those prices.
Rather than just moan though, I am taking the time and effort to contact and inform you of this. I have already spoken with the Football Supporters Federation and you will note I am adding them in on this e-mail as well as the Football League.
As a parent my costs multiply when taking a child with travel, food and drink to add on to the match day admission charges. Many clubs do appreciate that the young supporter is the future income of the club and that parents need to be able to afford to pay not only for themselves, but their children too, otherwise they will not come.
A few examples for you, our tickets for Colchester in a few weeks time are £17 for the two of us. Burton on Saturday was £22 for the two of us. Wigan was £20, my son being free because he is a member of our Junior Shrews club. There are other examples too, that all put your prices of £38 for the two of us to stand or £42 to sit down, well and truly to shame.
I do note that you have a scheme that offers free membership to under 16’s and gives free admission. I would like to ask if I and other Shrewsbury fans that are considering taking children may apply for it? After all, I presume this is being done to encourage parents to bring children and make it more affordable. Surely this should be open to all fans that visit your football club, otherwise you could and rightly should be accused of being discriminatory to the under 16’s of away fans.
I look forward to your earliest response on this matter including my request for Under 16’s membership for my son.
I also welcome the thoughts of the FSF and Football League on how much some clubs are charging and why there are clubs who offer ticketing incentives for families/youngsters but only home fans, not away.
I will remind the Football League of my challenge to Walsall Football Club two years ago on the pricing for children/families that went to the Football Ombudsman and found in my favour. I have attached his report, but I will just remind the Football League of the following statement from his findings and ask them what they have done to implement and encourage this? “The IFO recommends that Walsall FC does indeed review it ticketing policy to bring the Family Ticket within the spirit of the League’s requirement to treat home and away supporters the same. The IFO further recommends that the Football League reviews its regulations so that Family Tickets are included”.
Surely this should not just stop at Family Tickets, but include openness and transparency on all schemes that clubs introduce to allow youngsters in cheaply. They should not be allowed to target home fans only but all fans. It is not difficult to implement. Wigan, as already mentioned, allow away children in free if a member of their respective clubs Junior Supporters.
A simple change in Football League ruling stating that clubs who offer any discount scheme for young supporters must allow away fans to pay the same/go in free if they too have any kind of scheme in place that allows their youngsters in at a cheaper price, providing those fans have proof of when purchasing.
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Post by SouthStandShrew on Jan 27, 2016 20:25:04 GMT 1
Off to A.Madrid vs Villareal in few weeks (Marseille vs PSG next week tho).
Suffice to say cost of these isn't as much as these games added together!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 27, 2016 20:53:03 GMT 1
Off to A.Madrid vs Villareal in few weeks (Marseille vs PSG next week tho). Suffice to say cost of these isn't as much as these games added together! That really is great news, I'm genuinely thrilled for you!
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Post by buryshrew on Jan 27, 2016 21:46:57 GMT 1
Off to A.Madrid vs Villareal in few weeks (Marseille vs PSG next week tho). Suffice to say cost of these isn't as much as these games added together! Nice line, but not really the case is it, unless you're only taking into account the cost of your flight deal and match ticket. Surely you don't fly in, go to the ground ignoring the temptations of the great city you've just arrived at, watch the game and go back to the airport and fly home do you? If you do, frankly that's a bit sad!
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Post by Feedo Gnasher on Jan 27, 2016 22:37:44 GMT 1
Good letter that. Most people, myself included, are all too accepting of the poor deal we receive.
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Post by SouthStandShrew on Jan 27, 2016 22:59:11 GMT 1
Off to A.Madrid vs Villareal in few weeks (Marseille vs PSG next week tho). Suffice to say cost of these isn't as much as these games added together! Nice line, but not really the case is it, unless you're only taking into account the cost of your flight deal and match ticket. Surely you don't fly in, go to the ground ignoring the temptations of the great city you've just arrived at, watch the game and go back to the airport and fly home do you? If you do, frankly that's a bit sad! Course not.... I take the City in as well.
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Post by QuorndonShrew on Jan 28, 2016 0:17:20 GMT 1
Off to A.Madrid vs Villareal in few weeks (Marseille vs PSG next week tho). Suffice to say cost of these isn't as much as these games added together! That really is great news, I'm genuinely thrilled for you! I think I know more about SouthStandShrew's movements than I do my own at the moment. I often wonder how he manages to fit Salop in around his many European football weekends and his one man quest of 'smashing da fascists init'.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2016 0:35:29 GMT 1
Off to A.Madrid vs Villareal in few weeks (Marseille vs PSG next week tho). Suffice to say cost of these isn't as much as these games added together! That really is great news, I'm genuinely thrilled for you! Two can play that game young man! Off to watch Stourbridge in a few weeks....take that!
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Post by bobbytheblock19er on Jan 28, 2016 0:43:01 GMT 1
I think every football league club should be forced to sell an adult + junior combi ticket for away supporters at a reduced cost . That's where it's hurting people when they are taking their kids to the game and let's face it , that's what it's all about . It's just gone mad!
And also I really struggle to work out how a town fan sitting at Colchester could have payed that much more for their identical seat to everybody else , just if they payed for it a month in later? What difference does it make really !! I can understand clubs maybe pushing to sell tickets in advance to stop match day queues at ticket offices with a £1 or £2 increase on the day but that is just complicated and ridiculous .
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Post by Minormorris64 on Jan 28, 2016 8:46:44 GMT 1
My mate who is a Citeh Season Ticket Holder declined to go away to West Ham last week.......£64
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Post by shrewinjapan on Jan 28, 2016 10:50:07 GMT 1
£25 for L1 football is a fkin joke! I'm surprised anyone is prepared to pay that, let alone people who have to pay for kids on top. Ridiculous!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2016 12:43:04 GMT 1
It's taken a while, but I have finally sent off an e-mail to Fleetwood Town and copied in the FSF and Football League. I will do a separate one to Blackpool. I'll copy it below in a second in case anyone else wants to send their own and use any elements from it. I think it would be good if they had a number of e-mails to show strength of feeling on this. Great letter BVS!
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Post by BelleVueShrew on Jan 29, 2016 18:55:58 GMT 1
e-mail to Blackpool:
Dear Sir/Madam
I am contacting you with regards to your clubs admission prices for away fans following the release of details in advance of my club, Shrewsbury Town’s, pending visit on February 13th 2016.
My 11 year old son and myself are season ticket holders and travel to the majority of away games. However, I draw a line under what I consider reasonable pricing. I have to say I am hugely disappointed at what you are charging for both adults and children and it is way above what I consider reasonable and acceptable. As a result you have lost two visitors putting not only match ticket income into your club, but all the potential match day extras to both your club and businesses within Blackpool.
You may not be too bothered at the loss of two fans, but let me assure you when I shared your pricing structure on our clubs various social media outlets, there were many others too who expressed displeasure and stated they would not be going at those prices.
Rather than just have a moan and do nothing, I am taking the time and effort to contact and advise you of this. I have already spoken with the Football Supporters Federation and you will note I am adding them in on this e-mail as well.
As a parent my costs multiply when taking a child with travel, food and drink to add on to the match day admission charges. Many clubs do appreciate that the young supporter is the future income of the club and that parents need to be able to afford to pay not only for themselves, but their children too, otherwise they will not come.
A few examples for you, our tickets for Colchester have cost £17 in advance for the two of us, my son being free. Burton on Saturday was £22 for the two of us, my son £5 of that. Wigan was £20, my son being free because he is a member of our Junior Shrews club. There are other examples too, that all put your prices of £37 for the two of us well and truly to shame.
£25 is shocking enough for an adult for League One football, but £12 for an 11 year old child compares very poorly with other clubs and, whilst you can be applauded for under 8’s being free, that is one heck of a rise once they reach nine years of age. It is hardly encouraging for a parent to keep taking a child and imagine the cost for a family or someone taking a number of children. No wonder the average age of people attending football matches is near to fifty and I would be very concerned as a Blackpool supporter at how little the club appear to be doing to attract the youngsters and make them the fans of tomorrow.
I hope you take this e-mail in good spirit and that, in the future you will look at your pricing structure and make it fairer all round. I have always had a soft spot for Blackpool, they are my second team, and when I was younger, before marriage and children, I used to travel up to many games, home and away, when Shrewsbury weren’t playing and I’m talking in the old third and fourth divisions in the late eighties and through the early nineties once I had a car. So you certainly couldn’t call me a glory hunter!
I hope to one day visit again and bring my son with me, but prices will determine that.
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Post by Bordershrew on Feb 1, 2016 21:42:23 GMT 1
Any response to these emails BVS?
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Post by BelleVueShrew on Feb 5, 2016 19:07:33 GMT 1
Response from Blackpool immediately from the Ticket Office Manager who thanked me for my e-mail and said he'd forwarded it to the chairman's PA. The chairman's PA did likewise and said she had passed it on to the chairman, Karl Oyston who would be in touch. Not heard further on that one though.
Fleetwood resulted in me sending a follow up e-mail where I stated my disappointment at no response, not even a courtesy acknowledgement. This was then followed by a third e-mail from me after I still had no response (just read receipts again) where I likened their customer service being as poor their away ticketing policy!! I gave them 48 hours to respond or told them I would take it further.
I then had the following response next day:
Chris, Thank you for your email which has been forwarded on to myself. We are currently looking in to your observations, and that made by others, in relation to our away fan pricing model for juniors. Once we have reviewed this area in appropriate detail we will be in a position to respond more fully. Yours sincerely, Steve Curwood Chief Executive
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Post by BelleVueShrew on Feb 5, 2016 19:11:03 GMT 1
I sent this in reply but have heard nothing further - they seem to be conveniently side-stepping the question about registering away fans children as members so they are not being unfairly ripped off:
Thank you for your response Steve.
I take it this will be a longer term review rather than short term meaning that it will be of no help for this season as regards our attending Sunday’s league game.
I did in my original e-mail query the availability of the Under 16’s membership scheme to traveling supporters in light of being fair to all fans and not just home supporters to be in keeping with the Football League’s request for fairness to home and away fans in the spirit of the game? I would still like a response on this please.
We did attend the Johnston’s Paint Trophy clash earlier in the season, when your pricing arrangements were affordable and to be congratulated. I hope your club will see fit to act in a fair manner to all supporters in the future.
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Post by champagneprince on Feb 5, 2016 21:15:46 GMT 1
Blackpool....tremendous value for money. If last season is anything to go by you get a marvellous view of the beach just by sitting anywhere in the ground.
Trouble is that in February it's not going be quite as picturesque as Baywatch.
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