uttoxram75 Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 [sIZE=5]One in seven season ticket holders not renewing[/sIZE] [sIZE=4]19th May 2011[/sIZE] One in seven season ticket holders will not renew for the 2011/12 season according to the Virgin Money’s Football Fans’ Inflation Index. In the Premier League almost one in three regular match-goers who do not have season tickets plan on cutting back on the number of games they attend. The Index also shows the average “match basket†cost has soared by 18% in the past year. Across the leagues 13% of season ticket holders are not renewing for the 2011/12 season while 18% of fans who regularly buy tickets for games will cut back, rising to a high of 31% in the Premier League (see table below). At Manchester United, who have angered some fans with £1 per match price rises across the board, as many as 28% of season ticket holders claim they will not renew while 49% of those who regularly buy tickets will cut back. Elsewhere in the Premier League around 22% of Arsenal season ticket holders say they will not renew next season. Earlier this month Arsenal’s chief executive Ivan Gazidis had admitted “ordinary fans are being priced out of live football†in a letter to the Arsenal Supporters’ Trust. Other clubs facing high levels of cancellations include West Ham United with 30% not renewing and Aston Villa where 27% are not renewing. By contrast just 4% of Liverpool fans are not renewing. Virgin Money’s own Football Fans’ Inflation Index shows the average match day cost has soared 18% since last year – more than four times the 4% inflation rate for the UK economy as a whole in March 2011. The match day cost is now £101.04 compared with £84.89 for the same period last year. The rise has been driven partly by price rises across the economy with petrol and food costs climbing but average ticket prices across all English leagues have climbed 10% to £24.86 since 2006. Grant Bather, spokesman for Virgin Money, said: “Average attendances in the Premier League remain high with clubs regularly selling the ground out, but there are signs of empty spaces at many games and average attendances across all clubs over the season is around 90%. In the lower leagues it’s the same story and the rising cost of going to games is having a major effect. Of course there are always new fans and all manner of reasons for people cutting back but cost is the big driver behind 13% of all season ticket holders not renewing.†Malcolm Clarke, Chair of the Football Supporters’ Federation commented: “Football fans face the same economic difficulties, including redundancies, short-time working, soaring petrol costs and wages not keeping up with inflation, as everyone else. In this situation it would not be surprising if many of them are forced to cut back on watching the game they love. “The tragic paradox is that the football industry still has huge sums of money coming into it at the top of the game, mostly through media rights. But too much of it stays at the top and too much of it is used on ridiculously high player wages, rather than on helping its loyal customers through these difficult times.†LEAGUE % OF SEASON TICKET HOLDERS CANCELLING % OF REGULAR TICKET BUYERS CUTTING BACK ON GAMES Premier League 15% 31% Championship 11% 16% League 1 10% 11% League 2 14% 17% The Virgin Money Football Fans’ Inflation Index, which measures the real match day costs, shows the average price of going to a live game is heading back to the high of October 2008 when it hit £106.21. Virgin Money’s matchday costs runs every three months and includes a pint of lager, food, a match ticket, a replica shirt and a match programme as well as some travel expenses. Virgin Money’s Football Fans’ Index has tracked the cost of football since January 2006 and is aimed at helping supporters keep track of the rises and falls in the costs of supporting their team. At the launch of the index in 2006, the match day basket of goods cost £77.95. However the most recent analysis puts the cost at £101.04 - a rise of £23.09. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uttoxram75 Posted May 25, 2011 Author Share Posted May 25, 2011 Just seen the QPR thread, feel free to move it there oh wise and wonderful moderators........................ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny Ram Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 I think the economy is biting for normal fans, I've only renewed 4 of our families 6 season tickets, when taking travel, food, parking and other associated costs it gets very difficult. It is my option of course but you have to balance the family budget when most people have taken a wage cut or cut in hours etc. I believe that we are seeing signs of football clubs also cutting their cloth accordingly, something that our board has been criticised for over the last couple of years. Several clubs are cutting the size of their squads and also not renewing contracts of players with large wage demands. The reality is that the best players will go to the clubs paying the highest wages, this brings us back to a maximum squad wage bill cap etc.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davenportram Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 Well looks like our renewal figure at the end if the early bird period matches this, 85% of season ticket holders renewing(quick rough calculation of 17 out of 20 thousand renewals by end of the early bird period) Wonder how many we will have by the start of the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leeds Ram Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 i think most of this is down to the state of the economy with high inflation and wages frozen, high petrol costs i am not surprised with this. Most clubs should make tickets more affordable an alternative is make safe standing areas in england and make tickets cheaper, in Germany is a big success with cheap tickets and brilliant atmospheres. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davenportram Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 i think most of this is down to the state of the economy with high inflation and wages frozen, high petrol costs i am not surprised with this. Most clubs should make tickets more affordable an alternative is make safe standing areas in england and make tickets cheaper, in Germany is a big success with cheap tickets and brilliant atmospheres. I think our board got the marketing and pricing spot on. 1.Price freeze 2.No Vat increase 3.Money back guarantee 4.Reasonable repayment plan 5.Interest free repayment plan for the four installment plan when renewed in April 6. Reduced season parking pass for cars with 4 or more people in 7. Free under 12s again 8. Six and 12 game plans Does anybody else think that our board are well ahead of other clubs in this regard? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hucknall Ram Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 I think our board got the marketing and pricing spot on. 1.Price freeze 2.No Vat increase 3.Money back guarantee 4.Reasonable repayment plan 5.Interest free repayment plan for the four installment plan when renewed in April 6. Reduced season parking pass for cars with 4 or more people in 7. Free under 12s again 8. Six and 12 game plans Does anybody else think that our board are well ahead of other clubs in this regard? Don't forget 9 month intrest free with the Ramscard credit card Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duracell Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 I think our board got the marketing and pricing spot on. 1.Price freeze 2.No Vat increase 3.Money back guarantee 4.Reasonable repayment plan 5.Interest free repayment plan for the four installment plan when renewed in April 6. Reduced season parking pass for cars with 4 or more people in 7. Free under 12s again 8. Six and 12 game plans Does anybody else think that our board are well ahead of other clubs in this regard? For managing to sell our "unique" brand of football to so many, I think GSE can be branded geniuses! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davenportram Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 Don't forget 9 month intrest free with the Ramscard credit card I haven't got one of them, hate credit cards, and hated getting asked 5 times every home game if I was a season ticket, if I had a credit card, if I wanted one ...... And then if you dare say no I dint want one you get the blurb about the savings on the season ticket. If it wasn't for the fact that it's always women pestering you to get one I think I would have snapped and said some very nasty things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hucknall Ram Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 I haven't got one of them, hate credit cards, and hated getting asked 5 times every home game if I was a season ticket, if I had a credit card, if I wanted one ...... And then if you dare say no I dint want one you get the blurb about the savings on the season ticket. If it wasn't for the fact that it's always women pestering you to get one I think I would have snapped and said some very nasty things. don't use it other than to renew my season ticket Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny Ram Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 Well looks like our renewal figure at the end if the early bird period matches this, 85% of season ticket holders renewing(quick rough calculation of 17 out of 20 thousand renewals by end of the early bird period) Wonder how many we will have by the start of the season. At the same period in time, the end of early bird, we are 500 down on the 16500 sold at the same period last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leeds Ram Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 I think our board got the marketing and pricing spot on. 1.Price freeze 2.No Vat increase 3.Money back guarantee 4.Reasonable repayment plan 5.Interest free repayment plan for the four installment plan when renewed in April 6. Reduced season parking pass for cars with 4 or more people in 7. Free under 12s again 8. Six and 12 game plans Does anybody else think that our board are well ahead of other clubs in this regard? so do I, I applaud the board actually for the ticket prices, they make it available for most people, my season ticket was 110, which frankly for 23 home games is a bargain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davenportram Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 I know, but at the moment about 80-85% have renewed. People who buy now aren't guaranteed to be renewals. Personally I think we will get about the same number if season tickets as last year, but how many are new, and how many are renewals we won't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leeds Ram Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 we won't, and also we will have to see how many go for refunds at the start of the season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Srg Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 This country is a bit of a joke. All over Europe tickets are cheap, it's just here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EastKentRam Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 This country is a bit of a joke. All over Europe tickets are cheap, it's just here. To loyal for our own good, a week or 2 of mass boycotting and ticket prices would drop, it's that easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ace-arun Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 How much did the 6 and 12 game plans cost? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duracell Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 To loyal for our own good, a week or 2 of mass boycotting and ticket prices would drop, it's that easy. Too loyal, or too lazy? We have large sections of very passive fans in this country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leeds Ram Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 I think it is a mixture of both, for instance many qpr fans are going to pay the prices because they have waited so long to see the team back in the premier league. One of the reasons i will always renew is in case we do eventually have a good season and i wouldn't want to miss it, also if i don't renew i may never get my seat back and this is why i am renewing when i go to university and am going to travel down for home games using the train or national express. Ticket prices are too high and one day people will say enough is enough, at Bayern Munich the ticket prices can be as little as 15 euros a game, because they believe everyone has a right to see their team, clubs need to adopt that philosophy over here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asanovic Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Not sure if this is relevant, but I find it absolutely disgusting that the club reserve away tickets for 'club members' before season ticket holders. Hardly fair that I've had a season ticket for nearly twenty years and I'm in the back of the queue behind someone who (for whatever reason), can't make all the games, so gets a membership card instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.