ianm Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 I should be going to the Pompey game and if I can get hold of a couple of cheaper tickets then fair play. For this game, I will be flying over from Istanbul. I actually had a season ticket for countless years while living here but couldn't justify one this year. Does that make me a fairweather fan nowadays then? Does that mean I won't be welcome by some of you lot in a couple of weeks time? When I lived in Derby, I went to almost every match home and away (Southampton, Plymouth, Newcastle etc cold Tuesday nights), watched the Rams in Europe inc pre-season frıendlies in Holland, Belgium as well as Anglo Italian cup games in Italy in the early 90s. So, if some of you see me or people like me at the Portsmouth game who you may not have seen before, think that maybe those very same faces were home and awayers and very loyal fans long before you were even swimming around in yer dad's sack but through reasons unbeknown to you can not make games every week now. Fair play but if tickets were all priced fairly at £20-£22 it would surely be better with appropriate concessions. You are faced with paying the £28 to £34 or qualifying for one of the freebies or discounts. An unfair 2 tier system totally wrong in my view and in the main the discounts don't attract time-served fans like you. Certainly not in the West Stand yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny Ram Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 If we are going to start quoting numbersat each other can we please ensure they are credible -- the average attendances for league game at Pride Park, well for the 5 games excluding the Southampton match is approx 24.5k not 23k being widely touted. Given the average away following of 1000, this leaves 23.5K home fans. The away allocation is likely to max out at 2600 ish, apart from the local game against the Trees, this results in about 7000 spare places 24.5k + 1.6K = 26K ish v 33K capacity. Has the club stated how many freebies were given out on Saturday, NO - speculation says between 3 and 5 thousand, so 2 to 4 thousand extra people purchased tickets for this match anyway. No fans are better than any others and all fans should get behind the team, as they did against Barnsley, but this requires the team to play exiting attacking football, again as they did against Barnsley (26 attempts on goal and 13 corners). For me we proved on Saturday that we do deserve our place in the table, a good result against the top side. Lets stop getting hung up on attendances and focus on what happens on the pitch instead eh, that's what really matters! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianm Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 I agree it was a good game - excellent. There are plenty who leave early - the guy who sits next to me - he's a season ticket holder. I wouldn't get so uptight about this issue if i were you - and there is no way it should be a reason to stop going. You can't make people share your level of enthusiasm or expect them to share you view of what they find entertaining. The bloke behind me doesn't jump up when we score - but that's ok - i know he's a proper fan. If you don't attend matches because you are cross at what others are paying or whether they are enjoying it in the correct manner - who will miss out? Nobody will beg you to come back. (Except Tom Glick) It's not that I am cross what people are paying, if you can get a ticket for nothing or a tenner then you are going to take it. I just think it is us who loses out as regular fans as my view is our matchday revenue is way below what it should be (this has to affect transfer budgets in the long run) and these schemes are not working in bringing a lot of people in for future matches. Also I think the matchday prices are pitched way too high. This is not just at our club at the Sheffield Derby today, minimum price £26 the crowd was 26,000, 6,000 below capacity. All clubs apart from the top few who can replace time-served fans with gloryhunters have to be pro-active with the prices to keep people going. I don't think giving them away is the answer but finding the right price that enough people will pay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davenportram Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 It is indeed a balancing act, if you drop too much and don't attract enough fans you lose money. One thing is certain the discounted tickets yesterday will have boosted gate revenue compared with not doing it. If they had been £20 each would enough people have come to make the same amount of extra revenue - we can only guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianm Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 If we are going to start quoting numbersat each other can we please ensure they are credible -- the average attendances for league game at Pride Park, well for the 5 games excluding the Southampton match is approx 24.5k not 23k being widely touted. Given the average away following of 1000, this leaves 23.5K home fans. The away allocation is likely to max out at 2600 ish, apart from the local game against the Trees, this results in about 7000 spare places 24.5k + 1.6K = 26K ish v 33K capacity. Has the club stated how many freebies were given out on Saturday, NO - speculation says between 3 and 5 thousand, so 2 to 4 thousand extra people purchased tickets for this match anyway. No fans are better than any others and all fans should get behind the team, as they did against Barnsley, but this requires the team to play exiting attacking football, again as they did against Barnsley (26 attempts on goal and 13 corners). For me we proved on Saturday that we do deserve our place in the table, a good result against the top side. Lets stop getting hung up on attendances and focus on what happens on the pitch instead eh, that's what really matters! I have a little inside information there were a lot of block schools and clubs as well as the more publicised schemes. Without any of them I have been led to believe the expected gate was between 26,000 and 27,000 depending on the interest from Southampton. In the club they were determined to get a full house come what may (I guess to say they still could). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GboroRam Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Am I right in thinking that away ticket sales don't contribute to the home revenue, but go directly to the away team? Just doing some spreadsheet guesswork. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyB Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 I thought you got the revenue, home and away ends, from your home games? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianm Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 I thought you got the revenue, home and away ends, from your home games? Yes that is the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bris Vegas Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 But surely if you're at a game, and the team you support needs a lift, and you have the means to do that in your throat....well why the hell wouldn't you? I'm not saying people shouldn't go but it's fustrating when if 30,010 could just get behind the team even for a minute and just see what happens. Do you think the Southampton players ignored their fans? I certainly don't. They made sure their players heads didn't drop. I just can't imagine watching my team play and not doing something about it when I can. Firstly I think players are more likely to listen to their coaching staff than some random guy in the west stand shout 'F*ckin do 'im Ward'.. for a minute.. And what lift do players really get from the fans? Some players react better to silence than chanting of their name, a friend who is a footballer openly admits that he feels far more relaxed in a quiet stadium.. Though he could be an odd fish who knows.. Less noise, less pressure perhaps. On the other hand, footballers from opposite teams get more fired up when playing in a more hostile environment Do you honestly believe that if 30,010 people all stood up singing we are derby at the top of their voice that we'd actually play any better.. I personally don't.. The atmosphere is for the fans benefit, not the players.. So once again, those have no right to complain why or for what purpose other people enter a football stadium.. There are no rules that say a person has to chant.. If I want to sit there talking about Eastenders for 90 minutes with my Gran, I have every right to do so, and what business is that of any other derby fan.. The only way to get over the lack of noise from certain fans for your approval.. Shout louder.. Don't expect others to move out of their comfort zone or stop what they want to do at a match just for your benefit.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianm Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 It is indeed a balancing act, if you drop too much and don't attract enough fans you lose money. One thing is certain the discounted tickets yesterday will have boosted gate revenue compared with not doing it. If they had been £20 each would enough people have come to make the same amount of extra revenue - we can only guess. Yes we might have made 50k out of the 6,000 extra tickets doled out. Might be enough to pay Bywater's monthly salary (while he plays for Sheffield Wednesday). Perhaps that's why we did it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianm Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Firstly I think players are more likely to listen to their coaching staff than some random guy in the west stand shout 'F*ckin do 'im Ward'.. for a minute.. And what lift do players really get from the fans? Some players react better to silence than chanting of their name, a friend who is a footballer openly admits that he feels far more relaxed in a quiet stadium.. Though he could be an odd fish who knows.. Less noise, less pressure perhaps. On the other hand, footballers from opposite teams get more fired up when playing in a more hostile environment Do you honestly believe that if 30,010 people all stood up singing we are derby at the top of their voice that we'd actually play any better.. I personally don't.. The atmosphere is for the fans benefit, not the players.. So once again, those have no right to complain why or for what purpose other people enter a football stadium.. There are no rules that say a person has to chant.. If I want to sit there talking about Eastenders for 90 minutes with my Gran, I have every right to do so, and what business is that of any other derby fan.. The only way to get over the lack of noise from certain fans for your disapproval.. Shout louder.. Don't expect others to move out of their comfort zone or stop what they want to do at a match just for your benefit.. I've never been a great believer that the mainly inane chanting, if we are honest has an effect. I'ts the roaring the team on like the Barnsley game that can have the effect and not the horrible mass moan when an error is made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIMBAUD Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Firstly I think players are more likely to listen to their coaching staff than some random guy in the west stand shout 'F*ckin do 'im Ward'.. for a minute.. And what lift do players really get from the fans? Some players react better to silence than chanting of their name, a friend who is a footballer openly admits that he feels far more relaxed in a quiet stadium.. Though he could be an odd fish who knows.. Less noise, less pressure perhaps. On the other hand, footballers from opposite teams get more fired up when playing in a more hostile environment Do you honestly believe that if 30,010 people all stood up singing we are derby at the top of their voice that we'd actually play any better.. I personally don't.. The atmosphere is for the fans benefit, not the players.. So once again, those have no right to complain why or for what purpose other people enter a football stadium.. There are no rules that say a person has to chant.. If I want to sit there talking about Eastenders for 90 minutes with my Gran, I have every right to do so, and what business is that of any other derby fan.. The only way to get over the lack of noise from certain fans for your approval.. Shout louder.. Don't expect others to move out of their comfort zone or stop what they want to do at a match just for your benefit.. In the PL season - chatting to the bloke in front of me and the one to my right was the only fun i had. (After the first game.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladyram Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 I thought the atmosphere was great yesterday and found it far from quiet. We sing - we always do and we noticed a few new faces sat near us which was good to see - far better than empty seats anyway and from what I could gather they seemed to enjoy it. I have no problem with "try before you buy". It would be great for the club if they did! If not, I guess it's not for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davenportram Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Yes we might have made 50k out of the 6,000 extra tickets doled out. Might be enough to pay Bywater's monthly salary (while he plays for Sheffield Wednesday). Perhaps that's why we did it. If all pay on the day tickets been priced at £20 would it have attracted the 2500+ extra people that would have been needed to make £50k? Maybe that's why they did it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bris Vegas Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 In the PL season - chatting to the bloke in front of me and the one to my right was the only fun i had. (After the first game.) The positive chanting for the team surely worked wonders in the PL season.. You could actually see the effects, how they raised their game and found that self belief inside which bounced off the positive energy around PP.. Instead of losing 10-0 everygame, we only suffered 3s and 4s.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duracell Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Firstly I think players are more likely to listen to their coaching staff than some random guy in the west stand shout 'F*ckin do 'im Ward'.. for a minute.. And what lift do players really get from the fans? Some players react better to silence than chanting of their name, a friend who is a footballer openly admits that he feels far more relaxed in a quiet stadium.. Though he could be an odd fish who knows.. Less noise, less pressure perhaps. On the other hand, footballers from opposite teams get more fired up when playing in a more hostile environment Do you honestly believe that if 30,010 people all stood up singing we are derby at the top of their voice that we'd actually play any better.. I personally don't.. The atmosphere is for the fans benefit, not the players.. So once again, those have no right to complain why or for what purpose other people enter a football stadium.. There are no rules that say a person has to chant.. If I want to sit there talking about Eastenders for 90 minutes with my Gran, I have every right to do so, and what business is that of any other derby fan.. The only way to get over the lack of noise from certain fans for your approval.. Shout louder.. Don't expect others to move out of their comfort zone or stop what they want to do at a match just for your benefit.. I absolutely believe it. Birtles said he dreaded playing at Pride Park. Some national coaches move the national stadium to somewhere where they think they're going to get a better atmosphere. Stoke's home form isn't coincedence...neither are Turkish club's home form in Europe, I've never seen an away side look properly calm there. Why do managers and coaches ask the fans to get behind the players, why would Bryson say it felt brilliant playing with such an atmosphere against Barnsley, why does Theo always seem to run marginally faster when we all shout "GWAN FEO", why in our rivalry with Forest is it that the home team almost always wins... When fans are nervous and egdy, so are the players. When the fans are relaxed and supportive, the players play better. For me, there is nothing more fundamental about the game. I'm not expecting fans to sing, I just don't get how fans can contain themselves when we're not playing well. I can get booing in that respect. But just sitting there? I don't want them to sing for my benefit, I want the players to have a home advantage of my team. The noise of everyone chanting isn't too loud for chatting anyway. I'm not asking for stuff like Japan or Africa. I talked a lot about the game to my Dad at Wembley and still lost my voice through giving my all to let my players know I was behind them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CumbrianRam Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 I think you mean The Baseball Ground, Birtles has never played at PP, sure he was retired before 1997! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianm Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 If all pay on the day tickets been priced at £20 would it have attracted the 2500+ extra people that would have been needed to make £50k? Maybe that's why they did it I have no doubt it would, I went to the Sheffield Wednesday game last week and there were huge queues on the gate at £22 and they were 99% adults as kids tickets were £14 and there were not too many of them. Added to that I am pretty sure as long as the football is not crap it is sustainable match to match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duracell Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 I think you mean The Baseball Ground, Birtles has never played at PP, sure he was retired before 1997! Boobies, yes, I did mean the BBG, Pride Park wouldn't make sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CumbrianRam Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 That Shef Weds game was a local Derby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.