2010/11 Season Tickets

[herthab]

I read it that unless we get the attendances, we won't be seeing year after year of football in the division above. Not sure you can have one before the other unfortunately.

And Luci is right about the town end offer.

The board are 100% right imo. If the fanbase can't support a Championship team, then we're where we belong.

It's a shame that the majority of people in Swindon don't seem to give a toss about the club. Until, or unless, that changes we will struggle to achieve any permanence in the division above.

I'm not a premier league fan, I don't expect a sugar daddy to ride in and bankroll my club, nor do I expect our current board to continually dip into their own pockets to bring us success. The only way a club like ours can sustain a Championship side is to have more supporters on matchdays.

I don't get the mentality in the town at all, they've got a great club on their doorstep, but can't be arsed to spend a few quid once a fortnight to support them. Cunts.

[DiV]

But last season, everyone was banging on about how they should reduce the cost of tickets in the town end, get people in and get an atmosphere back etc. so the board listen to the fans, reduce the ticket prices for next season (with the small possibility of Champiosnship football) and now its somehow not going to work or doesn't provide enough of an incentive?   

...because before the Town End is too expensive, it was the tickets are too expensive, before that it was Maurice Malpas, before that it Mike Diamandis, before that it was Andy King, before that it was Steve McMahon.

The town end value for money - to me like the other things is just an excuse. The board have listened and changed it and I hope fans come back but for whatever reason they will just find a new excuse and other one after that etc etc etc

Just using the TEF as a small example, how many people have suddenly turned around and gone, now they have reduced the Town End prices I will definitely go back. I stopped going because it was too expensive.

As DRS said - its alright for the existing fanbase but I think we could do to attract new fans.

I mean, how many signed up last season and then didnt renew their season ticket mid season (even thought it wasnt even a renewal it was a second payment that people just didnt pay -- utter cunts)

[Iffy's Onion Bhaji]

The board are 100% right imo. If the fanbase can't support a Championship team, then we're where we belong.

It's a shame that the majority of people in Swindon don't seem to give a toss about the club. Until, or unless, that changes we will struggle to achieve any permanence in the division above.

I'm not a premier league fan, I don't expect a sugar daddy to ride in and bankroll my club, nor do I expect our current board to continually dip into their own pockets to bring us success. The only way a club like ours can sustain a Championship side is to have more supporters on matchdays.

I don't get the mentality in the town at all, they've got a great club on their doorstep, but can't be arsed to spend a few quid once a fortnight to support them. Cunts.

It's just that "thing" about STFC to the general public of Swindon though isn't it? When you tell an average joe you support Swindon and go to games they look at you like you're a freak because they think we're rubbish and that we should all support a Premier League team and watch games down the pub. I don't know where the attitude stems from but part of it is probably the fact we've been crap for the last 10 years or more.

Dave makes a good point about the old stay aways who used to come making excuse after excuse. And it's a real shame. If we could claw back some of those were here supporting the team back in the 90s then the club may yet move forward again. I fear we need a new stadium and promotion for this to happen or even for us to get some new plastic fans in like Reading did.

[Luci]

Just using the TEF as a small example, how many people have suddenly turned around and gone, now they have reduced the Town End prices I will definitely go back. I stopped going because it was too expensive.

I completely take your point but I do actually know a few people who are planning on getting a TE ST if they can get one of the first 1000. 

Within this forum, I know there are only a few who said they'd get one but this forum is made up of a lot of existing ST holders anyway so I'd be interested to get an idea of how many regulars would get one with this deal.

Speaking for myself, I got a ST due to the first lot of offers and didn't have one before so there has to be more people out there who were in the same position as me who may get one this time around. Also, last season we avoided relegation by the skin of our teeth so many may not have wanted to commit to one then thinking this year we would struggle also!

[pauld]

I don't get why the board have suddenly thrown their toys out of the pram. They've always said its a long term plan and attendances seem to have been doing well - they will be over 5% up this season over last. Plus season ticket sales were lower this season than last, so ticket income will have increased by maybe 10% What is wrong with that in the current climate and the poor football we had last season?

The board now seems to be saying that if we don't sell a lot of season tickets for next season, they will drop the ground re-development plans and reduce the squad budget. Neither of which is going to help move the club forward, it could even put some people off from buying one.

They're saying nothing of the sort, nor are they "throwing their toys out of the pram". They're simply setting it out like it is - they've removed all the possible excuses, now let's see how people respond. The prices are more than reasonable, the club is well-run and stable, the football's getting better (for those of us who don't think every player who doesn't put in a Premiership-class performance every week is "shit"), the results are way better than most of us expected this season, and there's a vision for the future. But you can't sustain a Championship side on gates of 6000-6500. That's just reality. The only one throwing his toys out of the pram is you. Do get a grip. This is a bloody great offer from a board that knows what it's doing, we should be grabbing at it with both hands, not having a pop.

[Batch]

People left the Town End because the price differential between the TE and other stands was so low. I think some will return at £199, though there isn't much time for them to get the cash together.

The 'problem' is that the main stands are still such good value for money so . It's not a complaint by the way, but it may reduce the numbers going back.

The other issue, which has probably been raised, is that we may end up with the same level of support simply flitting between fans.

It is clear to me the board have put their money where their mouth is.

But how do you attract new fans/stayaway fans to the club? The prices are as low as they can go. The product is doing the stuff. The off the field shenanigans has been managed. What more do people need to get to the CG? Sure a promotion will bring in more people, but that is a long long way off and may not happen. I don't know the answer.

[pauld]

FWIW, I don't think dirt cheap ST prices (and these are dirt cheap) will get the casuals in or the stayaways back, at least not at first - you don't go from 0-200 in one step, most people go to a few games, then find they're back in the habit, then realise they're spending more than they'd have spent on an ST so may as well. So it provides a route to encourage non-ST regulars to get STs, so hopefully raising the "guaranteed" attendance, and then you hopefully draw in more casuals along with them who convert to STs the season after. So you get a continual upwards momentum and even the dismissive no-nothing "I never miss a game down the pub" locals start to take notice. Or of course, they talk to a few town regulars and get put off even trying it by the moany cunts saying it'll never work and it's all pointless so why even bother trying.

[STFC_Gazza]

I think the nail has been hit on the head. The curent fanbase will snap up tickets no problem, its the promotion outside the club. How do we change peoples mentality. People make stupid comments when I say I support Swindon since my dad took me to my first game in 1983 like "well someones got to" "oh thats child abuse" "why go watch that rubbish" "swindon are shit" despite probably never looking at a league table etc. I dont know how you do it, Ok promotion to the championship as Batch said wil raise a few eyebrows... bt sadly a lot of that fanbase form 1990's etc has fucked off for good. They either support Spurs or Chelski as Sky has lead people to believe below the Premiership is shit so they hope on a train get a group saver for 15.00 and watch Premier League football. Sadly those people get in the habit now of watching those clubs.

As for pub gossip trade in pubs isnt what it was before so the whispers and chatting about "oh good result for the town today" are long gone. Most pubs are run by pub co's now instead of local people who are a part of the community etc.

The club had adverts on the bus, on magic roundabout, at Didcot Train station, what more can they really do apart from putting a big board up saying "GET A STFC SEASON TICKET NOW, WE ARE NO LONGER A LAUGHING STOCK ON OR OFF THE FIELD STARTING AT £199.00*"

It is all about changing the perception people have of us. Sadly being on the M4 corridor, whilst good for economy in Swindon made it very easy for a good chunk of our fan base to fuck off and never return.

[jonny72]

But you can't sustain a Championship side on gates of 6000-6500. That's just reality. The only one throwing his toys out of the pram is you. Do get a grip. This is a bloody great offer from a board that knows what it's doing, we should be grabbing at it with both hands, not having a pop.

Come the end of the season our average gate will be over 8k, if we get promoted next season they will be well over 10k. But the chances of us getting 10k in League One next season are zero, unless they gave the tickets away. Sure the prices are good but I don't see it having much of an effect on gates as its not good enough for that, only promotion will give the gates a massive boost.

Its obvious the people are out there, the Fulham and Leeds games show that, and the board needs to figure out how to get them coming every week. The deals on offer are not enough on their own to do that - you need better football and / or promotion.

They might not be throwing their toys out, but the statement about people having to turn up in numbers for next season (even if we are in League One) or there will be consequences just goes against everything the board have been saying since they took over. The club has been moving forward, they've been doing the right things but it is going to take more time which they were happy with before but apparently not now.

[jonny72]

There's nothing to suggest the budget will be lowered.

What else can the following mean....

But if we find that there are only 5,500-6,000 fans who can commit to this, then we'll be big enough to accept that we have to cut our cloth accordingly and inevitably that would lead to playing football at a lower level again which none of us would want.

[Simon Pieman]

In fairness when we did the original leaflet hand out a lot of people who wore the Prem team shirts didn't tell us they didn't want to hear about it and listened to what was on offer, some with genuine interest. I'm sure others were humouring me. As Paul says it's about getting people to a few games and showing them what's on offer - get those people in to the local team.

The way I got into Swindon was due to the buzz in the ground. When I was a kid I did the whole support a Prem team because kids want bragging rights at school. But experiencing the live atmosphere was the main reason I thankfully got into supporting Swindon and deciding watching games on tv was not the same. If you can go to your local club and watch games for £11 a go it's great value.

Hertha is right too - the club needs to be sustainable to avoid the financial disasters of before. I'm just not convinced that we can get the regular attendances before the Championship, which is unfortunate. Even in division 1 we didn't get large attendances.

I do however think we might all be being a little pessimistic as most of us are season ticket holders already. I wasn't a season ticket holder ever until the original offer came along (though I did go to pretty much every home game). I remember the excitement that brought non-season ticket holders. Perhaps this will have the same effect but already being a season ticket, as are most people I know, it's hard to judge.

[pauld]

Its obvious the people are out there, the Fulham and Leeds games show that, and the board needs to figure out how to get them coming every week. The deals on offer are not enough on their own to do that - you need better football and / or promotion.

Well, yes, everyone knows that, including the board. The football has been getting better - sorry, I know it's not good enough for you - and we're having a serious tilt at promotion far earlier than I expected.

They might not be throwing their toys out, but the statement about people having to turn up in numbers for next season (even if we are in League One) or there will be consequences just goes against everything the board have been saying since they took over. The club has been moving forward, they've been doing the right things but it is going to take more time which they were happy with before but apparently not now.

They haven't said that. They've simply set out the realities of sustaining Championship football and a stadium suitable for it. You've read an awful lot in between the lines and kicked off about it unnecessarily. I'd be contemplating pulling my head in if I were you, but as you're not, I look forward to more unwarranted "shit"

[DiV]

I completely take your point but I do actually know a few people who are planning on getting a TE ST if they can get one of the first 1000. 

Now these people, whats their current situation? do they go to games now but pay on the day. Have they not gone for years because of the price. Just curious.

what more can they really do apart from putting a big board up saying "GET A STFC SEASON TICKET NOW, WE ARE NO LONGER A LAUGHING STOCK ON OR OFF THE FIELD STARTING AT £199.00*"

Well they could certainly do.

STFC Season Tickets ONLY £199.00. Even STFC Bart hasnt moaned about the prices!

Come the end of the season our average gate will be over 8k,

You state that likes its a fact?

[pauld]

Come the end of the season our average gate will be over 8k

You state that likes its a fact?

It may not be a fact Dave but if we stay around where we are now, it's a reasonable expectation. I think jonny's right about this and about 9-10k in the division above if we go up and can compete

[DiV]

True.

However, I would have thought that they would have started going up already. The Gillingham game was a really poor attendance and kind of made me think it isnt going to happen.

Of course our average from now untill the end of the season will go up purely because Leeds and Rovers will sell out the away end. I expect Norwich and maybe Charlton will bring enough for the bank to be open. Its only Saints that have used it thus far.

The actual average home attendance would be interesting to know and see how/if it goes up, rather than overall average