Swindon Town v Coventry City Official Matchday Thread

[herthab]

Wasn't a great game,  but then again it wasn't crap. I'm beginning to understand why so many people only watch football from their sofas, they don't have to put up with a load of 'experts' spouting absolute shite the whole game behind them.

[manc_red]

Not at all. 25 quid is going to deter all but the most committed fan. Way too high for 3rd division football.

I totally agree with the main point that prices are too high, but as far any apparent decreasing attendances go there must be far more to it than that. The prices have been the same for quite a few years now but this is the first season there's been any significant drop off - if fact that turns out to be what it is. Still holiday season so I'm not sure its fair to judge just yet.

[Batch]

Not at all. 25 quid is going to deter all but the most committed fan. Way too high for 3rd division football. Season ticket prices are irrelevant in attracting casual fans back. And the fact that other clubs are also way too high is not going to attract those same fans back either.

While that's true the large loss of season ticket holders is damaging.

I put that down to a perceived lack of ambition from the club (lack of cash).

Thing is it is what it is. Nobody is around with an open chequebook now. We are doing the right thing yet remaining competitive (hopefully).

But you can't deny the buzz is gone.

[kerry red]

Just looked up last seasons game with Coventry.

9291 with 900+ away fans.

and this on the last Saturday before Xmas!

We have lost best part of 2000 fans game on game..

There is, of course, another explanation - and one I'd prefer not to think too much about

And another comparison

At approx the same time of year the attendance for Crewe was 7419 with 193 from Crewe - not vastly different to this year

Strange

[jonny72]

I've always wondered about how they come up with the ticket prices.

Do they just pick a figure out of the air, what they think they can get away with? Or is proper thought given to it?

I find it hard to believe they wouldn't make more money from far cheaper tickets and higher attendances - the overhead costs wouldn't go up by much plus there is the additional revenue from programmes, food, merchandise and so on. Plus more home support would be a boost to the players.

[chalkies_shorts]

I've always wondered about how they come up with the ticket prices.

Do they just pick a figure out of the air, what they think they can get away with? Or is proper thought given to it?

I find it hard to believe they wouldn't make more money from far cheaper tickets and higher attendances - the overhead costs wouldn't go up by much plus there is the additional revenue from programmes, food, merchandise and so on. Plus more home support would be a boost to the players.

No additional revenue for food as Jed sold it off for the next 10 years

[kerry red]

Ive been 3 times this week along with Mrs Audrey.

This has cost us £124 FFS,

Add on a few beers and voddy and tonics I do wonder what else I could have spent that on

[TheDukeOfBanbury]

Ive been 3 times this week along with Mrs Audrey.

This has cost us £124 FFS,

Add on a few beers and voddy and tonics I do wonder what else I could have spent that on

Top Man. Wish we had more fans like you particularly from the Town itself.

[Reg Smeeton]

While that's true the large loss of season ticket holders is damaging.

I put that down to a perceived lack of ambition from the club (lack of cash).

Thing is it is what it is. Nobody is around with an open chequebook now. We are doing the right thing yet remaining competitive (hopefully).

But you can't deny the buzz is gone.

Crowds are holding up reasonably considering the damage done back in the summer.  Given the current perception of the club off the pitch, it was inevitable that season ticket sales would drop and attendances fall.

The Scum, like us operate on a budget of about 1.5 mill...and reckon they need  about 6,500 at home games to break even, which presumably takes into account the half mill wedge to Kassam, whereas ours to SBC is at least half of that.

So, using that as a back of fag packet calculation, we should be somewhere near Power's break even remit.

[sonicyouth]

Damage? What damage?

[pauld]

I totally agree with the main point that prices are too high, but as far any apparent decreasing attendances go there must be far more to it than that. The prices have been the same for quite a few years now but this is the first season there's been any significant drop off - if fact that turns out to be what it is. Still holiday season so I'm not sure its fair to judge just yet.

Oh yeah, it's not just price as we've seen in previous seasons - just dropping the price alone doesn't get people back. There needs to be, as Batch says, a buzz about the side as well, and that's going to be hard to get back from the clouds hanging over the club in the summer in a lot of people's perceptions. And it looks like it will take a little while to win over even some of those that are still going, even when the football is pretty good, if some of the moaning over the past few weeks is anything to go by. But once the atmosphere turns round a bit, and it will, it needs to be as easy as possible for stayaways to dip a toe back in the water and get back in the habit. And 25 quid is a pretty big barrier to that.

That said, I have a lot of sympathy with Power not dropping the price right down as it's not a simple cause/effect lever - if they drop the price to 15 quid, they might not get that much more on the gate, but lose even more on a price that still isn't enabling us to break even. And it's not like they can count on increased food/drink sales to offset some of that in previous years thanks to JedCo's mortgaging off the catering. Fucking disgrace that.

So I can understand the reluctance to take the risk, not just here but across most of the lower Leagues. The problem is though, it's slowly strangling lower league football.

[pauld]

Damage? What damage?

An summer of uncertainty off the pitch and a lack of recruitment on it, did cause a lot of damage to people's perceptions of the club. A lot of people have started the season in a very negative mindset. Fortunately, that doesn't include the people who's mindset matters most - the management and players who seem to have started it sparkling.

[Reg Smeeton]

Damage? What damage?

Well not that Jeremy Irons/Juliette Binoche film....keep your clothes on ffs 

[sonicyouth]

An summer of uncertainty off the pitch and a lack of recruitment on it, did cause a lot of damage to people's perceptions of the club. A lot of people have started the season in a very negative mindset. Fortunately, that doesn't include the people who's mindset matters most - the management and players who seem to have started it sparkling.

It's not an issue of perception but expectation - many of our fans expect big name managers, new marquee signings galore, out and out attacking football and none of these will be found at the County Ground for the foreseeable future. Nobody has any patience in football, we bemoan clubs for sacking managers and the lack of loyalty shown by players whilst the majority are only interested in the extremes - success and failure. Our fans seem to positively revel in our failures, so it's puzzling that those same people haven't found this summer thrilling.

[kerry red]

But that does not explain the drop from last season when it was still Cooper in charge with a similar squad.

FFS we are playing better this season than last as well