New beginnings - 25% Truth, 80% Bollocks

[Pookemon]

Look at Bradford. Much bigger numbers thanks to lower ST prices. More people through the gates, more sales of food and drink, merch and programmes.

There's no guarantee of that though, it's a huge gamble and where do you put them.   10k is a good gate for any club at this level

[4D]

There's no guarantee of that though, it's a huge gamble and where do you put them.   10k is a good gate for any club at this level

But we only have around 4k season ticket holders (correct me if I'm wrong)? There will be a tipping point regarding prices. Better to have 4k at let's say an average of £320 than 3k at £400. I'm not suggesting we drop our ST prices by the way, just using Bradford as an example.

[horlock07]

Look at Bradford. Much bigger numbers thanks to lower ST prices. More people through the gates, more sales of food and drink, merch and programmes.
Besides, a season ticket hike must surely mean a rise in general ticket prices?
£21 and £25 for adult tickets at this level is probably my limit.

The risk will be where the pivot point is, do the club have evidence that there is a large number who will be prepared to take out new season tickets if the prices drop, with the apparent breakdown in goodwill between much of the fanbase and the club hierarchy, from an admittedly small anecdotal sample, if anything there seems more of a suggestion that existing won't renew rather than a clamour for new ones?

I suspect what with what's going on in terms of living costs most clubs will be acting pretty blindly in knowing what the outcomes will be in terms of ticket prices going forward.

[4D]

We would probably max out at 6k ST holders, judging by the past ST promotion campaigns.

[The Million Pound Man]

Club could test the water and put out 2 price plans, 1 for shifting 7/8k+ STs at a lower rate, and then normal prices if that number doesn’t get reached. Then its down to the fans to put their money where their mouth is and shift a load to get them cheaper, and it also gives the club the security of full prices if it doesn’t get backed.

[Nemo]

Club could test the water and put out 2 price plans, 1 for shifting 7/8k+ STs at a lower rate, and then normal prices if that number doesn’t get reached. Then its down to the fans to put their money where their mouth is and shift a load to get them cheaper, and it also gives the club the security of full prices if it doesn’t get backed.

Fitton tried that with the 6k promotion where the price was lower if we hit the target. It fell quite a long way short from memory. It did mean there were lots of fans in the ground to watch the Malpas era happen mind.

[horlock07]

We would probably max out at 6k ST holders, judging by the past ST promotion campaigns.

I see Bradford are turning over 14k ST's so can probably afford o be cheaper, no idea of populations potential fanbases, is Bradford that much bigger than Swindon?

[ChalkyWhiteIsGod]

I see Bradford are turning over 14k ST's so can probably afford o be cheaper, no idea of populations potential fanbases, is Bradford that much bigger than Swindon?

Not far off twice as big. And they are extremely cheap.

[Batch]

it's not about number of fans as such, it's about revenue and profit.

I don't know for sure, but I bet we make as much or more per match than they do on gates.

you could argue that they gain from food, program and merch sales I suppose.

if the model worked for everyone, why wouldn't they do it..

[ChalkyWhiteIsGod]

it's not about number of fans as such, it's about revenue and profit.

I don't know for sure, but I bet we make as much or more per match than they do on gates.

you could argue that they gain from food, program and merch sales I suppose.

if the model worked for everyone, why wouldn't they do it..

Yeah, the revenue in terms of ticket sales must be similar given how cheap they are, although they probably have us beat when you include extra food and drink sales.

The thing is when you have over half a million people, the risk of running them so cheap is much easier to take. They've got twice as many potential customers to potentially bite.

[Batch]

quite true

[Bob's Orange]

it's not about number of fans as such, it's about revenue and profit.

I don't know for sure, but I bet we make as much or more per match than they do on gates.

you could argue that they gain from food, program and merch sales I suppose.

if the model worked for everyone, why wouldn't they do it..

Also given the cheapness it's surely easier to retain paying fans when the product on the pitch is probably below what is expected. Bradford, like ourselves have been in the top division - albeit more recently and got to a league cup final - have seemingly been in league 2 for ages and I'm sure many of their fans are hacked off that they can't seem to get out of it. But when you are paying £150 (I don't know the figures so have made this up) for a season ticket, I guess you don't give it a second thought, even if you are hacked off with being in league 2. It's a lot different when the figures are going from £360 up to nearer £400.

[horlock07]

The thing is when you have over half a million people, the risk of running them so cheap is much easier to take. They've got twice as many potential customers to potentially bite.

Not sure where you are getting half a million people from for Bradford, but I suspect they have also been helped by 2 or 3 pretty high profile cup runs in the last decade which all help to raise the club profile and get the community excited. Doing pretty well as well considering they have dirty Leeds just down the road.

[4D]

Not sure where you are getting half a million people from for Bradford, but I suspect they have also been helped by 2 or 3 pretty high profile cup runs in the last decade which all help to raise the club profile and get the community excited. Doing pretty well as well considering they have dirty Leeds just down the road.

https://www.ukpopulation.org/bradford-population/

[Peter Venkman]

Not sure where you are getting half a million people from for Bradford, but I suspect they have also been helped by 2 or 3 pretty high profile cup runs in the last decade which all help to raise the club profile and get the community excited. Doing pretty well as well considering they have dirty Leeds just down the road.

500k is about right IIRC.

Edit: Oh I see 4D popped in before I replied