Questions for the Advisory Board

[Peter Venkman]

The club will pay 50%, which then gets reinvested.
50% of what - no idea how much the council was charging.

Wasn't it about £250k per year?

[theakston2k]

The problem with increasing season ticket prices this time round is any increase will likely cross the the psychological barrier of £400 for renewals. New season tickets cost that this season but people renewing this season are likely to see £400+ as hard to justify for league 2 and for a seemingly development over promotion approach that we’ve seen this season is that price really worth paying?

The club are going to need to be very specific with their messaging about next season with a focus on promotion and a demonstration of this aim. I’ve reconsidered my definite renewal, I’ll probably wait until July to see what sort of business we are doing. If it’s similar to this season with just seemingly chasing punts with no known quality and experience I probably won’t bother and just pick and choose next season. I imagine many will do the same.

Also I’m not doing a bank transfer again this season, if they haven’t sorted the ability to pay for season tickets with a credit card I won’t be bothering as not to have that ability for a second season would be both pathetic and concerning.

[Lemis]

I certainly won't be renewing if they raise prices and don't go up. I can rarely make Tuesday night games, so I'm only just getting value for money out of it anyway and there isn't enough local away days  for it to be worth it for the priority windows either.

[ChalkyWhiteIsGod]

Also I’m not doing a bank transfer again this season, if they haven’t sorted the ability to pay for season tickets with a credit card I won’t be bothering as not to have that ability for a second season would be both pathetic and concerning.

Yeah, it that isn't sorted then its an absolute joke and serious questions would need to be asked.

[DMC]

Sorry for the bump.  Do we think that the members of the Advisory board can look at how things are being approached.  It is happening too often now that things like season ticket prices are being released  and both the Trust and OSC come out saying how they spoke to club and worked together and then within days another Uturn is being mad.

As the voice of the fans why is this happening time after time. This may sound pretty blunt but what role have these groups actually played here when after complaints about 1 section this afternoon is changed within hours, same last summer

[JanAirplaneMan]

Sorry for the bump.  Do we think that the members of the Advisory board can look at how things are being approached.  It is happening too often now that things like season ticket prices are being released  and both the Trust and OSC come out saying how they spoke to club and worked together and then within days another Uturn is being mad.

As the voice of the fans why is this happening time after time. This may sound pretty blunt but what role have these groups actually played here when after complaints about 1 section this afternoon is changed within hours, same last summer

I will try and explain as best I can. Advisory board were issued with suggested ST prices and asked for feedback. We went back with joint feedback from fans groups where we said suggested increases were far too high and suggested alternative options significantly lower, Club came back showing their costs were 17-20% higher than this season. after going back and forth a few times we eventually agreed on significantly lower ST costs whereby ticket price increases were circa 5% early bird and 10% post early bird. This was under half the increases initially suggested by the club.
On the disabled tickets the concession element applied last year wasnt shown in the comparison costs (suggested v last seasons cost), hence why a pushback wasnt given. Ultimately when this was made clear today we fought for the same concession be applied to this season's disabled ticket which is now has been.

[MangoRed]

Sorry for the bump.  Do we think that the members of the Advisory board can look at how things are being approached.  It is happening too often now that things like season ticket prices are being released  and both the Trust and OSC come out saying how they spoke to club and worked together and then within days another Uturn is being mad.

As the voice of the fans why is this happening time after time. This may sound pretty blunt but what role have these groups actually played here when after complaints about 1 section this afternoon is changed within hours, same last summer

100% agree
Said it a while ago but the AB for me is just a box ticking exercise.

[Berniman]

I will try and explain as best I can. Advisory board were issued with suggested ST prices and asked for feedback. We went back with joint feedback from fans groups where we said suggested increases were far too high and suggested alternative options significantly lower, Club came back showing their costs were 17-20% higher than this season. after going back and forth a few times we eventually agreed on significantly lower ST costs whereby ticket price increases were circa 5% early bird and 10% post early bird. This was under half the increases initially suggested by the club.
On the disabled tickets the concession element applied last year wasnt shown in the comparison costs (suggested v last seasons cost), hence why a pushback wasnt given. Ultimately when this was made clear today we fought for the same concession be applied to this season's disabled ticket which is now has been.

So based on that. are the Trust going to do as DMC suggested and look how things are being approached/managed (i.e. hold the club to account) or are the trust going to take a look at their own internal vetting procedures so that they are not just blindly vetting the information being handed over by the club and examining the content of that information to make sure it is complete so that the trust are able to push back on the right things and avoid a Tory government style Uturn bonanza?

Isn't it the Trusts role to examine the information being provided by the club and not leave it to the fans to unearth the almighty bollock being dropped?  Can you not see why some fans feel that the Trust sit closer to the club than the fans sometimes and feel that the club use the trust to deliver bad news, possibly because they know that the information that they give them is not being studied enough. The Trust should be there to be the ones that unearth and highlight these mistakes, and ensure that they are addressed before the press release goes out - that is what holding the club to account really looks like.  Do that and then the trust can happily sit there and take the plaudits for reducing the rise from 17% to 5-10%.

To DMC's point, i think it is clear that somebody screwed up here, and also to DMC's point, it's not the first time over the past few years.  The question is, what are we doing to make sure the screw ups are reduced, or ideally irradicated.

[STFC_Manc]

So based on that. are the Trust going to do as DMC suggested and look how things are being approached/managed (i.e. hold the club to account) or are the trust going to take a look at their own internal vetting procedures so that they are not just blindly vetting the information being handed over by the club and examining the content of that information to make sure it is complete so that the trust are able to push back on the right things and avoid a Tory government style Uturn bonanza?

Isn't it the Trusts role to examine the information being provided by the club and not leave it to the fans to unearth the almighty bollock being dropped?  Can you not see why some fans feel that the Trust sit closer to the club than the fans sometimes and feel that the club use the trust to deliver bad news, possibly because they know that the information that they give them is not being studied enough. The Trust should be there to be the ones that unearth and highlight these mistakes, and ensure that they are addressed before the press release goes out - that is what holding the club to account really looks like.  Do that and then the trust can happily sit there and take the plaudits for reducing the rise from 17% to 5-10%.

To DMC's point, i think it is clear that somebody screwed up here, and also to DMC's point, it's not the first time over the past few years.  The question is, what are we doing to make sure the screw ups are reduced, or ideally irradicated.

You do realise that the Trust/OSC give up their own free time to do all of this? I'm looking at the ST information and I can't see the information about disabled prices clearly available.

It would be great if some one from the disabled fan group applied to be a board member or helps them but that hasn't happened.

They aren't able to stop every issue that happens and if you think that then you might have to re do your expectations.

[DMC]

You do realise that the Trust/OSC give up their own free time to do all of this? I'm looking at the ST information and I can't see the information about disabled prices clearly available.

It would be great if some one from the disabled fan group applied to be a board member or helps them but that hasn't happened.

They aren't able to stop every issue that happens and if you think that then you might have to re do your expectations.

This is my point though and believe me it is in no way a pop but as you have rightfully said it's not clearly available for fans to see. In that case it should not have been released yet , in regards to a disabled fan group member, Lee has been asking for months to be able to attend.

I don't think fans want the Trust/OSC to be ott on everything but on these type of things it's happening time and time again and is undoing all the good work the club are doing elsewhere

In fact i was having a chat last night and i honestly think if you look at every issue over the last 6-9 months it always comes back to the same thing. Awful media comms and PR. Rob has gone on there last night and theres not even an acknowledgement to the change they made yesterday on offivial comms

[Batch]

I'm looking at the ST information and I can't see the information about disabled prices clearly

To be fair you're right, it looks like the club fucked about with disable tickets last year too.

The family pack erosion has been clear. Like I said, maybe "too cheap" is the right answer here - but they were quietly brushed under the carpet.

[Batch]

In fact i was having a chat last night and i honestly think if you look at every issue over the last 6-9 months it always comes back to the same thing. Awful media comms and PR. Rob has gone on there last night and theres not even an acknowledgement to the change they made yesterday on offivial comms

My personal take on the club side is - we are losing 500k a year. The club is being run on a shoestring to minimise loss and maximise playing staff. Things inevitably fall through cracks.
I don't know this to be true but I'd be amazed if not.

Bit odd in some circumstances though (see Sippo's thread on mascots - do you want his money or not?).

[STFC_Manc]

This is my point though and believe me it is in no way a pop but as you have rightfully said it's not clearly available for fans to see. In that case it should not have been released yet , in regards to a disabled fan group member, Lee has been asking for months to be able to attend.

I don't think fans want the Trust/OSC to be ott on everything but on these type of things it's happening time and time again and is undoing all the good work the club are doing elsewhere

In fact i was having a chat last night and i honestly think if you look at every issue over the last 6-9 months it always comes back to the same thing. Awful media comms and PR. Rob has gone on there last night and theres not even an acknowledgement to the change they made yesterday on offivial comms

You don't know, what you don't know. I meant Lee could input via the Trust/OSC (so would see this information before it's released).

You do have to remember that what ever the Trust/OSC feeds back doesnt always get taken onboard

[Berniman]

You do realise that the Trust/OSC give up their own free time to do all of this? I'm looking at the ST information and I can't see the information about disabled prices clearly available.

It would be great if some one from the disabled fan group applied to be a board member or helps them but that hasn't happened.

They aren't able to stop every issue that happens and if you think that then you might have to re do your expectations.

I do realise yes, and I am Bronze Trust member and contribute monthly.  My point was not a pop at all, more backing up what DMC posted - this is a repeated problem.  If we can hold the club to better standards then the Trust wouldn't spend their limited time fixing mistakes and can work proactively on schemes to improve things for the fans, which is what they should be spending their time on.

[DMC]

I will try and explain as best I can. Advisory board were issued with suggested ST prices and asked for feedback. We went back with joint feedback from fans groups where we said suggested increases were far too high and suggested alternative options significantly lower, Club came back showing their costs were 17-20% higher than this season. after going back and forth a few times we eventually agreed on significantly lower ST costs whereby ticket price increases were circa 5% early bird and 10% post early bird. This was under half the increases initially suggested by the club.
On the disabled tickets the concession element applied last year wasnt shown in the comparison costs (suggested v last seasons cost), hence why a pushback wasnt given. Ultimately when this was made clear today we fought for the same concession be applied to this season's disabled ticket which is now has been.

Cheers Jan, good to know and Thanks for responding