Season Ticket Prices

[theakston2k]

I had a joke with someone the other day that it seemed there was a more positive feeling around the fanbase during a Lee Power season (Wellens title winning season) where he was allegedly doing all the wrong things behind the scenes than there is currently with an owner who is allegedly doing all the right things behind the scenes.

Not that it needed pointing out, but it shows how vital the on field performances are to the atmosphere of a club. You can be doing all the right things behind the scenes (clearing debt, buying the ground) but if you’re not performing in the most important area (on the pitch) then you’ll find that those behind the scenes good work are not enough to keep fans around and for a club that regularly relies on fans goodwill, you’ll struggle to build anything if you drive those fans away.

But it isn’t just on the pitch is it, the club is a shambles off it as well. Yes some good things have been done but as I keep saying the club has a feeling of being an amateur volunteer run club, there’s no professionalism and the whole customer experience is appalling with the season tickets and finance packages not being available the latest example of this.

[Mooneyraker]

The Eady money was essentially a lottery win. All Clem had to do was not be Lee Power and, given that their friendship group seems to be a perfect circle on a Venn diagram, he's managed that by the skin of his teeth.

The deal with the council was 'oven ready' from when the Trust tried to jump into bed with Lee Power.

If that is the only thing they can point to as success, forgive me if I'm not impressed.

[UTR]

But it isn’t just on the pitch is it, the club is a shambles off it as well. Yes some good things have been done but as I keep saying the club has a feeling of being an amateur volunteer run club, there’s no professionalism and the whole customer experience is appalling with the season tickets and finance packages not being available the latest example of this.

I don’t disagree with you there mate. At the minimum as a football fan, it should feel like your football club is being run competently behind the scenes and for differing reasons it hasn’t 100% felt like that for a while. That will no doubt feed into peoples ST decisions, “why should I put my money into a club that isn’t running as competently as it should be?”.

Again though, how much of that with the current regime is due to naivety and a lack of experienced football people in football roles.

[RobertT]

The Eady money was essentially a lottery win. All Clem had to do was not be Lee Power and, given that their friendship group seems to be a perfect circle on a Venn diagram, he's managed that by the skin of his teeth.

The deal with the council was 'oven ready' from when the Trust tried to jump into bed with Lee Power.

If that is the only thing they can point to as success, forgive me if I'm not impressed.

Bit harsh.

The debt has been transferred from some pretty onerous responsible parties (HMRC, secured Debenture) to much softer Directors Loans and some factoring.

The Revenue has increased, considerably.  That is without any real success in Transfer fees as yet.  I'd wager we are one of the top three Revenue earners in this Division, having seen Bradford's accounts, if not the top one.  I am sure the odd club like Salford have equity pumped in and Crawley sold off a shed load of NFT's.

My visit a year ago suggested the Corporate side (hospitality, sponsorships etc.) has been improved - which likely leads to the Revenue.

Love it or loathe it, Clem's tour 18 months ago did bring onboard a significant amount of goodwill, increasing Season Ticket sales to levels only ever seen in 1993 and when Fitton tried the Bradford approach.

[Posh Red]

I do believe that the club is being run on a shoestring budget, so that any money can be used on the player budget.

The problem is that when there are so many mistakes behind the scenes it starts to ebb away the goodwill from fans.

With regards to next season, the simple message that the manager will be responsible for deciding what players are signed or released would go a long way to easing the fears of many.

[RobertT]

I do believe that the club is being run on a shoestring budget, so that any money can be used on the player budget.

The problem is that when there are so many mistakes behind the scenes it starts to ebb away the goodwill from fans.

With regards to next season, the simple message that the manager will be responsible for deciding what players are signed or released would go a long way to easing the fears of many.

If that is indeed the case then this season has been one monumental fuck up.

[Posh Red]

If that is indeed the case then this season has been one monumental fuck up.

I don’t think anyone, even the happiest of clappers, could disagree with that

[RobertT]

I have often wondered, given the crazy stickiness of the customer base, why clubs don't revert to a Subscription based model instead of individual tickets and season tickets?

You could have different levels of subscription, with the top one including a confirmed seat at each game, with differing lengths of contract.  That way you guarantee, to a degree, the spread of income and you can layer in some other less tangible benefits - to keep the price higher than just buying a season ticket for example.  Like merchandise, where you can layer in the margin to make the sub look better value, or free soft drinks (anything with a low cost but higher perceived value to the customer).

Imagine an entry level one - gets you one ticket a month lets say, you can purchase extra on top.   Then you have the ultimate two year package, with guaranteed seats at every game but you are tied in for the full two years at 40 quid a month, or those types of numbers.  Just becomes a bill you pay like your mobile phone.

[Mooneyraker]

Interesting idea. The perceived value of a football shirt being say £50, but actually making the club a profit of probably £40. A pint at the ground and so on, also high perceived value (£5) vs real cost to the club (£1). Could all add up.

I don't buy a shirt most years but if there was a season ticket plus shirt that was only £20-30 more I'd probably get that bundle, making the club at least £20 extra. Similarly they could push initial prices if it was an 'every game including cups guaranteed.' In the incredibly rare instances where we have a cup run maybe the club loses out a bit but most years they would be quids in, and the money is banked early.

You then can't say 'finances are shit because we didn't have a cup run.'

The trouble is you would need a professional marketeer and e-commerce expert to sort this and the club would probably ask Rocking Robin to do it for free.

[Trashbat?]

They do need some help from a professional marketer.

Last year they did that promo for someone to win a trip to Oz to meet Clem. It was so stupidly thought out, as they introduced it after most people had renewed and had a ridiculous target to hit for one lucky winner.

[RobertT]

I might be on the open market in 9 months time if they need a VP of Ops - give me a call Rob, I can do better spreadsheets than Sandro.

[Oaksey Moonraker]

When people talk about not renewing season tickets I think back to the bad dark days of the Diamandis/Wills Family era 20 years ago when the club was literally on the brink.

If it wasn't for some astute loan signings by Kingy and him having the guts to grind it out when Coppell was brought in, we'd have dropped into the 4th tier and never come back.

I think we were down to 2-3K season ticket holders and home gates of 4-5K. IIRC the cost was similar to what is now. The club were happy to charge whatever they liked as they knew they could count on the loyalty.

It's no way as bad as that now, yes the season has been disappointing and same old Swindon, when they miss out in the play offs, the next season is a shocker. Yes, there are unanswered questions but we'll be back watching next year.

[Batch]

subscription = not guaranteed income for the season unless you make it a season long commitment

then we are almost doing the same with block game deals and half season tickets

[BambooToTheFuture]

subscription = not guaranteed income for the season unless you make it a season long commitment

then we are almost doing the same with block game deals and half season tickets

Other than monthlies, it is guaranteed if you tie people in for longer. Something like:

One Month         =  50  = Ticket only, Max of 3 games - 10% discount on food/drink.
Available on a rolling month to month basis. No commitment to subscribe for longer.

Three Month       = 120 = Ticket n Prog, Max of 8 games - 10% discount on food/drink.
Tied in for the period. Option to renew or upgrade. No commitment to subscribe longer.

Six Month Period = 220 = Ticket n Prog, Max of 15 games - 20% discount on food/drink. Option to purchase half price replica shirt.
Tied in for period. Opt to renew/upgrade to 2yr plan. No commitment to subscribe longer.

Twelve Month     = 400 = As above but ALL home games, ALL home JPT, 1st Rnd FA Cup, 1st Rnd League Cup if drawn at home or other rounds, Max of 28 games. Priority reservation on other cups and POs.
Tied in for period. Opt to renew/upgrade to 2yr plan. No commitment to subscribe longer.

2yr Town Plan    = 700 = As above but ALL home games over two seasons, Max of 52 games. Option to claim free replica shirt. One free food and drink item per month. In draw for annual POTY Awards and Sponsors Dinner Tickets. Other opportunities and local perks.
Tied in for period. Opt to renew at end of period or exclusive fan upgrade to the VIF Plan (Very Important Fan Plan) - 5yrs for the price of 4yrs.


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Ok, so that's a loose plan I've come up with, whilst having a few pints in a pub and possibly writing it on the back of a beer mat at about midnight.
Note on the VIF Plan, you make this both attractive but also only available to those who purchase the 2yr Plan. An air of exclusivity without the hospitality price tag but also showing the prolonged commitment to the club. This way the Twelve Month Plan folk are more likely to make the step to purchasing a 2yr Plan if they can effectively obtain a free season ticket over an additional 5yrs via the VIF Plan. It's a simple hook and you've then basically got fans signed up/committed/subscribed to the club for an effective 7yrs (Initial 2yr Plan + 5yr VIF Option).

All of this gives the club a better idea for future projected and guaranteed revenue from fans - whether attending or not, they're contracted effectively. It also sign posts Subscription and ST sales teams to certain fans they can individually target to upgrade/renew where necessary. This can then avoid unnecessary blanket emails/contact to those people who are already signed up to a specific tiers. Hooray, no spam = happy fan. It's then helpful when going to the bank or potential investors as the club wows them with their portfolio of extensive data regarding revenue from ST/Subscribed Consumers. In turn this builds trust between prospective lender/investor as a club that they could more willingly hand over finance/safety deposit box codes/open cheque books/Tom Champagne's Prize Draw Money etc.

If I can come up with that, shirley, shirley the club can come up with something just as good and I would also hope much much better...

PS: Sorry Batch 

[RobertT]

Yeah - I was going for the tied into contract type of sub.  The ones where you have tp pay to get out early.