Is the Fans Appetite Dwindling?

[Wonderwall]

I think the whole pricing will be stabilised and reduced in the longer term, once we get into the black next year and we have continued success, our commercial gains are going to rise and this is the reason Bayern afford the fans the luxury of low prices. Brand Bayern is global and is a commercial heavyweight in the football world, as is Barca, rags and Madrid (even Liverpool). However, City have made great strides and I think in a couple of years the ticket prices will start to be reduced once we have enough headroom to do so, dependant on our transfer policy and youth coming through.

Lets look at how it will look now. Looking at this as logically as I can, here are some figures, they are obviously a best guess scenario so don’t go all mental at the prices quoted.

47500 capacity

36000 SC holders, say average price is £300? That is including the higher band season tickets and the all the junior (U16/OAP), the 16-18’s and the 18-21 brackets. It may be more but its impossible to know so I took a guess with a reasonable figure.
11500 seats for non SC holders (inc away support). These range between £60 CAT A and £15 CAT C kids? So lets put an average value of £35 on them

36000 x £300 = £10,800,000
11500 x £35 x 19 = £7,647,000

UCL Cup games say minimum 4 home champions league games at an average of £35 a ticket (inc away support)
47500 x £35 x 4 = £6,650,000

Capital one & FA Cups, lets give us 5 home games from both competitions at £25 a ticket as these are always reduced
47500 x £35 x 5 = £8,312,00

£10,800,000
£07,647,000
£06,650,000
£08,312,000
TOTAL is £34,109,000 per year on ticket sales if we sell out every single game to capacity.

Now think about the reduced prices, lets halve the season ticket prices and reduce single tickets to £20 for adults and £10 for kids, lets average that at £17.50
36000 x £150 = £5,400,000
11500 x £17.50 x 19 = £3,823,500

UCL Cup games say minimum 4 home champions league games at an average of £25 a ticket (inc away support)
47500 x £25 x 4 = £4,750,000

Capital one & FA Cups, lets give us 5 home games from both competitions at £15 a ticket as these are always reduced
47500 x £15 x 5 = 3,562,500

£5,400,000
£3,823,500
£4,750,000
£3,562,500
TOTAL is £17,536,000 per year on ticket sales if we sell out every single game to capacity.

That is a difference of £16,573,000 Or a Rodwell and Sinclair

There is a lot more to this than just ticket prices. The Match day tours will increase, the match day experience in City square will get more revenue, the shop will sell more merchandise, the outlets around the ground and inside the ground will sell much more. So I would expect that figure of £18m to come down more, however, £18m is a large number even on those figures I have tried to make as realistic as possible. So imagine every ticket being reduced by £10 on what the club charged last year and the season ticket prices heavily subsidised too? that would go a long way to getting the bums on seats, especially when we get to the 62,500 capacity in a couple of years.

[Goaters 103]

At the very route of all this is this membership scheme, supposedly "for the fans" and trumpeted as being designed "with their help" which then comes out and wants £35 off each Adult, and £20 for each child, for the right to do what? To join a queue to buy a ticket to the stadium, sometimes at £57 a pop - Im sorry but what the fookin fucl is that?

For a family of four you are looking at over £250 cost to see the Liverpool game. That is a pisstake.

The club can dress it up in City points, 10% club shop discounts and some fan bloke they appointed any way they want, but its just too much Im afraid and like the sudden pricing out of fans on tier 2 of the East and West Stands, it again leaves a very sour taste in the mouth.

When the club was up financial shit creek a few years ago, those people sat down the side on tier 2 were some of the first to put their hands up and stick with the club, yet unfortunately short memories have appeared within City. Many simply don't have the financial means to meet the cost in a perverse way maybe having seats empty for the Liverpool game may get the message across.

[Bridge'srightfoot]

At the very route of all this is this membership scheme, supposedly "for the fans" and trumpeted as being designed "with their help" which then comes out and wants £35 off each Adult, and £20 for each child, for the right to do what? To join a queue to buy a ticket to the stadium, sometimes at £57 a pop - Im sorry but what the fookin fucl is that?

For a family of four you are looking at over £250 cost to see the Liverpool game. That is a pisstake.

The club can dress it up in City points, 10% club shop discounts and some fan bloke they appointed any way they want, but its just too much Im afraid and like the sudden pricing out of fans on tier 2 of the East and West Stands, it again leaves a very sour taste in the mouth.

When the club was up financial shit creek a few years ago, those people sat down the side on tier 2 were some of the first to put their hands up and stick with the club, yet unfortunately short memories have appeared within City. Many simply don't have the financial means to meet the cost in a perverse way maybe having seats empty for the Liverpool game may get the message across.

Which pretty much sums it up. Wtf is this 'membership fee' about? It does seem they are trying to fleece every penny out the fans. We're not the only team doing this, far from it but it really is a sad state of affairs. What's pittance to our owners is a huge amount to the average fan.

[Slim]

Oh Wonderbro, if you are saying 4 home UCL games, why have you multiplied them both by 8?

[Wonderwall]

Oh Wonderbro, if you are saying 4 home UCL games, why have you multiplied them both by 8?

Cheers slimbro, I was trying to type that whilst in a video conference :-) I will alter

edit: Fixed

[LookMumImOnMCF.net]

Some stuff in The Guardian today about protest over prices:
http://www.theguardian.com/football/201 ... test-march

And German reaction to English prices:
http://www.theguardian.com/football/201 ... CMP=twt_gu

I too think this is the main sticking point. Everyone has their limits to what they will pay, it might be fucked with a bit and people may agree to larger prices but there will come an end. If the £57 talked about here is the going rate at the moment I would say even half that price is pushing it for me on a personal level. Not really bothered if I'm called fair weather or whatever.

If enough people are willing to pay £57 the prices will remain at then increase from £57.

[AG7]

5 pages of this shit and no one remembers it's a Monday night game ... that alone knocks off a few thousand regulars who come in from our of town (like me) or have shift work which doesn't always fall in a way to allow travel to the game or from the game late night or an early start the next morning ...

Second, the game's on TV, so those paying Sky that much (not quite £1500 an year) but still quite a bit definitely consider ...

Third, of course £57 being the cheapest ticket ain't that cheap exactly ... again add travel and parking and food/drinks it all just adds up ...

So what if we haven't sold (yet) ... or even if we don't sell out ... the competition is between the boys wearing blue and the opposition ... what matters will be the goals scored vs the goals conceded and points taken ... not if we sold out or they sell theirs out; why do everything turns around into we are better fans than their fans business? I think such shit suits fans of those clubs who can't compete on the pitch ... so next time they tell you any such non-football shit or stat about their club i.e. fans in Thailand or shirt sales in Combodia ... just show them that golden patch on your shoulder!

[Ted Hughes]

5 pages of this shit and no one remembers it's a Monday night game ... that alone knocks off a few thousand regulars who come in from our of town (like me) or have shift work which doesn't always fall in a way to allow travel to the game or from the game late night or an early start the next morning ...

Second, the game's on TV, so those paying Sky that much (not quite £1500 an year) but still quite a bit definitely consider ...

Third, of course £57 being the cheapest ticket ain't that cheap exactly ... again add travel and parking and food/drinks it all just adds up ...

So what if we haven't sold (yet) ... or even if we don't sell out ... the competition is between the boys wearing blue and the opposition ... what matters will be the goals scored vs the goals conceded and points taken ... not if we sold out or they sell theirs out; why do everything turns around into we are better fans than their fans business? I think such shit suits fans of those clubs who can't compete on the pitch ... so next time they tell you any such non-football shit or stat about their club i.e. fans in Thailand or shirt sales in Combodia ... just show them that golden patch on your shoulder!

Wow.

Nice bit of point missing there r kid. Very nice sentiments, but you're a Phil Jones penalty away from the general theme most folks are talking about.

[ant london]

I don't disagree with the views of many that the prices are becoming prohibitive and are continuing to exlude more people from matchdays. However, I think the shit being flung toward the club is pretty unfair. Yes, that Liverpool price is ridiculous but we all know that the club is fighting to stabilise its financial position for reasons wholly outside its control.

They could say, fuck it, we will just scale down and accept that UEFA and the cartel but they have clearly decided they want to keep winning and that means squeezing every ounce of juice out of our (relatively) limited revenue potential (compared to Utd, Real, Barcelona, Liverpool, Juventus etc) in international marketing terms, merchandising and matchday revenue. It's shit that this prices people out but I think it's clear the club are doing what they can to make things affordable for things like cup games etc so a family of 4 can go for reasonable prices....I don't see any other Top 6/8/10 PL clubs doing things like that and our prices still remain amongst the lowest in terms of cheap seasoncards etc.

However, I've just come back from a couple of trips to Australia and watched quite a few games of Aussie Rules Football there and I have to say, they have one ticketing idea which I think is pretty decent and is something City should try.

Each club essentially has several different types of membership. Not like ours where you either have a seasoncard or you have membership which gives you a window to purchase tickets but instead memberships which entitle you to a number of match tickets per season. This, I believe, could be as few as 3 games or 5, 7, 10 etc. Clearly the cost is significantly lower than the full season ticket and you still have to do some online legwork in terms of applying for tickets for individual matches but I think this could be a way to go for; those who live further away and cant get to every game, those who can't afford to go to every gam or those who just don't want to go to every home match. It would, IMO, be a way of keeping "real" fans engaged and able to go to games and to make sure we sell out. I thought it was a pretty decent model.

[dazby]

I don't disagree with the views of many that the prices are becoming prohibitive and are continuing to exlude more people from matchdays. However, I think the shit being flung toward the club is pretty unfair. Yes, that Liverpool price is ridiculous but we all know that the club is fighting to stabilise its financial position for reasons wholly outside its control.

They could say, fuck it, we will just scale down and accept that UEFA and the cartel but they have clearly decided they want to keep winning and that means squeezing every ounce of juice out of our (relatively) limited revenue potential (compared to Utd, Real, Barcelona, Liverpool, Juventus etc) in international marketing terms, merchandising and matchday revenue. It's shit that this prices people out but I think it's clear the club are doing what they can to make things affordable for things like cup games etc so a family of 4 can go for reasonable prices....I don't see any other Top 6/8/10 PL clubs doing things like that and our prices still remain amongst the lowest in terms of cheap seasoncards etc.

However, I've just come back from a couple of trips to Australia and watched quite a few games of Aussie Rules Football there and I have to say, they have one ticketing idea which I think is pretty decent and is something City should try.

Each club essentially has several different types of membership. Not like ours where you either have a seasoncard or you have membership which gives you a window to purchase tickets but instead memberships which entitle you to a number of match tickets per season. This, I believe, could be as few as 3 games or 5, 7, 10 etc. Clearly the cost is significantly lower than the full season ticket and you still have to do some online legwork in terms of applying for tickets for individual matches but I think this could be a way to go for; those who live further away and cant get to every game, those who can't afford to go to every gam or those who just don't want to go to every home match. It would, IMO, be a way of keeping "real" fans engaged and able to go to games and to make sure we sell out. I thought it was a pretty decent model.

Who did you go and watch Ant?

[ant london]

Hmmm Hawthorn v Demons, North Melbourne v Geelong and one other which I forget!

[Wonderwall]

However, I've just come back from a couple of trips to Australia and watched quite a few games of Aussie Rules Football there and I have to say, they have one ticketing idea which I think is pretty decent and is something City should try.

Each club essentially has several different types of membership. Not like ours where you either have a seasoncard or you have membership which gives you a window to purchase tickets but instead memberships which entitle you to a number of match tickets per season. This, I believe, could be as few as 3 games or 5, 7, 10 etc. Clearly the cost is significantly lower than the full season ticket and you still have to do some online legwork in terms of applying for tickets for individual matches but I think this could be a way to go for; those who live further away and cant get to every game, those who can't afford to go to every gam or those who just don't want to go to every home match. It would, IMO, be a way of keeping "real" fans engaged and able to go to games and to make sure we sell out. I thought it was a pretty decent model.

Thats an interesting concept, I am struggling to see how it would work differently than it does now? Do the Aussie rules games sell out? Do they have big capacity stadiums? I would imagine if City were to adopt this, the usual suspects would sell out first (top 6 and then the rest). also, we would probably have to use the loyalty points system for applications as there will always have to be a natural order. Rather this, than the liverpool free for all where anyone can buy a ticket if they have been a member for 10 years or 1 week.

[Ted Hughes]

It would be a nice idea but there's one obvious flaw. Some poor cunt from Cornwall or Cork buys a ticket to see 3 games, sorts out a plan for his or her time off work etc for each one, then each time it gets a bit closer to the game, Sky moves the fucker to Sunday or even Monday night. So they end up paying for 3 games they can't attend rather than one.

[Hazy2]

It would be a nice idea but there's one obvious flaw. Some poor cunt from Cornwall or Cork buys a ticket to see 3 games, sorts out a plan for his or her time off work etc for each one, then each time it gets a bit closer to the game, Sky moves the fucker to Sunday or even Monday night. So they end up paying for 3 games they can't attend rather than one.

Sky times and date changes should be looked at more than anything, this selling of the soul take the piss out of fans, Wigan FA Cup last season WTF was that about plus our club failed to get the revenge theme most of us had as a priority.

[dazby]

Do they sell out? Not really. The MCG holds over 90,000.

The buy 3 games packages generally tie in a big game with smaller ones. ie, you can go to 3 of the five games over a five week period.

[mcfc1632]

Well having just got back from hols and when going through a mountain of post I find not only my ticket for Sunday but also my shiny new SC with a my favourite picture of my daughter on it (fucking great idea CITY) - at this point my appetite and love for the club is maxed out.

But on topic - I really do think that the club are committed to the fans and that in years to come we will see our pricing amongst the best value for money around. I think that CITY will continue to canvas the opinions of fans and look at what is done elsewhere to make our pricing relatively attractive - I do think that FFPR has some responsibility for current price hikes - although I think that is a view not widely shared.

That said IMO people have to realise/accept that it is a different product now from years gone by - and a very different market. The changes to the market have been driven by the 'old guard' and there is a price to pay for breaking into that cartel. I of course would really feel for those genuinely priced out but given the choice of paying the extra to see what our club has become and will develop into or staying at the level we were - watching enviously on as only an elite few can succeed - then I will pay the extra. I am lucky and can afford it so easy for me to say - but if that was an issue I would still rather cut my cloth and attend the games that I could afford and enjoy the rest on TV/Streams rather than be like Oliver Twist looking on whilst others feasted.

[Feed The Goat]

My season ticket hasnt gone up that much In south stand I dont think it has.

The biggest hikes are in the middle tier which the club want as a corporate section I dont think they've been shy in telling us any of this. I recon once they have that high price in the middle padded seat tier we will see a difference in prices round the ground.

[littlebig]

Would love to see us follow the Bundesliga model of cheap ticket prices. It would ensure that the house would be buzzing for all our home games.

In fairness I could see this as being an attractive prospect to Sheikh Mansour especially as it would fit in with our being very much a club for the community and for families.

On the other hand, cheap ticket prices means sacrificing revenues so who knows what direction club MCFC will go. It is business afte all

[Bridge'srightfoot]

From the chief executive of the Bundesliga:
'It would be very easy to raise the prices and make more money out of the fans but the clubs tend to choose not to do so. From a pure economic perspective you can say ‘What a mistake’ but, given our holistic approach, I would say it is the right approach.”

Seifert says that this holistic approach is based on marrying “finances, the game and society: if we do not have success in all three dimensions, we do not consider it success at all.” He hailed the “basic treaty” that has existed between German clubs and the Bundesliga since 2002 enshrining the belief that “clubs are an established part of society, bring people together and cities and regions identify with them”.'

Absolutely spot on. Football is more than a business. It's a huge part of peoples lives and it's a great shame clubs in this country don't appear to share the view of their German counterparts.

[Hutch's Shoulder]

The OS says we are now sold out (bar hospitality) - as predicted.