[Archived] Walkersteel Blackburn End?

[RevidgeBlue]

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QUOTE(ste b @ Aug 8 2006, 11:08 ) 433109[/snapback]

He might have to move that Dartboard with your picture on it in that case.

Perhaps Rovers should also be given some credit where its due for a change.

I renewed my season ticket at LAST YEARS prices because of the early bird scheme, and have spread the cost of the ticket over 10 months. That means I don't have to spend 72 quid in a week to get to the first two home games.

I'll have to take JW a fresh set in - the others have probably worn out by now.

I've always agreed the early bird scheme was a good move. We now know a large part of the reason it was implemented in view of the Bellamy situation though.

Good deal for ST holders or not, you can't just say "to hell with the pay on the dayers". We've got to do our utmost to get them in as well.

[tcj_jones]

Could somebody please fill me in with what teams are under what categories?

I loved the fact that I could get a relatively good seat at Ewood Park for between £15 - 20, but I would still be willing to pay the extra as a walk-on supporter as any other team in the top six last season would undoubtedly cost more to watch.

What I cannot defend is having Everton as an A+ category game. Totally unacceptable.

[CAPT KAYOS]

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QUOTE(ste b @ Aug 7 2006, 11:08 ) 433109[/snapback]

He might have to move that Dartboard with your picture on it in that case.

Perhaps Rovers should also be given some credit where its due for a change.

I renewed my season ticket at LAST YEARS prices because of the early bird scheme, and have spread the cost of the ticket over 10 months. That means I don't have to spend 72 quid in a week to get to the first two home games.

Steb - I dont think anybody is knocking the S/T prices and many have stated the value of having one, especially now if the Everton ticket price is anything to go off.

GAV - don't really agree with you here, but understand what you are saying which is probably the same as why the club has done what is has done but as many have mentioned there are so many reasons why it is wrong and is in general what is wrong with the state of football at the moment.

Paul - don't underestimate your comments as they all ring true - remember its only my opinion but you back everything up as you have done again above. As with myself your comments are not a knee jerk reaction as you have been expressing your concerns for quite a while.

Football has been sold out to money - too much is going out of the game by easy gain and the fans are being made to suffer and pay for it , especially the more dedicated as every season passes. Its not only Rovers that are/will suffer - others will follow suit its just that we are one of the first due to reasons already expressed.

[Jan]

--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ste b @ Aug 7 2006, 11:08 ) 433109[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->

He might have to move that Dartboard with your picture on it in that case.

Perhaps Rovers should also be given some credit where its due for a change.

I renewed my season ticket at LAST YEARS prices because of the early bird scheme, and have spread the cost of the ticket over 10 months. That means I don't have to spend 72 quid in a week to get to the first two home games.

Football has been sold out to money - too much is going out of the game by easy gain and the fans are being made to suffer and pay for it , especially the more dedicated as every season passes. Its not only Rovers that are/will suffer - others will follow suit its just that we are one of the first due to reasons already expressed.

That's a contradiction. Football in general may have been sold out to money, but Rovers hasn't. All those who wanted to could have got this game, and all games (in fact more as the first UEFA cup game is included) for last year's prices. If they haven't, more fool them. Everton is the price it is because they can sell away tickets, end of. Sensible strategy if you ask me as we wouldn't have got many walk-on fans anyway. Everyone else can wibble as much as they want, but 5000 at £36 from Everton more than makes up for the 3-400 extra we MIGHT have got at £26. And yet again people whine about the price in their favourite area. It's the law of supply and demand. Of course the most popular areas are going to be expensive. You can get an adult ticket for £27 elsewhere. So move.

[pleasure]

That's a contradiction. Football in general may have been sold out to money, but Rovers hasn't. All those who wanted to could have got this game, and all games (in fact more as the first UEFA cup game is included) for last year's prices. If they haven't, more fool them. Everton is the price it is because they can sell away tickets, end of. Sensible strategy if you ask me as we wouldn't have got many walk-on fans anyway. Everyone else can wibble as much as they want, but 5000 at £36 from Everton more than makes up for the 3-400 extra we MIGHT have got at £26. And yet again people whine about the price in their favourite area. It's the law of supply and demand. Of course the most popular areas are going to be expensive. You can get an adult ticket for £27 elsewhere. So move.

go points, well made. there's really nothing more rovers can do.

[den]

and when the price rises to £45 in the BBE?

It's got to stop somewhere.

[Jan]

and when the price rises to £45 in the BBE?

It's got to stop somewhere.

It stops when people stop paying it.

[CAPT KAYOS]

go points, well made. there's really nothing more rovers can do.

Not quite as it would appear that there won't be 5k toffees preparing to come now if there discussions are anything to go by - so sort of defeats the object.

Jan - Even £27 is too much in my book

Think people are missing the point here - it has to stop, how high do prices have to go?

[pleasure]

and when the price rises to £45 in the BBE?

It's got to stop somewhere.

hypothtical. for the record i think prices will drop in the next few years.

my gripe is, as i've mentioned previously, some people use pricing as an excuse.

going back to everton, i take it JW upper central is #39.00 and cheaper around the rest of the ground ? the simple solution is to sit somewhere else. the JW upper central is hardly ever full anyway!

Not quite as it would appear that there won't be 5k toffees preparing to come now if there discussions are anything to go by - so sort of defeats the object.

Jan - Even £27 is too much in my book

Think people are missing the point here - it has to stop, how high do prices have to go?

Capt, i'll bet everton will bring 5000, we'll see on the night.

i can see where you're coming from, (in reference to ticket prices), but i cant see decrease in price leading to an increase rovers fans attending ewood.

we've never had great crowds.

Edited August 8, 2006 by pleasure

[den]

It stops when people stop paying it.

In case you didn't notice Jan, they already have.

[CAPT KAYOS]

we've never had great crowds.

Exactly pleasure - and things like this will only make it worse - the seed was sown a few seasons back and was obvious to see - however the club carried on with the trend and now its biting us big time. I just hope your thinking on prices comes true.

As for Everton - at one time I would tend to agree but not now.

[Ste B]

In case you didn't notice Jan, they already have.

A lot stopped when the price was half of what it is now. Its not just cheap tickets that will bring fans back to Rovers, although its undoubtably a factor. Theres a lot of fans who simply "cant be arsed", but would rather give another excuse.

[den]

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QUOTE(ste b @ Aug 8 2006, 13:09 ) 433149[/snapback]

A lot stopped when the price was half of what it is now. Its not just cheap tickets that will bring fans back to Rovers, although its undoubtably a factor. Theres a lot of fans who simply "cant be arsed", but would rather give another excuse.

That's true, but no doubt pricing has taken it's toll and will continue to do so.

The big problem for rovers, is that once fans stay away, they rarely re-appear. The club are on a sliperry slope IMO, and simply making a half empty Ewood even nearer. This catageory A+/£36 in the BBE, is a very dangerous ploy.

On one hand the club asks for ideas as how to improve atmosphere, then on the other encourages the fans into the pubs.

[pleasure]

Exactly pleasure - and things like this will only make it worse - the seed was sown a few seasons back and was obvious to see - however the club carried on with the trend and now its biting us big time. I just hope your thinking on prices comes true.

As for Everton - at one time I would tend to agree but not now.

i've had a bit of a re-think, capt.

i remember, we had decent crowds in 97/98 (in hodgson's 1st season) and we got 15,000 for the psv friendly.

crowds have been dwindling since 98/99.

[3rdpillar]

The big problem for rovers, is that once fans stay away, they rarely re-appear. The club are on a sliperry slope IMO, and simply making a half empty Ewood even nearer. This catageory A+/£36 in the BBE, is a very dangerous ploy.

On one hand the club asks for ideas as how to improve atmosphere, then on the other encourages the fans into the pubs.

This says post says it straight, "once fans stay away, they rarely re-appear". Thats simply cause they fill their time with other activities, this in conjunction with sat3:00pm being a rarely kick off, means people have already found something else in teir lives. And they can catch the odd match in the pub!

With such a small catchment area crowds will dwindle to the 15k incl visitors soon enough.

Personally I think we do very well to get this. Thinking back to post premiership champions, all the people who sat around us in the family stand came for far afield and they didnt come on the bus.

These pepole have have moved to pastures and pleasures new in their lives and wont come back.

[Jan]

How much would be fair? £20, £25 and if that didn't bring the crowds back (and we've proved it doesn't by reducing the prices and not increasing attendance) what would we have achieved? A few happy people who would have paid anyway and get it cheaper and a poorer club. That equals failure.

We lost people because firstly, we got relegated and secondly, we played like a bunch of numpties for a number of years.

Also because people can watch games on TV and get drunk while doing so. Valid lifestyle choices but very bad for us. We're not alone in losing fans. We practically ARE alone in keeping our prices down yet our "fans" seem to moan more than most.

Prices have fallen in real terms this year. Those who chose not to take advantage have themselves to blame and shouldn't moan. I don't mean casual, once in a blue moon fans. They DO equate their tickets to the price of other entertainment (Madonna £160, George Michael £120, Kylie £50, etc). Any "walk-on" but regular fans should have built in their savings by buying a season ticket. None of the "we couldn't afford that much at the beginning of the season" (instalments) or "it's like a second mortgage" (if you had a mortgage for £40 a month good luch to you!!) They're suffering now- as short-sighted people should.

I really don't think the club could, or SHOULD have done any more than it has. We need to be competitive, and to do that revenue, not fanbase, needs to be maximised. Of course if you can do both, great. IF not, "Show me the money!"

[3rdpillar]

How much would be fair? £20, £.......................

I really don't think the club could, or SHOULD have done any more than it has. We need to be competitive, and to do that revenue, not fanbase, needs to be maximised. Of course if you can do both, great. IF not, "Show me the money!"

I dont think its the money for the 15k hardcore supporters, we dont have the people in the immediate area to fill the rest of the seats. As for the surrounding area....see Preston, Wigan, Bolton, Blackpool, not to mention as some already have Accy.

[The Gull]

Looking at this from a business perspective, and I am prepared to be shot down over this, Rovers have done a very sensible thing for a couple of reasons:

1) The Blackburn End is surely the one stand that is almost full every game, whoever the opposition, and is populated by a large proportion of season ticket holders that this pricing structure will not affect.

2) The price structure for the Visting fans is based on the pricing of a similar area for the home team, in our case the Blackburn End price governs what we have to charge the visitors in the Darwen End.

3) Everton have season upon season brought a large following to Rovers, and surely a Summer match can only be seen to support the argument that they will bring 5000+ with them.

What the club is trying to do is maximise the income from this game and only time will tell if they are to achieve this goal.

From a fans point I would like entrance to be cheap as chips to get as many people into the grouund as possible and savour the atmosphere every week rather than every few games.

However, from a fans point of view there is only one way my club is going to keep on challenging at the level it is, and that is by running it as a sound business.

Unfortunately we can't have our cake and it eat it.

[philipl]

I am glad that there are a number of posters reflecting the sad reality of the situation. Rovers have to price to optimise revenue.

It does make complete sense to price the two ends identically knowing that visiting supporters are marginally less price sensitive having travelled (and in the case of Chelsea, are used to paying £50+ every home game) and that most of the Blackburn End is occupied by season ticket holders paying appreciably less.

The only criticism would be that perhaps the lower priced areas of the Riverside and JW should perhapsbe larger and price-reduced to be genuinely attractive to the hard-up walk on fan.

These are the Chelsea prices taken from thed official site. Incidentally, having to register to obtain details of the price of tickets is a major web site boo boo.

I desperately hope that the Premiership Chairmen sit down and seriously appraise what they are going to do with the massive unexpected bonus next year's 60%+ rise in TV income.

My agenda would be:

1) A decent shift of allocation towards the non-CL qualifying clubs. The league within a league is steadily eroding the attractiveness of the product. This is under discussion.

2) An across the board reduction in gate prices of 25%. The fans going through the turnstiles have got to be rewarded otherwise the TV product will be eroded- it is simple self-interest on the part of the Premiership to do this. I remember when Jack was alive, there was a vision of entry to Ewood eventually being close to free because theclub would be making so much from RoverVision etc etc. Unfortunately, I am not aware that this is on the Premiership agenda.

At the end of the day, we all make personal choices. It is very clear that many people on this MB regularly drink more alcohol in an afternoon than I get through in a fortnight or a month. Many people smoke- another rather expensive activity. Perhaps some of these are the people complaining about the price of tickets to Rovers?

[CAPT KAYOS]

I really don't think the club could, or SHOULD have done any more than it has. We need to be competitive, and to do that revenue, not fanbase, needs to be maximised. Of course if you can do both, great. IF not, "Show me the money!"

Jan - this may or may not be true and but I think the club are trying but in the wrong way and at the wrong time and I relate back to the 'uniqueity' that I have cited about the Rovers.

As I said above and others are saying we don't have the fans to replace the ones that have gone away. The hard part is convincing the stayaways to come back - especially alot of what where once represented as hardcore fans.

People have their price for football - and just because others are doing one thing it doesn't mean to say Rovers have to do the same - the club lost the chance some years ago as I feel they took the fans for granted once we had won the league - yes there is probably a proportion who also took the club for granted as well and expected something for nothing but that was probably minimum rather than maximum.

Yes we do have our moaners and some excuses that people come up with for not going are just not worth listening to but at the end of the day if we carry on like we are we might just be watching Premiership footy with an almost empty ground.

The ones that attend now are going to be in their majority S/T holders - and the way football is going that is what the higher proportion of the crowd is probably going to be as the value will be in having a S/T - however even they are at a premium now, and if football is going to carry on as it is then even them numbers will start to dwindle and they won't come back - can you see a problem here?

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

That's a contradiction. Football in general may have been sold out to money, but Rovers hasn't. All those who wanted to could have got this game, and all games (in fact more as the first UEFA cup game is included) for last year's prices. If they haven't, more fool them. Everton is the price it is because they can sell away tickets, end of. Sensible strategy if you ask me as we wouldn't have got many walk-on fans anyway. Everyone else can wibble as much as they want, but 5000 at £36 from Everton more than makes up for the 3-400 extra we MIGHT have got at £26. And yet again people whine about the price in their favourite area. It's the law of supply and demand. Of course the most popular areas are going to be expensive. You can get an adult ticket for £27 elsewhere. So move.

The main problem we are faced with seems to be going completely over the heads of some people.We have a limited fanbase of support of whom most cannot be classed as 'affluent'.....Blackburn is not,East Lancashire on the whole is not and never has been.We have a small (11-12,000) group of season ticket holders.We ARE heavily reliant on the walk-ons who must average some 6-7,000 and who account for some 1/3 of our average home support.Can the club afford to see this group of support dwindle even futher because of £36 tickets?.....the answer must be a resounding and massive NO!!!.

Listen to the people like Cletus etc on this thread who have decided to vote with their feet, how long before these people completely lose the Rovers bug and decide to find their entertainment somewhere else? it can happen and very quickly.

Look after your own Rovers as there aint many of 'em.

P.S I'll second the request for a poll to be added to this thread regarding the walk-ons and pricing, it would be VERY interesting indeed.

[philipl]

The poll that matters is the c. 10,000 that turn up for £10 tickets at League Cup games. There is no indication that reduced prices increases attendance and hasn't been for at least five years sadly.

[SouthAussieRover]

--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ste b @ Aug 8 2006, 13:09 ) 433149[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->

A lot stopped when the price was half of what it is now. Its not just cheap tickets that will bring fans back to Rovers, although its undoubtably a factor. Theres a lot of fans who simply "cant be arsed", but would rather give another excuse.

That's true, but no doubt pricing has taken it's toll and will continue to do so.

The big problem for rovers, is that once fans stay away, they rarely re-appear. The club are on a sliperry slope IMO, and simply making a half empty Ewood even nearer. This catageory A+/£36 in the BBE, is a very dangerous ploy.

On one hand the club asks for ideas as how to improve atmosphere, then on the other encourages the fans into the pubs.

Perhaps one should realise that there has always been a hardcore of diehard fans.

More fans appear during the good times but these are probably folk who move from one entertainment fad to the next.In this day of instant entertainment football can at times be lacking.Who wants to fork out exhorbitant prices for a potential 0-0 bore draw.?

As Paul states the connection between the fans and players disappeared a long time ago. Now players are paid in movie star wages is there much difference between watching a movie and watching the footy in the pub?

Bizarre that clubs make it more expensive to watch a game live rather than in the comfort of your home or the pub.Maybe Sky need to put live Rovers games on delayed transmission in the Blackburn area?

Of a population of ?110,000-120,000 maybe Rovers are at their natural level in terms of current interest in the game of football.By charging excessive prices they are unlikely to attract a new generation to the sport.I'm sure people pursue much cheaper forms of entertaintment/fitness during their weekends rather than fork out a shitload to watch a bunch of overpaid footy players.

Time that the football clubs started listening to the fans rather than just paying lipservice to their views.

[wellesbourne]

We used to have these types of threads and would slag every man /woman / boy and girl who said that they were no longer prepared to pay the increased pricing levels.

We now have a totally different attitute towards these people and we have a lot of real constructive views on the subject.

i) Yes, Rovers need to maximise their revenues. Absolutely spot on. And as long as people continue to pay that price then you can charge it - basic supply and demand.

However - i think the proof wil lbe in the pudding and i have seen may Comapny's go out of Business as they do not understand the threshold of the paying customer to walk away.

I think the interesting thing this year will be to see how many casual NON-ST holding fans turn up to watch the blues.

ii) We shouldn't fall into the trap of comparing our prices vs. other clubs in the area. I don't think we lose much custom as once you are a blue you are always a blue and the days of people going to watch a game every weekend have long gone - as people can rarely afford a game every weekend.

Jan makes a good point when comparing what else we could spend our money on - but going to watch Madoona is a once in a 2/3 year cycle - a bit like us paying similar prices to go to a European game abroad.

What we do forget is that for a family of 2 and 2 kids - i can spend over £100 for 90 mins football where i am not even guaranteed to be entertained vs bloody Everton !

Where else can i spend my £100 - i can go to the races - and pay £25 for the family where i know i will be entertained. I can take the family away for the weekend - Premier Lodge rooms at £50 per night ! Options are endless. A ton is a hell of a lot for the working man to shell out in a mnot so prosperous area like Blackburn.

iii) Whilst we still have good local support - we have also seen a lot of support move out of the area so when you add the travel piece into it and the travel time - it can be at least a full day out of your time. Before having a family i was more than prepared to do this - now it gets more difficult.

Don't have the answers but people will definitely vote with their feet and when a customer finds something else to spend his money on - then it is very difficult to get them back.

Still think vs. what we charge / size of town / average income that Rovers don't do badly at all with Gates regardless of what anyone says - but be interesting as SG says above whether the £36 threshold will just be too much. The story for me was summed up last season where we couldn't seel all our rickets at home to the Mancs. Can't remember that happening since the PL days and ticket prices & ability to watch it at home on sky willl only alleviate the problem.

The one thing that will get numbers back on the gate against this backdrop is good quality, attractive football, and a run of victories and goals for the likes of McCarthy.

Just hope the boy does the Business for us.

[jonman105]

But rovers have never reduced prices over a sustained period of time - for example they could just price every seat at every game of the season at £20/£25 and market this a lot. Surely at this price a consistent amount of people will walk on. I am a 20 year old walk on supporter who attends around 15 games a season and still buy junior tickets because I simply cant afford adult prices being at university.

What is the point of a town having a football club if the town's people cannot afford to participate and go and support them?! the club must be in a reasonable financial state and they are pricing people out of football.

Also, rovers have never tried their initiatives (such as quid a kid) for the big draw games such as chelsea/ man united. they know that the chelsea game will not sell out so why not do quid a kid for this so that the kids can come and watch a spectacle rather than a very average game against the likes of portsmouth. People will be inspired by the likes of joe cole rather than andy o brien