[Archived] Scrap Cat A & A+ Tickets

[cletus]

Eddie..."I understand that £36 is a lot for 90 minutes "

Eddie..."but it annoys me when people start to complain that the club is too expensive when it clearly isn't"

Make your bl00dy mind up Eddie!!

Eddie..."....and when a lot of those who complain choose to waste their money elsewhere."

One thing i`ve never done on this (or any) messageboard, is tell people how to spend their money. I think it`s very ignorant of people to dictate to others, when you know nothing about their financial situations.

I have made my decision to vote with my feet public, because i feel my 'personal decision' has a lot to do with the thread topic. I can assure you Eddie, i have never wasted money........as i have very little to waste.

[Fife Rover]

Exactly . Can you imagine Tesco or ASDA closing early on a Saturday ? Who makes these daft decisions ?

Obviously a part timer - we don't need fans like that

Tesco and Asda would be open 25 hrs/day 366 days a year if they could, so that is hardly a fair comparison.

[thenodrog]

Yes it is! Tesco and Walmart are businesses that make lots of profit and have become market leaders in their respective countries simply because their marketing and selling skills are better than their rivals. Nothing wrong with learning from the best imo.

Given our problems filling the ground maybe our next Chief exec should be sourced from the retail sector who is more switched onto public opinion.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

19,300 today against the champions....god only knows what the attendances will be against Fulham,Charlton and Reading etc!!!

[FourLaneBlue]

19,300 today against the champions....god only knows what the attendances will be against Fulham,Charlton and Reading etc!!!

We'd hardly have sold out with lower ticket prices but even so, it begs the question...why make this, a Sky game moved to a Sunday against a team that rarely bring much of a following, into an A+ game?

If, as some posters have suggested, all that matters is the income that Rovers bring in...then how can you blame the fans (or part-timers, ex-fans whatever you want to call them) that don't turn up? If they don't wish to be squeezed as much as possible then is it so surprising?

Ticket prices are reaching breaking point...

[ihateburnley]

19,300 today against the champions....god only knows what the attendances will be against Fulham,Charlton and Reading etc!!!

What do you expect for £36 a ticket??? I don't know about you SG194, but I go to watch the Rovers rather than the opposition.

I'll tell you a story here. I actually bought a ticket for the Chelsea game on Thursday. I paid my £37 (£1 booking fee remember) for a seat in the Blackburn End as close as I could get to my brother (who has a season-ticket). Twenty minutes later, I was watching SkySports news and saw that the game was to be televised. I picked up the phone, rang the ticket office and asked for my purchase to be cancelled. I just wonder how many fans chose not to buy tickets because the game was on Sky??? I ended up watching the match in the local pub and probably spent just over a fiver on beer.

What is the sense in charging ludicrous prices for matches that;

a) Are unlikely to sell-out anyway. Chelsea may be the champions, but they don't exactly entertain and have the same pulling power as Man Utd, Arsenal or Liverpool.

b ) Is on offer for FREE elsewhere (ie Sky).

c) A game that is most likely to end in defeat when the team is already performing poorly.

If the tickets had have been say, £20/25 I probably would have decided against cancelling my ticket. But when you add up all the costs involved in going to watch a game of football, it just isn't worth it. For some people todays game will have cost them a days pay.

SG194 - I would guess that the attendances will be HIGHER for those games than that of today's game simply because of the lower prices charged. And before anyone starts to question my loyalty, commitment etc, I will be going to Sheffield on Saturday.

Edited August 27, 2006 by ihateburnley

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

I'll tell you a story here. I actually bought a ticket for the Chelsea game on Thursday. I paid my £37 (£1 booking fee remember) for a seat in the Blackburn End as close as I could get to my brother (who has a season-ticket). Twenty minutes later, I was watching SkySports news and saw that the game was to be televised. I picked up the phone, rang the ticket office and asked for my purchase to be cancelled. I just wonder how many fans chose not to buy tickets because the game was on Sky??? I ended up watching the match in the local pub and probably spent just over a fiver on beer.

Tremendous,well done.....give yourself a pat on the back for that!

[ihateburnley]

Tremendous,well done.....give yourself a pat on the back for that!

Fool. The point I'm trying to make is supported by exactly the way you responded.

Whilst some people accept being taken for mugs and are happy to pay ever-increasing ticket prices, some of us refuse to pay more than we can afford for an hour and a halfs entertainment. I'm not being ripped off by anyone - be it my football club or my local supermarket etc.

Everyone has their personal limits, and attendance figures of recent years indicate that those limits may have already been reached. I heard recently that you can go watch AC Milan from as little as £8, and this is a club who can sell out.

Obviously I'm not proud of the fact that I didn't go on the match today or indeed cancel my ticket, but don't you think the club should take notice of situations like this. At the end of the day, the only people that can make any difference in the game is the clubs themselves, and it is upto the fans to let their clubs know what they think.

[Gav]

My brother in law paid £52 to watch todays game, £36 for himself and £16 for his 6yr old in the family stand. Now I'm all for charging a decent away support top dollar to come to ewood even if it keeps home supporters away but today should have been much cheaper, most people can't afford to pay £112 in the space of 5 days to watch Rovers live and Chelsea were always going to bring nothing in my eyes.

It's a real dilemma for the powers that be and i applaud them for their efforts so far but clearly they're on a hiding to nothing as we want to remain competitive but just can't get the fans through the turnstiles.

Whats the answer? I've no idea but its clear they're doing a fantastic job and lets hope they can keep it going............

[Simon Says]

I'm not being ripped off by anyone - be it my football club or my local supermarket etc.

Whilst I do have sympathy with that sentiment, I am sorry but I can't help think use it or lose it.

[Jan]

Fool. The point I'm trying to make is supported by exactly the way you responded.

Whilst some people accept being taken for mugs and are happy to pay ever-increasing ticket prices, some of us refuse to pay more than we can afford for an hour and a halfs entertainment. I'm not being ripped off by anyone - be it my football club or my local supermarket etc.

Everyone has their personal limits, and attendance figures of recent years indicate that those limits may have already been reached. I heard recently that you can go watch AC Milan from as little as £8, and this is a club who can sell out.

Obviously I'm not proud of the fact that I didn't go on the match today or indeed cancel my ticket, but don't you think the club should take notice of situations like this. At the end of the day, the only people that can make any difference in the game is the clubs themselves, and it is upto the fans to let their clubs know what they think.

Ah, but you see, what you've just proved is not that you have PRICE inelasticity. You have laziness inelasticity. Why? BECAUSE YOU'D PAID THE £37 until you found you could be a lazy git and watch from your sofa.

I've said all along, if you don't want to go because you're too goddam lazy, FINE, but call a spade a spade and say it. "I'm not going because I really can't be bothered" The trouble is- you lot don't want to say that because prople would (quite rightly) have a go. So you whine about prices and minimum wage, and having very little to spend. However, as those of us who DO go always suspected, it has nothing at all to do with price.

Personally I though the club did as ticketmaster did- give no refunds unless a compelling reason was given (and I'm too bone idle doesn't count).

[92er]

I would guess that the attendances will be HIGHER for those games than that of today's game simply because of the lower prices charged. And before anyone starts to question my loyalty, commitment etc, I will be going to Sheffield on Saturday.

I'm not going to criticise anyone for not going to Ewood, but how about not going to Sheffield, saving that money and going to some other home game in the future as the club get the revenue from that match, whereas they get nothing from the Sheffield match.

[thenodrog]

A good point and one that I've made many times on here 92er and without many replies may I add. I'll bet there are more than a few going to watch us in Salzberg who watched the game in the pub today.

Edited August 27, 2006 by thenodrog

[Hannah]

I'm really glad I went to the game today and although when purchasing tickets I nearly choked at the total amount, I have had a really good time at the last two games and although the results haven't gone for us I am feeling more positive about the season.

My issue with today's game and having spent so much on tickets is that I could not chose who was sat behind me! I ended up sat in front of the most annoying woman in the world and some quite annoying men who persitsted the whole game in shouting abuse at the players and when our fans shouted abuse at the Chelsea players she shouted abuse at us!

When the Rovers fans started singing the song to Lampard as he was taking the corner she pointed out to everyone around her that we would be cheering him on during the game next saturday! Fair point - And then John Terry gets the ball and she stands up and yells something about him being a waster and needs to sort his hair out!

And so it continues - I have a real issue with fans shouting abuse at their own players. I believe that when a player pulls on the blue and white shirt on and runs out you should support and encourage them no matter what is happening as shouting abuse at them isnt going to improve their performance. Anyway it started off her and the man getting all arsey with LUcas Neil - shouting at him to make runs forwards and then shouting at him for not being back to defend. Then the same for Pederson. He wasnt up with play and then he was off side and so on. Throughout the game she in turn targeted each and every player and the tactics of the game - only problem is (IMO and other peoples around me!) SHe didnt know what she was talking about spouting utter rubbish! BAck to the orignial point about it costing a lot to have to listen to that silly bint!!! Not that the club can do anything about it - just felt like a rant!

BTW aside from that I really enjoyed the game and need to work out how I can get a season ticket again! I miss going every week!

Right now I am off to find the drummer thread to rant about him!!!

[ihateburnley]

Ah, but you see, what you've just proved is not that you have PRICE inelasticity. You have laziness inelasticity. Why? BECAUSE YOU'D PAID THE £37 until you found you could be a lazy git and watch from your sofa.

I've said all along, if you don't want to go because you're too goddam lazy, FINE, but call a spade a spade and say it. "I'm not going because I really can't be bothered" The trouble is- you lot don't want to say that because prople would (quite rightly) have a go. So you whine about prices and minimum wage, and having very little to spend. However, as those of us who DO go always suspected, it has nothing at all to do with price.

Personally I though the club did as ticketmaster did- give no refunds unless a compelling reason was given (and I'm too bone idle doesn't count).

Laziness? That doesn't even come into it. At the end of the day I just want to watch my team - ideally in the flesh but sometimes I have to settle for watching on the TV. I would have loved to go on Ewood for the match, but the simple fact of the matter is that it was too expensive.

You're right, I did pay the £37 - but didn't cancel the ticket because I couldn't be arsed going! I cancelled the ticket because I found out that I could watch the game for free. It also meant that I would be able to attend another match against Sheff Utd that I otherwise wouldn't have had any chance of seeing. Is that so hard to understand or accept??? Many people who are working to budgets have to pick and choose their games, especially when they are coming so close together.

It all boils down to greedy players and greedy clubs run by greedy businessmen. Now I'm not saying for one minute that this is the case at Rovers, but unfortunately to stay competitive clubs like ours have to charge top whack for tickets. Of course it doesn't help when supporters are blinded by their loyalty and dedication to their club. It's not like it was in the old days - you now have to choose between football and taking the family out, or choose between an away trip to Portsmouth or a holiday! It's getting rediculous and whilst some people may have yet to have reached their personal limit, many have already reached theirs.

Jan - I ask you this; at what point would you come to my way of thinking and agree that football no longer represents value for money??? £45 a ticket? £60 a ticket?......

[Jan]

Never- because I would never buy "a home ticket". I buy a season ticket to avoid this problem (cost per ticket £21.25 if I go to them all- which I probably won't). I support the club- rather than support another club (which you're doing with Sheffield United).

I have never not gone to an away game because of money. I don't go to Puke because it's too high and I have vertigo (it's also a pig of a journey). I don't go to Boro often because of the journey. Various others I might not go to if I have something else on (Robbie Williams on 14th September- which I'm trying to get out of)

I would think twice about going to some away grounds as the view's terrible (Anfield, some Chelsea tickets) Some I might not go simply because I can't be bothered (some home games too- if the truth be known). But I, at least, am honest about it. You hadn't reached "your personal limit" because you paid the money, then decided that you cared more for Sheffield United than you did Rovers. You took money from the club you CLAIM to support to give to one you don't. That's the black and white of it.

I'd have more sympathy if you'd said that you chose not to go to Chelsea but were going to Man City, or Wigan at home instead. However if, as I suspect, you say you'll be going to them (unless of course they're on telly when you "will reach your personal limit" again) just don't whinge about prices.

Edited August 28, 2006 by Jan

[thenodrog]

My issue with today's game and having spent so much on tickets is that I could not chose who was sat behind me! I ended up sat in front of the most annoying woman in the world and some quite annoying men who persitsted the whole game in shouting abuse at the players and when our fans shouted abuse at the Chelsea players she shouted abuse at us!

Hannah with less than 20,000 on why didn't you simply move seats?

[Paul]

You may not think £36 is a lot of money to watch 90mins of football....& good on you

...but i do. I have felt for a long time the prices are too high, so i`ve made my own conscious decision to vote with my feet this year & not go to Ewood Park.

cletus is being very open about his position, I don't think anyone can call him for that. I have STs in the family stand and I think they represent very good value. I still maintain if one can attend most games an ST is the answer to rising prices, the club have got this right. I'm with cletus, on a walk-on basis I would have stopped this season purely for economic reasosn.

Without STs our little group would not have gone yesterday. I have to pay for three tickets, which would have been £70 in the Riverside or £88 in the FS. This simply does not represent value for money. On Saturday the same group went to Lords for £90 (£62 on tickets, £28 on the train!) which represents far better value for money than 90 minutes at ANY football ground. I don't blame the club for the position, the PL in general is responsible for this ridiculous position. Football has been marketed as a family event, which is fine by me except it does not charge family-friendly prices. I can list probably 30 things we can do for the same or less money, the big difference being as a one-off comparison the football stands up, as a regular event it is ridiculously over-priced. The problem is footie is 25 times a year, not once a year. I'll pay £70-100 for a family day out on a one-off event, something special, but not for something that's on my doorstep 25 times a year and television every night.

Sunday I wanted to see the Stones in Sheffield, in fact I turned down a ticket because I wasn't sure I could leave Ewood at 5.45, get the kids home and still get to Don Valley in time. Something had to give and I chose Rovers over the Stones, it was probably my last chance to see them live. If I was a walk-on fan I'd have gone to watch the Rolling Stones.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

You have the bare faced cheek to call me a fool!....a 'supporter' like yourself who actually bought a ticket(was pricing an issue in the first place?) but then sh1t out when he knew he could get a 'freebie' on sky.Tickets were available for £27 on the day.

ROVERS SAY THANKS FOR YOUR NON ATTENDANCE.

Edited August 28, 2006 by SIMON GARNERS 194

[Hannah]

Hannah with less than 20,000 on why didn't you simply move seats?

That is a really good idea - wish it had occured to me at the time!!!

[trs]

Never- because I would never buy "a home ticket". I buy a season ticket to avoid this problem (cost per ticket £21.25 if I go to them all- which I probably won't). I support the club- rather than support another club (which you're doing with Sheffield United).

I have never not gone to an away game because of money. I don't go to Puke because it's too high and I have vertigo (it's also a pig of a journey). I don't go to Boro often because of the journey. Various others I might not go to if I have something else on (Robbie Williams on 14th September- which I'm trying to get out of)

I would think twice about going to some away grounds as the view's terrible (Anfield, some Chelsea tickets) Some I might not go simply because I can't be bothered (some home games too- if the truth be known). But I, at least, am honest about it. You hadn't reached "your personal limit" because you paid the money, then decided that you cared more for Sheffield United than you did Rovers. You took money from the club you CLAIM to support to give to one you don't. That's the black and white of it.

I'd have more sympathy if you'd said that you chose not to go to Chelsea but were going to Man City, or Wigan at home instead. However if, as I suspect, you say you'll be going to them (unless of course they're on telly when you "will reach your personal limit" again) just don't whinge about prices.

Far to personal......Get off your high horse!

[FourLaneBlue]

You have the bare faced cheek to call me a fool!....a 'supporter' like yourself who actually bought a ticket(was pricing an issue in the first place?) but then sh1t out when he knew he could get a 'freebie' on sky.Tickets were available for £27 on the day.

ROVERS SAY THANKS FOR YOUR NON ATTENDANCE.

While I agree that Rovers are the ones that suffer...is it a surprise that football is heading this way? We've had warning signs for years. Rovers seem to bear the brunt before other teams as we have less people to draw from and they are in a poor area. As do Wigan who can also expect large attendance drops this season.

The way football is heading...watching the game on TV (well Sky, rather than foreign TV) means you are supporting the team financially. Without the Sky money we wouldn't have finished sixth last season or expect to challenge financially in the transfer market.

The truth of the matter is that Premiership football has been gradually pricing out many people for over a decade. In a few years time every game will be available on TV and unless prices drop it will be in front of empty grounds.

Through no fault of their own season tickets are not a viable option for many people. How many Saturday 3pom kick offs will Rovers have this season? Something has to give when there is less than 20,000 in the ground and prices are £36 (or £27 in the crap seats) and the game is free on TV.

For most people Rovers are not more important than their family, or their holiday or their life. It's a leisure activity not a duty, attending for a reasonable price is a duty fair enough, being what they feel ripped off is not. I'm fortunate enough that when I attend Rovers the price doesn't matter so much as I don't get that many chances to attend. Yet we are talking about those who would be coming most games year in year out who are saying it is too much. The prices and continually rearranged kickoff times are making it a chore for many. When people like Cletus, Paul, ihateburnley and Capt Kayos (last season at Chelsea) declare that ticket prices are too much then the sport needs to listen.

What really doesn't help is the foreign TV on in the pubs every single game offering a very cheap alternative fo which Rovers will receive very little. At least each Sky game earns Rovers a big fee. It's being going on for years...why hasn't something been done?

Edited August 28, 2006 by FourLaneBlue

[ihateburnley]

You have the bare faced cheek to call me a fool!....a 'supporter' like yourself who actually bought a ticket(was pricing an issue in the first place?) but then sh1t out when he knew he could get a 'freebie' on sky.Tickets were available for £27 on the day.

ROVERS SAY THANKS FOR YOUR NON ATTENDANCE.

Fool.

I make life decisions SG194, and no matter what i buy if I suddenly find that I can get the same or something very near to the same for much less, I will most likely cancel my original purchase. Obviously there are exceptions, such as the cup final game for example, or the matches against the dingles. If money is no object to you, then I would say fair enough I know where you are coming from on this.

If I am so wrong, then why did we only get 19000 on for a game against the champions?

[ihateburnley]

Never- because I would never buy "a home ticket". I buy a season ticket to avoid this problem (cost per ticket £21.25 if I go to them all- which I probably won't). I support the club- rather than support another club (which you're doing with Sheffield United).

You hadn't reached "your personal limit" because you paid the money, then decided that you cared more for Sheffield United than you did Rovers. You took money from the club you CLAIM to support to give to one you don't. That's the black and white of it.

Hold on a minute. We obviously have different opinions on what a supporter actually is here. OK, so I may not be giving massive financial support to Rovers, but by attending Sheffield Utd away I am offering my vocal support. I have never supported another club. It's like saying I supported Burnley just because I went to our game at the Turd in 2000. Don't talk wet. I went to that game because I, like many others, wanted to cheer my team onto victory in a game against our local rivals, not because I wanted to donate £20 to the BFC trust.

I will tell you Jan that I had reached my limit. Don't tell me that you have never bought something and then immediately had a feeling of regret? However, I had the opportunity to still see the match and save the money, and therefore be able to go and SUPPORT my team in another game. Everyone knows that if a game is on Sky, the attendance will be affected (unless the club is able to sell out regardless i.e. Man Utd, Liverpool, Newcastle, Everton etc). And why is this? It's because people just want to watch their team and if they can do so by watching it in the pub and saving themselves £40 in the process, then it's all good!

People with a bit of money to spend may not be able to see where I coming from, but I'm a young lad with a killer mortgage and saving up to start a family. I desperately want to go on EVERY game played by the Rovers, but sometimes there comes a point where you just have to say no. I had accepted the fact that I was going to have to part with my £37, but if someone then practically offers you a refund with the offer of watching on the telly, then that is just too good to turn down.

It's not laziness, it's not a lack of dedication, it's simply looking after myself before I go to a game that I can't really afford just in the name of 'loyalty'.

[Kinx]

Ticket office opening times are clear. Everyone knows they aren't open on a Saturday afternoon except on match days. In any case if someone wants a ticket that badly they have pleny of time and options to buy one if they want to go.

Unfair criticism of the club IMO

If someone has seen half a dozen people walk away from the ticket office because they had got there and found that it was closed then clearly everyone doesnt know that they arent open on a Saturday afternoon.

I don't know the ticket office opening hours off by heart but if you'd asked me on Sat afternoon to bet £10 on whether it would be open if I went down then I'd have said it would - and it should have been IMO.

It isnt the fan who 'wants a ticket that badly' that we need to worry about. These people are the core of our support and of course they are valuable but if there are walk on fans who have made the decision that they want to pay the A/A+ prices to come to Ewood then we at least need to make it as accessible as possible to them.