Season tickets 2023-24 - what could/should be offered ?

[Guest]

3 new season ticket holders in the last 24 hours.

[chaddyrovers]

19 minutes ago, Miller11 said:

Regarding the match day experience, we haven’t got into a great deal of detail on that yet. In fairness it’s probably more of a discussion for the fans forum. The ticket pricing and strategy has been our main focus, but we’ve made some suggestions like the one I mentioned about fans having input to a pre-match play list was one.

thanks for the reply. each fan is different. I like watching the dinner time kick off game whether PL or EFL then go and take my seat. 

19 minutes ago, Miller11 said:

I have the exact same thoughts about the Riverside. Wouldn’t want to sit anywhere else. Steve Waggott actually said “you tell us the Riverside is the best stand and has the best views… maybe we should be charging more in there?” - just to point out this was tongue in cheek on his part (I hope!).

fair play to you for being so open and honest about wanting to sit in there. 

I sit in there 25 years ago and haven't since sat there. Was tempted to move to Jack Walker upper near BBE but I've decided to keep my seat in BBE this season cos of the view and I've sat in the same seat from years now. Probably season after for this 

[Sweaty Gussets]

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

I wouldn't move for BBE for Riverside Stand if it was for free. 

They wouldn't have you!

[chaddyrovers]

11 minutes ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

They wouldn't have you!

wouldn't want to moved there. I have a great view of the pitch and cracking view thanks. 

[Exiled in Toronto Mk2]

2 hours ago, Miller11 said:

Out of interest would you buy the following…

Membership to a “pay as you go” season ticket scheme - £50

That would then allow you to purchase individual tickets for £23 in your preferred area of the ground, £19 if you wanted to sit in the other areas. You’d also get the same priorities on away tickets as season ticket holder, along with any other fringe benefits.

I ask as I’ve put this idea to Waggott. He said he liked the idea, but I sensed there was again a fear it might impact that base revenue target. Rather than see any positives in terms of potential uptake from people such as yourself with other priorities, they worry that a % of people who will still buy ST’s in the knowledge they will miss a number of games might opt for this instead.

This kind of thinking is the future IMO.

The benefits of a season ticket are being eroded away, primarily by Sky-enforced day/time changes. Unless you know for sure you can attend every game whenever it’s played, in which case you get a financial benefit vs pay as you go, and/or you strongly wish to sit in the same seat each time, there’s no benefit at all to buying one.

Perhaps only seniors these days can say they will able to attend every game whenever it is.

As the timing of games has become much more flexible, the means of getting fans to pay forward needs to also become equally flexible and imaginative. 

[wilsdenrover]

4 minutes ago, Exiled in Toronto Mk2 said:

This kind of thinking is the future IMO.

The benefits of a season ticket are being eroded away, primarily by Sky-enforced day/time changes. Unless you know for sure you can attend every game whenever it’s played, in which case you get a financial benefit vs pay as you go, and/or you strongly wish to sit in the same seat each time, there’s no benefit at all to buying one.

Perhaps only seniors these days can say they will able to attend every game whenever it is.

As the timing of games has become much more flexible, the means of getting fans to pay forward needs to also become equally flexible and imaginative. 

I imagine even the ‘oldies’ have more than just Rovers in their lives. 😀

[arbitro]

2 hours ago, goozburger said:

3 new season ticket holders in the last 24 hours.

Hopefully they were adult tickets so Waggott's wages for today are covered.

[chaddyrovers]

27 minutes ago, Exiled in Toronto Mk2 said:

This kind of thinking is the future IMO.

The benefits of a season ticket are being eroded away, primarily by Sky-enforced day/time changes. Unless you know for sure you can attend every game whenever it’s played, in which case you get a financial benefit vs pay as you go, and/or you strongly wish to sit in the same seat each time, there’s no benefit at all to buying one.

Perhaps only seniors these days can say they will able to attend every game whenever it is.

As the timing of games has become much more flexible, the means of getting fans to pay forward needs to also become equally flexible and imaginative. 

Yes I think in future All football clubs are going to have to be flexible with the ST/ticket prices and what fans can attend and not with the new TV contract coming into played in 24/25 season. 

I can attend every game and I don't missed league games but for many fans they can't make every game so clubs need to flexible in the future, and they need to talk and consult the fans on what is going to need going forward 

[Mattyblue]

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

Yes I think in future All football clubs are going to have to be flexible with the ST/ticket prices and what fans can attend and not with the new TV contract coming into played in 24/25 season. 

I can attend every game and I don't missed league games but for many fans they can't make every game so clubs need to flexible in the future, and they need to talk and consult the fans on what is going to need going forward 

Why do ‘all’ football clubs have to be flexible? Sales are booming across English football… apart from here.

[Upside Down]

Just make the tickets cheaper!

Its so simple that even a moron could understand. 

Well, all except one....

[R0verb0y]

4 hours ago, wilsdenrover said:

I imagine even the ‘oldies’ have more than just Rovers in their lives. 😀

Yep! Well, this one does, anyway.

And sometimes you just think, "I can't be arsed going to watch us playing - e.g. - Luton Town because I've always found games against them drab battles."

And I'm getting a bit old for getting home from evening kick-offs. If I have my bedtime Horlicks too late, . . !😉 😁

[Ossydave]

How about just scrap season tickets completely.

If you're an interested fan you're issued with a membership card, said card is linked to your bank account.

You scan it upon entry and the cash is automatically taken. You also use this card to buy refreshments etc.

You don't have an allocated seat, you just turn up and sit with your mates where there's space, pretty much like most away games.

All games are charged at 20 quid regardless. 

 

[Mattyblue]

The ST as is is still obviously working fine across football - look at the gates at all levels of the game, highest since the 1960s.

Ours are too expensive, it’s as simple as that.

[Ossydave]

Well maybe it's not as simple as that, just because it's your opinion it doesn't mean it's everyone else's.....

Of course we have a database, it wouldn't be that hard to you know, ask people why they've no interest. 

[Oldgregg86]

1 hour ago, Ossydave said:

How about just scrap season tickets completely.

If you're an interested fan you're issued with a membership card, said card is linked to your bank account.

You scan it upon entry and the cash is automatically taken. You also use this card to buy refreshments etc.

You don't have an allocated seat, you just turn up and sit with your mates where there's space, pretty much like most away games.

All games are charged at 20 quid regardless. 

 

I love this.

Times are changing (literally) , the games changing as is the fanbase. Maybe it’s time for something completely different/radical

You could even get a Tesco club card style points thing with it to reward the fans who go more like a season ticket does. 
 

On a side note do people who renew still get their £20 club cash. Wouldn’t surprise me if that’s the £20 saving. 

[Mattyblue]

Not my opinion though, is it? It’s a fact that gates are booming across football and it’s a fact that all these clubs gets the bulk of their booming gates from ST sales.

If we are the outlier then it is cost that is obviously driving that- PNE and Bolton show that in our neck of the woods with ours costing £100s more (pretty much double the price of Bolton’s), where’s their ‘flexi’ ticket, membership etc?

Edited May 14, 2023 by Mattyblue

[wilsdenrover]

10 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

Not my opinion though, is it? It’s a fact that gates are booming across football and it’s a fact that all these clubs gets the bulk of their booming gates from ST sales.

If we are the outlier then it is cost that is obviously driving that- PNE and Bolton show that in our neck of the woods with ours costing £100s more (pretty much double the price of Bolton’s), where’s their ‘flexi’ ticket, membership etc?

This is a genuine question as I’ve absolutely no idea - excluding the Premier League, are grounds generally now selling out of home tickets?

If they’re not, that might suggest there’s scope for other clubs to consider things such as flexible tickets.

[Wheelton Blue]

Arguably, we already have ticket flexibility. It's called a match ticket.

The problem is that our match tickets are too expensive, because our season tickets are too expensive to begin with.

[Mattyblue]

I wouldn’t have thought most are selling out of STs in the lower leagues, but if clubs are seeing some of their biggest sales in decades I’m not sure changing their biggest income stream (outside Sky) is going to be a priority for them.

[Ossydave]

17 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

Not my opinion though, is it? It’s a fact that gates are booming across football and it’s a fact that all these clubs gets the bulk of their booming gates from ST sales.

If we are the outlier then it is cost that is obviously driving that- PNE and Bolton show that in our neck of the woods with ours costing £100s more (pretty much double the price of Bolton’s), where’s their ‘flexi’ ticket, membership etc?

Well yes, it is your opinion. 

Am I getting a season ticket this season? No.

Is it because of the price? No.

Of course the price may put some people off but I personally know numerous other ex season ticket holders who aren't basing a decision purely on price.

[Wheelton Blue]

But if the price was atrractive, that may sway their decision.

[wilsdenrover]

6 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

I wouldn’t have thought most are selling out of STs in the lower leagues, but if clubs are seeing some of their biggest sales in decades I’m not sure changing their biggest income stream (outside Sky) is going to be a priority for them.

It might not be a priority but it doesn’t mean they (clubs in general) shouldn’t look into it.

I think scrapping season tickets is ‘a step too far’ but I do think clubs should be looking to supplement season tickets with other options.

Of course the easiest ‘short term solution’ is to cut the price - which almost guarantees SW won’t do this.

Edited May 14, 2023 by wilsdenrover

[Mattyblue]

6 minutes ago, Ossydave said:

Well yes, it is your opinion. 

Am I getting a season ticket this season? No.

Is it because of the price? No.

Of course the price may put some people off but I personally know numerous other ex season ticket holders who aren't basing a decision purely on price.

What’s my opinion? That crowds are booming across England? That our price is up to double our local rivals? That all these other clubs are simply offering standard season tickets to drive such numbers?

Of course there are other issues, the bizarre Sky game factor post World Cup has put folk off too, but obviously price is by far the biggest issue, as the big difference in sales at very similar local clubs show.

[Ossydave]

6 minutes ago, Wheelton Blue said:

But if the price was atrractive, that may sway their decision.

It absolutely might yes i agree. We've got a marketing department who are paid to find things like this out though. I'm exactly the type of ex season ticket holder they should be targeting but they simply can't be arsed.

It's very narrow minded (and also wrong) to pass it off as 'fact' that the price is the sole reason people don't get a season ticket just cos matty effing blue says so though.

I was paying 4.75 a pint whilst out yesterday enjoying the sun, did I think it was expensive? Yes, did I still pay it? Also yes. 

[Mattyblue]

Charming 😁