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

[tomphil]

2 hours ago, Admiral Nelsen said:

 

Completely agree. Dramatic changes in attendances will only come about through dramatic changes in what's on offer. Either through top flight football or a heavily reduced ST price. Sadly the latter only really becomes an option once we get the tv money from being in the prem.

It's a fair point although other teams have done it in this league and lower.

Huddersfield did it and i think not long after got promoted, Bradford did it in the lower leagues and skint Bolton and PNE have done it more recently.  All of those clubs saw significant increases in their crowds on the back of it which should have more or less covered the shortfall from higher prices but dwindling ticket sales.

[47er]

We have to factor in the failure to produce a worthwhile product over the last 10/12 years. The performances on and off the pitch have driven people away.

Those who stayed mostly did so out of loyalty, to memory of better days before.

Whatever the cost of a season ticket, there has to be a solid reason to turn up. Remember we've had no FA Cup success for a long time till now. That often used to to spice up our season.

At last there is something to go for, that will appeal  to people who don't usually attend. We're on the up. I would be very surprised if we didn't sell more tickets for next season and arrest what's been a continuous decline.

 

Edited March 26, 2023 by 47er

[Mattyblue]

Totally anecdotal, of course, but I’ve lost count in recent weeks from the amount of ST holders I’ve spoken to that are 50/50 about renewing.

Not because of the team, the club, the manager, the price, you know standard stuff for a potential non renewer. But purely due to the amount of moved games. It will be very frustrating if a club that finally seems to be on the up still can’t move it’s gates on due to the absolutely ridiculous amount of non 3pm Saturday matches.

Anyone else picking up anything similar?

[1864roverite]

27 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

Totally anecdotal, of course, but I’ve lost count in recent weeks from the amount of ST holders I’ve spoken to that are 50/50 about renewing.

Not because of the team, the club, the manager, the price, you know standard stuff for a potential non renewer. But purely due to the amount of moved games. It will be very frustrating if a club that finally seems to be on the up still can’t move it’s gates on due to the absolutely ridiculous amount of non 3pm Saturday matches.

Anyone else picking up anything similar?

No, we have all renewed as have quite a few around us in the JW Upper. Not heard anything negative only on here!!

[Mattyblue]

FFS 🙄 Should’ve guessed.

Right here goes, nobody is being remotely ‘negative’ about the club if the issue they have is not being able to make a shed load of games. It’s of course not the fault of BRFC, but people will obviously make decisions in if it’s worth their while before shelling out £375 -£500.

But good to hear that I’ve run into the only dozen or so folk in the whole fanbase thinking of not renewing… what are the odds!

[K-Hod]

Whilst I get that the money we receive from TV is important, it isn’t half frustrating to have a Saturday night match this week. I’ll probably just get one regardless, as it’s just what I do. There will be others less tolerant than me that will definitely think ‘what’s the point of a season ticket if half the games are on TV?

[Mattyblue]

Yep pretty obvious K-Hod (unless you’ve drank the Kool-Aid on offer in the Ewood offices, that is).

Edited April 13, 2023 by Mattyblue

[47er]

1 hour ago, Mattyblue said:

FFS 🙄 Should’ve guessed.

Right here goes, nobody is being remotely ‘negative’ about the club if the issue they have is not being able to make a shed load of games. It’s of course not the fault of BRFC, but people will obviously make decisions in if it’s worth their while before shelling out £375 -£500.

But good to hear that I’ve run into the only dozen or so folk in the whole fanbase thinking of not renewing… what are the odds!

I agree that is a major issue, particularly if you don't live in or near Blackburn. Its been an issue though for many years, ever since Sky won the broadcast rights.

My cousin, born Shadsworth, went to QEGS, became a Southampton supporter when he moved south in the early 70's (yes I know!)

One game, he arrived with his daughter at the ground to be met by people streaming out! The game had been moved at the last minute and he didn't know! He didn't renew--"last straw" was his comment.

Edited April 13, 2023 by 47er

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Would it be fair to say others Clubs fans dont have a problem with this judging by attendances?

Blackburn has been hit hard by the cost of living crisis,factor in a relatively small catchement area and that for me is the crux of the matter.There might be a slight increase next season but nothing great in numbers.

[Mattyblue]

Of course it’s how it’s been for thirty years now. But never have we seen anything like this as a second tier club who haven’t even threatened the top 2.

I think this summer’s renewals are unique, no particular issue with the club/team/manager, a slight reduction in price too - just hard headed financial decisions being made when bizarrely pretty much every home game has been available on Sky since December.

Edited April 13, 2023 by Mattyblue

[Upside Down]

Once again,  a well priced season ticket would have negated this issue. 

 

[Don Said]

4 hours ago, Mattyblue said:

Totally anecdotal, of course, but I’ve lost count in recent weeks from the amount of ST holders I’ve spoken to that are 50/50 about renewing.

Not because of the team, the club, the manager, the price, you know standard stuff for a potential non renewer. But purely due to the amount of moved games. It will be very frustrating if a club that finally seems to be on the up still can’t move it’s gates on due to the absolutely ridiculous amount of non 3pm Saturday matches.

Anyone else picking up anything similar?

Yes - my brother is undecided.

He now lives a 2hr+ drive from Ewood so midweek games are difficult, and kick off changes with little notice e.g Saturday 3 to a Friday/Sunday don't help when you've generally got life going on. This season has been difficult in that regard.

It's also maybe now counter productive cost wise for him to buy a season ticket vs. games he can attend as a walk on.

Cheaper season tickets, whilst keeping the cost of walk ons the same would obviously make the decision easier. It's only mid April and Bolton have sold almost 15,000 season tickets on early bird with adults from 219 to 309 might I add...

I'm not the first in saying this, but a further option that many might find attractive is a flexi ticket - e.g commit to 10/15/X amount of games. You could still keep the value of full season tickets by making the flexi ticket more expensive pro-rata. I'm sure there are pros and cons that I haven't thought about. But I know people who gave their season ticket up in the last decade, saying they'd probably attend most weekend games/go to half of the games. In reality, they end up going to a handful at best, many don't go to home games at all. This sort of option could keep the undecided lot paying, and might even bring some of the lapsed lot back, so financially it's in the clubs best interest to explore.

 

[MarkBRFC]

4 hours ago, Mattyblue said:

Totally anecdotal, of course, but I’ve lost count in recent weeks from the amount of ST holders I’ve spoken to that are 50/50 about renewing.

Not because of the team, the club, the manager, the price, you know standard stuff for a potential non renewer. But purely due to the amount of moved games. It will be very frustrating if a club that finally seems to be on the up still can’t move it’s gates on due to the absolutely ridiculous amount of non 3pm Saturday matches.

Anyone else picking up anything similar?

I'll be honest I have thought about it.

Take the rest of the season for instance, highly likely I will miss 3 of the last 4 home games now. A Saturday night 745 game is beyond ridiculous.

I know I will renew though deep down. The only season since promotion way back in 1992 I haven't renewed was the season where Coyle was appointed as I genuinely thought somebody was taking the piss out of me, and like the fool i am i think i actually spent more on match day tickets that season than the cost of the ST as i still couldn't shake the habit despite not having one.

End of the day, I like my seat in the riverside and I like the crowd around me, my lad is still obsessed with everything Rovers, and while I'm fortunate enough to be able to afford it its just the easy option.

I can certainly see why plenty wouldn't bother though.

 

 

[Mattyblue]

My father in law comes over from Lytham, he’s getting on a bit and he’s thinking about knocking it on the head… and he’s been a regular since the early 60s. He has Sky and dragging himself over to Blackburn when pretty much every game for months is on TV? Three home night games in ten days coming up - all on Sky.

It’s obviously not normal (and probably wouldn’t be repeated again) to have so many home games shown live in half a season, but those fans that have to travel decent distances (which is ever increasing with our fanbase), you imagine a fair few will be weighing things up…
 

Edited April 13, 2023 by Mattyblue

[K-Hod]

I think this Saturday’s match will be the penultimate one for me. I’m working away next week (funnily enough really near Coventry), so I miss that home game, then Burnley is obviously a Tuesday night.

[JHRover]

https://www.htafc.com/news/2023/april/a-proud-history-a-new-beginning-202324-season-cards/

£249 per adult at Huddersfield, a club that has ownership and league status uncertainty as well as all manner of financial issues yet can significantly undercut Waggott's pricing backed by the benevolence of our wonderful owners. How?

[Hasta]

One of my season-ticket holding companions will only have attended 4 of the home games in 2023 due to moves. Great for my other mates who get the freebie, not for the lad forking out £400+

Funnily enough, nobody is interested in coming for free at 8pm on a Saturday night. I think it will be a very poorly attended game on Saturday - almost like one of those midweek fixtures where half the season ticket holders seem to be missing.

Edited April 13, 2023 by Hasta

[roversfan99]

6 hours ago, Mattyblue said:

Totally anecdotal, of course, but I’ve lost count in recent weeks from the amount of ST holders I’ve spoken to that are 50/50 about renewing.

Not because of the team, the club, the manager, the price, you know standard stuff for a potential non renewer. But purely due to the amount of moved games. It will be very frustrating if a club that finally seems to be on the up still can’t move it’s gates on due to the absolutely ridiculous amount of non 3pm Saturday matches.

Anyone else picking up anything similar?

They should realise that it "hasn't been a 3pm Saturday game for 30 years."

6 hours ago, 1864roverite said:

No, we have all renewed as have quite a few around us in the JW Upper. Not heard anything negative only on here!!

What a bizarre reply to a post that couldn't have been any clearer in not being "negative" against the club.

[Mattyblue]

I seem to trigger yon mon these days 😁

[DeeCee]

50 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

I seem to trigger yon mon these days 😁

Completely off topic but a fellow I knew (R.I.P.) used to refer to his two sons as yon mon and t'other mon. 😁

[windymiller7]

What is it with that V12 finance company that Rovers use? The club really don't help themselves!

Thought I'd go on & renew today (as it's payday for me I thought I'd arrange it so that my payments came out before I spend up!) Bearing in mind, this is only a month or 2 after V12 had sent me an email thanking me for settling my agreement for last season & if they could be of any assistance in the future to get in touch........Declined! WTF? Absolutely nothing on my credit history has changed over the last 12mths other than me settling my account for last season & being 12mths better off on what's left on my mortgage!

I had the same issue a couple of years ago, it seems they only want my custom every other year!

[MarkBRFC]

10 minutes ago, windymiller7 said:

What is it with that V12 finance company that Rovers use? The club really don't help themselves!

Thought I'd go on & renew today (as it's payday for me I thought I'd arrange it so that my payments came out before I spend up!) Bearing in mind, this is only a month or 2 after V12 had sent me an email thanking me for settling my agreement for last season & if they could be of any assistance in the future to get in touch........Declined! WTF? Absolutely nothing on my credit history has changed over the last 12mths other than me settling my account for last season & being 12mths better off on what's left on my mortgage!

I had the same issue a couple of years ago, it seems they only want my custom every other year!

How much a month is it on DD out of interest?

[smiller14]

22 minutes ago, MarkBRFC said:

How much a month is it on DD out of interest?

I had mine last year and it was about £50, although I renewed late. It's usually about 10% higher than the price of the ST in one fell swoop, split over 8 or 9 payments. 

[K-Hod]

46 minutes ago, MarkBRFC said:

How much a month is it on DD out of interest?

JW Upper was £57.50 a month over 8 months this season.

[windymiller7]

Last year mine was just over £50 over 8mths. As @smiller14 says, I renewed late so the 10mth option wasn't available.

Mine will be a bit more expensive this year as my daughter is now in the 'Young Adult' category.

Ironically, after getting declined, I applied for a credit card (I don't have a credit card currently) with 12mths interest free on purchases & was immediately accepted with a £2k limit! Figure that one out - permanent credit of £2k or £550 over 10mths?!

Anyway, thank you V12, you've saved me having to pay interest on my ST this year. 👍