6700 home fans

[drfcsteve]

And what about if you pay in advance at these clubs, or sit behind the goal. You'll find it's cheaper. £26 at Watford for example.

But that's a circular argument, our pay in advance price is cheaper, your point is what?

No it isn't, if I went to the ticket office today and asked for a Leeds ticket it would be £27, exactly the same as it would be if I bought it on the day.

[hoolahoop]

And what about if you pay in advance at these clubs, or sit behind the goal. You'll find it's cheaper. £26 at Watford for example.

Once again you persist in boring us with your negative shite re. ticketing without ever coming up with coherent arguments. zzzzzzzzzz

[Perks]

It's only people like JR, other chairman, CEO's and die hards that view £27 as being going rates.

Attendances are down in the leagues around 20%. You cannot benchmark the norm against what die hards will pay. It's not the RTID people we have to appeal to, it's the occasionals who once were more regular attenders, who we need to encourage to attend more frequently again.

Some women will pay extortionate amounts of money for a Gucci handbag but it's not the going rate for handbag prices. When recession comes, as it has done, you need to look at the longer term picture and do what you can to keep people on board, protect your customer base.

Rovers built up the fan base gradually and of course our success helped swell those numbers but have been 'careless' in maintaining numbers and what took 5 or more years to build has taken 2 seasons to crumble.

It all stems from 2 needless ST price increases, unhelpful payment deadlines together with the introduction of match price categories - all geared up to exploit the away following of 5 or 6 visiting teams.  

£27 is not the going rate, end of.

JR may have you believe allowing 1700 more Leeds fans in will gain the club £40,000 in extra revenue.

A. It won't, unless everyone of those 1700 is an adult between 21 and 60 and
B. He's not accounting for money lost from stay-aways from other matches over the course of a season as a direct consequence of the pricing policy.
C. Also not accounting for less revenue on ST sales.

D. There's probably about 1700 Leeds fans sitting in the home end so they'll just end up in the away end and leave the home end not full.

[RedJ]

It's also on Sky so why would the Donny public pay for something they can go darn t'pub and see free?

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I agree Rob, but I was pointing out how complicated it is to buy tickets for a game of football these days.

And there is another of the factors that put people off. How do you get the best price. As I said before, just as complicated as working out your gas bill.

It's should be a simple and transparent pricing structure with ALL options made available at the same time to help people chose what is best for them. If you get the bread and butter Season Ticket/Flexi-Ticket package right then all the hard work's done for you.

Silent_Majority isn't talking out of his arsehole here. If only the club recognised we have qualified, intelligent people on board who can help the club in it's objective to maximise revenue. If Silent_Majority isn't a champion of fans, and knowledgeable about fan behaviours/trends then I don't know who is.

[MrFrost]

And what about if you pay in advance at these clubs, or sit behind the goal. You'll find it's cheaper. £26 at Watford for example.

Once again you persist in boring us with your negative shite re. ticketing without ever coming up with coherent arguments. zzzzzzzzzz

My argument is 27 quid for all areas is too expeinsive, as proved in last nights poor attendanc. Is that coherent enough for you, or would you like my two year old to draw you a picture? It might be more a level for you to understand.

[DRNaith]

Maybe a floating pricing system should be put in place based of Rovers position in the league and that of their opponents.

For example, say for argument's sake we start with a price of £50 per ticket, but then we reduce the price by the league position that Rovers are in before the game kicks off (or a week before...) and we do the same for the position of the opposition.

So, if Rovers were top and were playing the club in second place you'd be expected to pay £47 for the pleasure of seeing Rovers play at their highest ever league position.  If Rovers were bottom (yes, I know they are)  you'd pay £50, less £24 (£26), and in last night's case, less £7, which is £19  (I think they came to us in seventh).

A bottom two game would be £3 per ticket, but that wouldn't happen very often. It would put more pressure on results lifting the income whilst also potentially keeping gates up.

[silent majority]

And what about if you pay in advance at these clubs, or sit behind the goal. You'll find it's cheaper. £26 at Watford for example.

Once again you persist in boring us with your negative shite re. ticketing without ever coming up with coherent arguments. zzzzzzzzzz

My argument is 27 quid for all areas is too expeinsive, as proved in last nights poor attendanc. Is that coherent enough for you, or would you like my two year old to draw you a picture? It might be more a level for you to understand.

You see the problem here is you can't make simple statements like that (nor be rude either) because you just lose the argument. In debating with you earlier I think I showed just how difficult it can be to know what the arguments are, to simply state £27 is too much doesn't cut it. Let me ask you a question Mr Frost, apart from ranting on here have you ever done anything else about the cost of a ticket at DRFC, or any other club for that matter? I bet I know the answer to that one.

As far as Doncaster Rovers go DBR has made a very comprehensive argument about season ticket pricing and attendance figures, one that the club should pay a lot of attention to. Unfortunately they choose not to, but times may change and hopefully with some constructed arguments we may get there.

From a national point of view we know what the arguments are on both sides and we pursue them at every opportunity. Did anybody listen to the debate on 5 Live on Monday? We (FSF) made the point that categorisation is wrong and should be the first thing to go. We also expressed the opinion that there should be flat fees for away fans at each level. Our suggestion has been £25, £20 and £15 etc. We need to encourage the away fans to keep travelling, they are the life blood of football in this country.

You see the arguments are not simple, but ranting on a message board whenever it suits doesn't do any good, try writing to the Football League instead, I'll give you the address if you want it!

[MrFrost]

It's difficult to write a structures and thought out post when using the forum from a mobile.
Once I get back online I shall post my suggestions.

[prince]

Maybe a floating pricing system should be put in place based of Rovers position in the league and that of their opponents.

For example, say for argument's sake we start with a price of £50 per ticket, but then we reduce the price by the league position that Rovers are in before the game kicks off (or a week before...) and we do the same for the position of the opposition.

So, if Rovers were top and were playing the club in second place you'd be expected to pay £47 for the pleasure of seeing Rovers play at their highest ever league position.  If Rovers were bottom (yes, I know they are)  you'd pay £50, less £24 (£26), and in last night's case, less £7, which is £19  (I think they came to us in seventh).

A bottom two game would be £3 per ticket, but that wouldn't happen very often. It would put more pressure on results lifting the income whilst also potentially keeping gates up.

Or perhaps a 'free to get in, pay what you think the performance merited to get out' policy

[DonnyBazR0ver]

We also expressed the opinion that there should be flat fees for away fans at each level. Our suggestion has been £25, £20 and £15 etc. We need to encourage the away fans to keep travelling, they are the life blood of football in this country.

I listened to your colleague and that makes so much sense. I think there may be scope to negotiate not only the appropriate rate but the percentage of seats available at that price.

Therefore all clubs should make available say 40% of capacity at the agreed minimum price, and of that 40% what minimum percentage be available for away fans - is it currently 10 or 15% ? This is just to make sure clubs don't just make a token gesture to say they have satisfied league rules.

If these controls are brought in then most clubs pricing will be built around these prices however, every club will be able to determine their own pricing for their remaining seats.

Makes a lot of sense and I hope the league adopt it.

On Collymore's argument about regionalisation, it makes sense in some ways however, if the above rules apply then it may reduce the need to regionalise. The fans travel costs are pot luck depending which teams are in your league and is down to individual choice however, there may be an argument that club's travel costs could be supplemented by the league depending on total miles travelled in the season (out of the money that's cascaded down the leagues)

I'd like to see fans interests protected in times of postponed games. Every tie could have cut off time, allowing for away travel time, and if the hosting club are not responsible enough to make a decision before or by the required time, then they should be subject to claims for wasted travel expenses.  This way clubs will be more likely to make a decision rather than avoid making a decision until the last minute, giving scant regard for the travelling fan.

[john_donc857]

After being a season ticket holder for many years, i decided to take a year out and go to games as and when i felt like it. I missed the 1st two games as i was on holiday and went to bristol city (£15)and crystal palace for nothing with a free ticket given out at my girls school. The chance of overtime came last night so it was a no brainer. Spend £27 or go to work and earn some extra cash. I can see myself making 10 games at the most this season as and when the bargains arrive and there must be thousands of lost season ticket holders doing exactly the same. There cannot be many fans on pay as you go that go to every game so i propose that we aim to get the lost season ticket holders back because its the only way to get the fanbase back up and guarantee that the likes of myself will make most games. All i ask for is a return to the end of june deadline to purchase it at a price of around £300. MAKE FOOTBALL AFFORDABLE

[DonnyBazR0ver]

here cannot be many fans on pay as you go that go to every game so i propose that we aim to get the lost season ticket holders back because its the only way to get the fanbase back up and guarantee that the likes of myself will make most games. All i ask for is a return to the end of june deadline to purchase it at a price of around £300. MAKE FOOTBALL AFFORDABLE

Totally agree, particularly on deadlines. If they want cash in early then they should incentivise not punish.

I hope we can make common sense prevail....

[Paul Todd]

I used to be a season ticket holder and I've supported the Rovers since 1967 - unfortunately I work for a charity that has no funding and I am now a voluntar worker because I believe in what I do. I simply can't afford to come and that means that my friend can't come either. We now come if and when. If it's a tenner we're there!!!!:scarf:

[Wokingviking]

My old man's favourite player was Paul Todd. Welcome.

[Paul Todd]

He stands under our Christmas tree every year!

[Paul Todd]

forgot - I can sing the Roll Along Donny Rovers, Roll Along song too....

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

I personally would go with a flat rate of something like a flat rate quite cheap and say it will be x amount after so many sales etc, challenge the fans and say it'll be £200 if we reach 8000 or maybe even 10000 STH.  Do a big push on it saying we're the cheapest and market it to the whole of South Yorkshire.  That way it will build up the fanbase.  However, something like this could only happen with stadium ownership as we could pick up any shortfall on food/beverage costs.  It would definitely work and be different, something the club should consider with the aim of hitting a 12k+ average once again.  I believe the fans would buy at that price, be interesting to see if the club would have the guts to go at it.  Then charge matchday tickets at something like £18 on a membership scheme or £25 for non members (thus meaning we can charge the away at £25).

10,000 paying £200 each is better than 5000 paying £350 isn't it?  But the stadium ownership/leasehold is vital for this with any extra income.  No doubt people in Donny want to watch Rovers, but not at £27 a pop.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

This is definitely an option we can put to JR and the board.

From where we are we could target and increase back up to 7000. Take £250 or £300 off every adult and leave an option of taking a further £50 or £70 should we not reach the target, before ST books are issued. Leave that decision to the board, but can you imagine how we would all be encouraging people to sign up to avoid paying the extra £50/£70

Like you say it has to be a no brainer and no hurdles like the club scout scheme. make it the same price irrespective of where you sit or wish sit.

If successful then raise the bar again for the following season.