Interesting article on what Albion Rovers are doing.
And a statement in there from the chairman that says what a lot of us think that football at the lower levels is overpriced!
I personally think if we as a club had the right person marketing it that a scheme similar to groupon where we aimed at say a family season ticket for say £100.00 with minimum take up of 500 would be eyecatching and get much needed new blood into the club. The current season ticket pricing is for me way over the top with very little incentive to anyone other than the most ardent supporters.
Totally agree, think FC do something similar they have a pay what you want season ticket starting at a minimum of £90. Our family for a fiver always boosts the attendance, but when the prices go back up the crowd drops back down. Surely we should be aiming to keep these coming every week got to be worth a try. Our season tickets were among the highest in the NPL last season. Clubs also do watch any 10 league games tickets, these are aimed at fans who can’t make every game.
Its no secret that our admission charges are higher than most Clubs in the league, and after last season’s struggles, hopefully the fans will be rewarded with the prices being frozen for the coming season.
However, it is worth noting that the facilities enjoyed by supporters at Wincham Park are better than most at this level, so there is some argument to say that justifies paying a little extra.
Also, the initiatives we look to offer to get people through the turnstiles are top-drawer. Families for a Fiver, as Woody mentions, is always well received and is an absolute bargain (Colin Murray was impressed!!).
The invites we send out to junior teams are also good value, and bring families through the turnstiles, so we are looking at intelligent pricing strategies.
Chad’s suggestion above needs to be investigated in further detail - it sounds like a good idea to me. But like he says, it would need to be marketed correctly to be a success.
We know we need a better team on the pitch this season, which costs money. The only way to avoid an increase in admission prices is to bring in extra revenue elsewhere - so lets all get our thinking caps on!
The Beer Festival will be as good a place to start as any!
The easyfundraising and easysearch are still going!! Quite a few signed up when the paddy power offer was on, sadly most of them haven’t used it since which is a shame especially as it’s free.
For season tickets it might be a good idea but we might lose revenue as people who normally pay £9 each week choose to pay a flat fee for a season ticket. I think the main problem is “Guaranteed Income.” The club and management need to know how much they are likely to have to spend during the season and that can be estimated when there is a set price but would be extremely difficult to do if all prices were arbitrary. Still, something to consider. I will consider putting a pound into the club again for every point won, any other takers?
WHS.
The ‘club’ is ever shrinking through natural evolution, a very aging support base and so many other things to compete with.
IF the club is to survive and prosper then it needs to attract new support and with respect potential new punters will not pay a tenner to watch a game of non-league football.
The towns population will have probably doubled in size with Kingsmead and all the other new developments that are planned and our attendances have flat lined.
If there are 5000 households with an interest in football in the area then to attract only 5% of them to part with say £90 for ‘a family or household season ticket’ where they got to watch live local football for a season has to be worth a punt imo IF we have the right marketing in place and publicity.
It would still raise £22,500 of revenue(BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY ITS INTEREST AND NEW BLOOD).
I have rattled the tin and done virtually every job at this football club bar play (please Pritch!lol) over the last 35 years and the answer isn’t to keep going back to the well and donations of supporters.
The excellent work in the social club, and tea bars are testimony to that and show what revenue streams can be opened up.
The club has a unique opportunity at this time, there are no rivals in town and the momentum of potential rivals isn’t there after 187four couldn’t even get promotion out of ‘The Dog and Duck league’!
Totally agree with Andy on this one. We have the good fortune of the other Vics playing in a low league again this year, and need to capitalise on that.
If people were going to come along at £10 a pop they would be coming now. We need to entice them in with a forward thinking, aggressive and sustainable campaign which balances the needs of those currently coming week in week out, with attracting new faces with an affordable yet profitable scheme.
Once people are through those turnstiles they will spend. A got a colleague to come along during the course of last season. He brought his dad and his 4 kids, drank in the bar, bought a programme and fed the kids. It all helps.
Season ticket prices before 31st May adult £175 over 65s £125 students £50 U15s free. After 31st May adults £199 over 65s £145 students £60.
So a 16 year old that isn’t a student has to pay the full amount even tho they get paid less. I wonder why we hardly get 16-20 year olds?
Will these prices attract new fans?
Are we making the most out of being the only club in town?
I also brought up last season that other clubs do 10 league games tickets. Would be ideal for people who work shifts or can’t make it every week. Our pricing does little to attract new fans. Do we try something new and get new people excited about witton or continue down the same path of asking the fans to pay and donate more and more each season?
I will as normal buy my season ticket along with otheres im sure but andy has a good point we need to attract more yougsters and a teenage deal 15-18 at £5 a game and u14 free maybe ? It’s Worth trying something to attract the younger fan base. 1874 kronenburg novelty will wear off when they realise they are effectively Sunday league level - I know because I’ve seen many of them playing on Sunday’s, so the floating/ younger fans need to be encouraged to the light and away from the dark side !
We could try reducing prices, but if it doesn;t attract loads of new supporters, we could find ourselves unable to meet our financial commitments. This may mean we cannot meet our wage bill (especially when we have a couple of weeks without a home game), and next thing we know all our decent players leave the club
It really is a balancing act and I don’t envy those who have to make decisions about pricing! It really is a good point by Mr Chad about the expansion of the town and our support not increasing (also with the lack of over the canal competitors!).
We really deserve to be better supported by being an honest club run within our means, but other teams “cheating” with funding from monied individuals and having success (which of course is ultimately unsustainable, look at Rushden and Diamonds etc) it makes it damn difficult!
In short I don’t have and cannot even suggest the answer, but win games and challenge for promotion and more fans will surely come…which of course goes back to how!
FC United have once again decided to allow fans to pay what they can afford (min £100) and revealed adult matchday prices will remain at £8
Rushall have put their prices for next season on their website, a season ticket is £137 whilst adult Matchday entrance is £8 and under 18s are free with a paying adult
Loosely connected but the reduced season ticket price has been extended until the end of this week. You can still buy them online via the Club Shop tab on the main website.
[quote=“Mookie Blaylock” post=54225]Loosely connected but the reduced season ticket price has been extended until the end of this week. You can still buy them online via the Club Shop tab on the main website.
Happy to assist if anyone is struggling.[/quote]
Thanks for the reminder…I have just bought mine from the Club Shop.
I will start production runs of the laminated tickets in a couple of weeks.
Is there any chance that someone with an ‘in’ to the board could look at this? It was being ‘looked at’ by ‘the board’ but I guess with the myriad of other tasks that the few in the inner sanctum carry out its probably not a top priority, maybe a task for the new commercial director.
With our current form and performances I’m sure that if the right numbers and offers were put together some supporters would buy into it and provide revenue and confidence in the new management team whoever they may be.
[quote=“Andy Chad” post=55201]Is there any chance that someone with an ‘in’ to the board could look at this? It was being ‘looked at’ by ‘the board’ but I guess with the myriad of other tasks that the few in the inner sanctum carry out its probably not a top priority, maybe a task for the new commercial director.
With our current form and performances I’m sure that if the right numbers and offers were put together some supporters would buy into it and provide revenue and confidence in the new management team whoever they may be.[/quote]
Re the new director, one thing that often springs to mind at away games is the amount of sponsors boards some teams have. They might have 6 fans but still manage to cover their ground in boards so hopefully that is something we can improve on.