season ticket sales update

[Fosse69]

The "ratepayers" didnt take the hit, their rates didnt increase because of vale, the council took the hit in their budget... but thats just semantics.

We dont know if any other buyer would have been any better or any worse than smurf we could only guess and the guess would only have a 50% chance of being correct

Ask the ratepayers about the reduced services as a consequence of the budget.

[geosname]

Hear, hear.

 

Is there a club on earth that guarantees who will be their manager or who will be playing for them ?

 

It's not a matter of being "led by the nose"......it's putting your faith in the bloke whose money got us out of the bottom tier and has seen us do very well in the league above. And in the absence of someone else buying the club, what else can we as fans do anyway, apart from back the current incumbent?

 

The buzz about season tickets, when I used to buy them, was nothing to do with the owner it was all about hope and dreams, hopes and dreams that next season will be "THE" season, a better season than the last, the possibilities of those hopes and dreams coming true... I think those hopes and dreams are being tainted by not knowing who the manager will be but possibly more by not being sure if the manager they believe in will be at the club at the start of the season and if any of the "better" players will be there because they may be influenced by the managers decisions... no matter how factual that is.

Season tickets to me were a way to buy into the expectation of what may come... everything seems to be flat lined, there is no expectation, everyone is far to concerned with whats still happening this season... given some of the cack we have employed in the managerial role in the past and the distinct lack of football business knowledge of smurf who can blame them.

Its not the fans responsibility to start the "buzz" but they will join in and help keep it going if/when it does start.... they just need something/some one to initiate the hope/expectation/dreams

[geosname]

Ask the ratepayers about the reduced services as a consequence of the budget.

 

Which services were effected by the decision to help vale? The effect of vale on the overall budget was miniscule.

[DazFred]

In reply to the opening post I don't think any figures will be offered until after the 30th April when the Early Bird offer finishes.

For the record I shall have 3 renewals in my family.

What concerns me is that we have gone from an opening home crowd of more than 7500 versus Brentford to barely 5000 against MK Dons.

We average 6242 for home games but these figures are distorted by the 9200 against Coventry & 12600 against Wolves.

We have won 13 home games-3 more than last season.

If the club can lose over 2500 home fans over the course of a successful season on the pitch, then I am a little concerned.

[smithie]

We haven't lost 2500 fans, we temporarily gained them for some of the bigger games.

 

Brentford bought a decent support, and we were back in League 1 with curiosity/optimism high and a whole season to look forward to.

 

Fixtures against MK Dons, Colchester, Stevenage and the like will never pull in 7500 unless it's a game with big consequences.

[Aussie Rules]

In reply to the opening post I don't think any figures will be offered until after the 30th April when the Early Bird offer finishes.

For the record I shall have 3 renewals in my family.

What concerns me is that we have gone from an opening home crowd of more than 7500 versus Brentford to barely 5000 against MK Dons.

We average 6242 for home games but these figures are distorted by the 9200 against Coventry & 12600 against Wolves.

We have won 13 home games-3 more than last season.

If the club can lose over 2500 home fans over the course of a successful season on the pitch, then I am a little concerned.

 

Not too sure we have lost fans, but compared to the last few seasons - and with just one more home game to play - our current average L1 gate is 6,243.

[who was markin him?]

There was always going to be bigger gate for the opening match as Smithie says. The same as the last couple of home games last season the attendance swelled. Our season petered out as it progressed but its been a good season and I think that 5500 is about where we are attendance wise and will be for a long time. Lets be honest, its expensive. I pay the same roughly as my mates and they watch Stoke. the casual football supporter is better value wise going to Stoke, better facilities, teams etc. There are a lot of people/families especially the 'middle class, football is popular I'll join in' who have chose Stoke.

[grebovale]

I'm sick of reading comments from people with the simplistic view that the responsibility for the clubs survival lies with the fans. That's it, fan's SHOULD buy tickets, end of. Some would even go as far as to say people who don't buy season tickets aren't fans, followed by comments such as, "we don't need you at the Vale". The lack of intelligence in these people is laughable. The scary thing is, it would appear that our owner shares these views. If we're so reliant on fans money (which we obviously are), then why don't we do what every other successful company does...sell. Build the buzz, show off the product, create positivity. Instead, I'm getting people telling me I should feel obliged to buy a season ticket. The club should be shouting from the rooftops about how successful this season has been, get Micky signed up and then go on a huge charm offensive to fans old and new.

 

As a club we're going backwards off the pitch. People have rejoiced at the fact Smurf has managed to negotiate his way out of a contract with ticketmaster. We're now back to a system that has been in place since before I was born 32 years ago. We're facing a pre-season without knowing; who our owner is going to be, who our manager is going to be, the quality of next years squad...that's the product we're trying to sell at the moment. The sales figures speak for themselves, that's a clear message that the current product isn't attractive to customers. You can shout and scream that fans SHOULD renew until you're blue in the face, but surely we're cleverer than that lazy approach?? At the end of the day we can't MAKE people renew, but we need them to, and we need new customers to buy season tickets too. How we go about doing that, to me, is Smurf's responsibility. Any reduction in sales, given the season we're having, has to be Smurf's responsibility. No one elses.

 

Very thought out post... Take you didn't read mine through though,...let me say again . SEASON TICKETS ARE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE FANS TO SAVE MONEY... If anyone doesn't want to buy one because of SMURFs actions or because ADAMS hasn't signed/seen a contract then more fool you or any one else who thinks that way,if fans wish to pay £26/£21 instead of £14 they are been very generous to the club,if you think about it,the club could be financial better off if only 1,500 bought ST to cover pre-season wages then the rest pay full wack for the season and if we have a similar season the club will be on a good earner... Sod the budget,ADAMS or who ever is the manager can earn his wages and get some good players in on less money,there will be good players out there who would rather play first division instead of second,ADAMS as signed some dross players who have got us in the top ten so it proves that well over half the clubs below us have worse players than us,and don't forget,every club has to abide by the 60% rule next season

[Aussie Rules]

We haven't lost 2500 fans, we temporarily gained them for some of the bigger games.

 

Brentford bought a decent support, and we were back in League 1 with curiosity/optimism high and a whole season to look forward to.

 

Fixtures against MK Dons, Colchester, Stevenage and the like will never pull in 7500 unless it's a game with big consequences.

 

From the 'Official website, and with one L1 home to play our gates in descending order are (away following in brackets):

 

31-Aug-13 12,601 Wolverhampton Wanderers (4,461)

21-Sep-13 9,218 Coventry City (3,184)

22-Feb-14 7,812 Crewe Alexandra (1,174)

03-Aug-13 7,579 Brentwood (758)

26-Dec-13 7,028 Notts County (811)

29-Dec-13 6,738 Rotherham United (1,205)

17-Aug-13 6,552 Bradford City (1,135)

16-Nov-13 6,547 Shrewsbury Town (579)

12-Oct-13 6,311 Peterborough United (662)

05-Oct-13 6,275 Bristol City (413)

18-Jan-14 6,002 Oldham Athletic (not given)

26-Nov-13 5,889 Preston North End (1,039)

26-Oct-13 5,690 Gillingham (200)

05-Apr-14 5,569 Walsall (649)

22-Mar-14 5,449 Tranmere Rovers (670)

08-Feb-14 5,306 Swindon Town (284)

18-Apr-14 5,074 Milton Keynes Dons (308)

08-Mar-14 5,009 Carlisle United (370)

14-Dec-13 4,967 Stevenage (91)

11-Mar-14 4,235 Leyton Orient (224)

01-Apr-14 3,755 Crawley Town (29)

11-Feb-14 3,734 Colchester United (89)

 

:D

[Bells_Biscuit_Tin]

In reply to the opening post I don't think any figures will be offered until after the 30th April when the Early Bird offer finishes.

For the record I shall have 3 renewals in my family.

What concerns me is that we have gone from an opening home crowd of more than 7500 versus Brentford to barely 5000 against MK Dons.

We average 6242 for home games but these figures are distorted by the 9200 against Coventry & 12600 against Wolves.

We have won 13 home games-3 more than last season.

If the club can lose over 2500 home fans over the course of a successful season on the pitch, then I am a little concerned.

 

Unfortunately thats the trend of mid table mediocrity. As iv said before regardless of what league your in if you have nothing to play for sometimes games seem nothing more than pre-season friendlies.

[geosname]

SEASON TICKETS ARE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE FANS TO SAVE MONEY...

 

Thats true from the fans perspective, although I dont know why your shouting.

From the clubs perspective its to gain money to carry them through the closed season...

Its a bit like catching trout without a rod... you can put a net in the water and hope the fish jump in or you can tickle them... you tend to get far more using the latter technique.

[Family Stand Terrier]

Very thought out post... Take you didn't read mine through though,...let me say again . SEASON TICKETS ARE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE FANS TO SAVE MONEY... If anyone doesn't want to buy one because of SMURFs actions or because ADAMS hasn't signed/seen a contract then more fool you or any one else who thinks that way,if fans wish to pay £26/£21 instead of £14 they are been very generous to the club,if you think about it,the club could be financial better off if only 1,500 bought ST to cover pre-season wages then the rest pay full wack for the season and if we have a similar season the club will be on a good earner... Sod the budget,ADAMS or who ever is the manager can earn his wages and get some good players in on less money,there will be good players out there who would rather play first division instead of second,ADAMS as signed some dross players who have got us in the top ten so it proves that well over half the clubs below us have worse players than us,and don't forget,every club has to abide by the 60% rule next season

 

Given the fact that my post was aimed at people with "simplistic views that the responsibility for the clubs survival lies with the fans", and you felt that was aimed at you...speaks volumes.

[mr burslem]

I renewed before MK Dons game, on Friday. When I asked the lady who took my order, I was told we'd sold around 500. One or two around me were renewing. That's all I know!

[grebovale]

Given the fact that my post was aimed at people with "simplistic views that the responsibility for the clubs survival lies with the fans", and you felt that was aimed at you...speaks volumes.

 

Apologies if your post is not aimed at me,posts similar to yours usually are,I take it you agree with me then :) ?

[Little_Al]

I bought two today - very smooth and easy. Whether Adams stays or goes is irrelevant. True supporters will buy any way if they can afford. "Supporters" who believe they can pressure Smurf into giving Adams a contract have no idea of how a business is run, rather like the previous adminiatration.