Season Ticket - Next Year?

[Schards#2]

There is very little doubt in my mind that we will once again see a significant increase in ST prices next season.

If we do, I'm pretty certain that we won't see the same number of Season Ticket holders as we currently have - but if we do they certainly won't be the same people, and the number of juniors and seniors will decrease as well. The average age of supporters at Chelsea is 43, I believe (this isn't an attack on Chelsea, BTW- they're the only club I've seen the demographoc research for), and acroos the PL families and the "traditional" supporters are being replaced by middle-class, middle-aged, more affluent people - arguably to the detriment of the game.

I already know of a quite a few OAPs who were priced out this season, and a number of families who take it in turns to go to matches because they can't afford to all go to every game, and this unofficial "ST sharing" will probably become much more widespread if prices continue to go up.

Just look at the figures below and I defy anyone, anywhere, to come up with any argument that any price increases whatsoever can be defended, morally or financially.

Current Deal
Domestic rights : £1.024 billion
Highlights/radio/etc : £232 million
Overseas rights : £320 million
TOTAL : £1.575 billion

New Deal
Domestic rights : £1.7 billion
Highlights/radio/etc : £375 million
Overseas rights : £625 million
TOTAL : £2.7 billion

DIFFERENCE = £1.125 billion (over 3 years)

Given this, I really hope that STAR will finally fight toe to toe with the senior management of the club if shades is proven to be right.

I think you are going to be disappointed. As long as the ground is full, the club will push the price to limit where it will still be full and this will mean another increase next year.

I also think STAR will defend the club's decision along the lines of "we've got one of the smallest capacities so we have to charge more to compete, but if it goes up next year, we won't stand for it"

I'd like to see STAR state catagorically what level of cost they would consider unacceptable BEFORE the prices are announced and take the club on if prices are above this but, as long as the club gives them the right to sell royalty points to bolster their membership, I don't see them rocking the boat.

[Seal]

Thing is, the ground is never full. As discussed on another thread, games may 'sell out' but there is never every seat taken, especially for less high profile games.

This suggests that demand isn't that high outside the 23,000 ish who regularly attend, as those seats should be filled by other fans desperate to see the team play.

I can speak from personal experience here. I sit with 2 other season ticket holders, and when one of us can't make it, we sometimes have trouble shifting the ticket. I often end up just bringing along one of my mates from London, who simply fancies seeing a Premiership game.

Therefore further ticket prices rises risk games not even selling out, let alone the ground not being full. I really hope the club research this perceived demand properly, before even thinking about increasing prices.

For example, basing the demand level of member card holders wouldn't work, as I know plenty of people who have one but aren't Reading fans.

[Woodcote Royal]

Due to circumstances, not completely beyond my control, I won't be purchasing a season ticket next season.

Will Reading sell-out their allocation of tickets next year or will enthusiasm wane despite such a great first season in the top flight?

There is talk of reducing ticket prices for fans ( lead by Blackburn I think )
will this effect Reading due to our continued success?

Blackburn and Wigan have reduced prices for the rest of this season in response to inability to fill their grounds - even away areas for some "derby" matches.

"The Sun" has been recently running a campaign to get FAPL clubs to reduce ticket prices next season - but don't forget that "The Sun" doesn't necessarily have the fans' interests at heart. Firstly, this is a lovely bandwagon for them to try and claim for themselves, and also as part of the Murdoch empire they have an interest in making sure that grounds are filled, as they look better on Sky TV.

I'm a member of the FSF's pricing "taskforce" and we've been collecting stats on prices and attendances for a while, and analysing this for a few seasons. It's clear from these that price elasticity is reaching its limit, and many people's limit of what they will pay has been reached and exceeded - especially for TV games.

In the next few days the FSF will be launching what will be one of our biggest and loudest campaigns - as much as anything else, with the new TV deal next season there's no way that any more price rises can be possibly justified. The increase in TV revenue to clubs is equal to about 30 pounds for every ticket sold this season! So the FAPL clubs could let everyone in for free next season and still have the same amount of money to spend.

What we are asking for is three things from the FAPL and PL clubs :

1. A flat rate of 15 pounds for all away fans - to reflect that away fans are the lifeblood of the game, they keep atmosphere alive and also have the highest costs and time in order to attend away matches.

2. The "facility fee" for televised matches to be used to reduce ticket prices across the board for that match - to reflect the extra costs and grief that supporters have from changed kick-off times.

3. Price reductions at all matches compared to this season - but as a very minimum NO PRICE RISES COMPARED TO THIS SEASON - for the lifetime of this new TV deal.

Whichever way you look at it, considering the increased TV money coming in there is no way that any club can realistically argue against these proposals - they will, of course, but that will further expose the sheer greed in the game.

When this campaign is launched in the next few days I'll publicise what people can do to support it.

Sorry, but I won't be supporting this campaign.

Platypuss has highlighted Nigel Howes recent remarks and I think this is where any negotiations should start.

The new TV deal will bring in huge amounts of money but RFC will be spending it (if planning permission is granted) on expanding the stadium.

Ground expansion will provide the scope for the kind of discounts that many would like to see, and Nigel Howe has already accepted that this will be needed to fill our new capacity.

In the meantime, given all the clubs' circumstances, price reductions in a full stadium are never going to happen. Frankly, I don't think it would be fair after we have competed so well against clubs with much bigger resources than our own.

In my view, we should be campaigning for a price freeze for next season..........pure, simple and realistic.

[Stranded]

Whilst I see your point WR they are campaigning for an across the board decrease at all clubs not just ours so it won't put us at any more than a disadvantage than we already are in this division.

On a simple RFC issue then a price freeze would be the best we can hope for unless a deal is brokered across all clubs similar to that suggested.

[Woodcote Royal]

Sorry, but what I've seen this season has been great value for money and I'll be very happy to have the same at no extra cost in the next campaign, and so should all Reading supporters.

Whilst I have much sympathy for those who stuggle to afford today's prices, the best chance of seeing lasting reductions is to provide more seats from which to gain the same revenue which, hopefully, is just a year away.

[Stranded]

If the current campaigns do not have the desired effect then I will be happy to pay the same again. I feel it is the top end of what is acceptable. I would rather pay less though.

I ask you though if you would be so happy if we were in the same league position as say West Ham or Watford - it's all relative.

Football simply does not need to be the price it is (especially with the amount of money being made from TV now) and any efforts made to bring the price down has to be good as far as I'm concerned.

[working class hero]

Perhaps Mr Howe might like to explain why those in the Megablock were priced out of the ground at the earliest chance? And why the differentilas between North, East and West all but disappeared?

And why the Young Royals were basically scrapped on promotion.....
And why Star never shows fans that they are arguing on their behalf - I hope they do fight on our behalf, but sometimes find that hard to believe.

[Woodcote Royal]

I guess he thought there was no need to explain the blindingly obvious.

[STAR Voice]

There is very little doubt in my mind that we will once again see a significant increase in ST prices next season.

If we do, I'm pretty certain that we won't see the same number of Season Ticket holders as we currently have - but if we do they certainly won't be the same people, and the number of juniors and seniors will decrease as well. The average age of supporters at Chelsea is 43, I believe (this isn't an attack on Chelsea, BTW- they're the only club I've seen the demographoc research for), and acroos the PL families and the "traditional" supporters are being replaced by middle-class, middle-aged, more affluent people - arguably to the detriment of the game.

I already know of a quite a few OAPs who were priced out this season, and a number of families who take it in turns to go to matches because they can't afford to all go to every game, and this unofficial "ST sharing" will probably become much more widespread if prices continue to go up.

Just look at the figures below and I defy anyone, anywhere, to come up with any argument that any price increases whatsoever can be defended, morally or financially.

Current Deal
Domestic rights : £1.024 billion
Highlights/radio/etc : £232 million
Overseas rights : £320 million
TOTAL : £1.575 billion

New Deal
Domestic rights : £1.7 billion
Highlights/radio/etc : £375 million
Overseas rights : £625 million
TOTAL : £2.7 billion

DIFFERENCE = £1.125 billion (over 3 years)

Given this, I really hope that STAR will finally fight toe to toe with the senior management of the club if shades is proven to be right.

I think you are going to be disappointed. As long as the ground is full, the club will push the price to limit where it will still be full and this will mean another increase next year.

I also think STAR will defend the club's decision along the lines of "we've got one of the smallest capacities so we have to charge more to compete, but if it goes up next year, we won't stand for it"

I'd like to see STAR state catagorically what level of cost they would consider unacceptable BEFORE the prices are announced and take the club on if prices are above this but, as long as the club gives them the right to sell royalty points to bolster their membership, I don't see them rocking the boat.

I can only speak personally as I'm away at the moment so can't give the "official" STAR view until I discuss it with the rest of the Board - but my own view is that ANY increase on this season's prices will be unaccepatable.

Next season "the product" being sold won't be fundamentally different - and, in fact, it could be argued that Reading's second season in the PL is worth less than Reading's first season in the PL.

The increase in TV rights money works out as considerably more than the total money RFC will receive from ticket sales, and that's quite apart from the prize money they'll receive for this season - which again will be substantial.

And if the argument is made that an increase in ticket prices is needed to fund the increase in stadium capacity, my answer will be to ask why supporters should be funding this increase when they get no benefit from it - or will we all get a share of the extra income from the sales of the new seats? This would be even more unacceptable considering that there will inevitably be delays, disruption and inconvenience for supporters during two seasons of watching football in a stadium which is being expanded.

To summarise in a sentence so there can be no doubt about my views - as far as I can see there can be ABSOLUTELY NO JUSTIFICATION for any ticket price increases whatsover.

[The 17 Bus]

RFC should stop pissing about, they should release ST prices for next season NOW, renew by the end of March and get it £50 cheaper than this season, renew in april at the same price, or renew afterwards for a inflation based increase.

[bigmike]

RFC should stop pissing about, they should release ST prices for next season NOW, renew by the end of March and get it £50 cheaper than this season, renew in april at the same price, or renew afterwards for a inflation based increase.

I agree with most of your point appart from the inflation increase bit.

I personally believe that the last excessive increase was enough for a few years

[working class hero]

A patronising person wrote:

I guess he thought there was no need to explain the blindingly obvious.

I fail to be blinded by the benefit of removing the differentials. If they had remained then the club would have made more cash. And if there is a premium on the Upper West in League 1 why not retain it in the Prem????

Scrapping Young Royals must have saved a few quid - but given how other PL clubs are now trying to encourage similar schemes one might judge it to have been penny pinching.

The tiny number of seats in the megablock could also have been sustained at little cost.....

Why is it that so many people who have money wish to shit on those who have less????

[Woodcote Royal]

How much is a 3 bed semi in Cloud Cuckoo Land?

[The 17 Bus]

How much is a 3 bed semi in Cloud Cuckoo Land?

As you are not in the property owning classes what does it matter

[The 17 Bus]

RFC should stop pissing about, they should release ST prices for next season NOW, renew by the end of March and get it £50 cheaper than this season, renew in april at the same price, or renew afterwards for a inflation based increase.

I agree with most of your point appart from the inflation increase bit.

Only the odd few that renewe late, or any that replace those that did not renew would have to pay it though.

[bigmike]

RFC should stop pissing about, they should release ST prices for next season NOW, renew by the end of March and get it £50 cheaper than this season, renew in april at the same price, or renew afterwards for a inflation based increase.

I agree with most of your point appart from the inflation increase bit.

Only the odd few that renewe late, or any that replace those that did not renew would have to pay it though.

I stuggle to see how the club could justify another raise ..

[The 17 Bus]

RFC should stop pissing about, they should release ST prices for next season NOW, renew by the end of March and get it £50 cheaper than this season, renew in april at the same price, or renew afterwards for a inflation based increase.

I agree with most of your point appart from the inflation increase bit.

Only the odd few that renewe late, or any that replace those that did not renew would have to pay it though.

I stuggle to see how the club could justify another raise ..

ALL current STH can renew for the same or less under what I suggest, and most would. IMHO

[papereyes]

To me, what would make sense is that renewals before a certain date should be at a frozen price, and then an increase beyond that date and for new STs

[juanpablo]

Due to circumstances, not completely beyond my control, I won't be purchasing a season ticket next season.

Will Reading sell-out their allocation of tickets next year or will enthusiasm wane despite such a great first season in the top flight?

There is talk of reducing ticket prices for fans ( lead by Blackburn I think )
will this effect Reading due to our continued success?

Blackburn and Wigan have reduced prices for the rest of this season in response to inability to fill their grounds - even away areas for some "derby" matches.

"The Sun" has been recently running a campaign to get FAPL clubs to reduce ticket prices next season - but don't forget that "The Sun" doesn't necessarily have the fans' interests at heart. Firstly, this is a lovely bandwagon for them to try and claim for themselves, and also as part of the Murdoch empire they have an interest in making sure that grounds are filled, as they look better on Sky TV.

I'm a member of the FSF's pricing "taskforce" and we've been collecting stats on prices and attendances for a while, and analysing this for a few seasons. It's clear from these that price elasticity is reaching its limit, and many people's limit of what they will pay has been reached and exceeded - especially for TV games.

In the next few days the FSF will be launching what will be one of our biggest and loudest campaigns - as much as anything else, with the new TV deal next season there's no way that any more price rises can be possibly justified. The increase in TV revenue to clubs is equal to about 30 pounds for every ticket sold this season! So the FAPL clubs could let everyone in for free next season and still have the same amount of money to spend.

What we are asking for is three things from the FAPL and PL clubs :

1. A flat rate of 15 pounds for all away fans - to reflect that away fans are the lifeblood of the game, they keep atmosphere alive and also have the highest costs and time in order to attend away matches.

2. The "facility fee" for televised matches to be used to reduce ticket prices across the board for that match - to reflect the extra costs and grief that supporters have from changed kick-off times.

3. Price reductions at all matches compared to this season - but as a very minimum NO PRICE RISES COMPARED TO THIS SEASON - for the lifetime of this new TV deal.

Whichever way you look at it, considering the increased TV money coming in there is no way that any club can realistically argue against these proposals - they will, of course, but that will further expose the sheer greed in the game.

When this campaign is launched in the next few days I'll publicise what people can do to support it.

Sorry, but I won't be supporting this campaign.

Platypuss has highlighted Nigel Howes recent remarks and I think this is where any negotiations should start.

The new TV deal will bring in huge amounts of money but RFC will be spending it (if planning permission is granted) on expanding the stadium.

Ground expansion will provide the scope for the kind of discounts that many would like to see, and Nigel Howe has already accepted that this will be needed to fill our new capacity.

In the meantime, given all the clubs' circumstances, price reductions in a full stadium are never going to happen. Frankly, I don't think it would be fair after we have competed so well against clubs with much bigger resources than our own.

In my view, we should be campaigning for a price freeze for next season..........pure, simple and realistic.

agree with that woodcote the voice of reason

[working class hero]

How much is a 3 bed semi in Cloud Cuckoo Land?

Why - are you looking to upgrade?

Try answering the questions rather than just muddying the waters with weasel words and alleged smart cracks.