A bit worrying

[Hoop Blah]

The point i'm making is that he hasn't really "categorically" ruled anything out.

The pros and cons as far as expansion goes aren't anything i've commented on on this thread simply because the facts needed to come to that decision aren't actually available to us and what we do have knowledge of can frankly be used to promote either viewpoint.

As the 49 pages on this thread clearly demonstrate.

I think you've missed the bit where Schards proved beyond all doubt that demand had fallen....

I suspect Vision has taken that on board but as he seems a sensible guy. For those who haven't, don't take my word, take that of the ticket office manager.............WARNING THOSE WHO DON'T WISH TO READ ANYTHING THAT DOES NOT SUPPORT THEIR VIEW LOOK AWAY NOW

http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/pa ... 78,00.html

I don't think I ever said demand wouldn't have fallen for this season, I just disagreed with both the 'evidence' you provided and the way you tried to put your arguement accross.

I still have the same view.

[Quagmire]

I suspect Vision has taken that on board but as he seems a sensible guy. For those who haven't, don't take my word, take that of the ticket office manager.............WARNING THOSE WHO DON'T WISH TO READ ANYTHING THAT DOES NOT SUPPORT THEIR VIEW LOOK AWAY NOW

http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/pa ... 78,00.html

Seriously, YAWN!

Last season the club operated a linked ticket policy to try and shift tickets for less attractive matches. This caused virtually 100% of the tickets all season to be sold but resulted in empty seats at some matches as people only bought tickets for Wigan etc to get their Man Utd ticket.

This season, rather than having empty seats left by people who had no intention of attending the less attractive fixture in the first place, the club has removed the linked ticket policy and instead offering £1 for kids, free membership cards.

The end result is the same, for both seasons the club has put measures in place to shift tickets for the less attractive fixtures. This season though there will actually be someone sat in the seat who may enjoy the experience and come more regularly.

If the extension takes place then more and more peolpe will be able to turn up for the games against the top four. The top four team will be the initial draw for a lot of people, people who live in the area but support Man Utd (or say their kids do) and take their kids to watch the game. They may find that they enjoy the experience of going to a game rather than just following Man Utd on Sky and the kids could become Reading fans rather than Man Utd.

As for the point about the new owner, he has not said he will not be proceeding with the extension. What he said is that it will be something that a new owner will have to deal with which is right. If the North and South stands follow directly after the East is finished (unlikely) then this is going to be a 2 year project, by which time a new owner could be found.

If there is a gap between the 2 stages (which is likely) then the extension project could last 4-5 years, which a new owner is more than likely to be in place so they are going to be affected by this.

Its the "I'm alright Jack, I have season tickets" attitude which I find very depressing.

[Woodcote Royal]

THOSE WHO DON'T WISH TO READ ANYTHING THAT DOES NOT SUPPORT THEIR VIEW LOOK AWAY NOW




http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/pa ... 78,00.html

John Hobson's ticket office blog
Posted on: Mon 17 Sep 2007
By John Hobson, Sales Centre Manager

Earlier this week the Club decided to make a special offer available for the Wigan and Derby games, allowing new members to sign up for a Member Card without having to pay the usual joining fee if they buy a ticket for one of those games.

We did this because we're very keen to make sure that Madejski Stadium doesn't become a 'closed shop' to potential new fans, so we wanted to give non-members a good incentive to join.

Of course we also want to try to get a full house for these two games, which are very important ones for the team, and promotional offers like this one can only help.

The last two home games - against Everton and West Ham - weren't complete sell-outs, and we're well aware that we won't find it as easy to sell tickets this season as we did last year.

It's no longer our historic first ever top flight season so the novelty factor isn't there, and selling the 3,000 or so tickets that we have available on a match-by-match basis will undoubtedly be a harder task for the lower profile games.

We also think there's a general perception locally that games are sold out when really they might not be. Because tickets sold so quickly last season, a lot of the more casual supporters, who may attend three or four games a season but won't come every week, seem to be assuming that tickets are all sold out so they don't even bother trying.

In time, hopefully people will realise that it's not as hard as they might think to get tickets for most of the games.

It's also important for the Club to look to the future, particularly with the stadium expansion in mind.

Within the next two years, the stadium capacity will grow by 8,000 and we will need to fill those seats - there's no point in building them otherwise. To achieve this we're very keen to stay active within the local area - as the Chairman regularly says, being a focal point of the community is extremely important to us, which is why we spend so much time working with local schools and community groups.

In the short-term, though, we're focussed on selling tickets for the Wigan and Derby games so come along and support the team - and tell your friends!



For those who haven't reached the obvious conclusion already..................have a read.

[Woodcote Royal]

Its the "I'm alright Jack, I have season tickets" attitude which I find very depressing.

Absolutely spot on and many thanks for your excellent contribution.

[Schards#2]

Its the "I'm alright Jack, I have season tickets" attitude which I find very depressing.

Season tickets were on general sale for several weeks, anyone who wanted one could have had one. If there was a waiting list, you would have a valid point.

[TFF]

Not for the first time, I am struggling to see the point of this argument.

It's all about a middle class twat, a large spade and a hole that grows bigger by the day.........................carry on

It's pretty far from one sided.

Honestly, can't you just agree to differ?

[Vision]

Its the "I'm alright Jack, I have season tickets" attitude which I find very depressing.

Season tickets were on general sale for several weeks, anyone who wanted one could have had one. If there was a waiting list, you would have a valid point.

I think you've missed the point he's making . He's talking about those potential supporters that will never buy a season ticket because they can only make x amount of games a season. With the capacity as it is there is a problem in them gaining tickets for the games they can make and if we're talking about families a problem in getting seats together. Exactly how many people this applies to, neither i nor anyone else on here actually knows but its precisely the reason why merely looking at an attendance figure for certain games is not a real indicator of whether expansion is needed. One way or another.

[Baines]

It's pretty far from one sided.

Honestly, can't you just agree to differ?

I don't agree to that.

Neither do I. Middle class twat.

[Quagmire]

Its the "I'm alright Jack, I have season tickets" attitude which I find very depressing.

Season tickets were on general sale for several weeks, anyone who wanted one could have had one. If there was a waiting list, you would have a valid point.

So you expect people to drop over £500 on a season ticket without actually going to a few games first. Do you go out and spend that sort of money on something without trying it first? As you say tickets last season were hard to come by and so I can't see people running after season tickets if they hadn't had a chance last season to watch football on a regular basis (especially if they don't have that much spare cash kicking around).

The season tickets which took a while to sell were probably mainly singles or in areas of the ground which don't have the best view of the pitch (North/West and South/West corners pitch side). Would you pay the same price you paid for your season ticket to sit in those corners?

By expanding the stadium the club will be able to develop a pricing mechanism where the less attractive parts of the ground are charged at a lower amount while those on the halfway line in the East and West can go at a premium. Those with less disposable income who are currently priced out of watching Reading play can make a decision if they want to sit in these corners. People such as yourself who has already got a season ticket, probably in a good part of the East stand will remain the same.

The problem in and around Reading is that most people in their 20s-30s grew up supporting a top flight team with Reading as their second team. Even in Basingstoke, most people would support Southampton due to their top flight status. RFC now has the chance to win over a new generation of fan providing the club can a) stay in the top flight and b) expand the stadium. As each year passes, more and more kids who take a liking to football will support Reading if they get the chance to watch top flight football live and not on TV.

Everyone on HNA? needed the opportunity to watch Reading play for the first time. I was 7 when my dad first took me in 1985 to watch Reading v Bolton on the off chance it would be good. After the first game I was hooked and we have had season tickets ever since. Living in Winchester we could easily have gone to watch Southampton instead. I am certain there are many others who are now in the same position and the club needs the capacity and the pricing schemes to get them.

[Rawlie19]

THOSE WHO DON'T WISH TO READ ANYTHING THAT DOES NOT SUPPORT THEIR VIEW LOOK AWAY NOW




http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/pa ... 78,00.html

John Hobson's ticket office blog
Posted on: Mon 17 Sep 2007
By John Hobson, Sales Centre Manager

Earlier this week the Club decided to make a special offer available for the Wigan and Derby games, allowing new members to sign up for a Member Card without having to pay the usual joining fee if they buy a ticket for one of those games.

We did this because we're very keen to make sure that Madejski Stadium doesn't become a 'closed shop' to potential new fans, so we wanted to give non-members a good incentive to join.

Of course we also want to try to get a full house for these two games, which are very important ones for the team, and promotional offers like this one can only help.

The last two home games - against Everton and West Ham - weren't complete sell-outs, and we're well aware that we won't find it as easy to sell tickets this season as we did last year.

It's no longer our historic first ever top flight season so the novelty factor isn't there, and selling the 3,000 or so tickets that we have available on a match-by-match basis will undoubtedly be a harder task for the lower profile games.

We also think there's a general perception locally that games are sold out when really they might not be. Because tickets sold so quickly last season, a lot of the more casual supporters, who may attend three or four games a season but won't come every week, seem to be assuming that tickets are all sold out so they don't even bother trying.

In time, hopefully people will realise that it's not as hard as they might think to get tickets for most of the games.

It's also important for the Club to look to the future, particularly with the stadium expansion in mind.

Within the next two years, the stadium capacity will grow by 8,000 and we will need to fill those seats - there's no point in building them otherwise. To achieve this we're very keen to stay active within the local area - as the Chairman regularly says, being a focal point of the community is extremely important to us, which is why we spend so much time working with local schools and community groups.

In the short-term, though, we're focussed on selling tickets for the Wigan and Derby games so come along and support the team - and tell your friends!



For those who haven't reached the obvious conclusion already..................have a read.

The highlighted point which was one I was making earlier (and ed at by Shards) seems to have been overlooked...

[Wycombe Royal]

What was the point of Schards highlighting that article?

[Schards#2]

We're now into january and nearly every home game, even the ones that have eventually sold out, have gone to general sale.

How stupid are these people?

[Dirk Gently]

Let me just pose a couple of questions here for people to consider :

- How many of you would love to bring friends/family etc along to matches if there was sufficient capacity for them and sufficient flexibility for them to sit with you?

- How many of you know people who would come to matches (either with you or separately) if there was capacity and greater (downward) flexibility in ticket prices?

Both of these options are impossible when there is minimal spare capacity.

[Stranded]

Let me just pose a couple of questions here for people to consider :

- How many of you would love to bring friends/family etc along to matches if there was sufficient capacity for them and sufficient flexibility for them to sit with you?

- How many of you know people who would come to matches (either with you or separately) if there was capacity and greater (downward) flexibility in ticket prices?

Both of these options are impossible when there is minimal spare capacity.

The answer to both is a categorical Yes.

[Schards#2]

What was the point of Schards highlighting that article?

The ticket office manager confirming the reduction in demand still being denied by a few flatearthers.

It's all there for those who want to see it.

[Rawlie19]

Let me just pose a couple of questions here for people to consider :

- How many of you would love to bring friends/family etc along to matches if there was sufficient capacity for them and sufficient flexibility for them to sit with you?

- How many of you know people who would come to matches (either with you or separately) if there was capacity and greater (downward) flexibility in ticket prices?

Both of these options are impossible when there is minimal spare capacity.

The answer to both is a categorical Yes.

Yes.

[Schards#2]

Let me just pose a couple of questions here for people to consider :

- How many of you would love to bring friends/family etc along to matches if there was sufficient capacity for them and sufficient flexibility for them to sit with you?

- How many of you know people who would come to matches (either with you or separately) if there was capacity and greater (downward) flexibility in ticket prices?

Both of these options are impossible when there is minimal spare capacity.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating. All of this was on offer for the Spurs match - sufficient capacity, ability to sit together, flexible (reduced) ticket price.

Actions speak louder than words, there were 2,000 empty seats.

[Silver Fox]

It wasn't the same product though Schards, had those provisions been in place for Spuds in the league do you think we'd have sold out?

[Vision]

Let me just pose a couple of questions here for people to consider :

- How many of you would love to bring friends/family etc along to matches if there was sufficient capacity for them and sufficient flexibility for them to sit with you?

- How many of you know people who would come to matches (either with you or separately) if there was capacity and greater (downward) flexibility in ticket prices?

Both of these options are impossible when there is minimal spare capacity.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating. All of this was on offer for the Spurs match - sufficient capacity, ability to sit together, flexible (reduced) ticket price.

Actions speak louder than words, there were 2,000 empty seats.

How do you know they weren't taken up by 5 or 6 thousand extra people who were replacing STH who didn't bother? People that might well go to league games on a regular basis if the same flexibility was there.

[TFF]

Let me just pose a couple of questions here for people to consider :

- How many of you would love to bring friends/family etc along to matches if there was sufficient capacity for them and sufficient flexibility for them to sit with you?

- How many of you know people who would come to matches (either with you or separately) if there was capacity and greater (downward) flexibility in ticket prices?

Both of these options are impossible when there is minimal spare capacity.

The answer to both is a categorical Yes.

Yes.

I'm going for 3 and 7 respectively.