Season Ticket - Next Year?

[RoyalBlue]

If the club have any commercial sense, as I'm very sure they do have, I think they will have realised that prices are now getting to a tipping point for many supporters.

At a time when many other clubs are freezing or even reducing tickets, I don't think they will be justified in going for any increases - not only because of the massive negative publicity they'll get, but also because they recognise that next year will be a difficult one for supporters because of the disruption from the building works.

Above all, though, the key fact is that that they need to keep demand high, because within 2 years they'll have another 14000 seats to fill each match. So they know that it would be extremely counter-productive to price anyone else out now, because within 2 seasons they'll need those people back to fill the new capacity. And it's much easier to keep them now rather than try to win them back in 12 months and onwards.

Dirk Gently for Commercial Director!

I fear the present incumbent may not have the same wisdom or foresight!

[Wycombe Royal]

If the club have any commercial sense, as I'm very sure they do have, I think they will have realised that prices are now getting to a tipping point for many supporters.

At a time when many other clubs are freezing or even reducing tickets, I don't think they will be justified in going for any increases - not only because of the massive negative publicity they'll get, but also because they recognise that next year will be a difficult one for supporters because of the disruption from the building works.

Above all, though, the key fact is that that they need to keep demand high, because within 2 years they'll have another 14000 seats to fill each match. So they know that it would be extremely counter-productive to price anyone else out now, because within 2 seasons they'll need those people back to fill the new capacity. And it's much easier to keep them now rather than try to win them back in 12 months and onwards.

Dirk Gently for Commercial Director!

I fear the present incumbent may not have the same wisdom or foresight!

Because they have got so many decisions wrong over the past few seasons.

[RoyalBlue]

No, because they've got away with things in the past and won't realise when their luck and/or their customers' blind loyalty is about to run out.

And rather than subject others to a rerun - there are a fair number of threads in the HNA archives that would indicate they have got other commercial decisions (eg merchandising, ticket sales/distribution) wrong.

[Berthwaite]

Most people posting on this thread seem to expect the club to worry about filling the stadium, but does it?

We know the people who make the decisions are accountants/money men who do not appear to care much about the fans or football itself.

The club is assured of a massive increase in revenue next season, whether it sells out or not. In fact, they could close the stadium and not have to worry about the inconvenience of fans turning up and requiring stewards, food and drink and needing people to clean up after them. The massive revenues from TV would more than cover any loss.

I expect a rise in excess of inflation, and I will have to consider if I can afford it.

[rabidbee]

The thing is, a lot of people are suggesting that they wouldn't pay for an increased ST, and IIRC the waiting list is only 800-1,000 long, suggesting that the overall number of STHs will dip dramatically if the price rises. This probably won't be a worry for most fans, as there will be more seats available in the stadium, so they can pick and chose their games. However, the club should worry about this. Firstly, I suspect that they will not sell out games against unappealing teams, especially if we happen to play them midweek (a la Wigan). Secondly, clubs like to sell lots of STs, because it's a nice cash injection at the start of the season, when they need it most. (If nothing else, they can earn lots of interest on the capital, rather than have it coming in on a week-by-week basis).

The club is guaranteed £30m from TV money alone. Spread that across our 18,000 STHs, and they could reduce the ST price by £150 (assuming everyone was an adult) and still be £28m to the good.

Prices simply have to come down, a lot, across the board. Or football will implode.

[Wycombe Royal]

No, because they've got away with things in the past and won't realise when their luck and/or their customers' blind loyalty is about to run out.

Maybe they made good decisions based on what they thought they could get away with? Might not have been good decisions for us, but in a commercial sense they have got very little wrong. This club is run in a way that many other clubs apsire to be like and all that with it being run by people that you imply are not totally up to the job.

[Turns8]

How about selling a 2 season, season ticket, so you pay for 2 seasons for say £1000...

The club would receive extra revenue and if you could afford it you would get quite a deal...

[Winchester Royal]

Next season will be my last of being an Under-21, and I imagine I'd have to give up the Season ticket after then, with adult responsibilities.

[Dirk Gently]

No, because they've got away with things in the past and won't realise when their luck and/or their customers' blind loyalty is about to run out.

Maybe they made good decisions based on what they thought they could get away with? Might not have been good decisions for us, but in a commercial sense they have got very little wrong. This club is run in a way that many other clubs apsire to be like and all that with it being run by people that you imply are not totally up to the job.

Very true. You might not believe it, but in many ways Reading are setting best practices that are the envy of many other clubs. And knowing those at the helm as I do, I'm convinced that they are competenat people who are genuinely doing their baest for the club.

For instance, you might not like the points system and the priorities of this, but many other clubs have no such system - apart from "turn up at 9 am and queue". Remember how things used to be?

And I'm sure JM is more than delighted with the way the club is run and growing - in every way that you can measure it, on and off the pitch, Reading is an unprecedented success story. Other clubs many have come up the leagues in the past, but no-one has done it so emphatically, especially since the distribution of TV money makes the Premier League a virtual closed shop.

[Seal]

I don't disagree with any of that, but I think what people are saying is that this is an opportunity for a club to show it's humane side, show it is in touch with the fans and public opinion in general and offer a prize freeze / reduction.

I'm sure they could all squeeze us for another £100-200k or so, but baring in mind the sums of money coming in the club, I truly hope they take the opportunity to show a bit common sense. The goodwill from a price freeze will go a lot further than another £100k in the bank.

I could afford a £600, £700...£1000 season ticket if I truly had to....doesn't matter. The price isn't the issue for me, it is purely the principle, and I won't be renewing if the price rises.

[rabidbee]

To be honest, I'm going to join the love-in for the club. Aside from the odd grumble here and there (usually directed at individuals anyway - like that shrewish ticket office manager they used to have), I think the club is generally pretty well run. A far cry from the club in the 90s, let alone anything that might have preceded that!

[RoyalBlue]

No, because they've got away with things in the past and won't realise when their luck and/or their customers' blind loyalty is about to run out.

Maybe they made good decisions based on what they thought they could get away with? Might not have been good decisions for us, but in a commercial sense they have got very little wrong. This club is run in a way that many other clubs apsire to be like and all that with it being run by people that you imply are not totally up to the job.

Whilst you may not be wrong in your views I still firmly believe that the commercial management have precious little understanding of the way football supporters think (and worse still seem to ignore those, like STAR, whgo can help them in that respect). This, I believe, could lead to expensive mistakes on their part when they, through their ignorance, push the loyal supporters just that bit too far.

[Wycombe Royal]

No, because they've got away with things in the past and won't realise when their luck and/or their customers' blind loyalty is about to run out.

Maybe they made good decisions based on what they thought they could get away with? Might not have been good decisions for us, but in a commercial sense they have got very little wrong. This club is run in a way that many other clubs apsire to be like and all that with it being run by people that you imply are not totally up to the job.

Whilst you may not be wrong in your views I still firmly believe that the commercial management have precious little understanding of the way football supporters think (and worse still seem to ignore those, like STAR, whgo can help them in that respect). This, I believe, could lead to expensive mistakes on their part when they, through their ignorance, push the loyal supporters just that bit too far.

So basically you have a hunch with no evidence to back it up. I like your thinking.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Any ideas when the club will confirm pricing for next season or are we likely to have to wait until late May while they workout what seating they have and haven't got?!

[STAR Liaison]

Any ideas when the club will confirm pricing for next season or are we likely to have to wait until late May while they workout what seating they have and haven't got?!

The last we heard it is under way but I have no real idea of when it will be announced.

[RoyalBlue]

No, because they've got away with things in the past and won't realise when their luck and/or their customers' blind loyalty is about to run out.

Maybe they made good decisions based on what they thought they could get away with? Might not have been good decisions for us, but in a commercial sense they have got very little wrong. This club is run in a way that many other clubs apsire to be like and all that with it being run by people that you imply are not totally up to the job.

Whilst you may not be wrong in your views I still firmly believe that the commercial management have precious little understanding of the way football supporters think (and worse still seem to ignore those, like STAR, whgo can help them in that respect). This, I believe, could lead to expensive mistakes on their part when they, through their ignorance, push the loyal supporters just that bit too far.

So basically you have a hunch with no evidence to back it up. I like your thinking.

There was me thinking that you read what was written in these forums! If you did, you will have seen plenty of evidence, in the form of past decisions, that clearly indicate a lack of understanding of the way football fans think/operate. Please do not ask me to trot them all out again for your benefit but just a couple of examples: failure to anticipate demand for games - leading to massive queues on occasions, failure to anticipate demand for programmes and merchandise, and the reverse - expecting large turnout/levels of demand when most supporters were predicting otherwise! As for ignoring in part from STAR - how long have you got!

[Wycombe Royal]

No, because they've got away with things in the past and won't realise when their luck and/or their customers' blind loyalty is about to run out.

Maybe they made good decisions based on what they thought they could get away with? Might not have been good decisions for us, but in a commercial sense they have got very little wrong. This club is run in a way that many other clubs apsire to be like and all that with it being run by people that you imply are not totally up to the job.

Whilst you may not be wrong in your views I still firmly believe that the commercial management have precious little understanding of the way football supporters think (and worse still seem to ignore those, like STAR, whgo can help them in that respect). This, I believe, could lead to expensive mistakes on their part when they, through their ignorance, push the loyal supporters just that bit too far.

So basically you have a hunch with no evidence to back it up. I like your thinking.

There was me thinking that you read what was written in these forums! If you did, you will have seen plenty of evidence, in the form of past decisions, that clearly indicate a lack of understanding of the way football fans think/operate. Please do not ask me to trot them all out again for your benefit but just a couple of examples: failure to anticipate demand for games - leading to massive queues on occasions, failure to anticipate demand for programmes and merchandise, and the reverse - expecting large turnout/levels of demand when most supporters were predicting otherwise! As for ignoring in part from STAR - how long have you got!

Calm down dear.

[TFF]

All this has reminded me of the speculation ahead of this season's rise.

IIRC someone leaked the ticket prices to HobNob (from "a mate at the programme printers").

Two questions. Was there any comeback on the whistleblower? Could they get on the case again please?

[Nezhen]

Is anyone actually looking forward to the release of news on next seasons ticket pricing arrangements. It seems like there is a real build up of anticipation and mounting tension around this issue?

A simple solution would be a freeze for STH's who have held a ST for the last 2 seasons, a small increase for the HST holders who joined last season and STH's who joined at the beginning of this seasons and a larger increase for any new STH's joining now.

[rabidbee]

Is anyone actually looking forward to the release of news on next seasons ticket pricing arrangements. It seems like there is a real build up of anticipation and mounting tension around this issue?

A simple solution would be a freeze for STH's who have held a ST for the last 2 seasons, a small increase for the HST holders who joined last season and STH's who joined at the beginning of this seasons and a larger increase for any new STH's joining now.

Wasn't this discussed ad nauseum last summer. I seem to remember someone saying that they couldn't offer different deals to existing STHs, no matter how long those STHs had held their tickets.