MCFC Supporters Trust Statement On Season Ticket Prices

In response to the recent release of the 2007/08 Season Ticket prices, the MCFC Supporters Trust Working Party would like to acknowledge the gesture our Club is making in, following Wigan Athletics and Blackburn Rovers lead and dropping the prices for children under the age of 16 to £5 a game but fear that this will have very little impact on the uptake of season tickets overall. We have been contacted by a number of fans who feel that the club could have given something back to the wider spectrum of fans as a gesture that their support is appreciated.

Historically, season tickets have been used to guarantee a seat in the stadium, with a small discount for paying in advance. as opposed to paying on a game by game basis for every home game. Supporters are looking at the many empty seats, even for the most attractive games, and feel that it is not worth paying for a season ticket when you can pick and choose individual games.

No one is naïve enough to think that the price of tickets is the sole reason for falling attendances at our Club. Season ticket prices are one of the reasons why fans are stopping attending but other reasons include the standard of football, games moving to suit TV schedules, lack of atmosphere and no real investment in the team for a number of years.

Dropping the price of season tickets isn’t the only way to generate interest or induce renewal. We suggest that there are other alternatives such as allowing free entry to a certain number of home cup games (which Arsenal implemented this season) or the offering of an interest free payment scheme over a three, six or twelve month basis. Our Club currently operates a Cup Tickets Direct Scheme so we presume the facility already exists to cope with multiple payments.

It is very disheartening to hear about a season ticket holder who after twenty or thirty years has decided to walk away from the Club they love. We want and need those supporters back at the games.

Higher gates mean additional revenue in the stadium or the club shop and might also help the atmosphere, which is in need of a boost. In this regard, we must also applaud the singing section initiative for next season and encourage the club to engage more with its supporters in finding ways to improve the match day experience.

The subject of ticket prices is one area of concern but there are of course several others. We will be presenting our concerns and aims for the proposed trust at our Open Meeting on Sunday 4th March at the University of Manchester’s Renold Building, Sackville Street Complex, Altrincham Street, Manchester. Further details and a map for the venue can be found on our blog at http://www.mcfcsupporterstrust.blogspot.com/ or alternatively e-mail us at mcfcsupporters@hotmail.co.uk.


Best wishes

Colin Howell, Colin Savage, Gavin Cooper, Ian Barton, Mickey Horan, Miles Webber, Ollie Goddard.

MCFC Supporters Trust Working Party