City Silence On Season Ticket Sales
This time last year our Club confirmed how many season tickets had been sold (link here). Today, our Club has issued their annual statement but chosen not to detail how many season tickets have been sold (link here).
Recently Paul Tyrell, our Club's Head of Communications, commented that "No leading club communicates so frequently and on so many levels with their supporters as we do." We look forward to the update on season ticket sales shortly, an issue which we are sure interests the majority of supporters and shareholders alike.
posted by Manchester City Supporters' Trust @ 7:14 pm
10 comments
"YOUR CITY. YOUR TRUST."
10 Comments:
I take your point but if sales are a bit slow this year it is not in the club's (and therefore our) interests to shout about it is it? You're not going to sell more by saying we've got loads left are you?
I've bought mine, by the way. I'm ready for the season to finish but I'll be raring to go come August.
It's clear to me that the Club's price freeze strategy has failed big time and the board are going to have to own up to their on incompetence. It will be interesting to see season ticket sales figures at the Club who have dropped prices.
I've had a season ticket for 15 years but not renewed yet. Feel like making a statement and almost forcing the board to accept that quality investment needs to be made in the squad. I will renew later in the summer come what may but I dont blame others for maybe not renewing as the football has been a shambles this season.
Nick Dykes makes a good point but I think the point of the article is that the Club has set a precedent in confirming numbers each year and by conveniently leaving this off this time are either acknowledging a big problem or trying to hide a strategic business error/ mistake made by the board which should as current custodians of the club be accountable to the shareholders. Either way the loss of significant business from a captive audience over a three year period (City fans love City and are not consumers so have no choice of supplier) it further confirms that business decisions being made by the board are worse than those made at other retailers whose customers have choice. Can anyone answer how many successful business models are built on almost 50% of customers leaving over a five year cycle?
I've had a season ticket since the 95/96 season (so hardly a glory hunter!), but I've not bothered for next year. Why? Several reasons:
1) I've already missed 2 home games due to work commitments. With Sky and Setanta messing up schedules, I'll probably miss a few again, thus losing the profit saving
2) No game this season has sold out, so no worries if I haven't got every game pre-booked
3) The quality of the football. I'm obviously not bothered about not winning things, but seeing a goal every now and again would be nice
4) The racist muppet behind me. A report has already be made to the club, but it continues. I refuse to sit there again next year and certainly wouldn't take my kids to listen to him. I was promised by the club that my name was against some other seats a few rows back in November, however, when I rang at renewal time, I was told that no such thing had been done and there were no free seats left in my block. The option was to sit in the north stand, shielding my eyes every time it's sunny or stump up the extra cash for a seat in the posh bits. I took option 3 - no thanks, I'll just get a ticket if it's not on TV and if it's a decent sounding game (about 4 then).
It hurts me to think I'll probably only bother going to a handful of games next season, but I'm sure I'll get used to it. And my kids, well they'll never get into going to live football, so that's a generation of fans lost for the future. Well done Sky, the Premier League and City. Ever wonder where all the empty seats are coming from?
I have to say there an awful lot of sanctamonious bulls##t in many of the comments above.
(With the obvious exception of the problems with the racist idiot.... you shouldn't have to move mate... coz he shouldn't be allowed into the ground)
Its the game as whole that is currently struggling... I suppose our board are to blame for that too.
Our board are doing the best they can under very difficult circumstances, as the games vast riches are ring-fenced by an evermore powerful group of elite clubs.
If I was Wardle or Makin and kept reading this sort of nonsense I'd ask for the £20M back and see what you have to say then.
If you want to lay the blame anywhere then look no further thsn the FA and Brian Barwick. Some of the self-delutional rubbish he's been spouting over the last few weeks will tell you all you need to know about the problems at our club and many others too.
I've renewed, after much thought, but understand completely why many might not. Its no longer an easily affordable pass-time, but a considerable financial committment with little or no guarantees for your money.
I've read many of the articles and blogs on the idea of the supporters trust at City and I fear a potentially good idea will get swamped under an avalanche of negative know-all idiots.
Its supposed to be about bringing positive and original ideas to our club. Its not a bleedin witch-hunt.
I think you all make very good points. I am horrified no action has been taken against the racist clown you have had to put up with and suggest you continue to complain to the club in the strongest manner. I would also, on match days, bring it to the attention of the stewards.
It's great to see some debate as that is what is needed. The key is what happens once we've all had our say and what positive change we can bring about.
I can see merit in most points on here. There is a malaise in the game, which is awash with money that will only ever see the "Big 4" get richer and leave the rest of us further behind.
However, there are also some decisions made at the club where as fans and shareholders, we should have the right to hold people properly accountable. I am not for one minute suggesting a witch hunt, sackings or a return to the Swales days, just proper accountability like any other company in the world.
When decisions are made it is often behind the premise "we are a business nowadays". Conveniently though, we are all too accepting when it goes wrong because we revert to "well we're a football club and football is completely different to any other business."
I have to agree with Steve. I've been watching City for over 40 years and have renewed my season ticket for next year even tho I miss a number of matches because I am abroad for part of the year.
In terms of pricing of season tickets over the last few seasons, the Board should be praised. It would be interesting to see a comparison of season ticket prices across all clubs for the last 2/3 seasons.
A number of fans here and on other sites seem to have got themselves into such a negative frame of mind that nothing the club does is right. My season has been spoiled by one such foul mouthed fan who hasn't stopped moaning from the first whistle.
Attendances at the ground are down but I fail to see why the Board should be criticised for not releasing the ticket figues at this stage. If they do they will just become the whipping boys yet again. It isn't just the football served up - the TV coverage, the monopoly of the top 4 clubs, timing of matches, "professionalism" i.e. cheating by players etc - all these have a negative impact on attendances.
I grant that not everything that the club does is right but compared with most, I believe that the Board does a good job. I hope that the Trust does not just become a tool by which the whingers continually have a go at the club.
I havent renewed mine - and I wont be doing. No reflection on the club tho. Two reasons
(1) At MR I needed an ST to guarantee a seat - our natural crowd is prob 40k so there will usually be spare seats at new ground so no need for an ST
(2) I have had to miss 4 games on my ST this season cos of anti-social kick off times
So next year I will just buy tickets for games that I can go to and accept that I may miss out on the derby etc
For the first time in twenty years I am not renewing. Strange really because it's cheaper this year for me and my son, we're still in the Premiership and we do have some good players - so why not?
It's because it has become dull.
A lack of investment to support the squad combined with a poor transfer policy has seen the team stripped to the bare bones. Luckily we have a productive youth team policy which is forcing the managements hand.
The management does not appear capable of breaking down teams who simply do not want to lose - in part because of the transfer policy and poor quality signings. Too many games without goals, too many Bolton or Boro type matches.
The clubs policy of cheap season tickets for kids should be applauded, but something feels wrong at the club these days - I can't put my finger on it though. Maybe the club are just happy with survival.
I love City and want them to do well (I've spent enough time and money over the years to prove this) but I just don't feel motivated enough to buy another season ticket. I would feel differently if they buy quality in the summer. But will they???
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