The three lads who sit near me (admittedly my son and his two friends) are season ticket holders. They are all in yr 13 and are very likely to go away to University next season, places like Hull, or York or Sheffield or Bristol. My son has had a season ticket all of his life, but the 9k tuition fees millstone, and the expense of living away has me worried. It has been OK while they're under 18, but now the £225 cost, for going to less matches is daunting. I know that students can see the first 6 weeks or so of the season, and are back during holidays at Christmas and Easter, but I wonder if there may be a way of buying a kind of 15 game 'jacksons five' style ticket for students. They get their usual allocated seat, but if they don't 'claim' it a week before any particular game it can be sold. I was lucky enought to be a student in London back in the day, and used my season ticket (bought out of my grant!), but how do living away students deal with it all? Just thinking aloud really, but it would be nice to keep a link with student supporters who are living away to make sure they don't cut the ties. Anybody have some good ideas?
If i get the grades this year then i'll be going to either Leeds or Sheffield uni. Its going to cost enough getting from Essex to Leeds/Sheffield, and i don't know if i can afford a season ticket aswell, i've always had to pay for it. I'll probably end up getting a season ticket regardless, probably making about 12/13 of the games, and trying to do as many aways around Yorkshire as possible. Its not ideal, and a lot can change from April the 5th, but hopefully championship football will soften any hits to my wallet.
I had a ST in the West Stand in the glory years of 04-07 when at Swansea Uni. Hardly ever used it but could resell easily in the Prem when I needed to.
There are under 21 reductions, and under 18 ones tis true, but what with so many more youngsters now going to Uni compared to the past, maybe a bit of a brainstorm about how to best keep/tempt them would be a good idea. The leap from the U18 to the U21, especially as it is unlikely that all the matches will be attended, is quite a percentage increase.
I thought they had specific discounts for students, however I guess they have changed that to all U21s which I see as a good thing.
It does mean that if you are 20 and not a student and attend all the games you will benefit more than an Undergraduate that is living a long way from home, but with the prices (and I've just looked them up) at two thirds of the price for an adult I think it is hardly much to complain about. When I was at University (in Sheffield) I didn't miss one home league game, and I don't think there was any student discount in those days.
But surely those who bought 5 year tickets knew the risk? Had we continued to slide down the leagues ticket prices would have to have been cut even more. But if we have bounched straight back to the premiership you would be sitting pretty now. It's like getting a fixed rate mortgage - you really cant complain when the interest rate goes downinstead of up, that was the risk you took. Did you honestly buy a 5 year ticket because you wanted to help the club or because you thought you would be much better off after only 3 years. There are still 2 years to go most offers like this have you worse off for the first part of the deal to recoup the money in the second half.
It can now be revealed, since it was in the Bury programme, that talks about new ST prices started with the target 40k focus group back in October. They considered the pros and cons of different approaches. They met again in January and made further recommendations to the board who then made the final decison. The fans forum was also briefed.
The programme also mentions that
"if we return to the championship, then it is likely that in due course we will need to increase prices, at least in line with the typical £100 more charged adults in 2008/9.
This will also be considered when we come to set prices after this year's deadline, so the advice is buy early if you can".
DRF - I do agree. I knew there was a risk when I bought the 5 year ticket that we may not even be around - it was before the takeover remember. However I know Mr Slater re-stated, when we reduced prices last year, that the club would look to ensure that 5 year ticket holders would end up ahead by the end of the term (Airman says it again above).
As I said, I knew the risk. We could have continued to fall, but I was always going to be there. The great thing about this club is that we have always looked after the fans. I speak with friends & colleagues who are fans of other clubs and they are full of admiration (and envy) for the pricing structure here for all ages. Long may it continue, for all our benefit & enjoyment!
I don't get the target 40k group. They seem to have more power than the fans forum - ticket pricing is surely one of the biggest issues as far as fans are concerned. Yet I have no idea who they are, why they are, or what they do. Can someone enlighten me?
I don't get the target 40k group. They seem to have more power than the fans forum - ticket pricing is surely one of the biggest issues as far as fans are concerned. Yet I have no idea who they are, why they are, or what they do. Can someone enlighten me?
The distinction is that the Fans' Forum is a group that is effectively nominated by the fans, as they are the people who run supporters' groups, while the T40k committee is a group of people chosen by the board to advise them because of their knowledge and experience.
Comments
I know that students can see the first 6 weeks or so of the season, and are back during holidays at Christmas and Easter, but I wonder if there may be a way of buying a kind of 15 game 'jacksons five' style ticket for students. They get their usual allocated seat, but if they don't 'claim' it a week before any particular game it can be sold.
I was lucky enought to be a student in London back in the day, and used my season ticket (bought out of my grant!), but how do living away students deal with it all?
Just thinking aloud really, but it would be nice to keep a link with student supporters who are living away to make sure they don't cut the ties.
Anybody have some good ideas?
If i get the grades this year then i'll be going to either Leeds or Sheffield uni. Its going to cost enough getting from Essex to Leeds/Sheffield, and i don't know if i can afford a season ticket aswell, i've always had to pay for it.
I'll probably end up getting a season ticket regardless, probably making about 12/13 of the games, and trying to do as many aways around Yorkshire as possible. Its not ideal, and a lot can change from April the 5th, but hopefully championship football will soften any hits to my wallet.
It does mean that if you are 20 and not a student and attend all the games you will benefit more than an Undergraduate that is living a long way from home, but with the prices (and I've just looked them up) at two thirds of the price for an adult I think it is hardly much to complain about. When I was at University (in Sheffield) I didn't miss one home league game, and I don't think there was any student discount in those days.
It's like getting a fixed rate mortgage - you really cant complain when the interest rate goes downinstead of up, that was the risk you took.
Did you honestly buy a 5 year ticket because you wanted to help the club or because you thought you would be much better off after only 3 years.
There are still 2 years to go most offers like this have you worse off for the first part of the deal to recoup the money in the second half.
My daughter's at university so I have this problem but have just continued with the second ticket to date.
I may need to review it though.
The programme also mentions that
"if we return to the championship, then it is likely that in due course we will need to increase prices, at least in line with the typical £100 more charged adults in 2008/9.
This will also be considered when we come to set prices after this year's deadline, so the advice is buy early if you can".
As I said, I knew the risk. We could have continued to fall, but I was always going to be there. The great thing about this club is that we have always looked after the fans. I speak with friends & colleagues who are fans of other clubs and they are full of admiration (and envy) for the pricing structure here for all ages. Long may it continue, for all our benefit & enjoyment!
Can someone enlighten me?