'It is advisable that anyone keen to take up the Crossbars package should purchase or relocate their season ticket to within the first six rows of the upper tier of the North Stand, for ease of access from their seat to the lounge at busy periods such as half-time. However, the package is available to any season-ticket holder in the upper tier of the North Stand and those currently located in the front six rows are under no obligation to purchase a Crossbars package.'
Not sure what the fuss is you don't have to sit in front six rows and if you do you don't have to move!
Not now but that was the ruling until it was changed, partially due to the "fuss"
Or they provided clarification rather than change because of the fuss
No, it's a change. I was specifically told this morning that my seat would be lost if I did not take up the Crossbars offer.
Sorry, genuinely confused now. In easy-to-understand language for people like me, how does this work ?
If I renew before April 9th, I pay £300 for the seat I've had since the Covered End Upper was opened, after that £530 ?
Being made to pay an extra £230 for my seat in the front of the Covered End Upper, above the Lower and in front of the back is wrong (hee hee) on (giggle) So Many Levels !
I've had my phone call, just after making my post above coincidentally, and spoke to an excellent representative whose name I will not disclose as I do not want to risk getting them into trouble.
Cutting through the spiel it appears that those of us affected will be able to renew our existing seats at a "normal" season ticket price for season 2014/15 if we renew before 9 April. However "going forward" our seats will be a package area for Crossbars.
I raised the issue about fans being forced to move late last night by email on behalf of the Trust, it's membership and the fans. And Ben Kensell responded lunchtime today.
To let one cat out of the bag, I and several others at the February consultation voiced concerns about moving fans. But this was not clear in the documentation seen last night a couple of weeks after a meeting with the fans forum reps.
Also we applied this logic to the proposal to move the family area to the East Stand which was dropped as being one change too far. Good thing too else this place might have gone into meltdown!
When I get a chance I will write up an appraisal of all of the changes with pros and cons... but I think the overall crossbars package is attractive to certain fans. How long it takes to get going is anyone's guess.
The main thing is that there is a price freeze in the North Stand so best buy your tickets before April 9th when who knows what the prices might be... I suspect at that point both the Club and us lot will have a better picture of what division we are playing in so back the Addicks now if you want to guarantee these prices.
I'm not sure why people spend so much time accusing and abusing club staff on here. They're doing a job and perhaps they make mistakes but the speed at which this one was rectified is similar to the speed of response the Trust has been getting since the previous owners sold up.
I understand if it's a shit player or shit team performance but back office staff?
The club is on the up and I do wish people would put more effort into supporting it on and off the field. I've been incredibly busy today sorting out some target operating ideas for an organisation a little bit bigger than CAFC. If someone gave me the kind of abuse and negative critisism in the work place that has been dished out on here I would think long and hard about how I might deal with that situation and that would take my mind off the job in hand.
We all want the club to be more open and explain things with a continuation of the comms we have seen this year to date so please do ask questions or lobby the trust to ask the club and we will get answers just as we did about the pitch and prioritising the cup. But let's keep it positive eh?
Thanks for your effort. It is greatly appreciated.
Regarding the below. The club officials should be making rational, well thought out & tested decisions.
Not decisions that are so poor, they have to be revoked in a matter of hours.
Incompetence is not to be applauded.
"I'm not sure why people spend so much time accusing and abusing club staff on here. They're doing a job and perhaps they make mistakes but the speed at which this one was rectified is similar to the speed of response the Trust has been getting since the previous owners sold up."
Price-freeze ? £300 before 9/4/14 £530 after 9/4/14 ?
As you know, I've supported the Trust as much as I could since day 1, but, if the Trust, or just yourself "think the overall crossbars package is attractive to certain fans. How long it takes to get going is anyone's guess" I, with respect, think you have not listened to supporters who have S/Ts in the Covered End Upper.
Thanks for your effort. It is greatly appreciated.
Regarding the below. The club officials should be making rational, well thought out & tested decisions.
Not decisions that are so poor, they have to be revoked in a matter of hours.
Incompetence is not to be applauded.
"I'm not sure why people spend so much time accusing and abusing club staff on here. They're doing a job and perhaps they make mistakes but the speed at which this one was rectified is similar to the speed of response the Trust has been getting since the previous owners sold up."
Thank you - the journey over the first 18 months of the Trust has been interesting and we are at a point now where we can do something positive.
I agree things should be done well but if a mistake is fixed then all the better. And if there is a mechanism to advise before the mistakes are made then we are cooking on gas! If we can build on the concept of the supporters Trust and Fans Forum being a sounding board then we can develop ways to make things smoother and faster. For I am impatient and want our club to get back to the right end of the table with the right sized crowds and I see the overall ST package as a step in the right direction. I am certain we will sell more season tickets but more on that later.
As Razil mentioned earlier we are in the midst of a Matchday survey commisioned by the club which is why I know there is a demand for matchday lounges. It is also going to tell the club about a range of fans tastes and preferences. We need more focus groups and more ways to hear what the club leadership are saying.
Don't get us wrong if the Trust think there is something wrong and the club won't listen or debate it then we will be very vocal but the shrill voices of criticism on here from some people every 15 minutes battering staff who work for MY club is starting to grate.
I understand getting a better deal if you buy early. I get why there would be a better incentive, but for me, that turns Crossbars into a punishment. "Renew now, or we'll force you to pay £230 more so you can stand in a bar you don't like!"
And what will happen in 12 months time? Is the pre-April 9th thing effectively a stay of execution?
The club is on the up and I do wish people would put more effort into supporting it on and off the field.
What makes you think we are on the up? as a club I'd say we're the opposite of on the up.. To spend weeks upon weeks of sitting around a table thinking up an idea without contacting the real FANS (NOT CUSTOMERS!!!), then to do a complete U-turn within 45mins is ridiculous to say the least, not many people get away with that in their job.
This isn't over, because the next stage will probably be a retreat from the £230 upgrade price, once the club realises that it will cause a fall in take-up.
While I can't fault Seriously Red's optimism, this has been a textbook example of how not to do things, and the extent of the reaction shows what a bloody silly idea it was in the first place, not how wonderful the people who made the mistake are.
The letter did not communicate the original message properly and presumably the printed season ticket forms are all misleading as to the revised position and will go on causing confusion for days and weeks to come, especially as the club is pretending that it has not changed its position.
This and the recent refusal to set out the refund arrangements for the original Sheff Wednesday game are not clever; they suggest someone thinks the "customers" are stupid.
One of the reasons I gave the family area plan a good airing in VOTV was to make very clear to Ben Kensell that if the club went down the route of forcibly relocating longstanding season-ticket holders there would be uproar, but I didn't expect him to come up with something just as daft.
Red7Oak said:'It is advisable that anyone keen to take up the Crossbars package should purchase or relocate their season ticket to within the first six rows of the upper tier of the North Stand, for ease of access from their seat to the lounge at busy periods such as half-time. However, the package is available to any season-ticket holder in the upper tier of the North Stand and those currently located in the front six rows are under no obligation to purchase a Crossbars package.'
Not sure what the fuss is you don't have to sit in front six rows and if you do you don't have to move!
Not now but that was the ruling until it was changed, partially due to the "fuss"
Or they provided clarification rather than change because of the fuss
No, they have quite clearly changed it.
Read the early posts from people who had letters and phone calls.
The intention was to make the front six rows Crossbars only hence it being called that on the seating plan.
They have now changed that which is a good thing but they have changed not "clarified" as a result of the fuss/customer feedback Alll sounds paranoia
I am certain we will sell more season tickets but more on that later.
Not sure what the graph of season ticket sales of recent seasons has been but I'm guessing it has got lower and lower over the years and imo I think next season will be lower than this season(whatever league we are in) Crowds are going down in general and I can't see ours going up by much at all , even if we had a decent push for promotion to the Championship or Prem , unless we get promoted to the Prem I think the home support will hang around current numbers at the very very best and more than likely continue to drop
If the club want to utilise crossbars then they should stop charging for people to take children in. I know many people where I sit , that would quite happily pay for Crossbars but the charge the kids is ridiculous .
Price-freeze ? £300 before 9/4/14 £530 after 9/4/14 ?
As you know, I've supported the Trust as much as I could since day 1, but, if the Trust, or just yourself "think the overall crossbars package is attractive to certain fans. How long it takes to get going is anyone's guess" I, with respect, think you have not listened to supporters who have S/Ts in the Covered End Upper.
I think this is very clever by the club. They must know that a lot of people will be swithering about buying/renewing due to one of/all of the following:
1. Strapped for cash 2. Waiting to see what league we will be in. 3. Uncertain about the Duchatelet regime
I certainly fall into all 3 but if what Im reading is correct for where I currently sit (west block K) then I'm on the blower as soon as the commercial centre opens today to buy two adult STs. Sure the crossbars thing is a bit messy and the block A and wander to a dear seat scenario is prone to abuse but I'm suddenly 200 quid better off and prepared to commit right now when I'd have otherwise waited till the summer. Good marketing. Well done charlton for once!
Edit
Since posting the above I have read the crossbars stuff properly. If they are seriously proposing moving people against their will that is out of order. I will buy for next year but will be making it clear when I call that it is a year on year decision and I will view mistreatment of fellow fans dimly next year when considering my own purchase even if it is in an unaffected area.
I think this is very clever by the club. They must know that a lot of people will be swithering about buying/renewing due to one of/all of the following:
1. Strapped for cash 2. Waiting to see what league we will be in. 3. Uncertain about the Duchatelet regime
I certainly fall into all 3 but if what Im reading is correct for where I currently sit (west block K) then I'm on the blower as soon as the commercial centre opens today to buy two adult STs. Sure the crossbars thing is a bit messy and the block A and wander to a dear seat scenario is prone to abuse but I'm suddenly 200 quid better off and prepared to commit right now when I'd have otherwise waited till the summer. Good marketing. Well done charlton for once!
Edit
Since posting the above I have read the crossbars stuff properly. If they are seriously proposing moving people against their will that is out of order. I will buy for next year but will be making it clear when I call that it is a year on year decision and I will view mistreatment of fellow fans dimly next year when considering my own purchase even if it is in an unaffected area.
I don't think you have read it properly, as you do not have to move.
'It is advisable that anyone keen to take up the Crossbars package should purchase or relocate their season ticket to within the first six rows of the upper tier of the North Stand, for ease of access from their seat to the lounge at busy periods such as half-time. However, the package is available to any season-ticket holder in the upper tier of the North Stand and those currently located in the front six rows are under no obligation to purchase a Crossbars package.'
Not sure what the fuss is you don't have to sit in front six rows and if you do you don't have to move!
Not now but that was the ruling until it was changed, partially due to the "fuss"
Or they provided clarification rather than change because of the fuss
No, they have quite clearly changed it.
Read the early posts from people who had letters and phone calls.
The intention was to make the front six rows Crossbars only hence it being called that on the seating plan.
They have now changed that which is a good thing but they have changed not "clarified" as a result of the fuss/customer feedback
Alll sounds paranoia
All sounds like you just want to ignore what others have said, what others have been told by club staff and what the clubs own letters say.
I think the Club has badly misjudged the "Crossbars package", but I also feel that it is clear what they are trying to do and, like it or not, if people think that an aggressive price increase is unacceptable because it "forces" them out of their seat then I suspect we're going to see more discontent going forward.
The Club clearly believe that they can generate more revenue (and they probably hoped more goodwill) by significantly increasing the pricing differentiation between the "best" and "worst" seats. The challenge is to figure out how you get, say, £750-£850 from those willing and able to pay that much whilst also selling season tickets to those "only" prepared to pay, say, £200-£250. The difficulty is increased because fans don't "reveal" their pricing point. Those that might pay more won't say how much (why should they) whilst the many fans who say tickets are too expensive may not turn up regularly anyway even if tickets were a lot cheaper. Against this background next season's ticket pricing might be seen as an experiment designed to reveal preferences.
The rock-bottom pricing at the away-end end of the East Stand is the easy bit. This is (almost) football for a fiver every week and it will be interesting to see the take up. My guess is that those trying to be "clever" (cheat) apart, sales will be low. We'll see, but either way the outcome will inform pricing in future seasons.
The harder question is what to do at the other extreme, i.e. what should the highest price be? I'm a bit surprised that the Club haven't been a bit more aggressive with the central areas in the East and West Stands where I suspect prices are lower than they could be. However, the Club is probably being cute here because the numbers moving out of these seats into cheaper options will provide significant market intelligence. I suspect that not many will move so that the next step will be to increase prices in these premium areas, having proved the seats will still sell. For sure, if we get promotion to the Premier League I'd expect to see prices in these central areas increase very markedly. Will people then say they are being "forced" out of their seats? Perhaps, but the Club will argue that cheaper seats are available elsewhere. You can move. Your choice.
The problem with all of this, and hence the muddle with the Crossbars package, is the configuration of the Ground. The premium packages need to go with the "best" seats. For most people these are in the centre and on the side of the pitch, not behind the goal. However, premium packages are most likely to be saleable if they include somewhere to have a drink, snack or even just to warm up at half-time, even if only because the buyers feel they are getting something for their money. It's important to understand that the price of these packages is bundled. Buyers are not paying x for a ticket and y for the use of a lounge. They are paying x plus y for a ticket with additional benefits. There is a difference and the buyer will often pay more for the bundle than for the components. Indeed, some will pay for the ticket and not bother with the lounge at all. Obviously, the snag is that in the East Stand, which many might feel has the very best seats, there is no lounge option. Even the West is complex because of the "clash" with existing packages.
As result, the Club has contrived the premium package in the Upper North. It's an obvious mistake, however, because in all likelihood the seats in the front of the Upper North will not appeal to the "customer" Ben Kensall has in mind - I know some people don't like the term customer, but I mean no offence when I make the point this way.
Anyway, back to my opening point, what we are seeing here is the price of some seats which, by definition, some people are already sitting in, becoming more expensive relative to those elsewhere in the Stadium. Those in those seats can choose to stay and pay more or move to a cheaper seat elsewhere. We'll see more of this, I suspect, as the price of seats in the centre of the East and West Stands increases disproportionately over the next 3-5 seasons, provided we see success on the pitch. Unfortunately, the Club's first move in this direction is ill judged - they've chosen the wrong seats to experiment with. I suspect they'll back off and reconsider the pricing of both the seats and the lounge. Nothing wrong with that if the right lessons have been learnt.
Maybe you should have representated the Trust at the "consultation" so you could have made those points in advance and maybe avoiding the PR gaff for the Club. : - )
The idea of differentiating the areas of the ground makes good sense when you are selling out ie in the Premiership.
So Ben Kensell is either being very smart in doing the groundwork now for our eventual return to the top flight or has made a big boob by assuming that we'll get back to the prem very soon but has overlooked the many flaws and loss of income pointed out in this thread until that happens.
I hope for Ben's sake he has costed out all the changes otherwise his next appraisal with Katrien is going to be uncomfortable.
Price-freeze ? £300 before 9/4/14 £530 after 9/4/14 ?
As you know, I've supported the Trust as much as I could since day 1, but, if the Trust, or just yourself "think the overall crossbars package is attractive to certain fans. How long it takes to get going is anyone's guess" I, with respect, think you have not listened to supporters who have S/Ts in the Covered End Upper.
The extra 230 includes the CrossBar thing
But, what if I don't want to use CrossBars ? Surely it should stay as it is: If you want to go in there, you can pay if you like.
I don't think I have sat in the same seat twice since I had STs a good few years ago. I rarely sit in the same seat for each half. Really don't understand the panic about using one bit of plastic instead of another.
Maybe you should have representated the Trust at the "consultation" so you could have made those points in advance and maybe avoiding the PR gaff for the Club. : - )
The idea of differentiating the areas of the ground makes good sense when you are selling out ie in the Premiership.
So Ben Kensell is either being very smart in doing the groundwork now for our eventual return to the top flight or has made a big boob by assuming that we'll get back to the prem very soon but has overlooked the many flaws and loss of income pointed out in this thread until that happens.
I hope for Ben's sake he has costed out all the changes otherwise his next appraisal with Katrien is going to be uncomfortable.
Just as likely to hinge in whether he can get a new shirt sponsor that stands comparison with other clubs, in my opinion. That is not to disrespect Andrews in any way, but BK is the person saying publicly we can do better.
Nobody can ever say what the ticket revenue would have been if the prices were unchanged, only what it was this season. MF makes some good points, but there are obvious practical flaws in the structure. I can buy our two seats for £350 each, or I can buy two adult admission seats at £150 each and two U11 tickets where I actually want to sit, saving £300. I won't, but some will.
Price-freeze ? £300 before 9/4/14 £530 after 9/4/14 ?
As you know, I've supported the Trust as much as I could since day 1, but, if the Trust, or just yourself "think the overall crossbars package is attractive to certain fans. How long it takes to get going is anyone's guess" I, with respect, think you have not listened to supporters who have S/Ts in the Covered End Upper.
The extra 230 includes the CrossBar thing
But, what if I don't want to use CrossBars ? Surely it should stay as it is: If you want to go in there, you can pay if you like.
Then don't buy the pass !!! And you don't have to move, I'm sure this was sorted 4 page and half a day ago .
And I have it on good authority that STs and tickets will all be electronic anyway. There will be a swipe card system on your seat to ensure right ticket (age, row, number etc) is in the right seat and a steward gets beeped if anything is wrong.
North Lower and Lower tier of away end to be standing once this is allowed. Away capacity goes to 4500.
And I have it on good authority that STs and tickets will all be electronic anyway. There will be a swipe card system on your seat to ensure right ticket (age, row, number etc) is in the right seat and a steward gets beeped if anything is wrong.
North Lower and Lower tier of away end to be standing once this is allowed. Away capacity goes to 4500.
What Ben Kensall needs to remember is that we are not Arsenal who attracts tens of thousands every week to a game. We do get get the type of people who are prepared to pay extra £100's just to sit in a lounge at half time or enjoy posh meals before a game. Maybe if we were playing Man Utd, or Spurs etc every week it would be different, but most of us want a seat for the game and a chance for a drink/burger before the game. It isnt really that hard to grasp, so get the simple things right and we will keep coming back regardless of results. Mess us about, and we will stay away!
To me, it just seems that the club is desperately trying to get people into an underused bar. Probably not the worst idea, but they have gone about it in a completely wrong way.
To me, it just seems that the club is desperately trying to get people into an underused bar. Probably not the worst idea, but they have gone about it in a completely wrong way.
How hard is it too get several thousand mainly blokes into a bar inside the ground? How about free entry with your season ticket, or cheap drinks. Let us go in at half time, or after the game and watch big screen tvs. How can they go about getting it so arse upwards!?
Comments
Being made to pay an extra £230 for my seat in the front of the Covered End Upper, above the Lower and in front of the back is wrong (hee hee) on (giggle) So Many Levels !
*coat*
After that still not clear.
To let one cat out of the bag, I and several others at the February consultation voiced concerns about moving fans. But this was not clear in the documentation seen last night a couple of weeks after a meeting with the fans forum reps.
Also we applied this logic to the proposal to move the family area to the East Stand which was dropped as being one change too far. Good thing too else this place might have gone into meltdown!
When I get a chance I will write up an appraisal of all of the changes with pros and cons... but I think the overall crossbars package is attractive to certain fans. How long it takes to get going is anyone's guess.
The main thing is that there is a price freeze in the North Stand so best buy your tickets before April 9th when who knows what the prices might be... I suspect at that point both the Club and us lot will have a better picture of what division we are playing in so back the Addicks now if you want to guarantee these prices.
I'm not sure why people spend so much time accusing and abusing club staff on here. They're doing a job and perhaps they make mistakes but the speed at which this one was rectified is similar to the speed of response the Trust has been getting since the previous owners sold up.
I understand if it's a shit player or shit team performance but back office staff?
The club is on the up and I do wish people would put more effort into supporting it on and off the field. I've been incredibly busy today sorting out some target operating ideas for an organisation a little bit bigger than CAFC. If someone gave me the kind of abuse and negative critisism in the work place that has been dished out on here I would think long and hard about how I might deal with that situation and that would take my mind off the job in hand.
We all want the club to be more open and explain things with a continuation of the comms we have seen this year to date so please do ask questions or lobby the trust to ask the club and we will get answers just as we did about the pitch and prioritising the cup. But let's keep it positive eh?
Regarding the below. The club officials should be making rational, well thought out & tested decisions.
Not decisions that are so poor, they have to be revoked in a matter of hours.
Incompetence is not to be applauded.
"I'm not sure why people spend so much time accusing and abusing club staff on here. They're doing a job and perhaps they make mistakes but the speed at which this one was rectified is similar to the speed of response the Trust has been getting since the previous owners sold up."
Price-freeze ?
£300 before 9/4/14
£530 after 9/4/14 ?
As you know, I've supported the Trust as much as I could since day 1, but, if the Trust, or just yourself "think the overall crossbars package is attractive to certain fans. How long it takes to get going is anyone's guess" I, with respect, think you have not listened to supporters who have S/Ts in the Covered End Upper.
I agree things should be done well but if a mistake is fixed then all the better. And if there is a mechanism to advise before the mistakes are made then we are cooking on gas!
If we can build on the concept of the supporters Trust and Fans Forum being a sounding board then we can develop ways to make things smoother and faster. For I am impatient and want our club to get back to the right end of the table with the right sized crowds and I see the overall ST package as a step in the right direction. I am certain we will sell more season tickets but more on that later.
As Razil mentioned earlier we are in the midst of a Matchday survey commisioned by the club which is why I know there is a demand for matchday lounges. It is also going to tell the club about a range of fans tastes and preferences. We need more focus groups and more ways to hear what the club leadership are saying.
Don't get us wrong if the Trust think there is something wrong and the club won't listen or debate it then we will be very vocal but the shrill voices of criticism on here from some people every 15 minutes battering staff who work for MY club is starting to grate.
And what will happen in 12 months time? Is the pre-April 9th thing effectively a stay of execution?
While I can't fault Seriously Red's optimism, this has been a textbook example of how not to do things, and the extent of the reaction shows what a bloody silly idea it was in the first place, not how wonderful the people who made the mistake are.
The letter did not communicate the original message properly and presumably the printed season ticket forms are all misleading as to the revised position and will go on causing confusion for days and weeks to come, especially as the club is pretending that it has not changed its position.
This and the recent refusal to set out the refund arrangements for the original Sheff Wednesday game are not clever; they suggest someone thinks the "customers" are stupid.
One of the reasons I gave the family area plan a good airing in VOTV was to make very clear to Ben Kensell that if the club went down the route of forcibly relocating longstanding season-ticket holders there would be uproar, but I didn't expect him to come up with something just as daft.
Red7Oak said:'It is advisable that anyone keen to take up the Crossbars package should purchase or relocate their season ticket to within the first six rows of the upper tier of the North Stand, for ease of access from their seat to the lounge at busy periods such as half-time.
However, the package is available to any season-ticket holder in the upper tier of the North Stand and those currently located in the front six rows are under no obligation to purchase a Crossbars package.'
Not sure what the fuss is you don't have to sit in front six rows and if you do you don't have to move!
Not now but that was the ruling until it was changed, partially due to the "fuss"
Or they provided clarification rather than change because of the fuss
No, they have quite clearly changed it.
Read the early posts from people who had letters and phone calls.
The intention was to make the front six rows Crossbars only hence it being called that on the seating plan.
They have now changed that which is a good thing but they have changed not "clarified" as a result of the fuss/customer feedback
Alll sounds paranoia
and imo I think next season will be lower than this season(whatever league we are in)
Crowds are going down in general and I can't see ours going up by much at all , even if we had a decent push for promotion to the Championship or Prem , unless we get promoted to the Prem I think the home support will hang around current numbers at the very very best and more than likely continue to drop
I think this is very clever by the club. They must know that a lot of people will be swithering about buying/renewing due to one of/all of the following:
1. Strapped for cash
2. Waiting to see what league we will be in.
3. Uncertain about the Duchatelet regime
I certainly fall into all 3 but if what Im reading is correct for where I currently sit (west block K) then I'm on the blower as soon as the commercial centre opens today to buy two adult STs. Sure the crossbars thing is a bit messy and the block A and wander to a dear seat scenario is prone to abuse but I'm suddenly 200 quid better off and prepared to commit right now when I'd have otherwise waited till the summer. Good marketing. Well done charlton for once!
Edit
Since posting the above I have read the crossbars stuff properly. If they are seriously proposing moving people against their will that is out of order. I will buy for next year but will be making it clear when I call that it is a year on year decision and I will view mistreatment of fellow fans dimly next year when considering my own purchase even if it is in an unaffected area.
I don't think you have read it properly, as you do not have to move.
All sounds like you just want to ignore what others have said, what others have been told by club staff and what the clubs own letters say.
The Club clearly believe that they can generate more revenue (and they probably hoped more goodwill) by significantly increasing the pricing differentiation between the "best" and "worst" seats. The challenge is to figure out how you get, say, £750-£850 from those willing and able to pay that much whilst also selling season tickets to those "only" prepared to pay, say, £200-£250. The difficulty is increased because fans don't "reveal" their pricing point. Those that might pay more won't say how much (why should they) whilst the many fans who say tickets are too expensive may not turn up regularly anyway even if tickets were a lot cheaper. Against this background next season's ticket pricing might be seen as an experiment designed to reveal preferences.
The rock-bottom pricing at the away-end end of the East Stand is the easy bit. This is (almost) football for a fiver every week and it will be interesting to see the take up. My guess is that those trying to be "clever" (cheat) apart, sales will be low. We'll see, but either way the outcome will inform pricing in future seasons.
The harder question is what to do at the other extreme, i.e. what should the highest price be? I'm a bit surprised that the Club haven't been a bit more aggressive with the central areas in the East and West Stands where I suspect prices are lower than they could be. However, the Club is probably being cute here because the numbers moving out of these seats into cheaper options will provide significant market intelligence. I suspect that not many will move so that the next step will be to increase prices in these premium areas, having proved the seats will still sell. For sure, if we get promotion to the Premier League I'd expect to see prices in these central areas increase very markedly. Will people then say they are being "forced" out of their seats? Perhaps, but the Club will argue that cheaper seats are available elsewhere. You can move. Your choice.
The problem with all of this, and hence the muddle with the Crossbars package, is the configuration of the Ground. The premium packages need to go with the "best" seats. For most people these are in the centre and on the side of the pitch, not behind the goal. However, premium packages are most likely to be saleable if they include somewhere to have a drink, snack or even just to warm up at half-time, even if only because the buyers feel they are getting something for their money. It's important to understand that the price of these packages is bundled. Buyers are not paying x for a ticket and y for the use of a lounge. They are paying x plus y for a ticket with additional benefits. There is a difference and the buyer will often pay more for the bundle than for the components. Indeed, some will pay for the ticket and not bother with the lounge at all. Obviously, the snag is that in the East Stand, which many might feel has the very best seats, there is no lounge option. Even the West is complex because of the "clash" with existing packages.
As result, the Club has contrived the premium package in the Upper North. It's an obvious mistake, however, because in all likelihood the seats in the front of the Upper North will not appeal to the "customer" Ben Kensall has in mind - I know some people don't like the term customer, but I mean no offence when I make the point this way.
Anyway, back to my opening point, what we are seeing here is the price of some seats which, by definition, some people are already sitting in, becoming more expensive relative to those elsewhere in the Stadium. Those in those seats can choose to stay and pay more or move to a cheaper seat elsewhere. We'll see more of this, I suspect, as the price of seats in the centre of the East and West Stands increases disproportionately over the next 3-5 seasons, provided we see success on the pitch. Unfortunately, the Club's first move in this direction is ill judged - they've chosen the wrong seats to experiment with. I suspect they'll back off and reconsider the pricing of both the seats and the lounge. Nothing wrong with that if the right lessons have been learnt.
Maybe you should have representated the Trust at the "consultation" so you could have made those points in advance and maybe avoiding the PR gaff for the Club. : - )
The idea of differentiating the areas of the ground makes good sense when you are selling out ie in the Premiership.
So Ben Kensell is either being very smart in doing the groundwork now for our eventual return to the top flight or has made a big boob by assuming that we'll get back to the prem very soon but has overlooked the many flaws and loss of income pointed out in this thread until that happens.
I hope for Ben's sake he has costed out all the changes otherwise his next appraisal with Katrien is going to be uncomfortable.
Surely it should stay as it is: If you want to go in there, you can pay if you like.
Nobody can ever say what the ticket revenue would have been if the prices were unchanged, only what it was this season. MF makes some good points, but there are obvious practical flaws in the structure. I can buy our two seats for £350 each, or I can buy two adult admission seats at £150 each and two U11 tickets where I actually want to sit, saving £300. I won't, but some will.
North Lower and Lower tier of away end to be standing once this is allowed. Away capacity goes to 4500.
Il be all over standing