Bradford have been doing the season ticket thing for a while. The affect is not only the attendances are high, the fans have really bought into being a club, The 2 previous owners were fans and they were all United. Will be interesting how the new German owners get on
In their second season in the Prem Bradford sold 25 year season tickets for £2k. The club later did a u turn on this deal as they flerted with administration following relegations and finicial woe having gone mad in that second Prem season on crazy wages, eg Carbone. Those with these tickets had to still pay £100 odd a season to use their 25 year ticket.
The current deals are good and the recent regime seems to have done things sensibly. However Geoffrey Richmond caused many problems and my understanding is that the Bradford fans understood the unsusustainability of the 25 year deal, and paid the additional annual amount, credit to them for this .
I am a current Bradford City 25 year season ticket holder and am a very good friend of Dennis InTheLastMinute (see post above). In March 2001, I received a letter and details from Shaun Harvey who was then the Managing Director of Bradford City Football Club. If my memory is correct, the football club were allowing up to 1,000 supporters to have a 25 year season ticket. The timing was slightly bizarre as we knew that we were going to get relegated from the Premiership. The campaign leaflet was promoted as: "New for 2001/2002 the best seat in the house for less than £5 a match with our new 25 year ticket." There were three ways that you could pay. Firstly you could pay a one off lump sum of £2,250. The second payment option was five instalments of £500 and the third option, which myself and a friend took, was an initial £300 payment followed by a firstly monthly payment of £45.92 followed by 58 monthly payments of £45.76. In the summer of 2004, the football club faced dire financial circumstances and was nearly lost forever. Thankfully with a campaign led by Bradford City Supporters Trust, sufficient funds were raised and the football club survived. Much credit should go to the Rhodes family especially our recently departed Chairman, Julian Rhodes, who allowed the 25 year season tickets to continue after 2004 as the football club could have abandoned the ticket completely. In recent seasons, 25 year season ticket holders have been charged a lower rate than the standard season ticket cost. Thus for the 2016/2017 season, an adult season ticket is priced at £149 whilst 25 year season ticket holders can pay £110. With hindsight, our then Chairman, Geoffrey Richmond, and the club knew of the financial predicament that the football club was in and the 25 year season ticket idea was a way of raising some much needed monies. Going forward, it will be interesting to see if our two new German owners will allow the 25 year season ticket to remain in place. Only time will tell.
I am a current Bradford City 25 year season ticket holder and am a very good friend of Dennis InTheLastMinute (see post above). In March 2001, I received a letter and details from Shaun Harvey who was then the Managing Director of Bradford City Football Club. If my memory is correct, the football club were allowing up to 1,000 supporters to have a 25 year season ticket. The timing was slightly bizarre as we knew that we were going to get relegated from the Premiership. The campaign leaflet was promoted as: "New for 2001/2002 the best seat in the house for less than £5 a match with our new 25 year ticket." There were three ways that you could pay. Firstly you could pay a one off lump sum of £2,250. The second payment option was five instalments of £500 and the third option, which myself and a friend took, was an initial £300 payment followed by a firstly monthly payment of £45.92 followed by 58 monthly payments of £45.76. In the summer of 2004, the football club faced dire financial circumstances and was nearly lost forever. Thankfully with a campaign led by Bradford City Supporters Trust, sufficient funds were raised and the football club survived. Much credit should go to the Rhodes family especially our recently departed Chairman, Julian Rhodes, who allowed the 25 year season tickets to continue after 2004 as the football club could have abandoned the ticket completely. In recent seasons, 25 year season ticket holders have been charged a lower rate than the standard season ticket cost. Thus for the 2016/2017 season, an adult season ticket is priced at £149 whilst 25 year season ticket holders can pay £110. With hindsight, our then Chairman, Geoffrey Richmond, and the club knew of the financial predicament that the football club was in and the 25 year season ticket idea was a way of raising some much needed monies. Going forward, it will be interesting to see if our two new German owners will allow the 25 year season ticket to remain in place. Only time will tell.
Interesting read, surely though if you were someone who paid up front you should be guaranteed a season ticket? As despite a change in ownership, Bradford have not gone to the wall like say a Wimbledon or Rangers so are still trading under the same name?
I am a current Bradford City 25 year season ticket holder and am a very good friend of Dennis InTheLastMinute (see post above). In March 2001, I received a letter and details from Shaun Harvey who was then the Managing Director of Bradford City Football Club. If my memory is correct, the football club were allowing up to 1,000 supporters to have a 25 year season ticket. The timing was slightly bizarre as we knew that we were going to get relegated from the Premiership. The campaign leaflet was promoted as: "New for 2001/2002 the best seat in the house for less than £5 a match with our new 25 year ticket." There were three ways that you could pay. Firstly you could pay a one off lump sum of £2,250. The second payment option was five instalments of £500 and the third option, which myself and a friend took, was an initial £300 payment followed by a firstly monthly payment of £45.92 followed by 58 monthly payments of £45.76. In the summer of 2004, the football club faced dire financial circumstances and was nearly lost forever. Thankfully with a campaign led by Bradford City Supporters Trust, sufficient funds were raised and the football club survived. Much credit should go to the Rhodes family especially our recently departed Chairman, Julian Rhodes, who allowed the 25 year season tickets to continue after 2004 as the football club could have abandoned the ticket completely. In recent seasons, 25 year season ticket holders have been charged a lower rate than the standard season ticket cost. Thus for the 2016/2017 season, an adult season ticket is priced at £149 whilst 25 year season ticket holders can pay £110. With hindsight, our then Chairman, Geoffrey Richmond, and the club knew of the financial predicament that the football club was in and the 25 year season ticket idea was a way of raising some much needed monies. Going forward, it will be interesting to see if our two new German owners will allow the 25 year season ticket to remain in place. Only time will tell.
Interesting read, surely though if you were someone who paid up front you should be guaranteed a season ticket? As despite a change in ownership, Bradford have not gone to the wall like say a Wimbledon or Rangers so are still trading under the same name?
And there you have the difference between a supporter and a customer.
Technically they had paid for a season ticket for the next 25 years. Any other industry and it would have gone to court or worse. But with football you get fans paying an extra £100 a year for something they have already paid for.
Comments
You price the product correctly and people will buy it.
The current deals are good and the recent regime seems to have done things sensibly. However Geoffrey Richmond caused many problems and my understanding is that the Bradford fans understood the unsusustainability of the 25 year deal, and paid the additional annual amount, credit to them for this .
In the summer of 2004, the football club faced dire financial circumstances and was nearly lost forever. Thankfully with a campaign led by Bradford City Supporters Trust, sufficient funds were raised and the football club survived. Much credit should go to the Rhodes family especially our recently departed Chairman, Julian Rhodes, who allowed the 25 year season tickets to continue after 2004 as the football club could have abandoned the ticket completely. In recent seasons, 25 year season ticket holders have been charged a lower rate than the standard season ticket cost. Thus for the 2016/2017 season, an adult season ticket is priced at £149 whilst 25 year season ticket holders can pay £110.
With hindsight, our then Chairman, Geoffrey Richmond, and the club knew of the financial predicament that the football club was in and the 25 year season ticket idea was a way of raising some much needed monies.
Going forward, it will be interesting to see if our two new German owners will allow the 25 year season ticket to remain in place. Only time will tell.
Technically they had paid for a season ticket for the next 25 years. Any other industry and it would have gone to court or worse. But with football you get fans paying an extra £100 a year for something they have already paid for.