' LESS THAN 4,000 SOLD, WHAT CCFC COULD DO '

' LESS THAN 4,000 SOLD, WHAT CCFC COULD DO '

I have stated on a number of occasions that I believe there are several situations at our club that need resolving or changing for things to improve at the football club.

Many fans believed that a return to blue would see thousands of fans who have not been attending matches return to the fold but that has evidently not been the case, the separation between the club and fans runs deeper than the rebrand and its reversal.

Somehow the club need to act, especially from a business point of view, to encourage fans to return to watching the bluebirds play.

A mixture of rebrand, relegation, managerial appointments, brand of football among other things have all had a negative effect on supporters and for myself personally from changing our identity back to blue and naming a marketing campaign # Bluebirds for life was a jump to far.

As a club I believe we should encourage supporters back with, probably something we can all identify with, the price!

In a nutshell the club should start from scratch so to speak with its pricing plan of season tickets.

I understand that less than 4,000 season tickets have been sold for next season and for a club of our size with its catchment area, that is nowhere near where the sales should be.

People will buy a product if they believe in the product and also that they are getting value for money or hope to achieve value for money.

I have read and heard the suggestion to make the price for U16's anywhere in the ground to something around the £50 or £100 mark.

I would take that idea forward but change it slightly.

How about every adult buying a season ticket can purchase one child (U16) season ticket for a nominal fee, maybe £1, £10 or £23 (equivalent to £1 per game) anywhere in the stadium.

There will be families who have more than one child who would want to come and watch City play but cannot afford to purchase a season ticket for each child so therefore they share the ticket between the children on a match to match basis, this suggestion could help families with two or three children purchase an extra ticket for a similar outlay to what is currently being paid for one adult and child.

It could help with season ticket numbers, it would definitely help families who cannot afford the current price of season tickets and it may just provide the next generation of City supporters and stop them finding other clubs or hobbies.

I don't think it is any good the club doing deals throughout the season because they only got 4,000 fans to appeal too, previously there have been 16,500 that could be contacted to bring a friend for a game at a reduced price, they can't go too far with offers either in case they upset season ticket holders who believe they are missing out by purchasing a season ticket.

If the club decide to go with such an offer that I am suggesting then now is the time to do it, they may have to refund approximately 300-400 children's prices or maybe some of those families would bring an extra child instead.

There is going to be thousands upon thousands of empty seats next season unless there is an upturn in sales and at present it doesn't seem to moving in the right direction for the club, I see this as an opportunity with very little to lose from the clubs point of view, the seats are empty we may as well use them.

If the club manage promotion next season then obviously the price would need adjusting accordingly and that goes back to the quality of the product so fans would have to accept from a business point of view the club would increase the price of a U16 season ticket, it works two ways but at this moment in the time the club certainly needs to act to get fans through the gates.

Do you agree that for every adult buying a season ticket they should be able to purchase one child (U16) season ticket for a nominal fee, maybe £1, £10 or £23 (equivalent to £1 per game) anywhere in the stadium ?

How true is this Carl?

I'm hearing from one or two that this is not true at all.

How true is this Carl?

I'm hearing from one or two that this is not true at all.

Ian,
Ive heard from some people 2,500,but I believe the club are saying 4,000.

So lets hope the club are at least right on this

How true is this Carl?

I'm hearing from one or two that this is not true at all.

Ian, I have heard from several people that it is less than 4,000.

The club won't release the numbers so until then it is all we have go on.

But what do you think of the suggestion, that is the important bit and point of the exercise, whether it is 2, 4 or 6k should the club do something ?

Great Idea Carl , I said about cheap season tickets for Under 16's and what uve said sounds perfect, City can only gain.

THEY NEED TO ACT NOW

Doing kids tickets at a very low cost doesn't work in my opinion. When the price freeze was announced all those years ago didn't under 9s go free or get in for a tenner. This meant that lots of people bought 2 or 3 kids tickets with their adult ticket and then because they hadn't paid much they didn't bother attending apart from big games hence why we had lots of empty seats in family stand.

Personally I think children's tickets should be £50 a season with £5 entrance fee for non season ticket holding under 16s. Adult tickets should be £250 to £300 a season apart from Grandstand with match day entry being £15. The club would sell far more tickets and not only would crowds increase but so would match day revenues from drink and food. In addition bigger crowds would result in greater merchandising income.

How true is this Carl?

I'm hearing from one or two that this is not true at all.

Ian, I have heard from several people that it is less than 4,000.

The club won't release the numbers so until then it is all we have go on.

But what do you think of the suggestion, that is the important bit and point of the exercise, whether it is 2, 4 or 6k should the club do something ?

Well I'm in and I still think many will renew in the summer and many more will pay at the gate, we will be lucky to get 10 to 12000 I can acept defeats if we given 100% but this team is not playing for our manager classic example Noonie, you don't become crap over night

Let's be honest whoever us in charge down there should be shot.

With the possibility that several of our better players being sold it's only going to get worse.

The only way to reverse this is to install a new manager, back room staff and get some decent players who all want to play football the way it should be played.

This should be done now and not 2 weeks before the season starts when people will have other things to do.

Couple it with cuts in prices then it might improve.

However IMO the club will keep its course until it's too late

As here is plenty of room then I'd suggest the following...

Cheap tickets for under 21s (or under 23s) for the centre blocks of the Canton, with lower prices again for teenagers, in order to get lots of young fans in there to make some noise.

Really cheap family tickets for the Family Stand and corners.
Rebates/offer to switch for those who have already bought them.

I don't see the business sense in offering this for the whole ground when the centre blocks will always sell at good prices.

Regular cheap and free one off games for schoolkids.

I have renewed for just my Daughter aged 14 and Myself.

In the past I would of renewed for My Wife and my 2 other children aged 5 and 9 years old, but they dont go to night games etc so I Wont pay £425 for Ninian Stand with etra cost plus £260 each for my children

If they had done an offer in the Ninian, I would of renewed all of us.

Doing kids tickets at a very low cost doesn't work in my opinion. When the price freeze was announced all those years ago didn't under 9s go free or get in for a tenner. This meant that lots of people bought 2 or 3 kids tickets with their adult ticket and then because they hadn't paid much they didn't bother attending apart from big games hence why we had lots of empty seats in family stand.

Personally I think children's tickets should be £50 a season with £5 entrance fee for non season ticket holding under 16s. Adult tickets should be £250 to £300 a season apart from Grandstand with match day entry being £15. The club would sell far more tickets and not only would crowds increase but so would match day revenues from drink and food. In addition bigger crowds would result in greater merchandising income.

Gareth, fair point but the club wants to promote being a family club and to achieve that or at least continue it we need the younger generation to be part of it.

Agree with pricing but exciting football is key.

This is a vote for Slade to go , in my opinion this is the only option and bring in an experienced manager.

Also Tan should share a 5 year plan , this will put rumours to rest.

Judging by the few responses so far, most replies even though they are different in the way of approach, all agree that price is pivotal.

Already this thread has thrown up good suggestions.

How true is this Carl?

I'm hearing from one or two that this is not true at all.

Ian,
Ive heard from some people 2,500,but I believe the club are saying 4,000.

So lets hope the club are at least right on this

How true is this Carl?

I'm hearing from one or two that this is not true at all.

Ian, I have heard from several people that it is less than 4,000.

The club won't release the numbers so until then it is all we have go on.

But what do you think of the suggestion, that is the important bit and point of the exercise, whether it is 2, 4 or 6k should the club do something ?

Fair enough Annis/Carl. Your sticking your necks out here.

If this is true which which I am not challenging at all then it makes me wonder how gullible those who listened to the directors regarding the red or dead. Don't take what the directors say as gospel, the truth will eventually come out.

How true is this Carl?

I'm hearing from one or two that this is not true at all.

Ian,
Ive heard from some people 2,500,but I believe the club are saying 4,000.

So lets hope the club are at least right on this

How true is this Carl?

I'm hearing from one or two that this is not true at all.

Ian, I have heard from several people that it is less than 4,000.

The club won't release the numbers so until then it is all we have go on.

But what do you think of the suggestion, that is the important bit and point of the exercise, whether it is 2, 4 or 6k should the club do something ?

Fair enough Annis/Carl. Your sticking your necks out here.

If this is true which which I am not challenging at all then it makes me wonder how gullible those who listened to the directors regarding the red or dead. Don't take what the directors say as gospel, the truth will eventually come out.

Ian, A couple more thousand will renew during the Summer, but lets get 16,000 renewing

Doing kids tickets at a very low cost doesn't work in my opinion. When the price freeze was announced all those years ago didn't under 9s go free or get in for a tenner. This meant that lots of people bought 2 or 3 kids tickets with their adult ticket and then because they hadn't paid much they didn't bother attending apart from big games hence why we had lots of empty seats in family stand.

Personally I think children's tickets should be £50 a season with £5 entrance fee for non season ticket holding under 16s. Adult tickets should be £250 to £300 a season apart from Grandstand with match day entry being £15. The club would sell far more tickets and not only would crowds increase but so would match day revenues from drink and food. In addition bigger crowds would result in greater merchandising income.

Gareth, fair point but the club wants to promote being a family club and to achieve that or at least continue it we need the younger generation to be part of it.

Something must change. I've done 3 home games this season with Charlie and Tommy and each time the family stand has been sold out according to the online ticket sales! I've spent about 200 quid including membership. Add in travel and food/drink then the 3 games have cost me 400! If tickets were a sensible price I would happily go to every weekend home game but until club charges sensible prices I'll pick and chose.

Clearly the fans have spoken.... The only answer is to sack slade, 15000 or so fans don't want to see his football....


Get rid, bring in new fresh approach and give the fans renewd optimism over the summer.

For the record I have renewed.

Bradford City do it and you never see their crowds drop below 11,000 for 3rd division football

Portsmouth do the same

We have fickle fans
No blue no renew
Poor quality football not renewing
Slade out or I will not renew.
Any excuse not to renew.
If they cut the price will people really step up and buy tickets based on the above perhaps not.
Is it really cost, or is it the reality that we have a diminishing hard core and a lot of hangers on who have been spoilt over the last few years.

This is how daft the situation is. I am not sure what I am doing. I moved from the family stand last season and sat in 116 m so zone3 - so it was the same cost for me but and extra £100 for my 13 year old daughter.
I want to sit at the back of the ninian £419 + £240 =£659 for what could be another mind numbing experiance. So probably I'll go back to the family £299 + 69 = £368.

Now if it was £69 for U16 anywhere with an adult I would get the Ninian £419 + £69= £ 488 they get another £120 out of me and 2 happier punters.

We have fickle fans
No blue no renew
Poor quality football not renewing
Slade out or I will not renew.
Any excuse not to renew.
If they cut the price will people really step up and buy tickets based on the above perhaps not.
Is it really cost, or is it the reality that we have a diminishing hard core and a lot of hangers on who have been spoilt over the last few years.

Bob, you are probably correct that people are using different reasons or as you put it excuses, but that doesn't distract from a business point of view the club needs to do something.

It is not just one thing but a number of things need changing in my opinion but price is clearly an obvious one, make the price glamorous to take away one of the reasons is a start.

The club is not shopping at Harrods to furnish its home but neither are the fans so lower the price for the customers.

We have fickle fans
No blue no renew
Poor quality football not renewing
Slade out or I will not renew.
Any excuse not to renew.
If they cut the price will people really step up and buy tickets based on the above perhaps not.
Is it really cost, or is it the reality that we have a diminishing hard core and a lot of hangers on who have been spoilt over the last few years.

Correct....and the solution is.........

Bradford City do it and you never see their crowds drop below 11,000 for 3rd division football

Portsmouth do the same

Yes but in this day and age people want to be entertained!

I have watched City for a long time but the day out has become a chore, it used to be great lose draw or win you would still get through the week.

Now everything about the club is poor, even the football. We can't even beat a Blackpool side with ease.

Each and everyone to their own on renewing but it makes me laugh when people try and tell the 15000 on the excuses they are making for not renewing! God some of our supporters are bright

Cricket season can't come quick enough.

If Mr Borley reads this board, 2 things Thank you

When we were a poor championship side at Ninian Park and improved our marketing strategy, our crowds improved.
A lot of that was based on kids & family deals.
The club needs to do something now regarding it's pricing policy, doing nothing is not an option as it will mean very low crowds, possibly 10 - 12k?
Price freeze has finished, without Premiership football many would probably have lost patience sooner.
Some good ideas in this thread, the club needs to act.

Judging by the few responses so far, most replies even though they are different in the way of approach, all agree that price is pivotal.

Already this thread has thrown up good suggestions.

It is Carl, when all the stuff about back to blue was going on I was saying that season ticket prices will have to drop significantly as well.

Choo got us a bit of a concession, but nowhere near enough for many.

It's a trade off, a top side in the Championship or a Premier team and £400 isn't so bad, however for a mid-table team then it needs to be £100 less.

If we sell say 8000 as it is now, but could have got 13000 witha £100 reduction then we'd still be better off.

By the way, none of the reductions I offered have any benefit for me personally

I just want to see as many as possible in there. it was great to be in a fullish Upper Nin on Saturday, even if half the kids didn't know what offside was.

Judging by the few responses so far, most replies even though they are different in the way of approach, all agree that price is pivotal.

Already this thread has thrown up good suggestions.

It is Carl, when all the stuff about back to blue was going on I was saying that season ticket prices will have to drop significantly as well.

Choo got us a bit of a concession, but nowhere near enough for many.

It's a trade off, a top side in the Championship or a Premier team and £400 isn't so bad, however for a mid-table team then it needs to be £100 less.

If we sell say 8000 as it is now, but could have got 13000 witha £100 reduction then we'd still be better off.

By the way, none of the reductions I offered have any benefit for me personally

I just want to see as many as possible in there. it was great to be in a fullish Upper Nin on Saturday, even if half the kids didn't know what offside was.

Will the half that do explain it to bloody Joe mason then

im pretty sure carl had a go at troobloo i think it was on another topic
when he said the club have only sold around 4000, carl questioned how did he know was he even ITK

I hope Mr Tan reads this and knows he, single handedly is responsible for this clubs downfall. Your work here is complete, now f**k off and take slade with you.

I don't agree with cheap season tickets for kids. Parents don't use them in the family stand now.
As for the manager well there was a similar scenario when Lennie Lawrence was manager,
The club couldn't sale season tickets they rang fans and were told sack Lennie and we will buy.
That’s the way forward now, get rid of slade get a decent manger manager and squad and things will
pick up.

im pretty sure carl had a go at troobloo i think it was on another topic
when he said the club have only sold around 4000, carl questioned how did he know was he even ITK

It was a joke between two mates that meet up at every game of the season.

And just to be clear Steve said we had sold 4,500 not less than 4,000