Eupraxia Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 Yeah, of course....it is very expensive and clubs need to do what they can to make it more affordable, but cost is not why everyone stays away.I feel it's all relative, though. It's the balance of supply and demand. If people are staying away because the product is crap, then the price ought to reflect the quality of the product so that demand meets the supply/quality of the product. I'd happily pay around ten to twelve pounds each week to see Aberdeen play their own idiosyncratic brand of extremely average football. But my match-going experiences of the past, say, five years (minus the European run of a few years back), have all left me feel massively short-changed, irrespective of the manager in charge and how the team has been set-up and coached to play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh_Jazz Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 I feel it's all relative, though. It's the balance of supply and demand. If people are staying away because the product is crap, then the price ought to reflect the quality of the product so that demand meets the supply/quality of the product. I'd happily pay around ten to twelve pounds each week to see Aberdeen play their own idiosyncratic brand of extremely average football. But my match-going experiences of the past, say, five years (minus the European run of a few years back), have all left me feel massively short-changed, irrespective of the manager in charge and how the team has been set-up and coached to play.Yes, the reality is people are staying away because a) the product is shit and b) it's expensive....but slashing ticket costs just makes things worse. As already said, clubs have tried this, and it simply doesn't work. Clubs need money to improve....either by investment in youth or by making signings, and that money comes primarily from tickets. Aberdeen are barely breaking even right now, and we all know what sort of market they're shopping in. If you stay away, you are just fuelling the club's demise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eupraxia Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 Tell me how clubs attract this custom? Seriously, they'd love to know, and it's ridiculous to suggest that they aren't trying. You can't just say this is "business", and expect clubs to continually do more and more with less and less. This is such a fucking circular argument. Not only are clubs losing money from the turnstiles, but the cost of attracting talent is spiralling out of control season after season. How do the clubs do better? How do they put better teams on the park? How do they effectively market themselves, when they have fuck all worth selling? Football is in people's blood, and if it wasn't for loyalty, clubs like Aberdeen would have disappeared down the plug hole years ago.I am not a football marketing expert; I'm just a football nerd with a view, comrade. I don't doubt the clubs are trying to attract the custom, but they are evidently failing. If you read back, I've already given my personal views on what can be done or tried, albeit it may be risky for certain clubs, especially in Scotland, and my trite ideas have already been justifiably countered. But I still think it could be worthwhile for clubs to look at the pricing structure, as I do still maintain that a revised pricing structure combined with a more inventive market programme (target schools, offer more effective family 'bundles', invest in some prime billboard spaces and have direct and attractive advertisements promoting the new lower pricing structure, launch a survey on the website actually asking fans to outline why they don't currently attend and what will attract them back, and stuff like that) would reap long-term benefits. Shaki rightly outlined that Scottish football is currently very short-term, and I appreciate that, and perhaps the few things I have suggested have already been considered by clubs and not deemed viable. I, for one, would certainly be a regular at Aberdeen home and away games if entry was around ten to twelve pounds, or if season ticket prices were dramatically reduced. And that's the only stand point from which I can develop a view.I'm off to research more about what Hartlepool have tried, it appears to have worked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Didz Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 Yes, the reality is people are staying away because a) the product is shit and b) it's expensive....but slashing ticket costs just makes things worse. As already said, clubs have tried this, and it simply doesn't work. Clubs need money to improve....either by investment in youth or by making signings, and that money comes primarily from tickets. Aberdeen are barely breaking even right now, and we all know what sort of market they're shopping in. If you stay away, you are just fuelling the club's demise.To be fair the only time i've saw Aberdeen slashing prices is against lower league opposition in the League Cup midweek or the "Bring a friend" games towards the end of the season, when they're bottom six with nothing to play for.It would be interesting to price tickets at 15 an adult / 5 under 16's against the likes of Dundee Utd, Hibs or Hearts to see the demand. They havent released season ticket sales but i presume they're down again, so they're obviously losing the die-hard element which is the most worrying part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaki Posted August 26, 2011 Report Share Posted August 26, 2011 I was surprised (and a little dismayed) to find out that the concession tickets for kids are for under 12s when taking my friend's 13 year old son last weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam 45 Posted August 27, 2011 Report Share Posted August 27, 2011 Im surprised clubs arn't doing more stuff like a 10 game pass. Buy this ticket and it allows you entry to 10 games. You might go to 10 in a row or you might sporadically go over the course of a season. In a city like Aberdeen where a lot of potential pittodrie goers work offshore for large parts of the season, this could entice them knowing that they'll get 10 games in or so. The club benefits from the money being paid for up front ect... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted August 27, 2011 Report Share Posted August 27, 2011 Im surprised clubs arn't doing more stuff like a 10 game pass. Buy this ticket and it allows you entry to 10 games. You might go to 10 in a row or you might sporadically go over the course of a season. In a city like Aberdeen where a lot of potential pittodrie goers work offshore for large parts of the season, this could entice them knowing that they'll get 10 games in or so. The club benefits from the money being paid for up front ect...AFC certainly used to do an offshore season ticket similar to what you're suggesting. Dunno if they still do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
framheim Posted August 27, 2011 Report Share Posted August 27, 2011 couple of points I thought I'd add. I'm not convinced dropping the price would result in a huge improvement in attendances for Aberdeen. It would certainly bring a lot of fans back, and I'd be able to go to more games (it's not the quality that puts me off, purely financial) but there's simply not enough people in the north east with an emotional attachment to the club. people look at the population of the north east and assume that's all potential football fans but the north east of scotland must have one of the largest migrant uk populations in the country (relative to overall population), folk travel from all over the country to live and work here.people in aberdeen can generally afford to go to a match at pittodrie without worrying about the cost, but why would an oil worker originally from england want to go there? aside from the standard of football the actual experience inside the stadium is pretty grim. no atmosphere anymore, they run out of hot food before half time, you're likely to get shat on by a gull and you're surrounded by some of the moaniest fuckers in scottish football. not to mention the whole stadium feelling a bit run down. here's hoping the new stadium addresses much of this as it will present a more attractive day out for a large portion of our potential audience. I think the best thing to do for regular fans though would be to reduce the season ticket cost or introduce a few other deals (a 10 match card, kids in free etc) to bring in those fans who are passionate about aberdeen regularly to improve the atmosphere but leave an individual match ticket at todays prices. they need fans coming back every week not just for 1 game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soda Jerk Posted August 27, 2011 Report Share Posted August 27, 2011 If it was a tenner to get to Aberdeen games I'd probably go along on a fairly regular basis but I can't justify paying more than twice that amount to watch a team I don't really support.I'd go watch Premier League teams I don't support for 20, but not an SPL game. Maybe like Stoke or Sunderland or something. Possibly even a Championship game or two as well.It's still around 25 to watch Wednesday potter around at snail pace in League 1. I'll possibly get the train down for the derby at home in February, but that's about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ca_gere Posted August 27, 2011 Report Share Posted August 27, 2011 Wolve v Villa is the worst game of football i've ever seen. It's like i'm watching it on slow-play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paranoid Android Posted August 27, 2011 Report Share Posted August 27, 2011 Back page of the Daily Record today.Truly amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ca_gere Posted August 27, 2011 Report Share Posted August 27, 2011 Wolve v Villa is the worst game of football i've ever seen. It's like i'm watching it on slow-play.ESPN actually apologised to viewers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paranoid Android Posted August 27, 2011 Report Share Posted August 27, 2011 Lunch time kick off is always awful. It's bad when good teams are playing. Put on Villa and Wolves it's bound to be terrible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ca_gere Posted August 27, 2011 Report Share Posted August 27, 2011 highlight of the Chelsea game so far has been the team doctor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam 45 Posted August 27, 2011 Report Share Posted August 27, 2011 Torres has been stretchered off unconscious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ca_gere Posted August 27, 2011 Report Share Posted August 27, 2011 it's Drogba. Really horrific collision. Been out cold for about 5 mins now.Edit: he's moving now. it's an oxygen tank injury, they're bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam 45 Posted August 27, 2011 Report Share Posted August 27, 2011 it's Drogba. Really horrific collision. Been out cold for about 5 mins now.Edit: he's moving now. it's an oxygen tank injury, they're bad.Woops, clearly wasn't listening properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundian Posted August 27, 2011 Report Share Posted August 27, 2011 people look at the population of the north east and assume that's all potential football fans but the north east of scotland must have one of the largest migrant uk populations in the country (relative to overall population), folk travel from all over the country to live and work here. Try Edinburgh. OAPs and kids aside, you rarely hear anyone talking English on their mobiles on the buses here. Add in the English and Irish and it feels like Scots are a minority. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paranoid Android Posted August 27, 2011 Report Share Posted August 27, 2011 Apparently Drogba was unconscious for half an hour! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorge Posted August 27, 2011 Report Share Posted August 27, 2011 WANTED: New defence. Apply in writing to R Farningham c/o Montrose FC, Links Park.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuartmaxwell Posted August 28, 2011 Report Share Posted August 28, 2011 WANTED: New defence. Apply in writing to R Farningham c/o Montrose FC, Links Park....i think we need a bricky; thatll stop the goals.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain America Posted August 28, 2011 Report Share Posted August 28, 2011 There will probably be riots in north London again after today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaki Posted August 28, 2011 Report Share Posted August 28, 2011 Listened to the second half of the Dons game. Sounded like we were unucky not to get at least a point. At least we didn't get beaten 8-2. Holy shit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soda Jerk Posted August 28, 2011 Report Share Posted August 28, 2011 That's City's limelight pinched too. 5-1 is puny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain America Posted August 28, 2011 Report Share Posted August 28, 2011 Listened to the second half of the Dons game. Sounded like we were unucky not to get at least a point. At least we didn't get beaten 8-2. Holy shit.Arsenal came out with a back 4 of Jenkinson Djorou Koscielny Traore you knew if was going to be bad.It was 8 going on 20 as well. Totally abysmal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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