Fox in a Box Posted 18 August 2005 Posted 18 August 2005 About right i say.... _____________________________________________________________ The 20,519 who made it down to Filbert Way for the first home game of the season against Stoke represented the lowest gate for a league game since City left Filbert Street in the summer of 2002 and moved across the road. Indeed, the traditionalists might now ask the question "Why did we move in the first place?" because dear old Filbert Street could comfortably have accommodated that number within its dark and interesting corners. Of course, when we first moved to the Walkers Stadium the reasons for relocation were obvious. We saw 30,067 roll up for the visit of Gillingham; 31,714 showed when Rotherham United were in town; 31,438 turned out to see City against Wimbledon; and 31,014 came to the fixture that is usually used as a byword for the unglamorous - Grimsby Town! (Put into historical context, during the mid-1970s, at the height of the Jimmy Bloomfield era, only the visit of Manchester United or Leeds could attract those sort of crowds in the league.) City, of course, went into administration and have never been in more need of cash, but some highly imaginative pricing was used and the Leicestershire public flocked to the ground and filled every corner of their new home. For the Stoke game one seat out of three was empty. You could come up with any number of reasons why this might be. The season started way too early and Leicester fans are still holidaying around the world from Skeggy to the Seychelles. It was a midweek game and people couldn't make it. People were put off by the 4-1 defeat at Sheffield United etc etc. Saturday's attendance against Ipswich - 21,879 - was hardly an improvement and must have been even more worrying for those who tend the LCFC Piggy Bank. All the above excuses have run out and we are left with just one obvious conclusion: matchday ticket prices are too high! There were acres of empty blue seats in the more expensive West Stand, which proved useful for re-housing those people in the front of the Family Stand who were getting a soaking but won't have done the club's finances any good. Some comments on the foxfanzine.com back up the theory that tickets are way over-priced: "On Saturday I should have been gracing the famous Aylestone Road cricket ground. Due to the weather we got called off about 3pm so I shot off down to City - they wanted TWENTY SEVEN QUID! Madness! How low do the crowds have to go before the pricing policy is reviewed?" "The cricket people up at Old Trafford had it sussed. Last, decisive day of an Ashes game for a tenner/fiver and the place packed to the rafters." "This Saturday I'm going to my local club, Charlton v Wigan, it's £25 for me and £5 for my 14-year old in the main stand centre. Taking into account member discount, this is still £15 cheaper than a comparable grade B fixture at City." "The best initiative would be to make the tickets actually affordable, regardless or whether someone is a member or not. Members' discounts are not going to encourage non-regulars who make a late decision to come to a game. "Surely no sane person would pay the £34 price in the West Stand against Ipswich on Saturday. It's at the stage now where the only people going are season-ticket holders because nobody will pay the matchday prices." Of course City need to budget properly and it might take a mathematical genius to work out the magic figure that would balance their financial expectations with a full stadium. But it appears obvious that matchday prices are currently prohibitive. An empty seat won't buy a programme, a burger and a beer or a hot dog and a Coke. It won't buy a shirt or a scarf from the Megastore. And it won't cheer the team on or watch a game so inspiring that it becomes a die-hard fan for the rest of its life.
Libertine Posted 18 August 2005 Posted 18 August 2005 That, unfortunately is all true. Come on City, get yer finger out and lower those darn prices!
Blue Arrow Posted 18 August 2005 Posted 18 August 2005 Even if its only by 4 or 5 pounds it'd be much better
Katy Posted 18 August 2005 Posted 18 August 2005 That is pretty much what I said in another thread, "How low do the crowds have to go?" There seems to be a lot of threads about ticket prices at the moment and something needs to be done. How can we attract new players to the Walkers with a dwindling crowd? How can the current set of players get motivated? leading to poorer performances and even less people turing up? I do really think the club need to address these matters before it all goes tits up.
Thracian Posted 18 August 2005 Posted 18 August 2005 Twenty-five pounds is tops for a City ticket at this standard and there should be quantity discounts. My oldest son, who's pretty well qualified in financial matters, suggests a two day cheap ticket window say, four-six weeks before a particular match when tickets would be sold at a discount price. That price would vary over the season until City achieved the desired effect of filling the gaps in the ground. Pricing policy, however, will not work without a posiive playing strategy, that is a commitment to attacking football. With so many alternative attractions plus tv football and the fact that this Government is forever siphoning more and more of people's money out of theior pockets by way of indirect taxes, Leicester City football HAS TO BE ENTERTAINING especially at home.
filbertway Posted 18 August 2005 Posted 18 August 2005 Heres an even better article that really makes you think. long but good read, taken off foxfazine
Blue Arrow Posted 18 August 2005 Posted 18 August 2005 Some parts i agree, some i don't, but most i'm afraid, I do.
monkeytrouble Posted 18 August 2005 Posted 18 August 2005 Game to game prices are high simply to get as many season ticket holders as poss (season tickets considerably lower). this has several pluses for the club namely, garaunted income (no matter how crap we are), health and saftey know who everone is and where they sit, also if people are always in the same seat avoiding trouble makers and unfortunatly potential singers to congregate (stand) together near awayers. bast ards
Anish Posted 18 August 2005 Posted 18 August 2005 I agree wholeheartedly with the original post. The club are shooting themselves in the foot with their price structure. Fans are not as loyal and blind to reality as they think. We are not fools and we know when we are being robbed!
Bilko Posted 18 August 2005 Posted 18 August 2005 Excellent article. You do feel that behind the scenes and on the quiet many professionals and those that run our clubs are prepared to exploit our loyalty and like Freddie Sheppard at Newcastle laugh at us from behind the gates of their mansions. There are alot of people in our game who are getting obscenely rich and there is a stench that is starting to get many of us asking is it worth it? The other day l watched Barrow play in the Conference North, 1,000 fans on terraces, a community club miles from the main stream but a bunch of fans who saved their club from extinction. Like the pro clubs saved by their fans the atmosphere was spot on...and the football half decent. Maybe it's a generational thing but am l alone in thinking that football is losing touch at the top level? Oh and see you at Bury on Tuesday!!
Foxes_Trust Posted 18 August 2005 Posted 18 August 2005 The other day l watched Barrow play in the Conference North, 1,000 fans on terraces, a community club miles from the main stream but a bunch of fans who saved their club from extinction. Like the pro clubs saved by their fans the atmosphere was spot on...and the football half decent. Maybe it's a generational thing but am l alone in thinking that football is losing touch at the top level? Oh and see you at Bury on Tuesday!! 158586[/snapback] Our club was saved by fans too! 3,000 of them via the Trust & 30+ fans who could afford to put their own substantial amount of money in. As an example we talked to 2 fellow shareholders at a recent meeting. Both described themselves as fortunate enough to be able to plough some money into the club they loved. Both despite being entitled to a Directors Box seat rarely take it up as they prefer to maintain their season ticket & sit in the Kop.
Bilko Posted 19 August 2005 Posted 19 August 2005 Good point, the Trust did a great job when our club was on the brink but even at our Club some recent decisions make me think that the club is becoming detached from grass roots feeling. The current decline in attendances is indicative of that as was the recent shirt deal. Some Directors are passionate fans no doubt and bless them for that but for the long term future of the game and club's like ours there should be more fans involvement at board room level...as the cliche goes..."we pay the wages"
Guest Posted 19 August 2005 Posted 19 August 2005 Some Directors are passionate fans no doubt and bless them for that but for the long term future of the game and club's like ours there should be more fans involvement at board room level...as the cliche goes..."we pay the wages" 158758[/snapback] I don't agree totally with this. The higher up the football ladder you go, the more of a business a football club becomes. There is a conflict of interests between the best way to run the club for the fans, and the best way to run the club as a business. To be able to separate the two, and to be able to make an informed business decision which craps on the fans ideals but is for the best in the long term is a hard thing to do, and I don't think there are many people capable of doing this. I do feel that there should be a voice for the fans, and fully support the idea of any forum as we do need to make our voices and feelings heard, but to include it at boardroom level, to me, could end up being counter-productive.
Bilko Posted 19 August 2005 Posted 19 August 2005 Think you are right Lisa as Football at the top level is such a huge business but it is still a customer focussed business and no matter how big you get you should be accountable. Look at Barcelona, they are a member's club and totally accountable to their huge membership. If they don't deliver they are out. It is difficult to make decisions that the fans may object to but which may be in the best long term interests of the Club but l find if there is genuine consultation and not tokenism then supporters will at least feel valued. There is a danger at the moment that the game is becoming detached from it's core support, crowds 10,000 less than we had at the Walkers when it first opened perhaps gives credance to this?
Guest Posted 19 August 2005 Posted 19 August 2005 Think you are right Lisa as Football at the top level is such a huge business but it is still a customer focussed business and no matter how big you get you should be accountable. Look at Barcelona, they are a member's club and totally accountable to their huge membership. If they don't deliver they are out. It is difficult to make decisions that the fans may object to but which may be in the best long term interests of the Club but l find if there is genuine consultation and not tokenism then supporters will at least feel valued. There is a danger at the moment that the game is becoming detached from it's core support, crowds 10,000 less than we had at the Walkers when it first opened perhaps gives credance to this? 158777[/snapback] I do agree with fans consultation. I think Barca is a bit of an extreme example, as the club has so many thousands of supporters, it would be hard to ignore them! A fans consultation group, definitely, but fans at board level for a club of our size, I'm not sure would work.
Janx Posted 19 August 2005 Posted 19 August 2005 Gotta say I agree, now Im no miser and some might say Im not short of a bob or two, but frankly I was shocked by 27 notes! Having had a season ticket for the last cough cough years, the prices had naturally never been an issue, as I felt our Season Tickets have offered pretty good value, when you hear that Cuddly Ken, DOUBLED the Leeds faithful's ST Cost in one bang! But when I rang the club and thesy asked if I was a Member and I said that to be honest it had slipped my mind, I was Aghast that watching a very Average game against very average opposition cost me dear, on top of petrol, pint and pies, its getting a fair slice of my few quid!! God knows how people on low income are supposed to afford it... didnt someone somewhere call it "the peoples sport", for the common salt of the earth, good old working masses.... well they are up shit creek then aren't they... they dont want these people anymore they want prawn sarnie eating rugby fans... groundshare anyone? Nuff said!!
PontusK Posted 19 August 2005 Posted 19 August 2005 another good article: http://football.guardian.co.uk/comment/sto...1551650,00.html
filbertway Posted 19 August 2005 Posted 19 August 2005 Heres an even better article that really makes you think.long but good read, taken off foxfazine 158544[/snapback] another good article:http://football.guardian.co.uk/comment/sto...1551650,00.html 158859[/snapback] cough cough
BartonFox Posted 19 August 2005 Posted 19 August 2005 Gotta say I agree, now Im no miser and some might say Im not short of a bob or two, but frankly I was shocked by 27 notes!Having had a season ticket for the last cough cough years, the prices had naturally never been an issue, as I felt our Season Tickets have offered pretty good value, when you hear that Cuddly Ken, DOUBLED the Leeds faithful's ST Cost in one bang! But when I rang the club and thesy asked if I was a Member and I said that to be honest it had slipped my mind, I was Aghast that watching a very Average game against very average opposition cost me dear, on top of petrol, pint and pies, its getting a fair slice of my few quid!! God knows how people on low income are supposed to afford it... didnt someone somewhere call it "the peoples sport", for the common salt of the earth, good old working masses.... well they are up shit creek then aren't they... they dont want these people anymore they want prawn sarnie eating rugby fans... groundshare anyone? Nuff said!! 158784[/snapback] It was then Euro 96 came along.
Fox in a Box Posted 19 August 2005 Author Posted 19 August 2005 Our club was saved by fans too!3,000 of them via the Trust & 30+ fans who could afford to put their own substantial amount of money in. As an example we talked to 2 fellow shareholders at a recent meeting. Both described themselves as fortunate enough to be able to plough some money into the club they loved. Both despite being entitled to a Directors Box seat rarely take it up as they prefer to maintain their season ticket & sit in the Kop. 158670[/snapback] As the voice of the fans, how about my thoughts here, ok, You could market the tickets on general sale as a team formation 4-4-2. For games at grade A the cost are higher but still you could get 4 tickets for the price of 2 (4-4-2) thus keeping the pricing bracket at say £27 x 2 = 54 divide by 4 = £13.5 and you get more bums on seats , and therefore not upsetting the apple cart. For For games at grade B/C you could adopt this also... 4 tickets for the price of 2 and so on.. Think of it as two adult players and 2 senoirs/kids etc My family for instance would have the 2 lads aged 36 ish and then a father and grandad... EASY eh!
Craig Posted 19 August 2005 Posted 19 August 2005 I emailed Tim Davies about this and gave him a copy of the first article, the main email... Hello, i'm just emailing you about the current ticketing policy.As a season ticket holder, it doesn't affect me as much as it used to a few years ago, but £27 as the lowest priced seat in the ground is a disgrace to be quite honest. If we were a premiership club then surely it would be far more reasonable, and our status alone would put bums on seats no matter the price of tickets. But the fact is, we're a championship side. I've just found this article posted on a forum that's quite an interesting read... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The 20,519 who made it down to Filbert Way for the first home game of the season against Stoke represented the lowest gate for a league game since City left Filbert Street in the summer of 2002 and moved across the road. Indeed, the traditionalists might now ask the question "Why did we move in the first place?" because dear old Filbert Street could comfortably have accommodated that number within its dark and interesting corners. Of course, when we first moved to the Walkers Stadium the reasons for relocation were obvious. We saw 30,067 roll up for the visit of Gillingham; 31,714 showed when Rotherham United were in town; 31,438 turned out to see City against Wimbledon; and 31,014 came to the fixture that is usually used as a byword for the unglamorous - Grimsby Town! (Put into historical context, during the mid-1970s, at the height of the Jimmy Bloomfield era, only the visit of Manchester United or Leeds could attract those sort of crowds in the league.) City, of course, went into administration and have never been in more need of cash, but some highly imaginative pricing was used and the Leicestershire public flocked to the ground and filled every corner of their new home. For the Stoke game one seat out of three was empty. You could come up with any number of reasons why this might be. The season started way too early and Leicester fans are still holidaying around the world from Skeggy to the Seychelles. It was a midweek game and people couldn't make it. People were put off by the 4-1 defeat at Sheffield United etc etc. Saturday's attendance against Ipswich - 21,879 - was hardly an improvement and must have been even more worrying for those who tend the LCFC Piggy Bank. All the above excuses have run out and we are left with just one obvious conclusion: matchday ticket prices are too high! There were acres of empty blue seats in the more expensive West Stand, which proved useful for re-housing those people in the front of the Family Stand who were getting a soaking but won't have done the club's finances any good. Some comments on the foxfanzine.com back up the theory that tickets are way over-priced: "On Saturday I should have been gracing the famous Aylestone Road cricket ground. Due to the weather we got called off about 3pm so I shot off down to City - they wanted TWENTY SEVEN QUID! Madness! How low do the crowds have to go before the pricing policy is reviewed?" "The cricket people up at Old Trafford had it sussed. Last, decisive day of an Ashes game for a tenner/fiver and the place packed to the rafters." "This Saturday I'm going to my local club, Charlton v Wigan, it's £25 for me and £5 for my 14-year old in the main stand centre. Taking into account member discount, this is still £15 cheaper than a comparable grade B fixture at City." "The best initiative would be to make the tickets actually affordable, regardless or whether someone is a member or not. Members' discounts are not going to encourage non-regulars who make a late decision to come to a game. "Surely no sane person would pay the £34 price in the West Stand against Ipswich on Saturday. It's at the stage now where the only people going are season-ticket holders because nobody will pay the matchday prices." Of course City need to budget properly and it might take a mathematical genius to work out the magic figure that would balance their financial expectations with a full stadium. But it appears obvious that matchday prices are currently prohibitive. An empty seat won't buy a programme, a burger and a beer or a hot dog and a Coke. It won't buy a shirt or a scarf from the Megastore. And it won't cheer the team on or watch a game so inspiring that it becomes a die-hard fan for the rest of its life. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Every word of that is true, my first game was £8 for me and £16 for my father. And since then i've been hooked and spent so much money on the club that it's almost unbelievable, and i'm confident if ticket prices were dropped, the same would happen with other people. It only takes one game to become a City fan for life, and at the moment we're narrowing the chances. I know you're a Leicester fan, Tim. So i know you'll understand what i'm talking about. Even if it reduces the savings made by purchasing a season ticket, it's worth lowering the prices just to fill the stadium like we did 3 years ago. Here's a bit of maths for you. Ipswich game, 6,000 people bought tickets, let's assume that the average price was £25 (taking into account juvenile admissions and member discount and higher priced seats). That's £150k made from ticket sales alone that day. If you were to lower the prices and make the average ticket price around £18, i'm confident that the stadium would be filled every week, which means 16,000 have bought matchday tickets. That's £288k. The maths doesn't lie, and even if we only brought in 25,000 with tickets that price, that's still £180k. That's still a rise. As for season ticket discount, 23 matches at £18 is £414. We still save money, and if you're worried that it isn't enough, try throwing in a free cup match or one free fox travel to an away game. There's ways round it. I hope you understood that, the maths doesn't lie, and neither do the empty seats. If ticket prices were lowered, we'd be getting far more fans in and raising far more money. Maybe it's time to admit defeat and relaunch a new pricing scheme. Thanks Tim. Craig. The reply... It would be nice if people got their facts correct .... and told the truth...plus after those games we went into admin as admittedly amoungst other things pricing was wrong, look at average prices we favour reasonably in the division ... this was an a grade game we have b and fans fixtures, under eights are free in family stand , members discounts etc i could go on and on
davieG Posted 19 August 2005 Posted 19 August 2005 I emailed Tim Davies about this and gave him a copy of the first article, the main email...The reply... 159036[/snapback] So did he say what he thought was the cause of the 1/3rd empty stadium. All those comments focus on why fans should be coming not why they are not!. Fans are very aware of these so called discounts, the football played is better, off the pitch we appear to be going in the right direction so come on Tim give us your reasons why fans are NOT COMING if it's not the price of tickets.
PRIOR09 Posted 19 August 2005 Posted 19 August 2005 Clearly if you lower the prices, more people will come, this would mean more money made and a better atmosphere. Also its then not as embarrassing infront of other fans when they see that we cant fill our stadium! What is the matter with the man!
Janx Posted 19 August 2005 Posted 19 August 2005 disappointing reaction to be honest, and one that gives the impression of a kid being caught with his hand in the biscuit tin....guilt!
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