News: Your Season Ticket - Value for Money?


By St Paul
July 21 2015

In another of our summer articles, St Paul (Shaddo, for those of a certain vintage), argues that your season ticket is still good value, despite a drop in the matches which it covers...

 

 

YOUR SEASON TICKET - VALUE FOR MONEY?

 

There’s been a fair bit of huffing and puffing about season ticket prices from some quarters over the past few months, but I would have thought it was fairly obvious that there would be no LV tournament in a home RWC year, but even so, there was always the option of not buying your season ticket until you knew what you would be getting.


Personally, I see the LV as a bonus - it’s the AP and ECC matches that are most important. There are also other benefits, of course, Wanderers games, priority booking for additional games, store discount, etc.


But more importantly, those complaining about missing two games from the third-ranked competition are failing to see beyond their own navel. Saints makes a profit, but only by a fairly narrow margin. The two missing matches mean a loss of around 8,000 ticket sales - probably worth up to £250,000. The club will also take a big hit from match day sales of food, drink etc. Then there’s the loss of TV rights, participation fees and potential prize money.


So, the club is facing a reduction of income which represents a significant proportion of annual profit - in a year which sees and ambitious expansion of the ground and potentially a large hike in the wage bill - and that does not include the hundreds of thousands that some supporters demand we spend on ‘a big number eight’. Funnily enough there seems to be at least some correlation between those complaining about paying more for less and those wanting the club to go all out on recruitment.


I imagine the club is going to have to work extremely hard to bring in a profit this year/season. So which would you prefer - 40 or 50 quid back on your season ticket or a club that continues to have financial stability?


Finally, you might want to spare a thought for those match day staff who are losing two days’ work.

 
Cheers, Paul.

Bookmark or share this story with:

News: Your Season Ticket - Value for Money?
Discussion started by ComeOnYouSaints.com , 21/07/2015 16:15
ComeOnYouSaints.com
21/07/2015 16:15
What do you think? You can have your say by posting below.
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.

Reply Quote Report
tedge
21/07/2015 16:27
Some good points there Paul and I share your view in general. However, does the Club receive any compensation from the RFU for the "mucked about" season and loss of LV fixtures ?

Reply Quote Report
Connorman
21/07/2015 16:58
Nice one Paul. Expressed my view pretty succinctly.

Reply Quote Report
Deesaint
21/07/2015 17:33
How could you bring sanity logic and reason to this site
Madness - absolute madness
💣💣

Good post - gets my vote

Reply Quote Report
Phil.
21/07/2015 18:09
Quote:
Deesaint
How could you bring sanity logic and reason to this site
Madness - absolute madness
💣💣

Good post - gets my vote



Nice one, Dee! thumbs down

Reply Quote Report
CraiginWootton
21/07/2015 19:05
I'm sure that £40 or £50 is peanuts to some, and in the grand scheme of things all supporters want the club to thrive both on and off the pitch. It's the fact that we are just expected to put up with the increasing commercial requirement of the 'rugby business' to the detriment of the old relationships that we used to have. As has been pointed out many times before, we are no longer supporters, we are customers, except when it suits the club. When we are hoodwinked into getting less for our money we are expected to behave like supporters; when we are presented with opportunities to release more money by being marketed to by the club, we are customers. The club expects us to go along with it and of course most of us will. A little up front explanation would have gone a long way to negate the need for such debates, and at least suggest they care.

Reply Quote Report
Paul Flatt
21/07/2015 19:22
Amen

You could pay over £1,000 a year for Sky, or £145.50 for a TV Licence - which gets you about 40 or so channels.

And then people complain that the BBC is too expensive....

"Your days are numbered. Use them to throw open the windows of your soul to the sun. If you do not, the sun will soon set, and you with it."

-- Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor 161-180 A.D.

Reply Quote Report
Paul Flatt
21/07/2015 19:45
Arsenal 2015-16 : cheapest adult season ticket = £1,035 (waiting list)

"Your days are numbered. Use them to throw open the windows of your soul to the sun. If you do not, the sun will soon set, and you with it."

-- Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor 161-180 A.D.

Reply Quote Report
Howlin
22/07/2015 00:36
If you don't think a season ticket is value for money, don't buy one. QED.

Saint 'til I die

Reply Quote Report
Duckonstilts
22/07/2015 10:00
Quote:

True, but you do get a LOT more matches for that money.

Reply Quote Report
St Paul
22/07/2015 14:29
I tend to agree, Craig. The problem is at least partly of the club’s own making. If you treat people as customers they tend to behave like customers and question things like service and value for money.

I can’t help wondering how successful the share issue (where £200 would by you £100 in shares) would be if it was re-run today. Information is key - if you explain to people what you’re doing and why, most tend to be fairly understanding or even forgiving. While I’m quite relaxed about it all, some people are clearly disappointed.

However, the myth that there was ever a promise of LV and pre-season matches is just that - a myth. The problem was a lack of information, not misinformation.

Reply Quote Report
OldPete
22/07/2015 21:31
Good one Paul but I would add that the club is also screwed as are they all by the overriding demands of the international calender .

Basically the club are not responsible for the loss of two games from your season ticket.

Also did anyone not realise in a home RWC year that this was going to happen ?

Reply Quote Report
Saint Piran
23/07/2015 00:02
Just a thought - It would be good if any offer of 'recompense' from the club was one that STHs could have the choice individually of turning down and that the club benefits in however small a way should anyone do so. Or if the club's offer includes an option for STHs to waive their option on it and instead ask for an equivalent donation to charity or the academy or similar.

But apart from that I'm in the "I don't feel I'm owed anything" STH camp and looking forward to taking up my new seat in the Barwell Stand.

FETHY PO FYLIEL AN GWARRY HA TRA NAHEN

Reply Quote Report
Eif Jones
23/07/2015 01:44
In honour of rugby's silly season, dare I suggest that the Saints CEO should sing this song at half time at the first FG game - youtube v=g_HN50TLuaI for moving a game following season ticket sales from FG to MK.


Her cover of Creep is even better but I wouldn't want to suggest that the CEO is a C

Reply Quote Report
Dave Jackson
23/07/2015 09:20
Eif. Think your link is broke?

Reply Quote Report
JohnI
23/07/2015 22:40
The problem was that if you wanted to keep your seat you had to pay by the 30 May at which time it was still speculation if there was to be an LV cup or not or if there were going to be other games arranged such as tigers have arranged pre season!
Things should have been more clear earlier to let people make a decision with all the facts not speculation.

This doesn't show the club in a good light in comparison to the rest of the league

[leicestertigersultrasubmarines.blogspot.co.uk]

Reply Quote Report
Goto: Forum List•Message List•Search• Log In
Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.
We record all IP addresses on the Sportnetwork message boards which may be required by the authorities in case of defamatory or abusive comment. We seek to monitor the Message Boards at regular intervals. We do not associate Sportnetwork with any of the comments and do not take responsibility for any statements or opinions expressed on the Message Boards. If you have any cause for concern over any material posted here please let us know as soon as possible by e-mailing abuse@sportnetwork.net