Summat I didn't know until last night

Probably me being thick like, but anyway...

I always thought the membership scheme at Barnsley, where you can get £3 off if you buy your tickets in advance, was designed to ensure Barnsley fans get in to the game cheaper than away fans. The football league or the FA or whoever say you've got to charge away fans the same price if they sit in a similar stand to the home fans. I thought this membership scheme was a way around that. Apparently not. Away fans who are season ticket holders or members of their club also get the £3 discount if they buy their tickets in advance.

http://www.swfc.co.uk/news/article/ticket-details-barnsley-v-owls-486719.aspx

http://www.rovers.co.uk/news/article/tickets-barnsley-v-rovers-521933.aspx

Was this common knowledge? Is it just me who got the wrong end of the stick?

When we introduced the scheme, the FL said we also had to offer the same benefits to away fans. As such, it is my opinion the scheme is pointless, other than to frighten off potential punters with a headline admission price of £28. I can't see any advantage to it at all. When I suggested as much I was looked at like I'd got two heads, so obviously I'm missing something, but I'm damned if I know what that is.

 

The Membership scheme is amongst the biggest wastes of time and effort ever known at BFC. It's done nothing to attract support and everything to make folk think '**** it'

An absolute genius idea.

 

Not being controversial or owt, but I'm firmly of the opinion that Don is poor at his job. That's even taking in to account the lack of resources available at the club and his propensity for buying beers at fan meetings.

 

No, I got that. What I can't understand is why, once the FL informed them of this, we carried on with the scheme.

 

Then why not scrap it and just nake all tickets 25 quid? Jays point that the 28 quid headline price simply puts off more people than the membership scheme attracts is valid and something I agree with.

 

Yes, me too. That's not an attack on his character or anything afore umbrage merchants kick off.

 

I beleive that is too expensive to make much of a difference, although I DO take your point.

 

I didn't know that.

The point I suppose is that you're still going to get away fans coming and paying on the gate, so they get charge £28 just like our fans.

But I agree, it's pointless. Which I said last night. And the last meeting.

 

Unless it's to encourage the majority of home & away fans to buy in advance as you can't get the discount at the turnstiles?

 

I said this last night. The problem I think is that there's a feeling around the club that fans are using the price as an excuse rather than they genuinely feel it's too much.

If 90% of your customer base give you consistent feedback you have to change it. If your customer base will only pay £20, you charge £20. If that means you go down, unfortunately, you go down.

 

" I think is that there's a feeling around the club that fans are using the price as an excuse rather than they genuinely feel it's too much."

That sums it up beautifully. it's not us that's got it wrong, it's every one else.

 

£28/£25/£20/£7.47 with a stub.... all nonsense.

make it £25 and kids for £12 with under 11's £5 simples.

 

Years ago back in the days of quality highly paid players who got us relegated...

You brought in advance you saved a few quid to the gate prices.

In advance upto the day before the game a score.
Day of the game/ on gate 25

 

Agreed

That was the attitude coming across to me, too.

 

I agree with Pompey £25 £12 kids. If you look at Bristol City most of the ground is £25 and £12 that pricing has not put their debt problem it has helped them. Their debt comes from paying for players they cannot afford mega bucks. If they order tickets in advance they pay £1 the £3 we pay is a scam to get the £28 back. You should be able to pay on gate and ******** to the membership scheme and online con. I have talked to a lot of former keen supporters and they are adamant they are not paying £28 and are not into online crap. They want to just come down as and when and pay on gate.

 

Re:

'I think is that there's a feeling around the club that fans are using the price as an excuse rather than they genuinely feel it's too much'

Lol, you really couldn't make it up. They think £28 is a fair price and believe the supporters think it's a fair price but are using it as an excuse not to go?

 

I always think this is case of supply and demand. I think the club needs to understand it maximum capbility when it comes to getting people throught its turnstyles ie. if the club got its pricing structure and entertainment bang on how many would come.

The days of 15k per week have sadly gone in this current climate. Granted the results have been a bit tosh but there's no money in pockets for Luxorys like football for a vast majority of people.

In my view the maximum crowds are about 10-11k with a few wins and the pricing being bang on. If you arent getting that then as in retail businesses you need to lower your pricing and advertise effectively (speculate to accumulate) and this is where it comes to supply and demand.

The empty seats are like houses for sale. If nobody is looking around them or wanting to sit in them the owner and the estate agent lower the price by 10 percent and advertise it like crazy. If that doesnt work then you lower again until it finds the level that the house is actually worth due to demand.

The empty seats at Oakwell are getting more and more and unless the club do something quickly then it'll signal the end. It is far easier and cheaper to retain customers rather than aquire them. Next season is too late and I'm sad to say it but the board and club are so, small business thinking and reactional that I cant see them pulling it out of the mire unless somone buys them out and have a clear business strategy to grow the club business.

Over to you Don, prove us all wrong.