Match Ticket Prices

[dave.woodhall]

I mentioned this earlier in the thread, but I do think it is a pretty risky game having such a discrepancy between one-off ticket pricing and season ticket pricing (or, if you choose to see it that way, such a saving for ST holders).

The club risks a situation where people will think "I can't really afford 4-500 quid for the season ticket, I'll pick and choose" only then to find that, when it comes to it, it's a big hit to fork out 40 odd quid to go and see one football match (and that assumes it's just you going, no kids etc etc).

It's a very difficult one to get right.

It is difficult but that's the going rate for PL football, the alternative would be to opt out and accept that we'll never compete at the top end of the table.

Haven't we done that already?

[VillaZogmariner]

If you're struggling financially then sadly football is already out of your reach.

Which is completely wrong.

(I'm not saying that you are wrong Chris, that the fact that football is priced out of reach of people is wrong).

It's not just football though, a lot of major sporting/music events in the UK are ridiculously overpriced. As I've stated in the Ashes thread, I've purchased a ticket that gets me access for all 5 days of the Brisbane test and it has cost me less than the ticket I purchased for the Saturday of the Ashes test at Edgbaston last year.

[Chris Smith]

I mentioned this earlier in the thread, but I do think it is a pretty risky game having such a discrepancy between one-off ticket pricing and season ticket pricing (or, if you choose to see it that way, such a saving for ST holders).

The club risks a situation where people will think "I can't really afford 4-500 quid for the season ticket, I'll pick and choose" only then to find that, when it comes to it, it's a big hit to fork out 40 odd quid to go and see one football match (and that assumes it's just you going, no kids etc etc).

It's a very difficult one to get right.

It is difficult but that's the going rate for PL football, the alternative would be to opt out and accept that we'll never compete at the top end of the table.

Haven't we done that already?

That's why I said "top end" rather than top.

[mshurst]

I think the statement about "hitting a personal limit" is the best so far.

Let's say, for example, that a ticket cost you £35 last season. Now, by their "hike" of prices the ticket, in the same seat, costs £38. Personally, that's a little bit too much for me.

I'd happy pay mid-£30 for a ticket, but by adding £3 it's now closer to £40. And that's how people will, and are, seeing it.


Now, Brum is not the richest city in the country, nor will it ever be, and people do not have enough disposable income to spend £400 for a season ticket, let alone £40 for a single game. Think about it ... if you're on a basic wage of £15,000 per anum, then after bills, insurance(s), petrol, shopping, etc, then a family will not be able to afford £200 for their family to go to a Villa match.

And right now, I think Villa need the support. Getting a sell-out stadium on a regular basis is what they need (IMO), and by upping the tickets by just a few quid they're going to start losing them.

I know, from my point of view, that I will not be going to watch as many games as I'd planned. And I'm still able to get U-21 tickets!

[pauliewalnuts]

'If you're struggling financially then sadly football is already out of your reach.' What kind of elitist nonsense is that? That is really a staggering statement.

Stunning isn't it?

The only thing stunning is your reaction.

For the people I know who aren't working a trip to a PL game is the last thing on their mind. They're more worried about paying the bills and feeding the family. Football priced itself out of the reach of those people decades ago.

It isn't just about the people who aren't working, though, is it?

It is also about people who are having to tighten their belts, and there are an awful lot of them around at the moment.

We hardly ever fill our ground, it strikes me that we're not in much of a position to be writing chunks of our market off.

[Chris Smith]

If you're struggling financially then sadly football is already out of your reach.

Which is completely wrong.

(I'm not saying that you are wrong Chris, that the fact that football is priced out of reach of people is wrong).

It's not just football though, a lot of major sporting/music events in the UK are ridiculously overpriced. As I've stated in the Ashes thread, I've purchased a ticket that gets me access for all 5 days of the Brisbane test and it has cost me less than the ticket I purchased for the Saturday of the Ashes test at Edgbaston last year.

I'm angry, depressed and jealous as fuck in equal measures.

[pauliewalnuts]

Now, Brum is not the richest city in the country, nor will it ever be, and people do not have enough disposable income to spend £400 for a season ticket, let alone £40 for a single game. Think about it ... if you're on a basic wage of £15,000 per anum, then after bills, insurance(s), petrol, shopping, etc, then a family will not be able to afford £200 for their family to go to a Villa match.

If you're going to charge high prices (not relatively to football in general, in absolute terms I mean), then you need to make sure the product on offer is good.

There weren't too many home matches last season I'd have been happy to fork out 40 quid for. Or I might have forked it out once, but I'd have thought seriously about whether to do it again.

Christ only knows how people with kids who want to go manage.

[Dave Cooper please]

The only thing stunning is your reaction.

For the people I know who aren't working a trip to a PL game is the last thing on their mind. They're more worried about paying the bills and feeding the family. Football priced itself out of the reach of those people decades ago.

How about people who ARE working but don't earn pop-star wages, and can afford the odd treat, such as a trip to see their football team?
People like me for instance.

A trip to the Villa with my son pretty much clears out my "treat cash" for the month, so it's a conscious decision between watching Villa or maybe going to the cinema followed by a meal out. And every couple of quid added to a ticket at Villa makes the latter (which doesn't seem to have gone up in price at all recently) much more desirable.

[Chris Smith]

'If you're struggling financially then sadly football is already out of your reach.' What kind of elitist nonsense is that? That is really a staggering statement.

Stunning isn't it?

The only thing stunning is your reaction.

For the people I know who aren't working a trip to a PL game is the last thing on their mind. They're more worried about paying the bills and feeding the family. Football priced itself out of the reach of those people decades ago.

It isn't just about the people who aren't working, though, is it?

It is also about people who are having to tighten their belts, and there are an awful lot of them around at the moment.

We hardly ever fill our ground, it strikes me that we're not in much of a position to be writing chunks of our market off.

Agreed, there will be people who decide that they can't afford it, I've been in the same position myself in the past. My reply to Dave though was that I didn't think it was enough to have "a significant impact on crowds". I might be wrong but unless the team suffers a massive slump I expect attendances to be pretty similar to last season.

[VillaZogmariner]

If you're struggling financially then sadly football is already out of your reach.

Which is completely wrong.

(I'm not saying that you are wrong Chris, that the fact that football is priced out of reach of people is wrong).

It's not just football though, a lot of major sporting/music events in the UK are ridiculously overpriced. As I've stated in the Ashes thread, I've purchased a ticket that gets me access for all 5 days of the Brisbane test and it has cost me less than the ticket I purchased for the Saturday of the Ashes test at Edgbaston last year.

I'm angry, depressed and jealous as fuck in equal measures.

Maybe I should tell you how much the tickets for the first four days at Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide have cost too!

[mshurst]

There weren't too many home matches last season I'd have been happy to fork out 40 quid for. Or I might have forked it out once, but I'd have thought seriously about whether to do it again.

I just thought about that after I posted.

I didn't go to any PL games last season (shocking, I know), but by looking at their home stats I'm quite glad I didn't.

8 wins, 8 draws and 3 losses. Now, for a club that are charging £40ish a ticket I'd expect a better home record than that. And before anyone says anything, yes, I am aware that a draw is better than losing. But only just.

I'd want better for that money.

[Dave Cooper please]

Maybe I should tell you how much the tickets for the first four days at Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide have cost too!

Would it be terribly rude of me to tell you to fuck off?

[VillaZogmariner]

Maybe I should tell you how much the tickets for the first four days at Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide have cost too!

Would it be terribly rude of me to tell you to fuck off?

*wavey man*

[Chris Smith]

The only thing stunning is your reaction.

For the people I know who aren't working a trip to a PL game is the last thing on their mind. They're more worried about paying the bills and feeding the family. Football priced itself out of the reach of those people decades ago.

How about people who ARE working but don't earn pop-star wages, and can afford the odd treat, such as a trip to see their football team?
People like me for instance.

A trip to the Villa with my son pretty much clears out my "treat cash" for the month, so it's a conscious decision between watching Villa or maybe going to the cinema followed by a meal out. And every couple of quid added to a ticket at Villa makes the latter (which doesn't seem to have gone up in price at all recently) much more desirable.

"Pop-star Wages"?

Obviously this wouldn't apply to everyone but as you'd used yourself as an example I'd suggest you stop wasting your money following that shitty south Staffs team home and away and use it to go to the Villa more.

[dave.woodhall]

The only thing stunning is your reaction.

For the people I know who aren't working a trip to a PL game is the last thing on their mind. They're more worried about paying the bills and feeding the family. Football priced itself out of the reach of those people decades ago.

How about people who ARE working but don't earn pop-star wages, and can afford the odd treat, such as a trip to see their football team?
People like me for instance.

A trip to the Villa with my son pretty much clears out my "treat cash" for the month, so it's a conscious decision between watching Villa or maybe going to the cinema followed by a meal out. And every couple of quid added to a ticket at Villa makes the latter (which doesn't seem to have gone up in price at all recently) much more desirable.

"Pop-star Wages"?

Obviously this wouldn't apply to everyone but as you'd used yourself as an example I'd suggest you stop wasting your money following that shitty south Staffs team home and away and use it to go to the Villa more.

And maybe everyone else who's been priced out can stop spending their money on non-essentials and give every penny of their disposable income to the Villa.