Season ticket prices announced - merged thread.

[pauliewalnuts]

Alicante's not even very nice, anyway.

Further up the coast is where you want to be.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

I'll be renewing, but I don't get the same buzz out of it that I used to.

The only two games to get the blood racing this season were West Ham and Man City.

[DeKuip]

I'm renewing what ever the price. I'm Villa till I die, not till it doesn't suit me.

Unfortunately it's this kind of attitude that allows clubs to get away with ripping off supporters like they do. I'm not knocking you Shrek, I've been as bad to be honest, but until we football fans start letting the people who run our game know that they're basically taking the piss with the current pricing structures then we only have ourselves to blame.

Wembley will be full for both the FA Cup final and Champions League final despite the criminal way in which both the FA and UEFA are taking advantage of football supporters with their outrageous pricing - fans will go into debt or sell their grandmas to get to these games and the people who govern our game can only think of how much money they can take us all for. They know that whatever the price, some mug will pay it.

Most of us have either had our wages frozen or knocked back in the current economic climate, or worse still have lost our jobs. It's time for football to play fair with the fans. If income needs increasing then reduce the outgoings instead. If that means upsetting greedy players and their agents then good riddance to them.

A season ticket holder for as long as I can remember I won't take kindly to any kind of increase next season. I'm "Villa til I die" alright, but I'm also sick of having the piss taken out of me by greedy bastards.

[nick harper]

Haven't read through the thread so apologies if this has been mentioned , but I'm surprised the club are announcing prices before we are 100% certain of playing in this league next season.

[tony scott]

although the team has been woefull at times this season I hope to renew I saw my first game in 1959 and to any wavering season ticket holders all I can say is believe it or not there have been numerous worse seasons than this, by the way Im hoping for a reduction

[Sister of Top Cat]

TC and I intend to renew but if the price rise is dramatic we may have to consider relocating.  We currently sit in the Lower Trinity where there have had some large increases over the last few years.

[Villa'Zawg]

Haven't read through the thread so apologies if this has been mentioned , but I'm surprised the club are announcing prices before we are 100% certain of playing in this league next season.

They'll point to the extra 4 home games in the Championship and tell you you're getting a good deal.

[achilles]

Due to redundancy I never renewed last year and due to still not being employed I will not be renewing this year.

Have I missed it, not really as I have picked the matches I wanted to see (I will be there on Saturday against the mighty Wigan) and along with a lot of people I have become very disillusioned with money grabbing footballers and their agents (just do a search on Mario Balotelli)!

[SteveD]

I think all Premier clubs, not just ours, should think very carefully if using the VAT rise as an excuse for putting prices up. The TV money which pumps into the game and is squandered on wages, agents and transfer fees could easily subsidise ticket prices from a tax hike. The game is inflationary from its own crazy economics, nothing to do with anything George Osborne is doing.

In the current climate, even those of us who fairly comfortably have managed to budget for a season ticket in the past, might think twice if pushed too far. I've taken a decision not to go to away games next season, not that I go to many anyway, but £42 at West Brom was a last straw. Home matches, still for convenience as much as anything, I'll carry on with if prices don't rise and there is again an instalment plan.

[CJ]

Due to economic circumstances I've had to cut back significantly on everything, including my 'match-day experience'. It's now sandwiches and coffee in the car, instead of Fat Stan hot dog and a drink in the Holte concourse, and I've stopped buying programmes. Saves me about a tenner every game. More annoyingly I've had to cut back on away games - used to go to about 10 a season, only went to 2 this year (Wolves and Sheff Utd - would also have gone to Albion but couldn't get a ticket due to insufficient previous away games). A significant hike would test my resolve but I'm sure I'll still renew. 

[AV82EC]

I'll admit to not having to worry about the cost and renewal of my season ticket but realise that isn't an option for many.  However many comments have rung a bell with me and my renewal will be partly out of blind loyalty, partly out of the this could be the year it all clicks and partly becasue I just enjoy being with my mates at most of the homes and some aways.

[ez]

Slight increase I reckon.  Just a hunch.

Hope not, it's not justified and not a good time to increase prices at all.

And we are still not certain which division we will be in.

[Holte L2]

Er

How about this, done a few weeks ago when we were away at West Ham

Taxi to airport - er nowt -

However, it did cost me £10 to park my car at Airparks Garretts green - Friday - Sunday
Flights - Ryan Air - Bham to Alicante - £10 return - no taxes , no baggage fee (my clothes are there)
Car hire from Alicante £22 - paid for Smart car - upgraded to a Merc.
Petrol - negligable - only 25 minute drive - £5 most

Total cost of going Friday evening, spending a few hours in a nice bar, walking on a beach in 22 degrees on the morning, sitting watching the Villa in a bar with mellberg shirts, pics of Holte End , and full of Villa fans with a few San Miguels , spend a nice evening eating tapas, get up Sunday , go in the pool for a few hours , get ready, drive back to Airport , get home for around 9pm.

Cost £47

Cost of Villa game ST Holte Lower works out £23.50 a game , £1 to get in club , £5 to park car - very least £30
Away game at Man City - cost £100

Now, don't get me wrong - I am not saying the above to give the "I am considerably more richer than yow" speech.
What I am saying is, at the moment, I agree, there is nowt better than being on the Holte.

But put the price up much more than what it is - and are you telling me you wouldn't go for option B.

I am now 40 yrs old, I've done it, I remember having not missed a game, home , away , europe for 8 years, sitting crying my heart out on the M1 near Nottingham the day we played Sheff Wed away. My car broke down and I was sobbing coz I thought I was going to miss a game.

Sorry, but those days are gone for me - I have other things in life now as well !

I'm a season ticket holder, travel from Manc and do every away too. Yes going to football is fairly expensive, but so is every hobby.  Golf Memberships,, Gy Memberships, nights out etc....and in comparrison it isn't bad.

For example, when we had the recent international weekend, I spent my Saturday in a few bars in town. Ended up having a meal etc....when I got home I realised I'd spent more money than my average day down the Villa!
Yes, the prices have increased but it's not too bad.  The things that add up are the food stalls in the ground.  I don't buy anything inside the ground apart from a programme and H&V of course!

[mr-villa]

Is it too much to ask the club to approach the players to fund any proposed season ticket price increases?

If you assume we have around 27000 season ticket holders and say the club are looking for an average rise of £25 on each season ticket (thats 5% on a £495 season ticket) then that means an additional £675K over the season.

Then if you assume 20 first team squad players, could the club not ask the players to fund this?  Doing the maths that would mean each player contributing around £650 per week.  Assuming an average wage amongst these 20 players of £30k per week (probably conservative) that would mean asking those players to take a 2% pay cut, not unrealistic in the current economical climate.

I don't think that this is an unreasonable suggestion and would reflect what is currently happening to many people fortunate enought to be holding on to their jobs right now.  Shall I put it to the General?

[TheSandman]

But their wages are dictated by their contracts...