Season Tickets 2014/15

[Dave Clark Five]

Pretty much every season we have at least one crap attendance. It's when it becomes the norm is the time to worry.

Exactly, If the Norwich attendance becomes the norm then it's a problem, as is there are a whole bunch of mitigating circumstances.

As for 'I know people aren't happy because they've told me' - how much of that is projection because you're fed up yourself?  How much is that you tend to spend more time with people with a similar attitude to yourself?  I'm not trying to belittle your opinion here but I just don't think 'loads of people have told me they're not happy so it must be common' is as clear as you're making it.  Of course people are fed up, our home record has been poor for years, but I just don't buy that it will see a massive drop in season ticket sales as people are suggesting.

Kindly point me in the direction of throngs of people who are clamouring for a season ticket next year. I will get one. In the meantime, I'll go and get a shirt with 'don't talk to me about the Villa because I'm a miserable bastard' on it.

Same response as every pessimist ever on the internet, I don't have to prove anything, you suggested people are ready to throw the towel in, I disputed it because I don't think your sample of opinions is either extensive enough or provable as unbiased.  I'm not having a go I'm just pointing out that to take those things, pick the lowest attendance of the season, and say that should be the benchmark for next year is making a pretty big leap based on very little evidence.

I understand you've had enough of watching poor football and I understand you're going to want to vent over it, that's fair enough but the last line of the response above is just petulant and I ignored the barb about caring more about what people at matches say but that was a bit childish as well.  There's no need for you to get defensive or try scoring cheap points when I disagree with you, I wasn't even disputing that people are pissed off, just that I don't think it will have a massive effect on attendances, they might see a small drop in season tickets, around 1-2% but the average attendance won't change by much, in my opinion, as a club we always seem to float around 35000 and I don't see next year being any different.

Regarding "As for 'I know people aren't happy because they've told me' - how much of that is projection because you're fed up yourself?" - are you a psycho-analyst?
What is wrong with gauging the opinions of people renewing and seeking that information from those who already hold a season ticket? We weren't talking about how many new purchases there will be.

[Chris Smith]

We often see a lot of "I'm not renewing because..." type posts at this time of year. We also get a fair few "I wasn't going to renew but..." type posts in August.

That's not meant as a dig in any way but an observation that we're football fans and the pull to go to games is strong despite what we might tell ourselves when we're pissed off walking away from a dull home performance.

[amfy]

Assuming Lambert is still in charge my answer will be a big fat no. Not even for £5 per game. That will be my tiny and no doubt insignificant protest in the direction of Lerner/Faulkner for subjecting me to another gut-wrenchingly awful season at Villa Park.

This is an example ^

There are certainly a number if people who aren't renewing for a range of reasons. The price of the season ticket going up by £15-40 isn't one of them. The price of a season ticket/match tickets full stop might be a reason for some people in the current economic climate, but the extra bit makes no difference.

Example - there is no way, no matter how pissed off I am with modern football in general, villa specifically, or how tight things are financially, that I could have a thought process that goes 'I could have scraped together/stuck with Lambert at £415, but £430???? - Sorry - that's me out!'

I certainly think there'll be a drop, but maybe less than expected. There's no doubt there are real live examples of people who aren't renewing. Out the somewhere there'll also be people that can afford a season ticket for the first time. I got my first one back at a time when Villa Park was emptying simply because I could. People maybe underestimate the range of factors that affect people. It is certainly also true that people 'at the match' who say 'Thats it! I'm not renewing!' are possibly the least reliable gauge of what is actually going to happen.

[Dave Clark Five]

It is certainly also true that people 'at the match' who say 'Thats it! I'm not renewing!' are possibly the least reliable gauge of what is actually going to happen.

How can the least reliable gauge of anything be listening to representatives of the group concerned? I appreciate that some people threaten to not renew but always do, but there does seem to be an ever increasing air of pissedoffness amongst the crowd.

[Ad@m]

The people who sit by me have spoke much less this year about not renewing than they did at the end of both the GH and TSM seasons.

[amfy]

It is certainly also true that people 'at the match' who say 'Thats it! I'm not renewing!' are possibly the least reliable gauge of what is actually going to happen.

How can the least reliable gauge of anything be listening to representatives of the group concerned? I appreciate that some people threaten to not renew but always do, but there does seem to be an ever increasing air of pissedoffness amongst the crowd.

So why should this equate to people actually following through with this more than any other year?

Some of those who are threatening not come back won't, but actually, just like every other season, most if them will.

[Dave Clark Five]

It is certainly also true that people 'at the match' who say 'Thats it! I'm not renewing!' are possibly the least reliable gauge of what is actually going to happen.

How can the least reliable gauge of anything be listening to representatives of the group concerned? I appreciate that some people threaten to not renew but always do, but there does seem to be an ever increasing air of pissedoffness amongst the crowd.

So why should this equate to people actually following through with this more than any other year?

Some of those who are threatening not come back won't, but actually, just like every other season, most if them will.

We will go round and round in circles here. When next season comes around, we will find out if the ST sales ever get announced, which they don't seem to these days.

[bertlambshank]

We often see a lot of "I'm not renewing because..." type posts at this time of year. We also get a fair few "I wasn't going to renew but..." type posts in August.

That's not meant as a dig in any way but an observation that we're football fans and the pull to go to games is strong despite what we might tell ourselves when we're pissed off walking away from a dull home performance.

Ask me in August if I am still a S/T holder then.

[paul_e]

It is certainly also true that people 'at the match' who say 'Thats it! I'm not renewing!' are possibly the least reliable gauge of what is actually going to happen.

How can the least reliable gauge of anything be listening to representatives of the group concerned? I appreciate that some people threaten to not renew but always do, but there does seem to be an ever increasing air of pissedoffness amongst the crowd.

So why should this equate to people actually following through with this more than any other year?

Some of those who are threatening not come back won't, but actually, just like every other season, most if them will.

Which is exactly my point about projection, if everyone is pissed off after a few shit performances they're more likely to say they're not renewing but come July most will be just as keen as ever.

I'm in no way trying to be an analyst, just pointing out that your experiences from talking to a select number of people at the ground aren't  indicative of anything other than them being a bit pissed off that we've had another poor season.  A response to my message suggests a drop of 2000-3000 next year, I'm willing to bet that our average attendance next season will be within 1000 of this year.  We never seem to drift too far away from 36000 and I don't think that will change next year.

[mj]

As there are tickets for the North Stand next season I presume the supposed plans for redevelopment (Rugby World Cup? 2015?) have been shelved? 

(Edit - have since seen talk on other threads about this, so that's a no to redevelopment till 2016 at the earliest)

It's very unlikely that me & my lad will renew as we are moving house & the bump up in mortgage costs need to be recouped from somewhere.  Despite the appalling home form I think we will both miss going & would have renewed if we had the spare cash.

[UK Redsox]

The people who sit by me have spoke much less this year about not renewing than they did at the end of both the GH and TSM seasons.

Same here. I haven't heard anyone near me suggest not renewing for next season.

[andyh]

Effectively a 10% discount if you purchase before 6pm on 30th April is a nice gesture.
But, bloody hell, buying next seasons ticket before this season is over, sticks in the craw a little bit. 

[eamonn]

Yeah....you've just had 6 months of dross to put up with, a couple of exceptions aside, why not sign-up for 9 months more?! Not an easy job being in ticket sales down the Villa.

[Dave Clark Five]

Yeah....you've just had 6 months of dross to put up with, a couple of exceptions aside, why not sign-up for 9 months more?! Not an easy job being in ticket sales down the Villa.

Must be a hard working team in that office.

[Walmley_Villa]

From my perspective I'm not renewing the youngest as he has lost any interest in football so making a saving there. My 16 year old's has gone down as he is now an under 18. Mine up a tenner but with the Villa cash (which will cover a replica short for Walmley Jnr I'm quids in 'so to speak'....