2011/12 Season Cards?

[Smiffy]

Discuss.

The marketing campaign for next Season's Season Cards (Which I am guessing will be announced shortly) could be one of THE most crucial in the clubs history in my opinion.

They need to get it right and think outside the box.

A simple "prices the same as last season" or "unfortunately we have had to increase the cost" will not do this time. We need a whacky campaign to get the numbers up (Such as Bradford etc)

5000 SCH's @ £150 each = £750,000

or

2500 SCH's @ £300 each = £750,000

All speculative of course, but I can see 5,000 taking up a season card at £150, IF it was marketed properly. Do the bars up, improve the catering, happy hours, better entertainment etc and the club is in a decent position to take advantage of the increased footfall. Surely the club can only benefit financially from such an offer, through the tills at RH.

Let's see what they come up with. I fear for our existence if they get it wrong...

Your thought's and idea's on what price structure you would like to see?

 

[Somerset Ex-TTB]

I fear for our existence ... as long as Ron Martin is in charge

Edited for accuracy

 

[Onion_Bag_Dave]

Yep you are right, WE HAVE to up the numbers, not only for money, but also for others to become 'HOOKED' for the new stadium. When it is finally magicked into existence.

Bradford's really does work. Don't they have 12,000 season ticket holders?

They have to market it in some way that suggests 'PROMOTION PUSH'. (That's if we don't go up this year, and even if we do go up this year).

Positivity is the only way to get the season ticket holder numbers up, that and some kind of lowered price.

It's not hard to improve the bars, it's not hard to improve the catering.

I fancy Tara to have some ideas on this already, and as you are now his drinking partner I suspect you are his spy.

One thing is for sure, to up shirt sales we need to have a YELLOW shirt.

''Get your season ticket now for just £150 pounds and come and support the side onto a PROMOTION to (insert relevant league here).''

With every season ticket you are allowed to have 2 half price tickets to the games of your choice. Just small things like that, that up the attendance, and improve the support for the good of the club, it's finances, and the ''new'' stadium. If we want our 14,000 crowds to make the move viable we need to start building the fan base before it's built! Simples as that!

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

Yep you are right, WE HAVE to up the numbers, not only for money, but also for others to become 'HOOKED' for the new stadium. When it is finally magicked into existence.

Bradford's really does work. Don't they have 12,000 season ticket holders?

They have to market it in some way that suggests 'PROMOTION PUSH'. (That's if we don't go up this year, and even if we do go up this year).

Positivity is the only way to get the season ticket holder numbers up, that and some kind of lowered price.

It's not hard to improve the bars, it's not hard to improve the catering.

I fancy Tara to have some ideas on this already, and as you are now his drinking partner I suspect you are his spy.

One thing is for sure, to up shirt sales we need to have a YELLOW shirt.

''Get your season ticket now for just £150 pounds and come and support the side onto a PROMOTION to (insert relevant league here).''

With every season ticket you are allowed to have 2 half price tickets to the games of your choice. Just small things like that, that up the attendance, and improve the support for the good of the club, it's finances, and the ''new'' stadium. If we want our 14,000 crowds to make the move viable we need to start building the fan base before it's built! Simples as that!

In what way has it worked for Bradford? This year is the 4th year of their cheap season tickets in League 2, they started off with about 16,000 and that has dropped to around 11,000 season ticket holders this season. It was brought in to help a promotion push in their first season down, but 5 seasons later & they will still be in League 2 (maybe Blue Square if they carry on with the bad results). O.K. they might get more people spending money in the ground but the larger crowds have not helped them win many games.

I'm not sure Southend will go down the cheap season ticket route, but I would have thought next years season ticket details will be out soon?

 

[EastStandBlue]

We were discussing this before the last home game as a matter of fact.

I thought that next season, or perhaps at one of our few remaining games this season as a trial run, the club could launch some kind of Early Bird price for certain games. If it's a 3pm kick-off, you can buy a ticket at half-price but it can only be used before 1:30pm to get into the ground. You're getting people into the stadium and they're far more likely to have a few drinks and a burger or whatever.

In terms of season ticket prices, it's something of a minefield trying to organise a marketing scheme like those seen at Bradford and Huddersfield, and TB admitted in the latest Trust liaison minutes that ticket prices would probably have to rise next season.

"7. 2011/12 Season Tickets
PY asked when details would be known for next year. TB explained that he felt it was
unavoidable that prices would increase. PF/PY agreed and offered to ask committee
members their views."

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

We were discussing this before the last home game as a matter of fact.

I thought that next season, or perhaps at one of our few remaining games this season as a trial run, the club could launch some kind of Early Bird price for certain games. If it's a 3pm kick-off, you can buy a ticket at half-price but it can only be used before 1:30pm to get into the ground. You're getting people into the stadium and they're far more likely to have a few drinks and a burger or whatever.

In terms of season ticket prices, it's something of a minefield trying to organise a marketing scheme like those seen at Bradford and Huddersfield, and TB admitted in the latest Trust liaison minutes that ticket prices would probably have to rise next season.

"7. 2011/12 Season Tickets
PY asked when details would be known for next year. TB explained that he felt it was
unavoidable that prices would increase. PF/PY agreed and offered to ask committee
members their views."

Oh dear, TB better be ready for a drop in Season Ticket holders for next season then.

 

[* ORM *]

Not even Blair's spin doctors could conjure a decent campaign for this one. Nothing short of full written assurances that commitments will be met on time, fans will not be told half truths and Ron's great vision for the next two seasons with meaningful back up is needed for starters. The trust has gone, probably permanently. I understand the club need me to renew my ST for cash-flow reasons but I will be thinking carefully on the pros and cons of doing so.

 

[grassroots]

We are assuming that getting bums on seats is No 1 priority within the Club - I dont think it is.

 

[Suffolk Shrimper In Dorset]

Yep, something along the Bradford scheme might work for me.

Otherwise, with a complete lack of trust in anything the Club spins out re its finances, an immense dis-respect for what Martin has done, usual poor Club PR, a potential lack of any real prospect of the Club investing in a playing staff any better than Soares & Co, the significant increase in petrol costs in travelling from Suffolk each game, other pressures on calls to spend the family £, etc etc for the first time in years I am seriously thinking about not renewing my season ticket and just cherry picking games to go to.

If I did not have the season ticket, weary of all of the above of late I would prob not be there on Friday, instead saving up for remaining new ground trips this seasons fixtures bring and a couple of home games towards the end. With my seaso I will be there on Friday with SS Jnr, buying a prog etc and putting money in to the Club as always and at £150 a pop I would renew again.

Time for a re-think Messrs Martin and Brady.

 

[Chairman Trigg]

Both Bradfords and Huddersfield reduced offer worked ,and increased gate revenue,cant see us getting more than 2500 this term after the lies and lost trust.If at the moment we are starting to question TB Q&A radio answers it shows just how bad the trust is between club and supporters.Anyway we should know the truth if the ground isn,t started asap.Which I think will have a big bearing on sales

 

[GBJ]

Can't see the point in getting a season card really. For the cost of them, you only get a few (1 or 2?) free games. So if you can't make 3-4 games, then it has cost more than you needed to pay. And with the Tuesday/Friday, that's a big possibility.

Secondly, whilst we're averaging 4-5k per game, it's not as if you're hard pushed to buy a ticket on matchdays.

That's just my take on it anyway.

 

[Chairman Trigg]

Thinking outside of the box ! What if they had a limited window say 4 weeks ,and if they received 6000 applications in that time they would run with the £150

 

[GBJ]

Discuss.

The marketing campaign for next Season's Season Cards (Which I am guessing will be announced shortly) could be one of THE most crucial in the clubs history in my opinion.

They need to get it right and think outside the box.

A simple "prices the same as last season" or "unfortunately we have had to increase the cost" will not do this time. We need a whacky campaign to get the numbers up (Such as Bradford etc)

5000 SCH's @ £150 each = £750,000

or

2500 SCH's @ £300 each = £750,000

All speculative of course, but I can see 5,000 taking up a season card at £150, IF it was marketed properly. Do the bars up, improve the catering, happy hours, better entertainment etc and the club is in a decent position to take advantage of the increased footfall. Surely the club can only benefit financially from such an offer, through the tills at RH.

Let's see what they come up with. I fear for our existence if they get it wrong...

Your thought's and idea's on what price structure you would like to see?

How about the idea similar to what they did last year(?) with W block. If the interest in there, they'll cut a deal.

For example, they could charge people £300 for a season ticket, but if they were to get a target number signing up (5k), then they could reduce the origional cost by £50-£100 or whatever.

Also, gotta admit ESB's idea of half price before a certain time is a good'un. I'd rather spend my money on over-priced, watered down **** in the ground, instead of the over-priced, watered down **** in The Spread.

 

[Smiffy]

How about the idea similar to what they did last year(?) with W block. If the interest in there, they'll cut a deal.

For example, they could charge people £300 for a season ticket, but if they were to get a target number signing up (5k), then they could reduce the origional cost by £50-£100 or whatever.

Also, gotta admit ESB's idea of half price before a certain time is a good'un. I'd rather spend my money on over-priced, watered down **** in the ground, instead of the over-priced, watered down **** in The Spread.

Yep, problem being though, will people trust them to hand back the money if the target was reached...

 

[GBJ]

Yep, problem being though, will people trust them to hand back the money if the target was reached...

Yep that thought did occur to me. There would be a lot of kinks, another being, trusting the club to say they have reached 5k.

It would need some thought and planning, but could prove to be quite beneficial.

 

[EastStandBlue]

Yep, problem being though, will people trust them to hand back the money if the target was reached...

I think with the Bradford scheme they didn't take any money until the price was confirmed, but you had to register a commitment to pay the discounted price should they reach the set figure.

 

[devonexile]

Yep that thought did occur to me. There would be a lot of kinks, another being, trusting the club to say they have reached 5k.

It would need some thought and planning, but could prove to be quite beneficial.

I think Smiffy's right though, trust would be the big issue. If the club were to go down the Bradford route then an open offer, rather than a conditional one would be essential, if it were to work. But if TB is saying that prices will have to go up, then he is about to learn the econmic law of Diminishing Returns.

 

[The Late One]

The trust has gone

Oh dear, what a shame :smile:

 

[ShrimperChris]

With every season ticket you are allowed to have 2 half price tickets to the games of your choice. Just small things like that, that up the attendance, and improve the support for the good of the club, it's finances, and the ''new'' stadium. If we want our 14,000 crowds to make the move viable we need to start building the fan base before it's built! Simples as that!

I like this idea. Would definately get more people through the turnstiles. Two half price tickets still brings more money in than those seats remaining empty. IMO if this were to be offered, the half price tickets would more likely be taken up by mates of season ticket holders who are at a loose end on a Saturday rather than someone who regularly goes anyway. The only issue that might put people off that I can see is that the half price tickets seats you get with a season ticket would most probably not be next to, or even near, the season ticket seat.

As for the idea of charging c. £300 for a season ticket and offering X amount back once so many are sold, I agree that some may not trust the club to refund the agreed amount in cash, so what about offering a voucher to the club shop for the agreed amount? Would get more business into the club shop and may lead to people stocking up and maybe spending more than the voucher value.

 

[Beefy]

Slashing prices for season tickets would be a terrible idea for a number of reasons. Firstly it massively reduces the total turnover the business has to operate on, even if potentially (depending on the price elasticity of football season tickets which personally I don't believe actually are price elastic) the Club may get a slightly higher upfront payment.

Secondly the higher our number of season ticket holders the worse our cashflow position is likely to be next year as it has an obvious impact on the number of paying customers coming through the turnstiles every other week.

The prudent course of action, IMO, would be to increase season ticket prices by £50 or so to increase the amount of money the Club can milk out of those who would renew anyway and to steer those who wouldn't towards paying per game, which increases cashflow and (if those people go to all 23 home games) actually increases turnover as well.