Ticket prices

Cuts are just the ticket

At last! Premiership football clubs are finally getting the message that ticket prices are just too high. Top outfits like Blackburn Rovers and Bolton are leading the way where others now need to follow.

Clubs in lesser divisions have known it for years. You can’t expect full stadiums if you charge the earth to get in. Even the most die-hard fans are having to take a look at their hard-pressed finances during this prolonged economic recession and it’s not just the cost of the ticket. You have to take into account everything from travelling to the game, whether by car or on public transport, food and drink and, in some cases, overnight accommodation too.

Top clubs who continue to charge vast amounts for tickets need to come down a peg or two. No-one can afford to be conceited any more and think their star players or a great performance on the pitch is enough to secure the fans.

In any event, reduced ticket prices are a way of repaying the loyalty of supporters and breeding new fans amongst the young. There’s nothing so disheartening as seeing a half-full stadium and, conversely, nothing so cheering as a full one.

Of course, sceptics say clubs like Bolton are only reducing their prices because they can’t fill their seats because of their performance. If or when they became highly successful, ticket prices would soon soar.

This is, however, the fourth straight season that Wanderers have either frozen or reduced their prices. For the 2009/2010 campaign, the cost of an adult season ticket goes down by eleven per cent. Tickets for supporters under the age of 21 will be slashed by 39 per cent and those over 65 benefit from a reduction of 22 per cent.

Chairman Phil Gartside says the reductions are a direct result of consultation with fans and a way of saying thank you for their support, as well as encouraging families in these challenging times. Let’s take that as gospel. If the truth is they can’t fill their stadiums, there is no reason not to admit it, regardless of whether it’s because of the recession or the appeal of the club.

Financial incentives like this are vital to keep the game alive. Take my home side, Swindon Town FC for example. Last summer, one of their initiatives was to invite early applications for season tickets. If enough materialised – and the target in this case was 4,000 – then supporters would benefit from a substantial saving. All you had to do was pay half up front which also helped the club’s cash flow.

Unfortunately, the target fell short but it was a great idea which will probably work better the second time round. Everywhere you go at the moment, there are special offers in the shops and stores. Buy one, get one free. Huge discounts. Money back offers. Buy now, pay later.

Football clubs might also like to invest in some good marketing companies to come up with new ideas. That would be money well worth spent and produce a benefit to all.

Trying selling tickets for a good home game at ten pounds, for instance, and let’s see how the stands fill up. If they don’t, at least it won’t be through lack of effort.