Easy warm up for Yeovil

[Three of Diamonds]

The thing is though Dave, we're not in the same situation we were under Max. Our budget was well reported as one of the lowest in the division last season. We CANNOT continue to fleece the remaining fans, cos they'll go away and not come back. Then where do we stand? KC has an iron grip on the finances at this club, even the youth team is self funding now, so he accepts there must be an amount he will have to cover if there's a shortfall. Putting the prices up as the club has, will NOT solve this problem, it will make it worse by driving customers away. If we were going down the route you suggest, then we would not sell season tickets - it's financially daft to do so. That's the only "fair" way IMO, we all cover an equal share of the burden but it isn't going to happen, cos too many fans would leave as the prices are too high.

[Pigman]

Don't get me started on charging £5 for a Youth game..........................I'm kidding this time, honest guv !! ;)

[Three of Diamonds]

Don't get me started on charging £5 for a Youth game..........................I'm kidding this time, honest guv !! ;)

Get yer coat on and get dahn the club. By the way, the bar is NOT open. Damn, I just fancied a pint.

[Pigman]

Gunna throw my coat on in a sec and get down there - 7.45pm ko yeah?? I'll be there, first time this season !!

[Three of Diamonds]

7.45pm ko yeah??

S' Right

[davealbon]

The thing is though Dave, we're not in the same situation we were under Max.
I didn't say we were, in fact I said exactly the same as you. :?

Our budget was well reported as one of the lowest in the division last season. We CANNOT continue to fleece the remaining fans, cos they'll go away and not come back. Then where do we stand? KC has an iron grip on the finances at this club, even the youth team is self funding now, so he accepts there must be an amount he will have to cover if there's a shortfall. Putting the prices up as the club has, will NOT solve this problem, it will make it worse by driving customers away. If we were going down the route you suggest, then we would not sell season tickets - it's financially daft to do so. That's the only "fair" way IMO, we all cover an equal share of the burden but it isn't going to happen, cos too many fans would leave as the prices are too high.
Perhaps I should have added a qualifier at the end of my post, saying the club have little choice but to fleece us for as much as they can "without scaring off too many fans!" I don't like the fact that the cost of just about everything at the club has increased this season, but what else can we do to increase turnover? Everyone said that if we start challenging at the business end of the table then the attendances would improve, but that just hasn't happened. Although the increased gate prices have resulted in a few people no longer attending, I would imagine we are taking more in gate receipts than we would be if we had slashed ticket prices and encouraged a few more people to start attending.

[Formic]

I'm with Dave on this one. KC told us at a Fans Forum a year or so ago that they'd tried the reduced price approach to see if they could get the gates up - and the net revenue was significantly reduced (albeit it was in the context of Friendly games). With the league ruling as it is then we'd have been taking a huge gamble by slashing prices across the board, or squandering signifcant revenues from the K*ttering / Luton / Cambridge home games.

I don't think there is an easy solution - we'd all love to see Nene Park full(er) but when I think of how many people have fallen by the wayside over the years, well before this season, I'm afraid the trend has been there from the day Max reduced his commitment, through to the Tippett / Hart / Hill debacles. Many of those who deserted in the previous six seasons were as "notable" fans as those who are upset at the moment - unfortunately.

[Three of Diamonds]

Formic, we're not arguing for a slashing of the price based on last season's entrance prices are we? In fact I think most of those fans now drifting away would have put up with a smaller rise (and YES, this might be offset by an equally small drop in the seating price just to satisfy that directive). What we're saying is that it's gone up too far, too quickly from last season and for what gain? We seem to have blamed that Conference directive (which still hasn't surfaced) and yet, (obviously hidden away in that directive) it's ok to charge a lower price to home fans if you're a Trust member, so obviously the club are quite happy for a certain section of fans to pay a lower price anyway. The outcome is that all the club has done, is drive some fans away for no gain.
There is no easy solution, but let's not make it even harder for ourselves. Were in a hole, STOP DIGGING ;)

[Formic]

I thought any major doubts about the Conference directive had been dispelled in this thread - http://www.thediamondsforum.co.uk/viewt ... 4&start=20

I've commented before about the threads being "non-Trust De Banke centric" - the prices went up by £1 for seats, and £1 for Trust Members on the terrace didn't they.

I'm not sure I understand your point about "no gain" - surely the revenues are increased if you do some simple sums on attendance * entrance price compared to this stage last season.

I don't think anyone at the club is basé about increasing prices - the likes of Helen, Rachel, Gill, Matt were around when the hike came in after Max left (and the Car Parking charges were even less popular) - but nobody had come up with an alternative that looks like it would increase revenues whilst at the same time fulfilling the Conference directive.

[Pigman]

Looking at my own situation, I'm faced with either paying £3 extra per game than what I should be paying (to bring the price to stand to the same as people sitting!!!) or joining a Trust which for personal reasons I don't want to join - I've made my decision with my feet as others have done, thats done and dusted now, I'm not changing my mind, I'm sure others won't - damage done - end of !!!

But its the future that concerns me now. The club surely has to look at a different, more innovative, approach next season? I accept what is done is done for this season, you can't change it, people have joined the Trust so nothing else can fairly be done. I've outlined what my approach would be elsewhere on this board, but using my approach gives the club some flexibility to promote football at NP to new fans and attract some of the drifters back.

TofD is right, my gripe isn't about wanting prices to be slashed, its about a fair system for people who stand vs those with a seat, it will kill the club in the end as it totally hamstrings the club when trying to attract new customers. The current situation means even if someone wants to pop along and sample football at NP for the first time they'll have to pay £17, just to stand - thats too much to ask an occasional fan to pay - surely no-one disagrees with that?

It'll be interesting to see the half season ticket prices for the PDB when they're announced - one would hope it'd be organised in time for Christmas to enable people to make purchases as presents etc. I presume someone is on top of this at the club? (ARE YOU READING MRS PIGMAN )

I hate missing football, but I hate unfairness more - I just hope something can be sorted for next season to make me want to start parting with my cash again - I guess if we go up we can discard this stupid policy and charge differing amounts for different pasrts of the ground again, as every football club in the 4 Divisions above us do !!.