The unofficial AFC Rushden & Diamonds messageboard

Formic wrote: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.

It doesn't really answer it, a posting on a messageboard doesn't equate to the club, or the BSP, publishing the wording of the actual directive does it?

Of course my comments are going to be "non-Trust De Banke centric" I'm not a Trust member and was happy as Larry to pay an additional £1, a fair increase, but an additional £4 in one season??? Why should I pay the same as a someone in a seat? How is that fair???

Formic wrote: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.
Yes they did for Trust members, but they went up by £3 for the terrace regulars who were neither, it is these that we are losing
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.
My point being that what we're taking in one hand is being lost by the lower attendance in the other. Whether that's turnstile or bar / food
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.

My suggestion;-
On the gate for the terrace £15 ( a rise of £1)
In a seat £15 ( a drop of £1, which might encourage more away fans - and complies with the directive)
Less people leaving never to return (a gain)
I suspect we could have settled at £16 across the board and not lost too many fans.

I see equilibrium here, if you want to "increase revenues" you do not raise your prices too far in the worst recession since the 1930s. What we're in danger of doing is becoming a "members only" club. Let's face it, if you're a season ticket holder you brought your ticket at a "slashed price", and fair play to you - how does the club afford that? No one was suggesting anyone was being blasé. With the exception of Matt I know all of the above and I do not doubt their motives, just their decision to raise the prices the way they have, it's right we should challenge it. We must not continue to divide our remaining support, it's fragile enough.

My suggestion was the easiest (although I would need to see the wording of the directive to ensure its allowable, but as we're doing it with the Trust I see no reason why it wouldn't be) that was free Diamonds membership (paid to the club) qualifying standing customers to a discount when you purchased your first ticket via the ticket office - a nominal one off fee of £1 could have been charged at that time to cover the admin costs. That way the same discount as is currently being given to Trust members could be applied and I know 5 people that would still be coming then.

The trouble is it can't be changed straight away, I accept that, and even if its changed to the above system for next season the damage has now been done, I suspect out of the 5 fans I'm the only one who would return now - the net effect on just the fans I know has been 4 lost, probably for good - I wonder how many others in the ground look left and right and see gaps where people they've stood next to season after season are no longer coming !! Thats why I'm so irritated by this !!

Oh, and isn't the actual increase for a standing customer £4, and for a seated one £1? £1 increase in cost across the board (I have no problem with that at all) and an extra £3 for those of us who stand to comply with the directive? A 31% increase in prices in one season for standing non-Trust members and just a 6% increase for those who choose to sit, whether they're a Trust member or not!! Thats the unfairness !!

Whats fair and unfair depends on the individual situtation.

To Pigman paying £4 extra to stand is unfair but its fair for those home fans that chose to sit to pay £3 more than away fans sitting only yards away.

In fact the whole concept of the Conference directive is unfair to home fans all round and actually penalises the fact that our stadium is too good for this division.

2OD point of having an all round set fee of £15 or £16 for the stadium still does not get over the fact that those standing will still feel agrieved that standing costs the same as seating.

Having another system like a supporters club with cheaper membership card of a quid or 2 means organising and overseeing and know doubt will require like the Trust a committee and seperate accounts etc, so Pigman are you willing to get this committer together and get a bank account organised with treasurer,secetary etc,etc,etc and then arrange the AGM and minutes etc,etc, etc.
Even if the Club could do it without committee's who would be the lucky person to chosen at the club for their umpteenth job, Matt,Rachel ,Gill just lump it on them no doubt have plenty of time for another job.

The stadium we have in fact is an albatross around our necks with costs to maintain which keeps our ticket prices high, we could not lower prices to what some people think is reasonable for Non League Footy £10 and maintain the stadium and squad.

So the reality is we have a stadium far to good for our current and future circumstances as i doubt we will ever again get above the lower reaches of the Football League, in fact the Airwair stand was in hindsight a disaster and would be better off demolished and a smaller cheap terrace area built but then again money would be even required to achieve this.

You're missing my point totally Biggles - I haven't got the time to write a big long answer now, I can't respond fully anyway until I've seen the exact wording of the directive which no-one wants to show me.

But what I proposed above wasn't a club as such, just a discount scheme, or loyalty scheme call it what you will, for Diamonds fans who stand - I wan't proposing any reduction for away fans, they've got a seat, so why should they get a discount? We agree on that point and it would be wholly unfair to reduce their price below that of a seated home fan. How is asking Matt to print off an additional ticket which the supporter could show at the gate to get a discount "lumping extra work" on people I know too well are already busy as hell and do a terrific job, don't confuse my annoyance at the ticketing situation with my thoughts on people running the club, they do an excellent job and I'm the first to praise them - but an increase of £4, or forcing people to join the Trust, is wrong - we'll have to agree to disagree on that point. I'm not proposing £10, I was happy to pay £14 !!!!!

If the directive says it has to be a Trust or an organised body with AGMs, a Committe etc etc to enable it to run a discount scheme like this, then my idea is stuffed, dead in the water - BUT I DON'T KNOW DO I BECAUSE NO-ONE WILL PUBLISH OR SHOW ME THE EXACT WORDING OF THE DIRECTIVE !!! To answer your other question, no, I wouldn't get involved in something like that. Not because I can't be arsed, but because AGMs and Community work is my entire life, I simply don't have the time as I currently sit on 6 different committees and know only too well the commitment required, thats why I didn't stand for Trust membership in the first place !!!

I doubt it would be as simple as printing out a ticket, the scheme would still have to be administered in some capacity which means extra work along the line and the Trust solution is the simple method (although not the cheapest for the fans) as this is administered already and causes no extra work within the Club.

As i said we are punished for having a Stadium without 2 terraced ends or a way of easy or not costly methods of segregation on the Debanke that would satisfy safety standards.

Only those within the Club can tell whether we are missing out financially on the missing 200 or so that have gone since the price increase and its upto KC in the end if he wishes to find other solutions to ease the situation or maybe he is waiting for our promotion ;) to end the issue.

Not this shit again... :!:

Maybe I should make a sub-forum? Just call it "£17" ;)

In all honesty I do understand the complaints, but there's nothing really more to be said that hasn't been said already.

Let's just focus on Yeovil

Yeah, Bring it on!