Championship ticket prices compared this Boxing Day

[shorehamview]

Like a proper supporter

Grinds my gears statements like that…

So if you don’t have a season ticket you’re not a proper supporter?

That’s what defines a proper supporter ? Having a season ticket?

Well said Jan Age

I’ve got a season ticket. I travel down from Woodseats for matches. I don’t go to away matches these days. I’m still a proper supporter.

Someone who travels from the far end of the country or even from abroad for just a few matches per season hasn’t got a season ticket. They’re still a proper supporter.

You could even make the argument that someone like Neuschwanstein is even more of a proper supporter because per match he’s spending far more money than I am.

And you know what difference it makes? None.

Some people can’t get to every match for wildly different reasons. Health, wealth, distance, work, family, all things can mean a rare trip to the Lane is a special occasion for them. They’re still proper supporters.

As long as we support United then we are all proper supporters.

 

[FatPaul]

Well there are 12 clubs with their most expensive seats costing more than United's but there are 15 clubs with cheaper seats being less than United's cheapest. What that says to me is given the state of the Kop it is way overpriced. Our most expensive seats are about average for the division and that gives us an average price which put us bang in the middle compared to the rest of the division.
Norwich city are paying eye watering prices for this division, Boro are quite expensive too, notable too that Bristol City have top seats at £700. As for the pigs on the cheap seats we are only a couple of quid behind their prices but for better seats you will pay considerably more at the rust bucket. So we are still cheaper than the pigs but not by much for Kop seats more expensive seat work out around a fiver cheaper at the lane.
The trouble is we are selling just about everything that isn't restricted view so a sort of dynamic pricing kicks in we can put up price until people start to stay away, your Blackburn's of the division are nowhere near selling their grounds out so can't put up prices as there is little demand as it is.
View attachment 200312

Based on that picture, I've come to the conclusion that Norwich are grade A lengths.

 

[Geordie Blade]

Based on that picture, I've come to the conclusion that Norwich are grade A lengths.

The ‘average’ is nonsense though. It’s not the average of all tickets - just the average of the single cheapest and single most expensive ticket. A club could have 29,999 tickets at £300 and 1 single ticket at £2,000 and that table would say that the average was £1,150.

Mind you, the cheapest being £545 does indeed make them grade A lengths.

 

[MTBlade]

We’re top of the league playing against 3rd, always likely it’s going to be a little bit more expensive than say a couple of midtable teams playing each other.

This could be looked at a different way.

We're top, due to the fantastic work the playing side are doing this season.

If the playing side hadn't been doing as well (like several expected with the transition and changeover in players), i think the price and category would still have been the same, as these would have been set at the start of the season.

United V Burnley on boxing day is always going to be a top category game, but it could have been a mid table game if the season hadnt gone so well.

 

[YES Blade]

This could be looked at a different way.

We're top, due to the fantastic work the playing side are doing this season.

If the playing side hadn't been doing as well (like several expected with the transition and changeover in players), i think the price and category would still have been the same, as these would have been set at the start of the season.

United V Burnley on boxing day is always going to be a top category game, but it could have been a mid table game if the season hadnt gone so well.

But we are top of the league and what’s the reason we’re top of the league? Expensive players! We can’t have it both ways, if the fans want top players, they need to be paid for.

Personally I’d much rather pay £36 to watch the talent on display at the Lane vs paying £30 to watch Preston vs Hull or Coventry vs Plymouth.

 

[Jan Age]

Well said Jan Age

I’ve got a season ticket. I travel down from Woodseats for matches. I don’t go to away matches these days. I’m still a proper supporter.

Someone who travels from the far end of the country or even from abroad for just a few matches per season hasn’t got a season ticket. They’re still a proper supporter.

You could even make the argument that someone like Neuschwanstein is even more of a proper supporter because per match he’s spending far more money than I am.

And you know what difference it makes? None.

Some people can’t get to every match for wildly different reasons. Health, wealth, distance, work, family, all things can mean a rare trip to the Lane is a special occasion for them. They’re still proper supporters.

As long as we support United then we are all proper supporters.

Exactly mate… as long as you have a passion for the blades and you do what you can given your individual circumstances that’s all that matters.

Merry Xmas and UTB

 

[ancientblade]

Exactly mate… as long as you have a passion for the blades and you do what you can given your individual circumstances that’s all that matters.

Merry Xmas and UTB

just think the club could make prices a bit cheaper for potd supporters do think the club are sort of penalising fans for not buying a season ticket

 

[skyjam]

The commercial idea of making season tickets more affordable is to generate money upfront.
I followed United for years, home and away to Division 4 and back up, travelling in rain and shine.
I don't get to Bramall Lane often these days, but I am a real supporter!
It takes me nearly 3 hours to drive to Bramall Lane, also many other Blades live a fair distance from Sheffield.
So just going to 6 or 7 games a year would probably cost me the price of a season ticket.

oh

 

[Bell4]

Not everyone lives close enough to justify a season ticket. Not everyone can get to enough games for other reasons. They are still proper supporters.

Sure

But life ain’t fair

 

[Jan Age]

just think the club could make prices a bit cheaper for potd supporters do think the club are sort of penalising fans for not buying a season ticket

I completely agree mate but I think that for the whole of football … an adult ticket should be no more than £20 and a kids no more than £10

 

[MobileBlade]

What a dick. Ever considered that many can't make weekday games due to work or travel so buying a ST would largely be a waste of money?

There are 9 midweek fixtures (unless Sky mess about to change to Friday). Max 5 at home for any club. Means still 18 weekend games. The pinch point for season tickets is 13 games.

 

[Super Furry Blades]

I've been going regularly since 1983/4
I did 2 paper rounds so I could go to the games ( Dad wasn't interested)
I used to walk round delivering news papers dreaming about Saturday and Keith Edwards scoring at the kop end .
If i had to miss a game I'd be absolutely devastated, it literally was my life .
As a junior Blade it cost 50p or a quid to get on kop .....
I've still gone fairly regularly for the last 40 years ....home & away .
However the last 18 to 24 months has seen a real barren spell ...
I've been to one home game this season & about 5 away ....
Similar to last season ...
I'm not going today and I can comfortably afford it , it's just not the same anymore .
I don't get that Buzz anymore, I'm not 100 % sure why ...
Players diving & cheating the prices
It used to feel like a real Family to me being a blade , I always made a beeline for people in blades Shirts on holidays etc they would always engage ...I dont know it felt more like a Gang ....it doesn't feel like that any more ......
Hopefully i will get the passion back one day and start enjoying it again ...
Sorry for Rambing on ....

 

[raul]

There are 9 midweek fixtures (unless Sky mess about to change to Friday). Max 5 at home for any club. Means still 18 weekend games. The pinch point for season tickets is 13 games.

With at least 3 already changed by Sky, Sunlan Dirties, Hull I think, that pinch point is likely going to be hit.

As a middle- distance supporter who also has to miss the odd Saturday game, I'll still renew because a) Im sat with all my mates and b) its just easier. But if prices rise significantly under new ownership, how many will think twice, and how many of those will be stumping up 40 odd quid a go once the match going rhythm is broken?

Difficult act to balance.

 

[Bl4desutd]

I've been going regularly since 1983/4
I did 2 paper rounds so I could go to the games ( Dad wasn't interested)
I used to walk round delivering news papers dreaming about Saturday and Keith Edwards scoring at the kop end .
If i had to miss a game I'd be absolutely devastated, it literally was my life .
As a junior Blade it cost 50p or a quid to get on kop .....
I've still gone fairly regularly for the last 40 years ....home & away .
However the last 18 to 24 months has seen a real barren spell ...
I've been to one home game this season & about 5 away ....
Similar to last season ...
I'm not going today and I can comfortably afford it , it's just not the same anymore .
I don't get that Buzz anymore, I'm not 100 % sure why ...
Players diving & cheating the prices
It used to feel like a real Family to me being a blade , I always made a beeline for people in blades Shirts on holidays etc they would always engage ...I dont know it felt more like a Gang ....it doesn't feel like that any more ......
Hopefully i will get the passion back one day and start enjoying it again ...
Sorry for Rambing on ....

I think it’s just part of getting older pal

 

[Bell4]

I've been going regularly since 1983/4
I did 2 paper rounds so I could go to the games ( Dad wasn't interested)
I used to walk round delivering news papers dreaming about Saturday and Keith Edwards scoring at the kop end .
If i had to miss a game I'd be absolutely devastated, it literally was my life .
As a junior Blade it cost 50p or a quid to get on kop .....
I've still gone fairly regularly for the last 40 years ....home & away .
However the last 18 to 24 months has seen a real barren spell ...
I've been to one home game this season & about 5 away ....
Similar to last season ...
I'm not going today and I can comfortably afford it , it's just not the same anymore .
I don't get that Buzz anymore, I'm not 100 % sure why ...
Players diving & cheating the prices
It used to feel like a real Family to me being a blade , I always made a beeline for people in blades Shirts on holidays etc they would always engage ...I dont know it felt more like a Gang ....it doesn't feel like that any more ......
Hopefully i will get the passion back one day and start enjoying it again ...
Sorry for Rambing on ....

Hope you do too mate

 

[Super Furry Blades]

I think it’s just part of getting older pal

Probably partly this mate , however my mates who are 65 and 56 never miss a game home & away .And they have been going since 70s ...Proper Blades no idea how they keep it up

 

[Bl4desutd]

Probably partly this mate , however my mates who are 65 and 56 never miss a game home & away .And they have been going since 70s ...Proper Blades no idea how they keep it up

I still go to most away games but, if I’m honest, it’s more to do with spending quality time with my 28 year old son, than bladeyness

 

[YES Blade]

I completely agree mate but I think that for the whole of football … an adult ticket should be no more than £20 and a kids no more than £10

I think it would be great if I didn’t have to pay over £100 for a gig ticket, but it is what it is. You either choose to pay it or you don’t.

It costs £15 for a cinema ticket these days, I certainly don’t expect attending a football match to be only a fiver more.

 

[ancientblade]

I think it would be great if I didn’t have to pay over £100 for a gig ticket, but it is what it is. You either choose to pay it or you don’t.

It costs £15 for a cinema ticket these days, I certainly don’t expect attending a football match to be only a fiver more.

yes see your point but asking fans to pay £36 and £41 on the kop even if they are the bigger games is at least a tenner too much especially for championship games might be justified for premier league games but certainly not for games at this level its an odd one because season ticket prices are fantastic value wonder if that might change with the americans now in charge if we get promoted ?

 

[Super Furry Blades]

I still go to most away games but, if I’m honest, it’s more to do with spending quality time with my 28 year old son, than bladeyness

I took my lad from being 3/4 years old , he's 21 now and although he's a Blades he's not that bothered

 

[YES Blade]

yes see your point but asking fans to pay £36 and £41 on the kop even if they are the bigger games is at least a tenner too much especially for championship games might be justified for premier league games but certainly not for games at this level its an odd one because season ticket prices are fantastic value wonder if that might change with the americans now in charge if we get promoted ?

I agree with regards to the Kop, we’re paying 2024 prices for 1990s facilities, but unfortunately United have to keep with their competitors and need to charge similar prices to the rest of the league.

Season tickets always need to be a fine balance because asking someone to pay £36 is easier than £400. Increase the prices too much and people will just decide to not renew and pick their matches, which if we have a season like last season will be not many at all.

Unfortunately, football tickets along with everything else is only going to increase in costs. That’s just how life is and in the grand scheme of things, I think football and entertainment in general is rightly very low on the list of cost increase worries.

 

[Grizzly blade]

I think everyone needs to be realistic here.

There are several issues-
Wages- these simply haven’t matched inflation for the past 20 years. Everything is going up, a drink in a pub or the simple supermarket shop has doubled in 20 years wages haven’t matched it and football has certainly gone up from wages to all the costs involved from running a team.

So while we may want tickets to be £20 for an adult and under £10 for kids etc the reality is that it’s simply not possible for clubs to do this in reality without carrying huge losses.
For me, the cost of tickets should cover the cost of operating the stadium and facilities, and with the costs involved of stewarding, policing, electric, repairs, staff wages etc it’s likely tickets priced above would barely cover those costs.
Player wages would have to be covered by other outside revenue like sponsorship and TV money.

25k tickets at £20 generates £500k. £11.5m a season.

And given that the average ST works out about £20 a game that’s pretty much where we are for the majority of fans lucky enough to be able to get to the games enough to buy one.

Looking at the simplified accounts for previous few seasons the “other costs” as opposed to player wages was around £20m. So being honest the current financial expenditures of fans visiting the stadium still doesn’t cover the basic operating costs.

Boils down to this-
What do we want? A premium product costs money, so while we are top of the league I suppose we are getting what we are paying for! If you can, get a ST, otherwise the club will charge based on demand for a ticket and at the moment it’s nearer £40! And that still won’t bridge the losses.

Go to what you can afford.
If it’s £40 and can only afford that once or twice a month then make the most of it and enjoy it.
If you want footy at £20 then perhaps look at the lower leagues nearby and enjoy that instead and follow United from the TV. After all that is the cheapest place to watch every game.

 

[FinchleyBlade]

We’re top of the league playing against 3rd, always likely it’s going to be a little bit more expensive than say a couple of midtable teams playing each other.

It was 38 quid against Derby County at home a couple of months ago for an adult. I struggle to see how that is justifiable.

 

[jt64]

What a dick. Ever considered that many can't make weekday games due to work or travel so buying a ST would largely be a waste of money?

If I work on the assumption that my season ticket cost me £460 (which it did), the majority of games are cat A and the cat B/A* games roughly cancel each other out in terms of price (which they are), and that a cat A game for my seat would cost me £39 (which it does), then I would be breaking even on a season ticket after 12 games. If I never went to a midweek game, a Bank Holiday game (so striking out today and Cardiff), or a Saturday game that has been moved to Friday or Monday night (so striking out Sunderland, Leeds and maybe another one I've forgotten), that would be QPR, Watford, Derby, Luton, Stoke, Pigs, Plymouth, WBA, Norwich and Portsmouth that I would be able to attend in terms of what has already been played or confirmed by TV. That's 10. Blackburn is not going to move from the Sunday as it is last game of the season. That's 11. So basically just need either PNE or Coventry to still be on a weekend for a ST to save you money.

 

[jt64]

Go to what you can afford.
If it’s £40 and can only afford that once or twice a month then make the most of it and enjoy it.
If you want footy at £20 then perhaps look at the lower leagues nearby and enjoy that instead

I suggested a local alternative when we played Plymouth which was free to get in for just this sort of three home games in a bit more than two weeks might be a bit pricey sort of scenario. Nobody was interested. It's either United, or sit at home and cry about not being at United.

 

[YES Blade]

It was 38 quid against Derby County at home a couple of months ago for an adult. I struggle to see how that is justifiable.

I’m going to see a band soon in a small venue that probably holds a couple of thousand, so they aren’t exactly a massive band. That’s costing me £35. Why should it be expected for United to charge significantly less than a band?

It’s 2024, everything has gone up in price. I’m sure some on here still think we’re living in the 90s.

 

[FinchleyBlade]

If I work on the assumption that my season ticket cost me £460 (which it did), the majority of games are cat A and the cat B/A* games roughly cancel each other out in terms of price (which they are), and that a cat A game for my seat would cost me £39 (which it does), then I would be breaking even on a season ticket after 12 games. If I never went to a midweek game, a Bank Holiday game (so striking out today and Cardiff), or a Saturday game that has been moved to Friday or Monday night (so striking out Sunderland, Leeds and maybe another one I've forgotten), that would be QPR, Watford, Derby, Luton, Stoke, Pigs, Plymouth, WBA, Norwich and Portsmouth that I would be able to attend in terms of what has already been played or confirmed by TV. That's 10. Blackburn is not going to move from the Sunday as it is last game of the season. That's 11. So basically just need either PNE or Coventry to still be on a weekend for a ST to save you money.

Okay bravo, you're a bigger Blade.

 

[FinchleyBlade]

I’m going to see a band soon in a small venue that probably holds a couple of thousand, so they aren’t exactly a massive band. That’s costing me £35. Why should it be expected for United to charge significantly less than a band?

It’s 2024, everything has gone up in price. I’m sure some on here still think we’re living in the 90s.

£38 for 90 minutes of division one football against the likes of Derby County is outrageous, no matter how you try and frame it. Shame on you for trying to defend it.

 

[jt64]

Okay bravo, you're a bigger Blade.

Not interested in any sort of bigger Blade related bollocks, just actually doing the maths on your claim

 

[Jan Age]

I think it would be great if I didn’t have to pay over £100 for a gig ticket, but it is what it is. You either choose to pay it or you don’t.

It costs £15 for a cinema ticket these days, I certainly don’t expect attending a football match to be only a fiver more.

Then sadly … like fuel prices… food prices… we will continue to accept it until we are completely proved out …

£30 for a patent and child is plenty … especially when gate receipts are nowhere near as important as sponsorship and TV money