Friday night

[SRBlade]

£36 to £41 for 2nd division football is massively overpriced

 

[1066blade]

Mentally, they're on the ropes. Dropped 10 points from 5 consecutive draws. Put them to the sword Blades

 

[andy m]

Expecting loss, we don’t look very good at the moment (and haven’t really all season). Fatigue and injuries will really hit from now on I feel. We’re at least two good players away from a full squad.

Haha nobhead.

 

[Keen Blade]

My concern is Leeds, Middlesbrough and Coventry both caused us problems getting at our defenders instead of letting them pass around the back and could up the play. If Sunderland do that it might be a tricky game.

I'm against the tippy tappy stuff between our defenders for this and other reasons - all risk and dubious reward

 

[Keen Blade]

Exactly
Where are fans of the future with zero loyalty points going to come from?

There not going to build any loyalty points when their options are to go to the pub with their mates, or sit in a stadium on your own in a shit seat that nobody else wants surrounded by dickheads who allegedly support the same team as you slag you off because they know you're a part timer because nobody was sat in that particular seat last week

Well how do clubs like Derby fill their ground ?
I can't believe that people there are any different.
So what's the club doing that we aren't ?

 

[Berkshire Blade]

Expecting loss, we don’t look very good at the moment (and haven’t really all season). Fatigue and injuries will really hit from now on I feel. We’re at least two good players away from a full squad.

Won 7 of the last ten games just off the back of our best performance having been able to rest and rotate key players

 

[moody1889]

Friday is the start of a ridiculously tough run of games.

The next 9 fixtures take us up to the FA Cup 3rd Round break. 7 out of 9 are against teams currently in the top 8

We play Sunderland & West Brom twice, Burnley at home as well as Watford & Millwall away.

If we’re in the top 2 after that lot it will be an amazing return. Bring it on. Cmon Blades

If we are still in the top 2 after that period of. Fixtures it is ours to lose.

I said months ago December/January is the toughest looking part and if we are in and around we have a great chance of promotion.

 

[S64 Blade]

Well how do clubs like Derby fill their ground ?
I can't believe that people there are any different.
So what's the club doing that we aren't ?

Just had a look on their site. When they play Wednesdays it’s £28-36 a ticket. No restrictions.

 

[moody1889]

£36 to £41 for 2nd division football is massively overpriced

Sadly clubs and the greedy powers that be do not realise the damage they have done along with the Government.

Used to love going to the Lane with my friends and having a few drinks

But ticket petrol, food and drink now looking north of £80 every game and that is just for me.

The sad reality too is that is what drives some people over the edge because they have been priced out of that one bit of social interaction that they loved.

These people forget it isn't just a game to it is family/friends for many and when they can no longer afford to go it can and does have some really sad consequences.

These ticket prices need sorting because it is not only killing our game but killing social interaction too.

 

[FinchleyBlade]

We've had roughly 100% inflation since I first went to BL, and oddly enough the tickets now are around twice what they were then. Were people claiming prices were "outrageous" back in 2000?

And how much has the average salary grown during that same period in real terms? The average person is now worse off than they were 20 years ago due to inflation and stagnant wage growth. Football cannot just ignore this.

 

[jt64]

And how much has the average salary grown during that same period in real terms?

Likely not as much. But that's kind of my point - it's not that the club is ripping fans off, it's more that people have less disposable income, which is unfortunate but a reality

 

[reedy63]

The Ticketing policy is rubbish. You should be allowed to purchase at least two tickets to go with a family member or friend instead of sitting alone. With Christmas soon, many people would like to buy a mini-season Ticket for Family or friends who can't afford to buy a full season ticket in the summer. The ground would be nearly full every home game. Betis and co should allow this more money to help the club and Sir Chris to buy players who He wants to bring in. The match on Friday night should be at least 30k Sunderland sold out two weeks ago. Let's make it very intimidating for the visiting supporters. Nothing better than a rocking loud and proud Beautiful Down Town Bramall Lane-UP THE BLADES.

 

[JJBlade]

Well how do clubs like Derby fill their ground
I can't believe that people there are any different.
So what's the club doing that we aren't ?

They can probably buy a ticket for a mate or even two mates

Here's some of Warnock's Premier League season home attendances in the 2006-07 season.
Wigan 32,604, Watford 30,690, West Ham 31,593, Newcastle 32,572, Everton 32,019, Spurs 32,144, Portsmouth 30,269, Arsenal 32,086, Man City 32,591, Aston Villa 30,957, Man Utd 32,584, Chelsea 32,321, Liverpool 31,726.

So, where have they gone ? It wasn't that long ago, so where are they?

Perhaps the ridiculous one ticket per person policy has got our casual fans to think "aww fuck it, I'll watch it in the pub" since Warnock's days our fan base has apparently grown but less people come to the games. There must be a reason for this.

There is a number of fans who go to most games, they have loyalty points and are registered with the club, this isn't the problem.

The problem is bearing in mind they add up to about 27,000 it leaves an entire fanbase in an entire area who don't have loyalty points and aren't registered, and it leaves a stadium with 5,000 empty seats in it.

These people will not buy one ticket and come alone, it has been proven without any shadow of doubt.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Plenty of seats 2 together. You could even get almost a row with 17 together in the BLUT. Kop also have quite a few 2's.

Who knew?

Be struggling in SS due to number of season tickets though.

 

[Charlieblade]

Expecting loss, we don’t look very good at the moment (and haven’t really all season). Fatigue and injuries will really hit from now on I feel. We’re at least two good players away from a full squad.

I’m a pessimist too, but look on the bright side. Win two and lose two, we still outpoint the draw specialists like WBA and Sunderland.

 

[RecordBreakers]

Sunderland aren't as good as some make out to be, I think they'll drop off this season. 2-0 blades

 

[Jon Bon II]

Mundle & Cirkin sounds like a shop in Diagon Alley.

It's Tandy's top range of amplifiers and speakers.

 

[Dkc]

Spot on - watching football alone (unless you're at home in front of the TV) is no fun at all. It's a shared experience.

I'm normally with mates at the Lane but quite happy going alone and speaking to the people sat near me. l'll often go alone to other non-Blade games abroad. Just sit down and chill, look at your phone, whatever. Some people enjoy their own company more than others.

 

[Maidenhead]

The complexity and barriers to buying a ticket is not helpful for a casual fan/newbie. If you think about modern life, everything we consume now is ridiculously easy to buy; Amazon on your phone, buy a film on Disney or wherever, Deliveroo, Uber, pay by Apple Pay. We’ve gone the opposite direction in making it easy for the consumer to buy.

Every one of those needs to know your address, your contact details, and your preferred payment method.

What are United asking for that they don't need?

Once you're registered on the database it's as easy to get a ticket for United as it is a takeaway from Deliveroo

 

[Maidenhead]

Exactly
Where are fans of the future with zero loyalty points going to come from?

There not going to build any loyalty points when their options are to go to the pub with their mates, or sit in a stadium on your own in a shit seat that nobody else wants surrounded by dickheads who allegedly support the same team as you slag you off because they know you're a part timer because nobody was sat in that particular seat last week

Any game that the opposition is likely to sell out is usually zero loyalty points.

Anyone would have got a ticket for Tuesday.

The second part of your post completely supports the first part. the first part.

It's not the ticket selling system that's at fault, it's the many alternative, and cheaper ways, to see the game that undermines ticket sales.

When most of us started going the only way to see the game was to buy a ticket for it. (or pay at the turnstile)

 

[Maidenhead]

Just had a look on their site. When they play Wednesdays it’s £28-36 a ticket. No restrictions.

Except that you have to sign into your account to buy them and then you're limited to one per customer ID.

Only the minimum points requirement that's different then.

I wonder if they're registering new customers for it?

 

[Sean Thornton]

Except that you have to sign into your account to buy them and then you're limited to one per customer ID.

Only the minimum points requirement that's different then.

I wonder if they're registering new customers for it?

Clearly their once in a blue moon and need to hold hands supporters are far more intelligent than ours then……….

 

[VictoryBlade]

They should target more season tickets then
And leave just one section of the stadium empty for "pay on the dayers" and allow them to buy three, four, five or however many they want, anything to get them sold.

Random one seats scattered all over the stadium are unlikely to be sold, so the club should calculate the expected season ticket sales and distribute them in three quarters of the stadium only.

And season ticket holders need to be more flexible as well. The club should say no same seat renewals, here are the sections where you can buy your season tickets and first come first served and sell them in sections until full.

Then leave the two sections left of the kop and a section in Bramall Lane Upper for example for pay on the dayers

Does anyone ever email the club though about the crazy ticket policy?

 

[JJBlade]

Does anyone ever email the club though about the crazy ticket policy?

I'm sure some have because it really is crazy.

I have absolutely zero affiliation with SWFC, but I could walk in there tomorrow and buy a ticket for their next home game, for me, a friend, me mum, me dad and uncle tom cobley an all.
I'd have to give my address and register, but that would be all I needed to buy the entire 10,000 they have have left for a typical match day if I wanted.

At Bramall Lane if I was a new customer I can buy one, and sit there like a cunt on me own all day, it's beyond stupid

 

[Sean Thornton]

I'm sure some have because it really is crazy.

I have absolutely zero affiliation with SWFC, but I could walk in there tomorrow and buy a ticket for their next home game, for me, a friend, me mum, me dad and uncle tom cobley an all.
I'd have to give my address and register, but that would be all I needed to buy the entire 10,000 they have have left for a typical match day if I wanted.

At Bramall Lane if I was a new customer I can buy one, and sit there like a cunt on me own all day, it's beyond stupid

If all these friends you have who want a ticket but don’t want to sit alone like a cunt simply registered, can’t you link as friends and thus solve the problem?

 

[Scoips]

I sympathise but I don't know what more the club can do - they will have researched their pricing formulae.

One idea which strikes me is for them to hold back the restricted view seats until the day of the game and then put them on sale for half price ?

I really don't think there is any evidence that the club does anything as competent as researching pricing formulae. This is the club that looked at the catering shit show, couldn't be arsed to do anything about it and gave Compass a ten year deal. They presided over the ticket selling shambles of the FA cup semi and Forest play off semi and then stopped selling season tickets last year because they thought they could make more money selling over-priced POTD tickets. I think it is far more likely that someone put a wet finger in the air and said 'How high do you think we can get away with?' Our POTD prices are far too high and the purchase process is hugely off-putting for potential new supporters.

 

[Keen Blade]

If all these friends you have who want a ticket but don’t want to sit alone like a cunt simply registered, can’t you link as friends and thus solve the problem?

For Sunderland match they need 500 points which if they are newly registered they would not have.
I can’t agree with a lot of what JJ says , but it is unfortunate that first-timers are excluded from the most attractive fixtures , because those are the games which are most likely to interest them if they have never been before.

 

[Sean Thornton]

For Sunderland match they need 500 points which if they are newly registered they would not have.
I can’t agree with a lot of what JJ says , but it is unfortunate that first-timers are excluded from the most attractive fixtures , because those are the games which are most likely to interest them if they have never been before.

There are many posts on here suggesting contacting the ticket office along with examples of positive outcomes with the points issue. But let’s sweep that under the carpet.

I’d rather the club were trying to do something for regular supporters, ie most home games, having to pay expensive POTD prices than someone wanting a ticket just for big games, Boxing Day or whatever. Especially if they can’t be arsed to register (as pointed out a requirement for most websites). Not a perfect solution by any means but more likely to grow the fan base than concentrating on those who can’t make any effort whatsoever.

I have asked if registering friends and family on an account solves the problem for the hand holders wanting to sit together. Maybe someone can confirm.

 

[S64 Blade]

Every one of those needs to know your address, your contact details, and your preferred payment method.

What are United asking for that they don't need?

Once you're registered on the database it's as easy to get a ticket for United as it is a takeaway from Deliveroo

You don’t need to have previously bought x number of items from any of them to buy something.

That’s the difference.

You can sign up to Deliveroo now and have your burger at your door in under half an hour. Try signing up to SUFC and getting a ticket for tomorrow night.

 

[S64 Blade]

Except that you have to sign into your account to buy them and then you're limited to one per customer ID.

Only the minimum points requirement that's different then.

I wonder if they're registering new customers for it?

Just tried and been able to register and get a ticket for the Wednesday game (got through to hitting submit to pay, as I obviously don’t want to go).

Took me about 3 minutes.