Half-Season tickets (yes, it's a winge)

[Deleted member 1486]

On another thread (the one about the late flyer deliverys) I stated it was my intention to purchase a half-season ticket when they became available.

I've just received the offer through the post.

In previous seasons a full season ticket and the half-season tickets included an extra free under 13s ticket (I know the half season tickets did because I bought one during the Robson era, I actually went to every home game during his tenure - for some daft reason, paying full match day prices during the first half of the season). Not only that but you could buy an extra under 13s seat for the entire season for £40 (for the full year). Very good value for someone such as myself who week in and week out took 2 under 13s with me.

Well, it now appears the days of free Under 13s (and heavily discounted under 13) ticket prices are over. A half-season adult season ticket for the South stand is £275 (no free under 13 ticket included), £55 x 2 for each of the kids (for half a season!), + £10 each to re-register them as Junior blades. Adding up to a whopping £405. Which is more than I've paid for a full season ticket (including the kids), ever!!!

Nice one United. Guess that's 3 more empty seats for the rest of the year then

 

[SwissBlade]

I'll add this to whinge-o-watch

 

[Northyorksblade]

If you register them as Junior Blades for a tenner, doesn't that entitle them to a free ST like it did at the beginning of the season? For each ST purchased of course.

 

[Deleted member 1486]

If you register them as Junior Blades for a tenner, doesn't that entitle them to a free ST like it did at the beginning of the season? For each ST purchased of course.

Not any longer it would seem (I couldn't see any mention of it anywhere, although I haven't gone to the trouble of actually confirming it with the club by contacting them in anyway). The cost according to the mail out is now £55 (for half a season), whether this will mean they'll be dropped from full-season tickets for next season and be replaced with £110 per season <u13s tickets remains to be seen I guess.

Either way this seems to be an incredibly short-sighted vision by the powers-who-be. Many of those free/subsidised <13s will eventually grow into full season ticket holders in the future (of course, I wouldn't expect 100% take up, but giving away the free/heavily discounted tickets made sense as we were hardly filling the stadium without them - if we had 100% attendance at every match I could understand United not wanting to give tickets away when they could charge full price for the same seat, but surely it's better to fill that empty seat with a potential future customer than have it empty).

Not only that but the price of attending a match for families has, in my experience, increased the cost of attendance significantly anyway. For instance when I attended matches before I had kids I'd probably pay for the price of a ticket (be it season or individual match) and maybe a pint at half time (fitting in pub visits before and after). Now, taking kids along, they want programs every match, drinks/food at half time or before the game, hat, scarves, badges, new home/away kits every year, etc, etc. All of this is cash in United's pockets.

 

[shorehamview]

Let's get this right. You're complaining that your two kids will cost you £65 each for half a season? Only £65? That seems like a decent deal.

Yes, it's expensive compared to free, but £65 for a half season of football isn't a bad price, is it? And if they want lots more money spending on them every match, on programmes, drinks/food and all the other stuff and it's a bit expensive then try saying "no" to them. £130 isn't too much compared with the cost of taking them to the cinema for half a season, for example.

 

[Deleted member 1486]

Let's get this right. You're complaining that your two kids will cost you £65 each for half a season?

No, I'm complaining that it would now cost me more to watch half a season's matches than if I'd purchased a full season ticket before August (even without taking the renewal discount into account). That's hardly an incentive for me/us to renew is it?

 

[SwissBlade]

No, I'm complaining that it would now cost me more to watch half a season's matches than if I'd purchased a full season ticket before August (even without taking the renewal discount into account). That's hardly an incentive for me/us to renew is it?

And if the half season ticket offers were that good, then the rest of us would just buy half season tickets.

 

[raul]

Just go when there's offers on Flawed, in fact I probably wouldn't go at all if it wasn't for Mic crafting me a bassoon made of solid Titanium. The club have got to look after those who were prepared to stump up blind to watch the stuff on show, or ST sales will fall again next Summer. They set the prices, up to us to decide individually if it's value or not.

 

[DP8789]

On another thread (the one about the late flyer deliverys) I stated it was my intention to purchase a half-season ticket when they became available.

I've just received the offer through the post.

In previous seasons a full season ticket and the half-season tickets included an extra free under 13s ticket (I know the half season tickets did because I bought one during the Robson era, I actually went to every home game during his tenure - for some daft reason, paying full match day prices during the first half of the season). Not only that but you could buy an extra under 13s seat for the entire season for £40 (for the full year). Very good value for someone such as myself who week in and week out took 2 under 13s with me.

Well, it now appears the days of free Under 13s (and heavily discounted under 13) ticket prices are over. A half-season adult season ticket for the South stand is £275 (no free under 13 ticket included), £55 x 2 for each of the kids (for half a season!), + £10 each to re-register them as Junior blades. Adding up to a whopping £405. Which is more than I've paid for a full season ticket (including the kids), ever!!!

Nice one United. Guess that's 3 more empty seats for the rest of the year then

Weve no money!! what do you expect them too do? how else can we attempt to increase revenue?
sell a player? - that would go down well!!

 

[wardlowwanderer]

Prices elsewhere

I work with a guy who supports Crewe (4th division). He has a season ticket and every year we compare prices for season tickets and indivdual games. He can't believe how cheap it is to watch a Championship team. Also, look at the number of offers there are on tickets through the season. If you think United are trying to rip Blades off you should take a look at prices at other clubs.

Also on offer:
''Blades fans can save up to £45 on match ticket prices with a mini season ticket, which also includes a free ticket for the Swansea home game on 18th December if purchased by Friday 17th December.

Additional benefits include a half-price offer on all replica shirts up to 24th December and a free night in the Copthorne Sheffield hotel on a Friday before a match, when purchasing breakfast.

Supporters will also receive ten per cent discount in the Blades superstore, 1,200 loyalty points for priority on ticket allocation and renewal discount on 2011/12 season tickets, and in addition there is a three-month direct debit option available.''

Take the family to see the new Harry Potter film and see how much change you get from £50. Plus I know which wizards I'd rather watch - even this season. It's all about choices.

I suppose the lesson to be learned is - if you really want to watch the team (and you have the finances) buy a season ticket at the start of the season and get the cheap kids tickets at the same time.

 

[DP8789]

and you can buy a season ticket and pay it off on dd monthly!

 

[Fiery Blade]

I am struggling to justify a single match entry fee never mind a half season ticket commitment

Let the team and management show some commitment then I will reciprocate!