If anyone from United is reading .....

[Worksop II]

because I love supping beer on a saturday lunchtime/early evening.

errr, you dont need a season ticket for that

 

[MobileBlade]

That's true, but doesn't that mean that you simply think it is too expensive and quite sensibly therefore didn't buy one. I don't see the complication here Mobile and the need for SUFC to understand it.

I'd love United to try a one-off all season tickets are £200 - £250 for adults but it aint going to happen.

What would it take for you to get one next year?

Thats a very good question and at the moment I'm not sure to be honest. Certainly putting the prices up by another 30% won't win me!

I think they ought to be looking at why people have not renewed. Is it price? Is it quality? I think in particular they really should be looking at people like you and me who have had tickets for a long time. As a consumer, which unfortunately we all are, ask Tesco the benefits of rewarding loyalty.

 

[Micalijo]

errr, you dont need a season ticket for that

Try telling the Mrs that yer just nipping out to sup at 1.30 and 5.00 on a saturday without the excuse of football - doesn't work for me Worksop!

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I am agreeing with Len in that understanding your customers helps you relate to them. If you don't understand them, you become like our neighbours whereby the chairman starts to call you cretins etc. and that is not the United and I have grown up with and love.

Thing is - the actual marketing actions they've undertaken are probably as sophisticated as they can be for any SME with a database of 20-30k customers. They've spotted your spending has reduced, worked out it probably had something to do with the crap you've been watching and tried to make you some offers to tempt you back. The fact that they've been executed in a half-arsed way is a shame, but there are a lot of organisations with far more financial clout that fail to run a win-back or retention strategy as accurately as you've just experienced.

We're trying to reconcile two conflicting views here - firstly that the club should be ours and we should feel connected to it; secondly that as a commercial entity the club should be an efficient money-making operation. If we want "product" then we should go somewhere that provides it; if we want "our club" then there is a certain amount of thick and thin we have to accept.

The "product" I used to be happy to pay for was a couple of hours entertainment every other Saturday and the odd Tuesday at the Lane and some days out around the country in between. When it became expensive it pissed me off that we weren't successful - seemingly along with everyone else. The atmosphere becomes dull, negative and even downright miserable and it is no longer a couple of hours having a laugh with some mates. Even in the promotion season, so much was at stake it wasn't anything like as much fun as some of the crap seasons. Expectation of satisfaction in return for paying the best part of £20 a game is not unrealistic. If getting that satisfaction is dependent on success on the pitch then the whole model is knackered - therein lies the problem with English football, not just at the Lane. You can't be successful without pots of money, and 90% of the football league doesn't have it.

 

[cooperblade]

I'd be amazed if United hold any data that tells them who had a season ticket 30 years ago. I'd guess the database begins with the introduction of the loyalty points scheme. They could still contact you to find out why you haven't renewed after 5 years or whatever it is but what would they do with the responses which, I guess, would be largely made up of 'I can't afford it anymore' and 'The football's shit'?

It's too late to drop the prices once tickets are on sale and how many of those who said they'd buy an ST once Blackwell had gone actually did? One I think.

I'd bet that United are actually more active than most football clubs in terms of outbound calling, mailers and offers. They don't do all of it particularly well, they don't de-dupe lists and they don't always get offers and info out in timely fashion.

I'm not sure what more they could do to shift more tickets at the moment as I think a lot of those who aren't going couldn't be persuaded to return by anything other than a massive upturn in form.

Our marketing would be very different indeed if John Thurman's ideas had ever seen the light of day. They would have given us a fully integrated CRM system which gave the club a view on the value of all its 'customers'. How much of an impact would that have had? Who knows

 

[lenners]

I think the performance of the team is obviously a major influence.
But given we are going to be shit for the rest of this season, the club have no choice but to start thinking radically about season tickets and marketing.
Not doing so is no longer an option unless they want to lose thousands more customers that they'll find it ten times harder to get back.
If BIFF have got any sway at all this is one area they really ought to be hammering home relentlessly to the club.

 

[Stafford Blade]

Part of the problem is we are still suffering a Blackwell hangover. I'd stated that I wouldn't renew if Blackwell was in charge and I haven't renewed since. We are still left with the shite Blackwell has left behind. People aren't happy contributing towards the wages of useless wankers that couldn't trap a bag of sand and who give the impression they couldn't give a toss ( step forward ched evans ).

if i had renewed my season ticket would have cost 10% more than the year before. The quality of product dropped dramatically during the previous season and only in football do clubs think they can get away with rises like this.

so i've been once all season ( on a freebie ) and that was grim. I miss the beers with my mates but don't miss the tripe between 3 and 5. I'll not be back for a long time and the number of people doing the same as me is only going to grow and grow.

 

[alcoblade]

So what exactly has changed? Is it the slow (rather late forming) realisation that your team cannot succeed without money? That the 'sleeping giant' concept no longer applies? That your local heroes are just money-chasers?

None of this is news. So why now?

What's spoiled the game for me?

Generally - the reality that unless you are fancied by a Billionaire to be a plaything, there is not a chance of your team ever doing anything of significance. Now even the dreams are dead. Also the ridiculous sums of money earned by distinctly average players. The idea that someone with as little ability as Ched Evans could retire tomorrow on money from my pocket is gut wrenching.

Specifically to us - we're a popped bubble. We were sold (ish) an alternative dream of diverse income streams allowing us to punch above our weight. We loved the messenger. Then reality hit - his actions resulted in us actually punching below our weight and left us with a legacy that means it will take huge effort to s,simply tand still.

What next? Sadly wait for fans expectations to match reality. We'll eventually learn to love the club for being underdogs and the old spirit will return. From there, who knows. When it gets too much remember the feeling you had when we won in adversity. It will return and you'll be part of it. And make football a day out with friends and a beer, that way the dross on the pitch wont be as painful.

It was always thus anyway.

UTB

 

[Pinchy]

I am a bit shocked here but I am going to agree with Mic,even if he is talking drivel etc,etc,etc ;-)
I think it is a personal thing as well.To be honest,eighteen years ago when my daughter was born,I took five years off from a season ticket,just going to the odd match.
When she was five I bought her one and have been going since.
I nearly didn't renew this season,but the more I think about it,I think it's more a fed up of football thing than fed up of united thing.
United have been shit for the majority of mine and everyone else's life.So that's no excuse for a non renewal
If I don't renew next season I will be back at some point,and while i'm away smeone knew will take my place i'm sure.
UTB

Is this some Franco-Scandanavian bird? Have you got a photo?