Most short sighted Commercial Manager in the History of Commercial Managers

[Worksop_Blade]

I give you Steve Lewis:

"I want to remind supporters that we will not be compromising the value of their season tickets by then offering match discounts and running campaigns for mini and flexi season tickets which reduce the benefits for a season ticket holder who has made an up-front commitment."

So best case scenario, United are 10 points clear at the top of the league come Xmas and the attendances have been picking up but not massively due to the increased match day prices.

Half Season tickets and 6 Game packages at a reduced rate compared to usual match day prices would earn the club a nice little mid season oomph from ST holders who havn't renewed or ppl who just wanna be part of the party etc.

But No Lewis and the Club are in a way saying, either buy a season ticket for £469 in League One now or we are shutting the doors on you forever.

Also been told by someone up in the JSS exec area, they have put all Concession Prices up by £200-300+

The club have also put the price of a Blind Lad's Season Ticket up by over £100 (No Joke) lad goes with his Dad, lives for the matches, either listens to the radio commentary or his dad talks him through it and is now completely gutted and has had a very laboured response from the club.

The disabled Season Tickets used to allow one carer in for free every match to aid the disabled person, this has now been stopped as of August all carers must pay match day prices.

A hell of a lot of exec members who pay upwards of a £1000 per season are either not renewing or having serious doubts. Last season the club lost 70 members from the JJS and 70 members from the South Stand that was a hit of £140,000 straight away, this was due to the fact the club started taking things away such as meals etc mid season.

Mr Lewis is yet to show his face on the JSS even though Kevin Birch has been over at various times this season, to talk to the members.

It is seriously turning into "Carry On Football Club" at the lane.

 

[raul]

Music to your ears Mic -


If only there was a supporter or somesuch, who could act as some sort of conduit to either confirm or deny the above, I bet it would stop a lot of mouth frothing.

 

[lenners]

This is part of the reason why I feel sorry for those who've renewed.
Very, very sad to see such contempt for supporters even if it's no longer surprising.

 

[dingledog]

Len, we dont need any sorrow from you, honest mate, we can generate our own this season.

 

[SwissBlade]

This is part of the reason why I feel sorry for those who've renewed.
Very, very sad to see such contempt for supporters even if it's no longer surprising.

Why? because the price we got was the same as last year and then will be the same again next year?

 

[Linz]

With reference to disabled supporters:

The club have also put the price of a Blind Lad's Season Ticket up by over £100 (No Joke) lad goes with his Dad, lives for the matches, either listens to the radio commentary or his dad talks him through it and is now completely gutted and has had a very laboured response from the club.

The disabled Season Tickets used to allow one carer in for free every match to aid the disabled person, this has now been stopped as of August all carers must pay match day prices.

I actually had cause to look at this earlier when adjusting our ground guide for the new season. Details of disabled STs can be found here:

http://www.sufc.co.uk/page/Disabled/0,,10418,00.html

1) John Street Stand

85 wheelchair spaces for home supporters.

85 designated seats for home ambulant disabled supporters.

2) South Stand

20 designated seats for home ambulant disabled supporters.

These seats for ambulant disabled supporters offer suitable legroom and viewing at an elevated height.

3) Kop

10 designated seats for home ambulant disabled supporters.

These are front row seats with suitable legroom for ambulant disabled supporters

Pricing

Existing season ticket holders in the designated disabled areas may renew their season tickets for the 2011/12 season at the price of £115; however renewals must be made by 17th April 2011 to take advantage of this offer. Any renewals or purchases of seats in the designated disabled area after this date will pay the concession price for the stand in which they wish to sit.

Qualification to Purchase a Seat in the Designated Disabled Area

In order to purchase a disabled season ticket the person must have documentation proving them to be in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (middle or higher rate care component) or registered as visually impaired or deaf.

Sheffield United Football Club will consider any other applications, based on the following criteria: -

Does the impairment have an adverse effect on the ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities?
Is the adverse effect substantial?
Is the effect long term?

Did the blind lad really pay £15 or was he not seated in a designated disabled area of the ground? If the latter was the case, it's a bit of a bugger to move but you can understand the reasons for United wanting all disabled fans to be seated together when, in the event of a stadium evacuation, you can envisage that set of supporters requiring extra assistance. If he wants to sit where he's always sat, that's his choice but then he pays the full whack for it.

As for the "assistants must pay matchday prices", also slightly skewing the issue as based on what's said on that link. If assistance is genuinely required, then the club will issue a free ST.

Qualification for a Personal Assistant Season Ticket

If a request is made for a complimentary season ticket allowing a personal assistant to attend then medical evidence is required, for example a letter from your doctor, confirming that the help of a personal assistant is essential in order to help you attend matches.

The Club will consider the application on the basis of this evidence and if necessary reserve the right to request further information from your doctor.

Basically, what was happening is that quite a few people were getting in on assistant's tickets when the disabled fan was not in attendance. It's one of the reasons that concessionary turnstiles are being brought into all areas of the ground next season and proof of entitlement to concessionary rate will be required.

I don't have any knowledge of any of the other stuff so won't comment on that. But it seems in terms of the disabled supporters, it's people trying to play the system who have spoilt it for other Blades and in the position we're in, you can't really blame the club for trying to cut down on people trying to gain freebies when they shouldn't.

I suggest that if the lad has a real issue, it be taken up with Janet Ireland from the Sheffield United Disabled Supporters group on 0114 269 8000 and Richard Batho on [email protected]

 

[bottletree]

Come of it Len. You have renewed haven't you? It's blatantly obvious to me and surely others here that the club is hell bent on alienating the fans for some reason or other. Is McCabe angry with the fans? Does he hate the fans? Does he want the club to totally collapse? If I wanted to destroy my business i would go about it in a similar way that Mcsue is going.

 

[lenners]

Come of it Len. You have renewed haven't you? It's blatantly obvious to me and surely others here that the club is hell bent on alienating the fans for some reason or other. Is McCabe angry with the fans? Does he hate the fans? Does he want the club to totally collapse? If I wanted to destroy my business i would go about it in a similar way that Mcsue is going.

It's strange, isn't it.
If you wanted to kill a business, alienate as many of your customers as you can, ensure you have the lowest possible crowds, there's little more United can do.

 

[bottletree]

Damn I've played right into your hands there Len, you crafty so and so. Linz makes some valid points there. We have to be careful about supposedly scare mongering and dodgy rumours, but for me the club (Mcsue especially) is doing NOTHING to help Sheffield Uniteds plight. Why?

 

[beechblade]

But No Lewis and the Club are in a way saying, either buy a season ticket for £469 in League One now or we are shutting the doors on you forever.

Thats about right on season ticket prices, I've just looked at Shewsburys prices and if you haven't renewed by the 1st of June you'll pay between £425-477.

Charlton range from £285 - £400

Pigs range from £334 - £500

Our season tickets aren't massively over priced they are about on average with the rest of the divison. I personally think some offers of some sort should still happen but not when they undermine season ticket prices to a massive degree that people paying for the season tickets don't get the benefit they pay for.

 

[Bladesway]

LEN ANSWER THE QUESTION!!!!!!!

As for SUFC its almost like someone at S6 has taken control of McCabe and made him make all of the worst possible decisions he could have. Our marketing is akin to inviting Peter Sutcliffe to a WI meeting. All True Blades will be there however. All 10,000 of them.

 

[SwissBlade]

It's strange, isn't it.
If you wanted to kill a business, alienate as many of your customers as you can, ensure you have the lowest possible crowds, there's little more United can do.

United might say that 10,000 Season Ticket holders for the full season is better than 5,000 + 5,000 flexi/half tickets

There is afterall, no guarantee that we'll be anywhere near the top 6 of League 1 come Christmas so getting fans in for the full season at a discounted rate (for non renewals) instead of relying on success to bring in fans in cheap

 

[Grecian2000]

United might say that 10,000 Season Ticket holders for the full season is better than 5,000 + 5,000 flexi/half tickets

There is afterall, no guarantee that we'll be anywhere near the top 6 of League 1 come Christmas so getting fans in for the full season at a discounted rate (for non renewals) instead of relying on success to bring in fans in cheap

But that wouldn't make the most financial sense would it?

The people who renew "because it's what I do", would renew for over the odds, and so an increase would have had little detrimental effect as they'd have bought anyway.
The people who haven't renewed will NOT then part with extra money (and, based on last season and the fact we appear still to have the same moron at the pricing controls, this may be quite a bit more) then this move is almost guaranteed to minimise the size of the crowd WITHOUT increasing the revenue from season tickets. It truly is madness.

 

[Worksop_Blade]

With reference to disabled supporters:



I actually had cause to look at this earlier when adjusting our ground guide for the new season. Details of disabled STs can be found here:

http://www.sufc.co.uk/page/Disabled/0,,10418,00.html

Did the blind lad really pay £15 or was he not seated in a designated disabled area of the ground? If the latter was the case, it's a bit of a bugger to move but you can understand the reasons for United wanting all disabled fans to be seated together when, in the event of a stadium evacuation, you can envisage that set of supporters requiring extra assistance. If he wants to sit where he's always sat, that's his choice but then he pays the full whack for it.

As for the "assistants must pay matchday prices", also slightly skewing the issue as based on what's said on that link. If assistance is genuinely required, then the club will issue a free ST.



Basically, what was happening is that quite a few people were getting in on assistant's tickets when the disabled fan was not in attendance. It's one of the reasons that concessionary turnstiles are being brought into all areas of the ground next season and proof of entitlement to concessionary rate will be required.

I don't have any knowledge of any of the other stuff so won't comment on that. But it seems in terms of the disabled supporters, it's people trying to play the system who have spoilt it for other Blades and in the position we're in, you can't really blame the club for trying to cut down on people trying to gain freebies when they shouldn't.

I suggest that if the lad has a real issue, it be taken up with Janet Ireland from the Sheffield United Disabled Supporters group on 0114 269 8000 and Richard Batho on [email protected]

From what I gather the Blind sits in the JSS exec area behind the glass. I'm sure his family will have ran every channel.

I was just relaying info I have been given to show how much of cock up United are making of looking after the fans during the drop from Championship to League One.

I don't trust anything on the SUFC OS, check out the fans charter for out of date info.

 

[BladeHearts]

Why? because the price we got was the same as last year and then will be the same again next year?

Credit should also be given to the club for marketing this offer to lapsed ST holders as well.

It was certainly enough to bring me and my family back into the fold.

At the end of the day clubs are incredibly dependent on ST revenue and we were certainly in danger of devaluing the ST with constant special deals. They just encourage sporadic attendance with those taking advantage generating reduced revenue.

The best way to get the fans back is to play successful and hopefully entertaining football.

 

[Worksop II]

The best way to get the fans back is to play successful and hopefully entertaining football.

You have paid yer money, you will get what you are given .......

 

[BladeHearts]

You have paid yer money, you will get what you are given .......

Very true, however having re-renewed at this point in time does that make me a failure hunter.

However, its one of the constants of football that crowds increase when you are winning and decrease when you are losing. No amount of freebies and special offers can overcome that.

The selling of STs is partial insurance against the losing season.

 

[Stafford Blade]

On another point, how much are they going to charge for the Sheffield derby next season? Will be rather embarrassing if the game is played in front of a crowd of 22000.

Nothing the club does surprises me

 

[lenners]

They'll probably give Wednesday about 7,000 across the entire top tier to help make up the numbers.

 

[SwissBlade]

They'll probably give Wednesday about 7,000 across the entire top tier to help make up the numbers.

Does it hurt to think that 7000 Wendy fans will go to more Blades games than you?

 

[lenners]

Does it hurt to think that 7000 Wendy fans will go to more Blades games than you?

If they do, we'll get some good crowds next season but I foresee a lot a trouble.

 

[SwissBlade]

If they do, we'll get some good crowds next season but I foresee a lot a trouble.

So how many games do you think you'll go to, I presume you didn't renew?

 

[lenners]

So how many games do you think you'll go to, I presume you didn't renew?

Depends whether they're worth watching, what the prices are, whether they issue Blades Cards to make acquiring tickets simple.

 

[Tuns]

The derby game could be the turning point when the penny finally drops.

Assuming it's an early KO on a Sunday and United make it Cat AA plus and then sit back and wait for 20,000 Blades to bombard the ticket office for tickets then it may be the wake up call that finally stirs them from the slumber and apathy that it is smothering the club for the foreseeable. And Blades will have to live with the stick we will get from our neighbours for this one for decades - and the daily reminders on RS about what the gate was.

I may not be representative but as an ex ST holder when the club puts a gun to my head to buy a ST then it makes me even more resistant to the idea.

Before McCabe took over we had shocking PR and communication with fans, an isolated and out of touch board, terrible pricing and marketing of tickets, we sold our best players and there was no light at the end of the tunnel.

It's baffling that he put in so much hard work to get us out of that mess and to learn the lessons of our under-achieving past and yet he seems so intent on steering us back into a possibly even worse state than he found us.

 

[SwissBlade]

Depends whether they're worth watching, what the prices are, whether they issue Blades Cards to make acquiring tickets simple.

So based upon the fact that you were banging on about price reductions, you may end up paying a lot more than if you'd renewed before midday yesterday

---------- Post added at 07:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:19 PM ----------

The derby game could be the turning point when the penny finally drops.

Assuming it's an early KO on a Sunday and United make it Cat AA plus and then sit back and wait for 20,000 Blades to bombard the ticket office for tickets then it may be the wake up call that finally stirs them from the slumber and apathy that it is smothering the club for the foreseeable.

I guess it'll depend when in the season the game falls and how we're doing.

I'd imagine that if we're storming the league, pigs are struggling, we hammer them at the sty and the Home derby comes near the end of a promotion season, then i'm sure the price won't be a big issue to the fair weather fans.

And of course if its the reverse, then the least of our worries will be the attendance at the derby

 

[lenners]

That's the thing Tuns, it's so bizarre that they're doing everything to stick two fingers up to the supporters.
You almost start to wonder if administration or something is around the corner.

 

[BladeHearts]

On another point, how much are they going to charge for the Sheffield derby next season? Will be rather embarrassing if the game is played in front of a crowd of 22000.

Nothing the club does surprises me

or alternatively both sides might be flying high and the Category A priced tickets will be like gold dust.

It seems like the only deal that would make some people happy is a free ST and a private limo to and from each match.

 

[Worksop II]

and a private limo to and from each match.

Pah, McCabe would send it with an empty tank, tight git ....

 

[lenners]

or alternatively both sides might be flying high and the Category A priced tickets will be like gold dust.

It seems like the only deal that would make some people happy is a free ST and a private limo to and from each match.

Aye, we also have a divine right to be in the Premiership.

 

[BladeHearts]

Aye, we also have a divine right to be in the Premiership.

I agree and the sooner god realises this and reinstates us the better.