Ticketing initiatives?

[Linz]

Go on then.... we've all seen the news from across the city and this is our chance to capture a generation of football fans.

As a football fan, I think the general way that football pricing is going is disgusting and I have every sympathy with any Sheffield Wednesday fan who is priced out of going. But in the city, we have to be cynical and capitalise on the extortion going on across town.

So what ticketing initiatives would you introduce and in general, what do you think to the Twenty's Plenty campaign?

http://fsf.org.uk/campaigns/away-fans/score-campaign-twentys-plenty-for-away-tickets/

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

Flood both University with offers to start with. Do a few buy a ticket bring a friend for half price offers. Even buy 4 tickets get the fifth free (that is buy a ticket for the next 4 home games and get the fifth game free). As you say, it sounds mercenary, but the extortionate pricing across the city is an opportunity any shrewd business must take advantage of.

 

[judge]

Invite a pig
for an extra 50 quid your grunter mates can come along and witness a football match

 

[Linz]

One thing I would say as well is to make sure they are utilising their database properly. There were times last season when offers were running that no one knew about.

 

[mattbianco1]

I think the Twenty's Plenty campaign is great. German football has some great philosophy's in their pricing too.

Also, Swansea have introduced a policy to subsidise away fans so that they only pay a maximum of £20 per away game.. Very good incentive that - http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/jul/08/swansea-city-subsidise-away-tickets

Another incentive would be for new fans. They "can" struggle to get away tickets due to the loyalty system. Personally, i love the loyalty system as I can get a ticket to any game we play, I have never missed out on a game I wanted to go to. However, a friend that sits with us now has a season ticket and is in his 4th season. He is way down the pecking order so to get him a ticket we have to borrow other numbers or hope they don't sell out. My theory would be to cap the loyalty points to a maximum of 5yrs and then they get wiped off/rolled over. This way, the Foxy and Linz 's of this world would still have more points as they are season ticket holders and would have every away game under their belt so would still be at the front of the queue. My mate wouldn't be so far back then as he is nearly at 5 years.

 

[Deleted member 1486]

Also, Swansea have introduced a policy to subsidise away fans so that they only pay a maximum of £20 per away game.. Very good incentive that - http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/jul/08/swansea-city-subsidise-away-tickets

I bet some profiteering bastard takes advantage though and Swansea suddenly find themselves a cat A game (for the first time ever!).

 

[mattbianco1]

I bet some profiteering bastard takes advantage though and Swansea suddenly find themselves a cat A game (for the first time ever!).

That would only affect Swansea and not the fans. If Arsenal charge £52 to Swans then the club will cover the £32 extra with the fans paying the outstanding £20

 

[tyneblade]

One initiative I would love is the inclusion of discount rail travel with a season ticket, the rail travel being activated whenever a home fixture is played. Over the years i must have lost hundreds buying cheap no refundable advance rail tickets for rearranged and postponed home matches. It might be a cheap option when compared to £65 standard return but is still annoying when it goes unused and you have to spend £65 anyway. Its one of the main reasons why I gave up my season ticket, so everyone loses.

I'd be happy to pay, for example, an extra £750 for guaranteed rail travel from Newcastle for every home game. I'm sure other exiles would like a similar arrangement

 

[jt64]

Flood both University with offers to start with. Do a few buy a ticket bring a friend for half price offers. Even buy 4 tickets get the fifth free (that is buy a ticket for the next 4 home games and get the fifth game free). As you say, it sounds mercenary, but the extortionate pricing across the city is an opportunity any shrewd business must take advantage of.

The uni thing is basically how I got watching us in the first place with them offering tickets for some games for a fiver in the last Premier season. Getting one free after four works, but I'd rather them just cut the base ticket price by 2-3 quid (even if that's just in the Kop), if they improve the facilities they may well easily cover the loss in improve takings. For example, if they got beer that wasn't shit, I might buy one rather than staying in the Dev Cat until twenty to three.

One thing I would say as well is to make sure they are utilising their database properly. There were times last season when offers were running that no one knew about.

Other than when they had buy one get one for a tenner for the two games over Christmas I can't recall a single one that was relevant for me. I think they had a STH can bring someone for a tenner but without a season ticket that's a useless offer. I don't think they even had a single one of the old £10/£1 for kids games they've had in previous years.

 

[Linz]

One initiative I would love is the inclusion of discount rail travel with a season ticket, the rail travel being activated whenever a home fixture is played. Over the years i must have lost hundreds buying cheap no refundable advance rail tickets for rearranged and postponed home matches. It might be a cheap option when compared to £65 standard return but is still annoying when it goes unused and you have to spend £65 anyway. Its one of the main reasons why I gave up my season ticket, so everyone loses.

I'd be happy to pay, for example, an extra £750 for guaranteed rail travel from Newcastle for every home game. I'm sure other exiles would like a similar arrangement

That's an interesting one, but perhaps one that would have to be arranged on a national level.

I'm not sure how much the train companies would go for it though - they must make a killing off football fans as it is. But a Saturday railcard would be an interesting proposition.

 

[SwissBlade]

The key is not necessarily getting new fans from universities and colleges, whilst it's great that we put these offers out there, but we should be focussing on those lads and lasses that used to go with their mates, but now can't afford to go because they have families.

These families and their kids ARE the next generation of moaning blades!

I recently went to the t20 game lancs v yorks at old Trafford and the entire concourse was alive with kids, families, groups of lads and lasses. Loads of booze, food, live music etc and just a great atmosphere.

Make football itself affordable and you get people spending on merchandise, food and drink.

We've done a couple but we should be celebrating the event a lot more, we've a vast carpark area which can be utilised better and why not coincide match days with mini expo's - I'm sure local breweries, eateries, sports wear manufacturers and local bands would all love to get themselves seen by fans before a game.

I know it's off topic slightly, but I think the club can do so much more to bring in revenue, not just from ticket sales. It goes without saying that if we can get attendances of 20,000+ in league one, sponsors will be jumping to be involved with the club.

 

[Linz]

We've done a couple but we should be celebrating the event a lot more, we've a vast carpark area which can be utilised better and why not coincide match days with mini expo's - I'm sure local breweries, eateries, sports wear manufacturers and local bands would all love to get themselves seen by fans before a game.

Colchester is a prime example - and they recently had a food festival around the ground. The issue with the club is, and while I do personally like many of the individuals involved, we haven't really got anyone experienced at putting really good quality events like this on. We have people who are very good at what they know, but when we try and think outside the box, it gets a bit crap.

 

[SwissBlade]

Colchester is a prime example - and they recently had a food festival around the ground. The issue with the club is, and while I do personally like many of the individuals involved, we haven't really got anyone experienced at putting really good quality events like this on. We have people who are very good at what they know, but when we try and think outside the box, it gets a bit crap.

This is a frustrating thing, probably a Sheffield, Yorkshire and British thing... We seem afraid to open up to the people that know about these things... It's like we're afraid to admit we need the help...

We've got Gary Verity just up the road and we should at least be speaking with people like him, look at companies and organisers of expos etc and see what we can do with our humble surroundings to improve match day experiences and make the lane a place to be utilised a lot more.

I was at a well organised triathlon in Derby last weekend and there were a few thousand people there, most spending money. We get upwards of 15,000 blades fans every other week come rain or shine...

 

[Pedro Verde]

Colchester is a prime example - and they recently had a food festival around the ground. The issue with the club is, and while I do personally like many of the individuals involved, we haven't really got anyone experienced at putting really good quality events like this on. We have people who are very good at what they know, but when we try and think outside the box, it gets a bit crap.

Beer Festival Linz ?

 

[billyblademan]

A couple of years ago - actually it was Nigel Clough's first game in charge against Crewe, students got in for free, and were bunged up in the BL upper tier. I went with a few friends, who were all eager to go to a game, but either didn't want to pay £10/£15, or just needed a bit of a push/someone organising it for them.

One point I did note from that though is that students are hungry and thirsty beings, and not being particularly affiliated to SUFC, won't mind missing 5 minutes of the second half to finish their pint. Unfortunately, we had just the usual catering levels provided, and so completely ran out within about 5 mins of the HT break. Could have made a fortune from having so many 20 year olds there that day. I could only think 'typical Blades'.

 

[Linz]

One initiative I would love is the inclusion of discount rail travel with a season ticket, the rail travel being activated whenever a home fixture is played. Over the years i must have lost hundreds buying cheap no refundable advance rail tickets for rearranged and postponed home matches. It might be a cheap option when compared to £65 standard return but is still annoying when it goes unused and you have to spend £65 anyway. Its one of the main reasons why I gave up my season ticket, so everyone loses.

I'd be happy to pay, for example, an extra £750 for guaranteed rail travel from Newcastle for every home game. I'm sure other exiles would like a similar arrangement

This might be of interest: http://www.fsf.org.uk/latest-news/view/virgin-trains-nufc-safc-away-fans

 

[diplomat]

If Radio Sheffield announced a pending ticket deal, such as season ticket holders bring a friend for a fiver, is that okay? Or is that classed as advertising?

Or ask James Shield to mention it to demonstrate his finger being on the pulse.

For the above deal you need to tell the friends who have a ST holder as a mate, not the ST holder. The latter will be pretty inert in terms of informing his mates that there is an offer on. Having said that, I agree with Linz in that I wasn't told of the last offer at all otherwise I would have brought someone along.

 

[Linz]

Having said that, I agree with Linz in that I wasn't told of the last offer at all otherwise I would have brought someone along.

We have asked in the past to receive any promotional material to share but any is yet to be forthcoming.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

Why not have a more formal pre-match entertainment "destination" between say 13:00 and 14:45 in one of the club’s bars?

I.e. They could have a Q&A session with an ex-player (Kozzy, Edwards, Currie etc).
Redtooth Interactive quiz with prizes (Questions could possibly be Blades / Football / Sport related).
Reasonably priced food and drink packages (e.g. £5 for a pie and a pint). Varying guest ales behind the bar.
Large-screen TV’s showing classic Blades goals and/or Sky Sports build up.
Merchandise stand with a collection of key items from the club shop (take orders for delivery/collection later etc)
Betting franchise (Staff could come round and collect bets as they do when you're in the executive boxes)
Pop-up food franchises of the type they have at the Sheffield Food Festival (e.g. Milestone / Street Chef etc).

That would encourage people to arrive early at the ground and spend their pre-match money at the club for 2 hours instead of in pubs/takeaways near the ground.

I also think they could run a similar operation after the match. Show highlights of the match. Sky Sports for the other results and league tables. A bite to eat and a drink while avoiding the traffic jam home.

P.S. I know they already do some of these things in Annie’s Bar / International Bar but the food and beer are bland and overpriced and the entertainment lacking.

 

[diplomat]

Why not have a more formal pre-match entertainment "destination" between say 13:00 and 14:45 in one of the club’s bars?

I.e. They could have a Q&A session with an ex-player (Kozzy, Edwards, Currie etc).
Redtooth Interactive quiz with prizes (Questions could possibly be Blades / Football / Sport related).
Reasonably priced food and drink packages (e.g. £5 for a pie and a pint). Varying guest ales behind the bar.
Large-screen TV’s showing classic Blades goals and/or Sky Sports build up.
Merchandise stand with a collection of key items from the club shop (take orders for delivery/collection later etc)
Betting franchise (Staff could come round and collect bets as they do when you're in the executive boxes)
Pop-up food franchises of the type they have at the Sheffield Food Festival (e.g. Milestone / Street Chef etc).

That would encourage people to arrive early at the ground and spend their pre-match money at the club for 2 hours instead of in pubs/takeaways near the ground.

I also think they could run a similar operation after the match. Show highlights of the match. Sky Sports for the other results and league tables. A bite to eat and a drink while avoiding the traffic jam home.

P.S. I know they already do some of these things in Annie’s Bar / International Bar but the food and beer are bland and overpriced and the entertainment lacking.

Does the club benefit from any money generated in the hotel since we sold it for a quid?

 

[stringjunior]

I recently went to the t20 game lancs v yorks at old Trafford and the entire concourse was alive with kids, families, groups of lads and lasses. Loads of booze, food, live music etc and just a great atmosphere.

I went to a Basketball game in Dallas a few years back and to my surprise my American mate dragged me off the sun lounger at about 2pm to head off in to Dallas for the game, which started at 8pm. We were half an hour drive away so I was a little surprised. Got to the arena and there was so much going on around and about it was amazing, and this is a quite ordinary team and a regular midweek game. The place was packed for the game.

I'm not for a moment suggesting the complete Americanisation of the soccer experience (see what I did there....) but we really need to learn some lessons

 

[ashsufc1889]

Colchester is a prime example - and they recently had a food festival around the ground. The issue with the club is, and while I do personally like many of the individuals involved, we haven't really got anyone experienced at putting really good quality events like this on. We have people who are very good at what they know, but when we try and think outside the box, it gets a bit crap.

Apply to the club and offer to arrange one yourselves? Or as a group/Supporters club?

 

[frechyblade]

I went to a Basketball game in Dallas a few years back and to my surprise my American mate dragged me off the sun lounger at about 2pm to head off in to Dallas for the game, which started at 8pm. We were half an hour drive away so I was a little surprised. Got to the arena and there was so much going on around and about it was amazing, and this is a quite ordinary team and a regular midweek game. The place was packed for the game.

I'm not for a moment suggesting the complete Americanisation of the soccer experience (see what I did there....) but we really need to learn some lessons

A similar story at a Barca v Juve friendly a few years back, went to get tickets mid afternoon (game kicked of late evening) the place was heaving with beer and food tents, a cracking atmosphere and a great way to spend a few hours before the game.

UTB