Alarm bells ringing - Admission prices.

[al_quaker]

A family day out at £40 to watch professional football is a different proposition to a family day out costing just less that £40 to watch semi-professional football!!

Anyway, I think £12 to sit would be OK. Not dirt cheap, but not too bad. £10 max to stand though I would say. I understand the need to maximise revenue, but if ticket prices are too high then unless we make a fantastic start to the season, I think crowds will dwindle.

[Quakerz]

Concessions are NOT children, never have been and never will be!

Kids will not be priced at more than the £5 they pay now!

If we are in the Evo Prem £12 to sit and £10 to stand, and £8 concessions is a very fair price if you want a top end budget! (knock a quid off for Evo 1N)

[wishmaster3211]

Agree with the OP. I watch a lot of non league football and it sends out the wrong signals.

Plus, if we get 800-1000 fans we surely don't need to be charging some of the highest prices? A lot of clubs in the NPL1 are getting 100-200 through the door so our budget would wipe the floor with them anyway....Shouldn't be any more than a tenner to sit but bear in mind most will have to stand.

[Fatty eats roadkill]

Read my previous posts on this topic.

Also the other clubs in whatever division DO NOT NEED TO GET A NEW GROUND!

WE DO!

Short of a huge lottery win, where will the money come from!

FORGET THE LEVEL OF FOOTBALL WE WILL BE WATCHING AND REMEMBER THIS SIMPLE POINT -

WE HAVE OUR CLUB TO REBUILD!!!!

[dickdarlington]

Now then F-E-R. I'll try to respond in the same manner as I did with Quakerz. Step by step.

I don't live next to the Arena, but I do live about a mile away. I used to get my tickets on the way home from work thus reducing petrol prices. We also used to walk to the games. I don't deny I was in a fortunate position to be able to do so. Even when I lived further away, I refused to pay £5 to park. I think it's the Scottishness in me coming through.

I think you seem to be missing the change of the thread though. My initial concerns were that concessions were going to be inclusive of children. In fact this has yet to be denied by the board. The figures I initially posted on were based on the echo's reporting. And based on direct local comparisons. These fears have been somewhat quashed for the time being. But I still stand my ground that we need to make it cheaper, as the overall experience will be less polished (I am relishing the opportunity to stand on a terrace once again - but others may not be).

As for the family of four. I can't think of a single person I know who goes with their respective other. They take the kids, or go with mates, but I don't think the 2.4 children rule applies here.

I appreciate your comments on the railcards (we have one). You can also save money by travelling in pairs as adults, or in larger groups and booking tickets in advance.

The facts you put across are all true, if skewed a bit. The fundamental difference is going to be professional football against semi-professional football (as Al-Quaker says). It simply has to be cheaper.

I would agree with Quakers for EVo-Prem. £12 to sit. £10.00 to stand. These were Chester's charges I believe. But at the same time, their terracing is all under cover, and the view is remarkably better.

As wishmaster states, whilst we need to maximise profits, we don't need to send out the wrong signals by pricing people out.

Finally I stand with you on us needing a new ground. We will still raise a profit from lower prices due to increased attendances. And there is more than one way to generate money. We need to maximise the revenue generated away from the gates, as even at inflated prices, we can not get back to Darlington on gate receipts alone.

[Fatty eats roadkill]

Our only source of income will be gate money!

That is why we need as much as possible in year one.

Promotion AND a new ground are VITAL!

Also I wasn't having a go at you dd!
I was trying to show that travel costs are a red herring.

[dickdarlington]

We must be able to source additional incomes away from the gate receipts. I agree this year it will be up there as the major income. But investment and potential sponsorships must surely amount to it all.

I agree, promotion is vital. But the ground issue, I don't think will be resolved in one year. I'd love it to be. But I think we might have to wait two. I am of the opinion, that once Wednesday is out of the way, all this limbo talk will be able to become more productive. 1883 can then set their budget, and can look into how much will be needed and by when. Once there is a roadmap, and serious deadlines, then we can see.

Cheers F-E-R. I didn't take it as a go. Just trying to have a reasoned debate. We need to all stay friendly on here anyway if possible. Division will only make it worse.

[d5phammo]

You are all missing the point ?
You are prepared to pay £100 to save the club but NOT prepared to pay £12 to go and support the team ?

[dickdarlington]

It's finances. For me, the two shares which will reside in my house are not taken from the day to day budget. I'm trying to look at this from a month on month income. in the current climate. For the average person/family. And I'm not just on about me, and the people who will attend no matter what. I'm on about the floating fans. The ones who will be enticed by a 'fair' ticket price.

This is a gilt edged chance to entice all of the fans (albeit not every week) that have dwindled away. You're not going to do it by charging over the odds (again, the crux of this whole thread is based on the echo's prices. Not from anything confirmed by the board).

By getting people through the gates now, when we are hopefully winning, and making them feel a part of something we hope is going to be very very special, we'll get them hooked once more, and more than likely this time for certain.

[wishmaster3211]

You are all missing the point ?
You are prepared to pay £100 to save the club but NOT prepared to pay £12 to go and support the team ?

WE are all prepared to. I think the point is what about the other lost fans in the Town we need back to progress as a Club...thats where I am coming from.

[shawry]

No going to argue prices, as tbh, i go when I can regardless, however at £12 that's £2 more than quite a few non attenders wanted to pay for league 2/ conference football

Essentially we are relying on the hard core, rather than enticing new fans
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[3BlackHoops]

Now for families.
If travelling by car the price of £3.50 is still cheaper than paying £5 to park, then add on the price of getting to the arena.

Tickets are cheaper too, so even at the qoted prices of £12 & £8 a family of two adults and one child works out at £32. Arena price = £35(entrance fee of £15) or £37 (£16)

If travelling by rail, then yes a family will pay more £6.90. However if they parked their car then the day price at the arena would be £40. However at Shildon it will be £38.90!

Tell me now how this costs more!

This analysis, while presumably well-intended, only describes one family model (i.e. two adults and one child). IMHO, this model does not reflect the average family attending games these days.

More typically, I would say that rather than 2 adults (i.e. a father and mother) and 1 child, the reality is that 1 father + 1 kid, or 1 father + 2 kids, is far more common.

At £15 for adults and £5 for kids, the Arena cost £20 for 1 adult + 1 kid or £25 for 1 adult plus 2 kids.

Presuming that Shildon is going to be £12 (adults) and £8 kids, then the price would be £20 for one adult + 1 kid (same as the Arena) or £28 for one adult plus 2 kids (an increase of £3).

[quakersam]

Kids are not £8 though

[Robbie Painter]

No going to argue prices, as tbh, i go when I can regardless, however at £12 that's £2 more than quite a few non attenders wanted to pay for league 2/ conference football

Essentially we are relying on the hard core, rather than enticing new fans
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These "new" fans will always have an excuse. If it wasn't the price, it would be the distance to Shildon, if not the distance, it would be the facilities.

£12 seats, £10 terrace, £8 concessions, £5 kids, £0 under 5's. Thats what the price should be in the Evo-Stik premier. Knock a quid or two off that for each division below.

[quakerlady]

Just wondering but not sure if anyone can answer these questions yet.
What price do you think season tickets will be next year?
What price would people be prepared to pay for them? compared with pay as you go tickets
Do you think we will still be offering half-season tickets as mentioned previously?
Are the same amount of teams playing in each of the leagues we might end up in? as obviously this might affect the price.

[Enigma]

My concern is how can we be sustainable as it appears that we are continually asking fans to dip into their pockets - overpriced admission, fundraisers until they come out of your ears and then invest, invest invest - it can't - it wont continue as there's a limit as to what you can expect the fans to do - people will get sick of being asked sponsor this sponsor that short term yes long term no

people wont pay over the odds to help a speedy return to the league as their can be no guarantees they'll wait for others to subsidise it then come along for the ride after all everyons complained about the arena prices for the conference

[Quakerz]

Well I tell you what, go away and have a think, and come back with the solution. We're all ears.

I don't think £12/10 is overpriced either.

[Enigma]

The same price as other teams i our division or even lower to offset travel costs we need numbers at games to spread the word and leave development funds to investment and fundraising a few quid here and thereon gates given likely attendances wont make much difference anyway and wont get the communityon side price competitively and we might may take longer to get back but or we may just have to accept were now a non league team that may flirtwith an odd promotion

Go theother way high price no fans no community well be dead within a few years thats the reality

[Jazz Maverick]

We're going to be the best supported team in the league, we have a groundswell of goodwill and ambition about our future, and you want to price our tickets below everyone else's?!

Since when do you lower the price of an in demand product? Not very clever, is it? Good job you're just some boring troll and don't actually matter.

Tickets should be reasonable, but given our status, level of support and ambition they should be priced up there with the top end of our league.

[dickdarlington]

What Jazz said. We can't be doing dirt cheap tickets, as we won't make the money we need. At the same time, we can't and must not overcharge for the level we are placed at, as this will affect attendances. I would be happy with £1 on top of the average for the division we're placed in. If that is the Evo Prem, all of a sudden, £12 to sit, and £10 to stand seems realistic (this has to be the max though). That £1.00 on top of the average will cover the cost of the rent for the season (give or take), and then with the additional people through the gate we will have a healthy budget for a playing staff and the ability to have a surplus for building our future.

How much do you think we can make from sponsorship and advertising this season? Are we talking the £5K that the Morritt put in, or are we thinking we could get more? We will also still have the fundraising and investments to add on top of gate receipts.

I wonder what the odds are of xxx people putting on the lottery week in week out, with a plan that winnings are split 50% to the football club, and 50% across those who were part of the syndicate. Another stupid idea. But for every 10 rather random ones, you might hit upon a good one.

[Robbie Painter]

I wonder what the odds are of xxx people putting on the lottery week in week out, with a plan that winnings are split 50% to the football club, and 50% across those who were part of the syndicate. Another stupid idea. But for every 10 rather random ones, you might hit upon a good one.

Its already been launched!

Get signed up dick.

http://www.darlofc.co.uk/news.php?NewsID=854

[fozzovmurton]

I can see why 12 quid may seem a lot, I think a 10er would be enough, but I woul not mind paying an extra 2 quid if it meant the Club goes back home at the earliest opportunity


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[lo36789]

dickdarlington wrote:
I wonder what the odds are of xxx people putting on the lottery week in week out, with a plan that winnings are split 50% to the football club, and 50% across those who were part of the syndicate. Another stupid idea. But for every 10 rather random ones, you might hit upon a good one.


Its already been launched!

Get signed up dick.

http://www.darlofc.co.uk/news.php?NewsID=854

I think in his defence he might have meant the actual lottery rather than an internal draw. In that there would be an agreement that if you won the national lottery you would split the winnings.

[dickdarlington]

That's exactly what I was suggesting Lo.

[Enigma]

We're going to be the best supported team in the league, we have a groundswell of goodwill and ambition about our future, and you want to price our tickets below everyone else's?!

Since when do you lower the price of an in demand product? Not very clever, is it? Good job you're just some boring troll and don't actually matter.

Tickets should be reasonable, but given our status, level of support and ambition they should be priced up there with the top end of our league.

Lets hope 1883 have more sense than most on here

Groundswell of goodwill and ambition wont get people through the gates Im afraidespecially out of town in second rate facilities with the highest prices in the league

We might be bes supported in whatever league but that would only need 400 or so turning up to achieve it hardly great support

Look at last friday 200 bothered out of 900 or so investors which says a lot

[Jazz Maverick]

Jog on troll, you were rumbled about 30 posts ago.

[The_Ponderer]

Surely Mr Enigma-man is not suggesting he has sense

I will easily spot you next season Mr Trollman, your grotesque teeth and the smell of the Skerne will give you away

[liddle_4_ever]

I think it should be free for U5s, £5 for kids, £7 or 8 for concessions and £10 for adults for entry to the ground. These are fair prices (given our situation) and could speed up getting people through the turnstiles as change would only be needed for concessions, I think it is vital that we get people in as quickly as possible given we only have 3 turnstiles. Then, once inside the ground, it should be a £2 supplement for entry to the seating area. Doing it like this means the lower rate will be the advertised rate and what everyone remembers, fans can get into the ground to start spending quicker, people who want a seat will be encouraged to get to the ground early on to guarantee a seat/seats together/seats where they want and it would allow people to upgrade after entering the ground if the weather turns for the worst.
I can’t see a negative!

[Enigma]

Surely Mr Enigma-man is not suggesting he has sense

I will easily spot you next season Mr Trollman, your grotesque teeth and the smell of the Skerne will give you away

Won't be too difficult in the crowds were likely to be getting- I'll make it easier for you just in case we break 500 - I'll be the one leaning against the goalpost with me whippet

[AIDO]

.... and the whippet will certainly have more friends than you .... and clearly more bloody sense!