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Post by horseman on Jan 15, 2014 20:23:06 GMT
The football club feel that we shouldn't lower the prices against a team from the Championship. It's a fair point. Last night, it was Championship v League 2, and the decision to lower the prices were because the bigger team were at home. Now we are at home, the situation is different. Reducing the price could also cost us money if a bigger crowd doesn't turn up, so it's a sensible decision. I'd love to see cheaper tickets, but this probably isn't the game to offer it. It's against decent opposition, and I'm sure we will get a good, noisy crowd. I hope that has helped explain the reasons. So Charlton don't see Oxford as a good crowd puller so they drop the prices...Many Oxford fans don't see Charlton as a big fish, Charlton fans thinking to travel wont do so at full price so what do our club do Charge Full Price yeah very sensible decision jl. Also if the clubs line is it's a Championship side why then if this is considered such an attraction have they closed the North Stand?. Why are they automatically thinking people wont turn up prior to announcing the prices? Were they aware that our manager when interviewed after the game spoke of his hope for a big crowd Would a bigger crowd and atmosphere not have been a major boost for the players to help up their game even more against higher league opponents? Did they consider what may or may not be a loss maker by reducing prices against The long term Goodwill of their own supporters and therefore long term financial gain?
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Post by southstandyellow on Jan 15, 2014 20:44:22 GMT
Charlton are most definitely not attractive opposition in my view, Championship side or not.
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Post by londonroader on Jan 15, 2014 20:49:40 GMT
Horseman I think the club are missing a trick here, after the tripe at home for ages we had a chance to change the home fans mentality and get some more bums on seats, we would be expected to lose at home on a better pitch so if we lost it wouldn't be the end of the world, BUT the goodwill created could have gone a long way to getting the missing fans back, we have tried the pop bang fizzle way that didn't work, perhaps the old fashioned way of cheaper tickets could have put an extra 1000 on the gate, I wonder what the gate will be for the replay, will there be 5000 home fans remembering this figure will not be boosted by ghost ST attendance.
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Post by essexyellows on Jan 15, 2014 21:05:54 GMT
Horseman I think the club are missing a trick here, after the tripe at home for ages we had a chance to change the home fans mentality and get some more bums on seats, we would be expected to lose at home on a better pitch so if we lost it wouldn't be the end of the world, BUT the goodwill created could have gone a long way to getting the missing fans back, we have tried the pop bang fizzle way that didn't work, perhaps the old fashioned way of cheaper tickets could have put an extra 1000 on the gate, I wonder what the gate will be for the replay, will there be 5000 home fans remembering this figure will not be boosted by ghost ST attendance. Not just me then.
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Post by Long John Silver on Jan 15, 2014 21:16:17 GMT
As pointed out elsewhere, people will pay full price to watch teams like Newport on a Tuesday night, or Accrington on the last home game of the season. Why should a championship club like Charlton be cheaper? At present, with what's on offer, there are about 1500 people actually paying to watch most of our home games....
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Post by londonroader on Jan 15, 2014 21:48:08 GMT
Horseman I think the club are missing a trick here, after the tripe at home for ages we had a chance to change the home fans mentality and get some more bums on seats, we would be expected to lose at home on a better pitch so if we lost it wouldn't be the end of the world, BUT the goodwill created could have gone a long way to getting the missing fans back, we have tried the pop bang fizzle way that didn't work, perhaps the old fashioned way of cheaper tickets could have put an extra 1000 on the gate, I wonder what the gate will be for the replay, will there be 5000 home fans remembering this figure will not be boosted by ghost ST attendance. Not just me then. Sorry, I have not read the whole thread.
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Post by Mark Sennett on Jan 16, 2014 7:28:29 GMT
We've passed on the comments from OxVox members and Charlton supporters trust to the club.
On a personal level (not an OxVox view) I won't be going to the game as I won't pay £17 on top of my season ticket for an additional home game with the way we play at home. That's my personal choice. I will on the othe hand pay extra to go to an away game as it's far more enjoyable!
There certainly is a great number of people who wanted cut price tickets. We put this to the club and the answer was that the club would roughly break even with a 3500 crowd at full price after only getting a 40% share of gate under cup rules and cost of putting on the game. So to cut prices we'd need double the gate and I don't think many would expect a 7000 gate. So the club would actually be risking making a loss tor cut price tickets to £10.
In addition the club see this as an important competition and as slappy has said why would they offer tickets less for a championship side than for Newport at home?
So that is the explanation we have given ultimately it comes down to breaking even or potentially making a loss.
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Post by Paul Cannell on Jan 16, 2014 7:52:05 GMT
Can we be clear about this. My understanding is :
"(e) In replayed matches in the Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Rounds of the Competition Proper involving Clubs outside the FA Premier League or The Football League, the net gate receipts of each match shall be divided as follows: 47.5% to Clubs outside The FA Premier League or The Football League. 37.5% to FA Premier League or Football League Clubs. 10% to the Pool (save where both Clubs are outside The FA Premier League or The Football League). 5% to The Association. "
So the 40% share has nothing to do with break-even since the rules refer to net gate receipts. The costs are paid before OUFC takes it's share - which is some distance from what your sentence above implies.
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Post by essexyellows on Jan 16, 2014 7:59:54 GMT
Christ some people have swallowed the Corporate & Finanacial Bollocks handbook.
What about some GOODWILL to the fans???
Selling tickets at £10 would increase the attendance, increase the possibility of returning customers and people would be congratulating the club on a good move..... instead we get "Pay up or don`t bother".
Hour & half each way, fuel,food etc to watch a poor Championship (League Two!) side..... it would have been nice for the Club to reward the loyalty. As it is a cozy night in with a radio stream is much more appealing.
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Post by bicesteryellow on Jan 16, 2014 8:35:12 GMT
Christ some people have swallowed the Corporate & Finanacial Bollocks handbook. What about some GOODWILL to the fans??? Selling tickets at £10 would increase the attendance, increase the possibility of returning customers and people would be congratulating the club on a good move..... instead we get "Pay up or don`t bother". Hour & half each way, fuel,food etc to watch a poor Championship (League Two!) side..... it would have been nice for the Club to reward the loyalty. As it is a cozy night in with a radio stream is much more appealing. Selling the tickets at £10 wouldn't double the attendance, as that is what is needed to make the same profit. Cheaper tickets would mean slightly raised attendances, but not enough to make the same profit as the actual prices with current attendances. This would mean the club would have less income, have to pay more stewards to take care of the more fans and the club would either be operating at a reduced profit or loss. This would mean we have less money to spend on players and their wages, and socrates would be on here like a shot complaining about ambition
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Post by horseman on Jan 16, 2014 8:36:55 GMT
i wonder if the club will have the same stance when they send the next email telling us how important our support is and to attend the next game.
In one sport i know Blinkers can certainly help but in this case they clearly need to be taken off.
You would like to think that this thread is the wake up call IL needs that some supporters are fed up with dull boring negative football and wont just turn up regardless but reading the clubs position i seriously doubt it.
Yet another PR disaster to add to the list.
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Post by essexyellows on Jan 16, 2014 8:42:36 GMT
To grow long term you have to plan both short & long term.
Its reasonably likely that this game will have a loss making sized crowd based on full ticket prices.
If the Club don`t try they will never know the effect on the crowd number plus it is an opportunity to engender goodwill & potentially increase the marketing base.
Marketing & promotional activity is about taking the risk & opportunities....... on that basis the Commercial department is about as good as our home displays!
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Post by horseman on Jan 16, 2014 8:56:34 GMT
Essexyellows
We are wasting our time as some clearly will never see beyond the end of their finger.
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Post by scotters on Jan 16, 2014 9:22:44 GMT
Seems like a sensible decision to me - good to hear some more information on the decision from the club though.
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Post by southstandyellow on Jan 16, 2014 9:31:03 GMT
How old are you Scotters out of interest?
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Post by scotters on Jan 16, 2014 9:35:04 GMT
Why do you ask SSY?
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Post by Mark on Jan 16, 2014 9:36:07 GMT
You had the goodwill with discounted tickets for the Gateshead fixture. Attendance 3114 on a Saturday. So it clearly doesn't work.
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Post by Mark on Jan 16, 2014 9:37:13 GMT
People say they won't pay £17 over their season ticket to watch the poor fare at home. Why would they change their mind at £10?
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Post by stevegilbert on Jan 16, 2014 9:43:51 GMT
There will be roughly 2500 next Tuesday at a guess. Make all tickets a tenner and I think you would get maybe between 3500 - 4000.
If the club are aiming for 3500 to break even at 17 quid a ticket then that is £17000 loss, if they need 7000 to turn up at 10 quid a ticket and only get a crowd between 3500 and 4000 that is a £30000 - £35000 loss.
What the club are doing is thinking about the financial security of the club here and not adding to our debt.
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Post by southstandyellow on Jan 16, 2014 9:47:21 GMT
Because I would imagine your view to be one of a "younger generation" fan Scotters, who cannot see that a goodwill gesture by the club would be a good thing.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2014 9:47:47 GMT
You had the goodwill with discounted tickets for the Gateshead fixture. Attendance 3114 on a Saturday. So it clearly doesn't work. But you don't know what the attendance would have been WITHOUT the discount!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2014 9:48:55 GMT
People say they won't pay £17 over their season ticket to watch the poor fare at home. Why would they change their mind at £10? Because to some people £7 is a significant amount to find. Not for wealthy professionals like us, obviously, but for some people.
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Post by mcf86 on Jan 16, 2014 9:51:21 GMT
There will be roughly 2500 next Tuesday at a guess. Make all tickets a tenner and I think you would get maybe between 3500 - 4000. If the club are aiming for 3500 to break even at 17 quid a ticket then that is £17000 loss, if they need 7000 to turn up at 10 quid a ticket and only get a crowd between 3500 and 4000 that is a £30000 - £35000 loss. What the club are doing is thinking about the financial security of the club here and not adding to our debt. How's it a loss, I thought Cup run money was an 'Unexpected windfall' and therefore not budgeted for?
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Post by scotters on Jan 16, 2014 9:59:45 GMT
Fair enough SSY. Early 30s for what it's worth, so perhaps that counts as younger generation?
I don't think people are being unreasonable or cheap or anything like that by hoping for a drop in prices at an expensive time of year. Just that it's pointless to expect the club to take a hit on income when it's already in a poor financial state.
I'm pretty certain that dropping tickets to £10 would mean a big financial loss for the club in any game unless either a) the drop in prices would lead to a massive jump in the attendance, or b) the game is so unappealing that no-one would turn up at normal price. I'm not convinced either of these is the case for the Charlton game.
Anyway, I won't be going on Tuesday (nothing to do with ticket price) so perhaps I should bow out now.
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Post by oufcrealist on Jan 16, 2014 10:14:01 GMT
People say they won't pay £17 over their season ticket to watch the poor fare at home. Why would they change their mind at £10? Because £10 equates to the poor fare being served up at home.
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Post by ZeroTheHero on Jan 16, 2014 10:14:50 GMT
Hmm, if they need 3500 at £17, that means that it costs about £60,000 to stage the match.
Does that sound reasonable? I have no idea.
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Post by stevegilbert on Jan 16, 2014 10:16:02 GMT
There will be roughly 2500 next Tuesday at a guess. Make all tickets a tenner and I think you would get maybe between 3500 - 4000. If the club are aiming for 3500 to break even at 17 quid a ticket then that is £17000 loss, if they need 7000 to turn up at 10 quid a ticket and only get a crowd between 3500 and 4000 that is a £30000 - £35000 loss. What the club are doing is thinking about the financial security of the club here and not adding to our debt. How's it a loss, I thought Cup run money was an 'Unexpected windfall' and therefore not budgeted for? The club are working on those figures to break even with what it costs to put the game on. So yes it is a loss if the club are working on £59500 to host the game and are only going to get £42500 they have made a loss. It is much better to have a loss of £17K than a £13K loss. The missing money will no doubt be used by the FA Cup money to help balance the books.
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Post by Si Bradbury on Jan 16, 2014 10:18:09 GMT
The issue seems to me that most fans are disappointed or disgusted with our home form and performances. I am and that in the main is having an impact on the ticket price anger of the replay.
Whilst the Charlton Supporters Trust are disappointed along with plenty of Oxford United fans over the decision to charge full league ticket prices, the decision from my understanding would have been made with the consultation with Charlton Football Club. Who is to say that both clubs agreed on the price to maximise the share of gate receipts to both clubs? Or did Charlton make representation and OUFC said 'No'. Did Oxford suggest lower prices but Charlton refused?
It's not clear but I'd be interested to know.
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Post by horseman on Jan 16, 2014 10:21:46 GMT
Which is the better scenario reduce the prices keep your fan base happy and made to feel welcome + attract the floaters and encourage new support
Or Charge full price make your fan base unhappy potentially hitting you on a long term basis+ reduce potential floaters attending and completely discourage new support
One is a short sighted view the other has potential long term gain
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Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2014 10:25:08 GMT
I'm tending to sympathise with Mr Essex and horseman here.
IL has three sets of fans to consider - the regulars, the lapsed regulars who have become occasional casual attendees, and potential fans who need to be enticed to matches.
At full price, can't see this appealing to the last two groups, so the strategy seems to be to sweat the current asset rather than try to expand support. Bit short-sighted.
Add to that the fact that OUFC's break-even analysis looks spurious (see PC's figures above) and the pricing for Charlton looks a mess.
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