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Has catagory rating matches failed?


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I've just noticed that 'Udders fans can now pay on the gate tomorrow, which suggests that they will be bring a poor (for them) following to BP tomorrow. A similar thing happened against Rochdale of course a few weeks ago; I just wonder how much has this got to do with the pricing strategy, the all ticket game effect (which more often than not affects our travelling numbers) and how much of it is down to the current economic climate? For me I suggest the club has a re-think on this one before we miss out on much more revenue.

 

Thoughts?

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If you can show that the £23 price tag is the issue, then there may be a case. With Rochdale there was a little hint that it was a concern to them, but I think the over-riding issue was :censored:e support.

 

With Huddersfield? Their increased following of the last couple of seasons has just realised that they're not quite good enough to get promoted, they've got a weaker squad this season and they just can't be arsed. The glory hunters are beginning to fall away, as reflected by their sub-12,000 home gates. Nothing to do with £23 at BP.

 

As a plan, I think Latics will raise as much money from home fans this season as they did last season. But they will grow incomes by charging the fans of better followed away teams more.

 

It will be interesting to see if we can attract more home fans to the £14 games. I suspect we won't.

Edited by opinions4u
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I'll let you know when we have had a Category B and a Category C game.

 

The whole point of categorising games is to sting the away fans of the bigger clubs and those who just come to a few of the bigger (or more local) games a season.

 

Suppose it works in that sense but it isn't going to attract many new fans.

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If you can show that the £23 price tag is the issue, then there may be a case. With Rochdale there was a little hint that it was a concern to them, but I think the over-riding issue was :censored:e support.

 

With Huddersfield? Their increased following of the last couple of seasons has just realised that they're not quite good enough to get promoted, they've got a weaker squad this season and they just can't be arsed. The glory hunters are beginning to fall away, as reflected by their sub-12,000 home gates. Nothing to do with £23 at BP.

 

As a plan, I think Latics will raise as much money from home fans this season as they did last season. But they will grow incomes by charging the fans of better followed away teams more.

 

It will be interesting to see if we can attract more home fans to the £14 games. I suspect we won't.

Also with Rochdale, they play Bury next week, so it could of been an issue with a few of them as either Oldham or Bury.. And Bury are their current rivals so more likely to choose them..

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I've just noticed that 'Udders fans can now pay on the gate tomorrow, which suggests that they will be bring a poor (for them) following to BP tomorrow. A similar thing happened against Rochdale of course a few weeks ago; I just wonder how much has this got to do with the pricing strategy, the all ticket game effect (which more often than not affects our travelling numbers) and how much of it is down to the current economic climate? For me I suggest the club has a re-think on this one before we miss out on much more revenue.

 

Thoughts?

 

I reckon it's a welcome change.. The proof in the pudding for our home attendances will be the midweek games against Southern teams in December

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After Rochdale's very poor turnout, I think I would reconsider making Bury a catagory 'A' game, they brought the worst local away support I've ever seen the last time they came. Chesterfield seems a bit odd too, I can only ever remember them bringing as many as about 1500, I can see that Shez being in charge gives it a bit of extra interest, but they way they've started their support will soon drop off I think (It does says the ratings maybe changed on the ticketing page).

 

Got to smile at Tranmere being catagory 'B', just shows how badly they've travelled in recent years :grin:

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It's difficult to judge at the moment. With our first 3 league games all falling into the category A band, some fans will feel they're paying over the odds.

It'll be interesting to see the home support when we get a category C game.

Last season you could have got into the opening 3 matches for £18 so a fiver increase probably appears steep just now.

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It worked very well for the Sheffield Utd game, Rochdale game? I don't think it being £3 pound cheaper made any difference. It could of been ten pound each and rochdale wouldn't of brought many more.

 

They need to advertise WELL for the cat c games £3 for kids £14/15 for an adult.

Edited by oldhamains
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I thought the categorising was to get our own fans through the gate at less attractive matches and get a few more pound at the matches they know we'll attend regardless? Didn't think it was anything to do with away support to be honest.

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After Rochdale's very poor turnout, I think I would reconsider making Bury a catagory 'A' game, they brought the worst local away support I've ever seen the last time they came. Chesterfield seems a bit odd too, I can only ever remember them bringing as many as about 1500, I can see that Shez being in charge gives it a bit of extra interest, but they way they've started their support will soon drop off I think (It does says the ratings maybe changed on the ticketing page).

 

Got to smile at Tranmere being catagory 'B', just shows how badly they've travelled in recent years :grin:

 

I could see why it was decided to have Chesterfield as Cat A at the time as they've seen a lot of people jump on the bandwaggon since they've moved into their new home and won the League. Although now it seems a bit unsure

 

As for home fans, if you think about it I'm missing Stevenage next week because I've got something on but technically by going to Shefff Utd, Dale and tomorrow the club has made an extra £9 out of me which they were not normally going to get

 

BTW last I heard Huddersfield sold 1800 tickets for tomorrow, which aint too bad

Edited by Tommy_Fent
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If we'd played Sheff Utd last season, we'd have charged them £18 a ticket. If they'd brought 4,000 (inc 500 kids) that would have been £64,500.

 

They brought 3,597 for real this season. Assuming 397 kids that's a receipt of £74,791. So even if the pricing change cost us 400 away fans, the income would have been £10k higher (not to mention the car park money from away fans).

 

Rochdale: 1,891 last season. Let's say 291 kids. £29,673.

Rochdale: 1,168 this season. Let's say 168 kids. £23,504.

 

But how much of the fall in following from Rochdale was caused by it not being a New Year holiday? If we'd played them on a normal Saturday last season? I'd suggest most of it, rather than the price being what put them off.

 

For me the maths with the away fans works tremendously well from a business perspective - mainly because I think we only lost out on a couple of hundred fans who were put off by the price. I suspect it will make little difference with home followings and unless something dramatic happens to the season we will have a Tuesday night game where we struggle to get 3,000 in - even if it's £14 to get in.

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It's a dangerous policy to follow regarding home fans. Hangers on tend to go to the bigger games, and they'll just sack it off if the price gets too much. And for alot £23 is far too much to be paying for Third Division football. Once those on the edge stop coming, they aren't coming back. Ever.

I think the alternative would have been to price all games at £21 or £22 (retaining the £2 advance purchase discount). Getting over the psychological £20 barrier for every game would have put a lot off.

 

The new structure ain't perfect, but I don't think it will damage attendances through the season and I do think it will bring more money in to help balance the books.

Edited by opinions4u
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I'd say it hasn't but the OP suggests it has and might need scrapping. After 2 games.

Well not necessarily scrap it, but certainly look at the Bury and Chesterfield games. I think we will make some extra money out of the game against the Wendies, whereas with the other two I think possibly it might cost us.

 

I also think the fixture list has been a bit cruel to us, I'm sure the first three home games alll being Cat A must have put some off going to all of them.

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maybe they havent sold as many tickets because its the same price if they buy a ticket or pay on the day.

 

if the £2 less ticket price was still there, theyd have sold more but seeing as paying on the gate saves a journey to the ground i reckon they'll still bring a couple of thousand like they always do.

 

if you judge off ticket sales then categorising has failed, but if youi judge by attendance and money it's probably doing better for the club i'd say

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maybe they havent sold as many tickets because its the same price if they buy a ticket or pay on the day.

 

if the £2 less ticket price was still there, theyd have sold more but seeing as paying on the gate saves a journey to the ground i reckon they'll still bring a couple of thousand like they always do.

 

if you judge off ticket sales then categorising has failed, but if youi judge by attendance and money it's probably doing better for the club i'd say

 

Well todays game saw only 3818 home fans. So for the sake of argument

 

3818 x £23 = £87.814

 

4391 x £20 = £87.820

 

I alot more factors come into the equasion like kids/pensioners prices etc, but I would still say on this basis that under the old pricing structure, we would have needed up to an extra 500-600 fans on top of what we had today in order to make the same revenue that we made today under the new categorised pricing structure, which all factors taken into account (getting beat 4-1 week before, alot of people being skint etc) I don't think we would have done, maybe an extra 200-300 tops. So for category A games I think its definitely working out better for the clubs.

 

However, I think we need to wait and see if the Cat C prices increase the attendances at all for the smaller games, as I think it could work the other way round then.

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But there wouldn't be either of those attendances at £23 or £20.

 

There are about 2000 ST holders.

 

End of the season is time to judge not when there is only marginal anecdotal evidence either way.

 

Incidentally today's programme has prices for the way match at Leyton Orient -- £23 in advance ,, £25 on the day.

Edited by LaticsPete
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