ST Sales - The Acid Test

[Norfolk N Chance]

SO within the next few days the early bird discount is up - do we have any figures and will the board be disapointed?
The KM site not been updated for few weeks so they must be run off there feet  

[PACMAN]

There will be plenty, including me who will be renewing after the deadline. I have a holiday in May to pay for so June looks favourite, if it means I have to move seats so be it!!

[Bessie Red]

Over 3000 sold according to the ticket office when I renewed my three ST's yesterday. There were about 5 or 6 renewing in the time I was there so it looks like they will be doing alot of sales this week!!

[irishcontingent]

Rigoglioso wrote:

Bessie Red wrote:

Over 3000 sold according to the ticket office when I renewed my three ST's yesterday. There were about 5 or 6 renewing in the time I was there so it looks like they will be doing alot of sales this week!!

The \"end of early bird rush\" is starting to materialise then!

All in all, at a pure guess I reckon by the end of this week the TO will have shifted just over 4,000 which won't be too bad overall.

If sales then steadilly increase to the 6,000 - 6,500 mark by the end of the season, I think the board would be pleased.

So, early bird finishes 30th i take it.Season ends 1st, yes Rigo no doubt Board be very pleased to get to your quoted numbers by SEASON END,  

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Bought mine today and confirmed had sold just over 3000 and...at lunchtime I was the only one being served.

We'll be lucky to sell 4000 by the end of the early bird deadline and extremely lucky to sell 6000 period.

When will the folk in high places wake up and smell the coffee ? Prices are too high.

Swillsborogh on Sunday will be nearly full of folk paying £10.

Cup matches all over the country are being played in front of empty stadiums.

Make prices easily affordable and they will come !

[DN8ROVER]

I bought mine today too,i was there around 9.30 and i was the only one there.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Well that's 2 today so must be 3002 sold at least.

Hurry while stocks last !!

[topnotch_Donny]

DonnyBazR0ver wrote:

Bought mine today and confirmed had sold just over 3000 and...at lunchtime I was the only one being served.

We'll be lucky to sell 4000 by the end of the early bird deadline and extremely lucky to sell 6000 period.

When will the folk in high places wake up and smell the coffee ? Prices are too high.

Swillsborogh on Sunday will be nearly full of folk paying £10.

Cup matches all over the country are being played in front of empty stadiums.

Make prices easily affordable and they will come !

\"Swillsborogh on Sunday will be nearly full of folk paying £10.\"


You can only make such attractive prices if you have a big ground. If the KMS was bigger, our board would do the odd promotion, but you never know exactly what you will sell on the day.

PS we should have cash turnstiles that way we would attract more floaters.

Who wants to prat around buying a ticket days before the game or on the match day?

[DonnyBazR0ver]

You can only make such attractive prices if you have a big ground

I don't understand your logic there ?

John's objective was to increase ST sales AND revenue. He will fail on both counts.

Had he have pitched prices at a level affordable to more people, he would have more chance of achieving this.

A quick calculation on estimated revenues. 10000 paying £12 a game will generate more revenue than 6000 paying £18 a game.

[topnotch_Donny]

DonnyBazR0ver wrote:

You can only make such attractive prices if you have a big ground

I don't understand your logic there ?

John's objective was to increase ST sales AND revenue. He will fail on both counts.

Had he have pitched prices at a level affordable to more people, he would have more chance of achieving this.

A quick calculation on estimated revenues. 10000 paying £12 a game will generate more revenue than 6000 paying £18 a game.

You can only make such attractive prices if you have a big ground

To defend myself here, I was talking about the £10 ticket prices at Hillsborough on Sunday.

Please don't cut out the main facts  

My point right or wrong was that, teams with a bigger ground can offer better/cheaper prices.

I'm sure you can see the logic in that?

[topnotch_Donny]

And just to answer your other points.

We have to sell the ST's at top price, and the other few thousand seats empty hold more potential income than if we sell more season tickets on the cheap.

ST Prices have been held for years now so....

[DonnyBazR0ver]

If possible, I'm sure that the club accountant would want to sell every seat.

Rovers are a long way from achieving that and, we are going in the opposite direction. The objective is right but the pricing policy is completely wrong.

Rovers should be aiming to sell 12000 STs, as it is money in the bank and it's core revenue. Bread and butter. When you lose ST holders, you have to work much harder to get them back. No sign of the club from a marketing perspective working any harder yet.

Now if you get to the point of selling out then you have a decision to make. Put prices up at the risk of alienating loyal fans who can't get in or expand the stadium ?

[topnotch_Donny]

DonnyBazR0ver wrote:

If possible, I'm sure that the club accountant would want to sell every seat.

Rovers are a long way from achieving that and, we are going in the opposite direction. The objective is right but the pricing policy is completely wrong.

Rovers should be aiming to sell 12000 STs, as it is money in the bank and it's core revenue. Bread and butter. When you lose ST holders, you have to work much harder to get them back. No sign of the club from a marketing perspective working any harder yet.

Now if you get to the point of selling out then you have a decision to make. Put prices up at the risk of alienating loyal fans who can't get in or expand the stadium ?

I see were you are coming from now. Anyhow, we wont get close to selling 10k season tickets this side of 2018, if ever.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

We have to sell the ST's at top price, and the other few thousand seats empty hold more potential income than if we sell more season tickets on the cheap.

ST Prices have been held for years now so....

So what's your predication for sales this season and average attendances ?

[topnotch_Donny]

DonnyBazR0ver wrote:

We have to sell the ST's at top price, and the other few thousand seats empty hold more potential income than if we sell more season tickets on the cheap.

ST Prices have been held for years now so....

So what's your predication for sales this season and average attendances ?

Around the same or slightly lower. I hope I'm wrong and we get eight thousand season ticket holders like we got our first season up, but I cant see it.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

As you can tell, I'm less optimistic.

6000 ST holders tops and average attendances of around 9000.

[bobjimwilly]

DonnyBazR0ver wrote:

As you can tell, I'm less optimistic.

6000 ST holders tops and average attendances of around 9000.

Unfortunately I would have to agree with those estimates  

[Rovers Return]

I must admit I choked a bit. I had got my sums and dates mixed up and instead of buying for twins at £50.00 each up from £30.00, I was informed that because they became twelve before Sept 1st ( by two weeks ) it was now £95.00 each plus my season ticket £380 , plus 50p each season ticket for using a credit card. Total £571.50. I did hesitate for a moment and dare say many more won't bother and find something else to do on a Saturday. I know my mate is wobbling as his two have just turned 17 and 15.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

The low price works if people actually are interested.  Your £12 a game stat would bring in more revenue if it sold 4000 more tickets, but would it actually do that?  I don't think so.  Look at Barnsley, they have very cheap season tickets and don't sell that many more than us.  I'd be surprised if they make more in revenue than we do.

[The_Rooky]

big fat yorkshire pudding wrote:

The low price works if people actually are interested.  Your £12 a game stat would bring in more revenue if it sold 4000 more tickets, but would it actually do that?  I don't think so.  Look at Barnsley, they have very cheap season tickets and don't sell that many more than us.  I'd be surprised if they make more in revenue than we do.

...I see what you're saying here, but I just get the feeling that we're falling into the trap of doing the same old ST promotion - offering an early bird discount.  Which is fine for those wanting to renew and stop in their current seat.  But I don't really see how this attracts new potential ST holders.  I can't help but think that the club just needs to be a little more imaginative. For example, the club could say that the prices for season tickets will be £x, subject to selling 'y' number by a certain date - otherwise the prices increase to £z.  Now I know some will argue thats its just too complicated and difficult to administer etc. etc. etc. But I'm sure Bradford did something similar a couple of seasons ago - so its not impossible.

In addition, this might generate a little bit more incentive for fans getting friends and family to buy a ST if they know they stand to save a few quid themselves too.  Its obviously too late for this season - but its got to be worth a thought.

I also think that around September time, the club ought to start planning for the season after in terms of ST prices and possible promotions.  To do this they need to have some focus groups with real fans to talk through various options and test the water - before launching next seasons prices out of the blue.  This would also help to manage fans expectations better - if they had some idea of the sort of things being considered by the club.  I know you'll never please everyone, but at the moment I feel fans of DRFC are informed of decisions rather than being involved in developing them.  

Anyway, just some of my thoughts on the matter.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

They're all good points.  No doubt the club can do much better and if more of these points were took on board we could achieve much more.

[Lytham Rover]

i am a firm advocate of (if possible) buying the stadium extending the capacity and then reducing the price of the season ticket

but you have to have at least 50% of your seats unsold and be  able to guarantee to sell most of those otherwise the revenue will drop

[Wellred]

But when I bought my season ticket last week the girl in the office told me sales were up compared to the same period last year.
Kind of goes against what a lot of posters think doesn't it?

[bpoolrover]

Wellred wrote:

But when I bought my season ticket last week the girl in the office told me sales were up compared to the same period last year.
Kind of goes against what a lot of posters think doesn't it?

they will be up as you didnt have 2 buy it as early last year.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I also think that around September time, the club ought to start planning for the season after in terms of ST prices and possible promotions. To do this they need to have some focus groups with real fans to talk through various options and test the water - before launching next seasons prices out of the blue. This would also help to manage fans expectations better - if they had some idea of the sort of things being considered by the club. I know you'll never please everyone, but at the moment I feel fans of DRFC are informed of decisions rather than being involved in developing them.

Bang on !!

[Wellred]

bpoolrover wrote:

Wellred wrote:

But when I bought my season ticket last week the girl in the office told me sales were up compared to the same period last year.
Kind of goes against what a lot of posters think doesn't it?

they will be up as you didnt have 2 buy it as early last year.

Wasn't the deadline to buy your season ticket to get it at the previous years price 30 April last year?

[CusworthRovers]

Can't remember mate, 31st May sticks in mind for some reason

[DonnyNoel]

CusworthRovers wrote:

Can't remember mate, 31st May sticks in mind for some reason

I think that was (like this season) the date to which your seat is saved. Did the prices go up at all last year in the end?

[DonnyBazR0ver]

They threatened to put the price up to £459 but didn't follow through.

Time for another U-turn ?

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I'll stick my neck out, because it's easy from where I'm sitting. I think the following price structure would have had a more positive impact if marketed right and, would more likely up sales and revenue.

Cat A      £399
All others   £299
Youth/Conc   £199
u-16            £95
u-12            £50

Plus combos of the above 'family' tickets getting further 'discounts'.

At Forest game they did a family of four for £25 - 2 adults, two kids? Multiply that up to a season @ £575 and that's a bloody good deal. Come on down !