The Singer
04 Aug 2004, 08:26 AM
Back in May as Paddy was reaching for the premier league trophy, my wife was reaching for an envelope posted to me. It contained info for next season’s ticket price increases and a reminder to get full payment off by June 1st.
Those of us fortunate enough to have season tickets were reminded failure to do this could mean we lose them. Also included were details of a “new and exciting free membership scheme”. We 22,000 season ticket holders were to become GOLD members. There was also a SILVER membership available, which I believe was offered to those on the ticket registration scheme, travel club members etc.
This was a first, the club giving us something for nothing. Or are they? You see, I have a theory, which I’ll now explain and hopefully I’ll be totally wrong and apologise to everyone in advance, but here goes.
The club has a waiting list of ten years for season ticket holders and could quite easily sell all available seats as such, like Newcastle. However, the club realise that the 15,000 non-season ticket seats generate support from a huge number of fans keeping the interest alive. It’s not as if they’ll support another club if they can’t get a ticket, it’s just they might get fed up applying and failing to get one and take up golf or shopping instead.
Our season tickets cover all Premier League plus a total of seven Champions League and FA Cup matches played at Highbury. The “I’d Rather Be Curling” Cup is no longer counted. If we want to go, we pay extra.
The number of season tickets is also kept to this level to accommodate everyone should we reach an FA Cup Final.
When we move into Ashburton Grove our capacity will rise to 60,000 of which 40,000 will become season ticket holders. The club will need guaranteed income to pay for the building work. It all makes perfect sense.
But here comes my theory. The club will announce a “new and exciting membership scheme” for the start of the 2006-07 season. This will be a strictly limited (22,000) PLATINUM membership. Available to season ticket holders, at a price. This will entitle them to preferential service when applying for cup tickets.
Our tickets will contiue to rise in price and we’ll be expected to pay out even more for something we already have. As I’ve said before I hope I’m wrong, but the club’s got two years to get fans used to it.
Those of us fortunate enough to have season tickets were reminded failure to do this could mean we lose them. Also included were details of a “new and exciting free membership scheme”. We 22,000 season ticket holders were to become GOLD members. There was also a SILVER membership available, which I believe was offered to those on the ticket registration scheme, travel club members etc.
This was a first, the club giving us something for nothing. Or are they? You see, I have a theory, which I’ll now explain and hopefully I’ll be totally wrong and apologise to everyone in advance, but here goes.
The club has a waiting list of ten years for season ticket holders and could quite easily sell all available seats as such, like Newcastle. However, the club realise that the 15,000 non-season ticket seats generate support from a huge number of fans keeping the interest alive. It’s not as if they’ll support another club if they can’t get a ticket, it’s just they might get fed up applying and failing to get one and take up golf or shopping instead.
Our season tickets cover all Premier League plus a total of seven Champions League and FA Cup matches played at Highbury. The “I’d Rather Be Curling” Cup is no longer counted. If we want to go, we pay extra.
The number of season tickets is also kept to this level to accommodate everyone should we reach an FA Cup Final.
When we move into Ashburton Grove our capacity will rise to 60,000 of which 40,000 will become season ticket holders. The club will need guaranteed income to pay for the building work. It all makes perfect sense.
But here comes my theory. The club will announce a “new and exciting membership scheme” for the start of the 2006-07 season. This will be a strictly limited (22,000) PLATINUM membership. Available to season ticket holders, at a price. This will entitle them to preferential service when applying for cup tickets.
Our tickets will contiue to rise in price and we’ll be expected to pay out even more for something we already have. As I’ve said before I hope I’m wrong, but the club’s got two years to get fans used to it.