Time to change the admission model?

[TheLion]

I would love to know how the income generated for the club today (non season tickets admission actual sales not comps, club shop, progs, 50/50 and bar income, compares to our "norm".

I think the tea bar sale volumes make no difference to the club, but I may be wrong.

The atmosphere was much better than normal, imagine what it would have like if the team had turned up.

What about season ticket prices for seats reduced next season, but also other ticket prices slashed!

Apart from the subjective views on the impact of additional fans, there should be a point where current income could be maintained or even increased, which is what needs to happen.

There were over 3000 non Hartlepool fans in the ground today, so it should give the MD something to analyse and model on for next season.

The Gayle money runs out in the summer of 2015 so something needs to happen, so rather than ridicule my suggestion, offer alternatives, because if you look at our finances, the future is rather grim.

[Mark]

Would be interesting to see if crowds would continue if the prices were always low. Maybe people just come as a one off though.

If we could get a regular extra thousand at the lower prices and then creep them up once their loyalty is assured then obviously that would be good in the long term. But I think they're mostly West Ham fans who will just come occasionally.

[ronaldaggero]

Lots of lower league games off , loads of cheap / promo tickets , over 3000 in , 1000 plus in just for the day , because of freebies and nothing else to do. Today's performance will not have persuaded them to come back in a hurry , even if you give them free entry to the next home game. When the 2nd goal went in , I thought there was a fire drill as ppl couldn't wait to exit . Real shame and a real disappointment . I'm not for the ticket prices being slashed if the ppl that turn up are only there because they can get in for next to nothing and have no real desire to watch the game. ,the players want and deserve loyal fans .

[nomis]

Don't agree about the atmosphere

I remember when we use to get those gates in League One and much more noise was made on match days

To be perfectly honest I thought our 3000 odd fans were piss poor vocally compared to 200 odd non stop singing Hartlepool fans

[Lcbdagger]

Surely on the atmosphere front, even 6000 non daggers (just there for a day out and cheap tickets) can't be expected to make more than than 1500 actual fans? Or am I being too simplistic?

Said yesterday, cheap tickets or not we won't get 3000 to come playing like we did. I personally don't think the crowd is out there for us to get more than 2000 on a regular basis

[Daggers No 2 Fan]

I didn't notice any difference in the atmosphere yesterday, it was pretty much what it always is.

In terms of slashing prices, the only long-term impact I see that having is killing off the club completely.
Yesterdays crowd was 3,357. If you assume they all paid £2.50 (just for the sake of a straightforward comparison) that's just short of £8,400 gate receipts.
Assume an average crowd of 1,400 paying the comparative terrace standing price of £17 and that's £23,800 gate receipts.

If there was a real benefit in significantly lowering prices to get much higher crowds, the it would be happening at pretty much every club that can't guarantee a sell out every week.
The reality is, that whether we like it or not, the current prices are the prices that are probably bringing in the optimal revenue for the club.

In terms of getting more people in, there have been some good suggestions in the past - things like mini-season tickets aimed at those that will only get to a few games a season, or vouchers in season tickets for free entry for a friend.

[DiggerDagger1]

Yep, I was also considering how you transfer getting in the extra 1,500+ people without commuting financial suicide. I liked seeing the ground that full, but have to agree the atmosphere wasn't much kop.
I'm sure someone has all the correct facts n figures to make the relevant projections.
Who covers the loss we made yesterday? Or do we just absorb it, as a good cause?

[matt_drfc]

In terms of slashing prices, the only long-term impact I see that having is killing off the club completely.
Yesterdays crowd was 3,357. If you assume they all paid £2.50 (just for the sake of a straightforward comparison) that's just short of £8,400 gate receipts.
Assume an average crowd of 1,400 paying the comparative terrace standing price of £17 and that's £23,800 gate receipts.

I know you've said for the sake of straightforward comparison, but I think it would be better to input the amount of season ticket holders which stays fixed, that would give more realistic gate receipt figures.

Assume the amount of ST holders is about 700? And the attendance/prices you said. Yesterday - 2657 x £2.50 = £6642.50. Normal - 700 x £17 = £11900. Say an extra 1000 programmes were bought @ £3 each. It's actually not as bad as it seems.

[Daggers No 2 Fan]

In terms of slashing prices, the only long-term impact I see that having is killing off the club completely.
Yesterdays crowd was 3,357. If you assume they all paid £2.50 (just for the sake of a straightforward comparison) that's just short of £8,400 gate receipts.
Assume an average crowd of 1,400 paying the comparative terrace standing price of £17 and that's £23,800 gate receipts.

I know you've said for the sake of straightforward comparison, but I think it would be better to input the amount of season ticket holders which stays fixed, that would give more realistic gate receipt figures.

Assume the amount of ST holders is about 700? And the attendance/prices you said. Yesterday - 2657 x £2.50 = £6642.50. Normal - 700 x £17 = £11900. Say an extra 1000 programmes were bought @ £3 each. It's actually not as bad as it seems.

Part of the straight comparison if that if prices as a whole were slashed, then season ticket prices would also be slashed.
When looking at additional sales various extras, we need to look at the profit, not the revenue. Selling extra programmes comes with a cost. To sell 1000 extra programmes we've had to buy 1000 extra programmes first.

[ARNU]

I hated it.I stood (When I could have sat in the TBS)yesterday cos two of my pals made a rare appearance.Couldnt bloody see.Kids tripping me over and mums screaming at them.Moved at half time then got wet (no roof you see).Shit day all round.

Back on topic...yeah £17 too much,try £12 for adults standing might make a difference.Clearly lower pricing has an effect on numbers.

[Scoffer]

I agree with Arnu about the view. Stood in The Sieve because of the weather and had a very restricted view. My partner hardly saw anything as she is shorter. I thought the whole day, match, atmosphere etc was very lucklustre.

I used to be a regular attendee, probably seen thousands of games involving the Daggers at all levels dating back to the 1960's. I had one of the "10 Year Season Tickets" but since that expired I've been Groundhopping. My partner and I did think of attending the midweek game against Southend but £34 for the two of us put us off. I'd rather save the money and go somewhere new.

[Masked Man]

Back on topic...yeah £17 too much,try £12 for adults standing might make a difference.Clearly lower pricing has an effect on numbers.

Would it send us to the wall if we tried out a well advertised, say 40% slash on prices, on the gate, on the day?

It would be a nice experiment to see once and for all if it is just pricing policy which is keeping people away?

Although if it did bomb, we'd need to cover the loss from somewhere?

Just thinking aloud.... :ugeek:

[ThatRoundThing]

Just another slant on things. I am a TBS Combo Season Ticket holder and went in the TB Stand yesterday as did many regular sieve attenders with a TB Combo Season ticket. I suppose we predicted what would happen in the sieve I.e not being able to get to our regular viewpoint, queuing for toilets etc.
I have also taken advantage of cheap tickets at other clubs inc. West Ham, Ipswich and Watford but won't be going back to those clubs as a full price spectator. £2.50 was far too low a price in my opinion, £5 may have been a little more realistic to gauge how many want to return to Daggers or just wanted a cheap day out which if I wasn't already a "dagger" I would have done exactly the same.
I heard a few moans during the day from new or occasional attendees ranging from "was turned away from car park, had to queue for drinks in the bar, not enough seats in the upstairs bar, didn't get a very good view."
Some felt really put out but obviously had no sympathy for many regular supporters who changed their match day "ritual" in my case got to the ground an hour earlier than normal in order to find parking and get a seat in the clubhouse.
Looking across to the sieve I did feel sorry for the regulars in there as Arnu and others have mentioned it must have been horrendous in there.
As far as changing admission prices the club have 6-700 season ticket holders and if the discount per match is eroded then next season will see a drop in season ticket sales. If I didn't buy a season ticket then I think there is a danger of becoming a fair weather fan and turning up to games as and when or on promotional offers.
Maybe next year trim a few quid off Season Tickets to encourage an increase in sales and an incentive for single match advance ticket sales.
I wonder if Putting matches in to Price Categories where higher or lower attendances are expected would also help.

[SUSSEX DAGGER]

Ok as i get older i am turning into a miserable old sod, but I dont think i have ever been so fed up and glad to get home from a Daggers game as I was Saturday.

Before i make any judgement a breakdown would be handy like how many extra adults were in attendence.

Being a combo season ticket holder i ventured in there for only second time this season . Last game was Cheltenham and found it such a souless place have not bothered since.

Saturday imo was ruined by bloody kids up and down like a shithouse seat who had no interest in the game.
Add in the teams performance and my patience was wearing thin by the end so much so l left before the final whistle,something i have never done before.

Next season owing to work commitments i will have to miss 5 or 6 games and this
one will be high on the list.

[Crushed Dreams]

Back on topic...yeah £17 too much,try £12 for adults standing might make a difference.Clearly lower pricing has an effect on numbers.

Would it send us to the wall if we tried out a well advertised, say 40% slash on prices, on the gate, on the day?

It would be a nice experiment to see once and for all if it is just pricing policy which is keeping people away?

Although if it did bomb, we'd need to cover the loss from somewhere?

Just thinking aloud.... :ugeek:

Cutting prices from £17 to £12 would require gates to rise by 42% - a 40% cut in prices would require a 66% increase in gates to derive the income.

Is that likely?