Awful though unsurprising statistic.

[Libby]

Will definitely try and make it in March.





Was looking forward to going to WHL in December, but perhaps not now

Yeah I'm tempted to do Brighton again as really enjoyed it last year, decent-ish time of year for it too.

And yeah looks like that one might be next season now...

You going Wolves btw?

 

[VVD]

Away ticket prices have been reduced recently, the twenty's plenty got them down... to £30.

As for the bold bit... football without fans is nothing

Yeah it's a start. Football will never be without fans, that's the point I'm making. Doesn't matter if they keep prices high.

 

[fran-MLs little camera]

Trying to replace refs with video refs, the next step is to replace fans with CGI fans whilst everyone stays at home. No more complaints about queues, toilets and food then.

Remember when one end of Highbury was replaced with a painting of a crowd to cover building works....that was the future.

 

[Bill Hill]

Fans have all the power but are unable to harness it

 

[Libby]

Yeah it's a start. Football will never be without fans, that's the point I'm making. Doesn't matter if they keep prices high.

Depends... I think clubs are pushing more and more traditional supporters away into non league etc. every year and clubs might find that problematic if they don't return following a relegation.

Going to the match is a habit for a lot of people, a habit which can be easily lost.

 

[fatletiss]

Isn’t some consideration given to lower league clubs? If prices became too low in PL, would it potentially affect any local lower league clubs.

£5 for a PL game, versus £25 for Leyton Orient for example... they’d need that ticket money.

 

[Libby]

Isn’t some consideration given to lower league clubs? If prices became too low in PL, would it potentially affect any local lower league clubs.

£5 for a PL game, versus £25 for Leyton Orient for example... they’d need that ticket money.

I have mentioned that before and also the fact that fans probably wouldn't be happy if ticket prices increased (as they'd need to) after a relegation. I think @VVD is right that it would have to be a PL subsidy.

I wouldn't pay £25 for non league football either

 

[fran-MLs little camera]

Isn’t some consideration given to lower league clubs? If prices became too low in PL, would it potentially affect any local lower league clubs.

£5 for a PL game, versus £25 for Leyton Orient for example... they’d need that ticket money.

That's assuming that people don't care who they watch. Bournemouth and Brighton could be a fiver each and Saints £45 and I'd still watch Saints. I suppose it might impinge on new fans if you catch kids young.

 

[Libby]

That's assuming that people don't care who they watch. Bournemouth and Brighton could be a fiver each and Saints £45 and I'd still watch Saints. I suppose it might impinge on new fans if you catch kids young.

Yeah but if it's a parent with two young children (for example) who can't afford to take them both to watch Saints but wants to take them to live football...

 

[Libby]

Fans have all the power but are unable to harness it

We could be if we were all united, it would take a multi club demonstration across the weekend.

Will never happen sadly.

 

[St.Kreuzberg]

Yeah supposedly part of the reason the PL is so popular the world over is the fans in the stadium creating a good atmosphere (lol) coming across on TV. If it turned into the Italian league for example with half full stadiums then the TV deal might go to a (much better anyway) league like the Bundesliga, so it is in the clubs interest to keep the stadiums full.

The main thing to take away from this article for me is that clubs could just give tickets away if they wanted to as the money made from ticket sales is irrelevant. They should massively cut the cost of tickets. Of course they won't because economics, but it is a nice thought anyway.

You obviously haven't sat in the Olympiastadion in Berlin watching Hertha play in December!

 

[ChilcoSaint]

Isn’t some consideration given to lower league clubs? If prices became too low in PL, would it potentially affect any local lower league clubs.

£5 for a PL game, versus £25 for Leyton Orient for example... they’d need that ticket money.

I agree, but it’s the wrong way of looking at the whole picture. In an ideal world which sadly I don’t see happening for a good while yet, the TV money would be distributed much more equitably down the football pyramid. If Premier League clubs didn’t get such an obscenely large pot every season the transfer and salary bubble might just pop and become more realistic, and they also might start looking after their fans a bit better.

 

[Lff]

When I saw this headline I just knew someone would say this. The club need us and they know it. All revenue is ultimately based on having fans. No fans No club

In that case they should reduce the cost of attending.

 

[fatletiss]

I agree, but it’s the wrong way of looking at the whole picture. In an ideal world which sadly I don’t see happening for a good while yet, the TV money would be distributed much more equitably down the football pyramid. If Premier League clubs didn’t get such an obscenely large pot every season the transfer and salary bubble might just pop and become more realistic, and they also might start looking after their fans a bit better.

I nearly mentioned that chilcs, but thought it was another discussion. I’d certainly vote for more money to be redistributed.

 

[fatletiss]

In that case they should reduce the cost of attending.

Do you still go to Eastleigh? If so, how much is it and what was your original reason for going?

@Lff

 

[Libby]

Do you still go to Eastleigh? If so, how much is it and what was your original reason for going?

Was just going to ask that myself.

 

[fatletiss]

Was just going to ask that myself.

I can hardly say “Great minds” can I.... whatever the opposite of that saying is

Something about fools, I believe

 

[Onionman]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44850888

Half of PL clubs (including us) would have made a pre tax profit even with no supporters through the turnstiles.

Is it any wonder that clubs treat fans like ****?

The business I run would still make a profit if we didn't have half our customers. Doesn't mean I treat customers "like ****".

Vin

 

[Libby]

The business I run would still make a profit if we didn't have half our customers. Doesn't mean I treat customers "like ****".

Vin

That's not the same thing though really Vin, do you not agree that generally across the top flight the match going fans are treated like **** by both clubs and the league itself?

 

[Lff]

Do you still go to Eastleigh? If so, how much is it and what was your original reason for going?

@Lff

Yes. I go ‘upstairs’, free parking, excellent meal, tea, coffee etc etc, plus seats on the halfway line. 2 tickets about a third of one in the Saints Bar at St Mary’s.
I just got fed up with the Premier League. Some games became almost embarrassing to watch with the diving, and the acting and the moaning and the new way of defending which is to simply sit down.