http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/34531731 A little way into the article it allows you to open up a link to get the cost for Gills fans. There is good and bad bits as far as our costs are concerned. ( I didn't realise that the pies - most of which people seem to throw away - cost £3.80 ) !! ( you're all mad ). On the whole we are about 'average' compared with other L1 sides. But that doesn't mean that the average has to be high - just because it is gullible football fans from whom money is being extorted. It will be interesting to see if clubs can restrain themselves from making any price increases - whilst our economy is in deflation ! nb - I told you a while ago that it was cheaper for me to go to see Barcelona than a week later on my 'camel trip.' - I see that hasn't changed ! I can get a match day ticket and flight to the Nou Camp cheaper than my trip to the Ice Cream stand on Saturday.
I've argued for as long has i can remember about the cultural changes and the class divide in football. I'm not even going to start on about Thatcher, Miners Strikes and Hillsborough. But quite simply those that have deep pockets are pushing the lesser well off out of the game. By that i don't mean completely for the lower league games, certainly not to the extent of the elite. But this is a problem not just restrained to football. Whether it be the match itself, beer, cigarettes or food stuffs and not by no means just refined to that. I could point to the cereal cafe riots only too recently, £2.50 to £4.40 for a bowl of cereal. Now the argument here would be you don't have to buy, and quite true. However, it is what it attracts into an area as a whole, especially when there is high unemployment and homeless people. And the same nature as that applies to football, you attract a certain type of customer and raise the threshold of viability to those from poorer backgrounds not being able to attend, not just limited to Children but Adults too. Gillingham certainly has not struck me as an up and coming area where it is full of wealthy families, quite the opposite. It's ok to have the i'm alright jack syndrome because a lot of individuals can afford but there will be many that also cannot. A bit like the difference between shopping in Marks & Spencers or Aldi's for your weekly food shop. The have and have not's based on what you can afford, when will football start to understand this. People may also argue, well you don't have to buy the drinks and food, huh, have you tried taking a can of Cola in to Priestfield! Now of course these days there is the alternative option of SKY for your football fix, maybe for some cheaper than going to a game weekly, well lucky for those that have it, because not every one again can afford it and even the Sports News is stuck under the subscription package, albeit supposedly free! Long gone are the days when i paid less than 50p as a kid to watch a game and a programme was probably 10p, but that's progress for you. Welcome to the Ted Baker age and the clones it brings. With the money rolling around in football now why is it not being made available for ALL, with packed Stadiums, rather than empty seats at all levels. I can buy a pint of Ale in weatherspoons for £2, I can get a on return adult ticket to the cinema discounted to £10 for a top two hour movie, why is football not applying the same clout, quite simply greed. You only have to look no further than FIFA for evidence of that. Did i ask for top wages players, did i ask for instant glory, did i ask for luxury stadiums...NO. Time to give us back our game. I'm not interested in average, I'm interested in the cheapest price you can give me.
brb It's scandalous that tcket prices for football are so high - especially in the Premier league. It is awash with money ( many millions ), from Television 'rights.' The EPL, at very least, should have much more 'affordable' prices - but it comes down to greed. Squeeze the public as much as you can get away with. The price per minutes that you get in football is certainly not great value for money ! The issue of catering - its' cost and the restrictions on (trying) to provide some of your own, is not just confined to football arenas - it happens at venues such as the theatre, cinema etc. I probably encountered it first over 20 years ago, in my first visit to Disney World, Florida ( so it's an international restraint for customers )......and, of course, you are a 'captive audience' and compelled to pay ridiculous prices for rubbish, or you starve or thirst - and - you couldn't deprive your children of some basic necessities. Football ( EPL ), has, in my mind, been more greedy than other venues of 'entertainment', and has 'forced' football at lower levels to charge more for tickets -because that is their main income stream - and these clubs cannot afford to be 'left behind.' I really don't think that we'll ever see a reverse of the situation - all the time that there are enough people willing 'to pay.' I don't think that some empty seats in Premier League stadiums will bother the clubs in the EPL - ( as aforementioned - they've got lots of cash coming in from TV ). However, I do believe that we may be close to a 'saturation point.' I'd like to think that, in these deflationary times, Football Clubs, theatres, cinemas, Sky - or whoever, will understand that you can't keep raising prices by totally disproportionate amounts in relation to (non) increase in wages - but I expect I'll see pigs fly before that happens. Perhaps we should ask Blatter and Platini what they think.
I would love the bubble to burst but it won't happen in my lifetime, no ondigital happening this time, and we only have to look at American sport for evidence of that and its sustainability. So we are the losers but even an echo of a voice is better than none at all.
sorry you are living in the past brb. Gills cannot afford to make tickets much more cheaper. The club does actually sell adult tickets at Pristfield end for £15 every game, same as Non league clubs. How much do you pay for a live event eg Concert ,Theatre ,Rugby,Cricket, Motor racing. Even when tickets were reduced on a tuesday night £15 against Fleetwood any where in stand the attendance did not improve in fact was 500 less than the following saturday against Oldham..Again this Tuesday prices are £15 any where. What more can the chairman do???????. kids for a quid ???? yes done that. Free tickets to schools ?????? yes done that free tickets to residents ???? yes done that. Under 11s season tickets for £30.
gioblues I am sure that brb will give you a reply ................may I add a few thoughts of my own - given that I understand the single 'narrow viewpoint' of your argument ( I'm not saying that you are narrow minded ) -just that a bigger picture needs to be taken into account. I accept that our chairman may have his hands tied behind his back when it comes to ticket prices, - as it probably forms our major income stream - but - in general, I'm not sure that 90 minutes at a match represents huge value for money compared with, for example, (about) the same price for a ticket to a theme park - where you can spend all day, not just an hour and a half - for which time at a cinema, you'd pay half the price of our cheapest match day ticket ( outside of any 'deal.' ). Going to the West End / Theatre will cost a 'little' more than our cheapest ticket, ( but l for about the same amount of time of entertainment. But - you'll say that FOOTBALL is more popular than theme parks or the cinema or theatre, and will always command higher prices ! Well try telling that to all the anglers. Fishing is a much greater hobby than any other in this country......mind you if I wanted to spend all my day watching very little action, I'd go round to McCammon's house. However - for the 'dynamic' nature of Football, I will accept that it can provide 'spectacular' excitement compared to dangling a rod. ( Have you ever watched Robson Green's 'Extreme Fishing' ? ). And, as a result, it (football), tries to justify its' prices. I suppose that brb's point is that, 'yesteryear', football was always affordable to all. Nowadays, football is pricing itself out of the reach of the 'ordinary' bloke in the street. To defend football - it is not alone ! Going to the cinema isn't something you can afford to do every week - and the same can be said for theme parks and the Theatre - certainly not if you are wanting to take the whole family - which leads to another issue upon which brb touched, and I have previously mentioned - catering. I appreciate that entertainment venues are in business to make money - but £3.80 for a crappy pie ( 50%+ pastry) is extortion. So is the price of a cup of tea ( the mark -up is astronomical on each cup ) - as for the chips in a box - what a joke ! There's no way that the 'ordinary' working man / woman can shell out for a 'reasonable' level of catering for the whole family - at EVERY match - and along with ticket prices, these are only some of the reasons why people can't afford to watch live games - or 'treat themselves to other forms of entertainment -- but -- brb's nostalgia is borne from the fact that, despite the austere times of the 'past', football was affordable to the humble worker. Sadly, it is becoming the privilege of the 'few' - and certainly becoming more of a 'luxury' than routine. But, the bubble about brb talks, has already burst for some- pubs are closing at a rate of 4 a week - the reason - High prices ! People are buying their alcohol at the supermarket and drinking at home. That isn't the same as going to a pub with your mates - but, it's better than no alcohol at all --- and the same thing is happening in football -- people are buying their 'football' from Sky or BT -- because it is cheaper than going to live matches - and you can provide your own catering for a fraction of the price. The whole family -and your mates - can watch it just for one cost - equivalent to less than the price of an EPL ticket - and you can use the same 'ticket' many times in the month..............and it is this scenario that is the threat to football .Cheap supermarket booze hasn't stopped 'some' people going to the pub -but their numbers have decreased - and certainly, the frequency for all has gone down - leading to the aforementioned pub closures (Government figures). The fact that 'more' people can afford Sky or BT than to go to live matches, will mean that there will still be loads of money - for the EPL - but - this will continue to raise the risk of clubs in the lower leagues from suffering from falling attendances. Sky and BT will only screen top flight football and Champions League games - so the 'armchair' football fan can still have his fix - but, clubs like Gillingham won't get a look in. These clubs will still be forced by the FA to play league matches on CL nights - with adverse affect on the attendances. These clubs are stuck between a rock and a hard place with regards to ticket prices ( their only real income stream ), Too high a price, and you'll turn fans away. Reduce the ticket price - get little income - and, as we have seen, there's no chance of the 'freeloaders' returning the next week. I'm not sure what 'single' measure can be taken to assist clubs outside of the EPL. A fairer distribution of TV money would help - the vast percentage that is given to the 'elite' division is obscene. It does nothing to help football - at 'grass roots' level, about which the FA only talk ( no proper action ). Why can't the division of available money be shared out a little more fairly ? I'd like to think that the reason has nothing to do with any same 'alleged' corruption at the FA, that is being accused within Europe and Fifa.
gio - on my phone so cannot give you a detailed response but alwaysright has covered most points. This is not about Mr Scally or GFC. This is about the restraints of a social class in general by the corporate elite and the greed that exists along with political agendas. I love alwaysright example of the monthly ticket for all your mates to view Sky at one price. This is the virus that has affected our game. Yes i could just do a GRS and shut, up, sit down brigade but i am not living in the past but a self confessed anochist against the establishment that tries to dictate and price out to cleanse a class
Brilliant response alwaysright could not agree with you more but football has become more expensive to all. I will not pay for food at the ground as i have done my bit towards the club getting a season ticket. I would love to pay £10 every match but it is not going to happen sadly. It could in the prem as they get 95% of the tv money. We could make it cheaper if we sell are best players and go down the league and be like Crewe .I know we may have to sell some players, we always have too. Why is that? Money generated is not enough, wages not enough when a bigger club comes in. My final note is that the average wage is £25k so that is roughly £500 a week so is £20- £25 a game too expensive. I do not earn anywhere near that either. What was the average wage in the 60s 70s.
Bumped into some Blackburn fans during our 'stop' on the M6. As a co-incidence, they were talking about money in football - complaining that it all goes to the Premiership. One of their fans says that it needs for ALL football fans to boycott games in protest. Whilst this course of action might make people think - it can only succeed if nobody went to football over a sustained period ( watch out for those low flying pigs ).
Personally i do not think we can solely apply the cost of football to average income, if a business as a whole profits immensely, then you would expect that to be cascaded out into discounts for that dreaded word, loyal customers. However, in the corporate world its about control of the entire entity, so fairness does not come into it and greed is continually bred, right up to the ruling body FIFA. As football prospers so it should remain available to ALL. But that has not happened. Football no longer ascertains it revenue from just gate receipts but from marketing a huge corporate monopoly. My 50p as a kid no longer matters to them, what matters is TV revenue. Problem is the lower leagues are fighting a losing battle against the elite. The model now only fits a class that can afford £20 per game or wait for the occasional discount, therefore despite the millionaire threshold in football, the game as not moved on since the 70's in becoming more affordable, is that right, i think not. By that i mean obscene transfer figures, ridiculous wages beyond even the needs of wealth but more glutton and grander stadiums with heated seats! All started by Thatcher in her class war, and continued by another Premier who was a best family friend of a certain well known media tychoon. You only have to look no further than Blatter and Platini and alleged 'gentlemens agreement' and then across the border to the governing bodies of Glasgow Rangers, how much more of an established empire do you need to investigate to know all is not well, while we pay through the nose for a product.
4823 ( officially !!!!!!) There were 'at least 5300 There was an announcement during the game regarding a 'problem' for some fans - who couldn't get into the ground until 'some minutes' into the game. I have heard a rumour that some fans were told that (because of the problem), cash would be accepted at the turnstile. 'IF' that is correct, maybe these numbers have not been included - because only 'ticket sale' numbers have been counted.
This is ridiculous, a turnstile lets you in....surely one click of its rotation equals one supporter, what is so difficult about that So if a security incident happened at Priestfield how many supporters would there officially be then!
Why then, do the turnstile operatives 'chalk up' (manually), on their A 4 when you give them your ticket - to have the 'stub' removed ? It appears to me, that this is how the numbers are 'counted' - rather than any mechanical 'clicking' of the turnstile. I really hope that somebody hasn't 'pocketed' a lot of cash - but the numbers last night was definitely not under 5000 ( by a long way )
I would have thought a most basic and simple counting method apart from boxes and corporate is turnstile clicks. Stewards and other officials using non turnstile entrances. I really do wonder sometimes since Hillsborough, how far we have moved on. Can you imagine an incident, how many supporters are we accounting for 4823 or ????
