I'm sure snq has guilted a few into attending and perhaps some peer group pressure too and maybe that was his intention, to get those that had the means back into the ground - 8,000 of them? doubt it
It's not raising the question of "live attendance v watching in the pub" that is annoying me, but the continuation of this by NQ - ad nauseum The PL sold - yes, that's right - SOLD, TV rights. TV companies bought the rights and screen games, and so IF people wish to watch games, then they can do so. NQ should not complain about numbers of bums on seats when the club that he is chairman of pocket huge wadges of cash from the sale of the TV rights - I didn't hear his voice disagreeing with the decision to sell them?? Don't throw stones in glass houses. I've supported SAFC for about 45 years, God knows how much cash I've spent in admission/season tickets/refreshments/programmes/memorabilia/merchandise that has gone directly and wholly into SAFC coffers. MY loyalty stretches back a LOT longer than NQ's or ES's, individually or collectively. This is MY CHOICE.
I posted the following on one of the threds to do with the seasonticket increase but think it is still relavent to this discussion: In the current climate with those employed in public service, a very large element of the work force up here, having a pay freeze and in some cases increments held back as well, for the next three years, a cut in spending power of 20% any increase is out of order. I feel for the under 22s especially, with over 20% of those not in college unemployed across the county, in Sunderland this could be as high as 40% and those going to college facing student fees and loans of about ã40K they can not afford to come to games as it is. Rather than putting up prices the game needs to look at its structures and find a way to reduce the pay of players to say a maximum of ã150K per year and bring the tickets back in line with what they were in real terms in the 1970s. If we dont I fear for the future of the game. It will be watched by well off middle class crowds in the ground and the working class in the pub watching on TV. This will be the death of football, it is and should remain a sport for the average working man and woman to bring their kids along as well, with out them the game dies. So yes I am angry about the increase in tickets and how do we change it? Difficult because I will still want to go so will still pay, but until supportors work together with a single voice and organise a national strike, when on a given day we all, from all clubs refuse to turn up and leave the grounds empty for the day we, including me will be responsible for the death of the game we love. It is for these reasons I can not blame people for watching in the pub.
