[buckiejagsman]

Maybe crazy but saw a bit on SSN about Blue Square Premier side Mansfield Town offering supporters of both sides a pay what you want to see their home game against Gateshead yesterday. People paid between three pence and as much as £50 on the day when normal ticket prices are £16 to get in but the side that on it's last game got 2,800 ended up getting a crowd of 7,200. Probally won't work in the part time leagues here but might be an idea for first division and SPL clubs for some games.
BBC clicky

[miko]

you'd make more money introducing a swear box in the stands

[stevenc1991]

Could work for teams outwith the old firm I think, too many c**t glory hunters within us that would just pay f**k all and still complain about the football

[Sooky]

miko, on 07 February 2010 - 21:01, said:

you'd make more money introducing a swear box in the stands

Your club would make millions before the game had even started.

[miko]

exactly, could be onto a real winner

[The Arch]

I'd probably pay £1 for Thistle home games, perhaps rising to £2 if I'm in a good mood. For away games I'd pay 50p, although if based the Tayside area, that would drop to 10 pence.

[dogma]

Interesting idea but not a snowball's chance that big clubs will go for this - plenty of chairman have gone with the line that keeping prices higher keeps out the violent neds which is why there is far less violence in grounds than in the 80s. Owners will always find an excuse to keep prices up

[Mr Tourette]

dogma, on 08 February 2010 - 02:01, said:

Interesting idea but not a snowball's chance that big clubs will go for this - plenty of chairman have gone with the line that keeping prices higher keeps out the violent neds which is why there is far less violence in grounds than in the 80s. Owners will always find an excuse to keep prices up

While I agree that the current price may help keeping violent neds away, the current all seater set-up is not condusive to hooliganism like it was in the 70s and 80s. Open, non policed terracing, poor segregation and the fact that you could bring a carry-oot into the game(bottles, tins and all) were the main contributing factors to violence in those days. It's also worth remembering that all the pubs closed at 2:30, so any mentalist who was pished at lunchtime on a Saturday just got a carry-oot and went to the game, usually with no interest in the outcome, or even who was playing.

[Bravo]

Would be good if all the clubs tried this, might not rake in the cash but the fact that it boosts attendances so much, it will attract more fans in the long run, definitely worth a shot imo

[ChrisyM92]

Absolutely. Definetely worth a shot. If clubs done it for the remainder of the season, I could afford the remaining games entry fee with my 1/4 full copper jar.

[vlad is the man]

Wouldn't try it at the moment. The way we are playing I don't think so we should be trying to get too many more fans through the turnstiles.

[bcoxk76]

give it a bash, what can go wrong :S nothing? its a one off!

[Bravo]

ChrisyM92, on 08 February 2010 - 17:54, said:

Absolutely. Definetely worth a shot. If clubs done it for the remainder of the season, I could afford the remaining games entry fee with my 1/4 full copper jar.

A b*****d for season ticket holders though

[Bravo]

I know, choose your season ticket price for next season 

[lzreid]

Not a fan of this idea. Once the novelty had worn off, I'm not convinced that the gate returns would remain high to be honest. Frankly, the majority of clubs could open their gates for free and still not get 50% capacity.

On the other hand Partick's U16s get in free idea is excellent.

[Michael W]

It's always good that people play the 'aye, that's great, I wish my club would do this' line when something like this is mooted, completely ignoring the fact that their club would lose a hell of a lot of money. You'd have to see a bloody significant increase in attendance to get in the same amount of revenue - probably an impossible one at that.

As a one-off novelty, it's a good idea; perhaps for the last home game of the season to reward fan loyalty. Besides that, it's a complete non-starter.

[The Moonster]

I'd prefer to see a "Pay what you think this is worth" as opposed to "Pay what you want". Fans in general think that football is over priced, so if they could see what the fans think they should pay to watch their team then maybe a compromise in price could be arranged. Just a thought as most folk wont pay anything if its pay what you want, who wants to pay for anything if you can get it for nothing?

[the jambo-rocker]

surely though ticket sales would not be the only things affected by this. Fair enough it might not be as high, but surely if more people were going there would be an increase in the sales of match programmes, match food etc. would this not take a significant dent out of this?

[Shawfield Stallion]

It just wouldn't work, and the clubs would make a huge loss. There simply aren't enough people interested in provincial clubs to make it work, especially in the Lanarkshire area. A few seasons ago Clyde gave out about 1000 complimentary tickets and still only got crowds of around 1000, and let's not forget what came of John Boyle's vision of a full Fir Park every week

Scotland unfortunately is a parochial wee shithole inhabited by diddies more interested in what religion their team symbolises, and no gimmicks like Pay What You Want will change that.

This post has been edited by Shawfield Stallion: 09 February 2010 - 14:29

[Mr X]

the jambo-rocker, on 09 February 2010 - 14:20, said:

surely though ticket sales would not be the only things affected by this. Fair enough it might not be as high, but surely if more people were going there would be an increase in the sales of match programmes, match food etc. would this not take a significant dent out of this?

I doubt many clubs make a profit on programmes.

Most clubs franchise their catering out to third parties so, unless theyve been clever when negotiating the deal, wont see any extra revenue from that side either.

Its an interesting idea, but not one thats likely to take off.

Thistles under -16s get in free is indeed a great idea, but theyre not the only ones doing this sort of thing. We've had a "Junior Blues" season ticket, at £18, for several years now.

[the jambo-rocker]

Mr X, on 09 February 2010 - 14:33, said:

I doubt many clubs make a profit on programmes.

Most clubs franchise their catering out to third parties so, unless theyve been clever when negotiating the deal, wont see any extra revenue from that side either.

i guess i'm just looking for any positives i can in this. I'm not optimistic myself that such a thing could ever take off in scotland. I would love to be proved wrong though.

[lzreid]

Mr X, on 09 February 2010 - 14:33, said:

Thistles under -16s get in free is indeed a great idea, but theyre not the only ones doing this sort of thing. We've had a "Junior Blues" season ticket, at £18, for several years now.

Obviously, they are in a different boat financially from the rest of us but Queens Park let concessions in for £2.00. A great deal that makes going to the football not prohibitive for families.

[Skyline Drifter]

lzreid, on 09 February 2010 - 14:49, said:

Obviously, they are in a different boat financially from the rest of us but Queens Park let concessions in for £2.00. A great deal that makes going to the football not prohibitive for families.

We let kids in for £3 a game, or as Mr X says, they can have a season ticket (18 league games) for £18.

There's also an additional £1 discount for each child if they come with mum or dad. A family entry is a normal adult price plus £2 per child in other words.

[Skyline Drifter]

Mr X, on 09 February 2010 - 14:33, said:

I doubt many clubs make a profit on programmes.

Most clubs attempt to break even on programmes in terms of sales against costs. The profit of them is in selling the adverts. If the sales can take care of the costs, the advertising is pure profit.

[Cowden til i die]

I cant imagine much profit is made on Cowdens £1.50 a programme. Its an excellent read aswell.

Considering we are one of the worst supported teams in Scotland at the moment im forever thinking of ways to get more bodies into the ground. The case in point is if the locals arent willing to go watch their local team then no matter what you do it will be hard to sustain an increased attendance without a dramatic increase in results/standard of football. Getting youngsters from the schools in for next to f**k all is about the best scheme going. Throughout our previos regimes there was little to no interaction with the community which is now taking its toll on the club, im sure McDougall is loving it!

Having that Asain pish bean The Old Scum games live on a Saturday at 3 oclock in the pubs doesnt help anyone, junior teams especially.