Away Ticket Pricing

[Swello]

Despite (putting it mildly) really not enjoying when the OF come to town, I'm still a bit queasy about charging folk considerably more just because of who they support (as Accies did to us recently at the cost of a much smaller away crowd than usual).

I'd be interested to know how much of the extra "category A" money when Rangers and Celtic come to Fir Park and elsewhere is really taken up in extra policing/stewarding and sundry expenses (new seats, washing shites out the concourse, etc) and how much of it is simply taking advantage of high demand (which was clearly Accies' purpose against us recently).

[BC1888]

7 hours ago, PauloPerth said:

This year we're going to be charging OF fans £30 for a ticket for the first time. Previously it was £27.  Every other match it's £24.

At a recent season ticket holders forum our chairman said that last game at home to Celtic, a match they won in another routine march to the title, 58 seats were wrecked. There were also fixtures pulled off walls. This is apparently a standard occurrence, though it can be more. We don't announce it to the press as, somewhat embarrassingly, we need to maintain good relations with the likes of Celtic, so that we can do deals for players etc.  It took quite a while for Celtic to pay up as well.

So you can consider the £30 to include a c**t tax.

Personally, I'd charge both sets of OF fans £60. If we only sold half as many then fine, stil make the same amount, but with less pish to put up with.

I think Celtic fans should look at why they're charged extra, and maybe sort themselves out before launching some self-righteous campaign.

But I agree, £30 for away fans at Ibrox and Celtic park is far too much. I still go though, for whatever reason.

Have you not been paying attention?

This is nothing to do with Celtic being charged whatever for going to away games, and had you bothered to read any of this thread, or the post you replied to, you would have noticed that. This isnt a single club issue, and if you were able to remove the chip off your shoulder you might notice that. 

Lets take Celtic out of the equation altogether. Should Hamilton be paying £29 to go to tynecastle? Should St Johnstone be paying £25 to go to the Tony Macaroni arena, and again £26 for Pittodrie? 

The fact of the matter is, that clubs are increasing their price season after season (in our own case, roughly £2 per season) because our League are unable to bring in enough interest in our game and sell a decent TV and league sponsorship deal. If your happy to sit by and watch ticket prices rise season after season because a section of fans broke a few hundred flimsy pieces of plastic and youre still upset about it, be my guest. But regardless, football fans in this country are having the piss taken out of them, and clubs (i cannot stress this enough, INCLUDING MY OWN) are pricing fans out of attending games. 

[BC1888]

6 hours ago, Swello said:

Despite (putting it mildly) really not enjoying when the OF come to town, I'm still a bit queasy about charging folk considerably more just because of who they support (as Accies did to us recently at the cost of a much smaller away crowd than usual).

I'd be interested to know how much of the extra "category A" money when Rangers and Celtic come to Fir Park and elsewhere is really taken up in extra policing/stewarding and sundry expenses (new seats, washing shites out the concourse, etc) and how much of it is simply taking advantage of high demand (which was clearly Accies' purpose against us recently).

If we were to purely put it down football allegiance, its easy enough to say who cares what other fans pay. But taking a sidestep from that, its something all fan bases need to unite upon, if for nothing else other than it eventually benefiting your pocket. Are we all to just shut up and pay it? If not now, when clubs are paying £30 and over when? Does it become a real issue for some when clubs start charging £50? 

[SilverWolfe]

This makes you sound a bit daft.

Why? I stated the price region that people are upset about. I don’t see the issue with paying £20 or say £28. The prices are fine as they are.

[BIG BEN]

I'm the same. £30 and I'm out. Already binned Scotland games for this reason

£30 in the top league is my limit.
Once it hits that, Celtic opening league game, I refuse to go. Don’t know when I last missed a Saints game at Celtic. Will now. Scandalous. Who will be next? Looks like Hearts.

[BC1888]

On 17/09/2019 at 18:45, Tartantony said:

 

Why? I stated the price region that people are upset about. I don’t see the issue with paying £20 or say £28. The prices are fine as they are.

 

Goodness me. 

[BC1888]

Saturday Saw the second of our displays protesting ticket pricing across the whole of Scotland for ALL Scottish football fans . Football fans in Scotland are continually forced to pay ever rising ticket prices. We will continue to push for a drop in prices for ALL supporters and would encourage fans of other teams to join us and lobby their clubs to force a change for the better. 

This has been picked up again a bit on social media by some journalists. Unfortunately there is still some supporters completely missing the point and thinking we are only referencing Celtic fans. I can't stress enough this to be any further from the truth. I'd like to thank everyone again on this thread for the continued help and information and if people can keep giving myself information about the prices they are being charged for away tickets, it would be greatly appreciated. 

 

 

[Desp]

I've noticed a fair bit of backlash on social media about this, particularly concerning it's, I think, more expensive for an away ticket at Celtic Park than anywhere else.  Do the Celtic fans have any plans to do this at a home game?  That may get more people to understand and get behind the initiative, showing that they are looking for it across the board - including their own ground.

I do think something needs to change, and £20 should be the absolute maximum for an away fan.  However, although nothing will change without the influence of Celtic & Rangers fans (as they are the biggest numbers by far), but they are also the problem.  If everyone of the other 10 clubs charge £30 for the big games, and Celtic & Rangers fans sell out every time, what incentive is there for clubs to all of a sudden drop the price by a tenner?

I agree with the point behind the protests, but sticking bits of paper in the air and bringing banners to games will achieve the square root of f**k all, I'm afraid.  The only way that clubs like my own, Motherwell, will take notice is if there's 2,000 or so empty seats behind the goals when either of the big two visit.  

[yoda]

£27 for a ticket in the away end at Celtic Park on October 19th. A week later I'll be paying £14 to get into Easter Road.

Weird that a team in a city with three universities don't offer a student gate. Partick Thistle manage it.

[accies1874]

£29 for an adult at Ibrox next Saturday. Yes, that's ridiculous, but the fact it's £22 for 16 + 17 year-olds is even worse, in my opinion. No student gate either.

[Swello]

7 minutes ago, Desp said:

Do the Celtic fans have any plans to do this at a home game?

Spoiler

QTWTAIN

 

[Swello]

Also - I paid £24 to get myself and my daughter in on Saturday at Perth as kids were free - much more like it, so well done Saints (who got rewarded with a very decent away support).

[The_Craig]

I agree with the point behind the protests, but sticking bits of paper in the air and bringing banners to games will achieve the square root of f**k all, I'm afraid.  The only way that clubs like my own, Motherwell, will take notice is if there's 2,000 or so empty seats behind the goals when either of the big two visit.  

Sums it up for me.

There was a degree of irony in protesting about ticket prices in an area of the stadium, crammed full of folk who have shelled out for the aforementioned expensive tickets.

If it was a true issue, surely the sight of empty away ends would have more of an impact than what we saw on Saturday at Easter Road.

[Green Day]

I think high away ticket prices should remain for Celtic and Sevco, as lower prices would simply result in more Buckie drinking and pissing in the streets pre-match.

[BC1888]

48 minutes ago, Desp said:

I've noticed a fair bit of backlash on social media about this, particularly concerning it's, I think, more expensive for an away ticket at Celtic Park than anywhere else.  Do the Celtic fans have any plans to do this at a home game?  That may get more people to understand and get behind the initiative, showing that they are looking for it across the board - including their own ground.

I do think something needs to change, and £20 should be the absolute maximum for an away fan.  However, although nothing will change without the influence of Celtic & Rangers fans (as they are the biggest numbers by far), but they are also the problem.  If everyone of the other 10 clubs charge £30 for the big games, and Celtic & Rangers fans sell out every time, what incentive is there for clubs to all of a sudden drop the price by a tenner?

I agree with the point behind the protests, but sticking bits of paper in the air and bringing banners to games will achieve the square root of f**k all, I'm afraid.  The only way that clubs like my own, Motherwell, will take notice is if there's 2,000 or so empty seats behind the goals when either of the big two visit.  

Our next action will take place at Celtic park. We foresaw a conversation taking place about the first two actions being done at away grounds, but two lunchtime televised kick offs for us was the ideal place to start. We aim to make a difference, but we are aware this needs coverage and needs to start a conversation too. Unfortunately this is less likely to happen with a 3 o'clock kick off at Celtic Park, so hopefully you can see why we started with Hamilton and Hibs (it wasn't a case of pinpointing these two clubs, it needed a starting point and anywhere outwith Celtic Park was likely to have this response) Our next action is planned for Celtic Park this month, with further protests aimed at our own club at Celtic throughout the season. I have stated a couple times on this thread, but are are extremely aware we are one of the most expensive away tickets, and generally viewed as the worst away day experience too.  We are looking forward to this hopefully quieting those who think it is solely aimed at clubs outwith ourselves and gathering more support for the issue.

 

In terms of a boycott that a few have mentioned, we have discussed this amongst ourselves a number of times, and the short answer is it just wont happen. We are a relatively small group, so if we were to arrange one ourselves, 30-50 seats empty either wouldn't be noticed, or would be snapped up elsewhere anyway. There isn't an appetite amongst the Celtic support anyway to boycott games, and even if the hardcore who do go every week were to have their arm twisted there would be many more right in behind seeing it as a chance to better their record. We don't believe fans should have to miss a game because of ticket prices. Loyalty shouldn't be taken advantage of (fans not customers etc.) Also worth noting that Palace were able to implement this down south without any boycotts. Eventually it is likely it will lead to ore than "bits of paper in the air and bringing banners to game" but this is a campaign a few weeks into the making. We are currently the only club with a vocal and visual voice on the matter, the more clubs that involve themselves the more pressure we can all put on our clubs and the league. 

[Squirrelhumper]

1 hour ago, yoda said:

£27 for a ticket in the away end at Celtic Park on October 19th. A week later I'll be paying £14 to get into Easter Road.

Weird that a team in a city with three universities don't offer a student gate. Partick Thistle manage it.

Was £30 when we were at Parkhead last week.

[mathematics]

£29 for Tynecastle next week, hence I’ll not be there.

[yoda]

29 minutes ago, Squirrelhumper said:

Was £30 when we were at Parkhead last week.

County are, in theory at least, selling restricted view tickets for £27.

[Guest JTS98]

2 hours ago, Desp said:

 The only way that clubs like my own, Motherwell, will take notice is if there's 2,000 or so empty seats behind the goals when either of the big two visit.  

This is it, basically.

What's required, and in my opinion would very quickly settle the issue, is basically an away support strike.

Two cards of league fixtures in a row with empty away ends. Nothing else will work.

Imagine if you went to the same chip shop every Friday night and complained to the proprietor that his chips were too expensive as you gave him his money. He'd be mad to lower the prices so long as you're turning up and paying them. When you stop turning up, he might think about it.

A two-week away-end strike would generate loads of publicity and debate of the issue and ultimately hit all of the clubs in the pocket. That's when we'll see action. It would probably also help stir a more general conversation on the management of football in Scotland.

[Guest JTS98]

1 hour ago, BC1888 said:

Also worth noting that Palace were able to implement this down south without any boycotts.

I'm fully with you on this issue but I question the tactics being used.

Firstly, while I understand the televised games being seen as a good place to start, a bit of self-awareness and understanding would have led the group involved to understand two things. Firstly, Celtic fans aren't particularly well-liked and many people are ready to disagree with you about anything. Secondly, Celtic's horrendous pricing and general treatment of away supporters was always likely to end up with other supporters shouting you down. Rightly or wrongly, that was always going to happen and the organisers of this protest's failure to see that has damaged your impact.

Secondly, your Palace comparison falls down when you consider that last season they received £111.1m  in tv revenue. They'll have raked in a fortune more in sponsorship etc. It's completely futile to use the same tactics to bring about change at Scottish Premiership clubs. Palace are less likely to take much convincing to win some easy good publicity and improve relations with the community. Scottish clubs need to be bullied a bit.

For that reason, unless you actively stop attending, then this whole protest is a waste of time. See my chip shop comparison above. As long as you're paying, they're going to keep putting the prices up. Why would they do anything else?

Your own club are actually a great place to start. As by far the richest club in the country,  they could easily take the lead on this and bring down away ticket prices to £20 without suffering too much. Away ticket revenue is a much smaller deal to Celtic than it is to Motherwell, for example. If Celtic did this, this would give them a position where they could try to negotiate like-for-like deals with other clubs to benefit their own supporters.

Like I said, I agree with you completely. But I think your tactics are doomed to failure.

Edited September 30, 2019 by JTS98