Clubs Are Taking The Piss Thread

[vikingTON]

44 minutes ago, AJF said:

I think a twenty's plenty campaign only works if there is a significant alternative income stream for clubs. That's why it's more feasible in England where they get paid astronomical amounts in TV revenue.

The fact that ticket sales is the main source of income for clubs in Scotland leads me to think it's a non-starter unless something drastically changed.

Scottish Premiership clubs are also being paid astronomical amounts in TV revenue, which they then squander on ludicrously overpaid jobbers from the English second-fifth tiers. 

The current model is completely unsustainable. I can see attendances slumping significantly over the next 24 months - not just because of personal financial circumstances, but because of the knock-on consequences on supporters' buses etc. from massively increased costs and empty seats. 

22 minutes ago, Swello said:

If folk can't afford the total price of a day out, they may well be willing to pay for a high quality stream from an SPFL run service - which is going to be preferable to trying to click a 1 pixel wide "X" to remove a GIF of a massive fanny from in front of your 240P stream of St Johnstone Vs St Mirren on Hesgoal.

Showing a St Mirren game is unlikely to remove massive fannies from the screen. 

Streaming is not a viable way forward for the reasons set out in the post above. We need to protect Scottish football as a live event that you pay to watch in person, but can only do this by not massively overcharging the audience.

Other live events are already experiencing the consequences of taking the piss and suddenly finding reduced price tickets from behind the sofa - Scottish football clubs will have to do the same. 

[AJF]

1 minute ago, virginton said:

Scottish Premiership clubs are also being paid astronomical amounts in TV revenue, which they then squander on ludicrously overpaid jobbers from the English second-fifth tiers. 

TV revenue for Scottish clubs is not the highest income stream though, ticket sales are which is why I think any proposal to limit the most important source of funds to clubs will fall on deaf ears.

[Mr. X]

1 hour ago, craigkillie said:

His post said it, but he was arguing that Hearts should have been listed at £19 on the table, which I don't agree with for the reason given.

I wasn't trying argue against your wee table, I was just adding some useful supplementary information.

£19 adult tickets are available at Tynecastle once the upper sections have sold out. I imagine teams (apart from Hibs) will only receive tickets for one and a half upper sections this season, so the cheaper tickets should become available more quickly. 

[TheScarf]

Surely the combined income from every sponsor a club (sometimes over 100) has is way more than ST and on the day tickets for 18/20 home games a season? 

I'd have said sponsorship deals bring in way more.

[Zamora Fan]

It’s a shame we have a government(s) that makes a virtue out of looking down on football fans, because I feel like subsiding football tickets in a very small way to keep them relatively low in times of crisis would be the type of thing a caring, nominally left government would do. Football contributes in a massive and outsized way to Scotland’s community and cultural ties, particularly in what politicians would call “left behind” areas, yet gets basically f**k all from central government except for being the first thing that gets closed down during a pandemic that predominantly spreads indoors.

One issue I’ve not seen mentioned yet at away games: missing kick off due to stewards/club officials opening as few turnstiles as possible no matter size of the support. Happened at other clubs too but particularly remember missing the first 15 minutes at Easter Road when we brought an unprecedented 2,000. Was there at 2.30 and watched as turnstile operators at just 2 turnstiles struggled to operate the QR code scanner. An issue that could have been alleviated by using a cash gate or more turnstiles… Fair play to Hibs doing the fiver thing but organisation was a nightmare.

Gave them the benefit of the doubt for next trip to Easter Road and assumed they hadn’t bothered to check how many tickets we had sold the first time. This time we had more like 500/600. Turned up at 2:40ish … to watch the same two turnstiles struggling again. Missed the first 5/10 minutes. Stung a bit more considering that one was £28 or something like that.

[Sergeant Wilson]

1 hour ago, TheScarf said:

Surely the combined income from every sponsor a club (sometimes over 100) has is way more than ST and on the day tickets for 18/20 home games a season? 

I'd have said sponsorship deals bring in way more.

Maybe in some cases, but I'm not sure and sponsors don't last as long as the supporters who buy tickets.

Bottom end clubs won't  get much in sponsorship.

[vikingTON]

1 hour ago, Zamora Fan said:

It’s a shame we have a government(s) that makes a virtue out of looking down on football fans, because I feel like subsiding football tickets in a very small way to keep them relatively low in times of crisis would be the type of thing a caring, nominally left government would do. Football contributes in a massive and outsized way to Scotland’s community and cultural ties, particularly in what politicians would call “left behind” areas, yet gets basically f**k all from central government except for being the first thing that gets closed down during a pandemic that predominantly spreads indoors.

Aye hold on while any government subsidises four and five figure a week salaries for honking Scottish 'professional footballers', while telling the entire public sector to do one rather than meet cost of living increases. 

Scottish football clubs can cut their salaries more than any other business and the idea that top flight clubs in particular would merit any sort of subsidy is risible.

[Zamora Fan]

Aye hold on while any government subsidises four and five figure a week salaries for honking Scottish 'professional footballers', while telling the entire public sector to do one rather than meet cost of living increases. 
Scottish football clubs can cut their salaries more than any other business and the idea that top flight clubs in particular would merit any sort of subsidy is risible.

Continue letting the market do its thing and inside a decade you’ll be paying £30+ to watch Morton away at “FC Edinburgh” in the seaside leagues.

[RawB93]

18 hours ago, VincentGuerin said:

It's also priced in a way that discourages the casual fan or potential new fan.

I can't possibly ask a sort-of interested mate to accompany me to a Hearts away game to see if they enjoy it.

Imagine it?

'Fancy coming to see Hearts at Dundee United next week?'

'How much? Fucking hell!!!'

I usually offer to cover half of their ticket in this scenario. Anyone unsure if they want to go will have their mind made up for them by the prices. Even folk that want to go are finding themselves in the same situation. 
I’m sure most folk would rather spend £50 odd on a night out on a Saturday than a trip to some industrial estate. 

[AsimButtHitsASix]

2 minutes ago, RawB93 said:

I’m sure most folk would rather spend £50 odd on a night out on a Saturday than a trip to some industrial estate. 

See if it's a "proper" stadium, in town, then it's a day oot drinking, a few tins on the train (until recently) a few in a pub or pubs near the ground, game, then repeat in reverse and onto the pubs again back home. If ye end up at a ground miles away from pubs and/or the train station it's usually a day killer and ye spend the Saturday night in watching telly efterward.

[jamamafegan]

Just saw that East Fife are charging £18 a ticket for their game vs Bonnyrigg [emoji38] scandalous.

[vikingTON]

4 hours ago, Zamora Fan said:

Continue letting the market do its thing and inside a decade you’ll be paying £30+ to watch Morton away at “FC Edinburgh” in the seaside leagues.

The market is on the brink of failure M8 - Scottish professional football clubs still don't deserve a taxpayer bailout. 

[Sergeant Wilson]

5 hours ago, Zamora Fan said:

Continue letting the market do its thing and inside a decade you’ll be paying £30+ to watch Morton away at “FC Edinburgh” in the seaside leagues.

How would it work? Give them money and hope they reduce prices, tax rebates? What other sports would qualify?

Edited August 4, 2022 by Sergeant Wilson

[Dons_1988]

You have governments being begged, and resisting, to do something to assist those in poverty with the ludicrous cost of meeting their basic human needs. I can’t see them subsidising private sector football clubs in attracting more spectators. 

Im not sure clubs could even provide evidence that a moderate reduction in pricing would see crowds shoot up. 

[vikingTON]

10 hours ago, Dons_1988 said:

You have governments being begged, and resisting, to do something to assist those in poverty with the ludicrous cost of meeting their basic human needs. I can’t see them subsidising private sector football clubs in attracting more spectators. 

Im not sure clubs could even provide evidence that a moderate reduction in pricing would see crowds shoot up. 

Clubs outside of the top flight also just received a taxpayer-funded and non-repayable grant during the pandemic - in addition to all of the SPFL using furlough. That grant was risible enough: it is completely ridiculous to call for more money now. 

[accies1874]

St Johnstone fans boycotting their game against Rangers. Hardly been unanimous support which I find bizarre considering this is an issue that affects fans of every Premiership club.

[PSJ.84]

32 minutes ago, accies1874 said:

 

 

St Johnstone fans boycotting their game against Rangers. Hardly been unanimous support which I find bizarre considering this is an issue that affects fans of every Premiership club.

 

I find it really bizarre (yet no actually surprising) that they’ve taken it so personally, almost as if it’s an attack on their club. Some of the replies would have you believe the fans set the ticket prices. With almost every club putting their prices up when the OF visit, it’s exactly the thing they should be getting behind. The tit for tat mentality is what will hold any campaign for change back. 

[DukDukGoose]

I can't see Aberdeen getting behind any change.

St Mirren took a decent away support on Saturday, by their usual standards anyway. I can't see an £8 reduction in price adding a significant number of supporters.

[DMCs]

On 04/08/2022 at 11:06, TheScarf said:

Surely the combined income from every sponsor a club (sometimes over 100) has is way more than ST and on the day tickets for 18/20 home games a season? 

I'd have said sponsorship deals bring in way more.

It's not even close. It's probably less than 10% of ticket sale revenue for most clubs. 

On the subject of ticket prices there is no reason we couldn't copy what the English Premier League do an have a price cap for away fans' tickets. £25 or so would be a reasonable cap.

[jamamafegan]

Rangers fans are renowned for feeling personally attacked for pretty much anything that’s remotely related to their club, so it comes as little surprise that this is the case here.

That said, some are (quite rightly) pointing out that Saints themselves have charged Rangers fans £30 to go to McDiarmid. It’s unacceptable, no matter which club it is.