Season Tickets

[Chewbacca]

Originally Posted by deeayess

I swapped my flexiticket voucher for a ticket in advance at a game before. It wasn't that difficult.

It sold out 4 days before, so either they had to hold some back for you just in case (which is then a flaw) or you did not buy on the day? It could have ended up people wanted to use them on the day that couldn't hence it got scrapped.

If there are hardly any sold it is not a problem, but then they are not worth printing.

[deeayess]

Originally Posted by Chewbacca

It sold out 4 days before, so either they had to hold some back for you just in case (which is then a flaw) or you did not buy on the day? It could have ended up people wanted to use them on the day that couldn't hence it got scrapped.

If there are hardly any sold it is not a problem, but then they are not worth printing.

The clue was in the bit where i said I bought them at a previous game. This was common knowledge to most people that had flexi tickets although in general the tickets were pre printed anyway s complimentaries. I did the same for the previous games at the end of the season as the games looked likely to sell out.

How is it a flaw if they make flexi holders aware that tickets would have to be exchanged prior to the matchday? On the rare occasions that it would be likely to happen it would be no different to the situation with season tickets and cup games.

It only becomes difficult if you want to make it difficult!

[Chewbacca]

Originally Posted by deeayess

The clue was in the bit where i said I bought them at a previous game. This was common knowledge to most people that had flexi tickets although in general the tickets were pre printed anyway s complimentaries. I did the same for the previous games at the end of the season as the games looked likely to sell out.

How is it a flaw if they make flexi holders aware that tickets would have to be exchanged prior to the matchday? On the rare occasions that it would be likely to happen it would be no different to the situation with season tickets and cup games.

It only becomes difficult if you want to make it difficult!

You didn't have to buy in advance under the terms of the tickets in theory, and they are not 'flexi' if you have to but a few weeks before.

I think Stanley match day prices are too expensive, and fleecing away fans rather than growing the fan base is a priority. They should go back to £15 match behind the goals, however the club can't see past the short term income from away fans.

The U12 frees have been scrapped too, however the price of a game has been halved in this category. I suspect not may u12 free tickets were actually used, and not many flexies were sold, but the same should apply just reduce on the day prices a bit.

[deeayess]

Originally Posted by Chewbacca

You didn't have to buy in advance under the terms of the tickets in theory, and they are not 'flexi' if you have to but a few weeks before.

I think Stanley match day prices are too expensive, and fleecing away fans rather than growing the fan base is a priority. They should go back to £15 match behind the goals, however the club can't see past the short term income from away fans.

The U12 frees have been scrapped too, however the price of a game has been halved in this category. I suspect not may u12 free tickets were actually used, and not many flexies were sold, but the same should apply just reduce on the day prices a bit.

You are correct in what you say however the flexibility was in what games you chose to attend because unlike season tickets you could only attend a fixed number of games. You could argue the same point regarding buying a matchday ticket in advance rather than pay on the day. If a game is likely to sell out then get the ticket in advance. That's just common sense.

As I said, it's only as difficult as yu want to make it.

As for the reason flexi tickets were introduced, they were treated as season tickets so allowed home fans to pay less than away fans and if they had been used to their potential would have sold in far bigger numbers. The main reason they didn't sell as much was poor marketing and people didn't understand how they worked.

Reducing the prices would probably not make up for the lack of income lost unless the team were successful and drew big crowds like at the end of the season.

You might grow the fan base slightly before the club went out of business but I doubt it would be a good long term strategy.

[Chewbacca]

Originally Posted by deeayess

You are correct in what you say however the flexibility was in what games you chose to attend because unlike season tickets you could only attend a fixed number of games. You could argue the same point regarding buying a matchday ticket in advance rather than pay on the day. If a game is likely to sell out then get the ticket in advance. That's just common sense.

As I said, it's only as difficult as yu want to make it.

As for the reason flexi tickets were introduced, they were treated as season tickets so allowed home fans to pay less than away fans and if they had been used to their potential would have sold in far bigger numbers. The main reason they didn't sell as much was poor marketing and people didn't understand how they worked.

Reducing the prices would probably not make up for the lack of income lost unless the team were successful and drew big crowds like at the end of the season.

You might grow the fan base slightly before the club went out of business but I doubt it would be a good long term strategy.

Flexi tickets are in effect reducing prices - so you have found your own answer.

I think it is economically myopic, but you have justified not having them, as they would not make up for the income lost in your own words.

[deeayess]

OK, since you obviously either don't grasp the concept or have a pathological hatred of flexitickets, how else are you going to get home fans to pay upfront where a season ticket is no good, pay less than £20 per game but still be able to charge away fans £20?

They are a way to build the fan base without losing the extra money from away fans.

If economics were the only factor then we wouldn't be charging the ridiculously low price for season tickets since that is where the most income is lost. Unfortunately it is necessary to charge such low prices otherwise poor crowds would be pitiful.

I don't think membership cards are the best option as they don't work for casual fans and don't provide the same commitment to go as pre paid flexitickets would. When I had a flexitickets I went to far more games as I have this season as I'm not paying £20 for a loyalty card to get a fiver off.

The Club made their choice and I made mine.

[monkey hanger]

I haven't seen any club ever do the flexi-tickets we have ever, i.e. any number of people for any game. Most couldn't guarantee never to sell out a league game.


does it really matter if no other clubs do flexi tickets like we do. a good idea for me as we,re not in a position to put any fan off attending. look after what we,ve got before trying to attract others, but that seems old fashioned in the modern world where new customers only seem to get benefits.

[DAV007]

The fan card scheme is a joke.

Bring back flexi tickets, the club gets the money up front and the commitment from the fan, home fan get a decent sized discount and feels part of the club.

Its not hard.

Alternatively, carry on with the current structure and dont grow the home fan base or encourage existing fans with commitments.

[VALAIRIAN]

Flexi tickets were a great idea.

Did not sell them in 100's, but they did sell and did appeal

[cashman]

Wonder who came up with the brainwave of scrapping flexi-tickets? ive a damn good idea. wouldn't surprise me at all.

[deeayess]

Originally Posted by cashman

Wonder who came up with the brainwave of scrapping flexi-tickets? ive a damn good idea. wouldn't surprise me at all.

I had spoken to our MD about them at Carlisle near the end of last season and he asked me to email him as he sounded enthusiastic but his reply was they were not being continued.

To be honest he is probably one of the reasons I lost the motivation up to a point. He must be good for something, I'm just not sure what

[Lord Didsbury]

there must be some reason why there is a downside to them? They just seem like an obviously good idea to me. If the club's aim is to get people to buy season tickets then they must think buying in bulk is a good idea.

However, it's easy for someone from the club, me or anyone on here to think something is going to work, or even if something tried has worked.

The ONLY way they will know this for sure is to do some proper analytics on it and have a shed load of data to use. What % of matches do season ticket holders go to? They'd need to know how many games each customer goes to and the effect that reducing prices has, they'd need to trial flexi tickets and see who buys them and what difference that makes. Maybe backed up with face-to-face market research.

I'd guess the analytics part won't have been done properly - especially if there's no ticket system and people are still largely paying in cash or without producing a loyalty card.

If you had a mass of data you could be even smarter..... you'd know that Mrs Jones, who travels from Rising Bridge with her son hasn't been for a while. You could send her a voucher with £5 off for the two of them without having to make that offer to everyone.

Maybe you would know there's a shed load of OAPs in Oswaldtwistle that don't come often. Laying on a special minibus for £3 each might get them to be regulars. You'd SMS the weather to them in advance so they know to bring a flask and a blanket.

You'd be emailing mini his-and-her (or his-and-his) ticket offers prior to christmas to the right demographic etc etc

OK.... maybe next century.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by deeayess

I had spoken to our MD about them at Carlisle near the end of last season and he asked me to email him as he sounded enthusiastic but his reply was they were not being continued.

To be honest he is probably one of the reasons I lost the motivation up to a point. He must be good for something, I'm just not sure what

The bottom line of this to me, is whoever is responsible, dont give a damn about people who live a distance away, and therefore cant come every week, so scrapped em.simple as, if there was a reasonable explanation surely it would have been given? by someone who understood the fanbase.

[Chrisr]

Originally Posted by Lord Didsbury

there must be some reason why there is a downside to them? They just seem like an obviously good idea to me. If the club's aim is to get people to buy season tickets then they must think buying in bulk is a good idea.

However, it's easy for someone from the club, me or anyone on here to think something is going to work, or even if something tried has worked.

The ONLY way they will know this for sure is to do some proper analytics on it and have a shed load of data to use. What % of matches do season ticket holders go to? They'd need to know how many games each customer goes to and the effect that reducing prices has, they'd need to trial flexi tickets and see who buys them and what difference that makes. Maybe backed up with face-to-face market research.

I'd guess the analytics part won't have been done properly - especially if there's no ticket system and people are still largely paying in cash or without producing a loyalty card.

If you had a mass of data you could be even smarter..... you'd know that Mrs Jones, who travels from Rising Bridge with her son hasn't been for a while. You could send her a voucher with £5 off for the two of them without having to make that offer to everyone.

Maybe you would know there's a shed load of OAPs in Oswaldtwistle that don't come often. Laying on a special minibus for £3 each might get them to be regulars. You'd SMS the weather to them in advance so they know to bring a flask and a blanket.

You'd be emailing mini his-and-her (or his-and-his) ticket offers prior to christmas to the right demographic etc etc

OK.... maybe next century.

I have suggested this type of technology for some time. the usual luddites seemed to think it was an expensive waste. And holt will have this type of demographic breakdown for his business, so this is the only way to forward plan on so many fronts.

[Chewbacca]

Originally Posted by deeayess

OK, since you obviously either don't grasp the concept or have a pathological hatred of flexitickets, how else are you going to get home fans to pay upfront where a season ticket is no good, pay less than £20 per game but still be able to charge away fans £20?

They are a way to build the fan base without losing the extra money from away fans.

If economics were the only factor then we wouldn't be charging the ridiculously low price for season tickets since that is where the most income is lost. Unfortunately it is necessary to charge such low prices otherwise poor crowds would be pitiful.

I don't think membership cards are the best option as they don't work for casual fans and don't provide the same commitment to go as pre paid flexitickets would. When I had a flexitickets I went to far more games as I have this season as I'm not paying £20 for a loyalty card to get a fiver off.

The Club made their choice and I made mine.

We shouldn't be making away fans pay £20 for the worst facilities in the league and charge Stanley fans less, it is really against the rules. Premier League away at Arsenal with padded seats cost no more than £30, or any other away game in the same division, not value for money at Stanley and away numbers will dwindle the more we play the same teams.

Which is probably why they don't exist anymore, otherwise away fans would allowed to buy them in groups of 10 for parity.

Surely a 'ridiculously low' season ticket is incentive enough?

I never said I was against flexi tickets in any way, however no other clubs have the same thing was my point, and there is likely to be a reason why, it is blatantly charging away fans more for the same game compared to home fans if bought in a block of 10 for one game.