Stags Fans United were asked by the club to assist with the
consultation with fans on season ticket and match day prices for 2015-2016.
The club were keen for feedback from
all fans. Stags Fans United collected views and ideas from the fans via email, via the SFU facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/stagsfansunitedsociety,
on twitter @StagsFansUnited, and on Stagsnet.
The request for feedback was posted on 22 January 2015 as widely as we could: on SFU website, on
mansfieldtown.net, in MTFC matchday programme, on Mansfield 103.2, on CHAD
website, on Stagsnet, on twitter, and on facebook. Fans had two weeks to respond.
We received feedback from 68 fans in total, and we went through that feedback in detail to pull out the themes that were most common in the responses.
The following was the summary of responses that we put together from all the responses. We provided this to the club. Importantly we also provided all the individual responses to the club so nothing would be overlooked (these individual responses are not provided here).
We received feedback from 68 fans in total, and we went through that feedback in detail to pull out the themes that were most common in the responses.
The following was the summary of responses that we put together from all the responses. We provided this to the club. Importantly we also provided all the individual responses to the club so nothing would be overlooked (these individual responses are not provided here).
Response:
17 people emailed
1 person tweeted
12 people posted on SFU facebook page
41 people posted on Stagsnet (includes 3 people who emailed as
well)
1 private message to Stags Fans United on Stagsnet (who also posted on Stagsnet)
Total: 68 people responded in total
SUMMARY - MOST COMMON THEMES:
Pricing of matchday tickets
- Lots of different suggestions for pricing of matchday tickets.
- Every single person who commented on pricing had £20 as the top price (no-one had £22).
- Most common suggested price for West Stand Upper matchday price: £20.
- Common theme that Quarry Lane End should be cheaper than West Stand Upper (with recognition that North Stand for away fans would have to be same price). Most common suggested price for Quarry Lane End matchday price: £15 closely followed by £18.
- A few (not many) suggestions that West Stand Lower price should be between West Stand Upper and Quarry Lane End price.
- Very strong theme to remove more expensive tickets on matchday, as it is a barrier to the casual walk-up fan.
- The strongest message of all the feedback was to have one pay-in-cash turnstile per stand (you only need to “trust” 4 people to do this, if trust was an issue at turnstiles before). Strong comment that the club needs to stop making the casual fan jump through hoops to get in.
- Never say a game is all-ticket, unless it really has to be, including for away fans. It is another barrier to walk-up fans, and the club should stop putting up barriers to people getting into the ground.
- Most common suggested price for OAPs: £12.
- Strong message on reducing prices for kids. Need to attract youngsters. Lots of agreement that school leaving age is 18 and kids prices should be up to 18 years age. Most common suggested price for under 7’s is free, and most common suggested price for 8-18 years is £7. Some suggestions that U18’s should be free with an adult. Other suggestions of a “Dad & Lad” combination ticket or a “family ticket” (there is already a family ticket and a family section area).
- Strong message on cheaper student tickets (perhaps around £10-12), though one suggestion of an 18-21 years age price instead of students
Some other points mentioned (by few people):
- Disabled tickets (specific point, see full document).
- Cheaper prices if travel from further afield.
- Mobile phone purchasing/scan-in (rather than print tickets).
- £7 games - some for and some against comments (e.g. against: Northampton game will lose money as lots of Northampton fans expected anyway; also against: if have too many then might put people off season ticket; for: attracts people to come who wouldn’t otherwise, etc.)
Season tickets
- No strong feeling that season tickets are too expensive.
- Should not be an increase next season.
- As for matchday comments, school leaving age is 18. Currently Season Ticket price goes from £85 to £300 for 16-17 years.
- U11 (or similar) season ticket free if accompanied by adult season ticket.
- Cheaper student season tickets (perhaps around £150-£180)
- Half season tickets should be available from mid-season.
- Offer instalment plan (probably with some premium of say 10%), perhaps by direct debit.
- Early bird not too early.
Some other points mentioned (by few people):
- Free subscription to StagsPlayer for Season Ticket holders.
- Money off in club shop for Season Ticket holders.
- Season Ticket holders receive free replica shirt.
- “Family Season Ticket”.
- Need for Family Stand or Family Area
- Create a Singing Section to create a better atmosphere in the ground
- Have an area in the ground with unreserved seating. Perhaps the unreserved seating area (if it was one area of the ground) could be accessed by a cash turnstile where the match day price is the same as the advance ticket price (Doncaster Rovers are trying an unreserved area for the fans behind the goal next season to try and improve the atmosphere at the Keepmoat).
- Mini-Season Ticket, e.g. for five or six games (“Six pack”), or for midweek games (“Floodlit Five”)).
- Membership scheme for those people perhaps not local and not able to go to many games.
- Birthday card for kids (currently SSA does this).
Stags Fans United, 6 February 2015
