Stags Fans United were asked by the club in January to assist with the
consultation with fans on season ticket and match day prices for 2015-2016. We summarised the most common themes of the feedback and presented to the club. We also published the summary of that feedback here on 8 February.
The club then showed us a draft of the prices a few weeks later. SFU provided detailed feedback on those draft prices, including systematically noting which of the fans' feedback had been incorporated and which had not.
The club issued the season ticket and match day prices on 15 May, and below we highlight systematically which of the main themes of the fans' feedback was incorporated and which was not.
Firstly, here is a repeat of the summary of the most common themes of the fans's feedback (in blue) from February, with whether or not they were
incorporated in the final MTFC prices (added in green italics)
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).
o
Comment
not incorporated
·
Most common suggested price for West Stand Upper matchday price:
£20.
o
Suggestion
not incorporated
·
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.
o
Theme
partially incorporated
·
A few (not many) suggestions that West Stand Lower price should
be between West Stand Upper and Quarry Lane End price.
o
Suggestion
incorporated
·
Very strong theme to remove more expensive tickets on matchday,
as it is a barrier to the casual walk-up fan.
o
Strong
theme not incorporated
·
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.
o
Not
yet addressed so not clear if will be incorporated
·
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.
o
Not
yet addressed so not clear if will be incorporated
·
Most common suggested price for OAPs: £12.
o
Suggestion
not incorporated
·
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).
o
Kids
ages up to 18 years partially incorporated by the creation of the Young Adult
category. Suggested prices for kids partially incorporated for QLE with
membership card. Suggestion for kids 6 and under being free is incorporated.
·
Strong message on cheaper student tickets (perhaps around
£10-12), though one suggestion of an 18-21 years age price instead of students
o
17-21
age group incorporated, but price suggestion not incorporated. Removal of “student” category does create a
problem for “mature students” as they will be disadvantaged.
Season tickets
·
No strong feeling that season tickets are too expensive.
·
Should not be an increase next season.
o
Suggestion
partially incorporated, though the removal of the early bird discount does
amount to an increase for those who took advantage of it last season. However
the discounts offered last season amounting to £60 for adults and £43 for
concessions were more than the normal early bird discounts of previous seasons
which have usually been around £20. Senior persons price increased from £250 to £270 when the
feedback was that prices should not increase.
·
As for matchday comments, school leaving age is 18. Currently
Season Ticket price goes from £85 to £300 for 16-17 years.
o
Suggestion
incorporated by the creation of a Young Adults category (17-21) year olds who
can buy a season ticket for £180.
·
U11 (or similar) season ticket free if accompanied by adult
season ticket.
o
Suggestion
not incorporated
·
Cheaper student season tickets (perhaps around £150-£180)
o
Suggestion
incorporated.
·
Half season tickets should be available from mid-season.
o
Not
yet addressed so not clear if will be incorporated
·
Offer instalment plan (probably with some premium of say 10%),
perhaps by direct debit.
o
Partially
incorporated, though the season ticket has to be paid for in full by 3rd
August 2015. The fans would have preferred a longer period of time for payment.
·
Early bird not too early.
o
Early
bird discount removed. This is disappointing for the loyal fans who liked to
take advantage of it.
--------------------
Secondly, here are the MTFC FINAL ticket prices, published on 15 May 2015 (in black), with SFU further comments on whether or not they
incorporate feedback from the fans, (added in green italics)
MTFC FINAL
ticket prices 2015-2016
Ian Greaves Upper
Adults £20 (£22 match day)
Over 60 £16 (£18 match day)
Young Adult (17-21) £15 (£17
match day)
Junior (7-16) £12 (£14 match
day)
6 & Under FREE
·
Very
strong theme to remove more expensive tickets on matchday (as it is a barrier
to the casual walk-up fan) not
incorporated.
·
Senior
persons prices increased by £1 when the feedback was that it should not be
increased.
·
Senior
persons age was increased in the draft from 60 to 65. We commented on the draft
that this would create ill feeling as people don’t like to have concessions
removed. We suggested to increase age in stages over 5 years (ie over 61 in
first year, over 62 in second year, up to over 65 in fifth year) then no-one
loses something they already had. Alternatively, perhaps a free shirt or free
access to StagsPlayer could be a used as a compromise to compensate the people
affected. However, in the final version, the age reverted to 60, which was
better than our compromise suggestions.
·
Junior
prices increased by £2 when the feedback was that they should be reduced.
·
Other
comments as in first section.
Ian Greaves Lower
Adults £18 (£20 match day)
Over 60 £14 (£16 match day)
Young Adult (17-21) £13 (£15
match day)
Junior (7-16) £10 (£12 match
day)
6 & Under FREE
·
Senior
persons prices reduced by £1.
·
Junior
prices unchanged when the feedback was that they should be reduced.
Quarry Lane
Adult £22
Over 60 £18
Young Adult (17-21) £17
Junior (7-16) £12
6 & Under FREE
·
We
understand these prices are as such as they will dictate the prices for away
fans. In principle, this seems reasonable.
Quarry Lane (with MEMBERSHIP CARD)
Adults £15
Over 60 £10
Young Adult £10
Junior £5
6 & Under FREE
·
These
prices seem very reasonable.
Membership Cards (QLE ONLY)
Adults £35
Over 60 £30
Young Adult £25
Junior £20
·
We
understand the membership scheme is a way of charging less for home fans than
away fans like we did with the old SSA Quarry Lane Voucher Book scheme many
years ago. In principle, this seems very reasonable. Adults will save money
after five games, Over 60s and Young Adults after four games and Juniors after
three games. We would suggest that the club promotes the membership card as
much as possible by offering cheaper deals for families or by giving fans
vouchers that they could spend in the club shop.
SEASON TICKETS
Adult £330
Over 60 £270
Young Adult £180
Junior £85
6 & Under FREE
·
Adult
price unchanged at £330, which incorporates feedback.
·
Senior
persons price increased from £250 to £270 when the feedback was that prices
should not increase.
·
Junior
prices (7-16) price unchanged at £85, which incorporates feedback.
·
Young
adult 17-21 age group incorporated, and price suggestion incorporated.
·
The
suggestion of 6 and under being free is incorporated.
·
Other
comments as in first section.
