Tuesday 19 May 2015

MANSFIELD TOWN SEASON TICKET AND MATCH DAY PRICES FOR 2015-2016


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.