Breaking News Season card prices for next season announced!!!

[canveyshrimper]

Which of course the Chairman can't afford to let happen.Cue an announcement, at the AGM, of yet another date for building work at FF to begin this summer,methinks.

I think that Ron is standing by to pull a rabbit out of the hat at the AGM like a latter day Paul Daniels. The trouble is I think that the catchphrase "not a lot" will be applicable.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Mind the gap

I think that Ron is standing by to pull a rabbit out of the hat at the AGM like a latter day Paul Daniels. The trouble is I think that the catchphrase "not a lot" will be applicable.

Agreed.His credibility gap is now so wide that any possible announcement of good news on the FF front is likely to be received with derision at least.The promised land anyone?

 

[The Big Shrimp]

I think that Ron is standing by to pull a rabbit out of the hat at the AGM like a latter day Paul Daniels. The trouble is I think that the catchphrase "not a lot" will be applicable.

You mean to say that TefRons beautiful golden locks is actually a wig?!

 

[Beefy]

Spot on here Ken - I am probably going to renew and the hike isn't too much of a problem, but the comments about investment leave a sour taste... I would much have preferred RM to come out and say "we need the extra money to cover costs", but that would be out of the question I guess as it would require him to honest about things for once....!

That isn't really what the statement said, I don't think. It's making the point that the budget for next season is going to depend on the turnover projections - a lot of which would be dependant on season ticket sales. I don't think there's any commitment to giving Paul Stuirrock a pool of funds to spend on new signings. If anything what we're talking about here is what proportion will be slashed off of this year's budget.

The irony is that there is another post running alongside this moaning about the level of player we are trialling, saying it's too low, and taking the moral high ground when we didn't invest in players to support Sturrock's play off drive, but when asked to support these investments they so desperately clamour for, (£2 per game or 5/6 per month on DD) there's uproar.

I despise Ron as much, if not more than the next fan, I do not trust him, I think he treats the fans appallingly, and I want him out of the club as soon as possible, but only if it's not to the clubs detriment. If we all take Wiggy's stance and boycott the club, then we'll have done far more damage than Ron ever did, as there will not be a club anymore.

Amen.

 

[Boreham Shrimper]

Which of course the Chairman can't afford to let happen.Cue an announcement, at the AGM, of yet another date for building work at FF to begin this summer,methinks.

I will not be satisfied until we know the date for the opening match at Ronworld. Any more vague mentions of "this summer" as the start date for construction won't change anything as far as I'm concerned. We've been strung along for far too long now, the credit crunch notwithstanding.

 

[Firestorm]

He already has - his name's Tara, he's from the City, and he's got contacts in the City, dontcha know? :winking:

Except it turns out they're pretty much two peas from the same pod, all mouth and no money, at least not enough to keep this club on an even keel.

Our other "outside investment" is of course Sainsbury's but they're only here for the Roots Hall land and if Ron doesn't get this deal going sharpish one senses they're not too far off calling time on the whole affair as well.

But investment would indicate that they will want their money back and some return as well.
RM is struggling to get a return on his investments at the moment as he cannot realise the return.
Sainsburies are being derided as "only being in it for the RH land" which is their return on the investment (or at least will be once thay have invested further in the building etc and started to actually sell from the store) , surely there is nothing which will generate a return for an investor ....

 

[Beefy]

Couldn't have put it any better mate. If there was a mass boycott, not just at SUFC, but all over the country, clubs would be forced to lower prices. Unfortunately, the clubs up and down the country know they can pretty much do and charge what they like, as there'll always be someone there.

And before anyone reel out that old classic of "you'll kill the club by boycotting", how's about the man in charge, does what he's meant to do, and run the ****ing club properly? If he hasn't got the financial power to sort us out, stop being an egotictical prat, swallow some pride and get outside investement.

But we know that won't happen, because Martin is a greedy, grubby little weasle.

Football is ****ed. Why should anyone have to bankroll the Club? There's no investment to be had here. What you're looking for is a begging bowl.

The direct knock on effect of a boycott (not of SUFC but of football clubs up and down the land) forcing prices down would be income falling. That means that Clubs would have less money available to spend on player wages and transfer fees and would inevitably have to lead to a lower standard of player and smaller clubs being unable to compete with bigger clubs (or rather with Clubs with bigger resources). Personally I'm happy for that to happen, but I suspect in reality I'd be in the minority.

What you want is lower prices, better players and bills paid on time. But someone has to dip into their own pocket to bridge that gap.

 

[GBJ]

He already has - his name's Tara, he's from the City, and he's got contacts in the City, dontcha know? :winking:

Except it turns out they're pretty much two peas from the same pod, all mouth and no money, at least not enough to keep this club on an even keel.

Our other "outside investment" is of course Sainsbury's but they're only here for the Roots Hall land and if Ron doesn't get this deal going sharpish one senses they're not too far off calling time on the whole affair as well.

I've been told by a few different people (in the know :sherlock:) how and why Tara is here, and it's rather grim tbh.

Football is ****ed. Why should anyone have to bankroll the Club? There's no investment to be had here. What you're looking for is a begging bowl.

Further elaboration needed please

The direct knock on effect of a boycott (not of SUFC but of football clubs up and down the land) forcing prices down would be income falling. That means that Clubs would have less money available to spend on player wages and transfer fees and would inevitably have to lead to a lower standard of player and smaller clubs being unable to compete with bigger clubs (or rather with Clubs with bigger resources). Personally I'm happy for that to happen, but I suspect in reality I'd be in the minority.

I'd happily go along with it.

What you want is lower prices, better players and bills paid on time. But someone has to dip into their own pocket to bridge that gap.

Exactly. And if Martin can't deliver that, then look for help, or sell the club. But he won't. Hence, the utter hatred for the man.

 

[Beefy]

But who is going to bankroll us? We're supposed to be a business not a charity.

If you know someone with millions in their back pocket willing to keep us going then I'd love to see them take over.

 

[GBJ]

But who is going to bankroll us? We're supposed to be a business not a charity.

If you know someone with millions in their back pocket willing to keep us going then I'd love to see them take over.

As I said earlier though, it's not about 'who', it's a complete moot point, as Martin wouldn't sell in the first place. We know The consortium had 3 offers turned down, how do we know there weren't any other interested parties?

Bottom line, there could be a queue in Roots Hall carpark, all waiting to bang down Martins door with offers, but the egotistical maniac wouldn't even consider it.

 

[Beefy]

That is a fair point. But I think it would be easier to get behind protests if there was another figure to rally behind who was open about their commitment to the Club and their ability to pay the bills at minimum and ideally invest to take us forward.

 

[EastStandBlue]

The problem, as documented by the number of League clubs who have fallen into the conference, is that whilst some clubs might be prepared to operate on a level, self-sufficient playing field, other clubs are more than happy to play fast and loose with their finances in the hope for success. This not only has a detrimental effect on them, but also on the competition as they have little hope of competing against a club spending far more than them. Whereas there's no direct correlation between transfer investment and success, there is between success and the wage bill. Better players clamour for better wages, and average players follow them.

PS spoke prior to the season about being surprised at what average players request in wages these days and made it common knowledge that we just couldn't carry someone like Akinfenwa. Then you have TB alluding to the same during radio phone-ins whilst giving agents the treatment, and it paints a picture of the kind of situation that League Two is in, not just us.

This kind of expenditure has to be supported somehow and ticket revenue is the easiest source of finances. Clubs like Fulham and Blackburn can afford to offer cheaper season tickets not just because of the financial underwriting they receive from their owners (although, particularly in Fulham's case, it helps), it's because the TV and Commercial revenue they reap offsets their expenditure. Manchester United posted in excess of £100m commercial revenue recently, the first club to do so, and if they weren't servicing a mounumental amount of debt, that'd be debt that could either pay for transfers or be used to offset cheaper ticket prices... a point that Glazer critics pay particular attention to.

Anyway, the point I'm making is that without these sources of income, a rise in ticket prices is virtually the only option for a club like us at this moment in time. People have complained about the calibre of the squad this season, but this has been assembled on a wage bill that's comparative with the rest of the league. We could freeze ticket prices and find that money elsewhere, usually a cut in the wage budget, but that would result in a further drop of quality in the playing squad which would, inevitably, result in further loss of supporters.

It'd be a gamble either way. The club is in a lose/lose situation.

 

[Beefy]

Good post, ESB.

There is an argument that cutting prices can increase turnover. It depends on the price elasticity of demand of season tickets. Personally I suspect that they are price inelastic and therefore raising price should raise revenue and is therefore a sound piece of financial management. I have no evidence to back that assumption up but I think that the fact that the only Clubs to have adopted a policy of slashing prices are ones with huge grounds to fill suggests that that is the case. Once the North Bank is removed we have 8,000 or so seats to sell, compared to 25,000 at Bradford or Huddersfield. It makes little sense to sell such a relatively small number of seats off on the cheap when we can sell them for more during the season if we're doing well.

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

So according to Southend United and some fans on here, if you as a fan decide not to renew your Season Ticket you are to blame if the club can't bring in any decent signings during the Summer.

We were going to lose some Season Ticket holders even if prices remained the same. Going by the figures in the above Poll we could lose around 1,000 Season Ticket holders next season. Shame on all you non-loyal people that are not renewing, hang your heads in shame, you will be the death of this club. Yes that includes me as I have decided not to renew my 5 Season Tickets. Oh well another Season in League 2 it is then, mind you won't be long before all that money comes rolling in from the FF development.

 

[Chairman Trigg]

3,500 x 300 = £1,050,000 75% OF 3,500 = £918,750 I know this isn't a precise costing when taking into account concessions etc ,but it does make worrying reading if if we were to have another poor season and the occasional supporters stop turning up .To me having a ST is a habit ,once broken it takes success to lure you back which isn't guaranteed in football

 

[Suffolk Shrimper In Dorset]

3,500 x 300 = £1,050,000 75% OF 3,500 = £918,750 I know this isn't a precise costing when taking into account concessions etc ,but it does make worrying reading if if we were to have another poor season and the occasional supporters stop turning up .To me having a ST is a habit ,once broken it takes success to lure you back which isn't guaranteed in football

Agree the habit once broken quote. That the Club cannot see that is just unfathomable.

 

[CAPTAIN BIRDSEYE]

yet again esb speaks some garbage, firstly paying huge wages is not a guarantee of success look at manchester city, are they going to win the premership?? nope
yet they pay far in excess of wages of other clubs. you can achieve success on a budget, just look at teams above us in the league, accy, and stevenage to name but 2
yet how do accy survive on crowds of 1,500. perhaps its because the players and the fans and the management are one, ever wondered why dagenham have done so well, just look at jon still, theres your reason. If sturrock was suprised by wages in league 2, then he is even more out of touch than I thought he was. look at the other clubs programmes, when you go to away games presuming you do?? Or do you spend your entire on here?? you will find there are always events happening at the club, ex players functions, celebrating 100 years of this and that , xmas partys , mother day events etc etc. Do southend do anything like that nope!!

the occasional shop appearance and bowling with martins family(sorry i meant the trust) is about all we muster. and the reasons for that are 2 fold
1. martins complete distain for the fans and the players 2,. commerical department suffering cut backs, and also lack of any real interest in reaching out the fans
other than take there money off them
through my job i am very closely involved with the politics of football, and you really need to open your eyes esb

try studying bradford citys role model with their season tickets, and the sell ons from additional food and beverage

if teh club cut prices and attracted more fans through the gates, you would find the same sort of revenue genereated. as it stands this move to put prices up to fund the debt owed to gypsy boy and martin through the various companies plain stinks

 

[Suffolk Shrimper In Dorset]

I wonder if the TV licence went up £50 or your council tax what would you all do then?

FFS all these people saying I have supported the club all my life but I won't set foot in Roots Hall again at these prices. What do you think the club us going to do drop the prices? What in your daily lives hasn't gone up? Has your petrol? Has your food bills? Your utilities? It's the way if the world. Inflation is running almost 5% and this is a struggling business.

A £50 rise whilst painfull equates to what £2.20 a game? I dispise Ron Martin as much as the next man but at the end if the day this is our club, this is for many if us a major part of our lives and for many if us something like it or not your comitted too for life. Everyone was clammering for a seat in the Championship but many don't want to know now. The club to me needs all the support it can get at a tricky time for us all. I assume you all love this club like I do so surely £50 extra is worth all the fun and enjoyment you have had over your lifetime? For me I'm simply delighted to still have a club to support.

I suspect that most would view that the TV licence is still good value and despite the plethora of reality TV crap there is still good evidence of pride and effort in the craft they pedal

As for Council Tax I would argue against value but if I don't pay up then I could face jail.

With Unc Ron's 'management' of SUFC of late I cannot see much evidence of value or pride and if I fail to pay him ST money to keep his Bentley going that does not constitute a criminal offence.

It is not JUST a matter of £50. 'Tis a matter also of honesty, endeavour, common sense, realism, foresight and care. If Unc Ron has these qualities he is keeping them extraordinarily well hidden. You can push folk so far but after a while even the most benign will say enough's enough.

Supporting SUFC is not an easy sell but once caught you need to look after what you have as getting folk back will be even harder.

UTB

 

[Thundersley Blue]

Its not so much the increase that infuriates me but the indecent haste to grab our money. I have sat in the same seat for many years and have no intention of losing it. Therefore I have no choice but to renew almost 4 months before the season starts. However this time it will be by instalments so the Club can't spend my money before the end of May. !!!

 

[smudgster]

Not sure if this has been mentiond, but what happens if we dont sell enough season tickets (whatever that is ?) Would this mean Mosni is sold to balance the books ?