Carl Curtis : Less than 4,000 sold, what CCFC could do

‘ LESS THAN 4,000 SOLD, WHAT CCFC COULD DO ‘

I have stated on a number of occasions that I believe there are several situations at our club that need resolving or changing for things to improve at the football club.

Many fans believed that a return to blue would see thousands of fans who have not been attending matches return to the fold but that has evidently not been the case, the separation between the club and fans runs deeper than the rebrand and its reversal.

Somehow the club need to act, especially from a business point of view, to encourage fans to return to watching the bluebirds play.

A mixture of rebrand, relegation, managerial appointments, brand of football among other things have all had a negative effect on supporters and for myself personally from changing our identity back to blue and naming a marketing campaign # Bluebirds for life was a jump to far.

As a club I believe we should encourage supporters back with, probably something we can all identify with, the price!

In a nutshell the club should start from scratch so to speak with its pricing plan of season tickets.

I understand that less than 4,000 season tickets have been sold for next season and for a club of our size with its catchment area, that is nowhere near where the sales should be.

People will buy a product if they believe in the product and also that they are getting value for money or hope to achieve value for money.

I have read and heard the suggestion to make the price for U16’s anywhere in the ground to something around the £50 or £100 mark.

I would take that idea forward but change it slightly.

How about every adult buying a season ticket can purchase one child (U16) season ticket for a nominal fee, maybe £1, £10 or £23 (equivalent to £1 per game) anywhere in the stadium.

There will be families who have more than one child who would want to come and watch City play but cannot afford to purchase a season ticket for each child so therefore they share the ticket between the children on a match to match basis, this suggestion could help families with two or three children purchase an extra ticket for a similar outlay to what is currently being paid for one adult and child.

It could help with season ticket numbers, it would definitely help families who cannot afford the current price of season tickets and it may just provide the next generation of City supporters and stop them finding other clubs or hobbies.

I don’t think it is any good the club doing deals throughout the season because they only got 4,000 fans to appeal too, previously there have been 16,500 that could be contacted to bring a friend for a game at a reduced price, they can’t go too far with offers either in case they upset season ticket holders who believe they are missing out by purchasing a season ticket.

If the club decide to go with such an offer that I am suggesting then now is the time to do it, they may have to refund approximately 300-400 children’s prices or maybe some of those families would bring an extra child instead.

There is going to be thousands upon thousands of empty seats next season unless there is an upturn in sales and at present it doesn’t seem to moving in the right direction for the club, I see this as an opportunity with very little to lose from the clubs point of view, the seats are empty we may as well use them.

If the club manage promotion next season then obviously the price would need adjusting accordingly and that goes back to the quality of the product so fans would have to accept from a business point of view the club would increase the price of a U16 season ticket, it works two ways but at this moment in the time the club certainly needs to act to get fans through the gates.

Do you agree that for every adult buying a season ticket they should be able to purchase one child (U16) season ticket for a nominal fee, maybe £1, £10 or £23 (equivalent to £1 per game) anywhere in the stadium ?