I would make a plea to @Vincey and @Doob to see how many we do sell for the game next weekend before writing off the possibility of selling those seats to Wycombe fans for the Derby game in 5 weeks time.
What is left of the Family Stand for home fans for the Sheffield Weds game, already doesn't have a pair of seats left adjacent to each other. So as @wwfcblue points out the club is asking Wycombe fans to pay more to come because they have sold seats to Sheffield Weds fans.
A far bigger issue in the family stand is that there are clearly a group of people who have bought the very cheap children's season tickets just so they can have an couple of empty seats either side of them. The middle three blocks show as nearly completely booked up for most games, but they're rarely more than two thirds full. Families either won't come, or will have to buy more expensive tickets to sit together, when in reality there is more than enough space.
On the subject of attendances. WW v Fleetwood / Oxford v Burton on 28th are both off due to FA cup progress. Wouldn't it make sense to switch our home game v Oxford to 28th?
I can’t say I’ve noticed that but then I don’t sit right in the middle, normally I’m in Block B or C.
I would think lots of families have two child season tickets and often one or both won’t come. My eldest would often not wish to come and occasionally if one of their matches started 12 or later on Saturday then all three of us would not make it or possibly just me and the one child who had the earlier game. Living an hour away does not help either.
I definitely think the Family Stand should be reserved for families and not single or groups of adults.
Run that one by again..people buy tickets in the family stand .so they can have a couple of empty seats either side of them?' Who are these entitled people?
Not condoning such ‘dog in the manger’ behaviour in the slightest. But at least they paid something!
When the Couhigs took over they unearthed many instances of tickets being given away to loose associates of organisations affiliated to the club.
The entitlement of which you speak has significantly been reduced but that underlying ‘we’ve always had tea and biscuits there’ mentality of AP being some kind of social club has cost us a lot of potential revenue down the years and seems to continue to raise its head given half a chance.
@Malone and @eric_plant you missed my point royally. Not about wearing away shirts in seats sold to away fans.....duh. But in the home seats (can't believe I had to spell that one out). Not because I feel the need to punch someone in different colours but as righty says, people can get very passionate and want like minded souls around them. Also it's blatantly taking the piss. If I went to Ipswich away, bought a ticket in the home end and wore my quarters I'd get either moved or thrown out so why doesn't the same apply at AP.
Here's an idea for debate for boosting the home crowd at the Derby game. Invite / encourage / facilitate La Media Inglesa and have them sit in one of the end blocks of the Frank Adams, either near the terrace to encourage them to sing more or near the Derby fans to bemuse them.
Anyway, I do understand that some fans prefer to be in segregated areas, and that's absolutely fine.
But the only reason football crowds are segregated is because if they weren't there would be widespread violence across the country every single weekend. That's isn't opinion that's fact.
And that is not something that we as football fans should be proud of. Quite the opposite in fact.
Nothing’s a fact until it happens, surely? But I know what you mean. History suggests that your opinion is likely (almost certainly, in fact) to become fact. Unless we all dress up in suits, of course. And, please, none of this shabby open-necked shirt malarkey.
One of the central blocks in the Family Stand has pretty much 3 full rows of adults at the top each match. Fecks me right off to be honest.
I also personally know of a fair few adult couples / mates who are dotted around decent seats in the Family Stand and never have kids with them but buy 1 extra season ticket for £23 per season between them to save money and not sit in the top tier.
Times are tough so I’m not knocking these people actually, but it’s bloody tough for many families too right now, and there are no discounts if your a parent over the ‘Young Adult’ age or who is under 65, yet it’s fast becoming that for a set of seats for a family over 3/4/5 people your either paying a hell of a lot of money in the top tier of a stand which facilities inside it are frankly complete crap for what you are paying to access it. Or, you get a set of seats in the lower tier wings where you get wet when it rains with an arse view right by the away end or right by the corner of the terrace where the groaning ex drummer hollers garbage from.
There are load of spare seats in the main stand (on the tunnel / dugouts side of the pitch) every single match but again it’s very expensive for families when you know you get the sun full in your face on a bright day unless sat at the back couple of rows, so again not much of an interest from families to sit there at an enhanced rate.
This area could become a 2nd family stand in my opinion, along with my idea of a particular block / wing of the FA upper tier, but allow existing season ticket holders to remain in their seats there but reduce the seat price accordingly (main stand only not upper tier FA - this should be more expensive for adults but not kids personally). I’m sure the increase in sales would outstrip any lost revenue. Our growing number of families could then have the choice of better seats in terms of view but not so good in bright weather.
This gives families more choice. As an adult only you can sit in 3 areas officially, but as mentioned above unofficially it’s 4.
For the average family on a modest income, I think you only really have 1 choice which is daft when we only 60% fill our stadium on a good day and want to encourage as many fans as possible for the long term, which families can obviously provide.
Or to keep things simple you just offer a Family Discount ticket somehow and allow to sit where they want. Wycombe fans really are pretty good and I’m not particularly concerned about the overall level of language from adults in any of our seating areas.
In my personal opinion it has all become a bit of a shit show for families.
@username123 I suppose the balance the club have to face is will making the family stand for those with U18 kids only, end up bringing more families in, or cheese off the adults who choose to sit there instead?
ps did LOL at the drummer comment.
Every game I see him shirtless and screaming at the bottom of that stand, presumably trying to get some sort of response?!
Ultimately, I really don’t mind where adults sit, I just think we need to make tickets cheaper for families and / or anyone under the age of 18 anywhere in our stadium.
Comments
I would make a plea to @Vincey and @Doob to see how many we do sell for the game next weekend before writing off the possibility of selling those seats to Wycombe fans for the Derby game in 5 weeks time.
What is left of the Family Stand for home fans for the Sheffield Weds game, already doesn't have a pair of seats left adjacent to each other. So as @wwfcblue points out the club is asking Wycombe fans to pay more to come because they have sold seats to Sheffield Weds fans.
A far bigger issue in the family stand is that there are clearly a group of people who have bought the very cheap children's season tickets just so they can have an couple of empty seats either side of them. The middle three blocks show as nearly completely booked up for most games, but they're rarely more than two thirds full. Families either won't come, or will have to buy more expensive tickets to sit together, when in reality there is more than enough space.
The Couhigs said that sort of thing was happening in the Frank Adams, and they quickly put a stop to it.
Would be fascinating how many people are actually doing what you suggest.
You'd have thought you'd need to have kids with you to sit in a family stand for starters, but people say that isn't the case.
Maybe it needs to be the case?
On the subject of attendances. WW v Fleetwood / Oxford v Burton on 28th are both off due to FA cup progress. Wouldn't it make sense to switch our home game v Oxford to 28th?
Why would Burton not play Oxford on the 28th as scheduled? They’re out of the cup.
Ah sorry, misread that!
I can’t say I’ve noticed that but then I don’t sit right in the middle, normally I’m in Block B or C.
I would think lots of families have two child season tickets and often one or both won’t come. My eldest would often not wish to come and occasionally if one of their matches started 12 or later on Saturday then all three of us would not make it or possibly just me and the one child who had the earlier game. Living an hour away does not help either.
I definitely think the Family Stand should be reserved for families and not single or groups of adults.
Run that one by again..people buy tickets in the family stand .so they can have a couple of empty seats either side of them?' Who are these entitled people?
Not condoning such ‘dog in the manger’ behaviour in the slightest. But at least they paid something!
When the Couhigs took over they unearthed many instances of tickets being given away to loose associates of organisations affiliated to the club.
The entitlement of which you speak has significantly been reduced but that underlying ‘we’ve always had tea and biscuits there’ mentality of AP being some kind of social club has cost us a lot of potential revenue down the years and seems to continue to raise its head given half a chance.
@Malone and @eric_plant you missed my point royally. Not about wearing away shirts in seats sold to away fans.....duh. But in the home seats (can't believe I had to spell that one out). Not because I feel the need to punch someone in different colours but as righty says, people can get very passionate and want like minded souls around them. Also it's blatantly taking the piss. If I went to Ipswich away, bought a ticket in the home end and wore my quarters I'd get either moved or thrown out so why doesn't the same apply at AP.
Here's an idea for debate for boosting the home crowd at the Derby game. Invite / encourage / facilitate La Media Inglesa and have them sit in one of the end blocks of the Frank Adams, either near the terrace to encourage them to sing more or near the Derby fans to bemuse them.
No I didn't (miss your point). I knew exactly what you meant
Just think it's weird that grown adults get so worked up by someone wearing another team's kit
Anyway, I do understand that some fans prefer to be in segregated areas, and that's absolutely fine.
But the only reason football crowds are segregated is because if they weren't there would be widespread violence across the country every single weekend. That's isn't opinion that's fact.
And that is not something that we as football fans should be proud of. Quite the opposite in fact.
Who's said they're proud of it?
Not sure I missed your point to be honest.
Hence saying that the key is to stop those away fans moving along a few blocks for a better seat.
I think everyone should wear suits and ties to games like in the good old days. That would solve the problem.
You're better than that
[whoosh]
Nothing’s a fact until it happens, surely? But I know what you mean. History suggests that your opinion is likely (almost certainly, in fact) to become fact. Unless we all dress up in suits, of course. And, please, none of this shabby open-necked shirt malarkey.
Fact or opinion, now there's a debate we haven't had for a while ...
That's your opinion
Is that a fact?
And also, Oxford could still be in the cup on that day.
Was going to say.
I remember someone getting quite animated, that night following day isn't actually a fact.
No, not that again!
Was a glorious episode in gasroom history.
One of the central blocks in the Family Stand has pretty much 3 full rows of adults at the top each match. Fecks me right off to be honest.
I also personally know of a fair few adult couples / mates who are dotted around decent seats in the Family Stand and never have kids with them but buy 1 extra season ticket for £23 per season between them to save money and not sit in the top tier.
Times are tough so I’m not knocking these people actually, but it’s bloody tough for many families too right now, and there are no discounts if your a parent over the ‘Young Adult’ age or who is under 65, yet it’s fast becoming that for a set of seats for a family over 3/4/5 people your either paying a hell of a lot of money in the top tier of a stand which facilities inside it are frankly complete crap for what you are paying to access it. Or, you get a set of seats in the lower tier wings where you get wet when it rains with an arse view right by the away end or right by the corner of the terrace where the groaning ex drummer hollers garbage from.
There are load of spare seats in the main stand (on the tunnel / dugouts side of the pitch) every single match but again it’s very expensive for families when you know you get the sun full in your face on a bright day unless sat at the back couple of rows, so again not much of an interest from families to sit there at an enhanced rate.
This area could become a 2nd family stand in my opinion, along with my idea of a particular block / wing of the FA upper tier, but allow existing season ticket holders to remain in their seats there but reduce the seat price accordingly (main stand only not upper tier FA - this should be more expensive for adults but not kids personally). I’m sure the increase in sales would outstrip any lost revenue. Our growing number of families could then have the choice of better seats in terms of view but not so good in bright weather.
This gives families more choice. As an adult only you can sit in 3 areas officially, but as mentioned above unofficially it’s 4.
For the average family on a modest income, I think you only really have 1 choice which is daft when we only 60% fill our stadium on a good day and want to encourage as many fans as possible for the long term, which families can obviously provide.
Or to keep things simple you just offer a Family Discount ticket somehow and allow to sit where they want. Wycombe fans really are pretty good and I’m not particularly concerned about the overall level of language from adults in any of our seating areas.
In my personal opinion it has all become a bit of a shit show for families.
@username123 I suppose the balance the club have to face is will making the family stand for those with U18 kids only, end up bringing more families in, or cheese off the adults who choose to sit there instead?
ps did LOL at the drummer comment.
Every game I see him shirtless and screaming at the bottom of that stand, presumably trying to get some sort of response?!
Ultimately, I really don’t mind where adults sit, I just think we need to make tickets cheaper for families and / or anyone under the age of 18 anywhere in our stadium.
Targeting the Wycombe youngsters should be top of all marketing lists.
Get them in early on, and they'll support us for life. I'm one of many such examples.
They'd give tickets out at school occasionally, there was quid a kid, but prices were buttons back then.
I'd have to check the exact price, but I think I once bought a 3 year season ticket at £45 a year!
But the cashback is 20 odd years of full prices season tickets afterwards.