29% Of Fulham Fans 'Considering Cancelling Season Tickets '

[White Noise]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article7056430.ece

Two thirds of Manchester United supporters may not renew season tickets


Ben Smith

26 Comments
Recommend? (7)

Manchester United could be facing a fresh backlash from their supporters as it was revealed that two thirds of fans are considering not renewing their season tickets next season.

The figures, which have been published in a study conducted by Virgin Money, suggest that supporters are stepping up their revolt against Malcolm Glazer's ownership, which has gained fresh momentum over the past few weeks following interest from a group calling themselves the Red Knights.

There has been widespread discontent among the supporters ever since the American and his sons bought the club in a highly-leveraged takeover in the summer of 2005.

Many United supporters have already been driven away by huge ticket price increases, with the average season ticket price going up from £487 pre-takeover to £722 this year. The effect has been that while there has traditionally been a long waiting list for season tickets as demand far outstripped supply, for the first time in living memory a limited number of season tickets were available on general sale last summer.

The survey suggests that 15 per cent of season-ticket holders will give up their tickets completely, while another 44 per cent will only buy tickets for matches occasionally. Wolverhampton Wanderers also rate highly in the survey, with 54 per cent of supporters considering giving up their season tickets.

"The drop in costs is welcome but season tickets are still priced astronomically compared with other major European leagues such as Spain, Italy and Germany," Malcolm Clarke, Chairman of the Football Supporters' Federation, said. "Shamefully, Manchester United was the only Premier League club that put up their prices for the current season. Every other club froze or reduced them.

"They also sold Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid. Huge numbers of United fans are in open revolt against the Glazer family's huge cash drain on the club. They're paying the price for the leveraged buy-out in 2005 that has loaded a massive £700 million debt on to United's books. The Glazer regime has put up ticket prices by half in less than five years. No wonder almost six out of ten Old Trafford season-ticket holders are thinking of not renewing."

According to reports yesterday, thousands of fans are preparing to boycott the opening ten minutes of tonight's Champions League match against AC Milan, leaving the television cameras to pan empty seats in a visual demonstration of anti-Glazer feeling. The prime mover behind the green and gold movement, the Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) sought yesterday to play down talk of a mass boycott tonight - although the ploy may be used at other matches.

The backlash against season tickets comes despite figures showing that the cost of attending games has fallen by 6 per cent in the past year. According to the study, fans of Liverpool and Stoke City are the least likely to give up season tickets next year with just 9 per cent of supporters considering cut backs.

Percentage of fans considering cancelling season tickets

Manchester United 59
Wolves 54
Burnley 31
Fulham 29
Everton 28
Blackburn 28
Portsmouth 28
West Ham 27
Aston Villa 24
Sunderland 23
Wigan 21
Tottenham 19
Manchester City 18
Birmingham 17
Chelsea 17
Hull 17
Arsenal 14
Bolton 13
Liverpool 9
Stoke City 9

[The Equalizer]

HAHAHA!! What a load of old tosh. Why would anyone want to cancel their season ticket when we're at the peak of our history?

[Rambling_Syd_Rumpo]

total rubbish-I predict that season ticket sales will go up :008:

[The Equalizer]

Having said that previously, the only reason I can think of it people who can't afford the new prices in the Riverside stand.

[epsomraver]

The state Liverpool are in and only 9% ????

[finnster01]

Absolutely bollocks. I have 6, 3 in Hammersmith End and 3 in Riverside and I don't even live in the country anymore and will renew every single one of them next year. I raffle most of them away at work. You should suggest that to your employer. My people just loves it. Cheapest and best morale booster you will ever find.

[Scrumpy]

I imagine the survey was taken from all of 10 fans or so, across all Clubs! The figures just don't look right to me.

[JBH]

I have done a survey of 20 Fulham Fans about this season ticket issue

18 are renewing their current seats and the remaining 2 are moving from the Riverside to the Hammy and are purchasing a new season ticket for the lad who has been converted from the Darkside to the Whites.

So I make that an increase of 5%  :54:

[Oakeshott]

It is surely clear that if some season ticket holders are considering not renewing, it will be for financial (or perhaps personal circumstances) reasons not lack of performance by the team. Leaving aside the considerations of ageing and health, and moving home, the fact of life for many is that times are difficult and may well get worse, so "extras" over and above basic living costs, have to be reviewed. And in that context a season ticket will, for many, be an "extra"

[finnster01]

It is surely clear that if some season ticket holders are considering not renewing, it will be for financial (or perhaps personal circumstances) reasons not lack of performance by the team. Leaving aside the considerations of ageing and health, and moving home, the fact of life for many is that times are difficult and may well get worse, so "extras" over and above basic living costs, have to be reviewed. And in that context a season ticket will, for many, be an "extra"

A season ticket was always an "extra". You are never going to put that above food on the table, but it is in my book better entertainment value than going to watch a play, a concert, or anything of that ilk. Hence worth the expenditure if you have it.

[Oakeshott]

Finnister

Don't disagree, though on a specific game v play basis I've had some theatrical experiences that have been more enjoyable than some games at the Cottage.

But the key phrase is "if you have it". Sadly in current (and prospective) times, some don't.

[chez]

Would love to know who they asked. I haven't heard a peep from any one i know saying they won't be re newing, maybe extending the payment plan to cover the cost. Personally I have had a result and haven't had to break into my piggy bank to fund Juventus trip, so whatever is in there will go a good way towards my renewal.

[Logicalman]

Interesting that they claim it was Virgin Money who conducted the survey, as VM appear to have no press releases on it in their media center(http://uk.virginmoney.com/virgin/news-centre/index.jsp).
What they do have, however, is a survey concerning Prem clubs finances from Oct 2009 (http://uk.virginmoney.com/virgin/news-centre/press-releases/2009/fans-fear-clubs-could-go-bust.jsp), which was actually conducted by Football Fans' Census(http://www.footballfanscensus.com/index.php), which also appears to have no such survey.
Obviously The Times have their sources, it's just a pity that they haven't bothered printing them. Then again, like it's (big) sister paper, The Sun, why let facts get in the way of a good headline, eh?

[The_Great_Escape_2008]

This percentage is probably from asking 10 fulham fans. Don't listen to this absolute tosh.

[os5889]

Unless they forgot about the suffragettes movement, to get 29% the survey would have to have been at least 100

[ImperialWhite]

Not that it really matters (the fact that they haven't revealed the source shows that it's crap anyway) but it needn't be as many as 100 fans asked - e.g. 11/38 = 28.9 ~ 29%.

[Burt]

I am proud to say that I will be RENEWING mine.

And in a survey I conducted amongst me, myself and I, 100% of all respondents said that they would be renewing too.