Season Tickets 2020-21

[Darth Paul]

Tried to renew our usual seats, and the seats we have had every year since the stadium was rebuilt have already gone. Has anyone else experienced this?

(One seat in particular carries a high degree of sentimental value so we would be upset to lose it).

[Wood26]

I’ve been trying to buy a season ticket, but website keeps saying error when I proceed to check out.

Tried calling the club no answer, so after 30 mins on hold gave up.

Maybe it’s a sign. Seems to be as hard for me to give the club money as it is for us to find a defender.

I’ll have lunch and consider my options.

[Tugayisgod]

The real problem is that season ticket prices at Rovers have been so cheap for so long, people didn't appreciate it. Weren't they among the cheapest in the whole 4 divisions for many seasons but people didn't complain then. 

This increase makes it seem excessive but I bet (without checking) that these are still among the very cheapest in the championship

 

 

[glen9mullan]

1 minute ago, Darth Paul said:

Tried to renew our usual seats, and the seats we have had every year since the stadium was rebuilt have already gone. Has anyone else experienced this?

(One seat in particular carries a high degree of sentimental value so we would be upset to lose it).

Have you linked your account to your season ticket? When I had not logged in, it would not let me buy my seat. However once I linked my seat, it was there for me

[Mattyblue]

2 minutes ago, Tugayisgod said:

The real problem is that season ticket prices at Rovers have been so cheap for so long, people didn't appreciate it. Weren't they among the cheapest in the whole 4 divisions for many seasons but people didn't complain then. 

This increase makes it seem excessive but I bet (without checking) that these are still among the very cheapest in the championship

 

 

They were, that was before they rose £100 since 2018.

Now we are standard Championship pricing. Which is fair enough.

But banging them up 15% for a product that will not involve 23 Championship games at Ewood Park (Or even close), that makes no allowances for multi STs in the one household, means we will see in all likelihood our lowest sales probably since the mid 1980s when most clubs had one man and a dog watching.

[Darth Paul]

Thanks Glen, panic over, my Dad was dealing with it and didn't realise the seats were blocked out as they were reserved to us already.

Amazing what sentimental value you can attach to a place where you sit.

On the subject of pricing, and my view for what it's worth; a price hike is as frustrating to me as it is anyone else, but if ever a club needed its supporters to put their hands in their pockets and help out then this year is it, so I am reasonably ok to pay the price.

Realise that is not an easy option for everyone and doesn't excuse some of the poor communication or handling of tickets since BCD games started last season, but the club will have done their homework here, and make no mistake, things are tighter than some might think behind the scenes and this is an unashamed cash grab situation. 

Whether it ultimately backfires or not remains to be seen, but for now, I am lucky enough to not miss the cash, so the club can gladly have it.

Edited September 15, 2020 by Darth Paul

[Richard Oakley]

52 minutes ago, glen9mullan said:

I cannot justify complaining if we don't sign players, i.e decent defenders, striker etc, Then say  "F**K Em" No money from me.

It's really quite easy. The sooner we're a Wigan or Bolton, the sooner Venkys will be gone and rebuilding this club can begin.

[Dreams of 1995]

I think the discount pro-rata from next seasons' ticket is a good idea. He must have been reading my excellent posts. I don't blame him, I'm shit hot. 

My only hope is that he doesn't do what most businesses do, take the pro-rata saving issued to each person, and increase costs accordingly to recover. Wouldn't put it past this shyster in truth.

 

[Hasta]

13 minutes ago, Darth Paul said:

things are tighter than some might think behind the scenes and this is an unashamed cash grab situation. 

It's more a gamble that putting prices up by 15% will not lead to an 15% drop in attendance.

As it is, we will never know as this will be a season like no other.

Edited September 15, 2020 by Hasta

[windymiller7]

I'll more than likely renew, although that wasn't the case up until a week ago. 

I, like many others, was put at risk of redundancy, so there was no way I was committing to something which I ultimately might not get. Fortunately I've since been told that my job is safe & so the risk/reward factor is not so heavily weighted towards reward.

I do though, totally understand that people in the situation I was, & those who unfortunately have lost their jobs, won't be quite as willing to part with their cash. 

[JHRover]

Do we take the clubs word for it that we will get pro rata refunds for games we can't go to?

Only the last time i listened to bullsh1t Billy in the boardroom he said prices would come down this season as recompense for missed games last year.

Then a few months later he's done the opposite. 

So when the time comes for money to be transferred into accounts I'd be concerned as to ensuring that happens.

I can live with a reasonable price hike if the club needs the money. It doesn't, because our unaccountable manager only recently dished out contract extensions for no reason and is currently working on getting Mulgrew out for the last year of his deal (the one Mowbray and Waggott signed off and now expect fans to cover).

So enough of the rubbish about us being hard up.

I don't have a problem with being asked to move seats or not getting into all the games.

I do have a problem with being at a disadvantage to any johnny come lately who may decide to spend £600 on this diamond club ticket and thus get immediate priority over decade long season ticket holders, away day regulars and 1875 members who get nothing but a ballot.

Of all Mowbray's signings I think Waggott is the worst.

£300,000 per year! You could round 4 or 5 up off here, put them all on £40,000 and you'd have more idea.

 

[Ben Frost]

I do think that people forget that in 2006-7, a Blackburn End adult Season Ticket was priced at £425, for a 19 game season so £22.37 per game.

The first big Sky TV money subsidised reduction saw that drop to £299 for 2007-8, and of course they dropped it to £199 a few seasons later again on the back of TV cash.

The fact that 14 years later the price of an Adult ST in the Blackburn End still isn't back to what it was before those price cuts says everything about the risk of going down that route at the time, even if it did have the desired effect of creating a significant boost in ST numbers in the short term. The Sky money which in effect paid for those price cuts is long gone.

So whilst a 50 quid increase is never going to be met with fans cheering from the rooftops, in context the prices are reasonable both in comparison to the early 2000s at Ewood and to other clubs in the division today.

 

[unsall]

32 minutes ago, Richard Oakley said:

It's really quite easy. The sooner we're a Wigan or Bolton, the sooner Venkys will be gone and rebuilding this club can begin.

You’ve got a buyer lined up have you, some Saudi Prince or similar, absolute rubbish.

[Paul]

@Parsonblue and others who may be interested. I don't know if this has already been posted.

My son is disabled and because of the way our STs are linked only one ever appears online to purchase. I always have to phone or visit in person.

I have just finished speaking to the TO and have renewed. For the moment we have renewed our existing seats. I asked if I could move to the JW Upper. The answer was a very clear yes and I could have purchased JWU STs. The lady I spoke to said if we wish to transfer to the JWU at a later date we can do so.

We will be able to select the bubble we chose to sit in at a later date.

Clearly my previous understanding of the club's announcement on STs and availability in the JWU was correct.

The lady I spoke to could not have been more helpful and as ever it was a pleasure to deal with the TO.

I'm very happy with the current arrangements which appear to be as safe and fair as possible.

 

Edited September 15, 2020 by Paul

[arbitro]

12 minutes ago, Ben Frost said:

I do think that people forget that in 2006-7, a Blackburn End adult Season Ticket was priced at £425, for a 19 game season so £22.37 per game.

The first big Sky TV money subsidised reduction saw that drop to £299 for 2007-8, and of course they dropped it to £199 a few seasons later again on the back of TV cash.

The fact that 14 years later the price of an Adult ST in the Blackburn End still isn't back to what it was before those price cuts says everything about the risk of going down that route at the time, even if it did have the desired effect of creating a significant boost in ST numbers in the short term. The Sky money which in effect paid for those price cuts is long gone.

So whilst a 50 quid increase is never going to be met with fans cheering from the rooftops, in context the prices are reasonable both in comparison to the early 2000s at Ewood and to other clubs in the division today.

 

Season tickets went up by around 18% the season before last. This season it's another 18% so my season ticket is now costing me around £109 more than two seasons ago. I'd love to know if anybody has had a pay rise in line with those increases in that time frame. I genuinely think we are expected to pay for the poor management of the club and penalised unfairly because of the current pandemic.

[Mattyblue]

15 minutes ago, Ben Frost said:

I do think that people forget that in 2006-7, a Blackburn End adult Season Ticket was priced at £425, for a 19 game season so £22.37 per game.

The first big Sky TV money subsidised reduction saw that drop to £299 for 2007-8, and of course they dropped it to £199 a few seasons later again on the back of TV cash.

The fact that 14 years later the price of an Adult ST in the Blackburn End still isn't back to what it was before those price cuts says everything about the risk of going down that route at the time, even if it did have the desired effect of creating a significant boost in ST numbers in the short term. The Sky money which in effect paid for those price cuts is long gone.

So whilst a 50 quid increase is never going to be met with fans cheering from the rooftops, in context the prices are reasonable both in comparison to the early 2000s at Ewood and to other clubs in the division today.

 

‘Reasonable’ in normal times, perhaps. Down right stupid in times like these.

Folk are very rational when it comes down to getting them to part with their hard earned cash.

They will see that they won’t be in the ground for a big percentage of games, so losing value straight away, that it makes no sense buying a ticket for themselves, their missus, their kids, whoever else in their household when  just one will do for ifollow. That £4/500 ticket x 4 becomes x1 or x0 when they see what’s happening out there, and the income dramatically reduces accordingly.

Edited September 15, 2020 by Mattyblue

[PeteJD13]

34 minutes ago, Richard Oakley said:

You really do post a load of manure.

Bolton, Wigan and Bury fans knew what was coming. Did they like it? Of course, they didn't. Nor will I, when Venkys inevitably pull the plug on us. A decade lost under Venkys and a decade to get us back to were we were before they took over is a distinctly unpleasant prospect.

Your attempt to guilt trip me by talking about people losing their jobs struggling to feed their kids is  cheap shot.Just what I've come to expect from you. There are plenty of people in work who struggle to feed their kids.

 

Ask any bury they didn't know what was coming, they knew Day was overspending but not to the degree he'd sell the club for a quid to a known asset stripper, how's that gone no club chairman issuing rambling statements and now a phoenix that's dividing the fanbase. Wigan they've really been snapped up haven't they, Bolton will be a miracle if they get back to the championship anytime soon. Yeah sounds like a really tempting option 

[Miller11]

I don’t like all these hypothetical Wigan, Bolton and Bury comparisons on the subject of buying/not buying tickets. There’s an inference that they find themselves in their current plights due to their supporters.

The reason they are in a mess is down to rank bad ownership, whether it be incompetent, self serving, corrupt or a combination of all the above. If we end up in administration, or worse, it will be for these exact same reasons, not through the fault of the fans.

[Tom]

I think it’s decided then, after a chat with my dad given a price increase with no real incentive and the current uncertainty, we won’t be renewing

[barry_]

looking at the seating plan, the BBE is sellibg well. 

(sorry if this has been asked before) I notice that there's seats next to each other. How's that going to work with social distancing? 

My seats in the BbE have gone already so dunno what to do now. 

Has the question been asked as to why home fans are barred from the DE lower? (or is the answer too obvious ?) 

 

 

 

Edited September 15, 2020 by barry_

[roversfan99]

I dont agree with Bolton, Wigan and Bury being used as examples to justify the increase in prices. We cant justify any decisions made as long as they dont lead to us being in administration or going totally out of business.

Ultimately, it isnt even about whether we feel that the decision is 'fair.' I dont think that its the best business decision, he doesnt appreciate that there is, albeit not as much as with many other things, a level of elasticity with the pricing. Not only will quantity of sales decrease this year, but it will lose potentially previously regular fans from attending in the future.

No one has any obligation to buy a season ticket, especially at this time, and Waggott with his marketing campaigns and his continued aggressive pricing policies is going about it the wrong way. I will probably for my sins still renew, but totally respect those that dont.

I also dont get why there is no cap on season ticket holders. The potential for a ballot brings up all sorts of issues.

[Hoochie Bloochie Mama]

1 hour ago, glen9mullan said:

I stand corrected

...said the man in the orthopaedic shoes.

[Hasta]

44 minutes ago, Ben Frost said:

So whilst a 50 quid increase is never going to be met with fans cheering from the rooftops, in context the prices are reasonable both in comparison to the early 2000s at Ewood and to other clubs in the division today.

 

Forget comparing it to 15 years ago when many fans wouldn't even have been going or would have been on kids rate. You need to compare it to the product you bought last season.

• You ultimately get to attend less matches for £50 more.

• If there are more than 1 of you in your household then, after the first season ticket holder, you get no recompense for any matches you cannot attend.

• The match day experience is going to be far worse than a normal season.

 The timing of this price increase to the £400 barrier is an absolute shocker. The club isn't that hard up as the Gladwin / Smallwood situations show.

A bit of PR would have been to announce that in light of the costs associated with COVID that prices should go up. However in acknowledgement of the issues at the end of last season, the enforced change of seating / stands, and the general unertainty of this season,  announce that the price increase was on hold with prices held and ifollow away games thrown in as a bonus.  Then give some spiel about budgets and  the market value of our tickets being too low etc... and say that passing on some of the  extra costs associated with COVID are being deferred until the experience is back to normal. Again, confirm that prices need to go up and would be going up next year if things are back to normal, apologise for the lack of information and clarity up to this point and thank people for their understanding. 

Edited September 15, 2020 by Hasta

[Tom]

9 minutes ago, barry_ said:

looking at the seating plan, the BBE is sellibg well. 

(sorry if this has been asked before) I notice that there's seats next to each other. How's that going to work with social distancing? 

My seats in the BbE have gone already so dunno what to do now. 

Has the question been asked as to why home fans are barred from the DE lower? (or is the answer too obvious ?) 

 

 

 

Basically you will be very unlikely to be allocated the seat on your season ticket, you need to apply for a seat for each game that is open to fans and they will he spread among the lower tiers 

[Wood26]

13 minutes ago, Tom said:

Basically you will be very unlikely to be allocated the seat on your season ticket, you need to apply for a seat for each game that is open to fans and they will he spread among the lower tiers 

This is what I thought, which makes me think maybe just buy single game tickets.