Athletic article on ticket prices in the premier league

[Sammy Chungs Tracksuit]

Yes, think is first of all often STH aren't that bothered about match day pricing, but 12 months down the line they find that's what they are paying themselves. Also let's say Wolves sell 22.5k ST at relatively reasonable prices and keep 5k to sell match to match. Most of them are going to members, those are genuine Wolves fans getting in when they can, they feel the same way I do at 5pm Friday. Those prices are already frankly insane. I used to bring my grandson sometimes, now it's mad. Still winds me up that without a membership he has to pay adult prices at 19. I think it's £48 in the South Bank for Saturday - ridiculous.

I was paying adult prices for my kids over 16 and still at school at Molineux. That seriously ****ed me off especially as Wolves were pretty much the only club charging full adult price for 16-18 years olds. Thank you Jez. ****!

 

[Aimless Balls]

Actual fans are what keeps a club going when it falls on hard times.

Aren’t tickets less expensive in hard times?

 

[Contrarian]

Yeah it’s hard to see how fans coming in for a game or two per year would really shift ticket prices. As has been mentioned it’s a tiny % of attendees. Think what’s shifting ticket prices is the fact that PL ticket prices are really low in comparison to most spectacles, not just NA sporting events, and they’re catching up. It’s not me buying 3 tickets, it’s that they’ve been leaving money on the table and they’re figuring it out. Nobody wants to pay more but come on, you’re getting more. Best league in the world.

The point is that matchday takings count for less than merchandise and broadcast revenue. It doesn't matter where the fans come from. Or if they didn't turn up at all, for Premier League clubs. Fans in the ground account for 18% of the revenue (of the big clubs, not sure what our % is) . It's the merchandising to those overseas fans that counts more. And being in a league that attracts the viewing revenue.

If a club can stick around in the Premier League on attendances of 10,000 a match, they will still be raking in 10s of millions more than a Championship club that can get 30,000 per match. The Bournemouth model!

 

[lostwolf]

It's getting to the point where we are no longer fans, more of cast members for each "broadcast production" providing noise and atmosphere for the watching audience.

Clubs will undoubtedly look at the subscription model for their media channels, at which point I think they should start to pay those attending games for their participation. I would accept c£4k per season as my fee.

Yeah, I know, like that's ever going to happen.

I know we give em stick but respect to Liverpool fans for organising their no flags protest this week: if you want us to provide the supporting cast, don't price us out or squeeze us too hard.

 

[Oliwolf44]

Era of frozen Premier League ticket prices is over, expert warns fans

Season tickets costs have gone up at 11 of the 12 Premier League sides to have announced their prices for next season

www.theguardian.com

Would of been nice to actually have experienced the era of price freeze lol

 

[Sammy Chungs Tracksuit]

Aren’t tickets less expensive in hard times?

They didnt drop ST prices much. The excuse of 4 extra games is usually rolled out. My main point is that fans are screwed over in the premier league by TV timetables and extortionate ticket prices because they know there are tourists waiting to snap up tickets, then on relegation TV aint that bothered and neither are the tourists so its just the hardcore fans who keep clubs afloat. Its all very well Wolves can sell all their tickets in these good times so they screw our hardcore fans over but there will come a time when the club needs the hardcore fans again.

By the way there are more games screened live in the UK next season which means more friday night and monday night games and weird timetables. The Saturday 3pm games will be thinner on the ground next season but the clubs will still want to charge more despite the inconvenience.

 

[Wolf316]

They didnt drop ST prices much. The excuse of 4 extra games is usually rolled out. My main point is that fans are screwed over in the premier league by TV timetables and extortionate ticket prices because they know there are tourists waiting to snap up tickets, then on relegation TV aint that bothered and neither are the tourists so its just the hardcore fans who keep clubs afloat. Its all very well Wolves can sell all their tickets in these good times so they screw our hardcore fans over but there will come a time when the club needs the hardcore fans again.

By the way there are more games screened live in the UK next season which means more friday night and monday night games and weird timetables. The Saturday 3pm games will be thinner on the ground next season but the clubs will still want to charge more despite the inconvenience.

Aren’t the extra games the ones on a Sunday?

 

[Aimless Balls]

Have we seen the numbers re: international ticket sales at Molineux? Is this a real issue for the club?

I think something that’s not being considered is how difficult it is to make travel plans for football matches given the way they bounce around. You can’t lock in anything until maybe 3 weeks before if everyone going is a member, for that one game or two, and if it’s general sale, sometimes you have a few days. I seriously doubt it has any effect on ticket prices now, nor will it ever. No one is coming overseas to visit Birmingham or Wolverhampton and saying “let’s see a soccer game, whoever’s in town” and shifting the price for Wolves tickets. Away fans who live in the UK probably contribute more.

If the argument is that the club doesn’t need the ticket increases because it’s a minor part of PL income then that’s a different thing.

 

[Bossworld]

I'm pretty much priced out of going to Molineux these days. I've been up in the North East nearly 20 years so it's been a long time coming but factoring in diesel, match tickets, food and drink, I'd be looking at the best part of £150 for me and my lad.

We go and watch Sunderland (have season cards) for a regular football 'fix'. Our renewal is about £450 for the coming season. So that's 23 games for the price of 3 or 4 Wolves ones, in my situation (obviously add on more for the Metro or fuel+Tyne Tunnel). Sunderland is cheap for the Championship - Middlesbrough is a similarly poor area and their ticket prices are markedly more expensive. That said, 5 Championship games will be televised per weekend from next season, and there's no clarity on what that means for kick off times as yet.

My main fear with PL pricing is that they'll target the £30 away tickets next. It's the one perk of being up here - people don't generally want to trek up for the annual defeat or 1-1 at St James, so I can usually get tickets and it's my one Wolves game a season.

Going back to the article, if a club is selling out, season ticket holders make no financial sense, as you're discounting a product where demand outstrips supply. Ironically, if Molineux is packed, I'm exactly the fan the club wants there once or twice a season - more likely to be buy merchandise, take the kids on a tour, be prepared to spend more for one off tickets etc.

Don't really know what the answers are.

 

[Sammy Chungs Tracksuit]

Have we seen the numbers re: international ticket sales at Molineux? Is this a real issue for the club?

I think something that’s not being considered is how difficult it is to make travel plans for football matches given the way they bounce around. You can’t lock in anything until maybe 3 weeks before if everyone going is a member, for that one game or two, and if it’s general sale, sometimes you have a few days. I seriously doubt it has any effect on ticket prices now, nor will it ever. No one is coming overseas to visit Birmingham or Wolverhampton and saying “let’s see a soccer game, whoever’s in town” and shifting the price for Wolves tickets. Away fans who live in the UK probably contribute more.

If the argument is that the club doesn’t need the ticket increases because it’s a minor part of PL income then that’s a different thing.

Do you actually go to games at Molineux? There are always plentry of koreans around whenever Hwang plays. But yeah you are right Wolvo aint exactly ranked highly on the international tourist trail and we dont get the same number of tourists as London clubs. But the Premier League has become a tourist attraction in its own right so I think you underestimate how many there are. Lots of foreign students over here in the UK too.

 

[Aimless Balls]

Do you actually go to games at Molineux? There are always plentry of koreans around whenever Hwang plays. But yeah you are right Wolvo aint exactly ranked highly on the international tourist trail and we dont get the same number of tourists as London clubs. But the Premier League has become a tourist attraction in its own right so I think you underestimate how many there are. Lots of foreign students over here in the UK too.

I’ve been to a few matches but not exactly a large sample size. It is possible that I’m underestimating the impact of the international crowd but I just don’t see how that would be the case. Matches were selling out long before Hwang showed up. I need to see some numbers.

 

[Wolf316]

Have we seen the numbers re: international ticket sales at Molineux? Is this a real issue for the club?

I think something that’s not being considered is how difficult it is to make travel plans for football matches given the way they bounce around. You can’t lock in anything until maybe 3 weeks before if everyone going is a member, for that one game or two, and if it’s general sale, sometimes you have a few days. I seriously doubt it has any effect on ticket prices now, nor will it ever. No one is coming overseas to visit Birmingham or Wolverhampton and saying “let’s see a soccer game, whoever’s in town” and shifting the price for Wolves tickets. Away fans who live in the UK probably contribute more.

If the argument is that the club doesn’t need the ticket increases because it’s a minor part of PL income then that’s a different thing.

I think the difference is you’re a fan who comes to watch Wolves because you support them. The Koreans come because they support Raul. Hwang goes the Koreans go.

 

[Sammy Chungs Tracksuit]

I’ve been to a few matches but not exactly a large sample size. It is possible that I’m underestimating the impact of the international crowd but I just don’t see how that would be the case. Matches were selling out long before Hwang showed up. I need to see some numbers.

What makes you think the "international crowd" numbers are readily available? There are people/businesses buying home tickets through official channels and reselling them for several times face value.

For example see Wolverhampton Wanderers v Arsenal tickets

 

[Sammy Chungs Tracksuit]

Aren’t the extra games the ones on a Sunday?

According to a Mirror article last summer it says that the number of televised games will rise from 200 (53% of 380) to 270 (75% of 380) so there will probably only be 2 Saturday 3pm games per week in the Premier League.

All Sunday games will be live (i.e. the previously non televised games pushed to Sunday because of European midweek matches) plus an increase in the amount of Friday and Monday evening TV slots. I wouldnt be surprised if they do 7:30 & 8:15 Friday and Monday kick offs.

The Brentford cup tie was 7:30 and my normal 1 hour drive to Wolverhampton became a 2 hour drive because of local rush hour traffic where I set off from. I just about took my seat 5 minutes before the game, so a load of stress and no time for food or drink. Friday night 7:30's just wont be possible. Do the Premier League or the club give a flying fig about actual fans? No chance.

Premier League plan huge overhaul in 2024/25 but fans fear nightmare scenario

 

[Spitfire]

It’s a pity as fans we can’t follow the German fans lead and take action to get these ridiculous kick off times scrapped.

 

[rincewind]

Good idea and potential good use for the Graham Hughes.

If I've always thought that if we're ever in a position where there's spare capacity we should offer tickets for free or very little, to local schools. Out to Dudley and Shropshire etc. Particularly less high profile games. Get the next generation in.

 

[Adrian_Monk]

I’ve been to a few matches but not exactly a large sample size. It is possible that I’m underestimating the impact of the international crowd but I just don’t see how that would be the case. Matches were selling out long before Hwang showed up. I need to see some numbers.

Anecdotally, my experience is it's a pretty small number, although I'm sure others have more experience in this area than me so don't take what I'm saying as gospel.

However, I will say that when you hear of Hwang staying afterwards for hours signing autographs, it isn't just because he's Korean and has crowds of Koreans waiting for him. There are a number of reasons - one being that he's very patient and happy to stay.

Some players, especially those that haven't played, can't wait to get out (Hugo Bueno, for example, on the few occasions I've accidentally got caught in the rush in the car park, didn't want to hang around), some simply aren't super popular (Bentley has a super-fan but mostly got left alone). Sometimes players don't get noticed (Dawson gets driven home by his wife) and some have a car full of kids and often that will be given the appropriate respect. Fair play to Hwang he never has an issue with staying for the fans and that's probably a bigger takeaway than his draw of compatriots.

There are consistently a fair number of Korean fans both home and away, where it's a bit more noticeable, but if it's as much as 0.7% of our home crowd (aside the match against Spurs) I'd be amazed.

 

[Aimless Balls]

What makes you think the "international crowd" numbers are readily available? There are people/businesses buying home tickets through official channels and reselling them for several times face value.

For example see Wolverhampton Wanderers v Arsenal tickets

Sure, Arsenal fans are buying tickets. I see 62 are for sale there. Too bad people are selling them but I don’t think the club is monitoring secondary market sales and adjusting prices accordingly.

 

[Oliwolf44]

Didnt want to start a new thread but a very interesting podcast from the athletic about games in US, how the prem will react, ticket prices discussed at the end.
Overall suggestion is that it will be undeniable there will be some form of competitive fixture in the US within 5yrs
Business case is undeniable and will most likely be other european leagues take the plunge first before UEFA and then the prem does as the premier league will eventually wear down the fan backlash.

 

[Werewolf of Wombourne]

Anecdotally, my experience is it's a pretty small number, although I'm sure others have more experience in this area than me so don't take what I'm saying as gospel.

However, I will say that when you hear of Hwang staying afterwards for hours signing autographs, it isn't just because he's Korean and has crowds of Koreans waiting for him. There are a number of reasons - one being that he's very patient and happy to stay.

Some players, especially those that haven't played, can't wait to get out (Hugo Bueno, for example, on the few occasions I've accidentally got caught in the rush in the car park, didn't want to hang around), some simply aren't super popular (Bentley has a super-fan but mostly got left alone). Sometimes players don't get noticed (Dawson gets driven home by his wife) and some have a car full of kids and often that will be given the appropriate respect. Fair play to Hwang he never has an issue with staying for the fans and that's probably a bigger takeaway than his draw of compatriots.

There are consistently a fair number of Korean fans both home and away, where it's a bit more noticeable, but if it's as much as 0.7% of our home crowd (aside the match against Spurs) I'd be amazed.

The number of Korean fans amongst the crowd isn't really the issue, it's how many shirts and other merchandise we sell in South Korea with Hee-Chan on them. I think we badly underestimate just what a sporting god he is in Korea. He's almost at Son levels of worship. Just watch the you tube video's of Korean's meeting him. They are in awe of him.

Let's milk it for everything we can while we still have him. I don't know what the margin is on a shirt but price wise one shirt sold is the equivalent of 2 tickets on match day.