shame we never got to see him play

Jonesy, I had to down for being a cut above the usual fekkittery that infests this board from time to time. And being in possession of at least half a brain. Maybe not quite up to the excellent Wilk's level, and way behind the outstanding Exeter, but defo well ahead of the chasing pack.

Till now.

It has been explained to the likes of you more times than I care to recall that:

1. £60 was the base terrace price. Its £99 for most of the stand, much more for the best seats.
2. More bodies in the ground means more spend on drink, food, merchandise, raffle tickets, programmes and everything else that generates income. Twice the crowd = twice the ancillary income. Speaking for myself, last year I spend more per game in the ground on "ancillary" items than I did on my seat, as did numerous others. Can't believe you missed that - you SURE someone has not hacked your account?
3. Much bigger crowds means higher sponsorship and corporate income. Why do you think JCT600 renewed their main sponsorship when, before the Pledge campaign, they were minded to reduce it? And we'll get a shedload more from Kooga and other sponsors on the back of this.
4. Much bigger crowds means its easier to attract playing and off-field personnel.
5. Much bigger crowds helps support the team on matchdays.
6. The success of the Pledge campaign has generated a HUGE amount of positive press for the club. That sort of publicity is priceless.

As for 20,000 fans at £30 (or £50 for the stand?) - what a great idea! Just imagine the massive "ancillary" income and the effect of corporate income! And the effect on visiting teams being deafened by the home crowd as 14th man. Maybe you are not as dumb as you made yourself look after all!

In all seriousness Jonesy i dont know how much an adult ground season ticket cost last year but this year it is £60 so lets say as a best guess £200

How many do you think we would have sold bearing in mind poor performances, uncertainty around half back situation, current climate, Christmas approaching etc, etc?

Lets say a hardcore 3000 at £200 each = guess what? £600k in income

As Adey points out surely you must see it is better to have 10000 at these prices than 3000 at those prices. As for a sponsor quitting and taking the 'topping up money out' you refer to, well dont you think this is less likely with the option we have gone down rather than above scenario? But as you rightly say it could happen, just seems a bit less likely now dont you think?

To be honest I think this is most likely trolling

For his benefit though, I'll bite and explain using myself as an example

I've never had a season ticket before. I just went to matches and paid at the gate.

When I've been and paid £17 or whatever and the gate, I don't usually feel like spending anything else. So I don't. I'm a on a budget, have a family, so £20 (including the stand transfer) is quite a chunk out of what I have to spare each week. As a result, that tended to be all I ever spent.

So, OK, this year - for next season - I've bought a main stand membership. That's £99, not £60. So straight away your maths is under estimating the 'take' from season tickets. If the main stand gets close to being sold out, that could be another 4000 x £39 = £156K into the pot for starters

This whole thing has generated massive buzz and feel good factor, so as a result I'm fully intending to get one of the new season shirts, probably an away shirt (because I think it looks cool) as a Christmas present from one of my kids. So there's another £40 going into the tills

Then we get to the actual Match Days themselves. By next Spring, the £99 I spent on the admission will have long been absorbed by our family budget. In fact, it basically already has been. So when I pitch up at Odsal, I'm going to be FAR more likely to buy a programme or merchandise or at the food stalls. In fact, I'm almost bound to, because it will 'feel' like I'm getting in through the gate at no cost (yes, I realise I paid earlier, but it will still feel almost like a freebie). So I'm going to be spending money inside ground.

Multiply that by 10, 300 + kids + familes + visiting fans and you've got a serious amount of cash coming in.

It's not hard to figure out if you actually apply yourself

thanks for your kind considerations adey,they're very much appreciated,and from such a respected poster as yourself too which makes it even better!
i must enlighten you to the fact that i do in fact have at least half a brain,a fact that my employers agree with and feel the need to reward me very handsomely for my work


at my club standing season tickets start at £200 for the "early bird offer"
seating prices range from £200 to £300 for the "early bird offer"
do you get the gist of what i'm trying to imply now?
by my reckoning we will probably treble your season ticket sales in monetary terms based purely on the guaranteed 10,000 tickets that you have so far sold without counting your home fans that walk up on the day throughout the season
we have regularly averaged 15,000 plus so that's another 50% on top potentially if you don't


couldn't agree more mate,i too spend far more on merchandise than i do for even my much more expensively priced season ticket,
just imagine another 15,000 fans thinking the same!




i'm not surprised at their reaction either,afterall would you support a dwindling ship and offer them big sponsorship?



so basically speaking here adey,would you not agree with me here and say that this "pledge" was offered to fans due to the fact that the club was on it's ar53 financially and needed to get bodies back on the terraces not only to improve season ticket and merchandice sales at the club but also to keep those sponsors happy that we're still willing to put their money in?
for how many seasons will this "pledge" last for?
or havn't you all been informed yet?

Jonesy, its disingenuous to selectively quote from what someone said, and even more so when you try to move the argument away from the one you were initially pedalling once you were shown up for a fool in so doing. You know it, I know it, and all those reading this forum know it. Its the last refuge of the fekkwìt troll, and I'm disappointed in you for resorting to it.

Every man and his dog knows the whole point of the pledge was to arrest, and dramatically revert, the serious decline in attendances. With all that that entailed. That provides the funding. the support and - maybe most importantly - the confidence and self-belief to give the team a realistic chance on the park next season. It has worked, and most informed and unbiased commentators see it as an incredible achievement and a bold gamble that paid off.

Troll on if it amuses you, but I'm very disappointed in you. I really thought you were better than that.