WPM R6 vs Western United 🐍 | Sun 13th Nov | 3:00pm | RoF/SS7

Ninja

The ticket prices is absolutely an issue. Almost $50 for a football game is too much. It's much better for the club long-term to average 7,500-8,000 fans for $25-30 tickets, than $5,000 fans for $45-50 tickets. Even if the club may be making slightly more from the higher ticket prices.

It's a bad mistake to start isolating, and worse, blaming, your fans. The fans are the backbone of the club. The fans keep the club alive, and thriving. Turn your back on the fans at your own peril. It's been the downfall of many clubs in the U.K. in recent times.

This is the second or third time Domey has made a very thinly veiled threat that if crowds didn't improve then more games elsewhere might be on the cards.
Not just the pricing for your casual or walk up fans but it seems to me that a lot of the people on the receiving end of the "Giveaway" tickets don't appear to show up either. The club lose money and crowds. Better to have 10k at $20 than 4-5k at $42 - because you wont get that. I think they next to make it a blanket price for entry - $20, sit where you like. Should we make the payoffs, then you can introduce your various seat prices because fans will turn up for playoff games (Except NPC Semi Finals - 3.5k at Sky). Di you want people on the crowd or lots and lots of yellow empty seats that looks bad on TV?

LG

Ninja

The ticket prices is absolutely an issue. Almost $50 for a football game is too much. It's much better for the club long-term to average 7,500-8,000 fans for $25-30 tickets, than $5,000 fans for $45-50 tickets. Even if the club may be making slightly more from the higher ticket prices.

It's a bad mistake to start isolating, and worse, blaming, your fans. The fans are the backbone of the club. The fans keep the club alive, and thriving. Turn your back on the fans at your own peril. It's been the downfall of many clubs in the U.K. in recent times.

This is the second or third time Domey has made a very thinly veiled threat that if crowds didn't improve then more games elsewhere might be on the cards.
Not just the pricing for your casual or walk up fans but it seems to me that a lot of the people on the receiving end of the "Giveaway" tickets don't appear to show up either. The club lose money and crowds. Better to have 10k at $20 than 4-5k at $42 - because you wont get that. I think they next to make it a blanket price for entry - $20, sit where you like. Should we make the payoffs, then you can introduce your various seat prices because fans will turn up for playoff games (Except NPC Semi Finals - 3.5k at Sky). Di you want people on the crowd or lots and lots of yellow empty seats that looks bad on TV?

Domes being a tool. The threats are just sad really, like he thinks that the team would magically get amazing crowds if they played in Auckland. They can try if if they like but the club would be found out as pretty damn tinpot.

He showed in the interview how out of touch he was when he tried to call the ticket prices fair, they obviously aren't because people aren't showing up. I agree with you, lower the prices and do away with seating areas.

If they try moving the club they'll lose what fans they do have pretty quick.

Monto

LG

Ninja

The ticket prices is absolutely an issue. Almost $50 for a football game is too much. It's much better for the club long-term to average 7,500-8,000 fans for $25-30 tickets, than $5,000 fans for $45-50 tickets. Even if the club may be making slightly more from the higher ticket prices.

It's a bad mistake to start isolating, and worse, blaming, your fans. The fans are the backbone of the club. The fans keep the club alive, and thriving. Turn your back on the fans at your own peril. It's been the downfall of many clubs in the U.K. in recent times.

This is the second or third time Domey has made a very thinly veiled threat that if crowds didn't improve then more games elsewhere might be on the cards.
Not just the pricing for your casual or walk up fans but it seems to me that a lot of the people on the receiving end of the "Giveaway" tickets don't appear to show up either. The club lose money and crowds. Better to have 10k at $20 than 4-5k at $42 - because you wont get that. I think they next to make it a blanket price for entry - $20, sit where you like. Should we make the payoffs, then you can introduce your various seat prices because fans will turn up for playoff games (Except NPC Semi Finals - 3.5k at Sky). Di you want people on the crowd or lots and lots of yellow empty seats that looks bad on TV?

Domes being a tool. The threats are just sad really, like he thinks that the team would magically get amazing crowds if they played in Auckland. They can try if if they like but the club would be found out as pretty damn tinpot.

He showed in the interview how out of touch he was when he tried to call the ticket prices fair, they obviously aren't because people aren't showing up. I agree with you, lower the prices and do away with seating areas.

If they try moving the club they'll lose what fans they do have pretty quick.

this convo is hilarious as the topic has been discussed for years - ie since the nix began. The owners have always said 10k fans was the break even point, I think even Terry S quoted that number. Safe to say 10k is the break even figure for a game at the stadium. The club has tried a wide range of ticket prices and and other activities to attract larger crownds and as has been mentioned over the years we have never really hit $10k+ consitently. In his last interview Dome said that dropping ticket prices did not result in an increase in crowd numbers that justoified thec ost of doing so ie halving the price did not double the crowd. He's running a business that needs to cover it's costs at least. If ticket prices was the sole reason we arent getting 10k+ crowds then why, when ticket prices were lower, were the cowds at the 7k mark only??

He's not out of touch, he says that lowering the price does not impact crowd numbers and he has numbers to back that up. Unfortunately, what they're doing though, is fleecing the faithful.

Ryan

He's not out of touch, he says that lowering the price does not impact crowd numbers and he has numbers to back that up. Unfortunately, what they're doing though, is fleecing the faithful.

gotta make hay with the crop they have, crowd numbers have been relatively consistent over the years, despite good/bad performances, ok ticket prices and food getting better/worse/ok again. Ticket prices having moved for years, yet costs will have gone up, it makes sense that something has to move and the club really only makes money of ticekt sales, I doubt the stadiuum gives them anything from the food sales.

It's a no win situation.  They are trying to find the least loss scenario I guess.

just looked at tickets for the womens game this weekend, buy online, silver adult $32.50, child $14! That's not expensive, sure it goes up on gameday but that's not the club that ticketek adding a premium/service fee. If you want to go to the game buy your tickets early, make the commitment and go. If you choose to wait until gameday then your gonna get fleeced.

theprof

just looked at tickets for the womens game this weekend, buy online, silver adult $32.50, child $14! That's not expensive, sure it goes up on gameday but that's not the club that ticketek adding a premium/service fee. If you want to go to the game buy your tickets early, make the commitment and go. If you choose to wait until gameday then your gonna get fleeced.

If you don't think that's expensive then I think you're a bit out of touch. In fact, by the way you defend nearly all of the Nix ticketing decisions I'm willing to guess that you're reasonably well off.

For most people thats a lot of money to spend on the football, particularly if you have a family. Cost of living crisis and all that.

Just continuing to beat that dead horse. 

I don't blame the club, because they're in a tough position, but it was also a bit of a gut punch to pay $310 for a season pass this year, after paying $277 last season for just a single game.

Just wish there was a way to reward the fans who continuously support the team, while making it affordable for new fans, and ultimately growing the experience, and being sustainable.

Hey, at least they stopped playing queen.

Continuing the momentum they've built this season, and ultimately winning it, will go a long way. It's all doom and gloom at the moment, and that's coming off a disappointing crowd and loss, but we've been the better team for most of our minutes this season and look like contenders. 

Ryan

He's not out of touch, he says that lowering the price does not impact crowd numbers and he has numbers to back that up. Unfortunately, what they're doing though, is fleecing the faithful.

Not sure if this is correct. Ticket prices are the highest they've ever been and we recorded a crowd of 5,000, which is significantly down from our average over all other seasons when ticket prices were much cheaper.

I'm not saying this is the sole factor for the small crowd, but it certainly has to be a contributor.

Monto

theprof

just looked at tickets for the womens game this weekend, buy online, silver adult $32.50, child $14! That's not expensive, sure it goes up on gameday but that's not the club that ticketek adding a premium/service fee. If you want to go to the game buy your tickets early, make the commitment and go. If you choose to wait until gameday then your gonna get fleeced.

If you don't think that's expensive then I think you're a bit out of touch. In fact, by the way you defend nearly all of the Nix ticketing decisions I'm willing to guess that you're reasonably well off.

For most people thats a lot of money to spend on the football, particularly if you have a family. Cost of living crisis and all that.

wouldnt say I'm well off but I'm lukcy/privelaged enough to be able to prioritise my money. What i mean is that those prices arent much higher than they have been previously - and if you want to go to the game then be smart and buy early, cos waiiting is only gonna cost you more, the club's costs ahve gone up too, so I'm surprised that some on here think they should absorb those when they've taken such a hit over the years.

theprof

just looked at tickets for the womens game this weekend, buy online, silver adult $32.50, child $14! That's not expensive, sure it goes up on gameday but that's not the club that ticketek adding a premium/service fee. If you want to go to the game buy your tickets early, make the commitment and go. If you choose to wait until gameday then your gonna get fleeced.

Yes however some folks tried to buy online in advance, but Ticketek failed them, and so they had to pay the $42.50 at the gate. That's not winning new fans over. The club should be complaining to Ticketek about that, and demanding better.

Keep seeing people saying cheap tickets have been tried but don't work. Can anyone tell me when we did this promotion with cheaper tickets . Yep over the years there have been $10 seats offered after a game but csnt recall a series of games where cheap seats were on offer. Good luck to those who can afford to attend at the prices being  charged but don't kid yourselves that there arnt MANY out there who can't. Sadly despite being a Phoenix tragic I will miss this weekends game because 4 weeks in a row and the costs involved are just to much even for this tragic.
It's not the fans fault the club needs 10k there to break even and i for one am sick of hearing about it.

I totally uinderstand that some cannot afford to attend all the games - I'm making the same decisions. But lets be fair to our club, the increase in costs isnt their fault and we as fans cant demand it both ways, ie not hearing about the bad stuff and demanding to hear all the good stuff. If, the club was going under and we didnt know about it until the day of closure we'd be furious we weren't told or kept informed. You've got to take it with a grain of salt, we all know the number, Dome is doing his best to keep it front and centre in the media etc, he and the club know everyone is doing it tough - as rich as the owners are I'm damn sure they'll be hurting form the costs involved in putting two teams on the field 6 weeks in a row.

theprof

I totally uinderstand that some cannot afford to attend all the games - I'm making the same decisions. But lets be fair to our club, the increase in costs isnt their fault and we as fans cant demand it both ways, ie not hearing about the bad stuff and demanding to hear all the good stuff. If, the club was going under and we didnt know about it until the day of closure we'd be furious we weren't told or kept informed. You've got to take it with a grain of salt, we all know the number, Dome is doing his best to keep it front and centre in the media etc, he and the club know everyone is doing it tough - as rich as the owners are I'm damn sure they'll be hurting form the costs involved in putting two teams on the field 6 weeks in a row.

Their richness is probably being hammered at the moment too so sinking money into the club probably isn't easy at the moment.

I'm not saying feel sorry for the rich or nothing but the might be having the same convos with their families about how much money they can spend on the Nix too.

Not demanding at all to just hear the good stuff just sick of the constant banging on about 10k fans. Nothing in our history suggests that is a realistic target. Yes we have got there on the odd occasion mostly on special occasions.
Again its not the fans fault they have to have 10k to break even. I also say again im not sure why this group of admittedly successful business men think they can do something that many around world have failed to do. Thats operate a sports team that either breaks even or close to it.  Yes its not good they have to keep coughing up more money but come on if they went into this not knowing this wasnt a possible outcome then you really wonder how closely they looked at it before deciding to go ahead.
In saying all that i still believe  we can get to the 10k figure BUT to get there they are going to have a team that is playing well consistently and not disappear for weeks at time from home games. 

Ryan

Just continuing to beat that dead horse. 

I don't blame the club, because they're in a tough position, but it was also a bit of a gut punch to pay $310 for a season pass this year, after paying $277 last season for just a single game.

Just wish there was a way to reward the fans who continuously support the team, while making it affordable for new fans, and ultimately growing the experience, and being sustainable.

Hey, at least they stopped playing queen.

I actually thought the membership was really good value when you factor in attending the women's games.

What I think was a complete cock up is not offering individual ALM & ALW memberships - at least 2 women I know would get an ALW membership but don't give a toss about the men. They'll go to most games, but its a massive missed opportunity and I'm astounded the Nix haven't done it. I understand the desire to present the club as a united entity but its cutting off your nose to spite your face.  

Think people also get hacked off when they see and hear the disparity between what people pay or dont pay to attend the games.
At one end you have the freebies given to sponsors and their hangers on,then those lucky enough to get either some of the other freebies given away on various promotions. Or you might grab one of the occasional Grab One specials that appear or just buy on line. Then you have the complete ripoff of $42.50 at the gate. Despite what is said our prices seem to differ greatly from those of the Hurricanes/Lions even their carparking is cheaper.
I know of people who have attended complete previous seasons never purchasing a ticket just using freebies 

Nelfoos

Ryan

Just continuing to beat that dead horse. 

I don't blame the club, because they're in a tough position, but it was also a bit of a gut punch to pay $310 for a season pass this year, after paying $277 last season for just a single game.

Just wish there was a way to reward the fans who continuously support the team, while making it affordable for new fans, and ultimately growing the experience, and being sustainable.

Hey, at least they stopped playing queen.

I actually thought the membership was really good value when you factor in attending the women's games.

What I think was a complete cock up is not offering individual ALM & ALW memberships - at least 2 women I know would get an ALW membership but don't give a toss about the men. They'll go to most games, but its a massive missed opportunity and I'm astounded the Nix haven't done it. I understand the desire to present the club as a united entity but its cutting off your nose to spite your face.  

Agree with you on this i dont get why the club dont offer a Mens and Womans membership run by the club there dosnt have to be heaps of giveaway stuff just a membership card and the promise of some contact by either social media or emails.Also not through a ticketing agent so they get a cut.
Would love to be able to show my support for the Woman without having to pay for another seat at the stadium.

a) This subthread about ticket prices needs to be spun off into its own thread.
b) There are two arguments which are getting confused here:
* WPFC should cut ticket prices because that'll boost crowds.
* WPFC should cut ticket prices just because it's socially fair.
The first is a hypothesis which can be argued with reference to historical experience and data, and even by experiment. The second is a political and ethical argument.

Ryan

Just continuing to beat that dead horse. 

I don't blame the club, because they're in a tough position, but it was also a bit of a gut punch to pay $310 for a season pass this year, after paying $277 last season for just a single game.

Just wish there was a way to reward the fans who continuously support the team, while making it affordable for new fans, and ultimately growing the experience, and being sustainable.

Hey, at least they stopped playing queen.

This is also incredibly fair.

We essentially donated a lot of money last year.  Sure we got a printed letter saying thanks and stuff but something token like $50 off or an extra bit if merch to say thanks would have gone a long way.

Nelfoos

Ryan

Just continuing to beat that dead horse. 

I don't blame the club, because they're in a tough position, but it was also a bit of a gut punch to pay $310 for a season pass this year, after paying $277 last season for just a single game.

Just wish there was a way to reward the fans who continuously support the team, while making it affordable for new fans, and ultimately growing the experience, and being sustainable.

Hey, at least they stopped playing queen.

I actually thought the membership was really good value when you factor in attending the women's games.

What I think was a complete cock up is not offering individual ALM & ALW memberships - at least 2 women I know would get an ALW membership but don't give a toss about the men. They'll go to most games, but its a massive missed opportunity and I'm astounded the Nix haven't done it. I understand the desire to present the club as a united entity but its cutting off your nose to spite your face.  

You can buy women's memberships.  They pushed it real hard to get that exact audience.

Chuck your friends this link:
https://wellingtonphoenix.flicket.co.nz/memberships/ecd70a8f-829f-4724-b0c2-1fe6e90f9ea9

The only option not available is just a men's membership.  Is suspect the idea was to make it so anyone buying a membership will have access to the women's games helping to boost the opportunity for crowds since there is no additional cost.

But yea, for your friends the exact option they want is available :)

Bananas

Nelfoos

Ryan

Just continuing to beat that dead horse. 

I don't blame the club, because they're in a tough position, but it was also a bit of a gut punch to pay $310 for a season pass this year, after paying $277 last season for just a single game.

Just wish there was a way to reward the fans who continuously support the team, while making it affordable for new fans, and ultimately growing the experience, and being sustainable.

Hey, at least they stopped playing queen.

I actually thought the membership was really good value when you factor in attending the women's games.

What I think was a complete cock up is not offering individual ALM & ALW memberships - at least 2 women I know would get an ALW membership but don't give a toss about the men. They'll go to most games, but its a massive missed opportunity and I'm astounded the Nix haven't done it. I understand the desire to present the club as a united entity but its cutting off your nose to spite your face.  

You can buy women's memberships.  They pushed it real hard to get that exact audience.

Chuck your friends this link:
https://wellingtonphoenix.flicket.co.nz/memberships/ecd70a8f-829f-4724-b0c2-1fe6e90f9ea9

The only option not available is just a men's membership.  Is suspect the idea was to make it so anyone buying a membership will have access to the women's games helping to boost the opportunity for crowds since there is no additional cost.

But yea, for your friends the exact option they want is available :)

Well there you go. I take that back, but David Dome himself told me they weren't doing it so I guess they changed their minds.

Purchasing for my partner and sister now.

Nelfoos

Bananas

Nelfoos

Ryan

Just continuing to beat that dead horse. 

I don't blame the club, because they're in a tough position, but it was also a bit of a gut punch to pay $310 for a season pass this year, after paying $277 last season for just a single game.

Just wish there was a way to reward the fans who continuously support the team, while making it affordable for new fans, and ultimately growing the experience, and being sustainable.

Hey, at least they stopped playing queen.

I actually thought the membership was really good value when you factor in attending the women's games.

What I think was a complete cock up is not offering individual ALM & ALW memberships - at least 2 women I know would get an ALW membership but don't give a toss about the men. They'll go to most games, but its a massive missed opportunity and I'm astounded the Nix haven't done it. I understand the desire to present the club as a united entity but its cutting off your nose to spite your face.  

You can buy women's memberships.  They pushed it real hard to get that exact audience.

Chuck your friends this link:
https://wellingtonphoenix.flicket.co.nz/memberships/ecd70a8f-829f-4724-b0c2-1fe6e90f9ea9

The only option not available is just a men's membership.  Is suspect the idea was to make it so anyone buying a membership will have access to the women's games helping to boost the opportunity for crowds since there is no additional cost.

But yea, for your friends the exact option they want is available :)

Well there you go. I take that back, but David Dome himself told me they weren't doing it so I guess they changed their minds.

Purchasing for my partner and sister now.

They must have gotten the feedback from peps and changed their mind.  Which is a good thing :)