DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
---------------------------------------------------------
ComeAllWithin (Harlequins Rugby)
HTML https://comeallwithin.createaforum.com
---------------------------------------------------------
*****************************************************
DIR Return to: ComeAllWithin Board
*****************************************************
#Post#: 134120--------------------------------------------------
Re: Seats Re Categorised for Next Season
DIR By: jongleur
Date: February 14, 2025, 7:27 am
---------------------------------------------------------
As a Season Ticket holder there is an expectation that the price
will go up every year in line with inflation. The Club will
produce all sorts of lines of attack to justify the increase -
inflationary pressure; COVID shortfalls; increased business
taxes; increased NI contributions; profit margins. It will also
justify the additional benefits they deliver in the increased
ticket price - getting to the Euro semi finals; women's team
performance; additional friendly games; premier cup games.
The problem is that roughly every 5 years the Club recategorises
the seating plan and then use the same attack lines to justify
the significant hike in price. The reality is that going into
the next season our 4 tickets will incur an inflationary
increase plus a recategorisation increase that added together
will be around £250/ticket = £1,000 overall. Thats £1k extra
for exactly the same product we had this year!
It is bonkers to expect that increase to be received with a
shrug of the shoulders. We've had our seats since 2007 and
supported the club home & away through good and bad - even
donating money to keep the club afloat during the covid season.
I absolutely understand the drive for profitability and I get
that the club is increasingly popular and able to surf on the
rising tide of demand. But none of that mitigates the sense
that we are being taken as a cash cow to be milked and taken for
granted. I also appreciate it's a business and it is impossible
to consider the individual, but that doesn't make it any easier
when the impact feels so personal and there is no recourse.
The options are take it or leave it - stay or move. When so
much emotion has been invested the 'leave it' option will be
difficult, but it will also be difficult to find the extra
money. You would't think such a simple little letter could
upset your day so quickly!
#Post#: 134121--------------------------------------------------
Re: Seats Re Categorised for Next Season
DIR By: SiB
Date: February 14, 2025, 7:38 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Jongleur…spot on
But what I don’t get is, we are upgrading your seat to Gold
Does this mean other seats also getting upgraded, will you get
access to members bar
As it was raised last time they did this that a good few would
loose access as it was too busy
Laurie said when he came that as a season ticket holder you get
too good a deal compared to Ascot, Arsenal etc, well they are
obviously looking to change that
#Post#: 134128--------------------------------------------------
Re: Seats Re Categorised for Next Season
DIR By: Mayor West
Date: February 14, 2025, 9:06 am
---------------------------------------------------------
If the club wants more money then it should look at getting more
fans into the ground. We all sound like we have a cut off point
at which we won’t carry on paying more for our season tickets.
Only to be replaced by somebody on the waiting list. It will
then become a profitable club maybe but not really a community
club as only the wealthy will be able to attend. I think
Harlequin Football Club have a duty to their long time loyal
supporters to not price them out of watching the team they love.
How long will the new rich supporters hang around for if we
don’t win much.
#Post#: 134129--------------------------------------------------
Re: Seats Re Categorised for Next Season
DIR By: MaidstoneQuin
Date: February 14, 2025, 9:10 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: never sleep link ---
>
> That all doesn't make sense right?
>
> This isn't about the salary cap, it is about profitability.
> The club could spend £100 million on a marquee play - but they
would go massively into debt to do it.
> The club says that it spend up to the cap - but, somehow they
need to balance the books. That means that we have to either get
more money from the fans and/or more from elsewhere. This post
is just saying that the club are gonna try to get more from the
fans.
> - so, I don't see why salary cap, recruitment, club ambition,
etc come in to it.
>
--- End Quote ---
It’s more about if you are getting overall value for money,
certainly as a loyal supporter
If you pay a higher cost for something than someone else (so in
our case season tickets) you would think that by paying more you
will get a better “service” (ie results, you wouldn’t pay our
prices for let’s say Falcons).
Ryan Air and BA fly to the same places, but one will cost more
than the other. Both have the same obstacles to face; but one
costs more than the other; but with that you’d expect better
with BA.
Our average season ticket price is £802, the highest in the
league this season. Falcons have the cheapest, but Bristol are
439 for comparison. That’s some difference. We also have the
highest match day parking cost per season, and joint highest
home shirt cost. Those all add up, and if you pay top dollar,
you probably expect the team and its performance overall to
reflect that, or certainly be there or there abouts.
It might be about probability and staying afloat, but I just
have the angle of a fan with a depleting wallet. If McDonald’s
charged me Five Guys prices, I’d expect a similar product.
For reference here is my source
HTML https://www.novuna.co.uk/news-and-insights/personal-finance/price-of-premiership-rugby-harlequins-top-of-the-table-as-most-expensive-club/
#Post#: 134130--------------------------------------------------
Re: Seats Re Categorised for Next Season
DIR By: championes
Date: February 14, 2025, 9:21 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: SiB link ---
>
> Jongleur…spot on
> But what I don’t get is, we are upgrading your seat to Gold
> Does this mean other seats also getting upgraded, will you get
access to members bar
> As it was raised last time they did this that a good few would
loose access as it was too busy
>
> Laurie said when he came that as a season ticket holder you
get too good a deal compared to Ascot, Arsenal etc, well they
are obviously looking to change that
>
--- End Quote ---
As it goes, I've had my seat for 15 years as mentioned and have
been in the members bar twice. It's on the wrong side of the
ground and not very nice.
#Post#: 134133--------------------------------------------------
Re: Seats Re Categorised for Next Season
DIR By: Brown Bottle
Date: February 14, 2025, 9:37 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Interesting cost comparison in MQ's link.
I always thought Bath were the most expensive club to follow.
#Post#: 134134--------------------------------------------------
Re: Seats Re Categorised for Next Season
DIR By: jongleur
Date: February 14, 2025, 9:40 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: SiB link ---
>
> Jongleur…spot on
> But what I don’t get is, we are upgrading your seat to Gold
> Does this mean other seats also getting upgraded, will you get
access to members bar
> As it was raised last time they did this that a good few would
loose access as it was too busy
>
> Laurie said when he came that as a season ticket holder you
get too good a deal compared to Ascot, Arsenal etc, well they
are obviously looking to change that
>
--- End Quote ---
When we joined the club as STs the Gold category was restricted
to the seats looking onto the half way line - 'best seats in the
house' was the sales strapline. Slowly, over time, the Gold
category has been extended either side of the central block to
include seats from the 10m to just short of the 22m lines.
As the Gold category gets bigger I expect the Premier Seats to
similarly expand into Club, and you are right, that will
increase the folk eligible to access the Members Bar. My
instinct is that Members Bar access will become 'Gold Only' or
worst case scenario it will be an 'add on' - like parking you
will be invited to pay an additional subscription to use it.
As the ST Renewal gets closer there will be a deluge of sales
talk. I will be watching out for the declaration that cost
increases to STs have been capped at inflation - pure smoke &
mirrors because the recategorisation means they haven't.
#Post#: 134139--------------------------------------------------
Re: Seats Re Categorised for Next Season
DIR By: KentQuin
Date: February 14, 2025, 11:33 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Yay. Just got my letter. Thanks for the cynical cash grab
Laurie.
#Post#: 134141--------------------------------------------------
Re: Seats Re Categorised for Next Season
DIR By: WildQuin
Date: February 14, 2025, 11:47 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Nah... the muddy bank by the groundman's house every time!
#Post#: 134142--------------------------------------------------
Re: Seats Re Categorised for Next Season
DIR By: Safri-quin
Date: February 14, 2025, 11:51 am
---------------------------------------------------------
And of course next up is the sh*tshow that will be renewals for
those who decide they don't want to pay to be a new 'Gold'
member and would like to now 'downgrade' back to Premier....
Given the ST allocation is already oversubscribed, and there
isn't a plan to re-categorise any of the other seating stock, if
there isn't a big churn of ST's not renewing their Premier seats
(and possibly Club, Touchline & Jester), it highly probable some
of folk could be frozen out entirely... Nice situation for the
caring club. Pay through the nose or Bye Bye Thanks for the
memories...
*****************************************************
Page 3 of 5
DIR Previous Page
DIR Next Page