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Post by croydonstokie on Feb 23, 2004 14:42:28 GMT
If we dont reach the 8500 pledge target.I know people rant and rave about the owners,lack of funding,ambition etc,but if we cant even show them our commitment to this very good offer then who can blame them if they become disillusioned?.Supporters keep banging on about wheres the money for new players etc in a very depressed time for football yet a lot cant even do their bit in the way of pledging.If we dont reach the target then we get what we deserve,nothing!!.It will be nothing short of appalling.Come on supporters,in this current football climate the ST offer is a very good deal indeed.I am not speaking out of place here am I?.
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Post by stonetezza on Feb 23, 2004 14:46:30 GMT
What gets me is that 2000 people paid more money last year to watch an inferior team to the current one.
Excuse me but THAT DON'T MAKE SENSE.
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Post by mattybscfc on Feb 23, 2004 14:47:34 GMT
Well i can honestly say the stoke havn't advertised the pledge form enough.
The only places i have seen it is on the Offical site, on the oatcake and once in the sentivale.
What stoke should of done is put it in the sentivale for 2 weeks solid, just to remind people about it, but they havn't.
Thye should of put them in pubs, shops, hanley shopping center ect, again just to remind people, but they havn't
I even had someone ask me on saturday what is this pledge form about, i told him it was for the new season ticket prices and he just looked at me and said what the fuck, i havn't heard anything about this.
Just gose to show we may of fucked up again
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Post by GlennA on Feb 23, 2004 14:55:56 GMT
I'm sure a lot of people couldn't be arsed filling the form in at Saturday's match. If I'd received mine that way, I'd have taken it home and posted it later. At least I hope that applies for a significant number. It just shows what a distorted picture you get if you use the message boards and stuff though. Like Matty, I've mentioned the pledge to a number of keen supporters who didn't know what I was on about. The misleading announcement after the game didn't help, either. You can't hear every word at the best of times and I, for one, thought they'd said only 300 and something to go. How much complacency has that generated I wonder? Anyway - it's going to be fucking close so I'll go and nag a couple of mates in the pub who intend to pledge but haven't got round to it yet  |
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Post by Admin on Feb 23, 2004 15:42:19 GMT
I suppose the mistake we all make is to assume that ALL Stokies make the same level of effort in keeping up with news on the Internet, etc, as us sad gits do. In actual fact there are waaaaay more people who don't use the net than those who do and so it will have come a some surprise to some fans.
Having said that... it's hard to know what more the club could have done really. I personally think it has been reasonably well advertised (shame about some regular fans who didn't receive postal notification though) and you'd have expected word of mouth to get to those who didn't get something through the post.
There are also some fans who just don't see the benefits. I have one acquaintance who is a regular home attender but isn't getting a season-ticket... his reason being that his shifts at work means he has to miss four or five games a season. I tried and tried to explain that he would still save a shedload by getting a seaosn-ticket,even if he missed those four/five games but he just couldn't see it!
Smudge
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Post by SuperStokie on Feb 23, 2004 15:49:29 GMT
Smudge, it is still a large outlay when your missing that amount of games (whos to say he won't miss more either!).
I'd find it hard to buy a season ticket knowing i'd be missing nearly a fifth of the ones I'd paid for, even though long term i'd be saving myself money! Psychological I think!
Jon
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Post by Hooky on Feb 23, 2004 15:50:07 GMT
(Dave hits head against wall) can't you explain it in simple maths terms to him, or maybe in wasted money terms, or how many pints of beer he could buy with cash saved ?
Its really quite simple, how stupid/stubborn do some people have to be ?
I can go just over half the games and still be in profit IMHO ...... madness
suffice to say 2 pledges on day 1 at these prices
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Post by stonetezza on Feb 23, 2004 15:51:35 GMT
It ain't them that worry me Smudge. Its the current ST holders who haven't pledged.
What more do the club have to do to get them to pledge. (Short of selling them a brain!!)
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Post by medog on Feb 23, 2004 15:52:25 GMT
Season ticket holder next to me has not sent his in yet. Says he will do so this week and I have finally persuaded another guy to come with us next season. He has just posted his pledge. I should be on commision ;D
Hopefully we will reach the target and if not I will have to pay a bit more for my weekly punishment.
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Post by Admin on Feb 23, 2004 16:06:17 GMT
Never, but NEVER, underestimate the power of "Couldn't be arsed" when people have to get up and do something, even if it is of enormous benefit to themselves.
If this pledge things fail I will bet the life of my family on the fact that someone who didn't pledge will complain about the prices next season!
Smudge
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Post by SuperStokie on Feb 23, 2004 16:10:00 GMT
Yeah, that'll happen Smudge. I've moaned all through this season and last season about the prices being too much, and even though i'm 18, do 12 hours a week (im in the same price category as my Dad who works 40 hours a week is my point here), to moan would simply make me look silly! It'd be a crying shame if the prices don't go ahead. Bang, Head, Wall, Against, Brick!  Jon |
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Post by mcf on Feb 23, 2004 16:10:05 GMT
'If this pledge things fail I will bet the life of my family on the fact that someone who didn't pledge will complain about the prices next season! '
and what would be wrong with that? We don't know what prices they will be yet - individual match prices could be way high. There are a whole host of reasons why people would prefer not have season tickets. Many may not be able to find the money in 2/3 months either.
This offer while great for some of us, and I'll take advantage of it, could actually backfire drastically if the club don't get the individual/season ticket prices right after the pledge date.
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Post by jaykaye on Feb 23, 2004 16:10:22 GMT
Have you seen the admission prices for next season? What a fuckin rip off! I still haven't sent in my pledge form yet tho ;D ;D
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Post by jaykaye on Feb 23, 2004 16:11:28 GMT
OK I just gave in and sent it off ;D ;D
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Post by markscfc72 on Feb 23, 2004 16:17:21 GMT
another thing is, if people are going to be posting there forms then when are they going to post them because we all know how unreliable the post service is so if we do fall just short then will the club wait until the monday to see if they get anymore in the post???
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Post by slangking on Feb 23, 2004 16:19:44 GMT
Yeah, it's just laziness this pledge thing. They'd probably sell just as many if they put the tickets on sale without asking for 'pledges',silly publicity stunt I reckon.
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Post by Admin on Feb 23, 2004 16:22:23 GMT
and what would be wrong with that? Er, just about everything would be wrong with that. As someone else has already said, this is a chance to ensure lower prices for ourselves, so it's time to put up or shut up. Smudge |
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Post by markscfc72 on Feb 23, 2004 16:23:37 GMT
mcf
i think smudge meant that if we fall short then people who didnt pledge will complain about the higher season ticket prices whereas if they had pledged they could have paid the reduced prices
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Post by sheffieldstokie on Feb 23, 2004 16:30:52 GMT
There's absolutely no excuse at all for not sending the form off. It takes 2 minutes to fill out and put in a tall red box with a hole at the top. If we don't get the required number in then who could blame the board for not lowering prices? This has to make buisiness sense and they have to know this. Come on - get these forms sent off!
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Post by markscfc72 on Feb 23, 2004 16:33:37 GMT
sheffield stokie
you dont even have to leave the house mate, if you didnt want to, you can just ring the hotline number
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Post by markscfc72 on Feb 23, 2004 16:34:54 GMT
does anybody know if tony did end up manning the phones the other day, did anybody speak to him??
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Post by mcf on Feb 23, 2004 16:41:27 GMT
what about those that don't pledge because they can't afford to meet the payments at the end of april. Many people buy season tickets in blocks for their families etc. Some people might only go to 6 games a year because they are exiles....etc etc If individual ticket prices are way too high then people will have a right to moan. Infact, you will see it in the attendances as they will speak for themselves. To say that no one can moan is rather draconian |
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ICK
Spectator
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Post by ICK on Feb 23, 2004 16:47:51 GMT
You'll be happy when they dish them out for free then? I really don't understand how the club can be expected to do any more than this. Some people aren't happy unless they're moaning about something.
Speaking from experience I can truly say that when you work for a football club, no matter how much effort you make it's never enough for some people.
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Post by mcf on Feb 23, 2004 16:56:45 GMT
Look ICK
I think its a good offer - its suits me. It doesn't mean it will suit everyone.
The club are getting a load of money for next season, even before we've finished paying for this c unting one.
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Post by browneyedboy on Feb 23, 2004 19:44:01 GMT
Croydon, I think you're being overly harsh on people. Just because it's a good offer doesn't mean everyone has to take it. There are many reasons why people might not want a season ticket; I for one, am not getting one for two reasons...firstly I don't have the money and secondly I don't go to enough home games (I've actually been to considerably more away games this season).
I don't really think it's your place to condemn people for not pledging. It's up to each person to make their own mind up. If everyone misses out because there aren't 8,500 people out there who want (or can afford) season ticketcs, even at the reduced rate, then hard luck.
And I'm sure there are enough people who dislike the current board and see our current good run of form as being despite them, not because of them. Some people may see what the board are doing as simply trying to buy back support, and are having none of it as a result.
Let's never forget that our board is only interested in Stoke City FC to make a profit.
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Post by AlliG on Feb 23, 2004 19:54:27 GMT
What is wrong with the Board wanting to make a profit?
Can't understand why people seem to get so uptight at the idea. It seems a better plan than the Leeds, Bradford model.
To run the club profitably for any period of time we would have to be, at least moderately, successful. I'll take that!
Don't quite understand your logic on people who would normally go not buying a cheap season ticket on "moral" grounds.
A season ticket would seem to put less money into the Boards pocket, and why cut off your nose to spite your face?
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Post by croydonstokie on Feb 23, 2004 20:03:52 GMT
Dave C SCFC - Only a few very rich people can run a football club for the love of it without making a profit of some kind.About 3/4 I can count off the top of my head.I think all things considered all managers since the Icelanders took over have a reasonable crack at things financially,both loans and buys. I just get a bit miffed sometimes when stokies come on here saying that want further investment,more money for players etc and yet dont seem to want to give anything in return.Yes football is an expensive hobby but it aint gonna get any cheaper in the short term.The offer is about as good as you are going to get in the curent football climate I am afraid and I would have thought any Stokie would bust a gut to help us achieve our pledge target. I as an exile of sorts are going to give it a go because I think the club are doing all they can within their means to accomodate everyone. You can bet if we dont reach the pledge and ticket prices are hiked then there will still be people saying come the close season"we need more money for better players".Dont be surprised if the boards response is negative!!.
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Post by bogus on Feb 23, 2004 20:21:50 GMT
Agreed! I hope they make fucking millions for years and years to come ;D
It's called excuses Alli. Stoke fans have been trotting them out for as long as I can remember.
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Post by Admin on Feb 23, 2004 20:21:59 GMT
MCF,
The fact that a superb offer doesn't quite tie in with some people's needs is no fault of the club's and there is therefore nothing to moan about.
I want a Jaguar; if Jaguar have a sale and knock £10,000 off a model I still can't afford it. Does that make the Jaguar offer bad and does it give me any right to complain that they are priced too high anyway?
The prices being offered by Stoke now are better than anyone could have imagined - at £8.65 a game on the Boothen you'd be paying less than at the last season at the Victoria Ground (£9-50).
Fans have to put up and shut up on this one. We have it in our own hands to get the prices we've been crying out for and that's all there is to it. It's up to supporters to make the effort and stretch as best they can.
Smudge
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Post by browneyedboy on Feb 23, 2004 20:23:46 GMT
My objection to the board having an interest in the club only to make a profit is that at some point there's gonna be a conflict of interest.
Suppose the club were to make a £2million profit (keep dreaming), what are they to do with it? I'd like to see it pumped back into the club, to buy better players and to finish the stadium, but I fear that most of it may very well just get paid to the board in "directors renumeration".
With the ever-increasing competition between football clubs, I don't see how any clubs except the very rich (ManUre, the Arse and Chelsea) can afford to take any money out of the club at all, without losing out to other clubs. Of course, many clubs waste money on dozens of bad signings (just look at Liverpool) and that enables less-rich clubs to compete, but I don't think our club is ever going to be in a position where the directors can cream money out of any profit we make without us suffering competitively.
As far as Leeds are concerned, they were listed on the LSE, so, therefore, existed specifically to make a profit and boost shareholder value. My point has nothing to do with how well or badly a club is run, but that most clubs can't afford to go giving away any profit they make to shareholders, directors or anyone else.
As for pledges, I agree with what's said above, that those who don't pledge then subsequently complain about season ticket prices (if we don't hit the target) have no case for complaint at all.
If you want a reduced price season ticket: pledge; if you don't: don't. Simple as that.
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