Cut Cost of Footie? - Bolton Reduce Prices

Cut the Cost of Footie? Update

The Sun reports today that BOLTON Wanderers have become the first Premiership club to slash new season ticket prices in response to the Cut the Cost of Footie Campaign.

Last week The Sun featured the results of The Football Fans Census "Cut the Cost of Footie?" Survey showing 96% of fans felt Premiership clubs should use increased TV revenes to cut ticket prices and highlighting some of the sacrifices our members make to follow their teams: "Do more overtime", "Not eating properly!" "No savings :-(" and more...

Bolton Chiefs will cut the price of seats, barring corporate hospitality deals, by an average 10% for next term. Manager Sam Allardyce said: “The Sun’s been at the forefront of the campaign to reduce prices, and we are delighted we can show the way to do it and put something back into the game."

Links:


Full article here


FFC Survey results here


Sun e-petition here


Take part in FFC survey here

FFC Survey: Safe Standing

Over the last 5 years we have been asking fans what they think of the "Safe Standing" campaign run by fans championing the return of terracing to football stadiums - not the large, old-style open terraces of yester-year but small, specially-designed areas utilising the latest engineering technology - similar to systems currently used for domestic games in Germany where areas can be used for either seating or standing.

This is an example of how a "safe standing" area might look based on the German model. The area of the stadia is set up for standing, when designated a seating area (e.g. for non German domestic games) the bars are removed and the seats fold down:

A recent development for the campaign is that Mike Hancock MP has proposed an Early Day Motion (EDM) calling for a Parliamentary debate on Standing Areas at Football Grounds.
"That this House urges the Government to re-examine the case for introducing small, limited sections of safe standing areas at football grounds; further urges the Government to recognise that there is widespread support for such areas, and that improvements in stadium design and technology mean that with rigorous safety specifications standing areas could be safely re-introduced; and calls on the Minister concerned to convene a meeting of representatives of the police, supporters, Premier League clubs and the Football Licensing Authority to find a way forward."

This has now been signed by 125 MPs from Labour, Liberal Democrats, Conservatives and Plaid Cymru. You can find more details here and can contact your MP urging them to support your view on Safe Standing via the Write to Them website:

We are updating the FFC report on Standing at Football, it is a subject FFC members feel strongly about so please spend a couple of minutes to give us your opinion.

Below are arguments that have been put forward for and against Safe-Standing over the years.

PROS:

• Technology advances mean 'terracing' can now be designed to reach higher safety specifications than in the past, avoiding overcrowding and allowing clubs to allocate specific spots to fans which would overcome issues such as identifying trouble makers within a crowd.
• It's about freedom of choice. No-one will be forced to stand but neither should people be refused the option to do so
• Simply banning standing is not addressing the issue realistically. Its far safer to stand in purpose-built Safe-Standing areas than to stand in seated areas and this would remove tension between those who stand and those who wish to sit but whose view is often obstructed by standers.
• Standing is part of football's heritage, it improves the atmosphere in a ground as well as increasing crowd capacity
• Safe-Standing areas have been operational in Germany (who defeated England for the 2006 world cup bid using these very stadia) for many years and have been a massive success
  

"Safe-Standing is about freedom of choice. Every week tens of thousands of people stand at rugby, horse-racing and pop concerts." Roger Godsiff; MP

"I was never convinced, regarding the smaller clubs in particular, that the removal of all standing was necessary and I was pleased when this was relaxed following representations by MPs, fans and clubs. While safety must always be the ultimate criterion, there is no reason to ignore technological improvements made since Taylor reported, which might allow for Safe-Standing."
Tony Blair MP; (pre 1997 General Election)

CONS:

• Clubs would have to spend money investing in the new facilities
• Some fans may have to be re-allocated to a different section of the ground to suite their preference for standing or sitting
• If building work could not be completed in the close season there may be some some sections of the ground that are closed during parts of a season.

"..it is doubtful that existing UK stadia could be converted to accommodate German practises without compromising safety standards...the Government had concluded that safety must remain the primary consideration, and remains convinced that the current arrangements are the best." From FLA Report to DCMS

"Terracing is not inherently unsafe, if it was then half the grounds in the Football League would have been closed down by now. But the advice we receive from safety experts suggest a terrace designed to the highest safety standards is not as safe as seating and we have the safest and best grounds in Europe designed to the highest technical standards. In addition there are a huge number of practical and cost issues to overcome." Phil French, Premier League Spokesperson

Have Your Say: Safe Standing Survey

FFC Results: The Cost of Footie

The results of last weeks Cost of Footie survey appear in The Sun today as part of their Cut the Cost of Footie Campaign.

Results highlights include:

• Only 12% of fans think match tickets are good value for money
• 96% think Premiership clubs should use increased TV revenues to cut ticket prices
• 86% would go to more games if tickets were cheaper and available
• 74% would prefer to stand and pay less.

The full results, including some FFC members comments on the sacrifices you make to follow football, are on pages 14 and 15 of The Sun or online here.

If you'd like to add your voice to the survey simply click here:

The Cost of Footie

FFC Survey: Weekend Wonders

We've teamed up with FourFourTwo who are taking a look at the nation's footballers, the real heroes of the game, the Weekend Wonders - a celebration of grass roots football sponsored by NIVEA FOR MEN.

• Are you a 50-goal-a-season centre-forward with fancy boots and even fancier skills?
• Do you do the crucial donkey work in midfield while your flashy forwards take the glory?
• Are you the goal-hanging player-boss with two left feet but the passion and enthusiasm to make sure games actually take place?

Whether you turn up just to play the final 20 minutes of a match because you love it so much, or you're not happy until you've got a trophy in your hands, we want to hear from you.

It only takes a couple of minutes of your time to support this great competition honouring the beautiful game of Sunday League Football. Click here to take part.

FFC Results: One Change in Football

If you could improve one thing about going to football what would it be?

The nationwide survey of football fans was conducted online by the Football Fans Census with FC Business on 16th October 2006 with the results published in FC Business Magazine.

FC Business is read by: Chairman, Chief Executive and named directors of every club in the football business, as well as general managers of every single football club in the UK, from the Barclaycard Premiership to the lowest levels of non-league. F.C. Business is also received by named individuals in the 42 County FA’s, Sport England, FIFA, UEFA, The PFA, the Football Foundation the Football League and many other football, government and regulatory bodies....ensuring your views were seen by as many decision makers as possible.

1,259 fans completed the survey and the top 10 responses were as follows:

• Reduce Price of Tickets 30%


• Introduce Standing 13%


• Combat Cheating 7%


• Have Better Refereeing 7%


• Introduce Video Referees 4%


• Kick off times 3%


• Improve Transport 3%


• Have a Wage Cap 3%


• Make Stadium Improvements 2%


• Have Better football 2%

Click here if you would like to add your thoughts to this survey:

One Change in Football