City for all

Yep - although if you're going by postcode, Bradford is a city of an exaggerated size

 

530,000 apparently

 

We're massive!

 

as a percentage well behind Carlisle

 

If you've got a large stadium, fill it.

I just can't understand why sport wouldn't want bums on seats.

 

Not disagreeing with any of that - all valid points - but the reality is that if you can pay £150 for a ticket you simply aren’t gonna pay more.

A few years ago I upgraded into the bar because I thought the prices were too cheap, then my kids started coming and I wasn’t paying to upgrade three seats. But at least you are getting use of a bar for the extra amount you’ve paid.

If you see a new TV in a shop at a price cheaper than you expected to pay, you don’t go to the till and pay any more for it. You might buy another gadget to go with it though, and still spend the same, which is akin to buying a suite upgrade.

If the club set up a scheme (we might have one already) where they could help out fans who are less better off/looking to get into the club then I’d be willing to contribute to that.

There must be junior sports clubs, schools or teams we can target ala the old Football in the community work. And, if not, hard up City fans who just can’t afford to go for whatever reason and need a bit of help. Wouldn’t mind chucking a little bit into that if you knew it was part of a proper scheme......though these things would need staffing so maybe there isn’t the time/staffing to do it?

 

I have a friend who’s a director of a company that purchased a number of season tickets for children, which the club manage and give to local schools etc. I don’t know if this is a one off or part of a scheme.

 

The club have gone early on this to try to get folk to commit at a cheap price. Clearly the more we get into New Year and our promotion hopes raise or likely dwindle the harder it will become to flog tickets for another year in this League. Many will let the time tick down before committing to more of the dross we currently watch.

 

The club did do that a couple of seasons ago and worked with different charities to give the season tickets to people who couldn't afford it for one reason or another https://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/news/2017/april/more-season-tickets-donated-by-supporters/, even if they aren't publicly advertising it I'm sure they would welcome your offer. If i recall rightly then the last time the club did this it all kicked on from there.

I get what you are saying about not paying more but football clubs are different and very unique like if you went into a shop at the weekend and shouted abuse at a member of staff you wouldn't expect to be able to go back in 2 weeks time but as fans that's one of them unwritten rights as a fan. Don't have numbers but would guess that with season tickets being cheap it does allow people to go to a few more away games that they would do if prices were put up more which although in the short term won't get the club a lot of money but in the long term it can help capture the young and new fans and then you've got fans for life

 

The young fan base that comes along with the cheap season ticket deals have to be entertained or they won't keep turning up. Kids are easily bored at football unless there's noise/atmosphere and goals to cheer. Any kids watching for their first year this season going to be chomping at the bit to go next? I can't see it myself. Alright getting bums on seats at a fair price but you've got to keep them entertained and wanting to return for it to be any benefit to us.

 

You can donate an ST via the Club. It was a scheme a couple of seasons ago, Mick Lamb is the man to contact

 

Not necessarily, cheap tickets means its just as easy to walk away from as it is staying around for the long term. Manchester City have had a similar scheme in terms of cheap tickets (for the premiership) to help fill the stadium because they don't have fan base of the Liverpools or Man Utds of this world, but with the aim that once demand outstrips supply you can up costs accordingly, simple market forces. We don't have that luxury but long term our aim has to be to a, keep hold of any fans that take advantage of the cheap ticket strategy and b, make the football exciting and successful enough to climb the division and raise the prices accordingly. Because lets not beat about the bush, Bradford City is first and foremost a business which needs every penny it can get. And it may sound harsh but we ain't a charity, you have to rinse that potential fan base for every last penny you can get. And to squeeze every last drop out of them the product has to make you want to go back time and again. Don't matter how cheap it is, if the product is garbage fans won't turn up.

 

WINNER

 

After last season it more than surprised me we got as many as we did, got to rate last season very highly in the worst season's I've watched.

 

That too is a good point or two, RT.
Bowyer wants the players to have more self belief ....... Perhaps GB could do with some of that in himself ?
GB needs to be at the races - A successful Farmer doesn't harness a team of racing thoroughbreds .... He buys a half dozen cart horses to work the land.

 

A crucial and apt point KK.
Many (most ?) City fans were drawn to the club, as kids. OK - The level of football was schitt, and we lost more than we won - But HO - With the likes of Johnny Hall, Bannister and Rackstraw on the pitch - NO game was really boring, was it?

So this is the very reason WHY Bowyer needs to think of attractive football .......... #Get the kids in FFS !

 

during the era of Todd, Law, Taylor the football was garbage and very boring but we all used to turn up regardless. I think nowadays maybe because of so much football available to watch you expect free flowing attractive football - this is rock bottom division stuff, ok the games changed a little in the lower leagues but its still pretty rubbish on a whole.

Promotion will draw more fans in, fans that haven't been all season will just see that we got promoted and want to be on board, they'll then see the football and wish they'd not bothered.

I see Bowyer as a bit of a split mind - he wants them to express themselves yet sticks with a rigid ever changing system or formation. He wants the goals yet drops the wingers.

The main thing he has got right is the back 5 which has improved dramatically from last season.

 

Have they announced a cut off for when seats are reserved?

 

Unfortunately my attendance for the future will be poor, at best
However - My Shipley based eldest Grandson is getting a Christmas bonus from me this year ....... His first Full ST. Yes, he's as frustrated as the rest of us, but also recognises we are in a great position, so far.

 

NOT so sure, Dave. Once Wetherall was installed, our obvious relegation was tarred on most walls. Losing JJ, Windass, and Wetherall 'benching' himself sealed our fate. I attended the last six home games - wishing I had not. (I also witnessed that dreadful mauling by Crewe) The 'teams' looked crestfallen at KO, let alone at FT !! THAT is what schitt looked like in those days.