Football Programmes Centre

sellsell39 · Joined: 19 Nov 2011 Posts: 810 Location: Needham market

If your team is relegated ...

would you expect the price of the matchday programme to be reduced proportionatly with everything else such as ticket prices, merchandise etc.

Well maybe not at Ipswich Town - as a programme last season in the Championship was 3.00 - then relegation into the abyss, and now rumours of programmes available today for 3.50.

not making much business sense to me, surely the punters won't buy them at that price ?

foxes1 · Joined: 30 Nov 2008 Posts: 1223 Location: Leicester

Depends why the prices have gone up. is it because it is now costing more to print them if so the price has to be passed on to the fans. £3.50 now seems to be the going rate for programmes now especially in the Premiership. The only other option is to not produce which some clubs have gone down that route and are doing them on line.

sellsell39 · Joined: 19 Nov 2011 Posts: 810 Location: Needham market

I really don't think its anything to do with printing costs etc.

I think the club have lowered the ticket prices quite rightly after relegation to League One and now they are trying to find other ways of increasing revenue.

Personally I was expecting a slightly smaller, slightly thinner 2.50 programme today, which would have sold very well.

But Ipswich also seem to disappoint.

goonerboy · Joined: 24 Aug 2009 Posts: 1050

To be honest i stopped buying the arsenal programme about 10 years ago so not even sure what they cost now. However for some so called big clubs given the significant percentage of casual/touristy fans then i would imagine the programme sells quite well as part of the experience. Personally i would prefer the programme to be a £2 offering with lot less pages but a higher % of interesting/insightful articles which are not just rehashed internet stories.

Brickies · Posted: Sun Aug 11, 2019 12:43 pm Post subject:

Programmes at the King Power have been reduced in both price and dimensions this season, £3 down from £3-50 and measure 8.25 inches X 5.75 inches and has 84 pages, the plastic packaging has also been done away with.

CHRIS GIBBS · Joined: 14 Feb 2010 Posts: 93 Location: Portsmouth

Pompey have been up and down the divisions more than most over the years. The programme has stayed at £3 in price with 84 pages. Despite a small editorial team the programme has stayed similar in content each season.
This seasons is the same but with a few new features. It has 21 pages of adverts, which help to pay for the programme. Half are for league or club sponsors and would be found in most programmes.
The cover had changed this season and despite being colour, in my opinion is not that good, maybe its an age thing. Check it out on the club web site.
Averageing 1500 / 2000 sales each game, it is still a good read, but just to big to collect each season once you have a full seasons set. It is the main reason i find people stop collect them.
If any one needs any from Pompey games, contact me in advance and i will obtain and send off.

pompeygazz · Joined: 07 Nov 2018 Posts: 59

Got to agree with Chris on this one, I've recently downsized and all the time we were viewing houses all I could think of was where my programmes were going to go, anyway long story short we found the perfect house for us but I had to spend a lot of money to board my loft out and dry proof it ,of course they've nearly filled it up so if these programmes continue to grow at the rate they have over the last 25 years then I'm gonna have to incur the wrath of the wife and start shelving the living room out or more likely streamline the collection somehow......there rant over

sellsell39 · Joined: 19 Nov 2011 Posts: 810 Location: Needham market

Dear Chris & Pompey Gazz,

Given that Portsmouth did really well in the Football League trophy last season - what sort of programme and price could I expect when the Football League Trophy group stages kicks off in a few weeks time.

Tottenham are the first visitors to town & Gillingham are the second.

I presume it will be less pages, and therefore less money, or is it debatable whether one is printed at all ?

CHRIS GIBBS · Joined: 14 Feb 2010 Posts: 93 Location: Portsmouth

As for 'doing really well' in the FLT last season, winning it was very good. Better day out than FA Cup Finals in 08 and 10.
Pompey will be doing their normal FLT programme. It will be a eight page fold out programme with plenty of adverts, some content and one big poster. They did the same for the League cup win over Birmingham and should be priced at £1.50 like the LC programme.

CanaryHonestMan · Joined: 23 Feb 2015 Posts: 49

If your team is promoted the price can still be increased... Norwich City's 2019/20 price is £3.50, after £3 last season. Now I suppose the club would say that this increase makes up for the revenue drop as a result of four fewer games, but with far more away fans this season they will surely sell more. I see so few people around me with a programme that I imagine a significant proportion is bought by visiting fans as a souvenir.

andrewesq · Joined: 04 Oct 2013 Posts: 83

Tranmere promoted to league 1 this season, and still charging £3 for 12th consecutive season

https://www.flickr.com/photos/tranmereprogrammes/40275739353/in/album-72157647451257617/

sellsell39 · Joined: 19 Nov 2011 Posts: 810 Location: Needham market

that is excellent Andrew.

I think we play tranmere rovers during september.

anyway, i still can't justify the 3.50 price tag, it should have been reduced proportionatly with everything else, IMO.

Jamesy1926 · Joined: 06 Dec 2016 Posts: 196

Cardiff Met's programme will rise from £1 to £1.50 this season, the first increase for over 10 years.

40 page issue, maximum 6 pages of adverts.