Season Tickets

[ToffeeDan]

Could anyone estimate or provide useful guide to approximate how many season tickets football clubs sell - say as a proportion of their average/capacity?

I understand Everton have around 24,000 (average attendance 36,000, capacity 40,000 - give or take). I also understand that that most (if not all) of the clubs who attract larger attendances have waiting lists (and indeed membership schemes) but I haven't found any reliable data which I need to do some analysis for a business model.

Cheers!

[paulo]

Norwich have an amazing 18,300 season ticket holders for 2009/10, (dont forget we are L1 now!) but we are the exception to the rule and have been for some time as our numbers and held up for years without much in the way of cost reduction. That said they are (optionally) 20% cheaper as we got relegated. Norwich cap at 20,000 leaving approx 4000 for general sale and 2000 for away fans, although the new South Stand allows us to reduce or increase that as segregation can be moved up and down the stand, both underneath and above.

Over the last 15 years we have worked with the local community to get the kids and families in, better a seat is used than not is the opinion. Plus the average spend at a football match is about £4.80 per person (Programmes, beer, food, shirts etc) so if there are people in the ground you will get income.

Also once you get people in the habbit of going, they tend to keep going.

I used to speak with the main sales and marketing man at Carrow Road, as I was the chairman of the NCFC London supporters club. Sadly he got poached by MK Dons and will do a great job there.

Anything else you need and I will try and give an NCFC view on it.

[ToffeeDan]

Wow Paulo that's a huge number. I understand the PL mandates a proportion of tickets much be made available for visiting fans and casual supporters but I'm not sure of the exact %. I think it's around 20%-25% of the capacity and have gone, for now, with this for the biggest clubs (so 60% as a minimum and 80% for the Man U's of this world)

For the Football League I've estimated 30-50% of average (less need to subscribe in many cases - although I accept the advantages of doing so are financially beneficial) so Norwich exceed this quite comfortably!

[oldbolt]

I was reading some pre season friendly programmes the other day that had this info in.
2002/03 Bolton had sold 17,000 2003/04 They had sold 19,500 going into the season.

Last season nothing official was announced but was believed to be 12,000 -13,000.The Gary Megson effect

Capacity just over 27,500.

[paulo]

Us Norwich fans are very proud of our support levels, its just a little frustrating how our attendances have been over looked by the media*. Until recently we went about 4 seasons sold out (although one was when we had the new south stand missing) despite some dreadful football on the pitch. Apart from 2001/02 (play off final) and 2003/04 (league one champions) it has been mainly dross for us!

*They only seem to mention Leeds, Newcastle, Wolves (???) and Sunderland (???) has having great fans!

[evertonstreetend]

That's good support from Norwich, but you have to consider the nearest teams. For example, your closest rival is Ipswich, and in that same distance Everton have the likes of Liverpool, Tranmere, Wigan, Bolton, Burnley, Preston. Then about 50 miles away there's the likes of City and United.

As I said, great support fromm the Norwich fans, but not as good as it makes out to be!

[matt blue]

I know cardiff have sold over 14,000 for the 1st season in the new stadium...

Norwich have always had excellent support..its just a bloody long way and no offence paul im glad ive not to make the journey next season

[Geddon]

We had around 10-11,000 last season, probably be a similar number this season.

[coolascustard]

Derby will have over 20 thousand st holders again.