Proper attendance figures released

Attendances in the new stadium are the exception to the rule rather than the norm.

 

This is the point I always make regarding crowds. Celtic's crowds were never 60000 every week. We enjoyed a bit of a bubble during a period when we spent more on talent than ever before and the economy was buoyant like never before. We need to move on from the idea that "only" getting 40000 each week is somehow bad. It isn't. When we are charging what we are charging in the midst of a recession to watch probably one of the most uncompetitive leagues in the world, a crowd of 35-40k is not terrible.

And we all know how to fix it. Lower prices and make it affordable for people who have been priced out. Simple as that, only the board wont do it because they know they make more money fleecing the regulars

I think this is true and I think next years sales are going to reflect this.

 

put it this way - if you subtract the rangers games from past season's attendance averages, they likely approach the 33k.

note: this doesn't take into account the fans that attended non OF games in the past simply for the fact that we were in a close, exciting competition.

 

I presume by that you mean not buying a season ticket in the first place? If so, then I can't understand that. Why would you rather they didn't give the club £500-600? Season ticket money is the most vital guaranteed income the club have.

 

What I mean is that money aside, I'd rather have people there who actually want to support the team for the whole 90 minutes, not sit on their phones, or moan at every misplaced pass, or leave after 75 minutes, or only turn up when we're playing in a 'big game'.

Yes these people put money into the team, and yes that is important, but I don't like them. I can't understand paying all that money for a ticket you aren't going to use.

As I've said, lower prices, sell more tickets and make it more of a place people want to come to support Celtic, without being treated with disdain through ridiculous over pricing or over zealous policing.

Different people want to support the team differently, and that's fine. What I'd advocate is something like terracing the Jock Stein stand, for those who want to stand and sing (with tickets at say, £17 or something like that), move the families and kids to the Lisbon Lions, so they can be comfortable (and have all the facepainting or whatever they want at that end, maybe two * tickets get a free under 12 or something) and not around loud drunk people if they don't want to be, and leave the North and South Stands as they are. Easy, and only involves one stand being changed. Then everybody gets what they want.

 

Of course and I would rather we had fans there that sang there hearts out, like 111 and surround, for the entire game. But we have what we have. You simply cannot get away from the money side though which is why I can't understand your comment. I'd rather the club got the £500-600 off these people than not.

As said, season ticket revenue is the lifeblood of the club. I simply can't see them being reduced, far less reduced to by significant amount. If they were reduced by £100 the club would have to consider whether that reduction would be offset by more taking up season tickets and I can't see that happening. Next season I'd imagine we will see roughly the same prices but with more for your season ticket - CL qualifiers included, perhaps home cup games, discounts on Celtic products etc.

I don't think we will be seeing any terracing anytime soon so no point really in discussing that.

 

The thing is though, it isn't just the ticket prices that could be reduced, the prices once you get into the stadium are ridiculous. £2 for a Bovril (you get 8 of those premade ones like they sell in Poundland for £1, so thats a 1500% mark up, assuming they're paying retail, which they won't be. The same I'm sure will go for burgers, pies etc. I'm not saying they should be charging 12p for a Bovril, but there's no need to take the *. If they treated their 'customers' a bit more fairly then people would be more inclined to spend their money. As is I don't spend a penny in the stadium. Programmes are the same, merchandise like strips etc, it is all far too expensive. I know that is just modern football but it isn't right.

 

The whole experience of going to Celtic games is basically still the same as it was 20, 30+ years ago. Either go in the stadium early, hang about outside the stadium talking or cram into one the dives around the ground or further afield for a pint. That in 2013 there is nothing put on around the ground is actually shameful and indicative of how those that run the club treat the fans. I am sure there isn't even toilet facilities outside the ground. Talk of a Celtic museum, Celtic superpub etc have been going on for years when instead, it should have been done years ago.

Then what you say inside the stadium is true. Personally I think you either have to be desperate or silly to buy any of the trash they sell at the food stalls given the price and quality. Some initiative here could also be taken - 2013, how about some healthy foodstuffs to buy rather than the traditional stodgy, heart attack food you have always got?

Football clubs are in a unique position in terms of their 'customers' - that doesn't mean they have to take advantage of us until they can no more.

 

You know, thats way way to sensible and practical to be adopted!

I do agree that there is far more room for improvement considering all the land around there, a superpub is a fair enough idea and would probably make a killing and do ok in the week as well.

As for food, I know of no one that buys it as so many better options on the way or the way back if you need something.

Its ironic in football both north and south of the border the lower the league the better the football grub!

 

I think Liam and yourself talk a lot of sense, and I agree that I prices will likely remain unchanged. The board has no doubt calculated the optimum pricing structure and they will stick with it.

It is however such a short-term view of how to maintain and create a supporter base. I am only a celtic fan because my dad and grandad are celtic fans and took me to the games when I was a kid. If I didnt start going at a young age, I probably wouldnt have went as an *. Seeing as celtic go way beyond being a local team for most, I am sure this is true for most celtic fans.

When you price families out from taking their kids, you stop the making of fans for the future. I have a couple of friends who have 2 boys each and even though they can afford to go, they chose not to as it is simply too expensive. And even though they are both celtic fans, their kids all support EPL teams first because that is what they watch on tv the most. Im sure this happens all around the country, especially regarding SPL clubs a lot less appealing than Celtic.

I am now getting to the age where I have a lot of friends with young kids, and in the vast majority of cases, they dont go to the football anymore despite having went with their dads when they were kids. They get different priorities and different things to spend their money on, and football is usually first to go. This is true across the board regardless of the team they support. I even have an Aberdeen supporting friend who tries to get his kid interested in going, but because the stadium is half empty every week and none of his friends go, the kid would rather stay at home.

People who can afford it find it hard to justify the cost and there are plenty more who just cannot afford it at all. In years to come when we have a new generation of Scottish football fans supporting EPL clubs rather than their local team in Scotland, or their tradional family team, the clubs will only have themselves to blame.

 

I wasn't surprised Ross Co was below 30k it was two days before Christmas and we had, had a home game the week for so I would probably give people a pass for that one if they are saying they missed that one for financial reasons.

 

Everybody knows what the problem is but no one wants to say it. Without a rival at a similar level to us, the SPL is boring as *. In years gone by, a chilly midweek game against St Mirren actually mattered in the title race. The competition between two strong teams gave the title itself more value. This year, anything short of a treble was always going to be a disappointment.

Don't get me wrong, I'm * glad the huns got relegated but the lack of any other competitor has seriously devalued the competition in general. You occasionally get lucky and see a good game, more often than not I watch a game (at home on my laptop for free) and think 'well that was underwhelming'. I wouldn't expect many others would want to pay for that product. If the fitba's *, you at least need something at stake.

 

Its been depressing to see the crowds dwindle week in week out. What is more depressing is how crap the atmosphere has been of late since the GB have been under the spotlight.

Dragging yourself to the game in the pouring rain would be far more appealing if you knew you would get a good atmosphere. However you get there and sit in silence. In the first half a group of weans and the Aberdeen fans were the loudest folk in the ground.

 

Thats what happens when Celtic can lose against Ross County and Motherwell and still the result against Aberdeen wouldn't have mattered even if we did lose. 3 losses on the trot in the SPL and we would still have been 12 points clear with 7 games to go.

The mere fact the league was won since we opened a 15-20 point gap attests to the lack of atmosphere. Adding to that the lack of good football of display from Celtic in the league and cups leads to a lack of atmosphere as well. Some of the gash that has been on display this season from a supposedly good footballing side simply doesn't generate an atmosphere.

Take the Aberdeen game, only when it got exciting, i.e being a goal down bursting for an equaliser or winner did Parkhead sound anything like it should.
So poor performances and poor quality of football in the league coupled with the lack of meaning to SPL games has resulted in poor atmosphere and poor attendances.

 

I have to agree with this... the spl was won the day the huns went into the 3rd div... people went on about how other teams would step up etc etc .. never was going to happen, the fact is its boring there is nothing to play for there is no one to challenge ... i said this when everyone was going on about the fact that the huns had been dropped out of the spl.. like it or not but if we where at the top of the spl with them battling for the title I think it would be a different story... be careful what you wish for

 

haha, not seen you for a while and you're straight back with huns in the SPL.

You don't disappoint. :smiley-laughing002:

 

Just my view and its no lie i find it more exciting that we play them than not dont see the issue really

 

Did they aye ?

 

The reality is that the quality of product on show is poor most games, I do believe that many current season ticket holders won't be renewing their season tickets as they believe they no longer represent value for money.

The Celtic PLC board need to totally realistic with their ticket prices, as do all SPL clubs and the SPL itself. Get more kids coming to see football, reduce ticket prices for under sixteens to £5, then you might start to slowly see 50,000 plus gates for SPL games at Celtic Park.

I was at the Celtic shop last week, I couldn't believe some of the price tags. Sure we don't want Celtic going down the same road as Sevco Rangers, but stop ripping of your own supporters Celtic, once they stop coming to CP it's much harder to win them back again.

 

The weather recently though is probably cold enough to spoil a prawn sandwich which would probably account for the recent drop.