The Trust has today contacted the club both via telephone and by submitting a letter following an unprecedented level of communication from both members and supporters to the announcement of the season ticket prices for the 2016-17 season. A copy of that letter is published below:
Following the announcement of the 2016/17 season ticket prices, the Supporters Trust has been inundated with views and opinion from our members and supporters of Rochdale Football Club. In order to reflect these views we write this letter drawing on the many e-mails received, telephone calls taken and opinion offered directly, most recently at last night’s game.
It is important to put on record that the Trust and many of our members wholeheartedly support the objectives of the Football Club to increase the fan base. The announcement to offer season tickets to all under 11’s who reside within the Borough is very much welcomed and we hope take up will be strong to build a younger fan base to complement the existing one.
At the meeting in March between the Trust and the Football Club we discussed pricing for the 2016/17 season in response to a question from a Trust member. The response made supporters aware that an announcement would be made on the 18 April where “There will be a significant change in the approach by the club that will be announced as part of the season ticket / pricing plan for next season.” Clearly, following publication of the answers to the questions raised at the meeting, this has led to some speculation and anticipation from supporters for the coming season. In addition the season ticket announcement comes on the back of arguably the clubs most successful season ever; the highest league 1 points total, securing ownership of the ground and a £1.4m profit for the year recently announced. Expectation of supporters was high to build on this success into the 2016/17 season.
The concerns of supporters can be drawn into three areas that have created significant concern and feedback:
1 The headline suggesting prices have remained the same is disingenuous at best. Supporters are consistently telling the Trust that they see what they paid last year and compare that to what they have to pay this year. This comparison reveals a price increase of 10-15%. The club have previously gone on record to state that the majority of season tickets are renewed during the early bird window. This means the majority of season ticket holders renewed last year during the early bird phase and benefited from all discounts available at the time.
2 Supporters welcome the Under 11 free season ticket and support the efforts of the club to increase its younger fan base, however the £10 admin fee loses all the positive ground made and is seen as a petty and punitive charge that makes the claim that the ticket is “free” redundant.
3 This “significant change in approach” will do the exact opposite of the intention to gain new ground with the fan base. Our home attendances this year have at best stayed static and the prospect of an increase in the cost to watch football at Rochdale is extremely unlikely to attract new support. Indeed, the feedback we are receiving is that a significant number of the loyal existing fan base is seriously considering not renewing their season ticket next year. With the prospect unlikely of significant new season ticket holders there is a real chance of a reduction in season ticket sales as a result of this announcement.
These concerns all appear to centre on an apparent lack of understanding of the club towards its loyal season ticket holding supporters, a feeling of being let down and most importantly that the club have been somewhat disingenuous about price increases but more often a feeling from supporters of being lied to. The headline of a prize freeze leads to an expectation that it will cost no more to watch the game. Supporters do not recall the additional discount the club offered last year following the price rises round the ground, they look at the amount it cost that is stamped on the season ticket book they take to every game.
As you will be aware the Rochdale Supporters Trust objectives for 2015/16 include both the desire to strengthen the links between supporters and the club and also to increase communication between the Trust and the loyal supporter base of Rochdale Football Club. With this in mind we would urge the club to consider a range of measures that we believe would start to rebuild trust and confidence of the loyal fan base. The measures we ask that are considered are:
* An explanation of why the headlined price freeze appears to result in an increase in price
* An opportunity during the early bird renewal phase to renew at last season’s prices with an understanding that there is a a clear expectation on future prices
* Removal of the £10 admin fee for Under 11’s
* Removing the restriction for Under 11’s residing within the Borough
* A commitment to work with the Trust, in strict confidence, on future proposals to gauge supporter likely sentiment
The trust has been established for 12 years and the sentiment felt following this announcement is unprecedented. We urge the club to seriously review their approach and consider the proposals presented in this note. Rochdale AFC is a club built on the foundation between the club and supporter, everyone associated with it is proud that we are not a faceless club but one built on years of loyal support and trust between decision makers and supporters. As we progress on the field we must not lose that bond the club has built through generations of support.
To help you understand the sense of feeling I attach a summary of some of the comments that have been made from supporters on the proposals.
We request that the club considers the contents of this letter and responds prior to the start of sales next Monday. For clarity we intend to publish this note and the response received to our supporters trust members in pursuit of our objectives.
Kind Regards
Rochdale Supporters Trust