• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

My Football Writer

My Football Writer Norwich City news… comment… analysis

Norwich City – news, comment and analysis

Find the best betting sites
  • Home
  • About us
  • The Team
  • Archives Index
  • Patreon
  • ADVERTISE
  • Contact us

City freeze season ticket prices for 09-10 as the club stay alive to those stormy financial seas

23rd January 2009 By Latest News Leave a Comment

Please share

The deepening economic crisis and a deep-seated feeling among supporters that asking them to pay any more for any more seasons scrabbling around at the wrong end of the Championship, today emerged as two of the key factors underpinning the club's decision to freeze season ticket prices across the board for 2009-2010.

So for those who renew early, a standard, adult season ticket in the Barclay Stand will cost the same as if did in 2008-2009 – ?366.

Once again, an interest free-payment scheme will be in place to spread the cost; 11,000 of the club's supporters took full advantage of the scheme last season. In the current, financial climate, even more are expected to follow suit next season as the club's pledge to provide affordable family football comes under it's greatest test yet.

Household budgets are being squeezed like never before. And certainly under the last manager, the unquestioning loyalty and support that underpins that crucial 20,000-strong season-ticket base appeared – for many – to be taken for granted.

And as their opinions and knowledge was both belittled and ignored, so more and more were beginning to ask the same questions of themselves – that a whole generation of 30-something and 40-something supporters were, for the first time, wondering whether they would actually renew this season.

Whether the Canaries can – particularly in the teeth of this growing economic gale – repeat the record-breaking feat of having 20,364 season ticket holders to their name after another 350 supporters signed up for the club's half-season ticket deal is another matter.

The fact that next Tuesday night's home clash with fellow relegation strugglers Southampton will feature a Class of '93 reunion party as former Canary playmaker Ian Crook steps back onto the hallowed turf and joins Bryan Gunn's new-look managerial team will help – Crook landed home from Australia at a little after 6.30am this morning – as will the club's decision to freeze prices across the board.

But it will remain a tough ask of the Carrow Road family; times are hard – and getting ever harder.

“I understand from this morning's news that the country is going to be classified as being in recession after two, consecutive quarters of negative growth,” said club chairman Roger Munby, as the club launched its first season ticket renewal push with customer services manager Richard Gough at the helm – Andrew Cullen's marketing magic dust now being liberally sprinkled over the MK Dons.

But after 11 years of taking advice from a 'Pricing Working Group' that features four supporters at its core, so Munby remained confident that today's 'Prices frozen!' headlines would be viewed as good news; just as the arrival of Gunn, Crook and new chief scout John Deehan has been deemed a decent move among the faithful – with UEFA Cup skipper Ian Butterworth still expected to join the Three Amigos before that Saints game.

Hartlepool's obdurate chairman permitting.

“We're in the process of an urgent and necessary transformation,” said Munby, with the 'transformational' atmosphere of last Saturday's 4-0 win over Barnsley doing so much to dictate the Norfolk mood.

“Started by one, continued by another,” he continued. “And that's an important context in which to appreciate where our fans emotions and thoughts are coming from.”

Out on the streets, in the stands Munby had sensed a restless mood – that if people were going to renew this year, it was only with a grudging heart. That, he hoped, was starting to change; that the managerial changes of late had injected fresh heart and new hope into the Green And Yellow Army; that with season tickets for Under-12s still pegged at ?25, the club's commitment to recapture the hearts and minds of what Cullen last year saw as 'a lost generation' would continue to win people round.

Chief executive Neil Doncaster confirmed just how important that 20,000-strong season ticket base was to the club's financial well-being – particularly in the wake of the ?1.5 million hole left in the finances by the Turners departure from the board last year.

“Season tickets remain the absolute life blood of this club and it's vital that we maximise the fantastic loyalty that's shown by our supporters,” said Doncaster. “To have 20,000 season ticket holders remains the envy of every other Championship club.

“So it is vital that we try to encourage as many season ticket holders to renew as possible through the pricing of season tickets. We hope that we've given every encouragement to people to do that.”

Sat alongside Messrs Doncaster and Munby were two of the four supporters' representative on that key working party – Rob Emery and James Woodrow.

All concerned insisted that prices for 2009-2010 were finally fixed in November; events of late had no bearing on their thinking – be it economically or managerially, that pricing die was cast in late autumn; and that Doncaster himself was one of the primary advocates of pushing through the 0% 'rise'.

Relegation to League One would, as last season, see both a rebate and a reduction kick in; for those that opted to renew before the first deadline, a saving of up to 31% was available. As was a number of free season tickets for the under sevens.

Put together and – in fairness – City continue to break new ground in terms of sustaining that extraordinary season ticket base; given the footballing fare that has actually been on offer, it remains a remarkable feat of marketing on one side – and of patience and loyalty on the other.

“Affordable family football live at Carrow Road has been the absolute focus of what we've all been about for the last 12 years,” said Doncaster.

“That's the key priority. And being sensitive to the needs of the supporters who are struggling with the credit crunch. We understand that.”


Please share

Filed Under: Latest news

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

FIND MY FOOTBALL WRITER ON

As featured on NewsNow: Norwich City news” style=

Norwich City News 24/7

#NCFC LATEST

mattjohnson333 Matt Johnson @mattjohnson333 ·
4h

Another cracking night full of laughs on #GTA5 with the #ncfc lads. Enjoyed a refreshing couple of nights away from call of duty and #fm23

Reply on Twitter 1640142915971284993 Retweet on Twitter 1640142915971284993 Like on Twitter 1640142915971284993 Twitter 1640142915971284993
fan_banter Fan Banter @fan_banter ·
7h

Scorpion kick seals Ramsgate comeback from 3-1 down to 3-3 between 93 and 98 minutes -https://fanbanter.co.uk/scorpion-kick-seals-ramsgate-comeback-from-3-1-down-to-3-3-between-93rd-and-98th-minute/

#watfordfc #ncfc #twitterclarets #safc #rufc #wafc #bcfc #rovers #utmp #bristolcity #ccfc #pusb #htafc #hcafc #coyh #boro #millwall #qpr #readingfc #twitterblades #scfc

Reply on Twitter 1640105091922272258 Retweet on Twitter 1640105091922272258 Like on Twitter 1640105091922272258 Twitter 1640105091922272258
lancs10 Karen @lancs10 ·
7h

What a great day! U11 match in the morning followed by Wembley in the afternoon. Chuffed to have been there for Maddison's full debut and get a stunning view of Saka's goal. #ncfc #ENGvUKR

Reply on Twitter 1640102668432490497 Retweet on Twitter 1640102668432490497 Like on Twitter 1640102668432490497 1 Twitter 1640102668432490497
davidmaidstone David Maidstone @davidmaidstone ·
7h

Nathan Broadhead ! Them down the road’s latest international.

OK we may still be a bit ahead of them 😂😂 #ncfc

Reply on Twitter 1640099447018344453 Retweet on Twitter 1640099447018344453 Like on Twitter 1640099447018344453 Twitter 1640099447018344453
norwichcityfc Norwich City FC @norwichcityfc ·
7h

🇫🇮 Another assist for Teemu Pukki, as Finland were 1-0 winners over Northern Ireland this evening!

#NCFC

Reply on Twitter 1640099214163058689 Retweet on Twitter 1640099214163058689 Like on Twitter 1640099214163058689 63 Twitter 1640099214163058689
Load More...

Copyright © 2023 21VC Ltd | All rights reserved | Not to be reproduced without prior permission.

Disclaimer: The information on this website consists of personal opinions. Whilst we have taken all reasonable steps to ensure that the information contained on these Web pages is accurate and correct at the time of writing we do not accept any liability whatsover for any loss or damage caused by reliance on this information.

We do not accept any responsibility for information contained in other websites to which this site links. We strongly advise users to check any information before acting or relying on it.

Developed and Hosted by