Value For Money? [POLL]

[Up the Junction]

If it isnt why did they buy the thing?

Whilst I can think of plenty of reasons, I'll let those who voted "no" answer that for you.

I would also like to ask those who voted "no" what, if anything, would make it value for money. A trophy? Qualification for the Champions League? A better stadium/infrastructure? More investment in the squad?

Or is it simply the case that football at West Ham is overpriced full stop?

[the pink palermo]

After seeing us win at Home,played well.Given the fans something to sing and cheer about.
Does our perception of Value For Money change?
Are we able to tollerate paying so much,for 90 minutes of highly paid footballers kicking a ball about,when we win.Do we even stop and think about how much it's cost,when things are going well.

Speaking only for myself, those things do influence my perception of VFM - of course they do .As does my perception of the quality of player we are watching .

Despite it all going horribly wrong , it's no coincidence that ST sales peaked when we were signing Dyer, Parker, Upson....had Ashton etc etc .People will pay more for what they perceive to be a more competitive side .

A ST at COMS watching Toure, Tevez, Aguerro,Silva, Hart, , and the midfield dynamo that is Barry :lol: for £275 is clearly better value than watching some of our current crop at £850 , except obviously for the fact we love our lot and couldn't give a toss about Man City ( sorry Jim).

The general point though is tickets are far too expensive - it's too much out of the average persons weekly budget . That's why the Boleyn is stuffed full of middle aged bank Managers , and frankly an awful lot of people who live within walking distance of the ground cannot afford it .At least not to attend reguarly .

[the pink palermo]

I was a bit puzzled by the question UTJ. I don't really see how anyone who goes can answer "No" to the question is your S/Ticket vfm.

If it isnt why did they buy the thing?

A few reasons to be honest .I maintain there is always something , a moment , in every match that is a pulse raiser - last season, Noble did a dummy in the game against Millwall which was simply sublime , and frankly I hate missing moments like that , so I go week in week out .Greens performance at the Emirates the other year , the end of Sol Campbell at Highbury when we did them there .....

Secondly, dumb, blind loyalty and tribalism - I "fill up" when we sing Bubbles - ( sad, I know) , and after doing it for a long time , I have nothing else to do .I really have no idea how people that don't go to football and the pub fill their weekends out .

Thirdly , to see your mates, chew the fat and talk b*llocks whilst watching a game we all feel we are experts on but in reality we know f*** all.....and there's a value in that .Is it worth £50 a go ? I don't know .

Now , that's why I buy a ticket, but , and this is my main issue,those things that I enjoy should not be denied to others purely on the basis of high ticket prices .One good friend of mine who I've stood next to for years at aways never misses - never - and he doesn't have a pot to piss in , it's almost cruel his loyalty is exploited by Sky high prices .It's all well and good to say it's his choice, but believe me to those that never miss, there is no choice , and football clubs need to stop biting the hands that have fed them for decades .

[JBs Caravan]

PP
Alot of your feedback is spot on,but i am not sure the local community,would attend anyway,sure they
are curious,but their first sport is cricket,
The rest of them,i agree should be given a one-off heavily subsided flyer,to see if they would enjoy the
experiance,you never know,we could capture a percent as future supporters
Your other point of middle-class supporters is spot on,they drive up the Barking Rd in their Range Rovers,Audis,Mercs etc have a few slurps,then dissapear into the night,but thats what footy has become,its no longer working class in the Premiership,but affluent folks playing charades for the day
,sad really

[westhamnick]

people moan about the 'plastics' and the 'type' of fan when kid for a quid or offers happen and they also moan about the prices as they currently are........hard to win really isnt it.

[Up the Junction]

Alot of your feedback is spot on,but i am not sure the local community,would attend anyway,sure they are curious, but their first sport is cricket.

Do they even play cricket in Poland..?

[_fortunes_]

someone needs to define "value for money" - it's abstract on so many levels = specify pplease

The following posters seem to represent that 'Value' portent quite well MM...

there is always something , a moment , in every match that is a pulse raiser

Greens performance at the Emirates the other year

Noble did a dummy in the game against Millwall which was simply sublime , and frankly I hate missing moments like that

I miss visiting the Boleyn so much at times, not to watch the wizardary of our midfield or Carlton falling over, but to see and experience everything that surrounds the day out.

blind loyalty and tribalism - I "fill up" when we sing Bubbles - ( sad, I know) , and after doing it for a long time , I have nothing else to do .I really have no idea how people that don't go to football and the pub fill their weekends out .

No matter what anyone says to the contrary, this must feature when gauging a 'value' component.

A trophy? Qualification for the Champions League? A better stadium/infrastructure? More investment in the squad?

to see your mates, chew the fat and talk b*llocks whilst watching a game we all feel we are experts on but in reality we know **** all.....and there's a value in that .Is it worth £50 a go ?

[Denbighammer]

I would also like to ask those who voted "no" what, if anything, would make it value for money. A trophy? Qualification for the Champions League? A better stadium/infrastructure? More investment in the squad?

Or is it simply the case that football at West Ham is overpriced full stop?

UTJ, I answered "NO" simply because it is too expensive for me and for many normal working people. The very people that the game used to be for. The priceier it is the less I can justify it to myself not to mention my wife and kid. For me, the additional cost of travelling makes the whole thing unaffordable.

I don't think this is just a West Ham problem, even in the lower leagues its pretty pricey. Despite it being my nearest local ground I've never been to Wrexham. I was gonna go one Saturday when we were there shopping but it was £17 for the terrace at a BSP game. I don't think West Ham is particularly bad when compared with many things but I don't think it can ever be described as good VFM.

[Glory Hunter]

According to the article about this on 5live yesterday morning, with the new media deal coming in next season, clubs could knock £30 off the average face value of a ticket and see no discernible drop in revenue.

Of course, we know this won't happen as all the new money will get swallowed up by players and their agents (who's gonna be the first £1m per week footballer).

The problem I have is not paying high wages to class acts, it's the amount of very average bench warmers getting £20k+ per week. I don't know how many professionals the average club has, but if the PL set a max of 22 (not squad, actual players owned) then a load of players would be out of work and forced to hawk themselves around at more reasonable rates.

[Hockley Hammer]

The answer to the question essentailly comes down to the reason why you go.

I personally dont pay my money to be entertained for 90 minutes; I pay to have a day with my dad, see some familiar faces, shout and sing my arse off, support my team and feel a part of my club.

If you pay for the football that you watch, then (since 1994 at least), I've not had anywhere near value for money.

Good points there. If you add up purely the cost of a day out it is not value for money,

But last season and so far this season I have gone home in a good mood more times than not and my whole weekend feels better. So the cost is not as important as the reward,

The last two seasons we were in the PL were the complete opposite - it seemed every weekend was depressing. The cost did start to come into it (mainly the away travel in time and money).

I voted yes because if i'm happy then I don't think of the cost (which to me means i'm getting what I want from going).

[Pop Robson]

My present ST has gone up approx 37% in 10 yrs,

It's the games moved for TV that I find a real pain now and next season I'm hearing they'll be more

[Jon]

There used to be a correlation between a cinema ticket and a football one.

A football ticket is now several times the price of a cinema ticket. It might be an unfair comparison, for as others have said, football, as a 'product' has changed completely (all seater stadia etc).

All I know is that as an 18 year old paying adult prices in the 80s, I don't remember people worrying about ticket prices or indeed train fares up north.

The game has changed. The worry is we're being ripped off and STILL clubs can't break even

[LincolnshireHammer]

Secondly, dumb, blind loyalty and tribalism - I "fill up" when we sing Bubbles - ( sad, I know) , and after doing it for a long time , I have nothing else to do .I really have no idea how people that don't go to football and the pub fill their weekends out .

Good post Pinky. You're not the only one who fills up when we sing Bubbles, the hairs on the back of my kneck are always up when the music cuts and the crowd sing. Love it. Can't think of a better way to spend Saturday afternoons than being at The Boleyn Ground. It's not just the football though, it's the whole day out I have with my old man, leaving Lincolnshire at 10am and getting back about 8.30 every two weeks, with a couple of pints in London and a kebab before the game. Only had a ST a few years but can't seem to remember how I coped without football every couple of weeks...Nowadays it would drive me insane, and I have to give it up after this season! :shock:

[cockney hammer]

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[cockney hammer]

sorry never see this

[adie]

if we didn't have to pay 20% tax it would be value for money, they could throw in home cup games

[Rocketron]

My main bugbear is the different categories. I go, when I can, to see West Ham United. Why should I have to pay £10 more to see us play Man. City than I do to see us play Southampton ?