Dale unveil plan for gate growth
ROCHDALE have unveiled their ambitious plan to tackle low attendances at the Crown Oil Arena – by introducing a bargain £110 season ticket.
Supporters will be able to watch Dale games next season for under a fiver a match providing the club and its fans can pull in 4,000 season ticket sales.
Ultimately, the price fans pay is down to how many season ticket sales Dale can attract with the bottom line of £110 in recognition of the club’s 110th anniversary.
“It’s a big drive and it’s a big task – but I think it’s achieveable,” said chief executive Russ Green.
“The idea is, if we can achieve 4,000 season ticket holders, then the tickets will cost £110, to mark the fact the club is 110 years old.
“If we can hit 2,000 season ticket holders, the price will be £250 pounds per ticket. That’s for all areas of the ground, there’s no differentiation or price structures, we want to keep the whole thing simple.
“If we achieve 2,500 season ticket holders a ticket will cost £200, for 3,000 it’s £150 and for 4,000 it’s £110.
“When I came here we had about 1,250 season ticket holders and we did the half season ticket offer which took us to 1,850, so our first target achievable.”
Fans can secure their season ticket for a deposit of £50 and pay the rest in ‘If we achieve 2,500 season ticket holders a ticket will cost £200, for 3,000 it’s £150 and for 4,000 it’s £110’ is very June when the 2017/18 fixtures are released.
“A lot of clubs have an early bird scheme, and that’s great, but it means fans having to pay out for an early bird ticket in March, and that is difficult, financially,” added Green.
“So what we’ve said is that £50 will secure the season ticket – that gives fans three months to save for the season ticket. So you are getting the early bird at a discount price! Pay your £50 now and pay the remainder on the 21st June, the day the fixtures are released.
“It shows the people of Rochdale that we are committed and we want them to come and start using the stadium.
“In the short time I have been here, the thing that is noticeable is the lack of attendance. At one point we were fourth in the division and we were getting sub-2000 crowds, which is absolutely criminal. The way the boys are playing, not getting enough support is horrific and it’s something we need to address. You have to ask why people are not turning out and I think affordability is a massive factor.
“The £110 season ticket is affordable and I think it’s also achievable. We have incentivised the whole scheme.
“I did something similar at Hartlepool a few years ago when they were getting 1,200 or so season tickets every year. We introduced this initiative and the first season was absolutely phenomenal – we had 6,200.
“Two seasons after that we were down to 4,000, the prices went up a bit, but they are now established at 3,500 season tickets every year. We near enough trebled the numbers of season tickets and I think it’s a similar case here and it’s very achievable.
“If every season ticket holder brings along two mates, we achieve our 4,000. I know people may suggest we lose out financially, but what a lot of people forget is the money spent in the ground. The catering, the bars, the retail outlet. If we achieve this target, you can come to a game for less than £5 for adults, which is brilliant.
“There are loads of businesses in town and they will be targeted, trying to get their staff in to games.”