OTHER clubs are taking notice of City's latest cut-price season-ticket campaign.

Sales for the first week are approaching 2,500 as fans look to take advantage of the early-bird price of £149 for adults.

The Telegraph & Argus has given its backing to the club's drive to make football more affordable to watch – and rivals have been quick to contact Valley Parade to find out the formula for City's success.

Chief operating officer James Mason said: "Other chief execs do call and ask how we've done it. There is no rocket science, it's very simple.

"We think we know how many hard-core fans we've got and that's way below the number we get on a match day.

"So it's about persuading the others to come to more than the odd match and commit to the season. The way to do that is to almost take the decision of price away from them.

"We're not saying £149 is affordable for everyone but it's as affordable as it can be for us to be a viable business.

"I'm getting direct correspondence from fans from other clubs to commend what we are doing. You jump on the message boards and there are congratulatory tweets from everywhere.

"We've even had one fan who's going to buy a season-ticket at Bradford City, not to come and watch us necessarily but just to say 'well done'. He's paying four times as much at his own club."

City's current home crowds average 18,109, the second best in League One, but they have targeted cracking the 20,000 barrier for next term – which they could kick off in the Championship.

Mason believes the #TeamTwenty to attract full houses at Valley Parade will also have wider-ranging benefits for the local economy.

"If we can encourage all existing fans to bring a friend, tell everybody about what we're doing and we get 20,000 people next season, then the whole city wins," he said.

"It's not just the football club but the businesses around the area. The bars on North Parade will be busier, the Broadway shopping centre will get more footfall.

"The council will get more people to see Bradford city centre as it is changing. Everyone will benefit – but this campaign will only work if we do recruit new fans."

Some fans have questioned the logic of initially freezing prices and not adding a small increase on season-tickets that are the cheapest in the top four divisions.

But Mason believes the figures do add up because of the money that can be generated from getting more people into the club.

He said: "We've also sold 10,000 shirts this season, so that's one in every two people coming to the ground. The income is coming in through other ways.

"There are plans over the next couple of seasons to really reinvent our food offering in the kiosks. That's another way to increase our revenue.

"There are also going to be really big changes over the next couple of years in the concourse and banqueting suites. Maybe not in time for next season but that will happen.

"Once we've got the fans in, we're going to want them to spend once they are in the stadium. That is the economics of it."

Fans who buy now will also be entered into a draw to win one of 11 all-inclusive places to Germany's famous Oktoberfest accompanied by the owners and directors.

Season-tickets are available from the ground or via the website at Teamtwenty.co.uk.

PRICE BANDS:

March 1 – April 2: £149 (adult/senior/student); £99 (junior 11-16); £5 (under-11); £110 (25-year member); £70 (flexicard); £110 (suite membership).

April 3 – April 16: £169 (adult/senior/student); £99 (junior 11-16); £5 (under-11); £130 (25-year member); £80 (flexicard); £110 (suite membership).

April 17 – April 29: £199 (adult/senior/student); £129 (junior 11-16); £10 (under-11); £160 (25-year member); £100 (flexicard); £110 (suite membership).

April 30 onwards: £299 (adult/senior/student); £159 (junior 11-16); £15 (under-11); £110 (suite membership).