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City fans hoping the numbers add up
7:24am Monday 16th June 2008
It's D-Day for City as they wait to discover if the 9,000 season ticket sales target has been reached.
The club promised to deliver a free season ticket for every adult one purchased if supporters seized the bold initiative and met that figure by last night's deadline.
They had a massive push at Valley Parade yesterday as that cut-off point loomed large, with boss Stuart McCall and joint-chairman Mark Lawn both banging the drum.
The duo's appearance at their open day, where they faced penalties and chatted with fans, gave the bid a big jolt.
A whopping 700 season tickets were sold yesterday alone as thousands flocked to the ground.
Lawn admitted: "The fans really enjoyed it and it was a big success.
"We had almost 4,000 people down here at the ground, taking penalties against me and Stuart McCall and going on the tours around Valley Parade that we provided.
"There's been a great atmosphere and I ask fans where else would you see anything like it anywhere else in league football - the manager and chairman of a club partaking like this?"
Lawn and co-chairman Julian Rhodes will meet today and assess the final total.
The club has definitely passed the 7,000 mark and they will announce later whether the main objective has been achieved.
It is all part of the club's exciting bid to try and attract 18,000 fans to Valley Parade for League Two football next season.
On the back of last season's cut-price season tickets, City are hoping to fill their ground in an attempt to swell the gate and get Valley Parade rocking to help fire their bid for promotion.
Head of operations David Baldwin hailed it a "fantastic" day and thanked all those who had supported it while apologising for the club shop not being open.
He said: "That was totally beyond the club's control as the decision was taken by Surridge Sport who have the franchise to operate."
Meanwhile, midfielder Eddie Johnson, who was released by City at the end of the season, has been attracting interest from Chester.
Your Say YourBradford
Woodface, Perth, Australia says...
7:44am Mon 16 Jun 08
Woodface, Perth, Australia says...
7:45am Mon 16 Jun 08
Woodface wrote:ermmm? dunno what happened here? my pc is giving me the **** today :(
this is aold]bold
JM, Skipton says...
7:55am Mon 16 Jun 08
still I think it's been a great achievement to get 10,000 season ticket holders for next season (including the kids) and, with people paying on the door for games and those tiny away followings, there should still be decent attendences at VP next season. should we do well and be near the top, people paying on the door will further increase.
I hope that the club do not decide to issue the free season tickets if we are short of target, where is the fairness in that? if people were waiting for a free season ticket and didn't bother they should now have to deal with the consequences, not be rewarded. we will still have decent crowds and if they are that bothered, and city are doing well, it will be a lesson for them to take on board. tickets were only £150, there is only so much the club can do to attract fans, they had a brilliant offer and while it looks like it's narrowly failed it's objective I still think we've done well to have 10,000 season ticket holders.
Mr Sensible, Bingley says...
8:41am Mon 16 Jun 08
justinbrett1975, Shipley says...
9:01am Mon 16 Jun 08
Luke, Leeds says...
9:15am Mon 16 Jun 08
boparob, Bradford says...
9:17am Mon 16 Jun 08
Cheers City , Mr Rhodes and Mr Lawn Good luck for next season, your loyal fans will be shouting you on every game. CTID
DickieBCFC, Oxenhope says...
9:29am Mon 16 Jun 08
Don't be surprised if we've hit 9,000
scargutt, Horsforth says...
9:48am Mon 16 Jun 08
Perhaps a £10 discount off a shirt for those who have bought already would be a nice gesture?
Waynus, Bradford 6 says...
9:59am Mon 16 Jun 08
As the above pointed out, if people were too tight to part with £150 (£6.50 a game), they deserve to have to pay £20 a match (or £13 with a revised price season ticket).
I still hope we managed to sell the 9,000 tickets, but if we didn't, then nobody should get a free ticket of any kind. Personally, I bought mine before they announced details of the BOGOF so it would have made no difference to me anyway.
Anyone else notice that Sensible has changed the tune? He has been banging on about the season ticket offer and because it got close, he has now changed tact and started attacking the club about the length of time to make signings. If it wasn't pathetic, it might be funny!
Chris, Bradford says...
10:22am Mon 16 Jun 08
Took the kids down yesterday they loved it, VP was open and it was a free for all, didnt go on the ground tours but could go anywhere anyhow. Great idea City.
Luke, Leeds says...
10:41am Mon 16 Jun 08
Waynus, Bradford 6 says...
10:43am Mon 16 Jun 08
Chris wrote:Fair comment Chris, but I have to disagree with you. In your post, you aks, "what is there to gain". The answer is simple. More revenue.
I hope they dont reach it. What will they achieve financially, nothing. The club will be better having people pay £20 on the door and when we are been successful they will pay it. Took the kids down yesterday they loved it, VP was open and it was a free for all, didnt go on the ground tours but could go anywhere anyhow. Great idea City.
The season before last, we sold only 5,500 tickets (approx) at full price but made a loss. Last season, we sold 9,000 tickets at half price, but still made more money than at any time during the last 7 years. Why? Because with more fans at the games, we could re-negotiate our franchise deals with the catering/beverages areas. We also get a percentage of every item of clothing sold in the shop. More fans attending = more people buying merchandise = more money for the club.
I appreciate we may get a few more thousand paying full whack on the gate, but if those same people were too tight to buy a £150 ticket, do you really expect them to pay £20? I can't see more than 1,500 paying on the gate and they probably won't buy merchandise, food or drink. As they are paying £20 per ticket, they will probably bring sandwiches and a flask.
I do hope you are right, but I just can't see it.
Waynus, Bradford 6 says...
10:44am Mon 16 Jun 08
Chris wrote:Fair comment Chris, but I have to disagree with you. In your post, you ask, "What is there to gain". The answer is simple. More revenue.
I hope they dont reach it. What will they achieve financially, nothing. The club will be better having people pay £20 on the door and when we are been successful they will pay it. Took the kids down yesterday they loved it, VP was open and it was a free for all, didnt go on the ground tours but could go anywhere anyhow. Great idea City.
The season before last, we sold only 5,500 tickets (approx) at full price but made a loss. Last season, we sold 9,000 tickets at half price, but still made more money than at any time during the last 7 years. Why? Because with more fans at the games, we could re-negotiate our franchise deals with the catering/beverages areas. We also get a percentage of every item of clothing sold in the shop. More fans attending = more people buying merchandise = more money for the club.
I appreciate we may get a few more thousand paying full whack on the gate, but if those same people were too tight to buy a £150 ticket, do you really expect them to pay £20? I can't see more than 1,500 paying on the gate and they probably won't buy merchandise, food or drink. As they are paying £20 per ticket, they will probably bring sandwiches and a flask.
I do hope you are right, but I just can't see it.
JoSePh, clayton says...
11:33am Mon 16 Jun 08
Chris, Bradford says...
11:43am Mon 16 Jun 08
mheywood, Bradford says...
11:47am Mon 16 Jun 08
shelley27, Bradford6 says...
11:58am Mon 16 Jun 08
broccoli09, Denholme says...
12:07pm Mon 16 Jun 08
HospitalityBob, Oakenshaw says...
12:12pm Mon 16 Jun 08
shelley27 wrote:Wat's the rush, the season doesn't begin until August.
There's an announcement on the city website stating they will confirm figures in the next few days as they have a large amount of postal apps and need to add on corporate figures - Couldn't this have been done before???
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Stuart McCall saves a fan's penalty at yesterday's open day, where he and joint-chairman Mark Lawn spent five hours to help boost season-ticket sales
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Woodface, Perth, Australia says...
7:42am Mon 16 Jun 08