Terminal Boardom
Insults aside...
The cost of the entire matchday experience for one is high. For a family of 4, extortionate. The cost of the buses from the station to stadium is more expensive than if you purchased a return on a scheduled Reading Buses service. Car parking in the area is expensive or you run the risk of parking in an iffy side street and hoping your car is still there intact. The cost and quality of the food and drink inside and outside the stadium is dreadful. The value of a ST compared to pay per game is a sensitive issue and I don't think that it is one that is being handled or managed particularly well by the club. They see that income is reducing so they look at providing specials to encourage people to come. This is great if you don't commit to a ST but if you do, and there are in the region of 11,000 of them, this can backfire.
The only time that the football club have actually done anything positive to thank the supporters has been to lay on free coaches to Norwich last season. A marvellous gesture but surely would have been more impressive had the free travel been to a game on a Saurday and not being broadcast on live TV. Makes me think the only reason they did it was because they knew that the take up would be low.
I think you've dodged the main point of my post and the reasons for my ire with posters such as yourself. You've still failed to say how this club 'takes you for granted'. Secondly you're still failing to explain exactly why ST holders are being hard done by.
For your season ticket YOU STILL GET IT CHEAPER then those who buy game by game. You claim it's a sensitive issue but I can't understand why. As long as you recieve even a £1 discount then by definition you are technically 'rewarded' for your loyalty. As it stands even after all of the promotions you are still 4 odd games better off I believe. Not just this but as I and others have mentioned you get benefits that non season ticket holders don't get even if they pay to see every game.
You are ensured YOUR SEAT for every game, you don't have to bother to book a seat every game. You have priority for away games and cup matches and you also have the benefit of having your seat ensured for next season. On top of this the club has done things such as the 'bring a friend for free' and the money off voucher for a new replica kit this season. You also get free entry to reserve games IIRC (though this maybe wrong)
The above paragraph is part of the 'reward' for being a ST holder and are all things the club don't have to do but choose too. Beyond that entire issue, what devine right does a season ticket holder have over the rest of the fanbase who maybe can't commit/can't afford to go to every single game?
The sheer number of ST holders a couple of years back meant I couldn't get to see the club I've followed for years in perhaps the biggest games of my lifetime and whilst that annoys me I don't blame the club, it's circumstances and bad luck really.
The 'matchday experience' cost is high but it's about as high as you want it to be....
After your season ticket you shouldn't have any cost other then your travel. If you want a matchday programme, food at the ground etc etc that's your choice isnt it? the club don't MAKE you buy them and you can't even say alternative facilities aren't available nearby. Is the food substandard? it's no worse then most other entertainment venues, and given the speed/quantity with which they need to prepare food for 20,000 i fail to see how it could be THAT much better.
Parking is an issue yes and the bus prices are a tad high but so is travel across most of the area right now. To save money you could look at car sharing or walking further to the Basingstoke road to get a 'regular' Reading bus. Also whilst never a sure thing, you can get fairly safe and free parking at a number of places if you arrive well before the game and know your way around.
Finally you lambast the club for putting on free coaches to games that have been moved by Sky :\ In case you forget Sky actually provide the club with one of it's largest sources of income and have the right to move games at late notice to suit viewers. Does that annoy fans when they can't go? well yes but don't forget it also benefits thousands of fans who couldn't have gone in the first place and also generates revenue/publicity to help the club improve.
I don't like singling out anyone for 'insults' but really I have little time when people dodge the issues and twist it to such an extent that it doesn't match up with reality.
