£3.50 for a program???

[withdeanwombat]

The golden days of programmes have passed.

If you want to know the statistics,some idea of the opposition,then yes,it's there,amongst 98 pages of adverts players favourite actors/tv shows/holiday destinations.Their favourite pop groups,their hat sizes and associated dross.

Sell a magazine for this nonsense,and let's have a manageable programme with the teams in it.Not a photocopied team sheet meant for the press,but something like the easily handled issues of the sixties.Clear cut.No frills.No nonsense.50p.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

We get one on arrival, yes. But I've not once seen programmes scattered about on tables going to waste.

The sarcastic in my wants to ask if you go very often.

But I jest. I went twice last season, and we got handed the one on entry and then discovered a dozen or so on each table. My question is why would they need to be on the table? You get one as you go in anyway. Also, I was given a programme on the friday night before the Ipswich game.

 

[Weststander]

People who keep saying its only 50p increase, then add on the 30p increase in beer and the extra on food, it soon starts adding up, can't see me spending much at the amex this year.

This.
General inflation is c. 3%, but the programmes and other stuff goes up 15%+, when we are the same division as last term.
If there was sign of stellar player buys to get us to the PL next May, I wouldn't mind; but there isn't, unless a rabbit is pulled out of the transfer hat by the 1st Sept.

I will simply cut back in a big way.

 

[Superphil]

Rubbish, they get handed out when you go in and they're distributed all over the tables. It's dragging down the profit margin because all the copies left ignored go unsold in the club shop. If they were cleverer with the distribution it wouldn't be a problem. I'm not saying it is the only issue, obviously. But it hasn't helped.

I am sorry to say this, but you are wrong. They are handed to us as we go in, we pay for them as part of our package, so they are not being handed out willy nilly. I have never seen them distributed over the tables, that simply doesn't happen. Whether or not they get left behind is irrelevant, they are paid for, they get read, and then maybe they get chucked in the bin. Even if they are given to people who don't read them, so what, they've paid for them, the bottom line on those 2500 programmes is guaranteed. In fact they are 100% guaranteed sales, prepaid, in advance, its all the rest in the kiosks that are a risk, no guarantees how many of those will be bought and paid for.

 

[southstandandy]

To be honest most of us will cut our cloth accordingly, and even though I'm willing to pay the admission prices the club charge I personally won't be buying programmes or food any more which would now set me back about a tenner per match. I'm on a budget like many people and will have a sandwich at home before hand and a can of beer when I'm home afterwards. Not worried too much about the programme price now putting me off buying one as what do most of us do once we've read it? In the past mine get passed on or recycled so really I see it as the club doing me a favour with the price increases. I will save a tenner each game that I would have spent.

 

[Falkor]

most club pro are 3.50 i pay £2 for a pro in the ryman league

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Now where can we screw a bit more out of these mugs?
Stop them bringing in food and drink, then charge them for water and charge them to relieve themselves of it.
Stop them bringing in sun hats and sunglasses, and sell them disposable ones.
Ban rainmacs and sell them plastic ponchos.
Anyone got any other good ideas?

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

The golden days of programmes have passed.

If you want to know the statistics,some idea of the opposition,then yes,it's there,amongst 98 pages of adverts players favourite actors/tv shows/holiday destinations.Their favourite pop groups,their hat sizes and associated dross.

Sell a magazine for this nonsense,and let's have a manageable programme with the teams in it.Not a photocopied team sheet meant for the press,but something like the easily handled issues of the sixties.Clear cut.No frills.No nonsense.50p.

In such a large publication, it is amazing how poor the coverage is of the opposition. No player profiles for the main 14 or so players, no team photo. So if you want to find out a bit about their speedy number 10 who has caught your eye, you have to hope he's one of the '3 to watch' or it's merely a list of his previous clubs.

 

[Weststander]

To be honest most of us will cut our cloth accordingly, and even though I'm willing to pay the admission prices the club charge I personally won't be buying programmes or food any more which would now set me back about a tenner per match. I'm on a budget like many people and will have a sandwich at home before hand and a can of beer when I'm home afterwards. Not worried too much about the programme price now putting me off buying one as what do most of us do once we've read it? In the past mine get passed on or recycled so really I see it as the club doing me a favour with the price increases. I will save a tenner each game that I would have spent.

This.
Previously blew quite a bit of cash before games and at h/t.
Will use their hyper-inflation, as a stimulus, to save a small fortune in buying very little.

 

[greyseagull]

The sarcastic in my wants to ask if you go very often.

But I jest. I went twice last season, and we got handed the one on entry and then discovered a dozen or so on each table. My question is why would they need to be on the table? You get one as you go in anyway. Also, I was given a programme on the friday night before the Ipswich game.

Every game last season, yeah.

I agree, if they have been handed to people on the door then they probably shouldn't be left on the table too. Could this just be a case though of a dozen fans having already read their programme, gone out to their seat and left the programmes inside?

Either way, we are going around in circles. I agree with what you are saying, just stating what I experienced last season. Never saw any on tables where I am based in the ground.

 

[Carrot Cruncher]

The programme in the final few years at Withdean was thinner, smaller, completely shithouse and £3.

Last years behemoths were a bargain at £3. £3.50 is probably about right.

 

[Brightonfan1983]

Remember the goldstone days when there used to be a programme of the month competition across all divisions? Interesting to see where we'd come in that now-I think our programmes are top- notch

 

[Beach Hut]

Spread out over those six years, it represents an annual increase of 2.78%.

Factor in RPI at around 5% in probably three of those years means not a very big increase in the bigger picture.

As I said provided the quality remains the same no big deal.

 

[middletoenail]

I seem to recall there being a digital copy last season? Has anyone bought it and s it the same price?

 

[halbpro]

Remember the goldstone days when there used to be a programme of the month competition across all divisions? Interesting to see where we'd come in that now-I think our programmes are top- notch

I think we came second in the Football League award for last season. Month by month could be interesting though, spur people on to improve.

 

[Captain Sensible]

I won't bother with a program now, I'll drink less beer at the Amex and eat before I arrive. I'll also
Arrive later and Leave earlier. As will thousands of others, transport will get worse and the club will get less per head than last season. 50p increase takes the piss.

 

[AZ Gull]

I seem to recall there being a digital copy last season? Has anyone bought it and s it the same price?

I asked this of Insider the other day (as I live abroad, it is the only way I get to see the programme at the time it comes out). His answer is here - the demand didn't justify the cost, apparently, but they are looking at a cheaper option.

 

[Captain Sensible]

Another greedy move from Paul 'pay me six figures a year to find out my only idea is to raise the price of everything' Barber.

To be honest, there is no need for programmes any more. They serve no purpose. If you want stats just look them up on your phone and if you want to know about the opposition just print their Wikipedia page before you go. The rest of it is drivel.

I dunno, I bought a few last season and they are genuinely a good read. The problem is that some on here seem to be justifying the increase by stating inflation. It's nothing to do with that. Match program prices are too high end of. They always have been. When you compare large mags and even books, £3.50 is alot for something that contains alot of pictures, take 20min to read cover to cover and has alot in it that you've already read on the website. So In that respect I agree with you [MENTION=4417]The Complete Badger[/MENTION].

I don't think the Albion understand the sliding rule of profit margins. If you put up the price and sell less, at some point, even with the increased revenue, you start to make less profit. I think the Albion have crossed that line on Match tickets and Program's and are at that point with the catering and beer. They need to be very very careful. We got alot of STH very fast, we can lose them just as fast.

 

[Beach Hut]

I dunno, I bought a few last season and they are genuinely a good read. The problem is that some on here seem to be justifying the increase by stating inflation. It's nothing to do with that. Match program prices are too high end of. They always have been. When you compare large mags and even books, £3.50 is alot for something that contains alot of pictures, take 20min to read cover to cover and has alot in it that you've already read on the website. So In that respect I agree with you [MENTION=4417]The Complete Badger[/MENTION].

I don't think the Albion understand the sliding rule of profit margins. If you put up the price and sell less, at some point, even with the increased revenue, you start to make less profit. I think the Albion have crossed that line on Match tickets and Program's and are at that point with the catering and beer. They need to be very very careful. We got alot of STH very fast, we can lose them just as fast.

I have always bought one every home game and accept the rise however when there is a squeeze on finances I suppose the general question is , is it value for money.

At £3.50 I am beginning to wonder whether it is given as stated it is only read once then filed in the loft.