[Albion] Do we WANT to go up?

[father_and_son]

Excellent article which brilliantly articulates my views on the possibility premiership football next season.

For me its less about the season ticket price... though Bayern have the right attitude - once you are top flight the ticketing income becomes incidental and should be treated as such... I have immensely enjoyed our last two seasons in a league where any team can beat any other 'on the day' and we have played two blinding seasons but I have very mixed feelings about going up.

Chealsea pre-season, then Arsenal & Newcastle demonstrated that we can hack it with the big boys and can hold our own, but we won't be looking at Premiership or European glory any time soon and I'd rather sat in the stands watching the Albion win than watch them lose.

"Big Fish, Small Pond" for me please.

The premiership may have the best players in the world, but it is not the best league... The most exciting league to watch is the Championship - by far!

 

[Twizzle]

What do you think the players want? I think they want to play in the Prem.

We're not going to keep players like Bridcutt and Kusczak and Bridge and Upson for many seasons by staying in the Championship, that's for sure!

This is a very important point. Stay second tier and watch as Swansea etc cherry-pick our better players.
Say palace go up and poach Buckley Kaz and Liam?
I'd be sick as a parrot.
Let's wave sarcastically at Murray as we get promotion. THAT would be karma coming to his house, and theirs.

 

[Mowgli37]

If we go up I reckon we will be right on the brink for most of the first season but as long as Gus (and of course Bridders, PIG, Bridge, Ulloa etc) stays I think we would have a reasonable chance of gaining a foothold in the league over the next few seasons (fingers crossed!)

 

[nicko31]

I do want this club to go up, TB has taken a gamble in a club he loves and deserves pay back. If we don't its still been another great season

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

just a short lived dream at a cost to the supporter , you could say it's an obscene money making practice with players taking obscene wages in today's economic climate ........................... Ever get the feeling you're being ripped off
Regards
dr

this
regards
DR

 

[B.W.]

I just don't get it: how can ANY Brighton fan not want to see the club progress!! In our case, this means getting to the Prem. If we fail to do so, then there is a higher chance we will:
a) Lose Gus
b) Lose key players
c) See crowds drop (there is no guarantee we will be at or near the top of the Championship table next season).
THe naivety on here ASTOUNDS me.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

It's all Gus's fault. Poyet OUT. Where's 'arry when you need him?

 

[Triggaaar]

We'll be Swansea in the Prem, all will be fine.

Where will we play our home games?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

What is it, something like fifty million quid to go up and another forty million quid to come straight back down again. Stupid money and a bit of a no-brainer really. Us fans may no particularly relish being beaten like a gong week in week out, but its not about the fans. Besides who's to say it would happen? There's some really shitty teams in the Premier League who have been there for WAY too long. Just need to be able to do a Norwich or a Southampton really.

 

[RexCathedra]

And Sky with their Gary Neville promo talking about standing on the Terraces smelling Bovril etc. They should weigh in and tell the Premier League clubs to slash ticket prices otherwise there will not be any new supporters in 20 years.

An EPL stadium is a sound stage for televised football. You could give all the seats at the five, six, top grounds away via lottery and make up the difference by one or two big transfers a season. I wouldn't be shocked if someday, decades away, but some day, the bums in seats are being purchased, at least in part. That's what movies do for their extras...or by then you'll just CGI the fans in. 50,000 Sims.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

Because the 4 less games would mean a huge drop in the corporate takings. So the £90-120 million the club would get is to good to not push for promotion and go up, would also release some of the debt we owe tony.

The loss of four games corporate takings is nothing compared to the HUGE increase in TV money, sponsorship etc.

 

[Albion Dan]

Any fan not wanting promotion hasnt got the foggiest when it comes to commercial business. We go up and even if we didnt spend a penny and went straight down would almost pay for the Amex development alone.

 

[WithdeanWager]

Just to add some context......if season ticket prices are held at the current level, promotion would mean a per game increase of 20% on both the season ticket and travel element. This is for all areas/ages and simply due to the reduction from 23 to 19 games.

 

[BBassic]

The loss of four games corporate takings is nothing compared to the HUGE increase in TV money, sponsorship etc.

The club will increase the ticket prices because it is a business and businesses like making money even if they have already had a massive cash injection like TV money, sponsorships etc.

 

[Triggaaar]

Any fan not wanting promotion hasnt got the foggiest when it comes to commercial business. We go up and even if we didnt spend a penny and went straight down would almost pay for the Amex development alone.

Indeed (although we're losing £8m / year as it is, and the premier league earnings are over 4 years - but the money is simply too good & important to turn down).

The club will increase the ticket prices because it is a business and businesses like making money

I don't really agree. Businesses generally exist to make money, which makes our club less of a business and more of a play-thing. TB hasn't built our club up to make money. We'll increase prices to help pay for things like players etc, to help us be competitive.